Guided Tours

Early Morning Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Guided Tour

Name: Early Morning Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Guided Tour
Start: 2025-01-28T07:15:00
End: 2025-01-28T10:15:00
Location: Rome

Sculpture in the courtyard of the Vatican Museums

Tour group at Laocoön and His Sons statue, Vatican Museums, admiring architecture and artwork.

Guide leading tour group through Gallery of Maps, Vatican Museum, showcasing detailed map frescoes.

Visitors exploring Chiaramonti museum in Vatican Museums

Skip the crowds and experience some of the greatest Renaissance art at the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel with an early morning tour with an expert guide.

Highlights

Worried about the crowds? Don't be. Get a head start and be among the first to enter the Vatican Museums with this tour.
Hunt down some of the Museum's most iconic artworks, including the Torso Belvedere and Lacoon and Sons.
Experience the artistry of The Last Supper within the hallowed halls of the Sistine Chapel with your expert guide.
Discover the grandeur of the St Peter's Basilica, or take in the panoramic views at the St Peter's Dome. Choose your ideal experience during checkout.
Did you know that the dome of St Peter's Basilica is so large that it could hold the entire dome of the Pantheon inside it!

Inclusions

Guided tour of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel with skip-the-line entry
Guided tour of St Peter's Basilica (as per option selected)
Entry to St Peter's Dome (as per option selected)
Expert English-speaking guide
Headsets

Exclusions

Gratuities

cancellation policy

These tickets can't be cancelled or rescheduled.

Reviews

How do we collect reviews?

4.5

2.2K ratings

5/5

1.6K

4/5

320

3/5

2/5

1/5

Jennifer

5/5

Jan, 2025

Theresa met us promptly on time at the meeting place. Everything was extremely well organized. She brought our group to the dome of Saint Peter's first and we were there just after sunrise. Then the Crypts, then the Basilica, then the Vatican museums ending with the Sistine Chapel. It all took about 5 1/2 hours. The communications were all excellent and she was good company with lots of info.

Astrid

5/5

Jan, 2025

Patrizia out tourguide was wonderful , professional and always timely every step of the tour perfectly to make all guests feel well taken care of at any time.

Patricia

5/5

Dec, 2024

Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. It was a hectic day with lots external factors not going to plan (impromptu mass in the Basilica, technical issues with the ticketing officers, etc.) and I am so glad I was with my tour guide to help navigate through that. It could've been a very difficult day, but with our guide we were able to do the whole tour and learn so much. It was an amazing experience.

Richard

5/5

Dec, 2024

Eleanora was kind and got us through the experience with lots of good stories and good humor. She was always looking out for us.

Laarni

5/5

Dec, 2024

I think Headout partnered with a local tour group, we had a representative from "The Tour Guy". It was a little tricky finding them at first, if I remember correctly their sign was a variation of The Tour Guy so I wasn't sure if it was a different tour group. But looking back at the reference photos they sent out, they indeed were at the spot they said they would be. Our tour guide was fantastic, I believe her name was Francesca (I'm writing this review late, and I'm terrible with names). She was very knowledgeable and a bull when she needed to be (making sure our tour group wasn't cut in front of by other groups, etc.). She knew exactly where to take us to maximize our tour of each location. This is a LONG tour, you WILL be tired by the end of it, but it is SO worth it. This tour was the highlight of our stay in Italy!!

Show all reviews

Your experience

Beat the crowds, early morning!

Early birds, this tour is your best bet to explore the Vatican with fewer people around! Get ahead of the crowds by entering the museum before the crowds start pouring with your fast-track entry. Start your experience at the Vatican Museums and move on to explore the famous Torso Belvedere and Lacoon and Sons with your expert guide.

Uncover masterpieces at the Vatican

Immerse yourself in the breathtaking artistry of Michelangelo's Last Supper within the hallowed Sistine Chapel. Your expert guide will shed light on the history and process of the Biblical-painted ceilings by Michelangelo. Extend your exploration to St Peter's Basilica, or elevate your experience with a climb to the summit of St Peter's Dome for panoramic views of Rome. These optional add-ons can be selected during checkout, ensuring a fully customized Vatican adventure tailored to your interests.

Please be aware that during the Jubilee Year, certain areas of the Vatican Museums may be inaccessible due to religious ceremonies. Additionally, entrance to St. Peter's Basilica may also experience unannounced closures. These circumstances are beyond our control. Thank you for your understanding.

Know before you go

What to bring

Wear comfortable shoes as the experience requires a fair amount of walking.

What's not allowed

Strict dress code: knees, shoulders, and back must be covered for all guests.
Inside the Sistine Chapel, it's all about the quiet vibes. No chatting, no phones, and no photos, just pure admiration.
Luggage and/or large bags are not allowed inside the venue. You may drop off your bags with the free cloakroom service.
Pets and other small animals are not allowed in the venue.

Accessibility

This experience is wheelchair and pram/stroller accessible.
The Vatican Museums offer free wheelchair hire and free entry for visitors with mobility impairments (certified invalidity exceeding 74%) and a companion if required. Click here for the accessible route.

Additional information

The entrance to the Museums is timed. Be sure to select your activity starting time when booking. Once inside the Museums, you will be free to explore at your own pace.
Although not included in these tickets, access to St. Peter's Basilica is free but there could be a waiting line during peak season.
Please be aware that during the Jubilee Year, certain areas of the Vatican Museums may be inaccessible due to religious ceremonies. Additionally, entrance to St. Peter's Basilica may also experience unannounced closures. These circumstances are beyond our control. Thank you for your understanding.

My tickets

Your voucher will be emailed to you instantly.
Display the voucher on your mobile phone with a valid photo ID at the meeting point.
Please arrive at the meeting point 15 minutes before the scheduled time of your tour to avoid any delays.