Vatican
4 hours
Varies
15

Highlights

  • Be among the first visitors of the day to access the Vatican Museums, and see the Raphael Rooms and Sistine Chapel at their most tranquil.
  • Get a full appreciation for the highlights of the Vatican Museums and St. Peter's Basilica on this comprehensive early morning Vatican tour.
  • Our guides are passionate art experts, full of stories and familiar with even the smallest details. You'll find them easy to engage with thanks to your small group size.

Preview the experience

Loading...

Tour description

Enter the Vatican Museums before the public on our original Vatican early morning tour.

Our Pristine Sistine™ Chapel tour is the product of 13 years of constant development and refinement. We've found that the trick for this tour is to enter the Vatican first thing in the morning so you can experience the most beautiful (and busiest) rooms—the Raphael Rooms and Sistine Chapel—before the daytime crowds arrive.

Engage with the best of the Vatican Museums collection in peace and be among the first guests of the day to enter the Sistine Chapel.

Passing through tranquil galleries with your expert guide, you'll take in some of the world’s most incredible works of art, stopping at the Belvedere Courtyard, the Gallery of the Maps, the four Raphael Rooms, and more on your way to the Sistine Chapel. It can be difficult to navigate these spaces later in the day due to the crowds, but on this Vatican early morning tour, your guide will have the time and space to give you a proper explanation. There are so many incredible details in these frescoes, including likenesses of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo hidden in plain sight in the School of Athens.

Now that your eye is trained to great Renaissance masterpieces, it's time for the main event. You'll enter the Sistine Chapel just as the doors open to groups and ahead of the daytime crowds. By this time, your guide will have given you the full history of this space and pointers on what to look out for. Take your time and enjoy some of the most iconic images on earth. After 15 to 20 minutes of quiet contemplation, you'll embark on a guided tour of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Finish your early morning Vatican tour by skipping the line into St. Peter's Basilica.

From the Vatican Museums, we'll lead you through a special-access corridor to enter St. Peter's Basilica*, skipping the enormous general-access lines. Inside, you'll enjoy a full St. Peter's Basilica tour and learn to fully appreciate the artistry that went into works like Bernini’s monumental altar canopy, Michelangelo’s moving Pietà, and the titanic dome.

Explore the treasures of the Vatican with an art historian guide and a small, intimate group.

The Vatican Museums are home to some of the world's most precious artifacts and impressive artworks, but it can be hard to understand the significance of the works without some expert help. That's where our guides come in. They're all experienced art historians with perfect English. Throughout your early morning Vatican tour, they'll show you the highlights of the collection and enrich your visit with witty anecdotes and entertaining details.

Traveling in small groups of only 15 people or fewer (with top-quality headsets), you’ll always be able to hear your guide and engage with their stories, asking all the questions you can think of.

Most people only visit the Vatican once in a lifetime (if ever!). Our Pristine Sistine™ Chapel Tour guarantees that you have a once-in-a-lifetime experience while you're there.

The special access passage between the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica is closed on Wednesdays and subject to other unexpected closures. On such days we will instead explore the magnificent Pinacoteca Gallery.

Unfortunately due to the nature of this tour it is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments, or for wheelchairs or strollers. Please contact the Guest Experience team at [email protected] or call +39 068-596-0143 (Italy) or 888-683-8670 (USA) to make alternative arrangements.

Sites visited

  • Vatican Museums
  • Sistine Chapel
  • St. Peter's Basilica
  • St. Peter's Square
  • Raphael Rooms (Stanze di Raffaello)
  • Belvedere Courtyard
  • Pinecone Courtyard
  • Octagonal Courtyard
  • Gallery of the Maps
  • Gallery of the Tapestries
  • Gallery of the Candelabra

Included

Verified guest reviews

4.7 / 5
12583 Customer Reviews
  1. Excellent

    9863

  2. Great

    1860

  3. Good

    537

  4. Average

    193

  5. Poor

    130

Tanya

Mar 16, 2024

Sabina was a fabulous guide. She was so knowledgeable and her enthusiasm for the content of the Vatican museums and St Paul’s cathedral was impressive, especially given she’s been doing this job for 20 years! We learned a lot, and had an unforgettable day. She even managed to keep our 14 year old interested (truly amazing).

Jana

Mar 14, 2024

Tour was well organized and informative. Would not have been the same if did self-guided. Our guide Mirko ( name might not be exact) was great. Friendly and provided a ton of information. Took pictures for us. And made sure we were all present when moving to different areas.

Brynne

Mar 13, 2024

Iman was an amazing tour guide. Very knowledgeable and experienced and also hilarious and fun. Would recommend to anyone.

Kathleen

Mar 13, 2024

The tour was supposed to begin at 7:45 tour guide started talking to us about 8 amand did not even get inside until 8:50 am this was supposed to be early tour of Sistine etc. great tour guide but waste of over an hour just getting in

Margaret

Mar 13, 2024

We took an early morning Vatican, Sistine Chapel tour with guide Siri. She was exceptional. She was very energetic, knowledgeable and provided a wonderful experience.

Know before you book

Make it a perfect day

image

Those who wake up early not only get to experience the Vatican Museums without the typical crowds, but they’ll also have the entire day to explore Rome after. Here’s our one-day itinerary for visiting the Eternal City.

From $143
Free Cancellation