Skip the Line: Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel Tour

Take a morning or afternoon tour of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel – and jump the queue by booking ahead. You'll enjoy a mini coach tour of Rome en route to the Vatican and see Michelangelo's famous Sistine Chapel frescoes, without wasting time waiting in line.

To start your morning tour of the Vatican Museums, you'll take a coach tour across Rome. Your city tour includes a live commentary and offers a brief introduction to Rome as you travel by bus to Vatican City. Highlights en route include Piazza della Repubblica, following the ancient Aurelian Walls, the famous Villa Borghese gardens and the northern gate of Rome leading into Piazza del Popolo.

Upon arrival, your guide will lead you into the museums. You'll see the beautiful spiral stairway and continue through the Gallery of Tapestries and Gallery of Geographical Maps, before arriving at the famous Sistine Chapel with its magnificent fresco of the Last Judgment by Michelangelo.

After your tour, you also have the option to indulge in an Italian lunch (drinks not included) before taking a guided tour of Christian Rome in the afternoon. Highlights include the Basilicas of Santa Maria Maggiore and Saint John in Lateran, and traveling along the ancient Appian Way to see Rome's Catacombs.

Schedule details

Spiral stairway in the Vatican Museum

Departure Dates:

Daily, except Sunday at 8:00am or 3:00pm.

Unavailable Dates:

• Religious holidays
• January 1 (New Years Day)
• March 17 (Ascension Thursday), 19
• March 21 - 23 (Easter)
• March 26 (Rome Marathon)
• December 25 and 26 (Christmas)

Departure Point:

Morning Tour (8:00am):
Tour departs from centrally located Rome hotels. If you're staying outside the Aurelian Walls or did not confirm hotel pickup - all tours will depart from 5/a Via Farini, located off Via Cavour, Rome. This departure point is a few minutes walking distance from Termini Railway Station and easy to locate.

Afternoon Tour (3:00pm):
Tour departs from 5/a Via Farini, located off Via Cavour, Rome.

Return Details:

Tour concludes at 5/a Via Farini (centrally located and close to Termini Railway Station). In some cases, it is possible to be dropped off nearby your hotel but this cannot be guaranteed until the day of the tour as it depends on Rome traffic conditions and the location of your hotel. Please ask your tour guide on the day of travel.

Hotel Pickup:

Hotel pickup (8:00am departure only) is available from all Rome centrally located hotels ONLY. To view a full list of Rome hotels pickups, click on the 'View Map' icon above. Please list your full hotel name and address at time of booking. If you are staying outside of the central city area, please make your own way to the departure point (5/a Via Farini, Rome).

Cruise Port Pickup:
For passengers arriving into Rome on a cruise ship, you must book separate cruise port transfers between Civitavecchia and Rome. If you choose to combine transfers with a scheduled tour commencing in Rome, take into consideration the traveling time from the Port of Civitavecchia to Rome. It is approximately 1 hour and you should allow minimum 30 minutes to disembark cruise.

Additional information

Skip the Line: Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel Tour

Inclusions:

• Guided walking tour inside the Vatican Museums
• Vatican Museums entrance tickets
• Guaranteed to skip the long lines!
• Escorted by a multilingual local guide with commentary
• Headsets to hear the guide clearly
• Transportation in air-conditioned coach (maximum 50 people)
• Hotel pickup from Rome centrally located hotels only (available for 8:00am departures only)
  

Exclusions:

• Optional gratuities

Additional information

• This tour must be booked at least 24 hours in advance of your travel date.
• Confirmation for this tour will be received at time of booking.
• Tour is operated in English unless otherwise specified.
• This tour is not suitable for wheelchair bound passengers.
• By pre-booking this tour it enables you to skip the long lines (which can take up to two hours!) to enter the Vatican Museums. Please note, all visitors must pass through metal detectors at the security check point. Please expect to wait 20-30 minutes to clear security.
• Please note, entrance to the Vatican and Sistine Chapel requires appropriate attire. No shorts, miniskirts or uncovered shoulders. It is also advisable to wear comfortable shoes.

Booking Details:

• This tour must be booked at least 24 hours in advance of your travel date.
• Confirmation for this tour will be received at time of booking.

Local Operator Information:

Complete Operator information, including local telephone numbers at your destination, are included on your Confirmation Voucher. Our Product Managers select only the most experienced and reliable operators in each destination, removing the guesswork for you, and ensuring your peace of mind.