Vatican Museums Tour with Bramante Staircase, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's
4.5
Vatican Museums Tour with Bramante Staircase, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's
By City Wonders
About
At the Vatican, it can be a challenge for travelers to choose among a litany of early admission, art history, and run-of-the-mill tours. This trip stands out by stopping at rarely visited locations, including the Bramante Staircase (normally closed to the public), Vatican Paintings Gallery, and Raphael's Rooms. Plus, you save time with genuine no-wait access wherever you go, and hear commentary through a headset so you don’t miss a thing.
Ages 0-99, max of 20 per group
Duration: 4h 30m
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More
Highlights
- Enter the Vatican Museums without having to wait in line
- Stop at the Bramante Staircase, which is normally closed to the public
- See the less-visited Pinacoteca Gallery and the only Da Vinici in Rome
- Your guide brings the Vatican art to life
- Professional English speaking guide
- Access to the Bramante Staircases
- Headset to hear the guide clearly
- Skip the Line Access to the Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
- Entry/Admission - Vatican Museums
- Entry/Admission - Chiostro del Bramante
- Entry/Admission - Sistine Chapel
- Entry/Admission - St. Peter's Basilica
What's not included- Gratuities
- Food and drinks
- Meet your guide at the designated spot near the museums. Enter the galleries through a reserved door without having to wait in line. Don a headset designed to help you hear your guide clearly. Stop at the Vatican Paintings Gallery and admire Caravaggio’s 'Deposition from the Cross,' Da Vinci’s unfinished 'St. Jerome,' and Raphael’s 'Transfiguration.' Next head to the Bramante Staircase, a rarely visited architectural gem once used by the pope and Vatican staff. Snap a photo of the spiral staircase before heading to Raphael’s four rooms, famous for their frescoes. Make the required stops at the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. The tour ends just outside St. Peter’s Basilica.
- Departure details
- Viale Vaticano, Roma RM, Italy At the bottom of the wide steps across the street from the entrance of the Vatican Museums. The steps are located between Caffè Vaticano and Hotel Alimandi Vaticano, on the corner of Viale Vaticano and Via Tunisi. Our City Wonders coordinators will be wearing blue City Wonders/Guideman polo shirts or jackets for easy recognition. The closest metro stop is on line A (red line): Ottaviano - Musei Vaticani. Arriving from Ottaviano - Musei Vaticani metro A station: When you step off the metro, exit the turnstiles, walk straight to the back of the station and go to the left-side exit. Once you've reached the left-side exit, go out on the side marked V.le Giulio Cesare (to your right). Leave the station and walk straight (west) down Viale Giulio Cesare (which turns into Via Candia) for 3 ½ blocks, crossing three junctions (1. Via Vespiano 2. Via Leona IV and 3. Via Santamaura) before getting to Via Tunisi, the fourth junction. Turn left down Via Tunisi and walk straight for a block. In front of you will be a set of wide steps with a handrail running down the center. Your meeting point is at the BOTTOM of these steps. In total, the walk from the metro station to the meeting point should take around 10 – 15 minutes. Arriving from St. Peter's Square: Facing St. Peter's Basilica from the center of piazza (near the obelisk), turn right (north) and exit the piazza through the columns. Follow the Vatican walls (which will always be on your left side) all the way around to the entrance of the Vatican Museums (the entrance is on the left as you go uphill on Viale Vaticano.) This walk should take around 15 – 20 minutes.
Return details- Saint Peter's Square, Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Città del Vaticano, Vatican City
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 3731EXTENDEDVATICAN- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Tours departing Wednesday: St Peter's Basilica will be unavailable due to the Papal Audience. As an alternative, you will be offered an extended itinerary within the Vatican Museums
- On rare occasions, St Peter’s Basilica closes without notice. If this happens, you'll spend a full 4.5 hours touring the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
- Only small bags are allowed on the tour
- Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travellers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 3731EXTENDEDVATICAN
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Itinerary
- You'll start atViale VaticanoViale Vaticano, Roma RM, ItalyAt the bottom of the wide steps across the street from the entrance of the Vatican Museums. The steps are located between Caffè Vaticano and Hotel Alimandi Vaticano, on the corner of Viale Vaticano and Via Tunisi. Our City Wonders coordinators will be wearing blue City Wonders/Guideman polo shirts or jackets for easy recognition. The closest metro stop is on line A (red line): Ottaviano - Musei Vaticani. Arriving from Ottaviano - Musei Vaticani metro A station: When you step off the metro, exit the turnstiles, walk straight to the back of the station and go to the left-side exit. Once you've reached the left-side exit, go out on the side marked V.le Giulio Cesare (to your right). Leave the station and walk straight (west) down Viale Giulio Cesare (which turns into Via Candia) for 3 ½ blocks, crossing three junctions (1. Via Vespiano 2. Via Leona IV and 3. Via Santamaura) before getting to Via Tunisi, the fourth junction. Turn left down Via Tunisi and walk straight for a block. In front of you will be a set of wide steps with a handrail running down the center. Your meeting point is at the BOTTOM of these steps. In total, the walk from the metro station to the meeting point should take around 10 – 15 minutes. Arriving from St. Peter's Square: Facing St. Peter's Basilica from the center of piazza (near the obelisk), turn right (north) and exit the piazza through the columns. Follow the Vatican walls (which will always be on your left side) all the way around to the entrance of the Vatican Museums (the entrance is on the left as you go uphill on Viale Vaticano.) This walk should take around 15 – 20 minutes.See address & details
- 1Vatican MuseumsStop: 90 minutes - Admission includedSee details
- 2Chiostro del BramanteStop: 60 minutes - Admission includedSee details
- 3Sistine ChapelStop: 30 minutes - Admission includedSee details
- 4St. Peter's BasilicaStop: 30 minutes - Admission includedSee details
- You'll end atSaint Peter's SquarePiazza San Pietro, 00120 Città del Vaticano, Vatican CitySee address & details
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About the operator
- Q5898REmargaretd00Very enjoyable and informativeOur tour guide Amil was just fantastic, we learnt so much and she made the tour so enjoyable that the time flew by! It would have been an awful lot to try to cover on our own, so glad we booked this tour! Thanks Amil.
- 624sheilac00Great long day trip to Pompeii and Positino from Rome!We had an amazing trip to Pompeii and Positino. A long day from Rome but wonderful. Antonino, our guide, and Paolo, the amazing bus driver, were just great.
- meeraldo00Make sure you get Laura!Beautiful and historic all in one! It’s a long bus ride so be preppared! It’s also very twisty and turny in Positano. Laura is the best!
- cameronj80900Great tour guide and experience!My husband and I booked this tour during our honeymoon to Rome. Alessandra was a fantastic tour guide and was an enormous wealth of information of the Vatican museums and grounds. She was friendly and personable! Book with City Wonders for a phenomenal tour!
- Sharon G00Crypts and an old churchIt was a shame they didn't have a glass front crypt with remains to exhibit. The guides were good. Laura's English was excellent and Alan's too. They were both really good with their explanations.
- francescamA6222UJ00Under the Tuscan sunViviana and our driver Sergio we amazing. Viviana was very informative and managed the large group well. The tour was great value and we visited many places on the day.
- ericak39800Perfect 3 hr skip the line tourAmazing tour . Julia was incredible . Covered everything perfectly with jsut enough information but not making it boring. She did a wonderful job and the tour itself was perfect for 3 Hours !
- Volatile7500Amazing paintings on the ceilingsBought tickets online and be sure to change to physical tickets at the counter and head in. Recommended to pay EURO8 for audio guide + walking map to navigate this area. Awesome artifacts and paitings throughout this visit. Not too crowded in November.
- Mark M00Vatican tourReally enjoyed this tour of the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica. Our tour guide, Amil, was excellent with a great balance of information delivered in a friendly way and not just narrated like an encyclopaedia. The re is so much to see and take in but the pace of the tour was just right. We all enjoyed it very much.
- Eloise G00Long day but worthwhileFantastic trip! It is a very long day but we thoroughly enjoyed Pompeii and Positano is beautiful. Our trip host Rob was knowledgable, entertaining and very attentive. The tour in Pompeii was very good, especially given the time restraints. Really glad we took the day away from Rome. Highly recommend. However, you do need to be physically able as there is lots of walking, Positano is very steep and Pompeii is not very accessible due with bumpy, uneven surfaces and steps.
- tammed202300Had not great experienceThe tour itself was ok but did not like the guide. One of my friend could understand what the woman was saying, and they were saying rude things about us in Italian. And we paid to see the Basilica and was not able to get in to see.
- pabloaF2390AD00Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill tour with SilviaMy wife and I had a wonderful tour guide (thanks Silvia Rana!), Silvia is an Italian archaeologist, very knowledgeable about these sites and very passionate about history. She is super friendly and was happy to answer any questions we could think off. I would definitely recommend doing this tour with Silvia.
- 139teddc00Kudos to Ms. SharonMs. Sharon, the breakfast coordinator was egg-cellent! The breakfast menu was different from last week's, which gave me this opportunity to review different items and a different staff person. This morning, availed myself to the bagel/muffin bar. It was great. I wish there were a "to-go" option for the breakfast.
- KatheF89600Tuscany Fun!Guide was knowledgeable, super friendly and fun. The town’s were lovely and the lunch and wine tasting were great. Bus was comfortable for the journey as well.
- johndM1302RR00Rome from a Golf CartThe best city tour i've ever taken. It was in a golf cart! I wanted to see the sights but have trouble walking. So our hotel fixed us up with "My Best Tour" and guide Mimmo Bandar. We went all over the city and saw all the amazing sites, normal except we did it in a GOLF CART! This company uses golf carts and evades most of the awful traffic and Mimmo was a terrific guide...we could stop anywhere we wanted and he told us about the buildings or ruins and wherever we wanted to get out and see something up close, he parked and out we went. Always with new information not in the guide books. He has encyclopedic knowledge and was very pleasant. Golf Cart is definitely the way to go.
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4.5
48 reviews
Excellent
40
Very good
4
Average
0
Poor
1
Terrible
3
Bill L
Burbank, CA1 contribution
Jun. 2023
Awful experience at the Vatican. Way over crowded. We were like Sardines. That was not the company's fault but indicates how the Vatican operates in it's imperious arrogant manner. It was insane. However the following WAS in the company's purview. My tour guide Analisa was a complete moron. She is terrible. Inane simplistic comments. No insights. And worst of all She frequently gave us contradictory directions and segregated some of the tour to an elevator and left them there while the rest of us were herded through the museum! And then at the Sistine Chapel she gave us no directions on where to meet, merely said "I'll meet you outside" and then left us there! Turns out that there are TWO ways out and I of course chose the wrong way and got lost. Awful experience. Not just the Vatican but the guide made it awful. Not worth the money or the time.
Written 28 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rachael P
Borough of Brentwood, UK8 contributions
Apr. 2023
Iman (we think!) was an utter joy of a guide. He was so very knowledgeable, passionate and caring. He was great with the kids, teenagers and older members of the group. The information he gave was so interesting, despite the horrific weather he was captivating. Thank you so much!
Written 15 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HonestIndianReview
Bengaluru, India8 contributions
May 2018 • Couples
This tour is worth every penny and more! The meeting point is on the staircase opposite the Vatican Museum entrance. Being one of three “Official Vatican Museums Partners”, this City Wonders tour has no-wait entry. This means you enter immediately, instead of waiting in the ordinary Skip-the-Line line; it is also the only way to get access to certain private areas like the Bramante Staircase.
Kudos to Mr. Salvatore (Sal), our expert guide, who took us through so much of history, art detail and anecdotes for 4.5 hours! We never felt rushed, or saturated, and the tour was always interesting and packed with information. Sal was knowledgeable, clear and interesting.
We began in the Pinacoteca, where Sal gave us a very quick - and very good - Catholic art history course. As we moved from painting to painting, and room to room, he pointed out evolution and personal style of the great artists of Italy. Then we went out into the Fontana Della Pigna, had a restroom/ refreshment break. Following this, we toured the Chiaramonti Museum, and past the Cabinet of Apozyomenos at the Pio Clementino Museum, saw the Bramante Staircase (this was also a photo-stop). Following this, we got to explore the quiet but interesting Gregorian Etruscan Museum. After a quick tour through the Gallery of the Candelabra, the Gallery of the Tapestries, and the Gallery of The Maps, the Immaculate Conception and Sobieski Rooms, we came upon the magnificent Raphael Rooms (Heliadora, Segnatura, Fire in the Borgo). Then we went through the Chapel of Urban VIII and the Collection of Contemporary Art (but did not linger) and took a corridor into the Sistine Chapel.
Sal had already briefed us in the courtyard about the Chapel, and gave us a guide pamphlet, as the Sistine Chapel is a no-photo, no speaking zone. We had 15 minutes to admire the beautiful chapel. On our way out, Sal pointed out the stone from which the smoke from the previous conclave had gone out. This was typical of our entire tour: apart from the art and history itself, Sal pointed out interesting things, like where Pope Emeritus Benedict now lives, the Marconi tower, the moulds for Bernini’s angels and such trivia.
We then proceeded through the short cut to St. Peter’s Basilica, to get a view of St. Peter’s Square from the head of the stairs. Of course, we saw all the most famous pieces, including the Pieta, the papal altar, and Raphael’s Transfiguration. Starting from the portico, we explored this large and beautiful basilica and understood the artistic and spiritual thought that went into its construction.
The content of the tour is suitable both for Catholics, and non-Catholics, as it is neither irreverent nor spiritual. With regard to how energy-intensive this tour is, there is a toilet break immediately after entering the museums, and a toilet/ refreshment break for fifteen minutes, at around 10:00 a.m. in the museum cafeteria (clean, self-flushing toilets!). After the tour, toilets are available in the basilica. Obviously, you are a bit tired at the end, but there really is no shorter way to see all the things we saw on a single ticket.
I would highly recommend the tour to all those who are looking to do a non-private, in-depth tour of the Museums and basilica, including the private areas.
The tour ended in the basilica, and we were free to explore the rest on our own. For our part, we did this tour, and then explored the dome, Vatican gardens and the square ourselves, separately. We also visited the basilica twice more. Entry to the square and basilica is free though you have to wait between 20-40 minutes to enter, but that was the only way we soaked up the spiritual significance the basilica had to offer.
Kudos to Mr. Salvatore (Sal), our expert guide, who took us through so much of history, art detail and anecdotes for 4.5 hours! We never felt rushed, or saturated, and the tour was always interesting and packed with information. Sal was knowledgeable, clear and interesting.
We began in the Pinacoteca, where Sal gave us a very quick - and very good - Catholic art history course. As we moved from painting to painting, and room to room, he pointed out evolution and personal style of the great artists of Italy. Then we went out into the Fontana Della Pigna, had a restroom/ refreshment break. Following this, we toured the Chiaramonti Museum, and past the Cabinet of Apozyomenos at the Pio Clementino Museum, saw the Bramante Staircase (this was also a photo-stop). Following this, we got to explore the quiet but interesting Gregorian Etruscan Museum. After a quick tour through the Gallery of the Candelabra, the Gallery of the Tapestries, and the Gallery of The Maps, the Immaculate Conception and Sobieski Rooms, we came upon the magnificent Raphael Rooms (Heliadora, Segnatura, Fire in the Borgo). Then we went through the Chapel of Urban VIII and the Collection of Contemporary Art (but did not linger) and took a corridor into the Sistine Chapel.
Sal had already briefed us in the courtyard about the Chapel, and gave us a guide pamphlet, as the Sistine Chapel is a no-photo, no speaking zone. We had 15 minutes to admire the beautiful chapel. On our way out, Sal pointed out the stone from which the smoke from the previous conclave had gone out. This was typical of our entire tour: apart from the art and history itself, Sal pointed out interesting things, like where Pope Emeritus Benedict now lives, the Marconi tower, the moulds for Bernini’s angels and such trivia.
We then proceeded through the short cut to St. Peter’s Basilica, to get a view of St. Peter’s Square from the head of the stairs. Of course, we saw all the most famous pieces, including the Pieta, the papal altar, and Raphael’s Transfiguration. Starting from the portico, we explored this large and beautiful basilica and understood the artistic and spiritual thought that went into its construction.
The content of the tour is suitable both for Catholics, and non-Catholics, as it is neither irreverent nor spiritual. With regard to how energy-intensive this tour is, there is a toilet break immediately after entering the museums, and a toilet/ refreshment break for fifteen minutes, at around 10:00 a.m. in the museum cafeteria (clean, self-flushing toilets!). After the tour, toilets are available in the basilica. Obviously, you are a bit tired at the end, but there really is no shorter way to see all the things we saw on a single ticket.
I would highly recommend the tour to all those who are looking to do a non-private, in-depth tour of the Museums and basilica, including the private areas.
The tour ended in the basilica, and we were free to explore the rest on our own. For our part, we did this tour, and then explored the dome, Vatican gardens and the square ourselves, separately. We also visited the basilica twice more. Entry to the square and basilica is free though you have to wait between 20-40 minutes to enter, but that was the only way we soaked up the spiritual significance the basilica had to offer.
Written 5 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kerrie Draheim
Brisbane, Australia57 contributions
Oct. 2019
On Oct 1, 2019, we did the 'no wait extended Vatican Museums Tour, including the Bramante Staircase, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica. Our guide, Michala, was excellent - she was very knowledgeable and efficiently navigated the crowds to give us the best experience possible. I would recommend paying extra for a tour like this as there is so much to learn and experience.
Written 31 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
artslover
Calgary, Canada992 contributions
Nov. 2019
I have been on five other Vatican Museum/St Peter’s tours. While those had good aspects about them, none offered a view of the Bramante staircase. Being interested in Renaissance architecture and history, I really wanted to see this. This extended tour offered that exclusive access and more.
The Bramante staircase was a treat as was the Etruscan gallery that I had not seen in my previous five tours. But this tour was worthwhile as a total package.
All the other tours I have taken were three hours or less. In three hours, you have to omit something. This one is scheduled for four and a half hours but the one I took was five and a half hours because our guide, Lorenzo, said he was running behind schedule but did not want to cut short the tour. His efforts to provide a great experience are to be commended.
I really appreciated being able to look at art that most guides rush past.
Other tours I have taken have provided more information about specific things but this one provided an exceptionally detailed tour. If you have the time, I would definitely recommend it.
The Bramante staircase was a treat as was the Etruscan gallery that I had not seen in my previous five tours. But this tour was worthwhile as a total package.
All the other tours I have taken were three hours or less. In three hours, you have to omit something. This one is scheduled for four and a half hours but the one I took was five and a half hours because our guide, Lorenzo, said he was running behind schedule but did not want to cut short the tour. His efforts to provide a great experience are to be commended.
I really appreciated being able to look at art that most guides rush past.
Other tours I have taken have provided more information about specific things but this one provided an exceptionally detailed tour. If you have the time, I would definitely recommend it.
Written 18 November 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
luvsunin
Indianapolis, IN10 contributions
Jun. 2019 • Family
We arrived early for our tour as directed, but had to wait in line for check in. By the time we made it to the front of the line it was 2 minutes past our tour time and were told our group had already left to enter the Vatican. We only booked with City Wonders in order to see the Bramante Staircase. Unfortunately they were not able to get us in a group with staircase access so we missed that. I asked to be refunded the difference in cost, but was told they would not do so. Because of this I would not recommend City Wonders. However, if you choose to book with them (especially at the Vatican), be sure to show up 30 minutes prior to your tour and go to the front of line if your tour start time is within 10 minutes.
Written 4 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear luvsunin,
Thanks for leaving a review on Trip Advisor.
We are sorry to hear that the tour didn't meet your expectation.
In order to join a City Wonders tour, we advise that each client reach the meeting point 15 minuted in advance in order to make sure the check-in operation is smoothly performed.
We are sorry you couldn't join the tour as this departed at the scheduled time, however, we could accommodate you for another valid option that just didn't include the Bramante Staircase.
However, you could have rescheduled the same option for another day if you would have requested.
The reason why we couldn't issue a refund is that we needed to apply a rebooking fee in order to reschedule the tour as you missed the original time slot, instead of applying these fees we covered these expenses keeping the difference in price between the two tours.
Thank again for about your feedback.
Kind regards
Barbara
City Wonders Team
Written 5 August 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
davem810
Orlando, FL85 contributions
May 2019 • Couples
This tour is a serious tour of the Vatican -- it was over 4.5 hours long, and worth every minute. Our tour guide was Vasco, a smart, friendly, and personable guide with encyclopedic knowledge of the Vatican.
The tour progresses through the Vatican museum and the gardens, up the Bramante Staircase, through the Sistine Chapel, and ends at St. Peter's Basilica, where you have plenty of time to stand in awe.
While there are lines everywhere, the no-wait tour does really expedite entry to the Vatican. Yes, you may wait in lines here and there, such as entering the Sistine Chapel, but the brief wait only heightens the experience.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime tour and we thoroughly enjoyed it.
The tour progresses through the Vatican museum and the gardens, up the Bramante Staircase, through the Sistine Chapel, and ends at St. Peter's Basilica, where you have plenty of time to stand in awe.
While there are lines everywhere, the no-wait tour does really expedite entry to the Vatican. Yes, you may wait in lines here and there, such as entering the Sistine Chapel, but the brief wait only heightens the experience.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime tour and we thoroughly enjoyed it.
Written 6 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Spencer T
6 contributions
With this tour, and our tour guide Vasco, we felt like we were able to get a full Vatican experience in just one morning. The entire outing was excellent - we saw everything we wanted to see and learned a lot. The staircase was one of the highlights and definitely made this particular tour worth recommending - it also has a beautiful view of Rome. We couldn’t recommend this tour more - just be prepared to do a lot of walking because the tour is so extensive
Written 21 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Swaraj
Hyderabad, India11 contributions
May 2019 • Family
We took the City Wonders guided tour of Vatican City (3 hours) in May 2019. Extremely well managed tour with a very well informed tour guide (Kristina). The tour was engaging without being dragging or boring. The guide knew exactly what the group would like and paced out the tour well.
A good option to explore the Vatican.
A good option to explore the Vatican.
Written 18 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ken
Danville, PA249 contributions
I have nothing but amazing, positive things to say about this tour and alot of the reasoning is owed to our tour guide, Laura (I hope I am spelling her name correctly). We have never seen the Vatican and wanted a tour that would not take up a whole day, but one that gave just the right time. I will split this review up into different sections to further dive in.
Booking: we booked through Viator. There are many tours available so we did our homework and read all of the reviews, this tour while having a smaller amount of reviews compared to some, had the most positive and any negatives were understandable, so we went ahead with booking, WOW were we delighted!
Price: This tour is a little Pricey. I have also noted that when booking through Viator, they advertise one price however that price may change depending on the date you choose, so do some research up front and choose the look at the dates ahead of time. These small group tours become booked quickly because they are so popular.
Transportation: we stayed at a hotel outside the city. However, our driver knew exactly where the meeting point was (bottom of steps acrosses street in from of the Vatican Museum entrance).
Beginning of tour: There are alot of tour groups waiting on the steps, this tour was through City Wonders, so just look for this group at the bottom of the steps with blue jackets. We were introduced here to our wonderful tour guide Laura, a local to the area and prior teacher (how perfect!!). She provided us with headphones and made sure everyone's worked prior to starting. We arrived 30 minutes prior to start time and grabbed a coffee at the Vatican cafe (pretty bad reviews and the service was iffy-read my separate review if interested)
Sites: Too many to list on this tour! Museums, palace, the treasured staircase (it was kind of cool entering this site as all other tourists weren't allowed in and they all wondered where we were being ushered), basilica, and more! Everything you basically need to see at the site.
Length of tour: Laura was phenomenal at knowing our group, keeping track of everyone and knowing when breaks were needed. This is a long tour, my step tracker recorded about 4 to 5 miles of distance covered. I noted there were no disabled persons in out group and I would recommend another tour for those persons as this one is extensive.
Attire: all of the advertisements states knees covered and shoulders covered. I wore shorts and a tshirt that day. I was worried when we showed up as no one had shorts, however my shorts covered my knees and they let me enter without issues.
Food/water: Laura stops along the tour at places were you can by water, coffee, and snacks in the beginning and mid way through!
Restrooms: multiple right during beginning of tour and throughout! Laura knows where secret ones are where the public doesnt!!
Material covered: this was the best part, Laura was so well versed in history, art, and culture that the tour material covered kept everyone engaged. I dont believe there we one question asked that Laura couldn't answer. Also, my partner is very interested in art aspect while I am more interested in the historical aspect, all points were covered!
Overall worth: this your was a highlight of our vacation to Italy. Definately worth it!! Thank you City Wonders and Laura for the lifetime of memories on this tour!
Booking: we booked through Viator. There are many tours available so we did our homework and read all of the reviews, this tour while having a smaller amount of reviews compared to some, had the most positive and any negatives were understandable, so we went ahead with booking, WOW were we delighted!
Price: This tour is a little Pricey. I have also noted that when booking through Viator, they advertise one price however that price may change depending on the date you choose, so do some research up front and choose the look at the dates ahead of time. These small group tours become booked quickly because they are so popular.
Transportation: we stayed at a hotel outside the city. However, our driver knew exactly where the meeting point was (bottom of steps acrosses street in from of the Vatican Museum entrance).
Beginning of tour: There are alot of tour groups waiting on the steps, this tour was through City Wonders, so just look for this group at the bottom of the steps with blue jackets. We were introduced here to our wonderful tour guide Laura, a local to the area and prior teacher (how perfect!!). She provided us with headphones and made sure everyone's worked prior to starting. We arrived 30 minutes prior to start time and grabbed a coffee at the Vatican cafe (pretty bad reviews and the service was iffy-read my separate review if interested)
Sites: Too many to list on this tour! Museums, palace, the treasured staircase (it was kind of cool entering this site as all other tourists weren't allowed in and they all wondered where we were being ushered), basilica, and more! Everything you basically need to see at the site.
Length of tour: Laura was phenomenal at knowing our group, keeping track of everyone and knowing when breaks were needed. This is a long tour, my step tracker recorded about 4 to 5 miles of distance covered. I noted there were no disabled persons in out group and I would recommend another tour for those persons as this one is extensive.
Attire: all of the advertisements states knees covered and shoulders covered. I wore shorts and a tshirt that day. I was worried when we showed up as no one had shorts, however my shorts covered my knees and they let me enter without issues.
Food/water: Laura stops along the tour at places were you can by water, coffee, and snacks in the beginning and mid way through!
Restrooms: multiple right during beginning of tour and throughout! Laura knows where secret ones are where the public doesnt!!
Material covered: this was the best part, Laura was so well versed in history, art, and culture that the tour material covered kept everyone engaged. I dont believe there we one question asked that Laura couldn't answer. Also, my partner is very interested in art aspect while I am more interested in the historical aspect, all points were covered!
Overall worth: this your was a highlight of our vacation to Italy. Definately worth it!! Thank you City Wonders and Laura for the lifetime of memories on this tour!
Written 3 May 2019
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samsam1000
Louisville, KY2 contributions
Do we have to go through the 20 minute security first to get to the meeting point? Or do we meet the tour at the scheduled time and then go through security together?
Claudia M
Kearny, NJ11 contributions
I met my group and tour guide first, we got inside together and security was really fast.
