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Exclusive Early Access Vatican Semi Private Tour | with Private Option provided by LivItaly Tours

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Exclusive Early Access Vatican Semi Private Tour | with Private Option

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See all things to do
Exclusive Early Access Vatican Semi Private Tour | with Private Option
5
659
By LivItaly Tours
Book in advance
from
AU$190.77
per adult (price varies by group size)
Reserve now & pay later: Save your spot free of charge with flexible booking.
Recommended by 99% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Full view
Tour snapshot
Skip the lines at the Vatican entrance on this early-entry tour
Duration:
3h 30m
Taking Covid-19 safety measures
Near public transportation
Ticket type:
Mobile
Free cancellation
  • Duration:
    3h 30m
  • Taking Covid-19 safety measures
  • Near public transportation
  • Ticket type:
    Mobile
  • Free cancellation
About
Visit the Sistine Chapel before it opens with a skip-the-line early morning Vatican tour. You’ll not only save precious vacation time, but also avoid daytime crowds and have the chance to admire Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel before it’s open to the public. A guide will lead you through the Vatican Museums, St. Peter’s Basilica, and more, and a small group size means plenty of time to ask questions.
Know before you go
  • Duration: 3h 30m
  • Mobile tickets accepted
  • Instant confirmation
Cancellation policy
  • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
Available languages
English
Highlights
  • Tour the Sistine Chapel before it opens to the public 
  • Visit St. Peter’s Basilica, the Raphael Rooms, Gallery of Maps, and more
  • A small group tour of six or less ensures a more personalized experience 
What to expect
Start your tour by meeting your guide near the Vatican Museum’s entrance. Your ticket allows early access to the Sistine Chapel, and you’ll head there first to enjoy it without the daytime crowds. Talking is not allowed in the chapel, so your guide will provide an introduction to Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel frescoes before you enter. After taking your time to admire Michelangelo’s ceiling fresco, you’ll meet back up with your guide and skip the main admission lines for a tour of Vatican Museum highlights, including the Gallery of Maps and the Raphael Rooms. You’ll then head into St. Peter’s Basilica to see Michelangelo's Pietà, Bernini's baldachin, and the Tomb of Pope Alexander IV. After your tour ends, you’re free to explore more of the Vatican on your own.
Know before you go
  • Duration: 3h 30m
  • Mobile tickets accepted
  • Instant confirmation
Available languages
English
Cancellation policy
  • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
Highlights
  • Tour the Sistine Chapel before it opens to the public 
  • Visit St. Peter’s Basilica, the Raphael Rooms, Gallery of Maps, and more
  • A small group tour of six or less ensures a more personalized experience 
What to expect
Start your tour by meeting your guide near the Vatican Museum’s entrance. Your ticket allows early access to the Sistine Chapel, and you’ll head there first to enjoy it without the daytime crowds. Talking is not allowed in the chapel, so your guide will provide an introduction to Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel frescoes before you enter. After taking your time to admire Michelangelo’s ceiling fresco, you’ll meet back up with your guide and skip the main admission lines for a tour of Vatican Museum highlights, including the Gallery of Maps and the Raphael Rooms. You’ll then head into St. Peter’s Basilica to see Michelangelo's Pietà, Bernini's baldachin, and the Tomb of Pope Alexander IV. After your tour ends, you’re free to explore more of the Vatican on your own.
Need help booking?
Call the number below and use the product code: 6718P17
Important information
Inclusions
  • Tour in a Safe and Semi Private Group of MAX 6 PEOPLE GUARANTEED
  • Enjoy Early Entrance to the Vatican Museums before the general public
  • Skip the long ticket lines
  • Learn from a Professional Local Expert Guide
  • Private Option of this tour is Available!
  • Entry/Admission - Sistine Chapel
  • Entry/Admission - Vatican Museums
  • Entry/Admission - St. Peter's Basilica
  • Guaranteed to skip the lines
Exclusions
  • Food and drinks
  • Gratuities (optional)
Duration
3h 30m
Departure details
  • Viale Vaticano, 100, 00192 Roma RM, Italy In front of Cafè Vaticano, right across the street from the Vatican Museum's Entrance. Your guide will be holding a LivTours sign
Additional information
  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Occasionally the basilica may be closed due to last minute private events outside of the tour operators control and often without notice. In these uncommon circumstances the tour will operate as usual and the time spent inside the basilica will be made up elsewhere on the tour.
  • Please Note: due to these unprecedented times and unexpected regulation changes, some areas may not be accessible if the venue can not guarantee social distancing for that part of the tour.
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Near public transportation
  • 2022 NEWS: Thanks to a very special and profound partnership with the Vatican Museums for 2022, we are proud to offer clients a very unique and exclusive 8AM first entry into the Museums’ doors, guaranteed to be reserved only to a handful of other collaborating tour operators. This special entry and tour are designed to guarantee you access and viewing of the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel 30 minutes before other operators and one hour before the general public. We are proud to be able to serve such impressive and extraordinary experience and share it with our clients.
  • Most travellers can participate
  • The passage between the Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter's Basilica is currently closed due to covid-19 physical distancing measures. This means that in order to enter the Church your tour will need to go around the Vatican State walls. Our top-rated guides will do their best to include a tour of the Basilica, but this may not always be possible due to the distance between the sites. In the eventuality this would not be possible, our guides will ensure a complete orientation of the Basilica so that you will collect the information prior to your visit. Please be aware that this alert may have expired by the date of your tour.
  • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Inclusions
  • Tour in a Safe and Semi Private Group of MAX 6 PEOPLE GUARANTEED
  • Enjoy Early Entrance to the Vatican Museums before the general public
  • Skip the long ticket lines
  • Learn from a Professional Local Expert Guide
  • Private Option of this tour is Available!
  • Entry/Admission - Sistine Chapel
  • Entry/Admission - Vatican Museums
  • Entry/Admission - St. Peter's Basilica
  • Guaranteed to skip the lines
Exclusions
  • Food and drinks
  • Gratuities (optional)
Departure details
  • Viale Vaticano, 100, 00192 Roma RM, Italy In front of Cafè Vaticano, right across the street from the Vatican Museum's Entrance. Your guide will be holding a LivTours sign
Duration
3h 30m
Return details
  • Returns to original departure point
Additional information
  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Occasionally the basilica may be closed due to last minute private events outside of the tour operators control and often without notice. In these uncommon circumstances the tour will operate as usual and the time spent inside the basilica will be made up elsewhere on the tour.
  • Please Note: due to these unprecedented times and unexpected regulation changes, some areas may not be accessible if the venue can not guarantee social distancing for that part of the tour.
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Near public transportation
  • 2022 NEWS: Thanks to a very special and profound partnership with the Vatican Museums for 2022, we are proud to offer clients a very unique and exclusive 8AM first entry into the Museums’ doors, guaranteed to be reserved only to a handful of other collaborating tour operators. This special entry and tour are designed to guarantee you access and viewing of the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel 30 minutes before other operators and one hour before the general public. We are proud to be able to serve such impressive and extraordinary experience and share it with our clients.
  • Most travellers can participate
  • The passage between the Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter's Basilica is currently closed due to covid-19 physical distancing measures. This means that in order to enter the Church your tour will need to go around the Vatican State walls. Our top-rated guides will do their best to include a tour of the Basilica, but this may not always be possible due to the distance between the sites. In the eventuality this would not be possible, our guides will ensure a complete orientation of the Basilica so that you will collect the information prior to your visit. Please be aware that this alert may have expired by the date of your tour.
  • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Travel safe during COVID-19
Last updated: 16 Jun. 2022
A note from Exclusive Early Access Vatican Semi Private Tour | with Private Option
This tour operates within current local COVID-19 protocol. We are not responsible for any persons who do not adhere to regulations, and in said circumstances will result in loss of the tour without refund.
Itinerary
  • You'll start at
    Viale Vaticano, 100
    Viale Vaticano, 100, 00192 Roma RM, Italy
    In front of Cafè Vaticano, right across the street from the Vatican Museum's Entrance. Your guide will be holding a LivTours sign
    See address & details
  • 1
    Sistine Chapel
    Stop: 45 minutes - Admission included
    See details
  • 2
    Vatican Museums
    Stop: 2 hours - Admission included
    See details
  • 3
    St. Peter's Basilica
    Stop: 45 minutes - Admission included
    See details
  • You'll return to the starting point
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5.0
659 reviews
Excellent
644
Very good
12
Average
2
Poor
1
Terrible
0
SharonBK
48 contributions
Early access with small groups is a must for the Vatican if your budget allows.
A definite must in Rome. I brought my 14-year old daughter to Italy last month and although she loves art, she hates museums. She also hates mornings. I booked this Vatican tour purposefully because I knew having early access with a small group would make all the difference and it worked for her. Because of COVID, I also appreciated the smaller group. I realize it's more expensive, so if your budget allows, I always recommend the smaller group experience.

Sara Napolitani was an EXCELLENT tour guide. She's an archeologlist with impeccable English, which made our experience with her phenomenal. She was legitimately enthusiastic about everything we saw and was able to give so much intersting context to the rooms, paintings, sculptures, etc., as well as in depth reponses to questions.

It's a long tour, so having down-time afterward was a good idea for us. I absolutely recommend Sara for your visit. We purchased a few post cards in the gift shop, which is staffed by the nuns, and we mailed them from the Vatican post office (also on the grounds). BTW, the public restrooms near the post office were spectacularly clean. I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it.
Written 20 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
SteveB
1 contribution
Enjoyed the Experience
Couples
Davide made the event very educational and entertaining. Davide was knowledgeable on the subject matter and responded well to questions. He was friendly and respectful of the those on the tour. The early morning tour start and small group was worth the added expense. The tour had over an hour in museum rooms before the general public opening which allowed several occasions of being in a room with only the small tour group. I highly recommend this tour and our tour guide Davide, who also leads other tour events.
Written 31 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Jplee100
Redmond, WA26 contributions
Fun, engaging and ideal for the curious and interested.
We did a total of three LivTours: this early access Vatican tour with Donata, the Colosseum Underground with Arena, Palatine Hill and Forum tour (with Serena), plus in Florence the Uffizi and Accademia tour (with Barbara). All three tours were fun, engaging and well done. Of course, each guide is different but all three successfully bonded with our family of four that includes a 15 year old boy and a 13 year old girl. I highly recommend LivTours for all your tours, especially if you’re curious and interested in learning more about these amazing locations full of art and history.
Written 2 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Alex A
3 contributions
Worth the early wake up call! BOOK this tour!
Couples
My husband and I traveled to Italy for our third wedding anniversary (we are in our early 30s). We knew we would be very overwhelmed at the Vatican, so we decided to book a tour. After thoroughly reading reviews, we decided on this tour. Sara N. was our wonderful tour guide. She took us through all the highlights and was very knowledgeable. Sara was extremely pleasant and patient with any questions we had. The tour was very organized, and she was prepared with a booklet to refer to when talking about certain paintings. During periods when we were waiting in line, she filled the free time by telling us about her adventures as an archaeologist! We highly recommend booking this tour and requesting Sara!!
Written 14 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
DallasTravelerBill
Dallas, TX11 contributions
Truly Superior Guide Company
My family and I went to the Vatican today and were given a truly fantastic tour by LivItaly’s guide, Julia. Her knowledge of the Vatican, it’s art, the artists, and history were amazing and her interest in imparting the most useful and interesting information she could in the short time we had together was obvious from start to finish. We simply could not have enjoyed a tour of the Vatican any better.

Julia is the latest of a string now of a number of guides during 13 tours we have taken with LivItaly in September 2021 and June 2022. Raffaela and Emilia in Florence, Stefania in Milan, Sylvia in Verona, Dario at the Vatican in 2021, and Giulia in Trastevere, the Borghese Museum, and at Ostia Antica, all of these guides were friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely interested in giving us the best they could during every tour.

LivItaly’s format of 6-person or less and private tours has also helped make all of our tours fantastic and has separated it from other tour companies that we have used in the past that just can’t offer such a good experience with a dozen or 15 people on a tour. Among other things, we can always be near and hear our guide (and LivItaly uses small radios and earphones where you will be in particularly noisy situations).

I recommend LivTours to anyone without reservation and my family and I look forward to our next destinations and tours with LivTours.
Written 16 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
sstlouis
Santa Clara, CA107 contributions
Take the early tour
We had the most wonderful tour guide, Sara N. She was not only very pleasant and engaging, she was extremely informative. The level of detail of facts she shared was amazing, and somehow she wove a storyline between all the different artifacts and rooms as we moved ahead, painting a picture of the interconnectedness of all the popes, the religions and the vast history. As a local born and raised in Rome and with an archaeology degree, Sara makes an excellent guide and because of her, I give LivTours five stars.

Also, I would highly recommend the early access tour because it was less crowded. There were only a few small groups of 4-6 touring along with us. Sara mentioned if you come midday or afternoon you’re usually crowded in this same rooms with wall to wall people. By the time we were done around Noon and in the Vatican, I could definitely understand what she meant. It was packed with people.
Written 25 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Court I
Stuttgart, Germany13 contributions
Perfect way to visit the Vatican!
This small group tour was the perfect way to visit the Vatican Museum and St. Peter's Basilica. The early entry was so nice for avoiding the crowds. Even with COVID, there were still crowds of people lining up before the museum even opened. Our tour guide Davide was wonderful!! We actually booked this tour the night before after we did a Colosseum tour with Davide and had such a phenomenal experience. Davide's knowledge of Roman history and art added so much to our experience. The Vatican Museum is so large, you could spend hours inside and still not see the highlights. Having Davide to expertly guide our group helped us to see all the good stuff efficiently but without feeling rushed. We were able to take our time in the Sistine Chapel as well. The tour ended in the Basilica so we could spend as much time inside as we wanted. I recommend climbing to the top of the dome if you're able, the views are breathtaking! I love that LivTours (LivItaly) limits their group sizes to 6. The small group size allowed everyone to ask questions and be a part of conversations and it just felt safer during COVID. I highly recommend this company for tours in Rome!!
Written 7 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
livitalytours
Thank you, once again, for such an enthusiastic endorsement of our company, our tours and our guides. You have really made our day! Angelo and Kristin
Written 20 July 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Laura H
18 contributions
Unforgettable Early Morning Vatican Tour
We were looking for some private tours that could be made disability friendly and based on the reviews, I reached out to LivItaly Tours. Angelo and his team run an outstanding operation. We took the early morning private Vatican tour and the Colosseum with underground tour and we cannot say enough good things about their guides. When I reached out to Angelo about the early morning Vatican tour, he replied with such confidence (not arrogance) that we absolutely would want to tour with LivItaly because of their special early access and it was the best decision we made for our trip to Rome. We were fortunate to have Luca for our Vatican tour and he was amazing. He was an art (or art history) major and showed us to how to look for papal symbols and brought the various paintings to life for us. We were truly some of the first people in to the Vatican for the day and there were many times we were the only people in the beautiful galleries leading to the Sistine chapel. Having done this tour years ago the “regular” way, we could truly appreciate how fortunate we were to be in the Vatican galleries in such a peaceful way. Again, Luca, Luca, Luca — was amazing. He guided us seamlessly through the disability aspects. Unfortunately, we had to get a pre-cruise COVID test back in the city center before 1pm, so he made sure to be mindful of that schedule, he found us a taxi and handled the communication and as it was raining, he even gave us his umbrella (way above and beyond). We also explained that we were going to return immediately after to spend more time in St. Peter’s. He made sure to check where we should return to avoid waiting in any lines and that easiest disability route. You will be making the best decision of your trip by touring with LivItaly.
Written 12 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
James B
1 contribution
Not a great way to see the Vatican
Couples
Overall, just not a great way to see the Vatican. The tour “starts” at 7:30 but you don’t actually get into the museum until 8:30, so there’s a third of the tour gone. The tour guide acted quite uninterested the entire time and failed to tell a proper cohesive story. Because of this, you could tell that people in the group were quite disinterested. Once we did get in, the Vatican museum was extremely rushed. This was done under the pretence that “we need to get to the Sistine chapel before the crowds”, but this was futile as it was packed when we got in anyway. This was super disappointing because every single room of the Vatican museum blew me away… and we weren’t allowed to stop and appreciate anything. We also didn’t have earpieces until St Peters Bacillica, so hearing the guide was quite difficult at times. When we did have earpieces, radio interference from other groups made them worthless. There’s so much more that I could get into but I’d just recommend you book with someone else. The Vatican is a truly amazing place and deserves proper treatment.
Written 5 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Journey778993
3 contributions
Deluxe Private Vatican Tour with Secret Rooms
Davide was our tour guide to the Deluxe Private Vatican Tour with Secret Rooms, early entry and in the afternoon a custom tour of St. John Lutheran, St. Maria Maggiore and St. Paul out of the Walls Basilicas. Davide is extremely knowledgeable, funny and we clicked with him immediately. I can’t imagine touring the Vatican or the other Basilicas any other way. We were the 2nd group in line to enter the Vatican, Davide seemed to know everyone working inside the Vatican. We were a group of 4 plus David, we were 4 of no more than 15 people in the Sistine Chapel. Absolutely amazing. We were allowed into rooms no one else had access to. We had two additional days of tours with LivTours, late in the afternoon we were told the Pope was in the Colosseum the day we were to visit. LivTours took care of rebooking the Colosseum tour to another day. If we had booked on our own we would have missed seeing the Colosseum all together. We can’t recommend LivTours enough, we tell everyone we meet! Thank you for providing a wonderful lasting memory!!!
Written 23 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Exclusive Early Access Vatican Semi Private Tour | with Private Option
Exclusive Early Access Vatican Semi Private Tour | with Private Option will start at 7:30 AM. Discover and book Exclusive Early Access Vatican Semi Private Tour | with Private Option on Tripadvisor
Exclusive Early Access Vatican Semi Private Tour | with Private Option price starts from AU$195.80. Discover and book Exclusive Early Access Vatican Semi Private Tour | with Private Option on Tripadvisor
Exclusive Early Access Vatican Semi Private Tour | with Private Option cancellation policy: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience. Discover and book Exclusive Early Access Vatican Semi Private Tour | with Private Option on Tripadvisor