Recent Searches
Clear
Close

Rome Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica Early Morning Express Tour

star-4.5235 Reviews
|
Badge of Excellence
|
Roma, Italy
Rome Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica Early Morning Express Tour
See More
See More
Rome Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica Early Morning Express Tour
St. Peter's Basilica
See More
Likely to Sell OutLikely to Sell Out

From $87.44

Lowest Price Guarantee

Select Date and Travelers

Number of travelers
1 Adult2 Adults3 Adults4 Adults5 Adults6 Adults7 Adults8 Adults9 Adults10 Adults11 Adults12 Adults13 Adults14 Adults15 Adults0 Youths1 Youth2 Youths3 Youths4 Youths5 Youths6 Youths7 Youths8 Youths9 Youths10 Youths11 Youths12 Youths13 Youths14 Youths15 Youths0 Children1 Child2 Children3 Children4 Children5 Children6 Children7 Children8 Children9 Children10 Children11 Children12 Children13 Children14 Children15 Children
Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance. Learn more
Loading available options...
Safety measures
icon2 hours  (approx.)
Mobile ticket
iconOffered in: English

Explore our promoted experiences

Overview

The Vatican Museums are among the most visited museums in the world and they often have lines to match. This small-group express tour offers early access to the Vatican before the crowds arrive, so you can take in highlights such as the Hall of Tapestries and the Gallery of Maps; marvel at the Sistine Chapel; and enjoy skip-the-line entrance to St. Peter's Basilica (except Wednesdays, when the Basilica is closed to the public.)
  • Small-group tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica
  • Skip the line and enter early, before the general public
  • All entrance fees included
  • Professional guide ensures you understand the significance of the museums
Saved to wishlist!

From $87.44

Lowest Price Guarantee
Book Now
Professional and passionate local guide
Small-group tour size to guarantee a great experience
Headsets for groups of 6 or more
Gratuities
Hotel pickup and drop-off
St. Peter's Basilica until Further Notice Due to Covid Restrictions
Viale Vaticano, 100 , Viale Vaticano, 100, 00192 Roma RM, Italy
Open in Google Maps

Between Hotel Alimandi and Caffé Vaticano, at the top of the big staircase (Viale Vaticano, 100). A representative will be there holding a sign with our company name on it. We highly recommend that you arrive 10 - 15 minutes before the scheduled meeting time of your tour to ensure a prompt start. • Subway/Metro - Take the Metro line A (the red line) and get off at either the “Cipro” or “Ottaviano” stop. The meeting point is on Viale Vaticano which is a 10-minute walk from each of the metro stops. • Walking - From St. Peter’s Square, take via di Porta Angelica and follow the Vatican walls (on your left-hand side) closely until you reach Piazza del Risorgimento. Turn left and continue following the Vatican walls until you reach Viale Vaticano. Turn left onto Viale Vaticano and cross over to the other side of the street. Walk up the street and you’ll find our meeting point about 100 feet away. BEWARE! This is at least a 15-minute walk. • Taxi - It is very important that you tell the driver “Caffè Vaticano” or Musei Vaticani. Our meeting point is a few feet away. Make sure you check for us on the other side of the street just in case your driver drops you off opposite the caffè. • Use your smartphone! - Type the words ‘Caffè Vaticano’ into your phone’s navigation system and the directions will bring you just a few feet away from the top of the staircase!

8:00 AM
Saint Peter's Square , Piazza San Pietro, Città del Vaticano, Vatican City
Open in Google Maps

Tour ends in front of St. Peter's Basilica, except on Wednesdays when, due to Papal Audience, we will not be able to access the Basilica. The tour will end inside the Vatican Museums.

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements
  • Please note: large bags, backpacks, luggage, and tripods cannot be brought into the Vatican Museums. There is a coat-check at the museum entrance; however, the end point of the tour is far from the museum entrance and it will take about 20 minutes to walk back to pick up your belongings. Leaving large items at your hotel is highly recommended
  • Please note: in the event there are unexpected closings or an area usually covered on the tour is unavailable, your guide will still provide explanations of that area from the outside. You will also be shown an extra site or gallery to compensate the closed area
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Most travelers can participate
  • Please contact The Tour Guy to book a wheelchair accessible tour
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 travelers
  • OPERATED BY The Roman Guy
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 Rome Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica Early Morning Express Tour?
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 Rome Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica Early Morning Express Tour.
Q:
What is the policy on sanitization during Rome Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica Early Morning Express Tour?
A:The policy on sanitization is:

  • Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
See all safety measures taken by Rome Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica Early Morning Express Tour.
Q:
What is the social distancing policy during Rome Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica Early Morning Express Tour?
A:The policy on social distancing is:

  • Social distancing enforced throughout experience
See all safety measures taken by Rome Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica Early Morning Express Tour.

Traveler Photos

See More
See More

Reviews

4.5
star-4.5
235 Reviews
5 stars
194
4 stars
26
3 stars
6
2 stars
3
1 star
6

Reviews by Viator travelers

Showing 1-10 of 235 reviews
star-5
Great skip the line tour!
jdmillers1990
, May 2022
Great skip the line experience. Incredible and interesting tour. Ends in St. Peter's where you have as much time as you want.
... MoreLess
star-5
Vatican
cindy_b
, May 2022
Great experience however it is sooo hard to find your tour guide!! Not clearly mark where to locate him or her. So many people and so many different tour groups all in the same area!!
... MoreLess
star-3
It was an “ok”...
Napua_C
, May 2022
It was an “ok” experience. Got into the museum and Sistine chapel quite quickly, but the no skip the line for the basilica. Content of tour was informational but wished that the guide would have told us that the Sistine Chapel had a souvenir shop exclusive to it and the duomo had to be entered while on the side of the museum. Our guide released us outside of the basilica and advised us that we needed to stand in the long line if we wanted to go back to the Sistine chapel shop or the duomo.
... MoreLess
star-4
Like the “express tour” idea very much!
Steve_S
, May 2022
Skipping the line and getting in so quickly and early. By having an early express tour we still had morning time left. Wish it could have included St. Peter’s. We wanted to go again. I could look at the Sistine Chaoel more easily due to fewer people but I absolutely hated the show of disrespect for silence and, even worse, the lack of enforcement of silence on the crowd but the Vatican guards. Raffa was our guide and she was lovely and quite experienced. We enjoyed her. Good tour.
... MoreLess
star-5
Knowledgeable tour guide
Kevin_L
, Apr 2022
Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and was able to get us access to St. Peter’s which had previously been difficult with COVID and the Easter holiday. This saved us a lot of time.
... MoreLess
star-2
Very short, not worth money, not very positive experience
Mona_L
, Apr 2022
Paid for your of St. Peter’s basilica your but that never happened even though St. Peter’s was right next door and was open. It was 5 min walk. The tour guide cut short the trip and covered very little. We should have started with St. Peter’s and then Vatican.
... MoreLess
star-5
Maria was a great tour...
Eileen_D
, Apr 2022
Maria was a great tour guide and had so much knowledge. She was very patient with the group. I highly recommend this.
... MoreLess
star-1
NOT WORTH THE COST
Doug_B
, Apr 2022
The tour description was not updated, so multiple people in the tour group did not know that St Peter’s Basilica wasn’t included until the guide mentioned it mid-tour. Save your money and purchase the ‘skip the line’ ticket (includes Sistine Chapel) directly from the museum for 21 euros and save nearly 70 euros. The tour provided was good, but it wasn’t close to being worth the additional charge.
... MoreLess
icon Response from Host , Apr 2022
Many thanks for writing us a review. We are disappointed to read that you didn't think the tour was worthwhile. However, the cost of the tour includes an early morning entrance ticket (not found online for individuals) and the services of a professional licensed guide, so we don't think it can be compared with an individual visit just with a ticket, which at later times would also result in having to stand in a queue to enter and visit the Museums among the crowds. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the skip the line passage between the Sistine Chapel and the Basilica is currently closed. For this reason, and in order to enhance the quality of the experience, until the passage reopens, we have decided to include other sections of the Museums instead, since, the Basilica is free to visit and on this tour people have a professional official guide, whose use should be maximised. All our guides are instructed to provide you with relevant information so that you will know what to look out for whilst visiting the Basilica on your own for free. This information is clearly stated on our website and was communicated to all our distributors, so they could update their websites as well. This itinerary is designed to avoid a 20 minutes walk to the Basilica and to avoid having to stand for an unpredictable amount of time in a queue, wasting the time you have paid your guide for, which can be used to enjoy other remarkable parts of the Vatican Museums. Our Customer Relations team would have liked the chance to discuss it with you before receiving a negative review, as we always strive to offer the best service to our clients and this tour makes no exception. Many thanks The Tour Guy Team
... MoreLess
star-5
A piece of Rome
Tracy_E
, Mar 2022
The entire experience was memorable. The fine detail of each mosaic floor piece was beautifully created.
... MoreLess
icon Response from Host , Apr 2022
Thank you so much for taking the time to write us a review! We strive to always offer the best guides and service and we are delighted to hear that you had an amazing time on our Vatican Express early morning tour! It is truly a privilege to be among the firsts to enter the museum and admire its masterpieces among only a few people. We hope to welcome you again soon on one of our tours! Thanks The Tour Guy Team
... MoreLess
star-5
Great tour to see highlights and for people that have light walking difficulties.
Erica P
, Apr 2019
My husband had a knee problem so we wanted a tour that could capture the glory of the Vatican and avoid long lines. As many thousands of visitors gather to see this unique sight, this early morning tour makes a lot of sense. Of course until the group is gathered, microphones given and passing through security takes some necessary time but meanwhile an informative account was given by our wonderful guide Simeon. We were shown and explained the main exhibitions with passion and understanding. My husband had a walking stick with a small seat that could open and he could sit on it for a few minutes to rest. There was time to go to the bathroom and sit while she prepared our entrance to the Sistine Chapel. A final highlight to see St. Peters to round off this wonderful tour.
... MoreLess
star-3
Waited in LINES!
lauracainmiller
, Jun 2018
We were promised not too wait in lines! And it took us 1 hour and 45 min to get in... It was not very organized.. Once we were in though the actual tour was very nice.She was very informative and the Vatican is gorgeous!!
... MoreLess
2 travelers found this review helpful
star-5
Well organised tour with an...
Nicholas W
, Nov 2017
Well organised tour with an excellent tour guide. Well worth getting up early and missing the crowd. Definitely pay the extra whilst you are there and climb to the top of the Basilica.
... MoreLess
star-5
Our guide was exceptional! We've...
Carol E
, Oct 2017
Our guide was exceptional! We've been on many tours with wonderful guides, but this woman was by far the best. Incredible. Easy to find the meeting spot, easy check in. Well planned use of the time. Our guide was so knowledgeable the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and Basilica came alive for us in a way we hadn't imagined possible. Simply amazing.
... MoreLess
star-1
NICHT BUCHEN! Totaler Nepp !!‘
julia_r
, Apr 2022
Diese Tour war der totale Nepp. Knapp 400€ bezahlt um erst 20 Minuten an der Schlange zu stehen und dann in einem Affenzahn durch den Gang in Richtung Kapelle gejagt zu werden. Wir haben die müssen NICHT gesehen, die Reiseführerin hatte solch einen krassen italienischen Akzent, das sie kaum zu bestehen war. Und die Kopfhörer und Technik waren eine Katastrophe.
... MoreLess

Compare Similar Experiences

Current
Rome Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica Early Morning Express Tour
Likely to Sell Out
Rome Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica Early Morning Express Tour
star-4.5235
2 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$87.44
Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel Experience
star-588
2 hours 30 minutes
Free Cancellation
From
$72.92
Likely to Sell Out
Private Vatican Museums Tour with Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica
star-4.5470
2 hours 30 minutes
Free Cancellation
From
$174.02
Special Offer
Skip the Line: Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Small Group Tour
star-517
3 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$98.19 $78.55
Skip-the-Line Group Tour of the Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica
star-51430
3 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$53.46
Early Morning Vatican Tour With Sistine Chapel
star-536
3 hours 30 minutes
Free Cancellation
From
$108.01
Likely to Sell Out
Early Access Vatican Museums Semi-Private Tour with Sistine Chapel & St. Peter’s
star-4.52692
2 hours 30 minutes
Free Cancellation
From
$78.55
Likely to Sell Out
V.I.P. Small Group Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Tour
star-5218
3 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$65.46
Sistine Chapel Morning Tour with Vatican Museums Galleries & Raphael Rooms
star-4.521
2 hours 30 minutes
Free Cancellation
From
$81.83

Explore Similar Things to Do

Architecture ToursWalking ToursHistorical ToursArt ToursWalking & Biking ToursCultural & Theme ToursTours & SightseeingRomeArchitecture Tours - Lake BraccianoWalking Tours - Lake BraccianoHistorical Tours - Lake BraccianoArt Tours - Lake BraccianoArchitecture Tours - Lake BolsenaWalking Tours - Lake BolsenaHistorical Tours - Lake BolsenaArt Tours - Lake BolsenaArchitecture Tours - AssisiWalking Tours - AssisiHistorical Tours - AssisiArt Tours - AssisiCategory

Attractions in Rome

Palatine Museum (Museo del Palatino) Tours & TicketsBasilica di Santa Francesca Romana Tours & TicketsHard Rock Cafe Rome Tours & TicketsSt. Peter's Square (Piazza San Pietro) Tours & TicketsJaniculum Hill (Gianicolo) Tours & TicketsSant'Angelo Bridge (Ponte Sant'Angelo) Tours & TicketsPiazza Barberini Tours & TicketsPiazza Venezia Tours & TicketsVatican Grottoes (Grotte Vaticane) Tours & TicketsBaths of Caracalla (Terme di Caracalla) Tours & TicketsLa Pietà Tours & TicketsHouse of Augustus (Casa di Augusto) Tours & TicketsBarberini Palace (Palazzo Barberini) Tours & TicketsTrastevere Tours & TicketsCatacombs of Rome (Catacombe di Roma) Tours & TicketsVittoriano Museum Complex (Complesso del Museo Vittoriano) Tours & TicketsArch of Constantine (Arco di Costantino) Tours & TicketsStadium of Domitian (Stadio di Domiziano) Tours & TicketsAncient Ostia (Ostia Antica) Tours & TicketsVittorio Emmanuele II Monument (Vittoriano) Tours & Tickets