First Entry Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter’s Basilica Tour | Semi-Private

This tour was awarded “Best of the Best” by TripAdvisor in 2023. Reviews from millions of TripAdvisor travelers place this experience in the top 1% of things to do in Italy.

• Enter the Vatican Museums in the early morning hours
• Be amongst the first of the day to visit the Sistine Chapel & Raphael Rooms
• Enjoy a comprehensive tour of the Museums, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter’s Basilica
• Get a personalized semi-private tour in a small group of 6
• Get an overview of hundreds of years of art history in just one tour

Your Semi-Private Early Morning Vatican Tour will begin near the Vatican Museums’ entrance. Here you will meet your professional and charismatic tour guide.

The tour will begin with the Pinecone Courtyard and Octagonal Courtyard. Learn about the greatest statues of antiquity. From the mysterious composition of the Greek statue of the Laocoon, to the Apollo Belvedere and the Belvedere Torso, which despite it’s ruined state, inspired generations of artists. Then, stop to admire the art and decoration of the Gallery of the Maps and the Gallery of the Tapestries.

Then, onto to the world-renowned Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo’s masterpiece. Because this Chapel is the number one attraction inside the Vatican, LivTours believes it is important to give guests the time and space they need to fully appreciate it. Stand in amazement as you gaze onto Michelangelo’s awe-inspiring ceiling frescoes. Wonder over the breathtaking “The Last Judgement” before the major surge of crowds.

Your tour will continue by visiting the Raphael Rooms before the rush of tourists. Guests will be privy to some of the most important works of art in the museum – all without the rush of the usual crowds around them. With your tour guide by your side, you’ll learn about the intriguing stories and meaning behind the paintings that adorn the walls of the pope’s private apartments.

Once you’re done, you’ll head directly into St. Peter’s Basilica. This VIP access saves time and allows you to skip-the-line. Once inside, you’ll be greeted by the breathtaking space, which is the largest Catholic church in the world. Two of the glorious works of art that you will get to see up close include Michelangelo’s Pietà and Bernini’s Baldacchino. Before you leave St. Peter’s Basilica, your guide will tell you about the Papal Tombs and share how to access the dome of St. Peter’s. Conclude your Early Morning Vatican Tour by walking around Piazza San Pietro Square and taking in the grandeur that is St. Peter’s.

• Fully guided experience
• Pinecone courtyard
• Octagonal Courtyard & Belvedere Palace
• Muses Room & Belvedere Torso
• Lacoon statue
• Apollo of the Belvedere statue
• Gallery of Candelabra
• Gallery of Maps
• Gallery of Tapestries
• Raphael Rooms
• School of Athens painting
• Sistine Chapel
• Michelangelo's ceiling
• St. Peter's Basilica*
• Bernini's bronze altar canopy
• St. Peter's square

• Access to the Raphael Rooms is contingent upon crowd conditions, timing constraints, and guard-regulated routes. Including them may not always be feasible. In these cases, your tour guide will exercise discretion to adjust the itinerary, ensuring a comprehensive experience.
• Important Notice Jubilee Year 2025: As part of the 2025 Jubilee celebrations, from December 24th, 2024 to January 6th, 2026, St. Peter’s Basilica may experience unexpected partial or complete closures. In the rare event that the Basilica cannot be visited, rest assured that your tour experience will remain exceptional. Your guide will seamlessly adapt the itinerary to include alternative highlights, ensuring the full duration and quality of your tour. Please note that, in accordance with our Terms & Conditions agreed upon at the time of booking, partial or full refunds cannot be issued due to Basilica closures.
• Places of worship have strict dress code requirements for entry. All participants are required to have shoulders and knees covered (no tank tops or short dresses) to enter.
• Vatican management maintains the right to delay the opening of the Sistine Chapel for religious reasons, in this case the guide will modify the itinerary and extend your visit of the museums to ensure you make the most of your time before access to the Sistine Chapel is permitted.
• Photography is not allowed in the Sistine Chapel and all other artwork can only be photographed without flash.
• Please be aware that the Sistine Chapel is a Holy Place and talking during while inside the chapel is strictly forbidden. Therefore, your guide will provide a comprehensive overview of the Sistine Chapel before entering and will be able to answer more questions once you have left the space.
• St. Peter’s Basilica is an active church and can be closed unexpectedly for liturgical ceremonies. If closed, your guide will provide a revised itinerary including more of the Vatican Museums. No compensation is granted in these circumstances.
• Backpacks are not permitted in the Museum.
• IMPORTANT: Please advise our team if you believe that a disability qualifies you for complimentary access to the Vatican.
• Guests with wheelchair accessibility needs will find difficulty with this small group tour. To ensure a barrier-free tour with alternative routes, please book the private version of this tour.
• Everyone in your group, regardless of age, needs a government issued ID to enter the Vatican Museums.

All LivTours Semi-Private Group Tours are capped at six guests per tour guide. Our commitment to maintaining this uniquely tiny group size can sometimes be a little tricky, mathematically speaking. For example, we want to ensure that traveling families and friends can tour together, so on rare occasions we may add one or two guests to avoid separating groups. On that same note, you may also find yourself on tour with less than six people! We thank you for your understanding and flexibility.

 

 

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By selecting Choose Dates Later / Buy as Gift at booking, any tour can be purchased without fixed dates. This is the perfect option if you want to purchase your tour as a gift for a loved one, or if you are in the pre-planning phase of your vacation. After booking, you will receive a Travel Voucher Code and full instructions on how to schedule your tours when ready. Once your travel plans are confirmed, you can easily use the Travel Voucher Code on the LivTours website to formally schedule your tours. You can find out more here.