8am Entrance Platinum Vatican Tour with Sistine Chapel

- Skip the line access with fewer crowds

- Highlights of the Vatican’s three main galleries with a guide

- The earliest and most quiet Sistine Chapel guided visit of the day

- Access to St. Peter’s Basilica and Papal Tombs

Raphael's Students and Maps of the Italian Peninsula

As you make your way to Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, your guide will show you the main galleries of the Vatican, including the Gallery of  Maps, Gallery of Tapestries and Candelabra Gallery. Admire all of the iconic works of art throughout, including ancient Greek statues and tapestries created by Raphael’s students. Get a sense of how topographers thought centuries ago by studying some of the first maps of Italy and the surrounding areas.

Sistine Chapel Without the Crowds

A visit to the Sistine Chapel often involves standing in the midst of hundreds of other people. On this private tour, that’s not the case at all. Taking in the magic you came to the Vatican to see when this jaw-dropping room is at its most empty. This early, early entrance time to the Vatican museums allows you a quieter, less congested and more meaningful Sistine Chapel experience. The Sistine Chapel opens its doors at 8 am, meaning you and your group will quite literally be one of the first groups to enter the Sistine Chapel that day.

 The Sistine Chapel is a sacred place, and no speaking is allowed inside. Your guide will explain everything there is to know about the artwork ahead of time before you enter. This way, you can enjoy the silence of the sacred space. In addition, the Sistine Chapel is a place of worship and it requires a specific dress code. All visitors must cover their knees and shoulders while inside. Although Rome can get hot during the summer months, we recommend a light shawl or scarf to adhere to these regulations.

Majestic St. Peter’s Basilica

On your private Vatican City tour, your guide will grant you access to a special door from the Sistine Chapel that leads to St. Peter’s Basilica. Before entering the Basilica, your guide will provide insightful information to your group to allow you to make more meaning out of all of the sights. Speaking is prohibited in the holy space, so it’s best for your guide to prepare you for your visit beforehand. Enter the largest church in the world that took over 120 years to build. Once inside, you’ll understand why. The details of this iconic Italian Renaissance Basilica make the structure one of the most renowned landmarks in the world.

 Explore the famous artworks crafted by Michelangelo, Bernini, Bramante and more on your own. See La Pieta up close behind bulletproof glass and marvel at the Baldacchino and take a special visit to the Papal tombs, the final resting place for hundreds of popes after your tour.

 If your tour falls on a Wednesday, St. Peter’s Basilica is closed due to the Papal Audience. In this case, your guide will use this time to show you more masterpieces that the Vatican Museums has to offer.

 Important: Remember, it isn’t possible to return to the Vatican Museums from St. Peter’s Basilica. Once you leave the Sistine Chapel to walk over to the Basilica, you cannot return.