Vatican City is a popular tourist destination for many. Whether your interests lie in history religion, art or architecture, chances are your trip to Rome won’t be complete without visiting the Vatican. There are so many tours available, it can be hard to know which is best for you. Here’s an insight into some of the best Vatican tours on offer.
Semi-Private Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museums & St. Peter's Basilica Tour
This is a semi-private tour, and one of the best Vatican tours on offer. In a small and intimate group you can ask questions and hear stories from your expert guide as you wander from room to room - and ensure you take the perfect snapshots without having to battle for space with too many people.
This tour offers entry through our official Vatican Partner Entrance, and headsets so you can keep up with everything. The tour runs three times every day with the exception of Sundays. You’ll get to see the best of the Vatican City: the Vatican Museums, Raphael’s Rooms, the Sistine Chapel, the Gallery of Maps and the Gallery of Tapestries as well as St. Peter’s Basilica and the phenomenal square it stands in. Over the course of three hours, see the most famous parts of the Vatican City and come away feeling like you know everything there is to know. Skip-the-Line access for St. Peter’s Basilica is included too.
Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museums, and St. Peter’s Basilica Tour
This is without a doubt one of the best Vatican tours - it is the global No.1 Experience as verified in 2019 by Trip Advisor. So if you want to guarantee you’re taking the perfect tour then this is the one for you. By using our Vatican Partner Entrance, you’ll get inside even quicker than typical ‘skip the line’ access which is great for those who struggle to stand in queues for too long, or if you have a limited amount of time to spend in Rome and want to see as much as possible. This tour runs multiple times daily - except for Sundays.
This tour allows you to see the most iconic areas of the Vatican City in a group of 20 or less, with audio headsets so you don’t miss a thing. Our guides are experienced art historians, and so passionate about what they do - so you’ll learn things you never knew, and get excited about the small details around the Vatican.
This is an ideal tour if you really want to see the best bits: the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, Raphael’s Rooms, St. Peter’s Square and Basilica, the Gallery of Maps and the Gallery of Tapestries. Over the course of three hours, you are able to see all of the stand-out areas of the city - perfect for bucket-list travelers. Skip-the-Line access for St. Peter’s Basilica is also included, so you really can spend less time queuing and more time enjoying everything the Vatican has to offer.
Complete Sistine Chapel & Vatican Museums Tour with Bramante Staircase & St. Peter's Basilica
Want to see a little bit more of the Vatican? This is one of the best Vatican City tours for those who want something extra out of their experience. With instant access through our Vatican Partner Entrance, this tour gives you access to areas of the city that you wouldn’t be able to see otherwise. You’ll have an English-speaking expert guide, with headsets so you don’t miss a word. Available for groups of up to 20 people, this is a classic Vatican City tour with a twist.
Alongside the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Square and Basilica and the Vatican Museums, this 4.5-hour tour shows you so much more. The Gallery of Maps, the Gallery of Tapestries and Raphael’s Rooms are parts of other tours too, but as this tour is a little bit longer than others, you’ll have more time to explore and appreciate everything there is to see. Once you’re done with the more ‘typical’ areas of the Vatican, you’ll head a little deeper: to the fascinating Etruscan Museum and also the Pinacoteca, which is the Vatican Paintings Gallery. The tour also provides the chance to walk up the famous Bramante Staircase. Out of use now, the staircase provided the original entrance to the Papal apartments - the double-helix layout ensured there was always space for horses and carts carrying large items.
Ideal if you have time to spare whilst in Rome, this tour is ideal lets you see so much of the Vatican - operating at 8 am daily (except for Sundays), it allows you to see the city at its best. With the chance to ask questions, explore at length and learn some secrets, you won’t be disappointed.
Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums Night Tour
Do you want to see a different side to the Vatican City? This is one of the best Vatican City tours for those who are feeling a bit more adventurous. The tour is 2.5 hours long, so offers an ideal way to spend an evening while on a weekend break to Rome: available on selected Fridays at 7.30 pm, this is a unique experience that most people won’t share. You’ll see the Vatican after it has closed to the general public, when the crowds have disbanded for the day and the sun is going down over St. Peter’s Square.
Utilizing our Skip-the-Line access, and in the company of an expert guide, you (in a group of up to 20) can explore so much of the Vatican. The Octagonal Courtyard, the Raphael Rooms, the Hall of Maps, and the Galleries of the Tapestries and the Candelabra are just some of the sights you’ll see. Enjoy the Vatican Museums and the stunning Sistine Chapel without the crowds - there’ll be no fighting for space as you admire the artwork on display. This really is one of the best ways to see the Vatican!
Regardless of how you want to see the Vatican, there is something for everyone. The best Vatican City tours will leave you feeling fulfilled and knowledgable, but without the need to queue and get stuck in crowds. Have the best of both worlds with our tours!
