Guided Tours

Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Premium Small Group Tour

Name: Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Premium Small Group Tour
Start: 2025-10-21T13:00:00
End: 2025-10-21T16:00:00
Location: Rome

Visitors on a guided tour of Vatican Museums with St. Peter's Basilica in the background.

Tourists in Vatican Museums courtyard with Sphere Within Sphere sculpture, Rome, Italy.

Vatican Museum gallery with classical statues and ornate ceiling.

Visitors viewing Laocoön and His Sons sculpture at Vatican Museums.

Duration

2 hr - 3 hr

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

Enjoy a skip-the-line Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel tour with an intimate group of up to 15 guests for a more personal experience.

4.4/5

(2,406)

Jeremy

Jul 2025

Verified booking

5/5

Our guide was very knowledgeable and provided great context in her explanations and answers to our questions. We were able to breeze by the lines with our ticket, and she helped show us the important pieces of the Vatican (included the Sistine Chapel). It helped having a guide, as without one, we probably would not have known we had acccess to certain parts of the museum (that were roped off).

Janice

Jul 2025

Verified booking

5/5

Visiting the Vatican City was an amazing. experience. Our guide, Natalina was superb as she was so knowledgeable, and was able to skilfully assess the specific needs of our small group and tailor the tour appropriately. Natalina was so polite, friendly and made our visit around the museums and Sistine chapel very special and memorable.

Philip

Aug 2025

Verified booking

5/5

Our tour started on time. Passing through security was quicker than expected. Daniello our guide was very knowledgeable and informative and showed us all the highlights in the tour. He knew all the best spots to stand and take pictures and the tour was beautifully presented. Thank you Daniello.

Skip the long lines and enter the Vatican Museums with a small group of under 15 guests.

Enjoy more personal attention and richer storytelling with an expert guide by your side.

Explore masterpieces in the Raphael Rooms, Gallery of Maps, and more without the crowd stress.

Stand beneath Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling and take it all in—without being rushed.

A smaller group makes it easier to ask questions, move freely, and connect with the art on a deeper level.

Small group of up to 15 guests

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

Expert English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, or German-speaking guide (as per option selected)

Headsets

Gratuities

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

4.4
2,406 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, France and over 10 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Alexis
Oct 2025
Verified booking
3/5
I was running late to meet my group for the tour and was surprised and grateful that the guide waited for us. He was friendly and welcoming not only when we arrived but for the entirety of the tour. I did not expect the group to wait and would have understood if they had left. I am very grateful they did wait for me because this saved me from having to wait in the incredibly long lines. Being able to skip the line was so nice as well as being led through the sea of people where we needed to go. There were so many people everywhere that it was hard to walk through every space. I can't believe the fire department allows that many people in the same space. It is not safe in an emergency and affects everyone's ability to enjoy and take in the sites. The 3 star review I gave is purely due to not being able to understand the tour guide. Although I personally liked our guide, I do not believe his English was clear enough to lead an English speaking tour. I was not the only one who could not understand him, 2 others I asked said the same thing. I was disappointed as I was relying on our tour guide to learn some of the history and interesting facts and was not able to take anything learned away from the tour. For the price of the tickets, this should not have happened. The tour provided listening devices to everyone which was great, but these were heavy and awkward and would not fit my ear or stay on. Other groups had different types of devices that looked much better fitting and lighter.
Karin
Oct 2025
Verified booking
5/5
An excellent, knowledgeable and entertaining tour, thank you very much, we learned a lot and enjoyed it very much!
Sandra
Oct 2025
Verified booking
5/5
The guide was so helpful informative and acccommodating
Cecily
Sep 2025
Verified booking
5/5
Our guide, Sev, was the best!!! His knowledge is outstanding!
Philip
Aug 2025
Verified booking
5/5
Our tour started on time. Passing through security was quicker than expected. Daniello our guide was very knowledgeable and informative and showed us all the highlights in the tour. He knew all the best spots to stand and take pictures and the tour was beautifully presented. Thank you Daniello.

Discover the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel at a relaxed pace in a small group for a more personal and immersive visit.

Getting started

Meet your guide at the designated meeting point, where you’ll join a group of no more than 15 guests. Skip the ticketing queues and enter the Vatican Museums directly after a routine security check. Make sure to carry a valid photo ID.

What to expect

Vatican Museums

Home to centuries of art collected by the popes, the Vatican Museums are among the most visited in the world.

Raphael Rooms

Admire vivid Renaissance frescoes in these private papal chambers, including the famous School of Athens.

Gallery of Maps

Walk through this long hallway adorned with intricate maps and golden ceilings—one of the museum’s most photogenic spots.

Sistine Chapel

End your tour at the Sistine Chapel. Gaze up at Michelangelo’s iconic ceiling and The Last Judgment with time to reflect on the detail and meaning.

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

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

It is recommended to wear comfortable shoes as the tour involves a fair amount of walking

What's not allowed

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

Big bags and suitcases aren't allowed inside the attraction, but guests can make use of the lockers on site.

Since complete silence is to be observed within the walls of the Sistine Chapel according to the rules of the Vatican, the guides will provide you with information about the site outside the Chapel. Visitors are to maintain silence within the Chapel as well.

Photography and the use of mobile phones are strictly prohibited in the Sistine Chapel.

Pets and other small animals are not allowed in the venue, except guide dogs.

Accessibility

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

While the tour is not accessible, the Vatican Museums offer free tickets for visitors with mobility impairments (certified invalidity exceeding 74%) and a companion.

Additional information

Please note: All guests must pass through airport-style security. During high season and peak hours, the wait time at the security check may be up to 30 minutes.

The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel will remain closed on Sun.

Purchasing this tour implies an agreement to stick with the assigned guide, without whom you cannot access the Vatican Museums. Opting out or missing the tour means losing ticket rights, without refunds.

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.