Overview

This is a superb half-day tour to see the Vatican in the company of a top-rated and very knowledgeable guide.

With skip-the-line access you by-pass the waiting lines of tourists and head directly inside to see Ancient Roman and Greek statues, Raphael’s Rooms, the Galleries of Tapestries and Maps, the Sistine Chapel, Saint Peter’s Basilica and Square to name a few.

This is one of the most comprehensive tours of the Vatican highlights and we ensure you won’t miss any of the “must-see” treasures that make this such a special place.

Description

Stop At: Vatican Museums, Viale Vaticano, Vatican City 00120

You meet with your guide at the entrance to the Museums and with privileged access by-pass the queues and head inside. You can leave your belongings in the cloakroom and take a comfort break before starting the tour. The visit begins in the rooms that hold ancient Roman and Greek artworks collected from excavations in the city of Rome. When the Popes ruled Central Italy the Vatican had the rights to all finds. Your guide will take you to see the most interesting of these including the Belvedere Apollo, the Torso, the busts of Claudius and Hadrian and the sarcophagi of Helen and Constance, the mother and daughter of Emperor Constantine.Next on the itinerary is a visit to the Room of Animals and the Gallery of Candelabra where you walk over rare Roman mosaics and come face-to-face with the magnificent statues of Diana of Ephesus, the Muses and many Greek philosophers.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Stanze di Raffaello, Viale Vaticano, Vatican City

You then proceed to the Gallery of Tapestries, the Sobieski Hall and Raphael’s Rooms. The latter were the private apartments of Pope Julius II and were painted by Raphael and his disciples. Here you will see two of the painter’s most famous masterpieces, the Parnassus and The School of Athens.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Sistine Chapel, Viale Vaticano, Vatican City 00165

The highlight of any tour is of course the famous Sistine Chapel, Italy’s most visited site. Your guide will tell you all about Michelangelo’s frescoes, The Last Judgment, the Creation of Adam and the Genesis as well as details of the Stories of Moses and Jesus painted by Botticelli, Perugino and other famous Renaissance masters. Still in use today, the Sistine Chapel is where the conclave takes place to elect a new Pope. Listen to anecdotes and some well-kept secrets about this amazing place.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: St. Peter's Basilica, Piazza San Pietro, Vatican City 00120

The tour ends with a visit to the greatest Catholic Church in the world, Saint Peter’s Basilica. Here is another of Michelangelo’s masterpieces, La Pietà. Your guide will tell you about the architecture of this magnificent edifice and something of the rituals that take place here. You will also visit the tombs of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: St. Peter's Square, Piazza San Pietro, Vatican City 00120

Your guide will then take you to Saint Peter’s Square to see Bernini’s famous statues and the balcony where you see the white smoke that tells of a newly elected Pope. A final few curious facts and anecdotes and your guide will leave you to take a stroll around this magnificent square. A perfect end to a tour of the Vatican!

Duration: 30 minutes