Early Access Private Vatican Tour

Skip the line and enter the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel one full hour before the general public on this semiprivate limited-access private tour! 

Beat the crowds and enjoy skip-the-line entry to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel at the quietest time of the day. On this special access tour, your expert private guide will accompany you through the Vatican Museums, the rooms of Raphael, and the Sistine Chapel a full 60 minutes before opening to the general public and 30 minutes before opening to other accredited tour operators.

As you stroll through the former papal residences your guide will point out major works of art dating back to Ancient Greece and Rome and explain the role these ancient pieces played in inspiring the future artistic genius of Renaissance Italy. Much of this tour will be dedicated to the awe-inspiring Rooms of Raphael and the majestic Sistine Chapel, from its commissioning to the finishing touches applied by none other than Michelangelo Buonarroti. You will hear the true life story of this fascinating yet tormented artist, who considered himself a sculptor and not a painter yet dedicated countless years of his life painting frescoes on a ceiling 44 feet high. Learn of the physical and psychological damage inflicted on the artist as your guide helps you to discern between myth, fact, and popular Hollywood fiction regarding this epic work of art. 

After ample time gazing up at the world’s most famous ceiling, choose whether to take advantage of priority access to St. Peter's Basilica or remain inside the museums to explore some of the remaining 1400 galleries of art at your own pace.

Cancellation Policy: standard

Cancellation Cutoff: 24 hours

Cancellation Notes: Tours depart rain or shine unless otherwise specified. All cancellations must be received in writing. Tours and passes will be refunded if cancelled more than 24 hours before the tour start time, however the following penalties apply: For tours entering the Vatican Museums and/or the Colosseum (venues where tickets are non-refundable) a penalty of $30 per person will be retained for each venue. No refunds will be made for cancellations with less than 24 hours notice or failure to arrive at the meeting point on time (no-show).

Tours depart promptly at the scheduled time, while public transport throughout Italy can be unreliable. Allow plenty of time to get from your accommodation to the meeting point, or contact us to arrange for a private transfer. No refunds will be granted for failure to arrive at the meeting point on time.

Tours depart rain or shine unless otherwise specified.

During peak season and on the days surrounding national and/or religious holidays, extreme crowding can be expected at tourist attractions across Italy, leading to increased wait times to pass through security checks despite our priority access. While this is beyond our control, we do our best to minimize any inconvenience.

View complete terms and conditions at www.italiatours.com/terms.

Not wheelchair accessible

This is not a private viewing of the Sistine Chapel. There will be a limited number of groups inside the Vatican who have the privilege of entering before opening time, and this is by far the quietest and least stressful time of day to visit the Vatican Museums.