Private Vatican, Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter's Dome Climb Complete Tour
Climb St. Peter's Dome then tour the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
Beat the crowds at the Vatican and follow your private guide for an early climb of St. Peter's Dome for panoramic views of Rome. With skip-the-line access, your expert guide will lead you through the Vatican Museums, showcasing renowned artworks and hidden gems. Marvel at Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling and explore the intricate Papal Crypts. This personalized journey offers an intimate encounter with the Vatican's rich history and art, tailored to your interests.
- An in-depth private Vatican experience
- Meet near St. Peter's Square for skip-the-line entry
- Explore St. Peter's Basilica
- Climb the Dome for incredible views
- Michelangelo's La Pietá
- Bernini's Baldacchino
- Skip-the-line Vatican Museums tour
- Galleries of the Maps, Tapestries, and Candelabras
- Raphael Rooms
- Sistine Chapel
You'll meet your expert Vatican guide near St. Peter's Square early in the morning. The lines to enter St. Peter's Basilica and climb its famous dome can be hours long in busy months, but this private guided tour lets you skip the line to be one of the first of the day to enjoy the Basilica and climb the dome! Afterwards, you'll skip the line again to take a detailed tour of the famous galleries of the Vatican Museums, before gazing in awe at the frescoes inside the Sistine Chapel.
There aren't many tours that give such an in-depth experience of the Vatican, and as a private tour, the pace and the things you'll see can be tailored just for you!
Private St. Peter's Dome and Vatican Tour Description
Your 5-hour private tour includes:
Friendly, English-speaking guide
Skip-the-line early entry to St. Peter's Basilica
Access to the elevator and stairs to the top of St. Peter's dome
Guided explanation of St. Peter's Basilica before entering
Skip-the-line entry to the Vatican Museums
Tailored guided tour of Vatican Museums
See inside Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel
Climb St. Peter’s Dome
Get ready for the best view in all of Rome! Once inside St. Peter's Basilica, you'll follow your private guide up the elevator to lower level of the dome and skip past the first 231 steps. This first level is filled with incredibly elaborate mosaics that cover the inside of the dome, and you'll also get a chance to step outside onto the terrace and enjoy an iconic view of the Vatican City and St. Peter's Square.
From the upper terrace, you’ll have the option to climb even higher, with 320 ancient stone steps leading you to very top of the dome. The stairway gets narrow and a little claustrophobic in parts, but the reward at the top will make it all worthwhile! This is a truly epic view of the Vatican and the historic center of Rome, and it's our favorite way to introduce travelers to the Eternal City.
Explanation of St. Peter’s Basilica
You'll return to ground level for a private tour of the largest church in the world. Your expert guide will point out the most iconic artworks of the Basilica before you enter, including Michelangelo’s Pietà and Bernini’s Baldacchino. Among the most famous things you'll see in the Basilica are the spectacular throne and high altar of St. Peter—built directly above his final resting place.
Vatican Museums Tour
After your St. Peter's experience, you'll skip the line and begin your in-depth exploration of the rest of the Vatican City. You'll follow your guide through the Candelabra Gallery, Gallery of the Tapestries, and Gallery of Maps, admiring the ancient Roman and Greek statues, the Flemish tapestries created by Raphael's students, and the gorgeous topographical depictions of Italy. You'll hear the stories behind these treasures from your expert guide as the Vatican secrets are slowly unveiled to you.
Pio-Clementino Museum
This museum houses some of the world's most famous statues, including Laocoön and His Sons and the Belvedere Torso. Your guide will tell you all about the history and legends surrounding the art, as well as Emperor Nero’s bathtub—an opulent 25-foot tub made of rare red marble. And you'll see the incredible sarcophagus of St. Helen, the mother of Constantine.
The Raphael Rooms
After the Middle Ages, Europe saw a new age of amazing art, literature, and thought. Raphael is one of the most famous Renaissance artists and some of his most well-known works of art reside in the Vatican Museums. Your guide will show you the rooms he frescoed and one of his most famous works of art, The School of Athens.
Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel
The Sistine Chapel is the most famous chapel in the world, and it’s easy to understand why. Michelangelo’s collective masterpieces include over 600 figures, and words cannot do it justice. Take in the wonder of the chapel and examine the vivid depictions of biblical stories from Genesis to Revelations. You'll also see see the famous Creation of Man and the Last Judgement.
As the Sistine Chapel is a place of worship, speaking inside is forbidden. Your guide will give you an overview before entering, and we'll also provide you a map/handout to identify each fresco you look at.
As a deeply religious site, everyone who enters the Sistine Chapel must cover their knees and shoulders. Otherwise, you may be refused entry to this portion of your tour. A great option is to bring a shawl/scarf/sweater with you. That way, you can cover your knees and shoulders when necessary.
Continue your Journey
After the Sistine Chapel, you'll free to continue to exploring the Vatican on your own. Grab a bite to each, enjoy a cup of coffee and let the Vatican take you on a journey.
What you get with this tour

See what people are saying
105 total reviews
Leave a reviewInformative and Insightful Tour !
Courtney Moore Jarrell
Patrizia was a wonderful guide. She was very informative and new how to navigate around the crowds. Unfortunately the Dome portion of our tour was cancelled due to the Pope's death. We did receive a partial credit. We still participated in the Vatican Musuems and Sistine Chapel and got a change to enter the Basilica on our own.
Amazing
Allison Warga
Through the Dome climb, the St. Peter's basilica tour, and then the Vatican museums and Sistine Chapel - it was just amazing. Our tour was Saturday April 5, 2025. I cannot remember the name of the guide but he was just excellent. You could really tell this meant a lot to him to be in that church and to share about the art, the church, and the faith. We aren't Catholic but we really appreciated his respectful manner which he had. My husband and daughter did the climb. I enjoyed being on the roof and seeing the city like that. We luckily did everything early so it was less busy at first. I would 100% recommend.
Amazing day and an unforgettable experience!
Freebird McKinney
While I had been to the Vatican and St. Peter’s Square before, this was the first time for my family, and Maria was an outstanding tour guide who provided incredible contextual information and catered to the ages of my kids and the passions and interests of my family. We were so grateful for the opportunity to see the Vatican (given the recent news of the Pope) and revel in his leadership and what he has meant to the Church. We really enjoyed climbing St. Peter’s dome (something I had never done) and even though the Vatican Museum was super crowded due to the Jubile celebration for Easter, Maria did a phenomenal job navigating the crowds and sharing her knowledge about the art collection. I could not have been happier with this experience and once again The Tour Guy delivered! Thank you!
Frequently Asked Questions
What to bring?
In addition to wearing or bringing clothing that covers your knees and shoulders, it's recommended to wear comfortable shoes. You're also welcome to bring a water bottle as it can get hot inside the Vatican during the summer months.
What to bring?
In addition to wearing or bringing clothing that covers your knees and shoulders, it's recommended to wear comfortable shoes. You're also welcome to bring a water bottle as it can get hot inside the Vatican during the summer months.
Will the Vatican Museums be crowded during this tour?
While we do our best to arrange the order of the tour to avoid the largest crowds, there is a chance the museums may be crowded while we are inside since the tour begins with the dome climb and visit to St. Peter's.
Does the Vatican ever experience unexpected closures?
During state visits or special religious events, parts of the Vatican may be closed unexpectedly and without much notice. If an area normally visited during a tour is suddenly closed, our guide will still provide explanations of the closed areas from outside. They will even show you another gallery to compensate for the lost time in a usual location.
Is there a dress code to enter the religious sites on this tour?
We ask both men and women to cover knees and shoulders, otherwise you may be refused entry to religious sites and miss out on a portion of your tour. We understand the summers in Rome can be hot, so a great alternative is to bring a shawl/scarf/sweater with you. That way, you can cover your knees and shoulders when necessary.
I have some doubts about my mobility. Is this tour right for me?
If you have any doubts about your mobility, a private tour like this is your best bet. Private Vatican tours are more easily customized to the needs of people with reduced mobility. To get to the top of dome you'll have navigate a narrow stairway, but you're welcome to stay on the first floor which has wonderful views and can be reached by elevator.
Is there an elevator I can take instead of climbing?
On this guided tour, everyone will enjoy the use of the elevator to skip the first 231 steps and emerge at the landing inside the dome. From there, you can either admire the view from the terrace or climb the remaining 320 steps on foot.
Why doesn't this tour operate on Wednesdays?
That's because St. Peter's Basilica will be closed for the Papal Audience.