Rome - Vatican tour - CITYWALKERS

Price

from €49

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A truly complete Vatican experience with a small group tour.

Explore the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica in a truly personal way, with an experienced and licensed guide in a 3 hour walking tour.
Discover all the secrets about the favorite artists of Renaissance and Baroque Popes,combine the with a small group and you have a recipe for sight-seeing perfection!

Raphael, Perugino, Botticelli and Pinturicchio are just some of the finest Italian painters you’ll meet on your tour between the halls of the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, where you’ll finally admire the breathtaking Giudizio Universale, Michelangelo’s masterpiece.

You will then enter the magnificent Basilica of Saint Peter, where your guide will share the secrets behind the Burial of Saint Peter, Bernini’s Baldacchino and Michelangelo’s Pietà.

Leaving the Church, gripped by all this beauty, you’ll be welcomed in Saint Peter’s Square by stunning statues of the Apostles, Saints and Martires dominating the façade of the basilica and Bernini’s Colonnato.

Our Complete Vatican Tour goes beyond to give you a real insight into the Vatican City, join us on this amazing journey throughout the time.

Please note: The entrance ticket of the museum and basilica is NOT included. The ticket of the museum varies from €21 to €25 depending on book ahead time and €1.50/ per person for the Basilica. Your entrance is guaranteed and you will get an email with all the details.

Click here (yellow botton) to start the tour

Details

Walking tour

Semi-private Tour

Certified guide

Rain or Shine

Skip the line

TOUR INFO

Meeting point

In front of Caffè Vaticano, viale Vaticano 100

(opposite Musei Vaticani)

When

Monday to Saturday

Time

8.45 AM

3.00 PM

Booking conditions

Price

€49 per person

What is included?

Fully licensed guide
Duration: 3 hours

What is not included?

Meals
Tips
Entrance ticket to the museum: from €21 depending on book ahead time
Entrance ticket to St. Peter Basilica: €1.50 per person

Cancellation policy

You may cancel your booking any time before the tour date by writing an email to [email protected]

Cancellations need to be made at least 72 hrs before the start of your tour, and the company holds the right to keep 10% of your down payment.

A 50% refund will be given to cancellations received between 48-72 hours before the start of your paid tour (semi-private and private tours).

Cancellations received within 48 hours and no-shows up (15 minutes later than agreed time) will not be refunded.

Click here to read our Terms and conditions.

Before you go

St. Peter’s Basilica is an active church and can be closed unexpectedly for liturgical ceremonies or unforeseen circumstances. If closed, the time inside the Vatican Museums will be extended;
Entry to the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica is permitted only to appropriately dressed visitors (low cut or sleeveless clothing, shorts, miniskirts and hats are not allowed). Large bags, umbrellas and other items are not allowed.
Our pre-booked tickets will let you skip entrance line. Security checks however cannot be avoided.
The tour is NOT wheelchair accessible.

A DRESS CODE is required to enter places of worship and selected museums.

No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements.

Tour Overview

Stop 1

Meeting Point

Meet our licensed guide in front of Caffè Vaticano, viale Vaticano 100, just opposite the entrance of Musei Vaticani.

Stop 2

Pinecone Courtyard

The Pinecone Courtyard, or Cortile della Pigna, is named for the nearly 13-foot high pinecone sitting at one end. Made of bronze it dates back to the 1st century BC. It was originally found in the Campus Martius (Campo Marzio) area of Rome. But was is the meaning of the pinecone?

Stop3

Pio-Clementino Museum

The museum takes its name from two popes; Clement XIV, who established the museum, and Pius VI, the pope who brought the museum to completion. It was founded in 1771 and it houses works of Greek and Roman sculpture.

Stop 4

Octagonal Courtyard

Originally known as the “Statues’ Courtyard”, it actually already existed prior to the institution of the Vatican Museums and it housed the first nucleus constituting the papal collections of Classical Antiquity.There are intricately detailed sarcophagi, friezes and columns and a number of Ancient and Neoclassical masterpieces like: the Laocoön, the Belvedere Apollo, the Hermes, the Statue of River God and Canova's sculptures Perseus, Creugas and Damoxenos.

Stop 5

Gallery of the Tapestries

The Pope Leone X wanted the tapestries at any cost to be part of the chapel decoration and decided to entrust an artist, Raffaello Sanzio, with the drawings in 1514. Each tapestry took years to make. They were finely woven by the best weavers of the day (from Belgium), out of wool but also silk, and gold and silver thread.

Stop 6

Gallery of the Maps

The Gallery of Maps contains the largest collection of geographical paintings ever created. These wall-sized maps depict Italy and Italian provinces, and were commissioned by Pope Gregory XIII in the 16th century.

Stop 7

Sistine Chapel

The Sistine Chapel's arguably most famous work of art, the Sistine Chapel ceiling, was painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512 at the request of Pope Julius II. It is home to some of the most famous art in the world, and its beauty is viewed by millions of tourists every year.The guide will give you an explanation of the chapel before you go in, since you are supposed to be quiet in there.

Stop 8

St. Peter’s Basilica

The ultimate symbol of the Vatican, the Basilica is one of the most beautiful buildings in Rome. But with a history stretching back 2,000 years, it is the most renowned work of Renaissance architecture and the largest church in the world. The tour will end here.