Skip the Line Vatican Tour with Local Trastevere Food Tour Combo

After leaving the Vatican, you'll have a little free time before your evening food tour of Trastevere begins. From Piazza Farnese, you'll enjoy a walking tour with a passionate foodie guide, stopping at four much-loved local eateries for antipasti, street food snacks, wine, a full sit-down dinner, and gelato to end the evening Italian-style!

Vatican and Trastevere Food Combo Tour Description

Your 8-hour Vatican and Rome tour includes:

• Skip-the-line tickets to the Vatican Museums

• Guide tour with Pio Clementino, Vatican Galleries, Raphael Rooms, and more

• Silent tour of the Sistine Chapel

• Guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica

• Early evening walking tour through Trastevere

• Four stops with multiple food and wine tastings

• Sit-down dinner at a local Roman restaurant

• End the evening with delicious gelato

• Engaging, English-speaking guides for both parts of the tour

• Maximum group size of 20 (12 during the food tour)

Skip the Line and Explore the Vatican

If you decide to visit the Vatican on a whim without a tour group, you're bound to wait in line for a long time. With this skip the line tour, you'll be able to swiftly enter the Museums with your group and guide, allowing you to make the most of your time at the Vatican.

The museums, as you can imagine, are huge! Don't stress about looking at a map to find the masterpieces. Let our experienced guides take the stress out of your visit, by leading you to the most important art pieces and getting out before museum fatigue sets in.

Nero’s Bath and Octagonal Courtyard

Wanna see a strain of marble that is so precious that it’s impossible to recreate? Here’s your chance. Your first stop with will the Pio Clementino Museum, home to iconic artworks such as Laocoön and His Sons, the Apollo Belvedere and the Belvedere Torso. Then, make your way into a rotunda with Nero’s grand marble bathtub as its centerpiece.

Popular Vatican Galleries

Your guide will lead you on through the Vatican Museums, visiting the Candelabra Gallery, Gallery of the Tapestries, and Gallery of Maps. Admire the ancient Roman and Greek statues, the Flemish tapestries created by Raphael's students, and the gorgeous topographical depictions of Italy.

At the height of the Roman Empire, pontiffs rarely left Rome. In order to understand the Italian peninsula without endangering his life, Pope Gregory XIII commissioned 40 giant meticulous maps to be created for his use. Most of these maps measure more than 15 by 16 feet, and the end result is nothing short of spectacular.

You'll hear the stories behind these treasures from your expert guide as the Vatican secrets are slowly unveiled to you.

Raphael Rooms and The School of Athens

What does the term “Renaissance Man” really mean? Often associated with Machiavelli or Leonardo, Raphael is also a shining example of this term. Raphael frescoed multiple rooms within the Vatican Museums, but most famously, he’s known for the gallery that holds his name.

Among other masterpieces, explore the School of Athens, the work he is most known for, which portrays all of the world’s greatest mathematicians and scientists sharing their ideas.

Borgia Apartments

Downstairs from the Raphael Rooms and once occupied by Borgia Pope Alexander VI, these private chambers were frescoed by early Renaissance artist Pinturicchio. As a co-pupil of Raphael’s under master Perugino, Pinturicchio had a penchant for embedding fake jewels and other three-dimensional objects like metal saddle studs in his frescoes. The Borgia Apartments also contain another hidden gem: the first European depiction of Native Americans.

Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel

And for the main event, and maybe the reason you’ve decided to take a tour of the Vatican, your guide will escort you to the Sistine Chapel. Covered in beautifully colorful frescoes with profound biblical meaning, you’ll see Michelangelo’s true masterpiece.

You’ll notice over 600 figures portrayed on the Sistine Chapel ceiling and walls. Since the Sistine Chapel is a sacred and silent place of worship, your guide will make sure to explain the walls and frescoes beforehand with a visual aid before you enter.

Please note: In order to enter the Sistine Chapel, both men and women must cover their knees and shoulders. Otherwise, you may be refused entry to this portion of your Vatican tour. We understand the summers in Rome are hot - a great alternative is to bring a shawl/scarf/sweater with you. That way, you can cover your knees and shoulders when necessary.

St. Peter’s Basilica

On a regular visit to the Vatican without a guided tour, you must exit the Vatican Museums and join a separate line to enter St. Peter’s Basilica. With us, this isn’t necessary! Your guide will escort you right into the Basilica through a secret door in the Sistine Chapel.

Once inside of the largest church in the world, visit the classic art pieces such as Michelangelo’s La Pieta and Bernini’s Baldacchino.

Please note that St. Peter's Basilica is closed on Wednesdays for the Papal Audience and can occasionally experience other unexpected closures. If this happens, your guide will make up the time at other areas within the Vatican.

Trastevere Food Tour

After three hours exploring the Vatican, you certainly be feeling some hunger pangs. Not to worry, you’re about to embark on an evening full of local delicacies, from street food to gelato and delicious local wine. When visiting a city known for its cuisine, it’s important to experience true local restaurants and not just convenient eateries in touristy hubs. This tour definitely satisfies that need.

Roman Salumeria e Formaggeria

Your first stop will be at a family-owned deli where you'll sample prosciutto, salame, cheeses, and some tasty local wine. This establishment has been serving locals for over 100 years, so they definitely know what they are doing. Learn the difference between parmigiana and pecorino, and prosciutto and salame. After you wash it all down with some local wine, you'll probably want to visit this little shop again to stock up for your trip home.

Roman Street Food

Like cities around the world, Rome has an amazing street food tradition. In the neighborhoods near the Tiber River, to go-to snack is wonderful fried fish. Many people wonder why baccalà (cod fish) is such a popular dish in Rome, considering they aren't close to the Atlantic where cod is usually found. Well, your guide will share the fascinating history of this local favorite and why it's a popular dish in Trastevere. You'll enjoy another glass of local wine with this local street food favorite.

Authentic Roman Restaurant

Finally, it’s time for a relaxing sit-down dinner with incredibly Roman pasta. And no Italian meal is complete without some vino to wash it all down! Your guide will explain the significance behind these dishes and allow you some time to sit back, relax and enjoy your meal. Like any good Italian meal, you will also get some Limoncello after dinner to cleanse your palate for dessert.

The Best Gelato in Trastevere

How could we do a food tour in Rome without gelato? Even if it’s cold outside, the gelato you'll try tonight will still warm your heart. You may be overwhelmed with the selection of flavors, but your guide will help you pick the right one for you. Learn how to spot authentic gelato from touristy shops and try some of the best gelato in Rome.

Your tour comes to an end here, but your evening doesn't have to! Ask your local guide for recommendations on great bars and unique things to do at night in Rome.