8:00am Vatican, Sistine Chapel, & St. Peter's Basilica Tour

Our Pre-Opening Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica Private Tour starts at 7:30 a.m. and we enter the Vatican Museums just after 8 a.m (an hour earlier than general public access). Witness the jaw-dropping Sistine Chapel before the masses stream in. As one of our most popular Rome & Vatican City tours, this 3.5-hour Vatican tour includes:

• A memorable experience with insightful anecdotes

• Skip the line Vatican tickets

• 7:30 a.m. start for entry shortly after 8 a.m.

• A Private, English-speaking guide

• Skip the line entrance to St. Peter's Basilica (except on Wednesdays)

The Sistine Chapel

One of the top things to do in Vatican City is visiting the Sistine Chapel. Therefore after your skip-the-line access, your first stop is a visit to the Sistine Chapel before it’s open to the general public. As one of Michelangelo’s most prized masterpieces, the Sistine Chapel also serves as a gathering place for cardinals of the Catholic Church. This is also where new popes are elected.

Since you are not allowed to speak in the chapel, your expert guide will explain the chapel to you fully outside before entering. Your guide will bring alive the amazing stories of Michelangelo and his trials in tribulations in creating this Renaissance marvel.

The Sistine Chapel is a sacred place, so both men and women must cover their knees and shoulders. Otherwise, you may be refused entry to a portion of your Vatican tour. We understand the summers in Rome are hot - a great alternative is to bring a shawl/sweater to wrap around you when necessary.

The Best Galleries at the Vatican

Led by our fun and knowledgable guide, visit our favorite galleries including the Borgia Apartments, Gallery of the Candelabra, Gallery of the Tapestries, and the Gallery of the Maps. Predating a unified Italy by nearly 300 years and based on painted topographical maps of Italy, the Gallery of the Maps is one of the coolest places in the Vatican Museums.

Raphael Rooms

The term Renaissance literally means "rebirth" and refers to the period of European civilization that produced a great revival in art, literature, and learning. Raphael was one of Rome's most famous Renaissance artists who encompassed all the ideals of a Renaissance man. Among many of his famous works, discover the School of Athens.

St. Peters Basilica ( Except on Wednesdays)

St. Peter's Basilica is the grand centerpiece of the Vatican. Walk into the biggest church you've ever seen, filled with artwork from all the famous Italian artists. Skip the lines as you access the Basilica from the inside, through a special side entrance our guides can use. Once inside, admire masterpieces that include the Baldacchino, La Pietá, the statue of St. Peter, and more. While it is free to enter, this guided tour helps you make the most of it, without suffering the long lines.

Important: It isn’t possible to return to the Vatican Museums from St. Peter’s Basilica. If you want more time inside the museums, you must forgo the guided tour of the basilica. Also, if you’d like to stay in St. Peter's Basilica longer, don't leave with the guide to take photos in the piazza. Because the security line is long and re-entry on your own is not recommended, we suggest you stay inside St. Peter’s and explore on your own after the tour concludes.

Pio-Clementino Museum and Nero’s Bathtub ( On Wednesdays Only)

If you take this tour on a Wednesday, St. Peter's Basilica is substituted with a visit to the Pio-Clementino Museum, where you'll see three of the most iconic statues in the world. Learn about the myths and legends associated with the Apollo Belvedere, Laocoön and His Sons, and the Belvedere Torso. You'll also visit one of the biggest and oldest bathtubs you'll ever see, which is impossible to recreate, even today!

We are recommended by Rick Steves for our Vatican tours!