Attractions: St. Peters Basilica

On this self-guided visit to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, you will use an exclusive fast-track entrance to begin your exploration. Inside, you can wander at your own pace through one of the world’s largest art collections. The route includes 54 galleries, among them four statue museums, where masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Raphael and Giotto sit alongside countless other works. As you move through the rooms, you will encounter sculptures, tapestries, frescoes and paintings that span centuries of artistic achievement. The Sistine Chapel is a major highlight, and you may spend as long as you like admiring its frescoes. Along the way, you will also experience the varied galleries that showcase different periods and styles. Please be aware that access to St Peter’s Basilica may occasionally be affected by unannounced closures. These situations are beyond our control and may change your plans for visiting that particular landmark.

On the I Love Rome Hop On Hop Off Panoramic Tour you’ll travel between Rome’s best-known sights with stops placed within comfortable walking distance of key monuments and neighbourhoods. The route is suitable for adults and children and is supported by a comprehensive audio guide in multiple languages that brings Rome’s history and culture to life as you move through the city. You’ll start near Stazione Termini, with Piazza della Repubblica, Via Nazionale, Palazzo Massimo and the Baths of Diocletian close by. The Santa Maria Maggiore stop gives access to the basilica and the Church of San Pietro in Vincoli, home to Michelangelo’s Moses. As you continue, you’ll pass the site of the Circo Massimo, Palatine Hill and the legendary Mouth of Truth. Piazza Venezia places you near Capitoline Hill, the Vittoriano, the Capitoline Museums and Crypta Balbi. The Vatican area and Castel Sant’Angelo stop brings you close to the Sistine Chapel, St Peter’s Basilica, the quaint streets of Borgo Pio and Castel Sant’Angelo itself, with lively Navona Square, Campo de’ Fiori and shopping on Via Cola di Rienzo not far away. You’ll also reach the Spanish Steps and Trinità dei Monti, the Borghese Gallery and Piazza del Popolo, plus Piazza Barberini with the Triton Fountain, the Trevi Fountain and the artistic riches of Palazzo Barberini.

A guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City will introduce you to its religious significance and architectural splendour. As you move through the church, you will take in the Renaissance and Baroque design, including the famous dome conceived by Michelangelo. Along the way you'll see masterpieces such as Michelangelo's Pietà and Bernini's Baldacchino, and your guide will explain their artistic and historical importance. You will learn about the basilica's role as the burial site of St. Peter and as a focus for major papal ceremonies. The tour also includes a visit to the Vatican Grottoes, where you can pause at the tombs of popes and saints, including the traditional resting place of St. Peter. Finally, you will ascend to the top of the dome for panoramic views over Vatican City and Rome, which will give you a new perspective on the Eternal City.

With timed, priority entry you'll step straight into the Vatican Museums and follow an expert guide through the must-see highlights. As you move through the galleries you'll see the breathtaking Sistine Chapel, the iconic Raphael Rooms and the stunning Gallery of Maps. Along the way your guide will explain the history, art and architecture behind each masterpiece so you gain context and a deeper appreciation of the works. For a more personal experience you can upgrade to a small-group tour, or extend your visit with priority access to St. Peter’s Basilica. St. Peter’s Basilica is not included in all tours; when it is, the guided visit will be followed by free time to explore on your own. If you prefer to focus exclusively on the basilica, a dedicated guided option is available that will look closely at its history, art and grand architecture. If you’re pressed for time, a 1.5-hour express tour is offered so you can breeze through the Vatican Museums and be among the first to admire the Sistine Chapel.

At St. Peter’s Basilica you'll gain skip-the-line entry and priority access to both the awe-inspiring upper church and the enigmatic underground Papal Grottoes. The ticket includes an exclusive visit to the papal tombs, so you can explore the sites often closed to general entry. As you move through the basilica at your own pace, you'll discover its rich history and admire the remarkable architecture. Along the way, take time to see the Renaissance masterpieces housed in the church and to reflect on the layers of art and faith that shaped this place. The visit combines the grandeur of the upper church with the quieter, more mysterious atmosphere of the grottoes and tombs, giving a rounded sense of the basilica’s significance.

On this Complete Vatican Tour you will enter with skip-the-line access to the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica, so you can move straight into the galleries. As you walk through specially selected rooms, your guide will point out major masterpieces and some lesser-known treasures. Highlights include the Raphael Rooms, the Belvedere Courtyard with the Apollo Belvedere and the Laocoön group, the Pinecone Courtyard, the Gallery of the Candelabra, the Gallery of the Maps and the Gallery of the Tapestries. The tour is led in English by an expert guide who will give historical context and memorable stories as you move through the collections. Your guide will prepare you for the Sistine Chapel, explain the meaning behind Michelangelo’s frescoes and help you spot details such as his self-portrait and stories about his quarrels with papal aides. From the Chapel you will usually follow a groups-only passage into St. Peter’s Basilica, where the guide will explain the church’s 120-year construction and point out its key works of art. You’ll be on a tour run by Walks Tours, an Accredited Tour Operator with an official ticketing agreement with the Vatican Museums. Note: the special passage between the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s is closed on Wednesday mornings and may be closed during special celebrations (including Easter); on those days you will instead explore more of the Vatican Museums’ galleries.

A visit to Rome often includes the Vatican, and this budget-friendly tour gives you skip-the-line access to the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica. As you move through the museums, excellent guides will entertain you with stories that accompany each masterpiece and point out the highlights you came to see. This option is presented as good value for money for travellers who want to see the museum’s main attractions, meet a few people in a small group, and avoid the long queues common at the Vatican. Along the way you’ll explore the museum highlights and end at the Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica, while the guide provides context and anecdotes to bring the art and architecture to life. Please note that you will be entering the Vatican Museums during one of the busiest times of the day. Although skip-the-line entry is included, crowds in the museums vary from day to day and some delay with security checks can be expected.

At Castel Sant’Angelo, you’ll enjoy faster entry so you can spend more time exploring a monument shaped by centuries of Roman history. Built originally as Emperor Hadrian’s mausoleum, the building later served as a fortress, a papal residence and even a prison. Along the way you’ll encounter those changing roles as you move through its rooms and defences. You’ll explore at your own pace, following the impressive spiral ramp that winds through the structure. An audio guide will help you uncover the layers of the site's past and put what you see into context. Finish on the rooftop terrace, where you’ll take in panoramic views over Rome — from St. Peter’s Basilica across to the city’s historic skyline.

On this small-group morning tour, you will be taken to explore two of Rome's most famous landmarks. You'll visit the Vatican Museums, where you'll be able to explore several galleries including the Pio Clementino Museum, the Gallery of Maps, the Gallery of the Candelabra, and the Gallery of Tapestries. Next, you'll visit the Sistine Chapel, home to Michelangelo's iconic frescoes. The tour ends with a visit to St Peter's Square. Here, you'll learn more about the city's history and the architecture of the basilica itself.

On this guided tour of the Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica, you will meet at Via Del Mascherino 88 and follow an expert guide into St. Peter’s Square. As you move through the square, the guide will explain the history of Nero’s Circus and reveal the ancient necropolis beneath. You will explore the Vatican Grottoes, where the tombs of Popes are located, including the burial site of Saint Peter, and gain insight into the layers of faith and history that shaped this place. Along the way you will admire major works of art inside the Basilica, including Michelangelo’s Pietà and Bernini’s bronze canopy over the main altar. After the guided portion, you may choose to stay longer inside the Basilica or climb the dome for panoramic views of Rome. The experience combines art, architecture and archaeology, giving you a close look at both sacred spaces and the treasures they contain.

At the Vatican Museums you'll meet an expert guide at the entrance and enjoy skip-the-line access to what is arguably the most important collection of art in the world. Your guide will know every nook and cranny of the museums and will navigate seamlessly through more than 1,200 galleries, pointing out highlights and context as you move between rooms. Much of the experience will be devoted to the Sistine Chapel, from its original commissioning to the finishing touches applied by Michelangelo Buonarroti. You will hear the true life story of this fascinating, often tormented artist — how he thought of himself as a sculptor rather than a painter and yet spent countless years executing frescoes on a ceiling some 44 feet high. Along the way your guide will explain the physical and psychological toll the work exacted and help you separate myth, fact and popular Hollywood fiction surrounding this epic masterpiece. At the end of the guided portion you can explore some of the remaining 1,400 galleries of art at your own pace, returning to areas that interested you most.

Saint Peter’s Basilica, one of Rome’s most iconic landmarks, is entered with priority access so you’ll avoid the main queues. With an audioguide already downloaded on your phone, you can explore at your own pace and listen as you move through the vast interior. Along the way you’ll see Michelangelo’s Pietà and take in the scale of the Basilica’s Dome, admire Bernini’s huge bronze canopy above the altar and the ornate baroque Chair of St. Peter. You’ll also visit the Tomb of Pope Alexander VII before descending to the lower level to view the Papal Tombs, including the Majestic Tomb of St. Peter. For an enhanced experience, choose the Dome access option. After an elevator ride and a climb of 326 steps, you’ll reach the top and look out over sweeping panoramic views of Vatican City and Rome. This option adds a strong architectural and visual finale to your self-guided visit.

You will begin in St Peter's Square, where you'll admire the surrounding architecture and the optical effects created by Bernini. As you move into St Peter's Basilica, you'll take in its splendour and the detailed mosaics that cover its surfaces. Your expert guide will explain why it took 150 years to reconstruct this emblematic building. Along the way you'll walk past famous Renaissance and Neoclassical masterpieces. You'll stand beneath the majestic 98.5-foot-high canopy and appreciate the expressive force and delicate beauty of Michelangelo's Pietà. The tour finishes in the underground grottoes, where you'll find St Peter's tomb and see the ancient walls of the original 4th-century Basilica, together with the frescoes that bear witness to the site's long history and artistry.

Visit St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City with priority access and dedicated assistance to help you enter more smoothly. As you move through the basilica, you’ll see renowned works of art and centuries of history: admire Michelangelo’s Pietà, take in Bernini’s Baldachin above the Papal Altar, and experience the atmosphere at the heart of the Catholic world. Every area you explore will reveal artistic and spiritual highlights tied to the church’s long history. You can also choose to upgrade your visit with reserved skip-the-line access to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. Alternatively, start your day with a classic Italian breakfast — a hot drink of your choice (coffee or cappuccino), a freshly baked cornetto and a fruit juice — which you may enjoy before or after your visit to St. Peter’s Basilica.

This skip-the-line ticket for the Vatican Museums will help you avoid long queues and enter via an escorted entrance through security. At the meeting point in Via Veniero 5 you will redeem your tickets; the service also includes advance reservation and staff support to help ensure a smooth entry and to provide helpful information before your visit. Once inside, you will be free to explore the museums at your own pace and admire masterpieces by Renaissance masters as you move through the galleries and into the Sistine Chapel. You can also choose the option with a guide for a deeper experience and more context as you go. You can add the chance to skip the long free-entry line into St. Peter’s Basilica and enter at your reserved time via a dedicated entry queue. Along the way, staff will be available to assist, so you can focus on the art, architecture and the unique atmosphere of the Vatican complex.