vatican museum tour with breakfast

VIP Pristine Sistine Tour & Vatican Palace Breakfast

• Enter the Vatican an hour before it opens to the public to get ahead of the crowds.
• Relax with a buffet breakfast in a serene courtyard to fuel up for a morning of discovery on your Vatican tour.
• Visit the Sistine Chapel before it gets busy and take in Michelangelo’s frescoes in relative peace.
• Marvel at the art and architecture housed in St. Peter's Basilica with fascinating insights from your guide.

Tour description

Start your tour with a relaxing breakfast in a historic vatican courtyard..

Some things are well worth waking up early for—and our VIP Pristine Sistine early morning Vatican tour with breakfast is one of them. After enjoying a sumptuous breakfast in one of the Vatican's idyllic courtyards, you'll embark on an in-depth tour of the Vatican Museums before the crowds of the day pour in. Our specially secured early access to the Vatican means that you'll be among the very first people of the day to enter the Sistine Chapel, allowing you to marvel at one of the world's most iconic masterpieces in relative peace.

Your Pristine Sistine Vatican Breakfast Tour starts early so you can be among the first to enter the Vatican—before the museums even open to the general public. After meeting up with your guide and small group, you'll head straight to one of the lovely Vatican Museum courtyards for a breakfast buffet. Relax and take time to soak up the ambiance of our peaceful surroundings as you enjoy your breakfast before you're whisked away for a full tour of the Vatican Museums.

Explore the Vatican Museums without the crowds and be one of the first people of the day to enter the Sistine Chapel.

After breakfast, your Vatican tour will showcase all of the Museums' highlights. In the Belvedere Courtyard, you'll find classical Greek and Roman works. Keep an eye out for the Belvedere Torso in particular; you might recognize it from the Sistine Chapel. Hear details that will enhance your appreciation of the fascinating Laocoön Group sculpture and the Raphael Rooms—widely considered to be among the most beautifully frescoed interiors on earth.

The crown jewel of your early morning Vatican tour comes as you step into the Sistine Chapel as one of the first visitors of the day. Soak up Michelangelo's masterpiece at the quietest time of the morning before the crowds descend.

To finish, you'll head into St. Peter's Basilica via a special access passageway that allows you to bypass the long line already forming outside. It's the perfect place to finish your exploration of one of the most sacred sites on earth.

Visiting the Vatican is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so you'll want to make the most of your precious time. Our VIP Pristine Sistine early morning Vatican tour with breakfast ensures you have an experience to remember.

Note: The special access passage between the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica is closed on Wednesdays and subject to other unexpected closures during special celebrations, including the Easter ceremonies. On such days we will instead explore the magnificent Pinoteca Gallery. Your guide will still give you an introduction to the church should you wish to visit this on your own at a later occasion. We are unable to provide refunds or discounts.

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 +39 068-596-0143 (Italy) or 888-683-8670 (USA) to make alternative arrangements.

Sites visited

Verified guest reviews, dec 28, 2023.

The tour guide was so knowledgeable, friendly and pleasant. When another unexpected section was open to us on our tour she went the extra mile- literally- and also showed us that area.

Dec 20, 2023

Great experience! From check-in to leaving the Vatican everything was well thought out. Julia was an excellent guide, extremely well-versed in the art and artifacts. Great sense of humor and could tell a story.

Dec 11, 2023

Alessa was such a fun guide, witty guide and super knowledgeable. I really enjoyed the tour with her. You do have to move quickly through some of the rooms just because there are so any people but that is less about the tour itself and more about the amount of people the Vatican allows in at a time. I would recommend doing the early morning before open to the public. I can't imagine how busy it would have been in the middle of the day. The skip the line passes were so helpful. If you are even considering do one of the early morning ones then spend the money and do it. Well worth it

Nov 02, 2023

The whole process including sign up, meet up, tour and guide were well planned by city walks. The knowledge these guides have is outstanding. They know their stuff and do a great job in the time frame they have. They know how to navigate the crowds from years of experience. I’d say do the early morning but skip the breakfast. It does the job of giving you food to fill up but it’s not that good.

Oct 19, 2023

The tour guide was great, friendly and had some really interesting stories. The headset was essential given the crowds. The breakfast was subpar, kind of chaotic, cold, and generally not very good. The VIP doesn't get you into the Sistine early. We did that about 2-3 hours into the tour and it was about as busy as it can get. We may have gotten into the museums "early", I'm not really sure, but there were definitely crowds the whole time.

Know before you book

Make it a perfect day.

Waking up early for our Pristine Sistine tour means not only getting to experience the Vatican Museums without the typical crowds, but you’ll also have the entire day to explore Rome after. Here’s our one-day itinerary for visiting the Eternal City.

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Exclusive Breakfast at the Vatican with Tour of the Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica

• Take advantage our of Early Entrance into the Vatican  and walk into the Papal courtyard in the silence of the morning to sit down for a beautiful spread of American-style breakfast in the same courtyard where the popes have entertained guests for centuries.
• After breakfast, wander the galleries before the crowds and enjoy a closer view than the average visitor of  Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel , Last Judgement and much more. Finish your tour with a visit to the magnificent St. Peter’s Basilica .
• With an expert English-speaking art historian as your guide , small groups of no more than 20 people , headsets to ensure you hear everything, we can guarantee a great experience in the Vatican with this semi-private tour!

Tour Description

What's included.

• Guided tour with expert, English-speaking guide
• Group size limited to 20 people or less
• Early entrance to the Vatican Museums 
• All tickets and reservation fees
• Headsets so you can always hear your guide

Sites Visited

• Breakfast in the Vatican's Courtyard
• Vatican Museums
• Sistine Chapel
• Gallery of Maps
• Gallery of Tapestries
• St. Peter's Basilica
• St. Peter's Square

For the first time ever, City Wonders is proud to offer guests the opportunity to enjoy a banquet breakfast inside the Vatican's Courtyard before the crowd! We gain Reserved Early Access to the Vatican Museums before other groups so you’ll experience the Vatican as few people have ever seen it with this fully guided tour.

Your expert, English-speaking guide will lead you through quiet corridors to the beautiful Courtyard, where you’ll find a banquet fit for the Pope. Begin with an American-style breakfast in the Courtyard among the majestic views of the Vatican with unparalleled serenity before the public is allowed inside. Savor a delicious American and continental breakfast spread including cooked-to-order eggs, meats, cheeses, muffins, croissants, fresh fruits, cereals, and much more. You can even order a short stack from the Vatican's pancake chef! Your breakfast at the Vatican will be relaxed, giving you plenty of time to sit with a coffee or juice on the courtyard patio, soaking up the peace and quiet of this tiny state in the early morning.

Exclusive Entry to Vatican Museums

After breakfast, you’ll join your expert guide for a semi-private tour of the Vatican Museums . Thanks to our exclusive entry time, you’ll get started early – just after other tour groups are allowed to enter and before the corridors of the Museums get crowded. Once inside, you’ll have a good head start on everyone else and will stay ahead of the crowds for much of your journey.

As an expert in art history, your guide will be the perfect host for your journey through the Vatican; leading you through all the highlights of the Museums without having to walk the whopping nine miles covered by the Papal palaces. Saunter along our carefully designed route to admire exquisite centuries old art collections and archeological wonders.

The Masterpieces of Sistine Chapel

Of course, we won’t miss out on the big-name sights like the Gallery of Maps and the Gallery of Tapestries. From there, visit the Sistine Chapel – the Pope’s personal place of worship. Marvel at Michelangelo’s artistry as you immerse yourself within one of the world’s most significant landmarks. Beforehand you’ll be well prepared for the masterpieces that await. You’ll understand the techniques Michelangelo used to create these stunning frescoes (believe it or not, he didn’t actually lie on his back at all) and spot the incredible details and private jokes that he painted into the world’s most iconic artwork, getting the most from your time here.

Finally, your guide will avoid long lines to get you into St. Peter’s Basilica to explore one of the pillars of the Catholic church. Special access means we’ll gain direct entry from the Sistine Chapel to St. Peter’s Basilica without having to leave the Museums, walk 20 minutes to St. Peter’s Square and queue up for an hour. With all that extra time to spare, you’ll have plenty of time to explore the Basilica* with your guide. They’ll explain the incredible work that went into the dome here (and how Bernini almost split the Basilica in half), point out incredible artworks within such as Michelangelo’s sculpture ‘Pietà’ and introduce to you what is probably the world’s most impressive altar. With so much to take in, you are also welcome to remain in St. Peter’s Basilica after the tour to experience more of this amazing church at your leisure, or step back outside St. Peter’s Square to admire Bernini’s clever optical illusion and the basilica’s heavenly facade.

Starting the day with an exclusive breakfast at the Vatican and continuing on in a small group tour through the Museums, your Vatican experience will be memorable and intimate. With audio headsets for every guest and only 20 people or less per group, your guide will be easy to hear and interact with, ensuring that you get the very best from this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

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Important Notes

• Appropriate dress is required for entry into some sites on this tour. Knees, shoulders and backs must be covered.
• Please note that this tour is only available up to 60 days in advance, due to the nature of the tickets. We recommend booking early to avoid disappointment.
• Due to increased security measures at many attractions some lines may form on tours with 'Skip the Line'.
• On Wednesday mornings St. Peter's Basilica may be closed to the public due to the Papal Audience taking place in St. Peter’s Square. Customers who wish to visit St. Peter’s Basilica are advised to travel on another day. Saint Peter’s Basilica is also subject to last-minute closures for religious ceremonies. When this occurs, we're happy to offer customers an extended tour of the Vatican Museums. While we endeavour to tell tour groups ahead of time if there are any planned disruptions to the Basilica's opening hours, this is not always possible and in these cases we are unable to provide refunds or discounts.
• Please note that in case of unexpected closures of some of the areas inside the Museums, the guide may have to modify the itinerary slightly.

Cancelation Policy

• Please be advised that this tour is non-refundable, with no cancellations or date changes allowed due to pre-purchased tickets.
• It is mandatory to bring a valid ID or Passport for security checks, and entry will not be granted without proper documentation. Thank you for your cooperation.

The tours meet at a location very close and convenient to the entrance of the Vatican Museums. Full details of the exact location are included on the confirmation voucher you will receive when you book your tour.

Only in the “Sistine Chapel First Entry Experience with Vatican Museums”, after the guide leaves you in the Sistine Chapel, you are allowed to stay inside the Museums and explore on your own. Please note that this is possible as long as you don’t exit the Museums. For the rest of the Vatican Guided Tours, you won’t be allowed to get back to the Museums once you gotten into St. Peter’s Basilica.

Please arrive at least 20 minutes before the start time of the tour.

• Book Direct: Best prices always guaranteed.
• Multilingual Customer Service: Talk to us, we are here to help.
• No Hidden Costs: All taxes and fees included.

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Exclusive Early Breakfast inside the Vatican Museums with Sistine Chapel and St. Peters Basilica

• Buffet breakfast inside the Vatican' s Courtyard.
• Guided tour of the Vatican Museums
• Reserved first entrance to the Vatican
• Entrance to the Sistine Chapel
• Visit to St. Peter’s Basilica
• Expert, English-speaking tour guide
• Small groups of 20 people or less
• Headsets when appropriate, so you can always hear your guide

Tour Description

What's included.

• Guided tour with expert English-speaking guide
• Group size limited to 20 people or less
• Early entrance
• All tickets and reservation fees included
• Electronic headsets so you can always hear your guide

Sites Visited

• Breakfast in the Pinecone Courtyard

Vatican Museums

• Sistine Chapel
• Gallery of Maps
• Gallery of Tapestries
• St. Peter's Basilica
• St. Peter's Square

Fresh Continental Breakfast

Dark Rome is offering you a unique opportunity to enter the Vatican Museums before the official morning opening for an exclusive courtyard breakfast. Not offered by any other tour operator, this tour allows you to enjoy a banquet breakfast in the tranquility of the Vatican's Courtyard. Here you’ll enjoy a leisurely meal of traditional Italian fare as well as an American buffet complete with our own pancake chef! Begin your tour after breakfast before most of the crowds arrive.

After breakfast you’ll split into groups of 20 people or fewer and your expert, English-speaking guide will take lead you on an exploration of the best masterpieces in the Vatican Museums. Still early, the galleries and rooms will be quieter now than later in the day so you’ll have more space to enjoy the magnificent surroundings.

Visited by over 5 million people per year, the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums are top of the “must see” list for most visitors to Rome. With over 9 miles of art spread across 2,000 rooms, seeing the Papal Palace on your own can be a little overwhelming. With our expertise and experience of touring over 1,000,000 visitors through the Vatican, we make it easy and memorable.

See Michelangelo's Finest Works

You will see the Gallery of Maps, Gallery of Tapestries and much more. Before entering the Sistine Chapel, your expert guide will provide insight into Michelangelo’s world-famous ceiling and Last Judgement frescoes, then give you time in the chapel to take it all in. Many visitors the highlight of the tour is a visit to the Sistine Chapel, made even more fascinating when your guide explains the stories and characters hidden in the art by Michelangelo.

The last stop of the day is St. Peter’s Basilica and Square, where we’ll use a special access door to skip yet another line. Here your guide will introduce you to Michelangelo’s famous Pietà and Bernini's bronze baldachin among other masterpieces. After the tour, you can spend additional free time inside St. Peter’s Basilica.

Important Notes

• Appropriate dress is required for entry into some sites on this tour. Knees, shoulders and backs must be covered.
• Due to increased security measures at many attractions some lines may form on tours with 'Skip the Line' access.
• Saint Peter’s Basilica is subject to last-minute closures for religious ceremonies. When this occurs, we're happy to offer customers an extended tour of the Vatican Museums. While we endeavour to tell tour groups ahead of time if there are any planned disruptions to the Basilica's opening hours, this is not always possible and in these cases we are unable to provide refunds or discounts.

Cancelation Policy

This tour is subject to a 24-hour cancelation policy. If you wish to cancel or amend your booking, you can do so without charge by contacting us up to 24 hours in advance of your expected

Thousands of 5-Star Reviews

Tripadvisor, know before you go, meeting point.

Near Museum Entrance - Open in Google Maps

• Please note that this tour is only available up to 60 days in advance, due to the nature of the tickets. We recommend booking early to avoid disappointment.
• Please be advised that this tour is non-refundable, with no cancellations or date changes allowed due to pre-purchased tickets.
• It is mandatory to bring a valid ID or Passport for security checks, and entry will not be granted without proper documentation. Thank you for your cooperation.

No. With our tickets, it is not possible to re-enter the Vatican once you leave as the Vatican tickets are single entry only.

Please arrive 15 minutes before the start time of the tour.

• Book Direct: Best prices always guaranteed.
• Multilingual Customer Service: Talk to us, we are here to help.
• No Hidden Costs: All taxes and fees included.

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A Dark Rome tour is the product of meticulous research, detailed planning, and a passion for providing customers with travel experiences they will cherish forever.

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• All of our guides are experts in their field
• We only hire fluent English-speakers so nothing is ever lost in translation
• We focus on the little details and anecdotes that make Dark Rome so special

Private Vatican Breakfast Tour | VIP Experience

What to expect

Enjoy the most important meal of the day in one of the most important places in Rome, the Vatican Museums. LivTour’s Private Vatican Breakfast Tour begins with skip the line access to the Vatican Museums in the early morning hours before the crowds arrive!

After entering, your experienced tour guide will escort you inside to enjoy the serenity of the early morning in the courtyard while enjoying your Papal breakfast with some treats made exclusively for the Vatican, which you can find nowhere else! The breakfast includes morning favorites such as eggs, pancakes, Italian pastries, cappuccino and much more.

Why book this tour

• Savor a Papal breakfast in the Vatican before the crowds
• Enjoy early morning entry into the Vatican with skip-the-line tickets
• Experience Vatican highlights with an expert dedicated private guide at your side
• See famous works of art by Michelangelo, Raphael and other great Italian artists
• Marvel at Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel - one of Rome’s most enchanting highlights

Exclusive private Tours and Experiences. Also offered in Spanish, French, Portuguese, Swedish and Russian

Our prices always include tickets and reservations fees (no waiting in lines!)

Our tour guides and staff are selected experts and speak perfect English

Easy to book and prepay your tours with our secure payment system

Eco-sustainable tourism, designed to respect and support local culture, art and traditions

Tour gallery

Read more about your Private Vatican Breakfast Tour

Your Private Vatican Breakfast Tour with meeting your expert tour guide who will facilitate direct access to the museums and take you through a quick security check.  Along with your private guide, you will make your way inside where you will be seated to enjoy a scrumptious Papal breakfast. As you savor your cappuccino, you can enjoy a hearty selection of farm to table dairy products – coming directly from the papal livestock!  Surprisingly these products, produced on papal estate farms, are exclusive to Vatican City and cannot be found elsewhere.

After an enjoyable and unforgettable breakfast, your private guide will take you on a complete tour of the Vatican Museums. Your tour will include all of the Vatican highlights and a few added extras. The Vatican Museums is the fifth largest museum in the world, so there is a lot to see, which is why we curate our tours in a way that you see the best of what this art and history museum has to offer.

In the Courtyard of Statues, you will see the celebrated 15th-century state of Belvedere Torso, considered to have the perfect form, and artists have used it for centuries as inspiration, even Michelangelo!  The tragic story of the city of Troy is depicted in the masterpiece statue of Laocoön.  As your expert guide leads you past other Vatican treasures, such as Emperor Nero’s lavish bath which was once housed in the Golden Palace. Your LivTours guide will also share with you the wonders of the Gallery of the Candelabra, Gallery of Tapestries, and the renowned Gallery of Maps – a Renaissance version of Google Maps.

Of course, no visit to the Vatican would be complete without visiting the Raphael Rooms, part of the papal apartments of Pope Julius II. Enjoy the elegant Raphael frescoes that have been recently restored.

Now it is on to admire the fresco that took Michelangelo four years to finish, the Sistine Chapel. This was once a private chapel, close to the size of a standard basketball court, it can very easily fill up with travelers who have come to experience the beauty of this majestic work in person. Your private guide will explain to you how Michelangelo’s passion for sculpting influenced his painting, leaving us with the depiction of the human form in a new three dimensional way.

Lastly, it is on to visit the largest Catholic church in the world, Saint Peter’s Basilica. One of the most important landmarks for Christians, the burial site of one of Jesus’ apostles and the keeper of the keys to Heaven, Saint Peter. Your private guide will share with you the awe-inspiring works of art such as Michelangelo’s sculpture of the Pieta and Bernini’s Baldacchino Altar canopy made of solid bronze. Before leaving, your guide will tell you about the Papal Tombs and give you instructions for climbing to the to of the Dome if you wish to do so after the tour.

This Tour Includes

• Early Morning Vatican skip the line entrance
• Delicious Papal breakfast
• Fully guided experience
• Raphael Rooms
• Sistine Chapel
• Octagonal Courtyard
• Gallery of the Candelabra
• Gallery of Tapestries
• Gallery of Maps
• Borgia Apartments
• Saint Peter's Basilica & Square*

Know before you go

• Places of worship have strict dress code requirements for entry. All participants are required to have shoulders and knees covered (no tank tops or short dresses) to enter.
• There is no flash photography inside the museums, and no photography allowed inside the Sistine Chapel.
• St. Peter’s Basilica is an active church and can be closed unexpectedly for liturgical ceremonies. If closed, the time inside the Vatican Museums will be extended.
• *Please note: Michelangelo’s Pietá is currently under restoration until September 2024
• Please be aware that the Sistine Chapel is a Holy Place and talking during your visit inside is strictly forbidden, therefore your guide will give you an explanation of the Sistine Chapel beforehand during your tour, in order to give you a comprehensive explanation before entering the chapel.
• Backpacks are not permitted in the Museum.
• Guests with wheelchair accessibility needs will find difficulty with this itinerary proposed in this tour. In order to ensure a barrier-free tour with alternative routes, please book the private version of this tour.
•  Everyone in your group, regardless of age, needs a government issued ID to enter the Vatican Museums.

Our Sustainable Tourism Promise

LivTours’ group size of max 6 participants is and always has been based on sustainable travel, and we are proud to be at the forefront of change and innovation in the industry.   LivTours is committed to providing travelers with truly sustainable tours with the lowest possible environmental impact, all while supporting the local industries and people of each unique destination. To learn more about how you can actively support sustainable tourism  and how LivTours is contributing, click here .

About our Private tours

When you book a LivTours Private Tour or Experience , you are guaranteed a dedicated, expert guide that allows you the flexibility to start your tour at a time which is convenient for you, making planning easy. Our private tours ensure that you will get a tailored experience to meet all your needs so we go at your pace, perfect for families with younger children, elderly, or individuals with accessibility needs. Please be advised that all private tours begin at a base price starting at two people* . Prices are inclusive of entry tickets where applicable.  *Some Ferrari private experiences are inclusive of one person only.

Additional options

Make your experience even more unique by upgrading your LivTours experience. Please note: add-ons are non refundable.

Excellent Vatican tour

We truly enjoyed our tour at the Vatican with Nadia! Her emmense knowledge was shared so well, and we were so appreciated of her help to truly take in what we were seeing. Her pace was perfect, not rushed, as there is so much to absorb! Wonderful experience! We will absolutely recommend LivTours for others we know looking for good tours to take when in Rome.

Breakfast tour

Emma was great and we really enjoyed her tour at the Vatican! We have recommended LivTours to our friends who will be in Rome in May. Emma was an excellent representative of your company

Thanks LivTours!

We took four wonderful tours from your company during our visit to Rome in September. We started with a great tour of the Colosseum and Roman Forum that would have been hard to beat, it was so much fun. After that, we took a tour of Ostia Antica, the Borghese Gallery, and our favorite tour of all, a private tour of the Vatican with breakfast. I very much wanted to leave an exceptional review for our Vatican tour guide, Luca, who is an absolutely fabulous tour guide. We travel quite regularly, and all four of us felt he was one of the best guides we've ever had. Super friendly and kind, knowledgeable and passionate about the subject, and just a pleasure to tour with. I will recommend LivItaly Tours to anyone looking for an exceptional tour company. Thank you again!

A great (and delicious) alternative to the normal early morning Vatican tour

Everyone had told us that it's best to take a morning tour of the Vatican to try to avoid the masses. So when we saw this tour offering by LivItaly, we couldn't resist! You have to eat breakfast, right? Why not get into the Vatican early, have a VIP buffet in the museum's courtyard and then proceed through the museum. It was everything we hoped for and more!! Our guide Davide was absolutely fabulous: warm, friendly, very well-versed on everything Vatican and funny as well. The breakfast was delicious and the chance to see the Sistine Chapel before everyone else was there was definitely worth the early rise in the morning. We will certainly recommend this tour to all our friends and family!

Choose dates later / Buy as a gift

By selecting Choose Dates Later / Buy as Gift at booking, any tour can be purchased without fixed dates. This is the perfect option if you want to purchase your tour as a gift for a loved one, or if you are in the pre-planning phase of your vacation. After booking, you will receive a Travel Voucher Code and full instructions on how to schedule your tours when ready. Once your travel plans are confirmed, you can easily use the Travel Voucher Code on the LivTours website to formally schedule your tours. You can find out more here .

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Already a member, don't have an account create one., vatican museum breakfast. enjoy a vatican private early morning guided tour. starts at the vatican museums and ends at st peter’s basilica..

Vatican Museum breakfast. Start with a hearty American Breakfast buffet! Start the early Vatican private guided tour away from the hustle of the crowds.

Vatican Museum breakfast Inclusions:

• American Breakfast

Vatican Museums

Sistine chapel.

• St Peter’s Basilica
• Raphael’s Rooms
• St Peter’s Square

Early Tour of the Vatican Private Guided Tour and Breakfast 3.5 hrs. | Start: 7.10 a.m. | American Breakfast | Meeting Point: Vatican Museums entrance, the opposite side of Viale Vaticano 100, at the bottom of the step

Vatican Museum breakfast | Start fresh and bright in the morning with an American buffet breakfast at the Pinecone Courtyard which is also known as Fontana della Pigna. Your private guide will introduce themselves and then explain the history behind the courtyard and the famous bronze former fountain which holds its fort there surrounded by two beautiful peacocks.

Vatican Museum tour and breakfast | After breakfast, the tour starts at the Vatican Galleries. You will learn about the Laocoön marble statue and discover who triumphs and who dies while fighting the two giant serpents which have encircled Laocoön his sons. Your guide will then take you to see the ‘Torso’ at Apollo Belvedere. This is from one of the many pieces in the private collection of Pope Julius II. Interested to find out about baths used by the Roman Emperors? In the Round Room, you will be introduced to the large marble bathtub once used by Emperor Nero. It is made of a special marble – porphyry. Your guide will go on to explain to you the significance of using rich materials by the aristocrats in ancient Rome.

As you make your way to the Sistine Chapel, you will pass by some lovely galleries such as the commissioned in the 1500s by Clement the 7th – Gallery of Tapestries. The Gallery of Candelabra commissioned in the 1700s famous for the extensive use of marble in the columns and the giant marble candelabra and the Gallery of Maps With an incredible collection of topographical maps which is believed to be 80% accurate for that time period.

Vatican city tour and breakfast | The Sistine Chapel it’s a dream come true for art lovers. Be ready to be transported into the magical world of Michelangelo and other great Renaissance artists of that time. Witness the sheer brilliance of the Creation of the World’ and the “Last Judgement.’ Your private guide will share with you fascinating stories behind the frescoes and how long it took Michelangelo and his assistance to create these timeless pieces of artwork.

St. Peter Basilica – Secret Access Door

As you pass through a special door, you will be skipping the long lines which await standard ticket holders. St Peters Basilica i s one of the holiest of sites for the Catholic faith. You’re greeted by a spectacular Dome which Michelangelo has designed, and you will also view the creations of Bernini and Bramante and what they have left for the world to appreciate.

Enjoy a delightful breakfast experience at one of the most famous courtyards in the world before you visit one of the most famous museums in the world!

Look also for other Vatican tours!

Important Reminder – Early Tour of the Vatican Private Guided Tour and Breakfast

• There is a dress code to the Vatican which applies to children too. Shoulders and knees must be covered.
• The Vatican Museums get rather busy during summer and after a bank holiday.
• Not available for wheelchair users.

Related Tours

Castel Gandolfo Papal Palace, Villas, and Gardens

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Visit the Vatican at your own pace, hassle-free experience

Vip early entrance vatican guided tour.

If there is one place in the world that holds a powerful amalgam of artistic, historical, religious, and political value that is within the open borders of the Vatican City. Besides being home to the Pope and the official site of the Catholic Church, the so-called Holy See, hosts some of humanity’s biggest artistic accomplishments. The Vatican’s architectural and artistic masterpieces attract daily a large influx of tourists. As the official Vatican Museums tour provider we offer guided tours that will get you in not only faster but also earlier. With our early morning tour, you will experience the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter’s Basilica at the most peaceful time. You will explore the secrets of the largest and busiest complex of museums in the world with no crowds.

› Get premium access and admission tickets to the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica

› have the museums to yourself with early entrance at 7:30 am, 90 minutes before the general public, › benefit from the knowledge of a dedicated english-speaking guide with extensive expertise of the vatican, › flexibility of choice, you can be part of a small-group tour of no more than 12 people or choose the private option, peaceful, quiet and hassle-free experience.

Due to the high number of enthusiastic tourists, the museums can get very busy at times and this can jeopardise your experience. This special time slot that we provide ensures a greatly enhanced experience as it is available to only a few lucky tourists. You will practically feel like you have the museums all to yourself which will allow you to pay detailed attention to the masterpieces. Equally important when visiting the museums is having a precise itinerary. This is because the museum’s corridors are very labyrinthine and host over 7 kilometres of art. To avoid wasting your time wandering through the corridors not knowing where is what, it is advised to be in the company of an expert and our guides know these museums like the inside of their pockets! They also hold encyclopaedic knowledge of the artefacts and will provide you with little-known facts about their creators and much more!

What parts of the museums will you visit?

We have carefully crafted a special itinerary that will take you to see the main parts of the museums. With this tailored tour, you will visit the famous Gallery of the Candelabra. This place takes its name from the majestic candelabras that divide this gallery into six sections. The sculptures are all arranged following symmetrical criteria compatible with the architecture of the six fabulously designed rooms. This place contains artworks found throughout the country, from the time of the Roman Empire to modern-day. From there you will explore the Gallery of Tapestries displaying the work of Raffaello Sanzio. This exhibition is completely protected from sunlight in order to best preserve the tapestries. Each of these massive tapestries displays different powerful Catholic stories and myths. You will also explore the Gallery of Maps where you can gain an understanding of what the world was thought to look like centuries ago, at a time when cartography was undergoing its own renaissance.

The beauty and complexity of the Sistine Chapel

The Sistine Chapel is renowned for being decorated with what many perceive as the most spectacular masterpiece in human history, Michelangelo’s frescoes that cover the ceiling. The Sistine Chapel ceiling helped Rome overtake Florence as the supreme cultural capital of Italy. Thanks to the special time-slot provided by this tour, you will be able to walk around and admire the frescoes in complete silence. The experience will be much more insightful when the place is not crowded. The chapel is covered in beautiful and noble colours in the famous shades of ochre, umber green, Sangiovanni white, and ultramarine blue. The central part of the ceiling is divided into 9 panels portraying stories from the Book of Genesis such as the awe-inspiring Division of Light from Darkness, Creation of the Stars, of the Waters, of Adam, of Eve and finally the Creation of the Original Sin. Michelangelo’s genius has to be admired in silence but your assigned guide will give you a description of what you are about to experience before entering the chapel and will handle your questions once out.

Religious art at St Peter’s Basilica

This tour encompasses all the attractions of the Vatican, including a visit to St Peter’s Basilica,* a unique example of Renaissance architecture and Baroque art and a symbol of huge significance to Christianity. You will enter the Basilica through a special-access corridor, skipping the long general-access lines. The creation and décor of the Basilica involved the most brilliant engineering and artistic minds of the time. Tourists of all faiths visit the Basilica to discover and admire the creations of the geniuses of Michelangelo and Bernini. You will discover Michelangelo’s Pietà, an extremely moving sculpture depicting the lifeless body of Jesus in the arms of his mother Mary. Under the same roof, there is Bernini’s Baldachin, a massive sculpted bronze canopy that sits above St. Peter’s tomb. The Baldachin is not only jaw-dropping, but it is a prime example of the style that flourished around Europe at the beginning of the 17th century, Baroque. At the end of the tour, you can explore more at your own pace.

Small-Group Tour

You can join this early entrance guided tour, as part of a group of no more than 12 people. Being part of a small-group when touring the Vatican can be a fun yet more personal experience since the size of the group is small. Your assigned guide will accommodate everyone on the tour and answer everyone’s questions. Our guides are highly experienced at keeping such groups engaged and entertained and they will provide top insider knowledge on the monuments. This option is more budget-friendly while not giving away the benefits of having a guide to accompany you as you discover the Vatican. On top of that, it has proved to be a great option for tourists who do not mind the presence of other like-minded and culture-hungry travellers who are all enthusiastic about discovering the Vatican.

Private Tour

Newlyweds, families, first-time tourers, or couples and friends who prefer more privacy or are simply looking for more authentic travel experiences, may often think that having a guide to yourself is better than sharing one. With this premium option, you decide who joins you on this tour. Needless to say that you will benefit from the undivided attention of your guide and that you can also benefit from flexibility of itinerary. With this choice you will experience the Vatican in a very time-efficient and seamless way, where you can spend more time on the galleries that appeal to you the most and less time in others, you will see the Vatican at your own pace. You can also choose this option and upgrade it to include pick-up from your accommodation. This option promises a much more comfortable, efficient, and authentic experience!

This tour runs from Monday to Saturday and it includes St Peter’s Basilica every day except on Wednesdays. The Basilica is an active Church and on Wednesdays it is closed until 1 PM due to the weekly Papal audience. Instead, you will spend more time discovering the hidden gems of the Vatican Museums. Rest assured that your guide will give you an introduction of the Basilica and the art inside so you know what to look for if you wish to visit later. Moreover, when visiting St. Peter’s Basilica and/or the Vatican Museums, you are kindly asked to respect the city’s dress code, which implies having your knees and shoulders covered.

Witness the fabulous art and architecture in the museum of museums

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• Visiting the Vatican

Visiting the Vatican - Top tips you need to know!

By Elyssa Bernard

November 21, 2023

Planning on visiting the Vatican when you come to Rome?

Here's everything you need to know!

Visiting the Vatican - everything you need to know

Here is what you really need to know about visiting the Vatican:

• When to go ? (what time of year and time of day)
• What to see ? (St. Peters Basilica and the Vatican Museums, and much more!)
• Which should you visit first, the Vatican Museums (Sistine Chapel) or Saint Peter's Basilica ?
• How to skip the lines for Saint Peter's Basilica ?
• How to get tickets/skip the line to the Vatican museums ?
• Can you just visit the Sistine Chapel ? 
• Can you see the Sistine Chapel without crowds ?
• How do you visit the Vatican Gardens ?
• How do you visit St Peter's tomb ?
• How to plan all your Vatican visits for your trip ?
• How to get to the Vatican ?
• Where to eat near the Vatican ?

The first time I came to Rome as an adult, I missed seeing the Sistine Chapel because I had no idea the Vatican Museums closed at 2pm (long before smartphones and Google, ahem.) 

It must have been a Free Sunday, when the Vatican Museums are open and free but with reduced hours.

Now that I live here, I go often to Saint Peter's Basilica , Saint Peter's Square , and the Vatican Museums .

I also helped thousands of our guests plan their visits in the 17 years we ran our B&B .

Based on years of first-hand experience, I know how to tell you what to do and what not to do.

You can avoid a stressful visit to the Vatican by reading my tips first!

QUICK FACTS ABOUT VISITING VATICAN CITY

• You don't need a passport.
• Vatican City is a separate state from Italy, with just over 500 residents.
• The two main places to visit are Saint Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums (where the Sistine Chapel is.)
• The pope is head of Vatican City.
• The pope's church is not Saint Peter's Basilica. It is Saint John in Lateran.
• You can visit the Vatican, and you can stay nearby, but you cannot sleep inside the Vatican.

Visiting the Vatican - When to go

• There really is no "best day" for visiting Vatican City, i.e. when there are fewer people. The Vatican is Rome's most popular tourist destination and is pretty much always busy. You might consider Tuesday or Thursday as your best bets. Dates around a weekend can be a bit busier, and on Wednesday there is (usually) the Papal Audience , meaning even more crowds.
• In the mornings, many tour groups show up, including those offering early skip-the-line access. Also, people in general come early to try to "beat the line," so you may find the Vatican Museums much more crowded in the early morning than you expect, and  slightly less crowded in mid-afternoon.
• St Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums tend to be even more crowded on Saturdays , when Rome fills up with weekend visitors.
• The Vatican Museum is closed Sundays, except for the last Sunday of every month , when they are free . This is the most crowded day you can imagine for visiting the Vatican Museums .
• On Wednesdays (except for  July , when the pope generally takes a break ), the pope holds an audience at St Peter's Basilica . In warmer months, it will be in Saint Peter's Square . In colder months, or if it's raining , it will be in an auditorium-type hall just to the left of the basilica. This means that the whole area will be packed due to all the people who attend the papal audience , many of whom visit the Vatican Museums after the audience.
• If you do visit Vatican City on a Wednesday , know that St Peter's Basilica will be closed until the papal audience is over (around 12-1pm.)
• As for time of year, winter low season months are best if you want to be more relaxed and find smaller crowds . This means most of December ( except  December 8 , and Christmas through the Epiphany, January 6 ), January and February . Believe it or not, it's just as crowded at to visit Vatican City between Christmas and January 6 as it is during summer.
• Here's  how and when to include visiting the Vatican in a 3-day itinerary in Rome .

IMPORTANT TIP :

To visit St Peters Basilica and the Sistine Chapel, you must be properly dressed : no bare knees, midriffs or shoulders.

Sandals and jeans are fine.

Be careful when wearing knee-length shorts and skirts; the opinions of the Vatican guards as to what is acceptable may vary.

You may wish to bring a sarong or wear the kinds of shorts that have attachable legs, such as hiking trousers .

In a pinch, you will find plenty of vendors just outside the Vatican, who sell t-shirts or scarves.

No matter what season you visit Rome, here are 4 things never to leave at home:

Disclosure: If you make a purchase through a link on this page, I may receive a small commission - at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my site!

Visiting the Vatican - What to see?

The main things to see when visiting the Vatican are  Saint Peter’s Basilica  and the  Vatican Museums .

You can see one and not the other, although v isiting both in a single day is very do-able.

Looking for Michelangelo's masterpieces?

Michelangelo’s Pietà is inside Saint Peter's Basilica.

Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel is inside the Vatican Museums.

Just try not to plan any other big visit like another museum or archeological site like the Coloseum  for the day you visit the Vatican, as you will be pretty exhausted.

Do you really want to visit the Vatican and Colosseum in one day? Here's how!

Or take the stress out of it by taking this "Rome in a Day" Tour with Vatican, Colosseum & Historic Center.

To get the most out of your visit to the Colosseum, take a VIP Colosseum Underground Tour with Roman Forum & Palatine Hill.

St Peter's Basilica

Saint Peter’s Basilica  is a Renaissance-era church and by many standards, the world’s largest. 

The Vatican is a basilica but not a cathedral, as it does not have its own bishop.

The main cathedral of the “Bishop of Rome”, as the pope is called, is San Giovanni in Laterano , or Saint John in Lateran .

But the pope is head of Vatican City , where he resides.

It's a little confusing isn't it?

Anyway, just think of the Vatican as a huge church, with a lot to see inside.

Click here to read more about what exactly the Vatican is.

Click here to visit my dedicated page all about Saint Peter's Basilica and its history, and things to see and do there.

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St Peter's Dome

It's very much worth  visiting the basilica's dome , but you should know it can get a little crowded up there, and there are a LOT of steps.

The first level is 231 steps, but there is an elevator option. ( Someone in a wheelchair or with walking difficulties can take the lift to this first level.)

The second portion is another 320 steps, with no elevator option.

The dome gets narrower as you go up, so you will be climbing this part single file, and with the roof slanting over your head.

I say this as someone with a close relative with vertigo: you may want to avoid climbing the dome at the Vatican if you suffer from vertigo or claustrophobia.

But if none of that is an issue, then do it!

You'll love the views from up there, both of the church and of the surrounding city.

Visit my dedicated page all about Saint Peter's dome and how to climb it.

Michelangelo’s Pieta

My favorite piece of art inside of  St Peter's Basilica  is Michelangelo’s Pietà .

Actually, it may be my favorite piece of art in the world.

An exaggeration?

I can't help it...just look at it:

It’s on your right as soon as you walk inside Saint Peter's Basilica.

When I visited it with my mom, she cried, saying “look at her face, it’s just about a mother’s love for her child."

Unfortunately, someone wielding an axe once attacked it, and it’s now behind glass.

But you can still see it very well.

And take note of Mary’s face.

It’s really special when you see it in person.

Michelangelo Tidbit :

This was one of Michelangelo’s first major works.

He made it when he was only 22.

He was not sure people would know he did it, so he snuck in late one night and carved his name (Michelangelo Buonarroti) on Mary’s sash.

The Pietà is the only sculpture Michelangelo ever signed (or needed to sign.)

Vatican Grottoes - The Tombs of the Popes

Inside Saint Peter's Basilica, you can go down one level and see the area where some of the popes are buried.

Saint Peter is said to be entombed just underneath the church .

This is why many popes are also buried here. 

It's quite interesting to visit the popes' tombs , called the Vatican Grottoes   - there is a lot of history down there.

Don't worry, it's not dark or claustrophobic.

On the contrary, it's a huge open space full of light and lots to see (no photos allowed.)

To visit the Vatican Grottoes, get up close to Bernini's Baldachin and look for the entrance nearby.

It's free to visit the Vatican Grottoes.

You should make sure you are done visiting the basilica or have a plan to go back up, because the normal route through the grottoes has you exit the basilica entirely.

Not to be confused with St. Peter's tomb

When people talk about visiting the Vatican grottoes, they are referring to a place where you can see the tombs of many popes (as I wrote above.)

But this is not the same as visiting the  Vatican Necropolis , where St. Peter is said to be buried.

A  visit to Saint Peter’s tomb , also referred to as a scavi  visit, is a special and wonderful thing to do, and I highly recommend it. (" Scavi " means "excavations".)

It is a delicate archeological site, and they only take 250 people in per day, in 12-person tours at a time, so you must  book way in advance . (No photos allowed.)

NEW FOR 2024!

The archeological area of the Vatican Necropolis of Via Triumphalis is now open for visitors.

This is an ancient Roman burial site that is within the Vatican walls and before now was very difficult to get access to.

You can only enter as part of an official Vatican tour group, and tickets need to be purchased through the official website .

This is an entirely separate visit, so you will not have access to either St Peter's Basilica or the Vatican Museums.

Click here to watch my YouTube video about it and see what it's like!

The Vatican Museums

The second major site to visit at the Vatican is the Vatican Museums.

This is the part about Vatican City that will take most of your time and energy.

The Vatican Museum contains the world’s largest private art collection (and just imagine that much of the art they own is not even on display!)

They are called "museums" and not just singular "museum" because the museums were started in 1506 and have been added to many times over the centuries.

They now occupy many different buildings all connected to on another.

That's one reason there is so much to see!

You will see a lot of art inside the Vatican Museums, including paintings, sculptures, ancient artifacts, and much more.

I think the number one thing people want to see when they visit is the Sistine Chapel.

For more about the Vatican Museums and Sistine chapel, visit my dedicated pages:

• Visiting the Sistine Chapel
• Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel
• Visiting the Vatican Museums
• Vatican Museums Must Sees
• Vatican Museums Tickets
• Vatican Museums Tours
• Vatican Secret Rooms

More things you will see at the Vatican:

Besides the two main sites - the museums (Sistine Chapel) and the basilica, there are more things you will see when you visit Vatican City.

Look for these as you walk around:

St. Peter's Square

It would be easy to take Saint Peter's Square, Piazza San Pietro in Italian, for granted.

After all, if you're beelining to get into the basilica, you might be focused on the security queues and wondering how long you will have to wait.

But St. Peter's Square, also called Vatican Square, is worth visiting and enjoying by itself.

It's the only part of Vatican City you can visit without any tickets or queuing.

If you have very limited time , you may even decide that this is about as much as you want to see of Vatican City, since everything else involves queues and/or tickets plus an involved visit inside.

Click here to visit my page all about St. Peter's Square, its history, and what to see.

The Swiss Guard

You might spy one or more of the Swiss Guard at the gate to Vatican City.

The Swiss Guard wear different outfits depending on their duties, but they are all dressed in costumes originally designed in the early 1500s (although not by Michelangelo, an urban myth.)

The Swiss Guard have a specific duty to guard the pope's life and Saint Peter's Basilica.

They are the world's smallest army and they are very well trained.

You will not see the Swiss Guard at the Vatican Museums.

There, you will see Vatican Museums guards who dress in more modern attire.

The Leonine Walls

In the 9th century, Pope Leo IV had defensive walls built around Vatican City following the sacking by raiders of Old St. Peter's Basilica in 846.

You can still see those walls today in and around the Vatican, especially if you visit the Vatican Gardens .

You can also see parts of these walls surrounding Saint Peter's Square on the side where the security gates are, and along the way from the Vatican to nearby Castel Sant'Angelo .

Click here to read a more detailed yet brief history of the Vatican.

For more Vatican history, check out these dedicated pages:

The Vatican Post Office

Don't miss a visit to the Vatican Post Office if you want to mail any postcards. 

It's easier and more efficient than going to the Italian Post Office, and your mail will get there faster!

There is also a Vatican mailbox up on the roof ( Saint Peter's Dome ), and usually another post office in Saint Peter's Square .

More sites you can visit in Vatican City

Besides Saint Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums, there are some more sites you can visit in Vatican City.

You have to pay for these (and for the scavi and gardens, you must book in advance.)

You will find more details about each one on their respective dedicated pages:

• Saint Peter's Tomb (Vatican Necropolis or Scavi )
• Saint Peter's Dome
• Vatican Gardens

Which to see first - The Vatican Museums/Sistine Chapel, or St. Peter's Basilica?

If you book a tour of the Vatican, usually this means taking a guided tour of the Vatican Museums , which ends with the Sistine Chapel .

Some tours include taking the shortcut from the Sistine Chapel into St Peters Basilica.

There has been some back and forth recently about whether the shortcut is available or not, but for now, it is once again the case that  you can only take the shortcut  from the Sistine Chapel to  St Peter's Basilica  if you are on a tour that  INCLUDES  the basilica.

The Vatican can, and does, change their mind frequently on this matter, so if it is important to you to be able to take this shortcut, I recommend booking a tour that ends in St Peter's Basilica to be on the safe side.

If you are on a tour that ends in the Basilica the decision is made for you.

But if you are taking a Vatican Museums tour that does not include the Basilica, or if you are visiting the Vatican Museums on your own, you'll have to decide what order to visit the museums and the basilica in, assuming you want to visit both on the same day, which many people do.

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How long does it take to visit the Vatican Museums?

To  visit the Vatican Museums  (where the Sistine Chapel is),  you need a purchase a ticket  (unless you  come on the Free Sunday .)

Once inside, even if you go quickly, you will need about 2 hours for this this visit.

If you are not able to take the shortcut from the Sistine Chapel to Saint Peter's basilica, you will exit the museums where you entered them.

This is about a 15-20 minute walk from Saint Peter's Square and the entrance to the basilica.

Click here to see a map of Vatican City and how far apart the entrances of the Museums and the Basilica are  (it opens in a new window.)

St Peter's Basilica Shortcut

You can only take the shortcut from the Sistine Chapel to St Peter's Basilica if you are on a tour that INCLUDES the basilica.

The shortcut is open from 9:30 am - 5 or 5:30PM, and it's ONLY accessible to tour companies or private guides that you book OUTSIDE the Vatican Museums website.

The Vatican Museums does not have any ticket or tour that includes the shortcut.

This means that you won't have access to the shortcut during the  KeyMaster tour , the  Extra Time tour , or any other tour that does not specifically include the basilica.

If you book any tour of the Vatican Museums, you can check the details to see if it finishes in the  Sistine Chapel  or the basilica.

Click here to view a map of Vatican City  (it will open in a new page.)

How long does it take to visit Saint Peter's Basilica?

A visit inside Saint Peter's Basilica could take anywhere from 1-2 hours, not including the time you spend in line waiting to go through security (assuming you go through security in the front and do not take the shortcut from the Sistine Chapel.)

To visit Saint Peter's Basilica, you do not need (nor can you buy) tickets, as it's free to go inside.

But you do have to wait in the line for security, which is airport-style - there is an x-ray machine to put your items in and you will walk through a metal detector.

And that can cause the queues to get pretty long.

Lately, the lines to get into Saint Peter's Basilica have been so long, they are looping back again around the square.

Wondering which tour to take of the Vatican Museums?

Visit my page about Vatican Museum tours to find out all the options!

If you book a Vatican Museums tour that does not allow you access to the Basilica, and/or you want to visit the Basilica separately, even on a different day, I'd suggest getting to Saint Peter's Basilica when it opens at 7 AM (if you want to avoid the line).

The lines are longest from about 10 AM - 5 PM, and in high season can be long throughout the day, even from 7 AM until closing!

Skipping the lines at Saint Peter's Basilica

The easiest way to skip the lines at Saint Peter's Basilica is to visit it using the shortcut from the Sistine Chapel (which currently is only available on booked museum tours that end in Saint Peter's Basilica).

There has been some back and forth recently about whether the shortcut is available or not, but for now, it is once again the case that  you can only take the shortcut  from  the Sistine Chapel to  St Peter's Basilica  if you are on a tour that  INCLUDES  the basilica.

As of now, you cannot do this  unless you are on a tour .

If you only plan to visit Saint Peter's Basilica , and not the museums, or you decide to visit these two sites separately, you can avoid the queues by following the tips in my video above:

• Come when it opens at 7 AM
• Come in Low Season
• Book a visit to Saint Peter's tomb
• Use the Pilgrims' entrance - reserved for prayer or attending mass or confession

Wondering where the bathrooms are at the Vatican?

Find out here .

Brief History of Vatican City eBook

The history of the Vatican stretches back thousands of years, and to know everything about this incredible micro-state would take a lifetime to learn.

With this eBook, discover the brief history of Vatican City - where it got its name, who built the basilica, where the Popes are buried and more!

Topics covered include:

• Details about the Vatican's origin , going back to the time of Ancient Rome
• The role important artists such as Michelangelo played in the creation of the Vatican as we know it today 
• How the Vatican came to be an independent city state within the boundaries of Rome

What else is included in this Brief History of Vatican City e-book?

• 50+ pages of information covering all areas of the Vatican's history
• Dozens of stunning and original photos showcasing the Vatican
• Insightful diagrams and drawings to help illustrate the more detailed elements of the Vatican's history
• + much more!

Look inside:

Only $8.99!

Skipping the line to get into the Vatican Museums

This may be the number 1 question I get about visiting Rome - How to skip the line for the Vatican Museums?

It's quite simple:

• You can pre-purchase tickets to the Vatican Museums through the Vatican's website . This means that you will not have to stand in the line waiting to buy tickets. You will, however, have to wait in a very short line of others like you, who have pre-booked tickets and have to pick them up. (The tickets you purchase in advance are more of a voucher, and they must be converted into physical paper tickets to enter the museums.) You also still need to go through security as everyone does. So you do not entirely skip the line, but your line will be much shorter.
• You can pre-purchase tickets to the Vatican Museums through a ticket reseller . There is usually a small surcharge for this but it can be worth it due to 1) Ease of use and/or 2) the possibility of finding tickets available here when tickets are not available on the Vatican Museums' website.
• You can purchase an Omnia Pass  or Turbo Pass .  These will also get you a tour with a guide from the Vatican Museums, as above. It’s not as simple as it sounds and you will need to be careful to understand what you are getting into. Click here to go to my page about the Roma Pass and Omnia Pass  or to this page about other Rome City Passes for more details about these passes.
• You can  book a tour of the Vatican Museums , either with a tour company or with the Vatican Museums themselves.  Your entry tickets are included in the tour, so you only have to go through the security line.
• If you book a visit to the Vatican Gardens , skip-the-line tickets to the Vatican Museums are included!
• I do not recommend this at all, but if you have not booked tickets, and they are sold out online, and you find yourself arriving at the Vatican Museums, you will ALWAYS find touts selling you a skip-the-line ticket or tour. I don't recommend it because you cannot be sure they are legit, and if they are, you have no idea what kind of tour you are getting. I also just can't stand, in principle, to be so bombarded by these guys every time I am within a mile of Vatican City. But it can be a good option if it's your last recourse and the lines are crazy long. Just be aware that  only licensed tour guides may give tours inside Vatican City .

Visiting the Vatican Museums with a Guide

Most Vatican City tourism consists primarily of a visit inside the Vatican Museums, which always includes  the Sistine Chapel .

Some tours also include a visit or even a tour inside Saint Peter's Basilica.

You may expect a guided tour of the Vatican Museums and Basilica to last roughly three hours total.

To find out about the many different kinds of tours you can book, visit my page about Vatican Museum Tours , which breaks down your options between group tours, early access tours, semi-private tours and more.

Can you just see the Sistine Chapel?

No, you cannot just see the Sistine Chapel .

To see the Sistine Chapel , you must go through the entire Vatican Museums, which can take at least 2 hours if you tour it and see the highlights .

The Sistine Chapel is at the very end. 

That said, if you are interested in an "Express Tour" of the Sistine Chapel, you can book this tour that skips the line then beelines to the Sistine Chapel and finishes in Saint Peter's Basilica .

This tour is only 1 hour and 45 minutes and does not include a tour of the rest of the Vatican Museums.

You do still have to walk through them, but the focus of the tour will be the Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter's Basilica.

(If you are really pressed for time, you could peel off once you get to the basilica and just not finish the tour.)

is it worth taking the time to explore the museums?

I really do believe that visiting the Vatican museums  is absolutely worth doing in its entirety, even if you really only wanted to see the Sistine Chapel.

The  rest of the museums   are truly wonderful.

You have the Raphael rooms, the maps gallery, the floor-to-ceiling tapestries, papal apartments, Etruscan art, and  so much more.

Click here to visit my page about the top 10 Vatican Museums must-sees.

I highly suggest  taking a tour  to visit the museums. 

They will take care of getting your tickets.

But if you go your own without a tour, you could get the audio guide, or follow my instructions here for the best way to visit the Vatican Museums .

And you will have to book your tickets on your own .

If you are heading to the Vatican in the morning, as I said above, I suggest you visit Saint Peter’s Basilica first, and the museums later, because the queues for Saint Peter's Basilica have gotten so long (sometimes it's a 1-2 hour wait to get in!)

If you decide to go to the Vatican Museums first, just make sure to leave enough time to stand in line to visit Saint Peter's so that you get inside while there is still some daylight, so you can enjoy the sun coming through all the stained glass.

Here's a great Vatican Highlights Tour with St. Peter’s Dome Climb

Can you see the Sistine Chapel without the crowds?

Perhaps the easiest way to see the Sistine Chapel with fewer crowds is to come in really low season .

But we hardly have a low season anymore in Rome, and even when we do, somehow the Vatican is always still crowded.

So how can you see the Sistine Chapel without the crowds?

It is possible!

With the below tours, you will have a VIP, exclusive experience, and you'll get to enjoy the Sistine Chapel almost alone :

Open the Vatican Museums with the Key Master

On this exclusive tour with Walks of Italy , you will have true VIP access to the Vatican museums - literally accompanying the guard who opens all the doors to get the museums ready for visits.

You will accompany the Vatican Museums Key Master as you walk through the museums, turning on the lights, even inside the Sistine Chapel!

Watch my video to see what it's like:

How to plan all your Vatican trips during your stay

The typical way of visiting the Vatican is to spend half a day seeing the  Vatican Museums  and  Saint Peter's Basilica .

These are both easy to fit into a typical  3-day visit to Rome .

The perfect 3-day itinerary in Rome

Trying to figure out how to organize your visit to Rome? I've got the perfect 3-day itinerary for first-time visitors (or those who have not been here in a while.) It works for a 2.5 day visit as well.

In my 3-day itinerary, you'll see all the major must-see Rome attractions like the Vatican , Colosseum , Trevi Fountain , Pantheon , Piazza Navona , Spanish Steps , Castel Sant'Angelo , and much more.

And if you have more time, or want suggestions for extra/other things to do, you'll find that there too.

Visit my page with the best 3-day itinerary in Rome for first-timers .

I have found that often when people can get tickets to special things at the Vatican, like St Peters tomb (the Vatican Necropolis, or scavi ), the Papal Audience , or the Vatican Gardens , they often want to also visit the Vatican Museums on the same day.

Here's my advice for visiting Vatican City when you want to see more than just the Vatican Museums:

Including the Papal Audience

How to visit the vatican museums and attend the papal audience.

Papal Audience tickets  are not difficult to come by, and since it's "in the morning", many visitors assume it would be a good idea to go to the Vatican Museums right after the audience.

I don't agree.

If you are really short on time, then, you CAN go to the Vatican Museums after the Papal Audience.

It's just that this is going to make for a pretty exhausting day.

To go to the Papal audience, you need to get there by 8am to get a decent spot, let alone a seat.

The audience begins around 9:30 AM and finishes around noon.

You'll probably want to grab at least a snack or lunch somewhere in there .

This means going inside the museums from about 2 PM once you have made your way to the Vatican Museum entrance.

If you also visit St. Peter's Basilica after the museums (which is typical), that is a 3-4 hour visit.

And a very long day. (Also, if you want to climb the dome , you likely won't get there in time.)

My suggestion?

If you can break these visits up over two days, I would.

Attend the Papal Audience and then go inside Saint Peter's Basilica (and climb the dome if you want.)

Then on a separate day, visit the Vatican Museums and see the Sistine Chapel.

Including a visit to the Scavi (St Peter's tomb)

How to visit the vatican museums and also take a scavi tour.

At the end of the  scavi  tour (St. Peter's tomb), you wind up inside  Saint Peter's basilica .

So you will already see that.

You could also  climb St. Peter's dome  if you have time and energy.

Visiting the Vatican Museums takes easily 2.5 - 3 hours, and that does not include the time it takes GETTING there once you leave the basilica.

If you are coming to the museums from St. Peter's basilica, you need to factor in about 15-20 minutes' walk to the Vatican museums entrance.

This is after you've already done a 1.5 hour scavi tour, and spent time walking around one of the largest churches in the world.

So as you can see, adding the Vatican Museums makes it a pretty exhausting day.

If you need to do it all in one day, make sure to book your scavi tour first, then book your museums visit with at least 4 hours between visits.

Break this up over two days.

Book the scavi tour.

You have no control over when they will grant you tickets, so if you are lucky enough to get them, you can then book other things around that. 

Plan to see St. Peter's basilica (and climb the dome) on this day.

Then, book your Vatican Museums visit for another day. 

HOW TO VISIT ST PETERS TOMB, THE VATICAN MUSEUMS (SISTINE CHAPEL), AND ATTEND THE PAPAL AUDIENCE

You are definitely going to need two days.

First book the scavi visit  which is never on a Wednesday mornings anyway (the Papal Audience is on Wednesdays.)

Plan to  visit St Peter's Basilica  after that, since you will come out into the basilica after the tour anyway.

If you want to  climb St Peter's dome , you will do it on this day.

This is a pretty long and full day by itself.

Then, once you get your  Papal Audience tickets , book your tickets or tour of the Vatican Museums for after the audience (even if I said above I discourage doing all this in one day, at least if you don't include the basilica it's a little less tiring).

This will be a very full and long day also.

Ready to plan your trip?

Including a visit to the Vatican Gardens

If you want to visit the vatican gardens and visit the scavi (st. peter's tomb).

TWO Vatican Gardens

On this page, I'm referring to the gardens inside Vatican City , i.e. directly behind Saint Peter's Basilica.

There are ALSO papal gardens at the Pope's summer residence, the Apostolic palace at Castel Gandolfo.

To learn more about the gardens at Castel Gandolfo and how to visit them (it's easy!), visit my dedicated page here.

If you are able to get tickets to St. Peter's tomb ( scavi ) and also the Vatican Gardens , congratulations!

Here's how to include visiting the Vatican Museums and St. Peter's basilica as well.

First book the scavi visit .

Then book the Vatican Gardens tour on a different day, and plan to visit the Vatican Museums right after the gardens, as it's included in your ticket price with the gardens.

Visit St. Peter's Basilica after the scavi, again, on a different day from the Gardens/Museums.

If you want to do it all - visit the Vatican Museums, vatican gardens, papal audience, scavi tour and st peter's basilica and dome

How you plan your days fitting in these visits will depend on two things  - the Papal audience , which is always Wednesday morning 10am - 12pm (although you need to get there by no later than 8am); and the time of your scavi booking (which depends on the scavi office - you cannot control this).

Once you get those two bookings, the next difficult booking to get is for the Vatican Gardens . 

So book that one around the Papal Audience and scavi tour.

Note that tours of the Vatican Gardens are at 9am or 11am.

They are also not held on the morning of the Papal Audience.

I'd suggest you spread this over 3 days.

Or, to fit this into two (intense) days, try to do the scavi tour after the Papal audience, if you can get scavi tickets for the afternoon.

Then book the Vatican Gardens, Vatican Museums , and St. Peter's Basilica on a separate day.

(And climb St. Peter's dome once you are inside St. Peter's basilica if you like.)

How to Get to Vatican City

You have several options for how to get to the Vatican.

But the most important factor to consider is what you are visiting first.

Click here to see a Google map showing where the different entrances are for the Vatican Museums, Saint Peter's Square, and the scavi entrance . It will open in a new window.

How to get to the Vatican Museums

The Vatican Museums entrance is on Viale Vaticano .

If you plan to take a taxi , just tell the driver "Vatican Museums".

Visiting the Vatican Museums and arriving by Metro

Otherwise, the most common way to get there is by Metro.

Rome's metro red line A has two stops, equidistant from the entrance to the museums (about a 10-12 minute walk): Ottaviano and Cipro .

The Ottaviano metro stop is the first one you will come to if you are coming from Rome's center.

When you emerge from the metro station, you just need to follow the crowd towards Vatican City.

Once you see Michelangelo's bastions (walls), follow them to the right and you will come to the entrance of the Vatican Museums.

If you are visiting the Vatican museums from the opposite direction, or if you forget to get off at Ottaviano, or, better yet, if you want to get off at the next stop to get some fabulous pizza by the slice from Bonci's Pizzarium, then you will get off at Cipro stop. 

However, from this stop, you cannot see the same stream of people, nor can you immediately see the Vatican City walls, so you will need to navigate a little bit to find the walls.

Once you see the walls, follow them until you come to the entrance.

Visiting the Vatican Museums and Arriving by Bus

Another option for arriving at the entrance of the Vatican museums is to take a bus or buses.

Many buses will get you pretty close to the entrance of the Vatican museums.

These include the 492, 49, 23, and the 81.

How to Get to Saint Peter's Basilica and Square

The entrance to St. Peter's Basilica is on Saint Peter's Square .

This is about a 15-20 minute walk from the Vatican Museums, so if you are not visiting the Vatican Museums (or not visiting them first), and want to go directly to the basilica, you can still take the metro, but make sure to get off at Ottaviano, not Cipro.

From Ottaviano metro stop, St. Peter's Square is about a 10-15 minute walk .

Follow the crowds, but at the walls, do not make a right towards the museums, just keep going straight. 

Buses that arrive closest to St. Peter's Square include the 40 and the 64.

How to get to the Scavi/St Peter's Tomb

If you are visiting the Vatican for an appointment to see St. Peter's tomb, the fastest and easiest way to arrive is by taxi .

They can drop you right in front of the entrance where you need to go, which is at the Swiss Guard, to the left of the basilica as you face it.

If you take a bus, get the 64, as it drops you about a block away.

To take the metro , make sure to get off at Ottaviano, and give yourself about 20 minutes' walking time from there to get the the entrance of St. Peter's tomb.

Where to Eat Near the Vatican

There is no place to eat inside St Peter's Basilica or in St Peter's Square (there is a tiny snack bar on the roof of the basilica, which you can only access if you climb the dome .)

There are some cafés and fast-food options inside the Vatican Museums.

There are also fun dining options you can book, and combine with your visit to the Museums.

Otherwise, visit my page about lots of options for eating breakfast, lunch, dinner and aperitivo near the Vatican . 

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Top attractions and tours

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• Vatican Museums - This is where the Sistine Chapel is
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How to see the Sistine Chapel all by yourself ⁠— or explore the Vatican Museums on the cheap

Jun 15, 2022 • 6 min read

A traveler walks with the Vatican Museums' keymaster Gianni Crea (right) walk through the halls of the Vatican Museums © Copyright – Governatorato S.C.V. – Direzione dei Musei

You’d be wrong to assume that, should you find yourself in the once-in-a-lifetime position of gaining access to the Vatican Museums at 6 am — a full three hours before the doors open to the public — there would be any pomp and circumstance when the main entrance door along Rome’s Viale Vaticano swings open.

The door, built in 1932 and topped by Pietro Malendri-chiseled sculptures of the Vatican’s two main artistic superstars, Michelangelo (with a sculptor's mallet in his hand on the left); and Raphael (clutching his palette and brush on the right), is a grand exercise in symbolic expectation. The chiseled words above, in Latin script, are both direct and spine-tingling: Vatican Museums. It need not say more.

However, it’s just a suited security staff member who casually opens the door and says, " Buongiorno! " Were it not for the fact that the general public doesn’t actually use this door (visitors enter through a far more modern gateway a few meters to the left), it wouldn’t feel special at all.

But therein lies the rub. Entering the Vatican Museums at sunrise needs no added fanfare — the treasures awaiting in the museums, void of people and quiet enough to hear an aureus coin drop, do all the work themselves.

I’ve come to the Vatican to meet the clavigero , the official Vatican keymaster, Gianni Crea, who oversees the nearly 3000 keys that open all the doors within the Vatican Museums. Crea heads up a team of 11 clavigeri , who take turns opening and closing the various rooms of the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel, each and every day. I’m just along for the ride.

The 8 best museums in Rome 

Crea, an immediately likable Italian from Calabria, shows me how the keys are kept in a special bunker nightly; and explains that there are five backups of each one. Except one — the key that unlocks the Sistine Chapel. This key is sealed in an enveloped nightly, stamped and sealed by the Swiss Guards, and locked away in the bunker. There is no backup.

Crea hands me the envelope and I casually tuck it away in the back pocket of my jeans — it’s a long walk to the Sistine Chapel and I need my hands to take notes and snap pictures.

As we saunter through the museums, no words can describe the extraordinary experience of watching the rooms come to life at the flick of a light switch, soundtracked by Crea's spirited commentary. Inside Museo Pio-Clementino, Crea nonchalantly removes a rope and takes me behind the Laocoön, one of the most famous ancient sculptures in the world, like we are peeking behind a TV console in his living room (yes, the rumors are true — the original arm is attached to the back of the statue!). We ascend the original Bramante Staircase — closed to the public in most cases — for an extraordinary morning view across Rome. The Gallery of Maps, probably the second most dazzling gallery in the Vatican Museums after the Sistine Chapel, illuminates like the lights of Heaven’s Gate when the electricity is turned on (so astonishing, we do it twice).

Finally, we arrive at the Sistine Chapel. Crea tells me to get to it. “I’ve lost the key,” I joke. "Nooooooooooo!" says Crea with a wry smile. I turn the key to the left. The door opens. And there it is: The most legendary, most eye-popping, most creatively-astonishing room in the world. Empty — there are no words. 

So, how can you experience this once-in-a-lifetime, clavigero-guided tour of the Vatican yourself? Well, currently, the only way is to enter GetYourGuide’s  "Turning the Lights On at the Vatican Museums" contest . Other tours offer access with clavigeri, but only one will get you face-time with Crea. 

But there are a lot of other fantastic ways to do the Vatican — including exclusive private tours to options that won't break the bank. 

The Vatican Museums house one of the world’s most immense collections of ancient sculptures and Renaissance art — some 70,000 works in total, of which 20,000 or so are actively displayed in 24 interconnected galleries across 7 km of museum space. It’s overwhelming —and it’s crowded. Pre-COVID numbers in 2019 recorded some 6.9 million folks through the turnstiles. Is there a way to keep your sanity along the way?

Sì, signori! Depending on your budget, the options are as daunting as the museum itself.

Everything you need to know before visiting Rome

Vatican Museums on the cheap

The absolute cheapest route is booking admission tickets directly (do it well in advance, up to 60 days), which nets you an unprecedented laundry list of world-class art for less than the price of a gourmet pizza back home (adult/reduced €17/€8 plus a €4 reservation fee and optional audio guide €7). Post-COVID, booking online in advance is compulsory.

If the goal is the Sistine Chapel at its quietest, show up at least 1.5 to two hours prior to the 9 am opening to ensure a strategic position in line (keeping in mind you will not be the only person with this idea!). High tail it direct to Michaelangelo‘s masterpiece following the shortcut signage and you’ll arrive before most of the masses. Afterwards, work your way backwards to see everything you flew by when the doors opened.

You won’t have the Last Judgement to yourself, but it’s the best you can do on a budget.

Top things to do in Rome 

Early access, semi-private and group tours

Another way to beat the crowds at the Vatican Museums are early morning and evening semi-private and group tours. The Vatican itself offers both a Prime and Prime VIP Experiences, both of which tour the museum one hour before opening. Though you won’t get the clavigero as your tour guide, you will be led by an authorized educational guide who will notably enhance your overall experience.

The difference between the two experiences is group size and price: Prime groups host up to 25 people for €63 per person. The Prime VIP limits the group to 10 for €45 per person; both tours include breakfast and a guided tour through the Upper Galleries (Candelabras, Geographical Maps, and Tapestries), the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel. Other parts of the Museums may be visited without the guide after breakfast during normal opening hours.

Various independent tour companies offer similar early access and night tour options ranging in price between €50 and €100; and of course semi-private and group tours are available throughout the day as well. Skip-the-Line access for St. Peter’s Basilica is often offered as well.

Private tours of the Vatican

Private tours of the Vatican are similar in style to semi-private and group tours, but are just for you and yours. They will usually involve entering one hour before opening time, include breakfast in the Pinecone Courtyard, and feature a dedicated guide. Most options settle in around €150 to €250 per person.

Some of these tours will even including off limit highlights, such as the original Bramante Staircase, and sometimes explore deeper into galleries that other tours cast but a tertiary glance.

If you are looking to unlock your way to the Sistine Chapel with a clavigero, that’s possible, too, with numerous private companies offering the experience from around €300 per person and up (options with UK-based True Travel, who includes the experience has part of a broader package that includes hotel accommodation, transfers and other sightseeing experiences, start from €2500 to €3000 for two people).

You won’t get the boss (Crea) — one of his staff usually leads these tours — or his remarkable stories. But you will experience the Vatican Museums like few others have.

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Side door from Sistine Chapel to St. Peter's Basilica - Vatican City Forum

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Side door from Sistine Chapel to St. Peter's Basilica

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As of June 2024, the answer is the same as it has been for many months, which is -- it depends on whether the specific tour company has an agreement (in which they pay a fee) to the Vatican Museums to use the side door, and it also depends on whether the Vatican Museums are allowing the door to be used that day.

1) At the present time, the tours offered through the official Vatican Museums website don't go to the basilica; moreover, booking the guided tour of the Vatican Museums does not give you the ability to use the side door to go to the basilica after your guided tour of the Vatican Museums ends in the Sistine Chapel.

2) If using this side door is important to you, the best you can do is confirm with a tour company that they can use the side door before you book with them. Be aware, however, that even this does not guarantee they can always use the side door, because ....

3) The Vatican Museums may block access to the side door if there is a special event going on. This may be with little to no notice, so it is possible a tour company that normally can use the side door may not be able to use it on a particular day.

4) Liv Tours has been identified as one of the tour companies that can use the side door. It is reported that this is not available on Wednesdays (which I assume is due to the Wednesday papal audience). Another company that has been mentioned is What a Life Tour. If you have recently used another tour company that used the side door, please add to this thread and let people know what company you used.

5) If the situation changes, you can be sure it will be prominently noted on the Vatican City and Rome forums!

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Vatican City Hotels and Places to Stay

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• Side door from the Sistine Chapel to St. Peter's Basilica
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• Information on climbing the dome of St. Peter's Basilica
• Tips on visiting Vatican City
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