Vatican Museums Guided Tour to the Sistine Chapel

On this Vatican Museums guided tour you spend two to three hours in one of the holiest places in Christendom without standing in the ticket line. A licensed specialist leads the group through the highlights and also takes you to quieter corners that most visitors pass by.

The route starts in the Pine Courtyard and the Belvedere Courtyard, then crosses the map gallery, the Candelabra Gallery, the rooms of the Pio Clementino and the Tapestry Gallery. Along the way you see works by old masters such as Michelangelo and Raphael, before the walk reaches the Sistine Chapel.

• Fast-track entry to the museums and the Sistine Chapel
• St. Peter's Basilica without the line, if that option is picked, and Michelangelo's Pieta inside
• Headsets, so you hear the guide in busy rooms

A few practical points help. When the Basilica is closed, and on the rare days when it or the chapel shuts without notice, the tour covers other parts of the museums instead. Shoulders and knees must be covered, or entry may be refused. Every visitor passes an airport-style security check, which can take up to 30 minutes in high season. Anyone with special health needs should say so when booking. Transport and tips are not included, and the tour is not suitable for wheelchair users.