Get ready for the experience of a lifetime on our private tour of the Vatican Museums including the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s basilica.
Highlights
Hidden Gems
- The Ancient Sculpture Galleries
- The Hall of Maps
- The Tapestries Gallery
- The Round Room
Tour Includes
- Early Entrance to the Vatican Museums
- Skip the Line Tickets to the Vatican
- Expert English-Speaking Private Guide
- Fast Track Entry to St. Peter's
Please Note
- For reservations made less than 72 hours in advance, your tour will end in the Vatican Museums as we cannot guarantee skip the line tickets into St Peter's Basilica.
Create Your Custom Journey
Our dedicated team is here to help you design the perfect trip. We’re happy to assist every step of the way.
We’ve Got You Covered!
Can’t make your trip? Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, minus any ticket costs.
ITINERARY
What To Expect On Your Tour
The Sistine Chapel
Visit the World's Most Famous Temple of Art
Many visitors are rushed through the Sistine Chapel, but on our Sistine Chapel tour, you’ll have time to gaze up at the ceiling and admire the artwork while your guide explains the secrets of Michelangelo’s intricately detailed frescoes. The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel – perhaps the most famous ceiling in the world – contains hundreds of figures, including Adam and Eve, Noah, Jonah, saints, prophets, sibyls, and the decorative nude figures known as “ignudi”. The sheer size of the fresco can make it overwhelming. Where to begin? The helpful explanations of your personal guide will reveal the meaning of Michelangelo’s masterwork, highlighting innovative details and explaining the significance of different biblical scenes. Years later Michelangelo returned to the Sistine Chapel to decorate the altar wall with the fresco of the Last Judgement – a powerful work filled with fascinating details and symbolism. As you study the painting alongside your guide, you’ll discover why it was initially so controversial, as well as gaining an even deeper appreciation of Michelangelo’s unique genius.
The Raphael Rooms
Gaze on the School of Athens
Close to the Sistine Chapel is the suite of private papal apartments known as the Raphael Rooms. These exquisitely decorated rooms contain some of the finest examples of Raphael’s work, including the “School of Athens” – a group portrait of the most famous ancient philosophers. On your visit to the Raphael Rooms, your guide will explain why a young painter from Urbino was chosen for such a prestigious commission, earning admiration and envy. These rooms also provide a fascinating insight into the life of the papal court, as well as the Renaissance fascination with the classical world. Often overlooked by visitors who are in a hurry to get to the Sistine Chapel, the Raphael Rooms deserve a more relaxed, contemplative visit; your guide will ensure that you have plenty of time to appreciate Raphael’s works at leisure.
The Vatican Collections
Magical Maps, Ancient Sculptures and More
Your private visit to the Vatican Museums is a unique opportunity to explore one of the most remarkable art collections in the world. The displays of ancient art are particularly impressive, including the legendary Laocoon and Apollo Belvedere. These classical statues had a profound impact on the artists of the Renaissance, influencing the work of Michelangelo and Raphael. Accompanied by an expert art historian, you’ll learn all about these ancient masterpieces, gaining a greater appreciation of Roman art and understanding why these artworks are so important in the wider context of art history. A walk through the famous Gallery of Maps, Pinecone Courtyard and Belvedere Courtyard is an unforgettable experience – an opportunity to be completely immersed in more than 2,000 years of art. Although it’s impossible to see the entire extent of the Vatican’s enormous collection, on your Vatican Museums private tour you’ll be able to optimize your time, seeing a selection of unmissable highlights along with some hidden treasures.
St Peter’s Basilica
Millennia of Art, History and Faith
After exiting the Sistine Chapel, you’ll be able to enter St Peter’s Basilica directly, without having to wait in line. Perhaps the most impressive part of a private tour of the Vatican is an in-depth visit to St Peter’s Basilica – the very heart of the Christian faith. Built on the site of St Peter’s tomb, the basilica has been enriched over the centuries by the hands of countless artists and architects. As you admire masterpieces such as Michelangelo’s Pieta’ and walk around Bernini’s spectacular baldachin, you’ll understand how the basilica can be awe-inspiring even for those without faith. During your visit to St Peter’s Basilica your guide will tell you the fascinating story of the basilica within the context of Christian history, from its origins as a burial ground to its current state of splendour and international importance.
The Basilica of St. Peter’s may be subject to unscheduled closings and late openings for religious ceremonies. We do not provide refunds for last-minute closures of St. Peter’s Basilica while your guide will still give you a introduction to the Basilica, should you wish to return in your own time during your visit of Rome.
Create Your Custom Journey
Our dedicated team is here to help you design the perfect trip. We’re happy to assist every step of the way.
What Our Guests Are Saying
Guests Reviews
So glad i did the tour
i am so glad i did this tour! The vatican is vast and jam packed with art and history. Using through eternity helped me avoid the complexities of ticketing (the vatican website is a total mess) and having to wait in their lines. Cinzia was very friendly & knowledgeable about the art and the history of the vatican and made her expertise accessible to us. She knows so much that i could barely absorb it all! She managed to keep us all together and moving through the crowds like a pro, the audio system with earbud was good. The instruction and map for the meeting point was pretty good considering how confusing the streets of rome are for a north american but it did take some time and wandering around due to lack of street name signs. I only wish the tour description would have mentioned that you can visit the the crypts and dome on your own after the tour. Don’t forget to bring a pen and your address book so you can send postcards from the vatican mail system (something else they really should mention in the tour description).
A dream tour!
We loved every moment of our 3.5 hour private tour through the vatican museums, sistine chapel, and st. Peter’s basilica with our guide, donatella. She was so well versed in the history of rome and the vatican i wished we could have recorded her! What we really loved is that she carefully connected pieces of information through the rooms from beginning to end to illustrate common patterns, relationships, and customs from era to era and pope to pope.
Her personal attention to us was superb, taking care that we all could hear and that the pace was okay for everyone. She made sure we knew the rules of the sistine and found a seat for us.
We highly recommend donatella and her company! This tour was exceptional, and worth every penny!
Simply the best!
It was an excellent tour. Would definitely do it again and recommend it to others. But what made it exceptional was our guide guia. I am a former travel agent….i have taken more tours than anyone should in their lifetime. This was by far the very best. I cannot give it high enough praise. Guia loves what she does and it is reflected in her story telling of the history. She is an asset to her employers. I will use through eternity tours for any and all that i plan to do and that they offer in the future. There is no comparison as far as i am concerned. Thank you gaia!!!!!!!!!
Informative and fun
enjoyed the tour. Was not rushed and quite relaxed. Our guide was funny and informative. Ear piece worked fine. Bathrooms are at entrance and before sistine chapel. Plan accordingly!
Paulo was fantastic!!
Paulo was fantastic!! He was a wealth of knowledge and showed deep respect for the premises. He was very friendly and we enjoyed this tour very much! Would recommend 10/10.
