From August 6th, all Italy sites we visit will require clients and guides alike to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test completed within 48 hours prior to entry. They will also require a legal form of ID matching the vaccination or test results. This does not apply to children under 12. You can read more about it here.

Free Upgrades in 2021

In order to ensure that you get inside the Vatican Museums before opening time, we've upgraded all 2021 departures, until Oct 31st, of this tour to include an exclusive breakfast experience on a beautiful museum terrace. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, this is currently the only way to get inside the walls of the Vatican before general opening.

You'll spend an hour enjoying the buffet before your guide whisks you to the Sistine Chapel, ahead of the public and fully fueled for the adventure ahead.

If you would like to purchase this upgraded tour for a date past Oct 31st 2021, you can book our VIP Pristine Sistine Vatican Tour with Museum Breakfast here.

Enter the Sistine Chapel Before the General Public

Our Pristine Sistine Chapel tour is the product of 12 years of constant development and refinement. Most Vatican tours start in the rooms closest to the entrance but we've found that the trick is to enter early (a full hour ahead of the general public) and go directly to the Chapel. Along the way you'll get a peek at famous rooms like the Gallery of the Maps, the Gallery of Tapestries and the Raphael Rooms. You'll spend more time there later though, our eye is on the prize.

Take your time and enjoy some of the most iconic images on earth in Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel frescoes. After 15 to 20 minutes of quiet contemplation, you'll embark on a guided tour of the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica.

Engage with the Best of the Vatican Museums Collection

The Vatican Museums are home to some of the world's most precious artefacts and some of its most impressive Rennaissance arworks, but it can be hard to understand the significance of works like Emperoro Nero's marble bath (literally priceless) without some expert help. That's where our guides come in. They're all experienced art historians with perfect English. They'll show you the highlights of the collection and enrich your visit with witty anecdotes and entertaining details, bringing world-famous works to life.

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. We won’t finish at the Vatican Museums though, our next stop is the world’s largest basilica.

Skip the Lines into St. Peter's Basilica

From the Vatican Museums, we use 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 including Bernini’s monumental altar canopy, Michelangelo’s moving 'Pietà' and the titanic dome.

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

Note: As of July the corridor between St Peter's Basilica & the Sistine Chapel is still closed to the public due to Covid restrictions. Our guides will do their best to include the Basilica but circumstances on the day and the distance between the two sites without this access, may mean this is not always possible. In the case that there is no time for an interior visit, your guide will give you a full introduction to the Basilica from outside, so you know what to look for during your independent visit. Note also that if you book this tour on a Wednesday, due to the Papal Audience, a visit to St.Peter's Church won't be possible and the guide will spend more time inside the Museums