Highlights
- Feel like a VIP as you explore the Museums with the Key Master before they open
- Open the doors and visit the Sistine Chapel and Raphael Rooms without the crowds
- Marvel at world-famous antiquities, including the Apollo Belvedere
- Enjoy a delicious breakfast buffet in the open-air Pinecone Courtyard
- Discover the history of the Vatican with an official Vatican guide
Description
Meet your official Vatican guide outside the Vatican Museums as the sun rises over the Eternal City. Enter the empty foyer to begin your truly exclusive VIP tour through the Vatican before the crowds arrive.
As you turn the keys and flip on the lights to each gallery with the Vatican's official keeper, marvel at world-famous antiquities including the Apollo Belvedere and Laocoon. Admire Nero’s monumental marble bathtub, wander through the serene Gallery of the Candelabra, and see the iconic Diana of Ephesus statue.
Walk by the hand-stitched Flemish tapestries, created according to Raphael school designs, originally meant to insulate the Sistine Chapel. Enter the dazzling golden Gallery of the Maps, showcasing accurate 16th-century frescoed maps of Italy.
Appreciate the vibrant colors and unique skill of Raphael, the painter of sweetness and light, as you look at the School of Athens. Stand in awe and wonder beneath the vast frescoes of Michelangelo, from the Creation of Man to The Last Judgment.
Normally bustling with hundreds of people jostling for position, you’ll have this rare opportunity to enjoy both the Raphael Rooms and Sistine Chapel completely devoid of crowds. You will have the chance to participate in the daily ceremony of the Sistine Chapel's door opening.
After your sacred time beneath those frescoes, your guide will lead you to the open-air Pinecone Courtyard to enjoy a delicious breakfast buffet and some well-earned espresso.
Includes
Exclusive VIP tour of the Vatican Museums with Vatican's keeper of the keys
Access to the Vatican Museums before public opening hours
Official Vatican guide
Visit to the Apollo Belvedere and Laocoon
Visit to Nero’s monumental marble bathtub
Tour of the Gallery of the Candelabra
View of the Diana of Ephesus statue
Tour of the Gallery of the Maps
Visit to the Raphael Rooms
Visit to the Sistine Chapel
Breakfast buffet in the Pinecone Courtyard
Excludes
Transportation to and from the Vatican Museums
Important Information
- The tour starts early in the morning before the Vatican Museums open to the public
- Photography may be restricted in certain areas
- Given the exceptional, exclusive nature of this tour, group size is strictly limited to a maximum of 20 participants
- As is required for all places of worship, participants must adhere to a strict dress code. Shoulders and knees must be fully covered (no tank tops, short dresses, or shorts are permitted) to guarantee entry
- All members of your party, regardless of age, must present a valid government-issued photo ID for entry into the Vatican Museums
- For security reasons, backpacks and large bags are strictly prohibited inside the Museums
Easy cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
