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Vatican Museums: Fast Track Guided Tour

Arts & HistoryPopular
This 2.5-hour Vatican Tour  is our most budget-friendly, no-frills Vatican tour, providing a concise yet comprehensive experience. Reserve your spot today and our enthusiastic art historian will help you bypass the lines and lead you through the intricate Vatican museums and Sistine Chapel in just two hours.

Join your expert guide by the Vatican Museum entrance and gain immediate access to what many consider the world’s most prized art collection. 

Your guide, familiar with every corner of the museums, will efficiently navigate through the more than 1,200 artworks. The tour while highlighting the Raphael Rooms, the classical Greek and Roman sculptures in the Belvedere Courtyard, and the Gallery of Maps and keeping the focus on the main attraction: the Sistine Chapel. 

As you walk through the former papal residences, your guide will identify important artworks dating back to Ancient Greece and Rome, explaining how these classical pieces influenced the artistic brilliance of Renaissance Italy. 

A substantial portion of this tour focuses on the magnificent Sistine Chapel, covering everything from its initial commission to the final details added by Michaelangelo Buonarroti himself. You’ll discover the authentic story of this remarkable yet troubled artist, who identified as a sculptor rather than a painter, yet devoted years painting frescoes on a ceiling 44 feet above. Understand the physical and mental toll this project took on the artist as your guide helps separate mythology, historical facts, and Hollywood dramatizations about this legendary artistic achievement.

Highlights

Skip-the-line entry and a streamlined tour schedule allows additional time for exploring Rome

Experience Michelangelo's extraordinary frescoes in the Sistine Chapel

Highly-rated guides make this our most cost-effective tour option

Priority access to the Vatican Museums without waiting in line

Includes

Skip the entrance queue at the Vatican and move ahead of other visitors

Access to the Raphael Rooms and Sistine Chapel

Comprehensive guided Vatican Museums experience with an expert Vatican tour guide

Visit to the Belvedere Courtyard and Greek and Roman Sculpture collections

Excludes

Access to St. Peter's Basilica

Food and drinks

Hotel pick-up and drop-off

Gratuities

Know before you book

Due to the route covered and/or the means of transportation used, it is not possible to participate in this tour using a wheelchair, scooter, or other aid. Please contact us to inquire about customized tour options for guests with mobility challenges.

Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult

Max 20 participants per tour

Know before you go

Dress code: shoulders and knees must be covered

Tour departs rain or shine

Passports are not required for entry to the Vatican Museums

Cancellation Policy

Tours depart rain or shine unless otherwise specified. All cancellations must be received in writing to info@italiatours.com. The cancellation policy for this item is as follows:
Cancellation with 72+ hours notice: full refund
Cancellation with less than 72 hours notice: no refunds or exceptions will be made

Failure to reach the meeting point on time (no-show) is equivalent to cancellation with less than 72 hours notice.
If you've chosen the Hassle-Free Cancellation policy during checkout, cancel your tour anytime up to midnight of the day before it begins for a full refund, excluding the Trip Protection fee. Remember to notify us of your cancellation in writing before midnight (Rome time) on the night before your tour.

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ItaliaTours has been providing expert tours for travelers to Italy for over 20 years. Our guides are highly educated expert storytellers who love sharing their passion for "il bel paese". We are fully licensed and insured, so that you can feel confident when booking with us.

Call/Text/WhatsApp: +1 617 207 661
Toll-free from USA: +1-888-598-6870
Call from Italy: +39 06 967 41298
info@italiatours.com