Group size

Max 13 / Max 25

Language

English

Duration

2.5 hrs

Start time

8:15 am

The Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Early morning tour will give you the chance to access the Vatican Museums before they open to the general public. In the high season, with 35,000 visitors a day, you will be able to access the Museums one hour earlier, avoiding the heat of the day.

 

Vatican Entrance inset

Skip-the-line at the entrance of the Vatican Museums

Gallery of the Tapestries Inset

Unique workmanship of the Gallery of Tapestries

Raphael Rooms inset

Experience the Raphael Rooms with his masterpieces

Good Morning Vatican tour  inset3

Be blown away by The Last Judgement and Sistine Chapel ceiling

La Pieta Inset

Be fascinated by the extraordinary La Pietà by Michelangelo

Gallery of the Maps inset 3

The impressive Gallery of the Maps Ceiling

Gallery of the Candelabra

The vast Gallery of the Candelabra

Tour Overview

Your group will be provided with headsets and your licensed, professional English speaking guide will introduce your group to this magnificent art collection.

Your guide will passionately lead you through several sections of the Vatican Museums. This tour option includes the Gallery of Candelabra, the Gallery of Maps, the Gallery of Tapestries, Raphael Rooms, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica (Basilica not included on Wednesdays).

Throughout your tour you will aleo be able to admire the Pinecone Courtyard of the Vatican Museums where you will stop for a short break.

Please be aware that by entering the Vatican Museums, you will be accessing another country, therefore you will have to pass through the metal detectors. The security check might take 20-30 mins at the entrance of the Vatican Museums.

Enjoy the beauty of the masterpieces displayed in one of the World's biggest art collections before the crowds.

Tour Itinerary

Meeting point

Coffee bar "Paolo"

Pio Clementino Museum

This museum is historically one of the first sections that has been founded as a collection of classical art, especially statues. The Octagonal Courtyard is the heart of this museums’ section and hosts the spectacular Laocoön statue, one of the most famous ancient statues.

Gallery of Candelabra

Its six sections host marvellous decorations together with classical statues. The floor has been decorated by marble excavated from the ruins found during the exploration of the river Tiber.

Gallery of Maps

This gallery is a 120 meters long corridor that hosts the collection of maps painted at the end of 1500 and depicting all of the Italian regions.

Gallery of Tapestries

With its three-dimensional paintings on the ceiling and collection of tapestries made of wool, silk, silver and gold, this is a unique art collection. The drawings for tapestries were originally made by Raphael and his pupils with the aim to be displayed inside the Sistine Chapel.

Raphael Rooms

The Raphael Rooms consist of four rooms, mainly painted by Raphael. Here you can find one of the Renaissance period’s greatest paintings, Raphael’s School of Athens.

Sistine Chapel

This is the reason why many tourists visit the Vatican Museums. Michelangelo has left most of his artistic legacy in the Vatican, and inside the Sistine Chapel are the two most known masterpieces: The Last Judgement and paintings on ceiling with The Creation.

St Peter’s Basilica

Thanks to its religious importance and to its artistic legacy of many artists who have been working here, it is undoubtedly the most important church in the world.

Featured Highlight

The Belvedere Apollo: It is believed that the statue was created around the 2nd century AD. According to the art historians this statue is the highest expression of the Greek sculpture art. It was discovered at the end of the 15th century in the Lazio region in Italy and transferred at the beginning of the 16th century to the Vatican Museums.