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Offered languages
- German
- Portuguese
- Japanese
- English
- Italian
- French
- Spanish
This experience combines the freedom of exploring on your own with the reassurance of a well-organized visit. Instead of being rushed in a big group, you enter with a pre-booked timed ticket and use an official Vatican audio guide to discover the highlights at your own pace.
You follow a clearly suggested route through the most important galleries – the Pinecone Courtyard, Pio-Clementino Museum, Gallery of Maps, Tapestries, and more – while the audio guide explains masterpieces like the Laocoön Group, the Apollo Belvedere, Raphael’s frescoes and, of course, Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. You decide where to spend more time and where to move on.
This option is ideal if you prefer to avoid large, crowded tours but still want expert commentary. With confirmed entry, structured audio commentary, and the freedom to go at your own rhythm, this experience is one of the most comfortable and smart ways to visit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
Please enter the main entrance to the Vatican Museum with the tickets we provide when you make the reservation.
Itinerary
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1Vatican Museums
Your experience begins at the Vatican Museums entrance, where you join the line for security and enter with your pre-booked, timed ticket. After the security check, you’ll make your way inside the Museums and collect your audio guide at the dedicated desk. The staff will show you how it works and you’ll receive a map so you can easily follow the suggested route. You’ll start in the Cortile della Pigna (Pinecone Courtyard), a beautiful open-air courtyard that offers your first panoramic view of the Vatican Museums complex. Here, your audio guide introduces the history of the Vatican, the popes, and the origins of this incredible art collection. From there, you continue into the Pio-Clementino Museum, home to some of the world’s most famous ancient sculptures. With the audio guide you’ll learn the stories behind masterpieces such as the Laocoön Group and the Apollo Belvedere, and discover how these classical works inspired Renaissance artists.
45 minutes • Admission ticket included -
2Sistine Chapel
Depending on the route open on the day, you’ll also have the chance to pass through or near the Raphael Rooms, where your audio guide explains the stories and symbolism behind Raphael’s frescoes, including the famous School of Athens. Your visit culminates in the Sistine Chapel, the spiritual heart of the Vatican Museums. Here, with your audio guide, you can quietly admire Michelangelo’s ceiling and the Last Judgment, learning how he created these scenes and the hidden details many visitors miss. Please note that the Sistine Chapel is a place of worship, so silence and appropriate clothing (shoulders and knees covered) are required. After visiting the Sistine Chapel, you’re free to continue exploring any open sections of the Museums at your own pace, revisit your favorite rooms, or exit when you’re ready. Most visitors spend around 1-2 hours inside, but your self-guided format allows you to decide how long to stay and which areas to focus on.
45 minutes • Admission ticket included
Additional info
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
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Cancellation Policy
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
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Cancellation Policy
This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
You will not receive a refund if you cancel.
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