Skip-the-line Vatican Tour with Michelangelo’ Sistine Chapel & St Peter’s Church

This tour of the Vatican highlights ensures that you’ll see the most impressive masterpieces of art and architecture that the Vatican has to offer. You’ll meet your guide at the entrance to the Museums and, with pre-booked tickets you’ll avoid the queues and head straight inside. You will be able to leave your belongings in the cloakroom and take a comfort break before starting the tour. The first stop on the tour will be the collection of ancient Roman and Greek statues gathered from excavations across Rome – when Central Italy was under papal control the Vatican had the rights to all archaeological finds. Your guide will make sure that you 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 you’ll visit the Room of Animals and the Gallery of Candelabra where you will view rare Roman mosaics and see the impressive statues of Diana of Ephesus, the Muses and a host of Greek philosophers. You’ll then progress through the Gallery of Tapestries, the Sobieski Hall and Raphael’s Rooms. The latter were once Pope Julius II’s private apartments and were decorated by Raphael. In these rooms are some of the painter’s most celebrated works, including the Parnassus and The School of Athens. The ’must see’ stop on any Vatican tour is the renowned Sistine Chapel, the most visited attraction in Italy. You’ll discover more about Michelangelo’s frescoes - The Last Judgment, the Creation of Adam and the Genesis - and some details of the Stories of Moses and Jesus painted by Botticelli, Perugino and other well-known Renaissance artists. The Sistine Chapel is still used today for the papal election, known as Conclave. Your guide will also share some fascinating anecdotes and little-known secrets about this intriguing place. The tour ends with a visit to the most important Catholic Church in the world; the imposing Saint Peter’s Basilica. The Basilica is home to another of Michelangelo’s masterpieces, La Pietà, which you will have the chance to view, as well as learn more about the architecture and the rituals of the Basilica. You will also see the tombs of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II. The tour will end in Saint Peter’s Square where you’ll see Bernini’s famous statues and the chimney where the white smoke appears, to inform the world that a new Pope has been elected. After a few final anecdotes your guide will say goodbye and you’ll be free to wander around this enormous square. A relaxing end to a tour of the Vatican!

This tour of the Vatican highlights ensures that you’ll see the most impressive masterpieces of art and architecture that the Vatican has to offer. You’ll meet your guide at the entrance to the Museums and, with pre-booked tickets you’ll avoid the queues and head straight inside. You will be able to leave your belongings in the cloakroom and take a comfort break before starting the tour. The first stop on the tour will be the collection of ancient Roman and Greek statues gathered from excavations across Rome – when Central Italy was under papal control the Vatican had the rights to all archaeological finds. Your guide will make sure that you 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 you’ll visit the Room of Animals and the Gallery of Candelabra where you will view rare Roman mosaics and see the impressive statues of Diana of Ephesus, the Muses and a host of Greek philosophers. You’ll then progress through the Gallery of Tapestries, the Sobieski Hall and Raphael’s Rooms. The latter were once Pope Julius II’s private apartments and were decorated by Raphael. In these rooms are some of the painter’s most celebrated works, including the Parnassus and The School of Athens. The ’must see’ stop on any Vatican tour is the renowned Sistine Chapel, the most visited attraction in Italy. You’ll discover more about Michelangelo’s frescoes - The Last Judgment, the Creation of Adam and the Genesis - and some details of the Stories of Moses and Jesus painted by Botticelli, Perugino and other well-known Renaissance artists. The Sistine Chapel is still used today for the papal election, known as Conclave. Your guide will also share some fascinating anecdotes and little-known secrets about this intriguing place. The tour ends with a visit to the most important Catholic Church in the world; the imposing Saint Peter’s Basilica. The Basilica is home to another of Michelangelo’s masterpieces, La Pietà, which you will have the chance to view, as well as learn more about the architecture and the rituals of the Basilica. You will also see the tombs of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II. The tour will end in Saint Peter’s Square where you’ll see Bernini’s famous statues and the chimney where the white smoke appears, to inform the world that a new Pope has been elected. After a few final anecdotes your guide will say goodbye and you’ll be free to wander around this enormous square. A relaxing end to a tour of the Vatican! READ CAREFULLY: Because of the growing popularity of the current pope Francis and his intense activity in organising mass events in the Vatican some areas might get closed last minute without previous notice. This has already happened this year and can happen again during you Vatican tour: the Sistine chapel and/or the Basilica of Saint Peter might not be accessible. In case of such events our tour guide will provide you with a valuable alternative focusing the tour inside the Vatican museums.