vatican tour after hours

Vatican After Hours Tour with Sistine Chapel

Book a unique experience that visits the vatican in the early evening with fewer crowds.

Looking for a more unique way to visit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel? You'll love this tour that lets you spend your day exploring Rome before entering the Vatican Museums in the early evening when most of the crowds have left. You'll have VIP after-hours access to the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel to enjoy a quieter evening exploring the incredible art with your local guide. Your quiet time in the Sistine Chapel will be unforgettable after hearing your guide's stories of its creation.

• The Vatican Museums at night
• Pio-Clementino
• Laocoön and His Sons
• Belvedere Torso
• Nero’s Bath
• Gallery of Candelabra
• Galley of Tapestries
• Gallery of Maps

Raphael Rooms

• Borgia Apartments
• Sistine Chapel
• Creation of Man
• Last Judgement

Don't miss out on this unusual opportunity to explore the Vatican in the early evening when other tourists have gone back into Rome. Your local guide will lead you from the top of the steps at Caffe Vaticano into the Vatican Museums. Their passionate knowledge will bring the art and architecture to life as you explore the Sistine Chapel, the Raphael Rooms, and other areas. This small group tour is ideal for anyone who enjoys adventuring in the evening hours when attractions are less busy. This VIP evening access has limited availability on summer weekends, so don't wait to book!

Vatican and Sistine Chapel Night Tour Description

Your 2-hour tour includes:

After-hours access to the Vatican and Sistine Chapel

A quieter experience with fewer people

A guided tour of the Vatican Museums and Galleries

Raphael Rooms and School of Athens

Free time to explore on your own

An expert English-speaking guide  

Maximum group size of 20

Evening Tour of the Vatican

Take an art history journey with your expert Vatican guide as you walk through the rooms of the most fascinating museums on earth. You'll see works of art in the Pinecone Courtyard and get a great view of St. Peter's Basilica in the evening light, before stepping inside to see some of the world-famous masterpieces kept safely within the Vatican walls.

Pio-Clementino Museum and Nero’s Bathtub

Your tour begins with a visit to the Pio-Clementino Museum, where you'll see three of the most iconic statues in the world. Learn about the myths and legends associated with the Apollo Belvedere , Laocoön and His Sons , and the Belvedere Torso . You'll also visit one of the biggest and oldest bathtubs you'll ever see!

Vatican Galleries

Entering in the afternoon after the majority of the crowds have left, you'll follow your guide through the Candelabra Gallery, Gallery of the Tapestries and Gallery of Maps. Admire the ancient Roman and Greek statues, the Flemish tapestries created by Raphael's students, and the gorgeous topographical depictions of Italy. You'll hear the stories behind these treasures from your expert guide as the Vatican secrets are slowly unveiled to you.

Next on this unforgettable walking tour are the Raphael Rooms. These four galleries are dedicated to one of the true masters of the Renaissance, and you'll find his most famous painting School of Athens displayed here. Take in the stunning frescoes and hear how Pope Julius II commissioned the art, as well as the complex techniques used to create them.

The Sistine Chapel at Night

Your guided evening Vatican tour concludes in Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, where the ceiling and the altar wall are adorned by world-famous and inspiring frescoes. Only when you enter the Sistine Chapel is it clear how high the ceiling is and how many paintings are up there. At this point, it is impossible not to appreciate how difficult is must have been for Michelangelo to lay on his back and toil at his masterpiece, year after year.

The Sistine Chapel is a place of worship, so visitors are not allowed to speak inside the chapel. Your guide will explain what you'll see in advance and provide you with a map or handout for reference before you enter. Men and women must cover their knees and shoulders before entering, so it's recommended to bring a shawl, scarf, or sweater you can quickly put on.

Take Your Time and Explore the Collections

Depending on your tour time, feel free to explore more of the Vatican on your own after your tour finishes. You can revisit your favorite works of art or simply wander around to enjoy the incredibly peaceful atmosphere of the museums without the daytime crowds.

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See what people are saying

165 total reviews

A humorless forced march through the Vatican Museums, and expensive!

Too long! The guide pretty clearly wished she was anywhere else. No emphasis on highlights, just getting through it. Sistine Chapel at the end! And very crowded. There’s an engaging way to experience the Vatican Museums, which I would pay for, but this wasn’t it.

show more reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

What to bring?

Comfortable shoes are always recommended for walking tours.

Is there a way to see the Vatican without a guided tour?

Yes, it's possible, though you may find the experience lacking and only daytime access is available. But you can click here for skip the line Vatican tickets .

What if I have concerns about my mobility on this tour? 

If you have any doubts about your mobility, we suggest taking a private Vatican tour so we can better accommodate your needs.

Does the Vatican ever experience unexpected closures?

During state visits or special religious events, parts of the Vatican may be closed unexpectedly and without much notice. If an area normally visited during a tour is suddenly closed, our guide will still provide explanations of the closed areas from outside. They will even show you another gallery to compensate for the lost time in the usual location.

Does this tour include the Sistine Chapel?

Yes! The Sistine Chapel is attached to the Vatican Museums and your tickets include a visit to Michelangelo's masterpiece.

Does this tour include St. Peter's Basilica?

This tour does not include a visit to St. Peter's Basilica because it is closed at night.

Is there a dress code to enter the religious sites on this tour?

e ask both men and women to cover knees and shoulders, otherwise the Vatican might refuse entry to religious sites and you’ll miss out on a portion of your tour. We understand the summers in Rome can be hot, so a great alternative is to bring a shawl/scarf/sweater with you. That way you can cover your knees and shoulders when necessary.

Free 24-hr cancellation on group tours! Learn more

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Vatican Museum After Hours Private Tour With Aperitif – Vip Experience

Adding item to wishlist requires an account, already a member, don't have an account create one., vatican museum after hours | vatican museums private tours with an aperitif. exclusive tours of the vatican museum and sistine chapel | vatican city vip experience.

Vatican Museum After Hours. A truly classy experience! A glass in hand as you explore the lovely galleries at the Vatican Museums with a private guide.

Vatican Museum After Hours. Inclusions:

Vatican museums, sistine chapel.

Vatican Museum After Hours Private Tour with Aperitif 3 hrs. | Start: 7.15 p.m. | VIP Experience | Meeting Point: Entrance of Vatican Museums, by the marble arch at the bottom of the steps. This is an evening tour not to be missed. A fresh Italian cocktail while exploring the galleries in the Vatican Museums. Then, visit the charming Sistine Chapel in the quiet of the night. An unforgettable experience awaits. The evening tours of the Vatican Museum are only offered every Friday during the summer months. This tour is ideal for visitors who wish to avoid the harsh summer sun and prefer to tour in the cool of the night. You will get to experience a beloved Italian evening tradition call called an ‘Aperitivo’ or also known as an ‘Aperitif,’ which is a starter drink before a meal. Along with it, you will be sampling some snacks as well.

Vatican Museum After Hours | Would skip the line tickets come on you will enter right into the Vatican museums to begin your tour. Upon arrival, you will be offered an aperitive which is usually an alcoholic drink, but if you don’t drink alcohol please let us know before that war so that we can organize another drink for you. You will also enjoy some Italian snacks before your tour begins. Your expert private guide who has deep knowledge of art in history will take you to the many galleries such as – Gallery of Tapestries, Gallery of Maps, Gallery of Tapestries, Gallery of the Candelabra and Raphael’s Rooms. You are going to see artwork, sculptures tapestry, maps and so much more.

Vatican Museum After Hours | Before you enter the Sistine Chapel, you will be briefed by your guide as speaking is not allowed inside the Chapel. Here you will see Renaissance art at its best. You will see the beautiful ceilings painted by Michelangelo which took almost five years to paint. Some images to look out for are – The Creation of Adam, Separation of Land from Sea, Separation of Light from Darkness and The Flood.

The Vatican Museum After Hours Tour Is An Unmissable Tour Of Indulgence!

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Vatican Museum After Hours. Important Reminder – Vatican Museum After Hours Private

Tour with aperitive vip experience.

• There is a dress code to the Vatican which applies to children too. Shoulders and knees must be covered.
• St Peter’s Basilica is not part of this tour as it is closed in the evenings.
• The Vatican Museums get rather busy during summer and after a bank holiday.
• Not available for wheelchair users
• Rome Vip Tours

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Alone In The Vatican: Exclusive VIP Access Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Tour

275 reviews

Why take this tour?

• Join one of the most exclusive Vatican tours with super-special early and after-hours access.
• Relish in the serenity of the Vatican, spending two hours alone with your small group and expert guide wandering the silent and elegant halls.
• Marvel at one of the most iconic artistic masterpieces in the world—Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel—with almost nobody else around.
• Explore the Vatican Museums in-depth with an expert guide. You’ll have easy access to them, who can answer any question you have about this extraordinary destination.
• Sites Visited
• Vatican Museums
• Sistine Chapel
• Raphael Rooms
• Pinecone Courtyard
• Gallery of the Candelabra
• Gallery of the Maps
• Gallery of the Tapestries
• Octagonal Courtyard
• Tour Includes
• Local English-speaking guide
• Expertly guided walking tour
• Skip-the-line ticket to the Vatican Museums
• VIP access to the Sistine Chapel

Embark on a guided journey through the Sistine Chapel that few people get to experience.

Total customer reviews: 275, latest reviews.

Meeting Point

Meeting Point   

Vatican Museums Entrance. Meet on the short flight of stairs in front of the entrance door. These doors are surrounded by white marble and have "Mvsei Vaticani" engraved above the door in the stone. Your guide will be holding a green Walks sign.  

Please meet 15 minutes prior to the tour start time.   

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Vatican After-Hour Tour | Private

Experience the vatican museums and sistine chapel in the serene still of night and all to yourself, request your tour.

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For More Information

Why Choose It?

• Enter the Vatican alone after hours in your very own private tour .
• Admire  Michelangelo’s magnum opus , the Sistine Chapel,  without any crowds .
• Venture deeper into the Vatican, viewing plenty of off-limits areas .

Tour Description

Enjoy the ultimate experience of being alone with  Michelangelo’s masterpiece  – the  Sistine Chapel . Once the day’s crowds have dispersed and the Vatican is shrouded in silence, you’ll be left to appreciate this mesmerizing work of art in the company of an expert art historian and in the intimacy of your own private tour.

Our exclusive Silver Partner Collaboration gives you complete run of the Vatican Museums . What’s more, you’ll be granted exclusive access to rooms that are normally kept closed to the public. The  Niccoline Chapel ,  Cabinet of Masks , and  Bramante Staircase  are just some of the restricted access wonders you’ll explore. Read on to discover more.

Enter the Vatican Museums just as they close to the public

Stepping inside the Vatican Museums at either in the morning at 5:45 or 6:30 am or in the evening at 6 or 7 pm, you will enjoy full VIP access that allows you to visit parts of the Vatican’s vast collection that few people ever get to see. Your passionate ,  professional guide  will reveal all the  secrets  and  symbols  behind its world-defining artworks. And because you’ll be alone, you’ll have the  personalized attention  to ask any question about any of these masterpieces that has been burning away in the back of your mind.

Explore the Pinecone Courtyard

Deriving its name from the giant statue of a pinecone at its head, the  Pinecone Courtyard  is truly a sight to behold. Designed by  Donato Bramante , who laid the design foundations for Saint Peter’s Basilica later realized by Michelangelo, it once formed part of the  Belvedere Courtyard .

Boasting stunning  views of Saint Peter’s Dome  and a curious spherical structure by the Italian sculptor  Arnaldo Pomodoro , the courtyard originally connected the palace of Pope Innocent VIII with the private papal chapel – known more commonly as the  Sistine Chapel .

Explore the Vatican’s Gallery of Maps

As we wander the storied halls of the Vatican Museums, we will come upon galleries whose collections guide us through art, history, and space. The  Gallery of Maps , with its bright golden ceiling, is illuminated with  wall frescoes  depicting how people of the 16th century understood their world. Their artist was  Ignazio Danti , a Dominican friar, who topographically mapped Italy and its islands in such detail they still resonate with us today.

Step inside the Gallery of the Candelabra

We visit the  Gallery of the Candelabra , famous not so much for the beautifully decorated ornament which gives the gallery its name, but for the plethora of ancient statues that congregate upon its floors. Lined with luminous marble and divided into six sections, the Gallery of the Candelabra is a  treasure trove of ancient artworks , just waiting for you to explore it alone.

Lose yourself among the Gallery of Tapestries

We then come to the aesthetically awe-inspiring  Gallery of Tapestries . Lining the walls of this stretching medieval corridor are Flemish designs so intricate they need to be seen to be believed. Narrating various episodes in history and liturgy, from the  assassination of Julius Caesar  to the  Resurrection of Christ , they house a wealth of secrets which your expert guide will unlock.

Surround yourself with the stunning frescoes of the Raphael Rooms

Michelangelo’s  Sistine Chapel  draws almost all of the Vatican’s crowds. But while he was working away on painting its ceiling, his contemporary rival, the famous  Raphael , was decorating a papal residence with some unparalleled frescoes of his own.

Several frescoes line the walls of the  Raphael Rooms  (though not all were painted by him – some were the work of his pupils). Your tour will explore the most enchanting, allowing you to lose yourself in their  powerful scenes  while your guide injects them with the historical context that visitors without a guide never get.

Meet famous figures in the School of Athens

The Raphael Rooms contain one of the world’s most famous frescoes, the  School of Athens , which decorates the walls of the Segnatura. Amalgamating all of  antiquity’s great thinkers  in one scene – and inserting contemporary artists for good measure – Raphael created an artwork that raises philosophical questions about our pursuit of knowledge while indulging the eyes with the intricacy of its designs.

Marvel at Nero’s Bathtub

Recovered from the emperor’s  Golden Palace , part of which survives  beside the Colosseum , this giant  porphyry bath  is now one of the Vatican Museums’ centerpieces. Standing on an ornate, ancient  mosaicked floor  and surrounded by statues of emperors and gods – including a remarkable bronze Hercules, its size and splendor are breathtaking and give a real sense of the emperor’s opulence.

Go behind the scenes to explore the Room of the Masks

The  Room of the Masks  is a true Vatican treasure, containing ancient mosaics so splendid they once decorated an  imperial villa . The room takes its name not from any actual masks, but from the design of one of these mosaics. It was brought to the Vatican from the  emperor Hadrian ’s residence at  Tivoli , Villa Adriana, and is so remarkably well preserved you would be forgiven the stones were embedded yesterday.

Acquaint yourself with the Pope’s private Niccoline Chapel

The  Pope’s private chapel  is a true artistic masterpiece. The pinnacle of 15th-century Christian humanism, its scenes depict episodes from the lives of many famous saints. The stories of  Saint Steven  and  Saint Laurence  play out mesmerizingly before you – their protagonists even after nearly  600 years , so lifelike they could be in the room with you.

Visit the Sistine Chapel after-hours and be alone with Michelangelo

Your two hour tour concludes at the apex of the Vatican’s collection , the resplendent  Sistine Chapel . Most visitors in Rome experience the Sistine Chapel when it’s packed to capacity, but our  Alone with Michelangelo  tour lets you come face to face with his  magnum opus , in the  still serenity of the evening .

Nourish yourself on your expert guide’s knowledge as they breathe life into its lifelike frescoes. Put the scenes of its ceiling into context, understanding more than just the  Creation of Adam  but the subtleties of  Michelangelo ’s decorative program.

Finally, come face to face with the  Last Judgement , one of the most powerful artworks of the ages, and leave feeling like you’ve experienced the Vatican like few others on earth.

• Itinerary: Pinecone Courtyard Vatican Highlights Raphael Rooms Sistine Chapel
• Included: Round-trip transfer Skip-the-line tickets and reservations Private licensed guide Private Sistine Chapel & Vatican Museums opening
• Wheelchair accessible: Yes. (Itinerary may differ).
• Meeting Point: Hotel Lobby

excellent guides

Our guides are fluent in English and have a contagious passion for the inspiring cultural heritage of our Italian cities. Experts in their fields, they will immerse you in the hidden histories and intriguing lives of history's great protagonists. So much to see, so easy to miss out: with the help of our guides, visit the most absorbing sites and uncover the stories that have changed the world. Don't miss this fascinating journey!

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After Hours Visit to the Vatican Museums & the Sistine Chapel

An exclusive, private after hours Vatican Museums tour. Let Italy’s Best organize this once in a lifetime experience with a expert guide.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• This exclusive tour of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel begins after it closes to the general public .
• Visit the Vatican art galleries after closing hours  — a special once-in-a-lifetime experience
• Visit the Museo Pio Clementino, Le Stanze di Raffaello (The Raphael Rooms) painted by Raffaelo for Pope Julius II,
• End in the  fabled Sistine Chapel where you’ll get to experience the magic of viewing Michelangelo’s masterpiece without the crowds.

Description

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Take a Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums Tour

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Visiting the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel when they're closed to the general public is an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience. During normal opening hours, the Vatican Museums are almost always crowded, and the sheer mass of people can sometimes make it feel like you are being herded through the many galleries and corridors. Between the crowds and the vastness of the museums, it can be difficult to fully appreciate the experience.

Tour company The Roman Guy is one of a handful of outfits in Rome who can gain privileged, small-group access to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. Depending on which tour you choose, your group of 12 or so people may be the only ones in the Sistine Chapel—an amazing and spine-tingling experience for lovers of art and history. The Roman Guy's expert guides will lead you through other important museum collections, pointing out items of special interest and providing background information.

The premium privileged access tour is the VIP After Hours Tour, when it's just your small group and your private guide. Another option, the small group Vatican Under the Stars Evening Tour is available on Friday evenings. The 3-hour tour starts with Saint Peter's Basilica, then continues to the Vatican Museums, where you'll take a guided journey through art history, and on to the Sistine Chapel. The museum is open on Friday evenings but to a much more limited number of people, so it will be much less crowded than during the day.

For early risers, the Pre-Opening Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St.Peter's Basilica Private Tour begins one hour before opening time, starting with the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel and then continuing into Saint Peter's Basilica. Crowds will be smaller than during regular daytime tours, although it will get more crowded toward the end of the tour.

Other Private Tours

The only tour guides who are allowed to lead before or after hours tours are those who are Vatican City accredited tour operators so not all tour companies can provide VIP access.  Context Travel , Select Italy  and Italy With Us  are among the recommended companies offering high-end, private, after-hours tours of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel.

The Vatican Museums average 20,000 visitors per day so taking a privileged entrance tour is definitely the best way to visit. These tours should be booked at least 2 weeks in advance. Note that the Museums and Sistine Chapel are part of the Catholic Church and proper dress is required—knees and shoulders must be covered and hats must be removed.

The Vatican Museums

With more than 1400 rooms, the Vatican Museums is the world's largest museum complex. Pope Julius II was a patron of Renaissance artists and first opened the first museum in the early 16th century to house his private collection. New popes added their collections and now there's an amazing amount of art, spanning 3,000 years of history and culture, displayed in the pontifical museums and galleries.

The Sistine Chapel

The famous Sistine Chapel was built from 1473-1481 as both the pope's private chapel and the venue for the election of the new pope by the cardinals. Michelangelo painted the famous ceiling and altar frescoes, with the central scenes on the ceiling depicting creation and the story of Noah, a task that took him more than 4 years. Painting frescoes was a new experience for Michelangelo and he applied his knowledge of sculpting to his painting, making figures appear solid and sculptural, but also more lifelike.

Saint Peter's Basilica

Saint Peter's Basilica, built on the site of an earlier church covering the Apostle Peter's tomb, is one of the largest churches in the world. Entrance is free but there's a lot to see, so having a guided tour is very helpful in making sense of it all. Many important artworks, including Michelangelo's famous Pieta , are in the church. You can also visit the Pope's tombs. 

Getting to the Vatican Museums

The Vatican Museums entrance lies between the Cipro and Ottaviano stops on the metro line A (red line). Bus 49 stops near the entrance and tram 19 also stops nearby. Follow signs to Musei Vaticani . If you take a taxi, be sure to say Vatican Museums to be dropped off near the entrance, which is not on Saint Peter's Square.

Where to Stay Near the Vatican

For before and after hours tours, it may be convenient to stay in a Rome hotel or bed and breakfast near the Vatican. See Top Places to Stay by Vatican City.

The original writer was provided with a complimentary tour for review purposes. 

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Vatican Museums After-Hours VIP Tour Experience with Sistine Chapel and Skip-the-Line Tickets

• Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
• Raphael Rooms

• Enjoy crowds-free access to the Vatican Museum collections
• The pinnacle of your Context Tour of Italy

This was the high point of our time in Rome. We were able to visit the Sistine Chapel by ourselves. Also the guide showed us part of the Vatican Gardens, which were not part of the tour. It was remarkable and overwhelming. I was in tears. – Mark, a 2018 Context Traveler

Special Notes About this Experience: 

• This tour is available by request only. Please share alternate availability when you place your order to maximize the opportunity of securing a date.
• Please note that the availability of certain galleries is subject to change due to unexpected activities or events hosted by Vatican City.
• Not all of the Vatican Museum galleries will be accessible during this after-hours visit, including the Pinacoteca and Egyptian collections. The Belvedere Courtyard is often closed after hours but will be included if possible. St. Peter’s Basilica will not be available. 
• We normally spend a significant amount of time (35-40 minutes) inside the Sistine Chapel and divide the rest of our time between the Gallery of Maps, the Tapestry Gallery, and the Raphael Rooms, including other collections as time and security permits.
• Though this is an after-hours visit, there are a small number of other groups that may be in the museums at the same time, which means we may run into other visitors while in the museum. The number of people in the museums after-hours, however, is minuscule compared to daytime crowds.
• This tour meets promptly at 5:45 PM, or 6:45 AM (depending on your booking), so that we may maximize our available time in the galleries together.   Meeting point details will be provided once your reservation has been confirmed by our team.
• To assist you in planning your trip to the Vatican, we have created an informative resources page on how to tour the Vatican .
• Visitors with disabilities may be entitled to free entry to the Vatican Museums. Please consult the Vatican Museums website for further information and please contact us to discuss if you qualify. Vatican Museums Accessibility Information .

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Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ .

After Hours Access to the Vatican Museums

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Travel Home > Italy > Rome Tours > VIP Vatican

Exclusive After-Hours Vatican VIP Private Tour and Sistine Chapel

Officially licensed guides, private tours of italy, flexible rescheduling, after-hours private vatican tour.

Have you  ever dreamt of being able to visit the Vatican and Sistine Chapel without the crowds ? Italy by Luxe can make this happen.

On our exclusive VIP tour, we arrange  completely private openings of the Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel just for you .

We start our journey in the evening when the museums have been closed to the public. We will be greeted by the custodians who will have the keys to open the large doors to the Vatican Museums as you begin your private tour experience which culminates in a private viewing inside the glorious Sistine Chapel.

Rooms of The Vatican and Sistine Chapel Visited On The VIP Tour

In the Vatican Museum we will visit the following: 

• The Gallery of the Candelabra
• The Room of the Tapestries
• The Room of the Maps

As part of this experience, we will also  visit Raphael’s Rooms . The rooms, commissioned by Pope Julius II are four rooms painted by  the master Raphael  in the 16th century. We will view:

• The Room of Constantine
• The Room of Heliodorus 
• The Room of the Signature (segnatura) – home to one of Raphael’s most famous works, the School of Athens
• The Room of the Fire in the Borgo

The tour concludes with  an exclusive tour of the Sistine Chapel  where you can really take the time to savor the majesty and magnificence of the masterpieces on display including:

• The interior of the Chapel
• The world Famous Fresco’s and artworks by luminaries like Botticelli
• Sistine Chapel ceiling & The Last Judgment by Michelangelo

Exclusive After-Hours Access To The Vatican Museum Rooms

We will start our private 2-hour journey through the corridors of the magnificent museums –  just you, your guide & a private Vatican custodian to accompany you on the journey .

The Vatican Museums were not originally designed as a museum space; instead, the museums are actually part of the private palaces of the Popes hence you will be able to feel the majesty of the space as it was designed to be experienced.  Privately . The silence of the corridors, the time & space to experience & understand the majesty of the works of art that grace the halls.

Private Sistine Chapel Tour

Finally, we will descend the private staircase and  visit Michelangelo’s masterpiece : the Sistine Chapel.

Named after Pope Sixtus IV, the Sistine Chapel has always been a private chapel of the Popes as well as the space for the conclave (where Popes are elected by the Cardinals). Prior to Michelangelo’s ceiling, many Renaissance artists had a hand in the frescoes along the walls including  Botticelli ,  Perugino ,  Rosselli  &  Ghirlandaio . 

With your expert guide, you will receive a detailed explanation of the magnificent frescoes (something that is never allowed during normal opening times). From the greatest frescoes including the  Creation of Man to the Last Judgement , you will be able to reflect on Michelangelo’s work in the silence & reverence in which it was designed to be experienced.

VIP Vatican Tour Details

Availability: To be arranged with the Vatican Museums (Sundays are not possible; Friday evenings are only available between November – March)

Duration: 2 hours

Meeting point: At your Rome accommodation

Inclusions:

• Private opening of the Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
• Private officially-licensed guide
• Return private chauffeured Mercedes Benz transfers from/to your centrally located Rome accommodation

Additional Private Opening Options:

After meeting your guide & Mercedes Benz driver at your centrally located Rome accommodation, you will be whisked to the entrance to the Vatican Museums where at 6am the doors will be opened by the Vatican’s official keyholder or ‘Clavigero’. You will accompany him through the museums to the Atrium of the Quattro Cancelli where he will pick up the historic bunch of 300 keys including the keys to the Sistine Chapel.

After this, you will be accompanied to the Sistine Chapel where your guide will explain its magnificent frescoes or leave you in silence to enjoy one of the greatest artistic masterpieces in the world. 

Finally, you will head to the Cortile della Pigna for breakfast before continuing your private tour of the Vatican Museums prior to the general public opening time of 9 am.

For prices or to book a private viewing of the opening of the Sistine Chapel with the Official Keyholder, get in touch with our team by filling out the form below . 

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Contact Us About Our VIP Private Vatican and Sistine Chapel Tour

Our exclusive Vatican tour is in great demand, and naturally, bookings for such a unique experience have to be made in advance of your arrival in Rome.

To find out about available dates please contact us using the online inquiry form below:

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Vatican Tours

Vatican City offers countless artistic and architectural treasures, and you’ll be able to make the m...

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Alone In The Vatican: Exclusive VIP Access Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Tour

What to know about vatican from our local guides.

The Vatican Museums house 70,000 of the world’s greatest artistic treasures, of which 20,000 are on display. From ancient Roman sculptures to Renaissance paintings, it would take days to discover it all, which is why we highly recommend booking a Vatican tour to help you make the most of your time at the museums.

A few of the collection’s undisputed highlights are:

• The Sistine Chapel, adorned with Michelangelo’s legendary frescoes
• The Raphael Rooms, which include the famous School of Athens
• The Gallery of the Maps, perhaps the most famous of the Museums’ galleries adorned with 40 maps depicting the different regions of Italy
• Laocoön and His Sons, an enigmatic masterpiece of ancient sculpture
• The Belvedere Torso, which is said to have influenced the work of Michelangelo himself

The Sistine Chapel is perhaps the most famous individual room in the entire world. This is in no small part due to the significant artistic masterpieces adorning its interior, with Michelangelo’s “The Last Judgment” and ceiling frescoes being the highlights.

Pope Sixtus IV, the chapel’s namesake, commissioned its construction in the late 15th century. Today, its best-known use is for the papal conclaves, the process through which a new pope is elected by the College of Cardinals. It also serves as the Pope’s own private chapel when he is at the Vatican.

Want to have the Sistine Chapel all to yourself, just like the Pope? Avoid the crowds on a VIP tour outside opening hours. For a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience, you can even accompany the Vatican Key Master himself as he opens the silent halls and galleries in the Vatican Museums early in the morning—including the Sistine Chapel.

As the largest church in the world, St. Peter’s Basilica is itself a masterpiece of art and architecture. It houses some of the most significant religious art in the world, including Michelangelo’s moving Pietà sculpture and the Baldachin, Bernini’s massive bronze altar canopy.

Michelangelo was also the mastermind behind the famous dome crowning the basilica. Climbing the dome is a fantastic way to see not just the incredible mosaics lining the interior up close, but also to feast your eyes on spectacular views over Rome from the very top. Keep in mind that there are over 500 steps to get to the top of the dome from ground level, though an elevator is available to bypass approximately the first half. Underneath the Basilica, the Papal Crypts mark the final resting place of some of the most important Popes in Catholic history.

A guided tour of St. Peter’s Basilica will give you an up-close look at all of these treasures and more. Led by an expert art historian guide, you’ll see a side of the world’s most iconic church that few others get to experience.

The best and easiest way to ensure you skip the line at the Vatican is to book a guided tour . With no-wait access to the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica, you’ll save precious hours of time that would have been spent in line. Plus, you'll be in the company of an insightful guide who can provide context on the innumerable masterpieces that can be hard to make sense of on your own.

The Vatican Museums are open Monday to Saturday from 9 am–6 pm. They tend to get more crowded the later in the day you go, so consider booking an early morning Vatican tour to get ahead of the crowds and ensure a more relaxed visit.

For an especially exclusive experience, consider joining the Vatican Key Master himself as he unlocks the silent halls, galleries, and even the Sistine Chapel first thing in the morning before the Museums open to the public. Accompanied by a small group of just 20 other people, the Key Master’s Tour is the most special way to experience the Vatican in total peace and quiet.

Don’t want to get up early? Another excellent option is to take a special access tour after closing time to wander the halls of the Vatican in peace—and have the Sistine Chapel all to yourself.

From May through October, the Vatican Museums offer extended opening hours until 10:30 pm on Fridays and 8 pm on Saturdays. Taking a night tour of the Vatican is a once-in-a-lifetime experience you won’t soon forget!

The Museums are closed most Sundays (except for the last Sunday of every month) and on certain public holidays.

The Vatican is a religious site, and official rules mandate that visitors dress appropriately or risk being turned away. All guests regardless of gender are required to keep their shoulders and knees covered. In warmer months, it’s useful to have a shawl, scarf, or light jacket handy to pull on when entering the Vatican if your outfit doesn’t meet the dress code standards. Additionally, hats are not allowed.

While the Vatican dress code doesn’t have any hard-and-fast rules regarding footwear, keep in mind that you’ll be doing a lot of walking on your Vatican tour. As long as you have comfortable shoes that are good for walking, you’re all set.

While there aren’t any restaurants within Vatican City itself, the surrounding Prati and Trionfale neighborhoods offer plenty of excellent options—particularly if you don’t mind walking a few blocks away (or further) from the Vatican walls. For a quick, on-the-go option, Anthony Bourdain-approved Bonci Pizzarium serves up some of the best pizza by the slice in Rome. In the mood for a sit-down meal after spending hours on your feet at the Vatican? Velavevodetto ai Quiriti—the Prati outpost of Testaccio icon Flavio al Velavevodetto—is perfect for home-cooked Roman classics.

Check out our popular Vatican articles

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The Ultimate Vatican experience, The Ultimate Sistine Chapel experience

After hours private vatican tour - vip experience.

The endless list of masterpieces within the Vatican Museums puts this labyrinthine complex of art on the bucket-list of most art lovers and travellers. Describing the Vatican Museums without using a massive number of superlatives would be impossible. The art inside forms one of the world’s most valuable and extensive collections of fine art. As one could imagine, these fabulous art collections attract a very large number of tourists on a daily basis. Large queues and crowds often form both at the entrance doors and inside the most popular galleries. As the official Vatican Museums tour provider, we have designed a tour that will keep you completely out of any type of crowd. With this super VIP tour, you will visit the Vatican Museums and the superb Sistine Chapel in the most exclusive way! You will have no one but your guide around you as you visit the superb galleries of the Vatican.

› Super VIP tickets to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel and pick-up from your accommodation

› the ultimate private experience, you will have places like the raphael rooms, the gallery of maps and the sistine chapel all to yourself, › take advantage of the encyclopaedic knowledge of your private english-speaking guide who will accompany you on this journey, › get to see humanity’s most valuable treasures in the evening (starting times 17:00/16:00) with no one else around you other than your loved ones, the ultimate vip private experience.

Being alone in the museum will be a thrilling and exciting experience. You will wander through your favourite galleries and spend as much time observing the details as there won’t be any other tourists around. It cannot get more exclusive than this! You will experience the Museums at your own pace. Needless to say that the benefits that this tour provides such as pick-up from your hotel, 0 waiting time at the entrance, and having the entire labyrinthine complex of Museums to yourself will save you a lot of time which you can use to further discover Italy. Your private guide will help you fully understand the background and significance of the artworks that interest you the most. Your assigned professional guide will be there to guide your steps through these 7 kilometres of art and to answer your curiosities so make sure you make the most out of it.

The Vatican Museums galleries all to yourself

When visiting the Vatican Museums you will discover collections that hold the accomplishments of mankind in the past 2,000 years. On this tour, you will explore with a professional guide the most famous galleries and collections. Your journey will be fully dedicated to enjoying at maximum the wonderful creations of artists like Michelangelo and Raphael. You will discover the fantastic Raphael rooms, four interconnected halls decorated with Raphael’s famous frescoes. In the 7 kilometres of artwork within the Vatican Museums, the Raphael rooms are second in popularity and beauty only to Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel Ceiling. You will also visit places like the Candelabra Gallery, a gallery made of 6 architecturally impressive rooms that host famous statues, busts, and masks, and the Gallery of Tapestries, a place covered in tapestries displaying Catholic myths that have survived for centuries. Another important gallery is the Gallery of Maps where you will gain an understanding of what the world was thought to look like centuries ago.

No one but you at the Sistine Chapel

Imagine having one of the world’s most famous rooms all to yourself! On a normal basis, the Sistine Chapel would be heaving with tourists, but with this special time slot, you will have the opportunity to observe the details of Michelangelo’s frescoes very closely with no one around bothering you. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and it is perfect for first time-tourers, newlyweds, families, or all types of tourists who are looking for authentic experiences. Once inside the Chapel, you will feel the magnitude of where you are. You will be mesmerised by the silence and tranquillity of the place and by the beautiful shades of ochre, umber green and ultramarine blue that cover the ceiling. The Sistine Chapel Ceiling portrays some of the most symbolic biblical scenes taken from the Book of Genesis all the way to the Last Judgement. The Creation of Adam, a painting portraying God giving life to the first man, is one of the most famous frescoes of the ceiling. This iconic fresco is taken from the Book of Genesis and it is an important part of the complex iconographic scheme developed by Michelangelo.

This Super VIP tour is only available on request. The tour starts at 17:00/18:00 subject to availability. When visiting the Vatican you are kindly asked to dress for your comfort while respecting the rules about covering your knees and shoulders.

Witness the fabulous art and architecture in the museum of museums

© COPYRIGHT 2023 IWF SRLs, VIA SATRICO 7, 00183 ROME, ITALY, P.IVA 15741651002

DETERMINAZIONE PROVINCIA DI ROMA – LICENZA NUMERO 478323 DEL 28/05/2021 R.E.A. RM 1611120

• +39.366.22.020.40
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• Piazza della Città Leonina, Rome

This website is not the official website of the Vatican Museums. It is run by IWF Srls and works with attractions and tour operators to provide incredible experiences at the touch of a button.

Rome: Vatican Museum Evening Small Group Tour

• Skip-the-Line tickets to the Vatican Museums
• Headsets to hear the tour guide clearly
• All Fees and Taxes
• Small group of 12 or fewer
• Easy to find meeting point at our office close the Museums' entrance
• English Speaking Tour Guide
• Entry/Admission - Vatican Museums
• Entry/Admission - Stanze di Raffaello
• Entry/Admission - Sistine Chapel
• Guaranteed to skip the lines
• Pick-up/Drop-off
• What a Life Tours, Via Santamaura, 14B, 00192 Roma RM, Italy Our Office close the Vatican Museums' entrance
• Sistine Chapel, 00120, Vatican City The tour ends inside the Sistine Chapel where you can stay longer if you wish.
• Not wheelchair accessible
• Stroller accessible
• Near public transportation
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• Most travelers can participate
• This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
• For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
• Vatican Museums
• Sistine Chapel
• Stanze di Raffaello

Similar experiences

• You'll start at What a Life Tours Via Santamaura, 14B, 00192 Roma RM, Italy Our Office close the Vatican Museums' entrance See address & details
• 1 What a Life Tours Stop: 10 minutes See details
• 2 Vatican Museums Stop: 100 minutes - Admission included See details
• 3 Gallery of Maps Stop: 10 minutes See details
• 4 Stanze di Raffaello Stop: 20 minutes - Admission included See details
• 5 Sistine Chapel Stop: 30 minutes - Admission included See details
• You'll end at Sistine Chapel 00120, Vatican City The tour ends inside the Sistine Chapel where you can stay longer if you wish. See address & details

• Lisa N 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Perfect start to our Roman adventure! There's nothing Della doesn't know about every wall, ceiling, tapestry, map, mosaic etc in Vatican City; her knowledge was truly impressive. Definitely book your Vatican tour here! Read more Written April 3, 2024
• joehK664MY 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Great tour This was an amazing tour of the Vatican. We had never been there before and our tour guide John did an excellent job of explaining the whole system to us. He really made sure that we were all looked after. Well done guys. Read more Written April 3, 2024
• Hivespg 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Busy but well organised Tonia was a fantastic guide full of knowledge and humour which made the whole experience very special. Thank you. It was very very busy but our guide did well to keep us all together and well informed. Read more Written April 2, 2024
• garryhay 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Really enjoyable!! Elaine, our tour guide, was fantastic. Both my wife and I really enjoyed her as a tour guide. She was very friendly, detailed, fun to listen to and seemed to be really passionate about what she does. All of this made her the perfect match for what we were looking for. We would highly recommend her to anyone interested in a tour in Rome 😊 Read more Written April 2, 2024
• the5Wrights 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles We grade it an A+ Very organized even on Good Friday (crazy busy!) The meeting location was clear, the skip-the-line part really worked, and our tour guide Eugene was absolutely amazing. Our 13 y/o said it was one of her favorite experiences in Italy! Read more Written April 2, 2024
• brucegV4571AM 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles It truly was the only way to go. My husband and I took the Early Access to the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica tour on 3/21/24. Our guide was Michaela (spelling?). He was OUTSTANDING. We took over 10 tours on our trip and this was the best experience with a guide. He was professional, extremely knowledgable, approachable and brought the history and beauty to life. Looking the already long lines outside St. Peter's and the Vatican when we arrived in the morning made us especially glad we booked the Early Morning tour. And the process of entry and security was so much easier with a guide. We continue to tell people how terrific the experience was and recommend it highly to everyone and especially the three different people we know traveling to Rome this year. We also found another guide Elaine to be very helpful prior to the tour. Kudos to your team ! Read more Written April 2, 2024
• B4954GPmartinag 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Beautiful and Informative Amazing tour of the Vatican - got to skip all the long lines. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and enthusiastically answered all our questions. Read more Written April 2, 2024
• neilt780 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Very knowledgeable/fun tour guide!! Enjoyed the tour thoroughly. Our tour guide was amazing! She had lots of insight on the statues /sanctuary /art /history /etc and kept it fun. She also knew shortcuts to take and ways to avoid crowds. Well worth the money- you will miss the "must sees" if you don't get a guide! Read more Written March 31, 2024
• heyimlechefran 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Wonderfully Knowledge Guides Who Add Fabulous Depth to Vatican Tours Elaine was the lead for my group and you can tell she enjoys what she does from the depth of her details. she also seems to have a great relationship with people at the museum, the type i think you have a regularly foster. very happy to have had her as our guide. Read more Written March 31, 2024
• Ryan W 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Great tour guide and experience! Emma was fantastic both at guiding us through the crowds/vatican rules for groups but also awesome insights and knowledge all along the way. Thank you! Read more Written March 31, 2024
• 711nickieb 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Excellent experience Mario was an excellent tour guide, engaging and entertaining and we really enjoyed the visit with him. To state the obvious the Vatican is enormous and busy! There is no way we could have had such a positive experience without someone helping us navigate the exhibits and crowds and that alone was well worth the price. Read more Written March 30, 2024
• mariacF53YN 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Good learning with a good tour guy We had an amazing experience during this tour. John from the what a life agency was a guide and what a guide- excellent to say the least. Very knowledgeable, good manners, he is very respectful with different cultures … great experience! Read more Written March 30, 2024
• girishpm77 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles The BEST tour period! Outstanding tour and our guide (John) was A+. The entire tour was very well informed, we walked through patiently and covers all the important art. John was very knowledgeable and helpful to ensure everyone in the group was taken care of properly. Highly recommend the company and their services! Read more Written March 30, 2024
• Matt S 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Amazing tour guide Our your guide was amazing. He grew up in Rome and knew a lot about the Vatican. Learned a lot and saw the main things inside. Read more Written March 30, 2024
• C5917KLdavidd 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Great tour with knowledgeable guide Great visit. John our tour guide was very knowledgeable on all areas of the tour. The buildings a vast in size and full of artifacts. Read more Written March 29, 2024

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Pope presides over Easter Vigil, delivers 10-minute homily after skipping Good Friday at last minute

Pope Francis presides over the Easter vigil celebration in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, Saturday, March 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope Francis’ chair is seen prior to the start of the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) in front of the Colosseum on Good Friday, in Rome, Friday, March 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini/Pool)

Pope Francis baptises a faithful as he presides over the Easter vigil celebration in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, Saturday, March 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Faithful hold the cross as they take part in the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) torchlight procession at the Colosseum on Good Friday, in Rome, Friday, March 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

A priest holds candle over the Easter vigil celebration in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, Saturday, March 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

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ROME (AP) — Pope Francis presided over the Vatican’s somber Easter Vigil service on Saturday night, delivering a 10-minute homily and baptizing eight people, a day after suddenly skipping the Good Friday procession at the Colosseum as a health precaution.

Francis entered the darkened, silent St. Peter’s Basilica in his wheelchair, took his place in a chair and offered an opening prayer. Sounding somewhat congested and out of breath, he blessed an elaborately decorated Easter candle, the flame of which was then shared with other candles until the whole basilica twinkled.

Over an hour later, Francis delivered a 10-minute homily in a strong voice, clearing his throat occasionally.

The evening service, one of the most solemn and important moments in the Catholic liturgical calendar, commemorates the resurrection of Jesus. The Vatican had said Francis skipped the Good Friday procession to ensure his participation in both the vigil service Saturday night, which usually lasts about two hours, and Easter Sunday Mass a few hours later.

The 87-year-old Francis, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, has been battling respiratory problems all winter that have made it difficult for him to speak at length. He and the Vatican have said he has had bronchitis, a cold or the flu.

He has canceled some audiences and often asked an aide to read aloud some of his speeches. But the alarm was raised when he ditched his Palm Sunday homily altogether last week at the last minute and then decided suddenly Friday to stay home rather than preside over the Way of the Cross procession at the Colosseum re-enacting Christ’s crucifixion.

The Vatican said in a brief explanation that the decision was made to “conserve his health.”

The decision appeared to have paid off Saturday night, as Francis was able to recite the prayers of the lengthy vigil service, and perform the sacrament of baptism for the eight adults. The baptism is a traditional feature of the Vatican’s Easter Vigil service.

In his homily Francis referred to the stone that the faithful believe was removed from Christ’s tomb after his death. Francis urged Catholics to remove the stones in their lives that “block the door of our hearts, stifling life, extinguishing hope, imprisoning us in the tomb of our fears and regrets.”

“Let us lift our eyes to him and ask that the power of his resurrection may roll away the heavy stones that weigh down our souls,” he said.

Holy Week is trying for a pope under any circumstance, given four days of liturgies, rites, fasting and prayer. But that is especially true for Francis, who cancelled a trip to Dubai late last year, with just days to go, on doctor’s orders because of his respiratory problems.

In addition to his respiratory problems, Francis had a chunk of his large intestine removed in 2021 and was hospitalized twice last year, including once to remove intestinal scar tissue from previous surgeries to address diverticulosis, or bulges in his intestinal wall. He has been using a wheelchair or cane for nearly two years because of bad knee ligaments.

In his recently published memoirs, “Life: My Story Through History,” Francis said he isn’t suffering from any health problems that would require him to resign and that he still has “ many projects to bring to fruition.”