Being as it is the heart of the Catholic church, the Vatican City is a popular destination for religious pilgrimages as well as for travelers who are interested in history, sociology, architecture and more. When it comes to Vatican tours, it can be hard to know which one is the right fit for you - so to help make your tour memorable, for all the right reasons, here are the best Vatican tours to take, and why!
Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museums, and St. Peter’s Basilica Tour
The Gallery of the Maps
For starters, this is global No.1 Experience Worldwide as verified in 2019 by TripAdvisor - so if you want to guarantee an amazing tour then this is the one for you. With our prestigious Vatican Partner Entrance, you can get inside even quicker than typical ‘skip the line’ access tours which is perfect if you struggle to stand in line for too long, or if you are trying to cram a lot of sightseeing into a short period of time. This tour runs multiple times daily - except for Sundays.
This tour allows you to see the most iconic areas of the Vatican City in a group of 20 or less, with audio headsets so you don’t miss a thing. Our guides are experienced art historians, and expert in their fields - so you’ll learn things you never knew and get excited about all the small details other Vatican tour groups might miss.
This is the best Vatican tour for you if you want to see the best bits; the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, Raphael’s Rooms, St. Peter’s Square and Basilica, the Gallery of Maps and the Gallery of Tapestries. Over the course of three hours, you will see all the stand-out areas of the city! Enjoy Skip-the-Line access for St. Peter’s Basilica too, so you can spend less time in line and more time enjoying what the Vatican has to offer.
Semi-Private Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museums & St. Peter's Basilica Tour
The Sistine Chapel
Another great option for tours of the Vatican is our semi-private Vatican tour. It encompasses much of the above tour, but in a smaller and more intimate group. Ask questions and hear more stories from your expert guide as you wander from room to room - and ensure you get the perfect photographs without having to battle for space with even more people.
This tour offers entry through our official Vatican Partner Entrance headsets so you can keep up with everything and runs three times daily except for Sundays. You’ll get to see the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, Raphael’s Rooms, the Gallery of Maps and the Gallery of Tapestries as well as St. Peter’s Basilica and the phenomenal square it stands in. Over the course of three hours, catch the iconic parts of the Vatican City and come away feeling like you’ve been able to absorb it all perfectly. There is even Skip-the-Line access for St. Peter’s Basilica, so everything is covered!
Complete Sistine Chapel & Vatican Museums Tour with Bramante Staircase & St. Peter's Basilica
Bramante Staircase
For those who want to see even more than the average tour allows for, this is one of the best Vatican City tours. Offering instant access through our Vatican Partner Entrance, this 4.5-hour tour takes you areas that are off-limits on other Vatican tours. With an English-speaking expert guide - with headsets too so you don’t miss a word - and groups of just 20 people, this is the classic Vatican City tour with a twist.
As well as the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Square and Basilica and the Vatican Museums, this tour shows you so much more. The Gallery of Maps, the Gallery of Tapestries and Raphael’s Rooms are parts of other tours too, but you have longer to explore on this extended tour. Then, once you’re done with the iconic areas that most people know, you will head a little deeper: the fascinating Etruscan Museum and also the Pinacoteca, which is the Vatican Paintings Gallery. The tour also gives you the chance to walk up the famed Bramante Staircase. Now unused, this was the original entrance to the Papal apartments - its double-helix layout was to ensure there was space for horses and carts carrying large items.
A longer tour than some, this one is ideal if you want to see as much as you can - operating at 8 am daily (except for Sundays), it allows you to see the Vatican best. Tour this incredible little city with an expert guide, and you won’t be disappointed.
Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums Night Tour
The Vatican by Night
If you want to see a different side to the Vatican City - and it is recommended - then this is the best Vatican tour for you. At just 2.5 hours, it is the perfect way to spend an evening while on a weekend break to Rome: operating on selected Fridays at 7.30 pm, it is an experience most people will never be able to share. See the Vatican after closing time, when the hoards of visitors have left for the day and the sun is setting over St. Peter’s Square.
In a group of 20, with Skip-the-Line access and an expert guide, you can explore even more of the Vatican. The Octagonal Courtyard, the Hall of Maps, the Raphael Rooms and the Galleries of the Tapestries and the Candelabra are just some of the sights to see on this amazing tour. You can also take in the Vatican Museums and the stunning Sistine Chapel, without the crowds of people jostling for space when it comes to admiring the incredible artwork on display throughout the city. It truly is one of the best ways to see the Vatican!
We have plenty of Vatican City tours available depending on what it is you’re after. The Vatican is a place steeped in culture, history, art and religious significance, and you deserve to have the very best experience when visiting. That’s why our tours offer speedy access, expert guides and intimate group settings: so, you can enjoy your time at the Vatican to the fullest.
