Best Private Vatican Tour with Early Entrance

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vatican city secrets

This is a private Vatican tour in the English language with an individual guide for those who wish to:

  • See everything possible in the Vatican City & Holy See, and learn its secrets without queues.
  • Get the most information in an accessible and informative form.
  • Close for yourself all the questions about the world’s smallest (and the most prosperous) state. After the tour, you can not only say, “I’ve been to the Vatican,” but tell your friends exciting facts you will remember for a lifetime.
  • Be proud that you didn’t just come here “for the record,” as most tourists do. Still, you also understood what, why, and how Michelangelo’s genius was depicted in the Sistine Chapel, how Rafael Santi painted the Papal rooms, and how and where one of the most valuable collections of works of art in the world came to be.

Especially for the most interested, we combined two tours of the Vatican:

  1. A dawn tour of the Vatican – the square, the cathedral, and the dome of St. Peter’s, the highest observation deck of the Eternal City. This tour focuses on the history, organization, and development of the Vatican as a city-state.
  2. The Vatican Museum tour – the most significant masterpieces from the 16 museums and the Sistine Chapel.

Our plan for a perfect start to the day:

  • At 6:30 am, we will meet at the Vatican border and get right into the most restricted state with a minimum queue of 5-10 minutes, instead of a 1-2 hour wait during the day.
  • At 7:00 am, we will enter St. Peter’s Cathedral, the largest Christian church in the world, and we will have about an hour to learn its secrets.
  • At 8:00 am we will climb the dome of the cathedral, it will take us about 5 minutes.
  • At 8:30 am, after enjoying the most beautiful view of Rome, the Vatican Gardens, and the buildings that can be seen only from the dome, we will go down to the roof to drink a cup of cappuccino and eat a croissant at the bar for Vatican workers. Then (if desired), we will send postcards to friends and family with the Vatican Post stamp.
  • At 9:00-9:30, we will get into the Vatican Museums (16 of them!) without queue, see all the main things and of course, visit the Sistine Chapel. In the end, with the bravest, we can go down to the tombs of the popes, located on the -1 floor.
  • At 12:30 you’ll be able to go for lunch in one of our recommended Italian restaurants, which open at about noon in Rome. What a perfect way to start the day.

We also recommend the Pope’s City Tour.

BOOK BEST PRIVATE VATICAN TOUR

Frequently Asked Questions
When is a private tour to the Vatican possible?
Every free date in the guide schedule, except Wednesdays and Sundays when the Vatican is closed for the papal audience in the morning. We strongly recommend booking the tour at least 3 weeks in advance.
What is the cost of a private tour to the Vatican?
The cost of the private tour to the Vatican is 550 euros for a group of up to 3 people. All tickets to the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and dome Observation Deck are included!
What is the duration of a private tour to the Vatican?
6 hours, from 6:30 am to 12:30.
Where is the meeting point for a private tour of the Vatican?
The meeting point is the entrance to St. Peter's Square. Here is the point on the map. Optionally, it's possible to arrange an early morning transfer from your hotel to the Vatican. The transfer cost is 60 euros for 3 people and 70 euros for 4-6 people. In any case, we will advise on how to get to the Vatican on your own in time.
What is the dress code in the Vatican during the tour?
The Vatican has a strict dress code, so your knees and shoulders must be covered. In summer, a simple short-sleeved shirt and pants or skirt below the knees are enough.
What is the maximum number of tourists on a Vatican private tour?
The maximum number of tourists on tour is 6 people. The extra fee for 4, 5, or 6 participants will be only 75 euros/person. We do not join other tourists to your company, as well as you to other groups. Remember, this is a private tour to the Vatican just for you. 
Touristic groups of more than 6 people cannot enter the cathedral before 09:00, and please get in touch with us to discuss options.
Will I have time to "see everything" in the Vatican Museums?
To see all 16 Vatican museums, thousands of exhibits, and the Sistine Chapel in detail, you will need several months and dozens of visits. Any tour of the Vatican Museums involves concentrating on all the most exciting and valuable things. Of course, if you want to pay more attention, for example, to the papal garage or the Egyptian museum, sacrificing some other exhibits, the guide will adjust to your wishes. We recommend a 4-hour program for maximum museum exposure from 1:30–2 pm. For a general understanding of the scope of the museums and an overview of the essential things to see, we recommend this program "All Vatican" at dawn from 6:30, or the "Friday-Saturday evening tour," which takes approximately 2.5 hours to visit the museums.
What to do after the Vatican tour?
We recommend going to Trastevere for lunch or diving in with us. In this case, we will go right after the Sistine Chapel (take a taxi=15 euros) to Janiculum Hill and go down to Trastevere Walking Tour for the most delicious pizza in Rome. Extra charge +200 euros, you'll be free around 3 pm. Then, you can go back to the hotel to sleep and visit another unforgettable tour, the Magic OF Night Rome in the evening.

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Author: Kate Zusmann

For the last 10 years, I live in the Eternal City. Traveling, exploring new things, writing blogs, and shooting vlogs are my main hobbies, but the thing that I like even more is sharing my experience and thoughts with you! Explore Rome with Us :)

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