Overview
Skip the line, avoid the long queues and explore the Vatican's exceptional collections, the magnificent Sistine Chapel & Basilica with an expert guide in an intimate group. Enter the breathtaking Basilica of St.Peter and the Vatican Grottoe beneath. This extensive and exclusive tour is designed for those eager to experience everything the Vatican has to offer.
The Vatican Museums are home to an expansive array of art, featuring countless gallery displays and an astonishing number of spectacular artistic works showcased inside. These include stunning sculptures, frescoes, and architectural masterpieces that together form an unparalleled collection found nowhere else in the world.
Admire the incredible sculptures, tapestries, paintings, and architectural works of Renaissance masters such as Bramante, Bernini, Perugino, Botticelli, D’Antonio, Rosselli, Signorelli, Della Gatta, Ghirlandaio, Raphael, and without doubt the Sistine Chapel, adorned with Michelangelo’s extraordinary frescoes.
- Recommended by 98% of travelers
- Badge of Excellence
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- Mobile ticket
What's included
Skip The Line St.Peter's Basilica Entry (when possible)
Small Group Tour Experience with Expert Official Licensed Vatican Guide
Skip The Line Priority Access Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Tickets
Highlights of St.Peters with a guide and free time to explore
Location Pick Up & Drop Off
Scavi / Necropolis
On Wednesday mornings St. Peter's Basilica may be closed to the public due to the Papal Audience
St Peter’s Basilica is subject to last-minute closures for religious ceremonies, with no warning
Meeting and pickup
Travelers meet at the meeting point.
Meeting point
Once you book, we organize everything. Just show up and check-in at the Maya Tours office (VIA GERMANICO, 16) at the correct time (Please arrive 10 minutes before your booked departure time) and your guide will escort you inside the Museums & provide you with your ticket.
End point
St.Peter's Basilica
Good to know
Check-in at the Maya Tours office & your guide will escort you inside the Museums.
The tour reservations have strict timing. To join the tour, you are required to be at the meeting point for check-in at least 15 minutes prior to your tour departure time.
If you arrive late for the meeting time, it will not be possible to join the group or reschedule, the tickets and guide are void. As per Vatican rules you will not be entitled to a refund.
Knees & Shoulders MUST be covered for both men & women to enter the Sistine Chapel
St Peter’s Basilica is subject to last-minute closures for religious ceremonies, with little to no warning and in this case, the tour will conclude in the Sistine Chapel. When this occurs visitors will have an extended tour of the Vatican Museums.
If St. Peter’s Basilica be closed or not accessible within the scheduled time, the tour will include Raphael's Rooms or the explanation of the Basilica from the outside. In this case we are unable to provide refunds or discounts as the Basilica is free to enter and not included in the tour price.
The Raphael's Rooms are not included in the tour and are visited only when St. Peter’s Basilica remains closed to the public or if the Vatican makes the internal itinerary mandatory.
Please note that on the day of your visit certain areas of the monument/attraction can be closed due to either religious events or national holidays.
Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not suitable for those with walking disabilities or using a wheelchair. Please be aware that large oversized bags/backpacks/suitcases are not permitted in the monument/ attraction.
Students booking a reduced ticket must have a photo ID to be allowed into the monument. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
It is not possible to contact guides when they are inside the Vatican museums, it is the clients responsibility to stay with the guided tour group, if you lose your guide inside the Vatican, there is nothing we can do in this case.
What to expect
-
Maya Tours
Once you book, we organize everything. Just show up and check-in at the Maya Tours office (VIA GERMANICO, 16) at the correct time (Please arrive 10 minutes before your booked departure time) and your guide will escort you inside the Museums & provide you with your ticket.
-
Vatican Museums
2 hours 15 min
Explore the Vatican Museums with an Expert Guide, visit the highlights of the incredible collections comprised of a colossal 20,000 works on display, over 4 miles of Art, Sculptures, Tapestries, Paintings and Architecture.
Belvedere Courtyard
Pinecone Courtyard
Pio Clementino Museum
Octagonal Courtyard
Sala Degli Animali
Sala Delle Muse
Sala Rotonda
Sala A Croce Greca
Gallery of the Candelabra
Gallery of Tapestries
Gallery of Maps -
Sistine Chapel
15 min
Marvel at the incredible Sistine Chapel, an impressive sanctuary that boasts works of art by master painters like Perugino, Pinturicchio, Ghirlandaio, Rosselli, Botticelli, Signorelli, della Gatta and, of course, Michelangelo.
See the world famous frescoes stretch magnificently across the ceiling with the renowned Creation of Adam as the central focus and the majestic Last Judgement upon the rear wall, offering a visual spectacle that encapsulates the divine.
Sistine Chapel Frescoes
Cosmati Floor Mosaic
Forseen conception of Jesus Christ
Pagan Sibyls / Icons
Prophet depictions
Creation of Adam
The Last Judgement
Sacrifice of Jesus Christ
Greek Mythology Styx -
St. Peter's Basilica
30 min
Gain privileged direct entrance to the heart of the Catholic faith and lose yourself in the monumental grandeur of Saint Peter's Basilica. See the highlights of the phenomenal church with a guide and enjoy free time to explore its many secrets including getting your blessing at Saint Peter's feet and head down into the Vatican Grottoes which contain the Papal Tombs.
The Pillars
The Ceiling
Statue Of St. Peter (Blessing at Saint Peter's Feet)
Tomb Of Innocent XI
St. Peter’s Throne
La Porta Santa (Holy Door)
Loggia Of The Blessings Or Central Balcony
The Dome
High Altar (St. Peter's Altar)
Baldacchino
Vatican Grottoes (Papal Tombs)
La Pietá
Tomb of John Paul II
La Navicella Mosaic -
St. Peter's Square
30 min
Exit the Basilica on to St. Peter's Square, a large plaza located directly in front of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, one of the largest, most beautiful squares in Europe where the Papal Audience is held.
Bernini Fountain
Maderno Fountain
Vatican Egyptian Obelisk
St. Peter's Square colonnades
Columns
Basilica Façade
Central Balcony
Statues of the Saints and first century apostles
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the start time.
Times are local to the experience (Europe/Rome).
Additional Information
- Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not suitable for those with walking difficulties or using a wheelchair.
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Up to 10 travelers per booking
- Each booking must include at least one adult.
FAQs about Skip the Line Vatican, Sistine Chapel, Basilica & Papal Tomb Tour
Can I cancel Skip the Line Vatican, Sistine Chapel, Basilica & Papal Tomb Tour for free?
Yes. For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the start time.
How long does it take?
It takes about 3 hours.
What's included?
- Skip The Line St.Peter's Basilica Entry (when possible)
- Small Group Tour Experience with Expert Official Licensed Vatican Guide
- Skip The Line Priority Access Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Tickets
- Highlights of St.Peters with a guide and free time to explore
What's not included?
- Location Pick Up & Drop Off
- Scavi / Necropolis
- On Wednesday mornings St. Peter's Basilica may be closed to the public due to the Papal Audience
- St Peter’s Basilica is subject to last-minute closures for religious ceremonies, with no warning
Which places does it visit?
It visits Maya Tours, Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica, St. Peter's Square.
Which languages is it offered in?
It is offered in German, English, Italian, French, Spanish.
Is it suitable for children?
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Operated by Maya Tours
