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Semi-Private Sistine Chapel First Entry Experience with Vatican Museums

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Roma, Italy
Semi-Private Sistine Chapel First Entry Experience with Vatican Museums
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Semi-Private Sistine Chapel First Entry Experience with Vatican Museums
Sistine Chapel
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From $64.19

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Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance. Learn more
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Safety measures
icon1 to 4 hours  (approx.)
iconOffered in: English

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Overview

Visit the Sistine Chapel before the crowds arrive on this guided first-entry experience to the Vatican Museums complex with a semi-private group of up to 10 people. Explore at your own pace, accompanied by an expert guide, stopping to admire Michelangelo’s famous ceiling fresco and his other works in a tranquil, crowd-free atmosphere.
  • First Entrance into the Vatican Museums & the Sistine Chapel before the general public
  • Enjoy Michelangelo's masterpieces before the crowds arrive
  • Take the time to explore the Vatican Museum for as long as you want
  • Share the experience with a small group of up to 10 people

Why Travelers Choose This Tour

Be among the first people of the day inside the Sistine Chapel with this ticket.
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From $64.19

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First Entrance into the Vatican Museums
First Entry Experience to the Sistine Chapel
Tickets to the Vatican Museums and all reservation fees
All Day Access to the Vatican Museums
Semi-Private group of 10 people or less
Expert, English-speaking guide
Gratuities
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Food and drinks, unless specified
Via Tunisi, 4 , Via Tunisi, 4, 00192 Roma RM, Italy
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At the bottom of the steps across the street from the Entrance of the Vatican Museums. The steps are located right next to Caffè Vaticano on the corner of Viale Vaticano and Via Tunisi. The closest Metro stop is Line A (Ottaviano – Musei Vaticani).

8:00 AM
Sistine Chapel , 00120, Vatican City
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Your early morning Vatican experience starts as you meet your host outside the Vatican Museums. Go in and head directly to the Sistine Chapel, the pope’s private place of worship, which is normally the last thing seen on a tour of the Museums complex. However, with this ticket, enter the chapel as one of the first visitors of the day, allowing you to enjoy it without the crowds.

Gaze in awe at Michelangelo’s iconic ceiling fresco, 'The Creation of Adam,' as well as 'The Last Judgment,' his blue fresco that adorns the back wall of the chapel. Talking is not allowed inside; learn about these Renaissance masterpieces before you enter. After seeing the chapel, you're able to explore the Vatican Museums at your own pace.

Your tour concludes back in St. Peter's Square, where you're able to take in the architectural splendor of the Vatican.
Itinerary
Pass By:  
Vatican City
With this First Entry Experience to the Vatican Museums you will admire the Sistine Chapel at its best, without the notoriously large crowds.
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Stop At:  
Vatican Museums
After your once-in-a-lifetime Sistine Chapel experience, you have the option to visit the Vatican Museums without having to leave and enter again. Besides full-day tickets, we also provide a map of the 9-mile-long museum and an introduction to its highlights - everything you need to design your own itinerary, enjoying the world-renowned art collections at your own pace.
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Duration: 2 hours 
Admission Ticket Included
Pass By:  
Cortile della Pigna
Pass by the Pine Cone Courtyard to admire Vatican Museums from a different angle
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Stop At:  
Sistine Chapel
Your experience begins just outside the Vatican Museums in the early morning, where you’ll receive your tickets and be accompanied to the Sistine Chapel. There, you’ll have the time and the space to contemplate its beauty. This is a far cry from the crowded afternoons when there's barely room to move around in, let alone appreciate, this incredible space. To this day, critics say that no artist’s work has ever approached the scale, technical skill and sense composition of Michelangelo’s frescoes. People the world over have been awestruck by the powerful imagery of the “Creation of Adam,” painted on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, while others have marvelled at “The Last Judgment,” which adorns the altar wall. You’ll have the luxury to see these 15th century masterpieces for yourself, up close and personal.
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Duration: 30 minutes
Admission Ticket Included
  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. 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
  • St Peter's Basilica, the grottos and the dome: After the tour, you may visit these attractions on your own. Your tour will end at the front of St Peter's Basilica, which is a very convenient location to leave for lunch, visit the Vatican bookstore, visit the Vatican post office, enter St Peter's Basilica, continue to the grottos below St Peter's or climb to the dome. Your tour guide will be happy to point you in the right direction!
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Near public transportation
  • Most travelers can participate
  • Please note: Due to the current circumstances and regulations, the Vatican currently opens at 8:30am instead of 8:00am. However, by arriving at the line 30 minutes before the doors open, you will be one of the first visitors to enter the Sistine Chapel and enjoy the Museums in peace before the crowds arrive.
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers
  • OPERATED BY City Wonders Ltd
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Learn more about cancellations.

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Q:
What is the policy on face masks and attendee health during Semi-Private Sistine Chapel First Entry Experience with Vatican Museums?
A:The policies on face masks and attendee health are:

  • Face masks required for travelers in public areas
  • Face masks required for guides in public areas
See all safety measures taken by Semi-Private Sistine Chapel First Entry Experience with Vatican Museums.
Q:
What is the social distancing policy during Semi-Private Sistine Chapel First Entry Experience with Vatican Museums?
A:The policy on social distancing is:

  • Social distancing enforced throughout experience
See all safety measures taken by Semi-Private Sistine Chapel First Entry Experience with Vatican Museums.

Traveler Photos

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Traveler Tips

  • "There are other tour groups, but no where near as the mass crowds as usual.this tour is highly recommended for all." See review
  • "Don't worry, you will still have the opportunity to explore the museums after you visit the Chapel." See review
  • "Show up early, grab some cappuccino before the tour, and get ready for the experience of a lifetime!" See review

Reviews

4.5
star-4.5
898 Reviews
5 stars
664
4 stars
157
3 stars
36
2 stars
18
1 star
23

Reviews by Viator travelers

Showing 1-10 of 898 reviews
star-5
Great experience
Dan_F
, May 2022
Even though this was a return visit to Sistine Chapel and museum - with Elisabetta, we learned new things and had a better appreciation of what we were seeing
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star-4
Our guide was very...
Sheila_S
, Apr 2022
Our guide was very experienced and knowledgeable about the site. She brought a richness to the tour that we wouldn’t have had otherwise.
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star-5
Sistine Chapel without the crowds
Rachel_A
, Apr 2022
Oscar was an excellent guide and provided a lot of great info while being relatable and friendly. I appreciated that this tour gets you to the chapel before all the crowds and then you have all the time in the world (or as long as your teenagers can handle) to view the remainder of the collections.
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star-5
Very nice guide, and good...
Hanna_E
, Apr 2022
Very nice guide, and good to share her knowledge about the sistine chapel. We appreciated that we got good time for us selves to view the Michelangelo paintongd.
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-5
Amazing experience! We love it.
Jeffrey_S
, Apr 2022
Great tour! We weren’t the first in as advertised but we were certainly before the major crowds and our guide was fantastic, moving us through the museum to the Sistine before it got busy. We saw wonderful things and really enjoyed the whole experience.
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-2
Not good value for money.
Vivienne_H
, Apr 2022
Waiting in long queues and no sign of a semi private experience. The guide was disappointing and seemed I’ll prepared for the task.
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star-5
Great tour of the Sistine chapel.
Nina_G
, Mar 2022
Amazing tour if you want to see the Sistine Chapel. Our tourguide Oskar was great, very knowledgeable. The meeting point was easy to find. We had six people in our group. Early entrance, skipping the line. Everything was as advertised.
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-5
Vatican visit 👌
lorna_l
, Feb 2022
Our guide was Oscar and he was excellent the insights with regards to the fresxo’s in the sinstine chapel made the day! Highly recommend the eatly tour to beat the crowds as well 👌
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star-1
WORST EXPERINECE IN ROME
Laura_D
, Dec 2021
I paid 20 euro more per person for this Tour. Nothing advertised was correct! SCAM!!!!!! Tour was managed by CITYGUIDE!!!! Unapologetic and unprofessional from start to end. Our guide was knowledgeable but wasn't enough to save our day. day but First Entry before the crowd - APPOINTMENT WAS AT 8:00AM WE ENTERED AT 9:00AM Promised 2 hours 30 minutes (Approx.) - 1 HOUR TOUR Group of max 10 people - WE WERE IN 18 Beat the crowds with skip-the-line access Direct entry into St. Peter’s Basilica - NO DIRECT ENTRY INTO ST PETER'S BASILICA AT ALL The worst experience that we had in Rome!!!!!!
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star-1
Dreadful organisation!
Gerard_H
, Dec 2021
The guide arrived late and then told us our First Entry Experience wasn’t going to happen due to an ‘administrative error’ and we’d have to wait an hour. Our subsequent tour didn’t start in the Sistine Chapel as had been promised. Hugely disappointing!
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star-5
Wonderful experience!
Megan_B
, Dec 2021
Our tour was fantastic! The guide was very helpful and knowledgeable. We were able to spend so much time in the chapel and we both really appreciated our guide's insights into the art and history.
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star-1
Leave 2 hours before you need to be anywhere
Stephanie_B
, Dec 2021
We sadly missed this tour even though we budgeted an hour for a 15 minute taxi. The company is not flexible with refunds. We did the tour through the Vatican and did audio and would recommend it over being locked in with these companies. BEWARE NO FLEXIBILITY!!!!!
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-4
Wonderful tour
MaryAnne_W
, Dec 2021
The tour guide knew a lot about the Sistine Chapel and was well prepared to explain the paintings before we entered the chapel so we knew what we were looking at.
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star-5
Great tour! Well worth the cost!!!!
Meg_H
, Dec 2021
Kristina was a very passionate and friendly guide. She really wanted to know what we were interested in and added those things to our tour. I learned so much about the art in the museum and chapel that I never knew. My online experience to get the tickets and information was efficient and meeting Kristina beforehand on the steps was easy!!! She was standing at the top and had a list and checked me and my daughter off in a couple of seconds. We waited a few minutes and then we were at the front of the line. We were the only people in many parts of the museum! Kristina knew where to take us to have many one-of-a-kind experiences. My tour at the entire Vatican was tremendous! Thank you!! Highly recommended!!!
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star-5
Fun family
Tayna_S
, Dec 2021
Our guide knew so much it was great. She walked us through every aspect I wouldn’t have known if I just went myself
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star-5
To the point, informative, beautiful
Claudia_L
, Nov 2021
Gio, our tour guide (pls forgive me if I’m misspelling), was extremely knowledgeable. It’s truly a treat to have the halls empty prior to the crowds. We did a walk through without the crowds then decided we wanted to see some works a second time and by that time the crowds were rampant. You truly appreciate the private ambiance offered by this “first entry” experience.
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star-4
Sistine chapel
Harlan_H
, Nov 2021
Guide was great. The Viator website totally sucks getting you to the starting point. Click here for google maps takes you 2 blocks away.
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star-5
Nice experience and great...
Ariga_M
, Oct 2021
Nice experience and great . Must visit this place. One of the best of rome. Love italy 🇮🇹 so much.
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star-5
Time well spent
Megan_M
, Oct 2021
DG was one of the best tour leaders I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. He was polite, knowledgeable, and insightful. Fabulous tour !
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star-5
Amazing experience!
Elyvette_F
, Oct 2021
Our guide was perfect! She gave us all the information and explain the history to see the Sistine Chapel with some perspective. It was amazing!
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