Group Vatican Tour
For those who want to see the Sistine Chapel and the highlights of the Vatican’s extraordinary art collection, this tour includes the best of the Vatican Museums as well as privileged access to St. Peter’s Basilica.
Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St Peters
GUIDED GROUP TOUR
Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St Peters
From 49 €
VIP Access
No unnecessary waiting around! Time is important, especially when you are on vacation, so we always use fast track tickets to ensure you get inside as soon as possible.
The Vatican Museums
Originally designed as the Private collection of the Popes, The Vatican Museums only opened their doors to the public in 1929. Over the years its popularity has grown exponentially and, today, it is the second most visited museum in Europe, after the Louvre in Paris. Boasting over 4 miles of Art, and a whopping 20,000 works on display, the Vatican Museums make up an impressive assemblage. Founded in 1506 by Pope Julius II, the museums have been continuously modified, expanded on and updated over the centuries to become what they are today. Discover why art was so important to the church, how they started accumulating ancient works and artefacts, and how these pieces would go on to influence the Renaissance artists that followed. Find out which Popes embraced the past, by celebrating the art, and which ones tried to censor it. Wander through its labyrinth of rooms, past quadrangles, and galleries as your guide shows you all the must-see pieces while explaining the fascinating history behind them.
The Sistine Chapel
Named after Pope Sixtus IV, the Sistine Chapel is one of the main reasons people visit the Vatican. Located within the Apostolic Palace this impressive sanctuary boasts works by master painters like Perugino, Pinturicchio, Ghirlandaio, Rosselli, Botticelli, Signorelli, della Gatta and, of course, Michelangelo.
Ceiling
Unarguably one the most famous artworks in world, the Sistine Chapel ceiling stands 70 feet above ground level. Painted by Michelangelo Buonarroti between 1508 and 1512, the vault is an incredible feat of determination, will and artistic ability. As the artist was unfamiliar with the techniques of frescoing, learn how he was forced to hire, then fire, a team of Florentine painters, before eventually going at it alone. Dealing with all kinds of complications, from issues with perspective, to problems with mold and the Pope’s unwavering impatience, he endured it all to create what many consider the crowning work of his career.
Alter wall
Returning to the space 24 years later, Michelangelo would strike gold again, this time in his sixties, with his rendition of “the Last Judgement”, which fills the alter wall. An Allegory of the “Day of the Lord”, depicting heaven, hell, saints, demons, tormented souls and the central figure of Christ, orchestrating the entire event. Find out why this piece was considered controversial and how to recognize the different figures within the work, based on how they are dressed or what they are holding.
St Peter’s Basilica
At the end of your tour, your guide will accompany you to the front of St. Peter’s Basilica using a special exit reserved for certified guides and their groups. This will allow you to avoid any lines so you can wander around this amazing UNESCO World Heritage site at your own pace. St. Peter’s is one of four Major Papal Basilicas in Rome and, while it is not the highest ranked, it’s certainly the most popular. You will be astonished by its size and blown away by the detail and craftmanship that went into creating this remarkable structure. Look out for Bernini’s Baldachin (built over the tomb of St Peter), Della Porta and Fontana’s dome, and, of course, Michelangelo’s Pieta.
WHAT INCLUDED
PACKAGE DETAILS
Octagonal Courtyard
Gallery of the Muses
Round Room
Gallery of the Candelabra
Gallery of Maps
Sobieski's Room
Borgia Apartments
Collection of Modern Religious Art
Sistine Chapel
St. Peter’s Basilica
