Guided Tours

Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Guided Tour with St. Peter’s Basilica Entry

Gallery of the Candelabra in Vatican Museum with sculptures and ornate ceiling.

Visitor admiring detailed frescoes in the Vatican Gallery of Maps, Vatican City.

Belvedere Torso sculpture in the Vatican Museum's ornate gallery.

Vatican Museums courtyard with Sphere Within Sphere sculpture.

Duration

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

Discover the wonders of Italy’s classical and renaissance periods on this exciting VIP Vatican City tour and he Basilica of St. Peter!

4.5/5

(2,184)

Anne

Sep 2025

Verified booking

5/5

Very well organized, everything worked perfectly. Fabricio, our guide, explained everything really well and was very friendly. The whole tour took a good 6 hours. However, the description of the tour was not correct. The tour started with the ascent of the dome and only went into the Vatican Museums at 12 noon. We had hoped to see the Sistine Chapel without mass tourism...just as it was described. Also the time indication of 2-3 hours is not correct. It takes about 6 hours which is good if you know in advance and can take enough drinks with you. However, we would always book and recommend the tour again. Only the booking description should be revised

Leigh

Aug 2025

Verified booking

5/5

Our guide Nadya was exceptional, she was incredibly knowledgeable, fun and paced the tour beautifully. Our tour of the Vatican Museo was filled with incredible history and stunning pieces, the Sistine Chapel was divine and the Dome was worth the climb, that view!! There are no words to describe the awe of St Peter's Basillica, it is mind-blowing. Highly recommend Italia Tours and Nadya

Tomas

Oct 2025

Verified booking

4/5

At all the tour was amazing. It seems many Rome visitors are interested in it, so where are very crowded inside. Why we ordered an early visit. But unfortunately our tour was rescheduled and the dome visit was excluded. So, we could not avoid "traffic jams" and have no possibilities reach the dome.

Experience the best of Vatican City with a guided tour of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, plus entry to St. Peter’s Basilica and its dome.

Follow an expert guide through the Museums’ 54 galleries and uncover Renaissance gems along the way.

Step into the Sistine Chapel and admire Michelangelo’s iconic ceiling and The Last Judgement.

Get access to St. Peter’s Basilica, explore its chapels and crypts at your own pace, and climb the dome for breathtaking views over Rome.

Guided tour of the Vatican Museum & Sistine Chapel

Expert English-speaking guide

Skip-the-line entry to Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel

Skip-the-line entry to St. Peter's Basilica

Access to St. Peter's Basilica Dome by elevator to the base and stairs to the top

Transportation

Gratuities

Food and drinks

Visit to the Necropolis / St. Peter’s Tomb / Scavi

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

4.5
2,184 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, Australia, United Kingdom and over 10 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
David
Sep 2025
Verified booking
5/5
Maria was such an informative guide and the early start put us ahead of crowds for a while. The prebooking with a skip the line saved hours.
Jitendra
Aug 2025
Verified booking
5/5
We climbed the Dome excellent experience and super views.Saw St Peter's Basilica and went through the Holy Line which is only available every 25 years. Saw the Museum superb collections. Also went into see the Sistine Chapel.
Leigh
Aug 2025
Verified booking
5/5
Our guide Nadya was exceptional, she was incredibly knowledgeable, fun and paced the tour beautifully. Our tour of the Vatican Museo was filled with incredible history and stunning pieces, the Sistine Chapel was divine and the Dome was worth the climb, that view!! There are no words to describe the awe of St Peter's Basillica, it is mind-blowing. Highly recommend Italia Tours and Nadya
Scott
Jul 2025
Verified booking
5/5
I felt the tour was organised and well planned. The guide was a very talented linguist, who was entertaining as well as being very knowledgeable about the Vatican.
Daniel
Jul 2025
Verified booking
5/5
Very informative presentation. Tour guide was very knowledgeable and made sure we caught the importance of what we were observing. It was amazing.

Start your journey with fast-track entry to the Vatican Museums, home to one of the world's richest art collections. With an expert English-speaking guide, explore iconic galleries like the Gallery of Maps and the Raphael Rooms, gaining deeper insight into the history, symbolism, and masterpieces housed within.

Marvel at the Sistine Chapel

Next, follow your guide to the Sistine Chapel, located inside the Apostolic Palace. Gaze up at Michelangelo’s legendary ceiling frescoes and The Last Judgement, taking in the grandeur and detail of one of the most celebrated artistic achievements in history. As the Chapel observes strict code of silence, your guide will share all the interesting details before you enter.

Self-Guided Visit to St. Peter’s Basilica and Dome

Your experience includes access to St. Peter’s Basilica and its dome. Climb to the top of Michelangelo’s Cupola for sweeping views of Rome, then explore the Basilica at your own pace to admire its Baroque architecture, Michelangelo's Pieta, and the stunning Papal Sarcophagi.

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

St Peters Square

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

Apostolic Palace

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	08:00am - 07:00pm	last entry 05:00pm

What to bring

Comfortable shoes are recommended.

What's not allowed

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

Mobile phones must remain on silent mode inside the monuments.

Note that the following are not allowed on this tour: tripod, flash photography, knives, weapons, or sharp objects.

Accessibility

This experience is not accessible by wheelchair and pram/strollers.

Please note that the climb to the Dome's top involves a substantial number of steps and requires a decent level of physical fitness. It is not recommended for people with heart/back conditions, mobility issues, or late-stage pregnancy.

Additional information

Expect a long wait at security, especially during peak times. Patience is key, it could take up to an hour!

Your voucher will be emailed to you shortly

Please display the voucher on your mobile phone with a valid photo ID to your tour guide

Please arrive 10-15 minutes before the start time of your tour to avoid delays

If you have purchased reduced-price tickets, please carry your valid photo ID proof for verification. Students must show their valid student IDs

Meeting Point

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