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The Best Vatican Tours To Take in 2023 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: It’s easier to organize your trip when you have all your resources in one place. Create a browser folder and bookmark this post in your browser along with our article on the best Colosseum tours. We also have a dedicated guide to all things Vatican City where you’ll find everything you need.
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 without 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 and maps below.
1. 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.
2. Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Vatican Highlights Combo Tour
Want to see both the Vatican and the Colosseum? This combo tour gets you more bang for your buck by combining them! You’ll enjoy skip-the-line entry at both the Colosseum and the Vatican. First, dive into ancient Roman history at the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill where you’ll walk in the steps of Gladiators and Emperors.
After lunch, rejoin the tour at the Vatican to hear stories of papal intrigue and see some of the world’s most celebrated artworks by masters like Raphael and Michelangelo, and, of course, the Sistine Chapel.
If you don’t have time for an early morning tour or would prefer to visit in the afternoon, then our 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.
4. 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!
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.
Not ready to book a tour? Check out our Vatican Guide for more info.
6. Exclusive After Hours Sistine Chapel with Aperitivo
Looking for that truly exclusive opportunity to enjoy the Vatican and Sistine Chapel? This might just be what you need. With a late afternoon entry to the Vatican, you’ll be led with your small group through the highlights. Then you’ll step into the Sistine Chapel along with no more than 100 other people (usually at least 2,000 during the day)!
Your guide’s stories about this magnificent ceiling will come to life as you experience quiet time in the Sistine Chapel that few ever will. Afterwards, enjoy a drink on us during your aperitivo in the Pinecone Courtyard.
7. St. Peter’s Dome Climb and Sistine Chapel Combo Tour
Want to get more bang for your buck? Then book our early morning tour that climbs St. Peter’s dome before going on a guided tour of the church and on to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel. No matter how many times you’ve been to Rome, this is a great way to start your trip.
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.
On this guided Vatican visit, enter the Vatican Museums after hours and experience the museums with very few other people. You’ll feel like a VIP on this after-hours night tour of the Vatican. It’s the best way to really enjoy the quiet solitude in the 9 miles of museums here.
Not to mention, you’ll get to stand under the Sistine Chapel with just a handful of people around you. It’s almost as exclusive as you can get without booking a private tour. This Vatican Night Tour only runs on Fridays and Saturdays during the summer, making it a very exclusive experience.
Not ready to book a tour? Check out our Vatican Guide for more info.
9. Skip the Line Vatican Tickets
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.
With this experience, you will take a guided tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, Vatican Gardens, and a day trip by train to the Pope’s summer residence. A return train ticket and delicious lunch fit for a pope are included!
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.