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Early Entry Vatican Museums: The Best of the Sistine Chapel

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Roma, Italy
Early Entry Vatican Museums: The Best of the Sistine Chapel
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Early Entry Vatican Museums: The Best of the Sistine Chapel
Early Entry Vatican Museums
Early Entry Vatican Museums
Early Entry Vatican Museums
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From US$91.21

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Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance. Learn more
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Safety measures
icon3 hours 45 minutes  (approx.)
iconOffered in: English

Overview

Beat the heat and crowds that can make visiting the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel later in the day a chore with this early entry tour. Access the galleries before they open to the general public and marvel at works by Michelangelo, Raphael, and other greats in the quiet galleries while learning about their history and significance from your guide. End with time in the Sistine Chapel to admire its iconic ceiling frescoes.
  • Enjoy the peace and quiet inside the Vatican Museums in the early morning
  • Visit with a guide to focus on the top works in the vast museum collection
  • A small-group tour for a more relaxed pace and time to ask questions
  • Finish by late morning for a full day of sightseeing afterwards
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From US$91.21

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Skip the line ticket for Vatican Museums
Local English-speaking guide
Expertly guided walking tour
Headset
Small groups of 15 people or fewer
Gratuities
Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off
Bar L'Ottagona , centro piazza, Piazza del Risorgimento, 00193 Roma RM, Italy
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We meet just outside the green bar in the middle of Piazza del Risorgimento Square. This is the only bar/cafè located on the square. The bar is on the side of the square towards via Crescensio - close to Tram stop number 19. The closest Metro/Underground stop is Ottaviano.

7:15 AM
Vatican Museums , 00120, Vatican City
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Inside Vatican Museums

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • All guests (including children) must bring ID on the day of their tour.
  • We cannot accept wheelchairs on this group tour. Our group route utilizes staircases where elevator access is not easily accessible. Those with wheelchairs and limited mobility can contact us so we can arrange your visit.
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Near public transportation
  • Walks comply with all local government regulations. You may need to wear a mask or provide proof of vaccination to enter certain venues. Please refer to Italy government guidelines for the most up to date information
  • Most travelers can participate
  • Please note the attire must be appropriate for the visit. Both men and women are required to wear clothing that covers both shoulders and knees. We cannot be held responsible for denied entry due to improper dress. It is sufficient to bring extra coverings (i.e. scarves and shawls) with you to wear before entering the holy areas.
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
  • OPERATED BY Walks - Italy, Spain & Greece
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Learn more about cancellations.

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Q:
What is the policy on face masks and attendee health during Early Entry Vatican Museums: The Best of the Sistine Chapel?
A:The policies on face masks and attendee health are:

  • Face masks required for travelers in public areas
  • Face masks required for guides in public areas
  • Face masks provided for travelers
See all safety measures taken by Early Entry Vatican Museums: The Best of the Sistine Chapel.
Q:
What is the policy on sanitization during Early Entry Vatican Museums: The Best of the Sistine Chapel?
A:The policy on sanitization is:

  • Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
See all safety measures taken by Early Entry Vatican Museums: The Best of the Sistine Chapel.
Q:
What is the social distancing policy during Early Entry Vatican Museums: The Best of the Sistine Chapel?
A:The policy on social distancing is:

  • Social distancing enforced throughout experience
See all safety measures taken by Early Entry Vatican Museums: The Best of the Sistine Chapel.

Traveler Photos

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Traveler Tips

  • "I am not a group tour person, but this was definitely worth the time and fee." See review

Reviews by Viator travelers.  We perform checks on reviews

Reviews

5.0
star-5
341 Reviews
5 stars
296
4 stars
28
3 stars
9
2 stars
4
1 star
4

Reviews by Viator travelers

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Showing 1-10 of 341 reviews
star-5
Marta delivers a great experience!
Patrick_B
, Aug 2022
I’m sure many tour guides would do a great job, but we were fortunate to have Marta as our tour guide. She was friendly, knowledgeable, and very helpful throughout the entire tour. Her friendly nature made for an even better experience. If you are fortunate enough to get a tour with Marta, enjoy it! You will learn a lot, and have a great time.
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star-3
Not 3 1/2 hours - just 2 1/2hrs
mhpcmv8rw5
, Aug 2022
While the tour started at 7:15 with walk to the entrance, we did not entered until 8:00am. We were however the first 60 people into the Vatican museum so did not have to deal with crowds - the was the real gem of this early morning tour. Other than that we were unimpressed with our tour guy - it was just the draw of the luck as the other 4 tour guides with this company were engaging and appeared to provide a better experience. The tour ended at 10:00am once we were led outside to the St. Peter’s Bascilca entrance. This was not a 3 1/2 hr tour. It was really just 2 1/2hrs.
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star-5
There was only one other...
Heather_N
, Aug 2022
There was only one other person in our group for this tour, so it made for a great experience. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about everything we were seeing. It made taking in the overwhelming history very simple.
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-5
Wonderful!
Alicia_G
, Aug 2022
Early tour is a must if you go in August like we did. The Vatican gets very crowded, but we were able to walk right in. Our guide was knowledgeable and friendly. Would definitely recommend to friends.
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star-5
Stop scrolling. This is the tour to get! Hands down.
nrx6qkyzkk
, Aug 2022
This was the best guided experience we’ve had in Rome. Approximately 3 hours and we could have easily spent all day with pleasure. Our guide Lisa was amazing! We wished we would have had her for all our prior tours. So unbelievably knowledgeable and easy to listen to. You can’t NOT see the Vatican and chapel this way!
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star-5
Gigi was absolutely brilliant. Best tour guide we ever had and so educated in a way that will ensure we never forget.
Marijana_S
, Jul 2022
The whole experience was incredible due to our tour guides in depth knowledge and ability to tell stories in a way that captivated and made it memorable. Gigi was impersonal, knowledgeable and captivated the group the entirety of the time, ensuring we were comfortable and looked after as well. We lucked out with getting Gigi was just so fantastic.
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star-5
Pro-tip on two options
Andrew_M
, Jul 2022
Honestly, pro-tip you can do this tour one of two ways based on what YOU like. The tour guide was amazing and beating the crowd to get inside in that first hour was awesome! If you want to go slow and listen to all the details on every room, then that’s a perfect option. OR they don’t/can’t force you to stay with the group, so we entered, I tossed my audio ear piece to the guide and said thanks. We walked briskly through the completely empty halls straight to an empty Sistine chapel. It was amazing!
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star-5
Excellent 4 hour overview of a much bigger experience
John_P
, Jul 2022
Great first look at the Vatican Museum and the Basilica for first-time visitors. Due to the sheer size and quantity of the Vatican and its sights, 4 hours doesn't allow for much depth of inspection. However, it certainly forms the basis for future visits and what you might want to spend more time with. Tour guide was excellent, pacing was comfortable, and the Vatican is probably without peer in the world for its displays, artifacts, history, stories, and spiritual value and tradition. Recommend this without hesitation!
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star-5
Definitely recommend!
KristinaMaria_P
, Jul 2022
We had Sabrina as our guide and she was extremely knowledgeable! I would definitely recommend this tour because without having someone guide you through what you’re seeing, it can be overwhelming. I felt like this tour was really well structured. Sabrina went into great detail with each fresco, tapestry or painting we were looking at and she explained various aspects of the Sistine Chapel frescoes so it was clear what we were looking at. Even though this tour did not include St. Peter’s Basilica, Sabrina took us there at the end for a short time.
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star-4
Great tourist guide
Clementina_G
, Jul 2022
It worth it. You don’t make line and it’s well organized. The tourists guide was excellent and make the experience fun and interesting. The only problem is that everything goes fast. You don’t have enough time to spend in the Vatican Museum.
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-5
Excellent
Valentina_D
, Jul 2022
This tour was well worth the money. Uta was incredible. She was so knowledgeable about the Vatican, the museums & the surrounding context. I would recommend her to anyone wanting to do this tour. Absolutely worth the time & money to get the full understanding of the Vatican.
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star-5
Highlights of the Vatican with minimal crowds!
Mackenzie_P
, Jul 2022
Easy to find the meeting point, great tour, and worth the cost; if you only have half a day this is perfect!
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star-5
Wonderful Tour!
Carrie_C
, Jul 2022
Our tour guide was so wonderful! She made our experience a great one. I could understand her English very well which was so helpful. Thank you for a great morning!
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star-5
Excellent guide to Vatican museums
Angela_N
, Jun 2022
Jeb was an excellent tour guide. Very knowledgeable about everything in the museum and rest of the Vatican. He was very clear and easy to understand. If you are an art lover, this one is for you!
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-5
Highly recommended trip!
Joey_P
, Jun 2022
This trip was excellent. The tour guide was fantastic. This trip could certainly be overwhelming without proper guidance. The skip the line tickets are a must, as the line was up to 2 hours long without them. Going in the morning was also a benefit, as the crowds were much less. The big thing this tour helps with is knowing how long to spend in each place. The Vatican is so huge it can be overwhelming, so having someone to guide you to the important areas was super helpful. She was knowledgeable and super friendly. She also kept the group moving. It was a wonderful trip and I am so glad I booked it.
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star-4
Great way to see the Vatican Museums
Robert_W
, Jun 2022
Ahmed was a great guide that had an encyclopedia of knowledge about every single room. Very nice having a smaller group to navigate around other groups easily. Only critique is that the tour made it seem like we would be getting access to these areas before the general public but with as many tour groups that showed up around the same time, I could see this becoming an issue if we were even 5 minutes later to start the tour.
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star-5
An A+++++++ Experience.
Jbarnish
, Jun 2022
Our tour guide, Andrea was the absolute best. Very intelligent, personable and genuinely nice person. He brought so much unique information into his presentation. Could not be more pleased with the tour. A must for Rome.
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star-4
Great tour.
Rose_K
, May 2022
Very knowledgable and friendly guide. Too much to see without help from a good guide. Be prepared for heat and sun. Not much shade.
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star-5
Knowledgeable Guide
David_G
, May 2022
Our guide was so knowledgeable, she made the Vatican come alive. Going early and skipping the lines was well worth getting up early for. She knew her art history and the ins and outs of the what was in the Vatican. Took us all around without feeling rushed. Quality time at the Sistine. Highly recommend the early tour.
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star-5
Well worth using a tour guide
Brad_E
, May 2022
I honestly can’t imagine seeing the hundreds of thousands of pieces of art in all the different Vatican museums without a tour like this. It felt very chaotic inside but our guide was great and a fountain of information. I don’t know what it’s like later in the day but early entry still seemed like a lot of waiting time and there were a lot of other groups going in at the same time. They do use the time wisely to explain the Sistine Chapel where you’re not allowed to talk. I would definitely recommend this tour.
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