Private Experience: Sistine Chapel , Vatican Museums & St.Peters Basilica
5
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Private Experience: Sistine Chapel , Vatican Museums & St.Peters Basilica

By Through Eternity Tours
Recommended by 97% of travelers
97% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 0-99
Duration: 3h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English, Italian
More


  • All Fees and Taxes
  • Skip-the-Lines Access
  • Expert, English-Speaking Private Guide
  • Headsets (for groups of 6 or more)
  • Entry/Admission - Vatican Museums
  • Entry/Admission - Sistine Chapel
  • Entry/Admission - St. Peter's Basilica
  • Entry/Admission - La Pietà
  • Entry/Admission - Cortile della Pigna
  • Entry/Admission - Baldacchino di San Pietro, Di Bernini
  • Guaranteed to skip the lines
What's not included
  • Transportation to and from the meeting and end points
  • Food and Beverages
  • Gratuities (optional)


Start:
  • Caffè Vaticano, Viale Vaticano, 100, 00192 Roma RM, Italy
    Your guide will meet you in front of the Café Vaticano. They will have a Through Eternity sign or flag.
End:
  • Saint Peter's Square, Piazza San Pietro, 00120

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Near public transportation
  • Transportation is wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 31810P52

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Most travelers can participate
  • Please note that the Vatican Museums provide free entrance for visitors who are (according to the requirements stated by the Vatican City) at least 74% disabled by presenting the appropriate certification and, if one needs assistance by another person, that person also receives a free entrance. Please inform us when you are booking if you fit into these requirements and we will remove the pricing of the entry tickets from the price of the tour.
  • As this is a walking tour with steps and staircases, comfortable walking shoes and a bottle of water are strongly recommended.
  • Please advise during the booking process if any clients have mobility concerns so that we can best accommodate you.
  • At the end of your tour, you are required to return the headset provided to you to your guide. In the event that you do not return the headset, you will be subject to a fine of €100 for lost property.
  • Each traveler must present a valid passport or government issued photo ID that matches the name provided at the time of booking for successful entry to the Vatican Museums.
  • Due to the Jubilee, some monuments may be under restoration. Please pay attention to any messages we may send regarding potential changes.
  • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

  • 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: 31810P52

From
$356.13
$284.90
per adult (price varies by group size)
Select date and travelers

Similar experiences

Itinerary
  • Viale Vaticano, 100, 00192 Roma RM, Italy
    Your guide will meet you in front of the Café Vaticano. They will have a Through Eternity sign or flag.
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • Piazza San Pietro, 00120
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
  • Through Eternity Tours
    3,727
    Rome, Lazio, Italy
  • W2186VOchristinep
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing knowledge with practical delivery
    Our guide Enrica was so knowledgeable and passionate about our tour. She knew our interest and tailored the tour to meet our needs. Her personal experiences she shared made the tour more meaningful. She was extremely informed and had a lot of humor too. She made our experience at the Vatican one we won’t forget.
    Written February 16, 2025
  • B5029RXcraigs
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great Tour, Great Guide!
    We had a fantastic your of the Forum and Colosseum with Enrica! The meeting spot was perfect, we had pizza there before meeting Enrica, who was on time and very organized. Eternity Tours doesn't have a minimum guest threshold, so it was just the 3 of us with Enrica, which was great. She guided through all the entrances and special exhibits very quickly and efficiently. She also grew up in Rome and has an advance degree in archeology, so she was able to answer all our questions and elaborate on areas of interest to us. What a wonderful experience to have the Roman Republic and Empire explained so clearly to us as we walked through the Forum. Enrica was also very funny and personable, like having a smart family friend show us around. It was worth every penny to have an inspiring guide take us through the history of Rome as represented by this seat of government. The Colosseum tour was also greatly enhanced by the knowledge that Enrico shared, and the stories that brought this amazing site to life for us. We are very grateful for the time we spent with Enrica, and thank Eternity Tours for making our trip to Rome so rewarding. So enjoyable to have high expectations exceeded so brilliantly.
    Written February 16, 2025
  • tombrownranch
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent tour and history of the Roman Forum and the Emperor"s amazing palaces.
    Claudia was our guide and gave us one of the best of many tours we have taken in Rome. She has expert grasp of the complex past of the Forum and the palaces of the Roman Emperors. Claudia's wonderful presentation in English brought Roman history to life. 100% highly tecommend Claudia...she id the BEST. Jill, Sally and Tom
    Written February 14, 2025
  • Roam02242013012
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Holy Doors with Francesco
    My sister and I are of Italian heritage and have been to Rome many times before. This time we came for the Jubilee. Francesco ,our tour guide, was excellent! He was full of knowledge.We learned a lot about Christianity through these Basilicas and had a chance to go through the Holy Doors. He took his time answering all our questions and gave us time to pray or view. We never felt rushed with Francesco. He had a fun personality so the tour was never boring. He taught us about a Roman Coffee (espresso and zabaglione) which was something new for us. My sister and I highly recommend this tour and Francesco Reo!
    Written February 10, 2025
  • CurtG184
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Consistently Wonderful
    We have been bringing a group from our church in Texas to Rome for a Christian History Tour for the past 15 years. One of the highlights each year is a consistently wonderful tour of both the Vatican Museum/St. Peter’s and Colosseum/Forum by Through Eternity. We always look forward to reconnecting with their pleasant and extremely knowledgeable guides on our annual pilgrimage.
    Written February 9, 2025
  • bicuta408
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Unforgettable Vatican Experience with an Amazing Guide!
    We took the Essential Sistine Chapel Tour, including the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica. Our guide, Guia, was absolutely amazing—so knowledgeable and informative! No matter what you ask, she has the answer. Thank you for being our guide today—we’ll cherish these wonderful memories! ❤️
    Written February 7, 2025
  • VinceA3
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    An amazing tour of the Vatican Museum, St. Peters, and the Sistine Chapel!!
    We had just completed another wonderful tour (The Colosseum) with Through Eternity so knew this would be a great experience! We weren't disappointed! We were SO fortunate to (a) be the only couple in our tour so it was a much more intimate and informative day plus (b) we were guided by the incomparable Guia Grandi! Guia's expertise exceeded our expectations and when you consider my wife & I had ample opportunity to ask all sorts of arcane questions, Guia never disappointed. I highly recommend both Through Eternity (They were 2 for 2 that week!!!) and Guia if you can book with her. She made our too-short visit to Rome special.
    Written February 2, 2025
  • W8661HYterryh
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    our Essential Sistine Chapel Tour, Vatican Museums & St. Peter's Basilica. You will be emotionally moved by St. Peter’s.
    I went on the Essential Sistine Chapel Tour, Vatican Museums & St. Peter's Basilica with Thomas Robinson. This was my very first visit to Rome. Thomas was great! Very knowledgeable and had a lot of ‘behind the scenes’ information. As it turned out, I was the only person who scheduled this particular tour, so it was basically a private tour. I learned a great deal and it was a most enjoyable day. For me, St. Peter’s Basilica was the most amazing part. Stunning! Thank you Thomas!
    Written January 26, 2025
  • vincea814
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A fantastic tour thru Ancient Rome with an amazing guide!
    Francesco Rao was a knowledgeable & amazing host!! We were fortunate enough to be his only guests!!! He took the time to share his extensive expertise in Roman antiquity. We thoroughly enjoyed the time & the experience!
    Written January 25, 2025
  • W6473QTsheilad
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Outstanding guide made our tour memorable
    Early on a January morning was the perfect time to explore the Vatican in peace with our remarkable guide Thomas, who made history come alive. My husband and I were actually the only ones on the tour, but Thomas spent an extra hour with us. Our tour with Thomas was the highlight of our week in Rome.
    Written January 22, 2025
  • K6686BYryand
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing Tour!
    Amazing tour. Paolo Lenzi was so insightful and knowledgeable. He made the tour an absolute joy! Make sure to add this to your vacation agenda!
    Written January 21, 2025
  • I5519AMpatrickg
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent Guide Grace Monaco (Colosseum Tour)
    The tour was above perfection (if I could say) thanks so much to passionate Grace Lyn Monaco. It was a vivid, impressive and fully-packed tour because of Grace's professionalism, knowledge and consideration. She was not only introducing Rome history, moreover her favourite historical treasure.
    Written January 16, 2025
  • Wanderer03515742550
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Awesome tour & experience!
    Our tour with Paolo was absolutely wonderful (as our 17-year old daughter put it)! We were super lucky that our small group tour ended up being just the 3 of us (thank you for not cancelling!). Paolo is an archaeologist, so who better to do a tour of the Forum & Colosseum? We learned so much from him. We had an early morning (9:15am) tour, and the Forum was delightfully uncrowded. Once we got to the Colosseum it was great to be able to skip the line to get in. There were so many lines I would never have been able to figure it out on my own. Highly recommend; would love to have Paolo guide any tour when we come back to Rome.
    Written January 13, 2025
  • alextY4988DK
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing tour, Graceyln is an amazing guide!
    Gracelyn was an amazing guide! I’ve never seen such a passionate and skilled storyteller, she pointed out the smallest of details that you could never notice going alone. Worth every penny, would definitely take a Through Eternity Tour again!!!
    Written January 10, 2025
  • Scenic578497
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Riccardo is the best guide
    Perfect guide ! Riccardo . Ask for him. Worth every penny. I learned so many things I d do this again 👵. I ve tried other companies but through eternity was the best
    Written January 9, 2025
See all 3,727 reviews
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members 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.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles40 reviews
Excellent
39
Very good
0
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
1

Lori C
Mesa, AZ4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2024 • Family
Our family group of 7 arranged the private tour of the Vatican, St Peter's Basilica. and the Sistine Chapel and it was wonderful. Our tour guide, Thomas, was engaging and interesting and he took the time to get to know us and any particular things we were interested in seeing on the tour. His knowledge of history and the church gave our group much insight into the paintings, sculptures, and architecture within Vatican City. What a delight not to wait in lines or push through crowds and to be able to hear your guide because our group was so intimate. I highly recommend this early morning tour to beat the crowds and Thomas is the perfect tour guide.
Written July 10, 2024
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.
Thank you for your wonderful review! Thomas's knowledge and engaging style make tours truly special, and the intimate group size allows for an even more enriching experience. We look forward to welcoming you all back on another tour soon!
Written July 31, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Trip58349749596
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Friends
Cinzia Cutrone is an amazing guide! She is so knowledgeable and a master storyteller who really made history come alive. We were a group of 6 adults and 5 teenagers and everyone was engaged for the entire 3 hours, even the teenagers! We couldn't believe how fast the time went by. I would highly recommend Cinzia and would absolutely love to go on another tour with her. She is definitely a main highlight from our Italy trip.
Written April 22, 2024
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.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience! Cinzia Cutrone sounds like an amazing guide who truly brought history to life for your group. Her knowledge and storytelling skills kept all six adults and five teenagers engaged for the entire three hours—a testament to her talent! We're thrilled to hear that the time flew by and that she was a highlight of your Italy trip. We highly appreciate your recommendation and look forward to welcoming you on another tour with Cinzia in the future. She’ll be delighted to hear your kind words!
Written May 20, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

lindadavisconnor
Chicago, IL15 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2024 • Family
We loved every moment of our 3.5 hour private tour through the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica with our guide, Donatella. She was so well versed in the history of Rome and the Vatican I wished we could have recorded her! What we really loved is that she carefully connected pieces of information through the rooms from beginning to end to illustrate common patterns, relationships, and customs from era to era and pope to pope.

Her personal attention to us was superb, taking care that we all could hear and that the pace was okay for everyone. She made sure we knew the rules of the Sistine and found a seat for us.

We highly recommend Donatella and her company! This tour was exceptional, and worth every penny!
Written September 24, 2024
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.
Thank you for the glowing review! We’re thrilled to hear that Donatella made your Vatican tour such a dream experience. Her ability to connect the dots from room to room and bring history to life is something special. We love that she made sure everyone was comfortable and got the most out of the tour. We’ll be sure to pass on your kind words. Hope to see you again soon!
Written September 26, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

xiphoid76
Minneapolis, MN552 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2024 • Couples
Highly disappointed. There was no skip the line access although this was advertised. For almost 1,000 USD we had a guide from France who repeatedly made errors on his guide. When corrected with actual facts even from the Through Eternity website itself he still said he was right. He was not knowledgeable and this was sad in such an amazing place as the Vatican. He was dismissive and rude. I would strongly advise you go with another agency.
Written September 23, 2024
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.

kenanna2
Dublin, CA36 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Family
This tour went very smoothly. It started on time. There weren’t too many people in our group. As promised , we skipped the line. The tour guide Sarah was very clear, concise, informative and filled the tour with fun facts about the different painting and secret meanings behind them. She was very patient with other tour guides that tried to get in our way but didn’t compromise our experience. She was friendly and patient with everyone, making sure everyone didn’t get lost and had time to see what they wanted and allowed time for picture taking. We went on a different tour that day and my family wished it were Sarah because that tour guide wasn’t to our liking.
Written July 4, 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.
Thank you for your review. We value our customers feedback and we are thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your private tour of the Vatican. It can definitely be a busy place, especially in high season which is why we only sell skip the line tickets!
Written July 6, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Neil
Spokane, WA63 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
This was our second tour with Through Eternity, the first being the two day Rome immersive tour with our teenage kids in 2008. Just the two of us this time and we spent almost 6 hours touring the Vatican with John. He was well organized and very knowledgeable without being stuffy. Before entering the Sistine Chapel he gave us an excellent overview in a quiet alcove with a bench. The museums are voluminous but contain a lot of minor statues and religious art. He focused on the more important items without being dismissive of the endless collection. The Pinoceta was well worth the time as it contains the tapestries. The high quality of the tour was well worth the price, although I imagine that the small group version of this tour would also be quite good.
Written September 4, 2021
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.
You struck jackpot to bag yourself our wonderful John as guide at the Vatican, a first class guide with a combination of outstanding knowledge and top notch personality too. Well versed with all things Vatican, he knows all the best routes to take and which wonderful gems to show his guests, not an easy feat since these world famous museums are packed to the brim with treasures and artwork! Just the Pinacoteca itself is indeed incredible and you may be interested to know that we run an online Virtual Tour of this which might be a fun follow up for you, be sure to contact us if you would like to sign up for it! Truly appreciate you writing us such a lovely review and hope to have you with us again in the very near future, always wonderful to welcome guests back! Pips
Written September 9, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Amanda K
San Francisco, CA9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022
This was one of 5 private tours my 9 year old and I had with Thomas and he is an incredible guide. So knowledgeable about so many things but also knew how to tailor it to my daughter. He and his colleague Gracelyn set such a high bar for what a tour could be and I can’t recommend him and Gracelyn enough. With over 16 years in Rome, Thomas is a wealth of knowledge and loves sharing his city with visitors. He patiently answers any question and brings the experience to life.
Written July 31, 2022
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.
Hey! I am sure Gracelyn and Thomas will be very delighted to read your feedback. They are great guides that we are so happy to have on our team. Thank you for taking the to share with us your tour experience and thank you again for choosing Through Eternity :) Rajae
Written August 1, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Jae S
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2025 • Family
Loved our tour guide - Thomas Robinson. He made history come alive. There are so many beautiful things to see within Vatican City but he helped us to focus on some of the more important pieces and why they were so important. He was very knowledgeable and has a great sense of humor. Can’t say enough about how much we loved this tour.
Written January 4, 2025
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 600jaes, We’re so glad Thomas brought the Vatican’s treasures to life for you! His humor and expertise make even the most intricate details unforgettable. Thank you for trusting us with your tour—hope to see you again soon! Warm regards, The Through Eternity Team
Written January 24, 2025
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Holly C
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2023
You can spend all day in the Vatican and not make it through. This is why a knowledgeable tour guide is so important. Our guide studied art history and was able to bring the art to life and focus on the high lights, so our children did not lose focus.

Also, i want to give a shout out to Through Eternity Tours which was very flexible with us. We tried to make it to Rome in December 2021. However, a family member tested positive for COVID as we were heading to the airport. They allowed me to rebook a year later. Once we finally made it to Italy, our tour had to be rescheduled because of the Pope Emeritus Benedict's funeral. They communicated with us and provided options.

I would highly recommend them!
Written January 23, 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.
Hi Holly! Thank you very much for the wonderful review! We are glad you were able to make it to Italy this year and thank you for trusting us in making your journey enjoyable! We look forward in welcoming you again in Italy and show you more attractions you are keen on exploring! All the best! Sofia
Written February 3, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

EllasMum2010
Des Moines, IA15 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 • Family
What a remarkable experience. Our guide, Valeria, was so knowledgeable and friendly. Her background in fine art, history, and archaeology contributed so greatly to our experience and understanding of what we were seeing. We did five hours, and were engaged the entire time--that is saying a lot!
Valeria helped to focus our tour on what was most important to us to see. And were lucky that the doors to the Basilica were open. We were also able to skip a lot of waiting and lines given her knowledge of the tour.
Written June 2, 2024
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.
Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re thrilled Valeria made your tour engaging and insightful with her expertise. It’s great to hear she tailored the experience to your interests and helped you navigate efficiently. Looking forward to your next journey with Through Eternity!
Written June 11, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

Private Experience: Sistine Chapel , Vatican Museums & St.Peters Basilica provided by Through Eternity Tours

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