Guided Tours

Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica Early Morning Tour

Sculpture of a bronze sphere in the Vatican Museums courtyard, Rome.

Tour group viewing Laocoön and His Sons statue in Vatican Museums.

Visitors walking through Chiaramonti Museum hall with classical sculptures, Vatican Museums.

Visitors exploring the Vatican Museums entrance with statues and ornate doorway.

Duration

3 hr - 4 hr 30 min

Open today

Free cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience

Book now, pay later

Book now without paying anything. Cancel for free if your plans change.

Guided tour

Meals included

Indulge in a sumptuous meal as a part of your experience

Skip the crowds and experience some of the greatest Renaissance art at the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel with an early morning tour with an expert guide.

4.5/5

(2,297)

Alejandra

Oct 2025

Verified booking

5/5

This museum is long, exhausting, but sooo worth it!! Our tour guide Nadya was such a great time. She was very knowledgeable, kind, and made sure we all had the best experience possible. She took the time to share her knowledge of the Vatican and Rome itself and she even took the time to talk to each person one on one. Very much recommend this tour! Just be prepared for a lot of walking!

Jennifer

Oct 2025

Verified booking

5/5

Our tour guide Simone was very knowledgeable, kind and helpful. While this is a long tour, it is designed for maximum sightseeing and minimal waiting. I'm normally not a tour person but I'm so happy I did this because I learned much more than had I gone without a guide.

Joanna

Dec 2025

Verified booking

5/5

Absolutely fabulous guide. She was passionate, intelligent, funny and full of deep knowledge. Thank you for making our experience so incredible, the best it could possibly be. If we did it again we would definitely want the same guide. She is a Star ! Fantastic !!!

Enter before opening hours and experience the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel in rare peace and quiet.

Skip ticket lines and follow your expert guide through iconic galleries like the Gallery of Maps and Raphael Rooms.

Admire Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel without the usual crowds.

Continue into St. Peter’s Basilica, a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture and one of the most sacred sites in Christendom.

Upgrade to include a dome climb for panoramic views of Vatican City and Rome from the top.

Guided tour of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel with skip-the-line entry

Entry to St Peter's Basilica (as per option selected)

Semi-private group of 6 (as per option selected)

Entry to St Peter's Dome (as per option selected)

Breakfast at Vatican Courtyard (as per option selected)

Expert English-speaking guide

Headsets

Gratuities

You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.

4.5
2,297 reviews
How do we collect reviews?
These ratings include verified reviews from both Headout guests and our trusted partners who operate this experience locally. All reviews come from real travelers who've taken this experience.
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Guests from United States, United Kingdom, Australia and over 10 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Irma
Dec 2025
Verified booking
5/5
Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Guided Tour with St. Peter’s Basilica – Highly Recommended I had an exceptional experience on the Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Guided Tour with St. Peter’s Basilica. From start to finish, everything was impeccably organized and truly enriching. The tour flowed seamlessly through some of the most breathtaking masterpieces in the world, offering insights and historical context that I would have easily missed on my own. Walking through the galleries of the Vatican Museums felt like moving through centuries of art and culture, each room more stunning than the last. The Sistine Chapel was absolutely unforgettable. Seeing Michelangelo’s work up close, with thoughtful explanations beforehand, made the experience even more meaningful. The visit concluded in St. Peter’s Basilica, which was nothing short of awe-inspiring. Learning the stories behind its architecture and sculptures brought the entire place to life in a powerful way. Our guide was knowledgeable, engaging, and incredibly skilled at keeping the group’s attention while navigating the crowds. Their passion for art and history truly elevated the tour. If you’re visiting Rome, this experience is an absolute must. It’s the perfect blend of culture, beauty, and expert guidance, a tour you’ll remember long after it’s over.
Joanna
Dec 2025
Verified booking
5/5
Absolutely fabulous guide. She was passionate, intelligent, funny and full of deep knowledge. Thank you for making our experience so incredible, the best it could possibly be. If we did it again we would definitely want the same guide. She is a Star ! Fantastic !!!
Nika
Dec 2025
Verified booking
5/5
we have an absolutely wonderfull guide Chiara!
Mariana
Nov 2025
Verified booking
3/5
At that day it was happening an event at Basílica, and someone took our ticket at Bistro breakfast, and our guide was left bafore Sistine Chaple so by the time the Basiluca was reopen our entrance at Saint Peter and Basílica was Denied at the tour ticket entrance. Please, I wanna a refound as we did NOT had the full paid experience and we took 3-4 hours to enter in the Basílica with regular entrance.
Nicholas
Nov 2025
Verified booking
5/5
Fantastic tour with an excellent and knowledgable guide. Mariia's passion about the subject and experience of where to go and what to see made our visit so much more rewarding than wandering along with the crowds

Enjoy the Vatican’s masterpieces before the crowds with this early morning guided tour.

Getting started

Meet your guide at the designated meeting point near the Vatican Museums entrance by 7:45am. Skip the ticketing lines and enter with your group before the doors open to the public. Be prepared for a quick security check—ID may be required.

What to expect

Vatican Museums

Step into one of the world’s most visited museums, home to centuries of art collected by the popes.

Explore the Gallery of Maps, Tapestries, and Candelabra in a quiet, crowd-free setting.

See the celebrated Raphael Rooms, adorned with frescoes by Raphael and his students.

Sistine Chapel

Admire Michelangelo’s Last Judgment and Creation of Adam in near silence—a rare privilege.

St. Peter’s Basilica

Gaze up at Michelangelo’s dome and Bernini’s towering Baldachin.

Pause before the Pietà, one of Michelangelo’s most moving sculptures.

Wrapping up

Want to go higher? Choose the upgrade for a dome climb after your basilica visit and take in Rome from above.

Vatican Museums

Monday	08:00am - 08:00pm	last entry 06:00pm
Tuesday	08:00am - 08:00pm	last entry 06:00pm
Wednesday	08:00am - 08:00pm	last entry 06:00pm
Thursday	08:00am - 08:00pm	last entry 06:00pm
Friday	08:00am - 08:00pm	last entry 06:00pm
Saturday	08:00am - 08:00pm	last entry 06:00pm
Sunday	Closed

St Peter's Basilica

Monday	07:00am - 07:10pm
Tuesday	07:00am - 07:10pm
Wednesday	07:00am - 07:10pm
Thursday	07:00am - 07:10pm
Friday	07:00am - 07:10pm
Saturday	07:00am - 07:10pm
Sunday	07:00am - 07:10pm

Sistine Chapel

Monday	08:00am - 07:00pm	last entry 05:00pm
Tuesday	08:00am - 07:00pm	last entry 05:00pm
Wednesday	08:00am - 07:00pm	last entry 05:00pm
Thursday	08:00am - 07:00pm	last entry 05:00pm
Friday	08:00am - 07:00pm	last entry 05:00pm
Saturday	08:00am - 07:00pm	last entry 05:00pm
Sunday	Closed

What to bring

Wear comfortable shoes as the experience requires a fair amount of walking.

What's not allowed

Strict dress code: knees, shoulders, and back must be covered for all guests.

Inside the Sistine Chapel, it's all about the quiet vibes. No chatting, no phones, and no photos, just pure admiration.

Luggage and/or large bags are not allowed inside the venue. You may drop off your bags with the free cloakroom service.

Pets and other small animals are not allowed in the venue.

Accessibility

This experience is wheelchair and pram/stroller accessible.

The Vatican Museums offer free wheelchair hire and free entry for visitors with mobility impairments (certified invalidity exceeding 74%) and a companion if required. Click here for the accessible route.

Additional information

The entrance to the Museums is timed. Be sure to select your activity starting time when booking. Once inside the Museums, you will be free to explore at your own pace.

Although not included in these tickets, access to St. Peter's Basilica is free but there could be a waiting line during peak season.

Please be aware that during the Jubilee Year, certain areas of the Vatican Museums may be inaccessible due to religious ceremonies. Additionally, entrance to St. Peter's Basilica may also experience unannounced closures. These circumstances are beyond our control. Thank you for your understanding.

Your voucher will be emailed to you instantly.

Display the voucher on your mobile phone with a valid photo ID at the meeting point.

Please arrive at the meeting point 15 minutes before the scheduled time of your tour to avoid any delays.

Meeting point

Please check your final voucher for the meeting point details and specific instructions.