the tour guy rome

Semi-Private Vatican Tour with Sistine Chapel

Enjoy a premium and exclusive tour of the raphael rooms, st.peter's basilica, and more.

Don't let the long ticket line and huge crowds ruin your trip to Rome! Thanks to our close relationship with the Holy See, this nearly private tour gives you a more peaceful and unique Vatican experience. Along with only a few other guests you'll skip the admission line with an expert tour guide! With your passionate guide you'll enjoy a closer view of the incredible artwork and architecture you'll find in the Vatican Galleries, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica.

• Passionate Guide
• Views of St. Peter's Basilica
• Pinecone Courtyard
• Gallery of Candelabra
• Gallery of Maps
• Gallery of Tapestries
• Raphael Rooms
• Sistine Chapel
• Creation of Man
• Last Judgement
• St Peter’s Basilica
• La Pietá
• Bernini's Baldacchino
• Skip the Line at the Vatican Museums

You'll meet your local guide at the top of the stairs near Caffé Vaticano, just across from the Vatican Museums entrance. You'll enter the Vatican without waiting in the individual ticket line, so you can enjoy seeing the amazing collection of art without feeling overcrowded. Your super-knowledgeable Vatican guide will show you the best of the galleries and notable areas, including the Raphael Rooms and Borgia Apartments, and tell fascinating stories of Vatican history. Finally, you'll explore the Vatican's two most iconic attractions—St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel.

Vatican Early Access Tour Description

Your 3-hour Vatican tour includes:

Skip-the-line entry to the Vatican

Pio-Clementino Museum, Gallery of the Candelabra, Tapestries, and Maps

Raphael Rooms and School of Athens

Entry to the Sistine Chapel

Entry to St. Peter's Basilica

A professional, English-speaking guide

Maximum group size of 10

Pio-Clementino Museum and Nero’s Bathtub

Your guide will take you to the Pio-Clementino Museum where you'll see three of the most iconic statues in the world. Learn about the myths and legends associated with the Apollo Belvedere , Laocoön and His Sons , and the Belvedere Torso . You'll also visit one of the biggest and oldest bathtubs you'll ever see, made from rare red marble for Emperor Nero to relax in.

The Best Galleries at the Vatican

Your guide will lead you on through the Vatican Museums, visiting the Candelabra Gallery, Gallery of the Tapestries, and Gallery of Maps. Admire the ancient Roman and Greek statues, the Flemish tapestries created by Raphael's students, and the gorgeous topographical depictions of Italy.

At the height of the Roman Empire, pontiffs rarely left Rome. In order to understand the Italian peninsula without endangering his life, Pope Gregory XIII commissioned 40 giant, meticulous maps to be created for his use. Most of these maps measure more than 15 by 16 feet, and the end result is nothing short of spectacular.

You'll hear the stories behind these treasures from your expert guide as the Vatican secrets are slowly unveiled to you.

Raphael Rooms and The School of Athens

Raphael is the epitome of a Renaissance artist. In the period of European civilization immediately following the Middle Ages, a great period of revival in art, literature, and thought occurred. Raphael encompassed the ideals of a Renaissance man and frescoed multiple rooms inside of the Vatican Museums. Among other masterpieces, see one of Raphael’s most famous works of art, The School of Athens .

Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel

One of the top things to do in Vatican City is visit the Sistine Chapel. Speaking is not allowed in the chapel since it's a sacred space, so your guide will explain what you'll see before entering and give you a handy guide for reference.

Only when you are inside is it clear why the Sistine Chapel is one of the most celebrated works of art in Western civilization. Michelangelo painted more than 600 figures in all, and the sheer magnitude of his endeavor is mind-blowing.. As one of Michelangelo’s most prized masterpieces, the Sistine Chapel also serves as a gathering place for cardinals of the Catholic Church.

Please note that the Sistine Chapel is a sacred place, so both men and women must cover their knees and shoulders, otherwise, you may be refused entry to a portion of your Vatican tour. We understand the summers in Rome are hot, so a great alternative is to bring a shawl/sweater to wrap around you when necessary.

St. Peter's Basilica

Your final stop on this tour is St. Peter's Basilica, so follow your guide through the special corridor reserved for groups to access the basilica quickly. Here you'll get to see the Vatican's prized church where the remains of St. Peter himself are presumed to be buried. Your guide will introduce you to the cathedral before you enter to explore on your own, and you can stay for as long as you like. Admire Michelangelo's La Pietà and Bernini’s Baldacchino as you gaze at the amazing architecture and art in the basilica.

Please note that St. Peter's Basilica is closed on Wednesdays for the Papal Audience and can occasionally experience other unexpected closures. If this happens, your guide will make up the time at other areas within the Vatican.

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What you get with this tour

See what people are saying

1102 total reviews

Raffa was our tour guide. Her enthusiasm and extensive knowledge made this tour a highlight of our trip. She pitched the pace perfectly so each stop felt the right length with a wonderful balance of broad information and the inclusion of interesting smaller details. Thank you for bringing history alive and making this tour so memorable, Raffa!

Semi Private Vatican Tour with Sistine Chapel

Very informative and meaningful!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What to bring?

In addition to wearing or bringing clothing that covers your knees and shoulders, it's recommended to wear comfortable shoes. You're also welcome to bring a water bottle as it can get hot inside the Vatican during the summer months.

Is there a way to see the Vatican without a guided tour?

Yes, it's possible, though you may find the experience lacking without a guide to explain the stories behind the things you'll see. But you can click here for skip the line Vatican tickets .

What if I have concerns about my mobility on this tour?

If you have any doubts about your mobility, we suggest taking a private Vatican tour so your needs can be better accommodated.

Does the Vatican ever experience sudden closures?

During state visits or special religious events, parts of the Vatican may be closed unexpectedly and without much notice. If an area normally visited during a tour is suddenly closed, our guide will still provide explanations of the closed areas from outside. They will even show you another gallery to compensate for the lost time in the usual location.

Does this tour really skip the line?

Yes! Your guide will escort you past the long general admission line to the shorter line for groups. Then you'll enter the Vatican before the general public.

Does this tour always include St. Peter's Basilica entry?

St. Peter's Basilica is always closed on Wednesday mornings for the weekly papal audience. If you book a tour on Wednesday, your guide will make up the time in other fascinating areas of the Vatican.

In addition to wearing or bringing clothing that covers your knees and shoulders, it's recommended to wear comfortable shoes. You're also welcome to bring a water bottle as it can get hot inside the Vatican during the summer months.

Is photography allowed in the Sistine Chapel?

No, the Vatican requests that no photos or videos be taken inside the Sistine Chapel.

Is there a dress code to enter the religious sites on this tour?

We ask both men and women to cover knees and shoulders, otherwise the Vatican might refuse entry to religious sites and you’ll miss out on a portion of your tour. We understand the summers in Rome can be hot, so a great alternative is to bring a shawl/scarf/sweater with you. That way you can cover your knees and shoulders when necessary.

Free 24-hr cancellation on group tours! Learn more

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We booked a tour in Rome with the Tour…

We booked a tour in Rome with the Tour Guy. When my husband had a medical emergency and we couldn’t go on the trip, they would not refund our money for a paid tour. I understand cancellation policy but not for a medical emergency. Will never use then again

Date of experience : March 25, 2024

STAY AWAY FROM THE TOUR GUYS

We had booked a tour of Windsor Castle for the last day of our vacation in London. I received all of my vouchers and also received the confirmation email the day before the tour. We meet the tour bus at the designated date and time. We boarded the van and come to find out The Tour Guys had overbooked the van. The tour guide then reviewed her list and we were not on it. So even though I had my vouchers and my confirmation email we were told to leave the van and they drove off to Windsor Castle leaving us stranded on some street corner in London. I tried calling their offices but no one answered. It being the last day of our vacation we missed Windsor Castle. STAY AWAY FROM THE TOUR GUYS!

Date of experience : June 17, 2023

Colosseum tour

We had a 3 hr tour of the Colosseum and Palatine hill with Luigi which was amazing. He was so knowledgeable. Excellent!

Date of experience : March 14, 2024

Legends and Lore Tower of London DISAPPOINTED!!😢

We booked the Legends and Lore Tower of London and it was a complete waste of time and money. We arrived 10 minutes early as per the instructions at the meeting point. The voucher stated a representative holding a The Tour Guy sign would be there. But she wasn’t holding a sign and only asked people if they were there for a tour. We said yes and then she asked if it was with The Tour Guy. She confirmed a few others. But was missing two. We waited a bit but again, not holding a sign would make it impossible for someone to find the guide. Because of this we departed 8 minutes late and had to rush our way through the massive crowds at Parliament Square to the boat tour which had already left without us. So we had to wait 30 minutes for the next one. It’s actually a public taxi boat and made other stops like a bus would. So 90 minutes later we arrived at Tower of London. Instead of taking us straight inside to start the tour, proceeds to tell us other things about the area. By the time we entered the Tower of London, it was now almost 2 hours into the tour. The rest of the tour was all outside. She did not take us inside any of the buildings. The highlight for many is The Crown Jewels and she acknowledged that. When we got to that building she stated “oh how lucky there’s no line up” and then kept us another 20 minutes outside showing us pictures from the book she had on things we would have learned inside. We then noticed a line up starting to form so we left the group to not waste anymore time. I feel like we got very little out of this tour on the actual Tower of London. After we finished seeing The Crown Jewels we joined the last Beefeater tour which is free with admission to Tower of London and got much more out of that. The audio self-guided tour I believe would have been a better option than The Tour Guy.

Date of experience : March 09, 2024

Book with awareness.

Book with awareness. We booked a once in the lifetime trip to see the colosseum in Rome, January 2024. We carefully selected a noon timeslot knowing that we arrive in Rome that morning and can't possibly make 8am. 30 days prior to the tour we received a reschedule for an 8:15 tour. This is impossible for us to meet but the company has zero flexibility - even though they have an 11am tour still advertised! We now don't have a colosseum tour booked - and the company is refusing a refund or reschedule!

Date of experience : December 12, 2023

Stay away from tour guy

Seeing the youtube videos we jumped and booked semi day tour of paris. Apparently the guide had cold and wasnt wearing a mask. And was so disorganised that had forgotten to charge the batter of the speakers. Also she wasnt knowledgeable to many of the questions the group asked. And had the audacity to leave us hanging in the middle of the tour. A very bad taste in mouth

Date of experience : January 03, 2024

We didn’t got any help when trying to…

We didn’t got any help when trying to find the guide in Paris. We had a contact number to the guide but it was the number to the office of this company, and a person in another country answered and could not help us. Since this was “our fault” as the company said, we could not get any refund, not even a partial. The ticket was for 4 people to the palace of Versailles, so this was a really large amount which we paid to the company, to provide us a guided visit. When we complained, they didn't even gave us the opportunity to get a new visit somewhere else, or any kind of service to not loose a good customer. So unprofessional and really, really not nice!

Date of experience : May 28, 2023

DO NOT BOOK UNTIL YOU READ THIS

DO NOT BOOK I booked and paid for a trip 5 months ago and when I arrived in Florence for the trip I was turned away at 7am saying the tour company had no record of my tour. The tour guide do not care. Refunded my $230 but $230 is irrelevant compared to the $3000+ my trip cost me only to be ruined by TTG. MASSIVE RISK USING THIS WEBSITE

Date of experience : September 25, 2023

Refunds only as credit voucher/gift…

Refunds only as credit voucher/gift card! No cash refund. Once you book a tour you're hooked, even if the tour is cancelled! You won't get your money back.

Date of experience : July 31, 2023