Vatican VIP Experience - Daily
- Duration: 5 Hours (approx.)
- Product code: PGWZGR
Vatican VIP Experience - No Crowds, daily morning tours
Rise bright and early and head into the Vatican Museums before the general public set foot inside. Your expert guide will lead you through a section of the museum complex to Pinecone Courtyard, where a sumptuous buffet breakfast will be ready and waiting for you.
Sit down outside and dine on an Italian-American breakfast of pastries, meats, cheeses, eggs, and even pancakes – flipped in front of you by a pancake chef! Savor the food with a coffee or fresh orange juice and soak up the peaceful ambiance of the Vatican free from the crowds!
After enjoying your relaxing start to your day, your guide will lead you back inside the Vatican Museum complex for your tour. At this point, members of the public are still not allowed inside, so there will only be a few other pre-booked tour groups exploring the museum alongside your small group of 16 – giving you plenty of space to enjoy the artwork.
The Vatican Museum complex is staggeringly huge, so your guide will show off its best bits on your 2.5-hour tour. Explore the Gallery of Maps to see intricately detailed maps, and gaze at visual illusions aplenty in the Gallery of Tapestries. Marvel at Renaissance frescoes in the interconnecting chambers that comprise Raphael’s Rooms, and then get ready for the glory of the Sistine Chapel.
As the pope’s private place of worship, the Sistine Chapel echoes with a sacred ambiance, made even more special by the incredible artwork that adorns the walls and ceiling. Hear the history and theories of Michelangelo’s famous frescoes from outside, and then head inside to gaze at The Creation of Adam and The Last Judgement on your own.
Your Vatican tour finishes with a skip-the-line visit to St Peter’s Basilica – the home of the Catholic Church – where more artistic treats await. Head inside via a reserved entranceway, and admire Michelangelo’s La Pieta sculpture, as well as Bernini’s Baldachino canopy, while hearing their history. You can then stay inside St Peter’s Basilica if you wish, after your tour ends.
