Exclusive Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, Underground Catacombs Tour and Tickets
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Exclusive Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, Underground Catacombs Tour and Tickets

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(6 reviews)
5h
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
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About this experience

An Amazing, Exclusive Private Vip Guided Tour!!!

Personal Vatican Guide and Small group tour at the Catacombs • Hotel or another agreed spot pick up and drop off (centrally located hotels or other spots. Within Aurelian Walls) • Skip-the-line Tickets

See the magnificent highlights of Vatican City with the advantage of the skip-the-line entrance and professional guided tour.
Explore one of the most extraordinary collections of art in the world; pause in the Sistine Chapel; admire Michelangelo's masterpiece. After the Vatican, reach one of the most exciting and visited places in Rome, the Catacombs. You'll descend into a complex network of underground tunnels, where you can admire ancient frescoes, crypts rich in inscriptions, sarcophagi, and tombs. You'll also find the burial of famous people like popes, martyrs, and, according to legends, even some apostles. The catacombs that we'll visit (San Calisto, San Sebastiano, or Santa Domitilla) will change depending on the opening days.

Available options

Exclusive Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, Underground Catacombs Tour and Tickets

Pickup included

What's included

Small group tour of the Catacombs
Transfers in a sanitized vehicle
Pickup and Drop off from/To your Hotel or another agreed spot (Within Aurelian Walls)
Catacombs skip the line Tickets
All Fees and Taxes
Assistance from the office
Vatican Museum and Sisitne Chapel Skip the line Tickets
Professional Guide
Private tour of the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel

Detailed itinerary

1
Stop 1 Pass by

The Vatican is the smallest independent state in the world and residence of the spiritual leadership of the Roman Catholic Church.
Its territory is surrounded by the Italian capital city Rome, and priests and nuns of many nationalities make up almost all of the population.
The Vatican City is a tiny fragment when compared with the extensive Papal States of central Italy, which were conquered by the forces of Italian unification in the mid-19th century. The popes then became "prisoners in the Vatican", unwilling to leave the confines of the Apostolic Palace until 1929, when Italy's Fascist government negotiated the Lateran Treaty that created the current mini-state.
The Vatican City itself packs many imposing buildings into its small area. These include St Peter's Basilica, a pilgrimage site. The Vatican Museums and Art Galleries house the priceless art collections of the popes.

2
Stop 2

The Papal Museums are located in Viale Vaticano in Rome.
They are situated within the boundaries of Vatican City. These museums collect a large number of artworks. Therefore they are one of the most visited museum complexes in the world.
This immense collection was amassed by popes for centuries. For this reason, the pope’s museums house art treasures from antiquity to contemporary times.
This complex covers a very large area. Visitors can walk from one Vatican palace to another for hours. Artworks are displayed along with more than 7 km galleries.
Vatican Museums are divided into several sections.
the Gregorian Egyptian Museum. The Pio Clementino Museum. It collects statues and artworks Greek and Roman ages. The Octagonal court is part of the Pio Clementino Museum.
The Raphael Rooms are entirely decorated with Raphael’s frescoes.
Sistine Chapel is fully painted with marvellous masterpieces, above all Michelangelo's Last Judgement and the vault as well.

3
Stop 3

Regarded as Michelangelo’s masterpiece, the Sistine Chapel (Cappella Sistina) is a jaw-dropping attraction you must see at least once in your lifetime. The Sistine Chapel is one of the greatest treasures of the Vatican City, of Rome and of the world in general. It is known as much for its decoration, as for being the temple in which popes are chosen and crowned.

The construction of the building was carried out between 1473 and 1481 during the mandate of Pope Sixtus IV, to whom it owes its current name. The architect responsible for the construction was Giovanni of Dolci and it is the only work that he is remembered for.

What grabs the attention in the Sistine Chapel is not its architecture, but the frescoes that completely cover the walls and the ceiling. Some of the most important artists who worked in the chapel are Botticelli, Perugino, Luca and Michelangelo. The Creation of Adam is the best-known image from the Sistine Chapel.

4
Stop 4 Pass by

St Peter’s Basilica, located in the Vatican City, is considered one of the Catholic Church’s holiest temples and an important pilgrimage site. St. Peter’s Basilica is one of the holiest temples for Christendom and one of the largest churches in the world. Besides, it is where the Pope presides many liturgies all year round.

The construction of the new basilica began in 1506 when the old basilica had been torn down and was finished in 1626. It was consecrated on 18 November 1626. Several renowned architects designed the temple, highlighting the works of Bramante, Michelangelo and Carlo Maderno.

The basilica was called St Peter’s after one of Jesus’s twelve disciples known as Saint Peter, who became one of the founders of the Catholic Church and was executed in Rome and buried where the Basilica now stands. St Peter’s Basilica can accommodate 20,000 people. It measures 190 m (624 ft) long and the central nave is 46 m (150 ft) tall. The dome stands 136 m (447ft) tall.

5

The Appian Way Regional Park is the second-largest urban park in Europe, after Losiny Ostrov National Park in Moscow. It is a protected arcaheological area of around 4580 hectares, established by the Italian region of Latium. It falls primarily within the territory of Rome but parts also extend into the neighbouring towns of Ciampino and Marino.

6
Stop 6 Pass by

The Baths of Caracalla (Italian: Terme di Caracalla) in Rome, Italy, were the city's second-largest Roman public baths, or thermae. The baths were likely built between AD 212 (or 211) and 216/217, during the reigns of emperors Septimius Severus and Caracalla.[2] They were in operation until the 530s and then fell into disuse and ruin.

Both during and since their operation as baths, they served as inspiration for many other notable buildings, ancient and modern, such as the Baths of Diocletian, the Basilica of Maxentius, the original Pennsylvania Station in New York City, Chicago Union Station and the Senate of Canada Building. Artworks recovered from the ruins include famous sculptures such as the Farnese Bull and the Farnese Hercules.

7
Stop 7 Pass by

The Circus Maximus (Latin for "largest circus"; Italian: Circo Massimo) is an ancient Roman chariot-racing stadium and mass entertainment venue in Rome, Italy. In the valley between the Aventine and Palatine hills, it was the first and largest stadium in ancient Rome and its later Empire. It measured 621 m (2,037 ft) in length and 118 m (387 ft) in width and could accommodate over 150,000 spectators.[2] In its fully developed form, it became the model for circuses throughout the Roman Empire. The site is now a public park.

8
Stop 8 Pass by

The Tiber Island (Italian: Isola Tiberina, Latin: Insula Tiberina) is the only island in the part of the Tiber which runs through Rome. Tiber Island is located in the southern bend of the Tiber.

The island is boat-shaped, approximately 270 metres (890 feet) long and 67 metres (220 feet) wide, and has been connected with bridges to both sides of the river since antiquity. Being a seat of the ancient temple of Asclepius and later a hospital, the island is associated with medicine and healing. The Fatebenefratelli Hospital founded in the 16th century, and the San Bartolomeo all Isola dating from the 10th century are located on the island.

9
Stop 9 Pass by

The Palatine Hill, (/ˈpælətaɪn/; Latin: Collis Palatium or Mons Palatinus; Italian: Palatino [palaˈtiːno]) which is the centremost of the Seven Hills of Rome, is one of the most ancient parts of the city and has been called "the first nucleus of the Roman Empire."[1] The site is now mainly a large open-air museum while the Palatine Museum houses many finds from the excavations here and from other ancient Italian sites.

Imperial palaces were built here, starting with Augustus. Before imperial times the hill was mostly occupied by the houses of the rich.

The hill originally had two summits separated by depression; the highest part was called Palatium and the other Germalus (or Cermalus). Using the Forma Urbis its perimeter enclosed 63 acres (25 ha); while the Regional Catalogues of the 4th century enclose 131 acres (53 ha).[2]

10

The Mausoleum of Hadrian, usually known as Castel Sant'Angelo (Italian pronunciation: [kaˈstɛl sanˈtandʒelo]; English: Castle of the Holy Angel), is a towering cylindrical building in Parco Adriano, Rome, Italy. It was initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. The building was later used by the popes as a fortress and castle and is now a museum. The structure was once the tallest building in Rome.

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Stop 11

THE TOUR INCLUDES THE VISIT OF ONE OF THE 3 MOST IMPORTANT CATACOMBS
The catacombs are subterranean passageways that were used as places of burial for a number of centuries. The burials of Jewish, pagan and early Christian Roman citizens in the catacombs began in the second century and ended in the fifth century.
The catacombs possess a huge number of subterranean passageways that form real labyrinths that are several kilometres long, along which rows of rectangular niches were dugout.
- Catacombs of San Callisto With a network of passageways over 20 kilometres in length, the tombs of San Callisto were the burial place of 16 pontiffs and scores of Christian martyrs.
- Catacombs of San Sebastiano: These 12 kilometre long catacombs owe their name to San Sebastiano, a soldier who became a martyr for converting to Christianity.
- Catacombs of Domitilla: Discovered in 1593, these catacombs, which are more than 15 kilometres in length, owe their name to the granddaughter of Vespasian.

What's not included

Food and drinks
Gratuities
Saint Peter Basilica's visit
Guided service during transfers

Available languages

Guide guide
DE EN IT FR ES

Reviews breakdown

Viator 3.7
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Tripadvisor 3.7
3 reviews
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Important information

Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Customers have a mandatory meeting time stated 20 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time for the Vatican Museum and 15 minutes before the starting time for the Catacombs tour, due to managing and organizational reasons.If you arrive late to the stated meeting time, it will not be possible to join the group or reschedule, unless you pay for the activity again. As per "No Show" rules you will not be entitled to a refund.
A dress code is required to enter places of worship and Vatican Museum. 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
To get inside the monuments it is used group ticket and not individual one. It cannot be asked just the ticket entrance.
Children must be accompanied by an adult
The activity can suffer 20/30 min variation due to organizational resons
Please be advised capacity regulations and security may delay the tour departure This could also influence the smooth running of the tour especially on national holidays and events
Cancellations, changes or issues due to weather, security and events held by the monument are beyond our control and are directly decided by their administration team. These issues will be reviewed by us and dealt with on an individual basis but are the responsibility of the monument.
You must have a valid photo ID to enter the monuments (student's ID, Driver License, Passport or State ID all work.) You will be asked to also provide your name, last name and date of birth (at the beginning of the tour, if not provided beforehand.) Security may prevent you from entering the site if the information provided is not accurate and/or don't match the one on your ID.
Child discount is applied only with a valid ID card
Note: tour will not operate on religious holidays
The driver is not a guide. Language service is not provided for transfers.
Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not recommended for those with walking disabilities or using a wheelchair.
All visitors must pass through the monument/attraction security check please allow at least 20 minutes to clear security.
Please be aware that large bags/backpacks/suitcases are not permitted in the monument/ attraction. Only very small bags are allowed. Please do not bring these items with you on the day of your tour as there are no cloakrooms at the monument.
For security reasons all visitors and their luggage shall be screened. To facilitate the security checks please insert any object (including mobile phone) in the bag/backpack or in the tray to be included in the X-ray
Transpostation to the Catacombs will be lead by a professional dirver (not a guide)
The catacomb temperature is about 60°F and the moisture content is high; please dress appropriately
No one can visit the catacombs on their own, nor stray from their group along the route, nor cross the gates that delimit the paths open to the public
It is forbidden to touch the exhibits along the visit path
It is forbidden to remove any object and/or material
No photos allowed
Food and drink are not allowed
The order
For the safety of all guests, the tour operator reserves the right to refuse service to passengers who are intoxicated or show signs of intoxication. If, as a result, your tour is canceled, you will not be entitled to a refund.
Pets are not allowed
Covid-19 vaccination certificated neeed
The order in which the sites will be visited can change
The itinerary may vary depending on weather conditions (ice, rain, or high temperatures) or other events beyond the travel agency's control.
Not recommended for people with walking difficulties or walker users
We kindly inform you that any kind of disability (visual impairment, hearing impairment,... ) or anything that might prevent you to regularly join the tour, MUST BE communicate in advance to our staff.

Important notes

Professional Licensed Local Blue Badge Tour Guide • Hotel or another agreed spot, indicated at the time of the booking, Pick-up, Drop-off (centrally located hotels or other spots. Within Aurelian Walls) • Skip-the-line Tickets • Entry/Admission • Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel Private Tour and Underground Catacombs Small Group Tour.

With an extra charge is possible the pick-up and drop-off outside the city center, please contact us.

Emergency Number : +393280010018
Main Office: +39 0669348035

NOTE:
- Please be advised that the entrances at the Vatican and the Catacombs capacity regulations and security may change and delay tour departures, especially on national holidays and special events.
- The actual departure times can differ from the one selected.
- Knees & Shoulders MUST be covered for both men & women to enter the Vatican places!
- THE SISTINE CHAPEL COULD BE NOT ACCESSIBLE FOR SPECIAL RELIGIOUS EVENTS AND CEREMONIES.

Program
Morning tour: Catacombs tour with pick up at your hotel and drop off near the Vatican
Free break for lunch (about 1hr)
Evening tour: Private tour of the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel.
Pick up for your hotel from the Vatican
Tour schedule may vary. The effective scheduled time will be sent to you some days prior to the departure date.

NOTE: The choice of language is not applicable to drivers.
The order in which the sites will be visited can change

About Rome

Rome, the capital of Italy, is a city of ancient ruins, artistic masterpieces, and vibrant culture. Known as the Eternal City, it is a living museum where every corner tells a story of its rich history spanning over 2,500 years.

Top Attractions

Colosseum

The Colosseum is an iconic symbol of Rome and one of the most famous ancient amphitheaters in the world. It was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles.

Historical 1-2 hours €16 (combined ticket with Roman Forum and Palatine Hill)

Vatican City

Vatican City is an independent city-state enclaved within Rome. It is the spiritual and administrative center of the Roman Catholic Church.

Religious Half day €17 (Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel), Free (St. Peter's Basilica)

Roman Forum

The Roman Forum was the political, commercial, and legal hub of the Roman Republic and Empire. It is a sprawling ruin of temples, basilicas, and arches.

Historical 1-2 hours €16 (combined ticket with Colosseum and Palatine Hill)

Pantheon

The Pantheon is a former Roman temple, now a church, known for its large dome and oculus. It is one of the best-preserved ancient buildings in Rome.

Historical 30 minutes to 1 hour Free

Trevi Fountain

The Trevi Fountain is a Baroque masterpiece and the largest fountain in Rome. It is a popular spot for visitors to throw coins and make wishes.

Architecture 15-30 minutes Free

Must-Try Local Dishes

Cacio e Pepe

A simple yet delicious pasta dish made with Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper.

Pasta Vegetarian

Carbonara

A rich pasta dish made with eggs, Pecorino Romano, guanciale (cured pork cheek), and black pepper.

Pasta Contains pork and eggs

Supplì

Fried rice balls filled with mozzarella and tomato sauce.

Snack Vegetarian (some variations may contain meat)

Carciofi alla Romana

Artichokes braised with garlic, mint, and olive oil.

Vegetable Vegetarian

Popular Activities

Hiking in the Appian Way Regional Park Biking along the Tiber River Rock climbing in the nearby mountains Picnicking in Villa Borghese Gardens Boating on Lake Albano Enjoying a spa day at a luxury hotel Visiting the Vatican Museums Attending an opera at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma

Best Time to Visit

April to June, September to October

Spring and fall offer pleasant weather and fewer crowds compared to the summer peak. Ideal for sightseeing and outdoor activities.

15-30°C 59-86°F

Practical Information

Language

  • Official: Italian
  • Widely spoken: English, Spanish, French
  • English: Moderately spoken

Currency

Euro (EUR)

Time Zone

GMT+1 (CET), GMT+2 (CEST during daylight saving time)

Electricity

230VV, 50HzHz

Safety Information

Overall Safety Rating: Generally safe

Rome is generally safe for tourists, but pickpocketing and scams can be a problem in crowded areas. Be aware of your surroundings and take precautions to protect your belongings.

Important Precautions:
  • • Keep valuables secure and out of sight
  • • Use official taxis or ride-sharing services
  • • Be cautious of strangers approaching you with petitions or bracelets

Getting there

By air
  • Leonardo da Vinci International Airport • 35 km from city center
  • Ciampino Airport • 15 km from city center
By train

Roma Termini, Roma Tiburtina

By bus

Tiburtina Bus Station, Roma Termini

Getting around

Public transport

The metro system is efficient and covers major tourist areas. It operates from 5:30 AM to 11:30 PM.

Taxis

Available • Apps: Uber, FreeNow

Rentals

Car, Bike, Scooter

Neighborhoods

Trastevere Monti Prancipio Testaccio

Day trips

Ostia Antica
30 km from Rome • Half day

An ancient Roman port city with well-preserved ruins, including a theater, baths, and mosaics. It offers a glimpse into daily life in ancient Rome.

Tivoli
30 km from Rome • Full day

A picturesque town known for its stunning villas and gardens, including the famous Villa d'Este with its elaborate fountains and gardens.

Orvieto
120 km from Rome • Full day

A charming hilltop town known for its stunning cathedral, underground caves, and local wine. It offers a mix of history, culture, and scenic views.

Festivals

Natale di Roma • April 21 Festa de' Noantri • July Rome Film Festival • October

Pro tips

  • Visit major attractions early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid crowds
  • Use public transport or walk instead of taking taxis to save money and experience the city like a local
  • Try local specialties and ask for recommendations from locals and restaurant staff
  • Dress modestly when visiting religious sites and be respectful of local customs and traditions
  • Be aware of pickpockets and scams, especially in crowded areas and tourist hotspots
From $25 per person

Price varies by option

Adults
Age 13-100
1
Childs
Age 3-12
0
Infants
Age 0-2
0
Booking requirements:
  • Min travelers: 1
  • Max travelers: 15
  • Adult required for booking
Secure booking
Free cancellation available

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