Home » The Best Vatican Tours To Take in 2025 and Why + Maps
The Best Vatican Tours To Take in 2025 and Why + Maps
Sean Finelli
You already know that a trip to Rome is not complete without a visit to the famous country within the city: Vatican City. But there are so many different tour options, so how do you choose? It all depends on your travel interests and schedule. In this guide, you’ll discover our best Vatican tours and which one’s right for you.
Pro Tip:
Bookmark this post in your browser along with our article on the best Colosseum tours.
All Vatican, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica Tours
All of our Vatican tours include skip-the-line tickets, local English-speaking guides, a tour of the Vatican Museums, and a visit to the Sistine Chapel. The right Vatican tour for you will depend on your interests, whether you want to see the Sistine Chapel after hours without any of the crowds, and how much time you have to soak up all this beauty.
To help you find your perfect Vatican experience, here is a link bank of all our tours, followed by more in-depth descriptions below.
Vatican City Neighborhood (Prati) | Secret Area of Rome Guide
Visiting the Vatican
Express Vatican Tours (2 hours)
Vatican at Closing Time with Sistine Chapel
Some people don’t like to wake up early on vacation, and I get it. Maybe you had a long night out exploring the town and prefer to sleep in with your significant other. Whatever that reason is, we offer this tour to experience the Vatican in a different setting- in the evening.
It is generally cooler and you will miss some of the crowds that come through during the daytime. Also, I really enjoy mixing it up and seeing museums in the evening. We set up our tours, so they finish just in time for dinner. This Vatican at Closing Time Tour perfectly set up to enjoy a well-earned dinner in Rome, reflecting on the incredible art and history you just witnessed.
Not ready to book a tour? Check out our Vatican Guide for more info.
Ultimate St. Peter’s Basilica Dome Climb and Tour with Papal Crypts
Looking for the best views in Rome? We know where to go. Our Ultimate St. Peter’s Basilica Dome Climb takes you to the top of the famous dome right as it opens and before there are any lines. Most of all, it’s before the heat of the day!
After you’ve climbed to the incredible lookout and soaked up those views, your guide will escort you into St. Peter’s Basilica for a guided tour that includes the Papal Crypts. For a quick tour of St. Peter’s and the dome, this is one of the best Vatican tours you can take.
Privileged Entrance Vatican Tour with Sistine Chapel
Everyone knows the Vatican Museums are filled with crowds most of the day. That’s why this Privileged Entrance Vatican Tour is ideal if you want to avoid the crowds and heat. Why? It enters before the general public so you can enjoy a less-crowded time throughout your tour.
With fewer crowds and cooler temperatures inside the vast Vatican Museums, you can easily follow your guide through the Vatican’s galleries and museums. Explore the Pio-Clementino, the Gallery of Tapestries, and Raphael Rooms as your guide brings each location to life.
Of course, you’ll visit the Sistine Chapel where you’ll stand in awe under the centuries-old ceiling that has captivated travelers from around the world. Starting your day early in the Vatican is the best way to maximize your vacation.
Private Skip the Line Vatican Tour with Sistine Chapel
If you don’t have time for an early morning tour or would prefer to visit in the afternoon, then our Private Skip the Line Vatican Tour is the one for you. With multiple start times throughout the day and skip-the-line tickets, you’ll find a time that’s just right for you and get straight to exploring.
Enjoy views from the most scenic viewpoint at St. Peter’s Basilica before the crowds and the heat. Then follow your guide to your skip-the-line entrance at the Vatican where you’ll see the top highlights before stepping into the Sistine Chapel.
Rome in a Day including Colosseum and Vatican Museums
Our Rome in a Day Tour is one of our most popular tours to date. You start your day with a comprehensive tour of the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica with an English-speaking guide. Then you head to the city for a walking tour of the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, and Trevi Fountain. End your day tour of Rome with a full Colosseum tour that includes the Roman Forum.
This is a great way to get the main highlights of Rome before you head out to discover it even better on your own. We provide transportation from the Vatican to the center of Rome, but this tour spends a lot of time on your feet. You’ll be ready for a delicious dinner when you’re done exploring one of the best tours of the Vatican and Rome!
With extended access to the Pio Clementino Museum, Raphael Rooms, Sistine Chapel, and more, experience the Vatican uncovered and up close.
Led by a private, passionate guide, you’ll skip the lines to explore renowned masterpieces and lesser-known treasures with personalized attention and expert storytelling.
From captivating stories to tailored pacing, this tour ensures a comprehensive and engaging Vatican experience like no other.
Exclusive Sistine Chapel After Hours Small Group Tour
Picture this: The doors close, the tourists vanish and the Vatican isn’t a museum anymore. It’s a sanctuary.
This is how you’re meant to see it. No selfie sticks. No tour groups shuffling past. Just you, standing beneath the Sistine Chapel in complete silence. Imaging standing underneath Michelangelo’s masterpiece, uninterrupted.
This isn’t some VIP line or early access gimmick. The Vatican is actually closed during this tour. And you? You’re inside. Wandering gilded halls. Running your hand along cool marble. Hearing nothing but the quiet hum of history. Your guide doesn’t need to shout over the crowd. They’re here to tell you the things most people never get to hear.
Most visitors see the Vatican packed like a subway at rush hour. You’ll see it as it was meant to be seen. Empty. Sacred. Alive. Only a handful of people will ever experience this. Are you one of them?
With the entire Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel reserved solely for your private group, this exclusive after-hours tour immerses you in the art and history with no crowds, just unparalleled access.
Guided by a charismatic storyteller, you’ll uncover the masterpieces of the Vatican in complete serenity, culminating in an intimate, uninterrupted viewing of the breathtaking Sistine Chapel.
Want to explore the Vatican Museums at your own pace but with the benefit of skip-the-line tickets? Then reserve your own tickets with our privileged access that lets you bypass the crowds.
You’ll meet our helpful attendant near the Vatican Museums entrance, where they’ll escort you past the general line and into the reserved group entry. There you’ll go through security and be free to explore the Vatican and Sistine Chapel as long as you like.
We are currently looking at all the various tour possibilities. Do you have tours which cover one or more of the restricted hidden areas of the Vatican Museums; namely the Bramante Staircase, the Niccoline Chapel and the Cabinet of Masks? Thank You.
We are currently looking at all the various tour possibilities. Do you have tours which cover one or more of the restricted hidden areas of the Vatican Museums; namely the Bramante Staircase, the Niccoline Chapel and the Cabinet of Masks? Thank You.