Exclusive Partner's Tour
Private Extended Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Tour, with Bramante Staircase & St. Peter's Basilica
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You decide who tours with you and your own private guide. Our Private Tours are priced for up to 2 people. If you want to bring more family or friends, you can easily increase the number of participants when you book your tour and the price will adjust automatically.
With our No Wait Access you’ll breeze past the throngs of people waiting for their chance to enter these impressive edifices. It’s the Vatican and as a lifelong aspiration for so many you can imagine how popular this area is. Your dedicated, expert English-speaking guide has you covered, saving you time and frustration. Plus, we know your vacation time is as valuable as the priceless pieces of art you’ll see.
Originally built in 1512 by Pope Julius II so he could remain as grand as he was undisturbed, this spiral staircase once allowed the papal pontiff to ascend upon it with his horse and carriage. Today few get to step upon its double helix, making the experience even more special.
Commissioned by Pius IX, the Pinacoteca Vaticana was constructed specifically to exhibit treasured paintings which belonged to popes throughout the ages. Completed in 1931, these galleries include Raphael’s ‘Transfiguration’, Leonardo Da Vinci’s unfinished ‘St. Jerome in the Wilderness’, and Caravaggio’s ‘Deposition from the Cross’ among others. There’s so much to discover here it would take us an entire website to list it all.
We also show you what you came here for, but with deeper explorations into their rich histories and artistic offerings. From the Gallery of Tapestries to the Gallery of the Candelabra to the Gallery of Maps; the Pinecone Courtyard to the Raphael Rooms, you’ll see everything you’ve always wanted to and more.
All along your tour, your expert local English-speaking guide will explain the history, art and sections of the Sistine Chapel so that when you arrive to this awe-inspiring (and extremely crowded) location you can simply soak it in, instead of being bombarded with facts and figures like so many other tour operators. The new knowledge you now have will allow you to be inspired and develop your own interpretations of each and every brushstroke, including Michelangelo’s ‘The Last Judgement.’
Finally, we’ll escort you via a special Sistine Chapel doorway, past another long line of eager travellers, to St. Peter’s Basilica. Designed by famous Renaissance artists including Michelangelo, Bernini, Maderno and Bramante, you’ll wonder whether the art inside is as equally as magnificent as the artistry of the edifice itself. One of the most important Christian houses of worship, it is the perfect way to end your private Extended Vatican Museum tour experience.
Please note that on Wednesdays it may not be possible to visit St. Peter's Basilica and Square after the morning tour due to the Papal Audience. Clients who would prefer to access the Basilica and Square directly after their tour are invited to book an afternoon tour.
St. Peter's Basilica and other religious sites are subject to occasional closures for religious ceremonies. When this occurs, we will provide guests with an extended tour of the Vatican Museums, or appropriate alternative. In these cases we are unable to provide refunds or discounts. Appropriate dress is required for entry into some sites on this tour. Knees, shoulders and backs must be covered. Due to increased security measures at many attractions some lines may form on tours with 'Skip the Line' or 'No Wait' access.
It is possible to climb the Dome on your own if you wish, however you will need to purchase a ticket directly on site. Our tours do not include a visit to the Dome. Please note that if you intend to climb the Dome after your tour ends, you should make sure to book a morning tour (not on a Wednesday) as the Dome access is already closed in the afternoon before our afternoon tours reach Saint Peter’s Basilica, and the Basilica is often closed on Wednesday mornings.
The tours meet at a location very close and convenient to the entrance of the Vatican Museums. Full details of the exact location are included on the confirmation voucher you will receive when you book your tour.
No. With our tickets, it is not possible to re-enter the Vatican once you leave as the Vatican tickets are single entry only.
A Dark Rome tour is the product of meticulous research, detailed planning, and a passion for providing customers with travel experiences they will cherish forever.
With Dark Rome it's not just facts, our passionate guides tell you the stories that bring the sights to life.
