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- Vatican Museums
- Vatican Gardens
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- Vatican Grottoes
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- Basilica of St. Mary Major
- Vatican Library
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The Apostolic Palace: Papal residence in Vatican City
Headout is an authorized and trusted partner of the venue, offering curated experiences to enjoy this attraction. This is not the venue's website.
Explore the chapels, altars, and crypts of St. Peter's Basilica with an expert guide.
- An expert guide will lead you through the best of St. Peter's Basilica, from its chapels and altars to the sacred Papal Crypts.
- Dive into art and architecture by Renaissance greats such as Donato Bramante and Carlo Maderno in your preferred language.
- As you walk through the mosaic floors that tell the stories of saints and martyrs, keep an eye out for the awe-inspiring Baldachin by Bernini.
- You can opt for a guide in your preferred language, with tours available in English, French, Spanish, and Italian.
- After the tour, you can descend to the Vatican Grottoes and explore the Papal Tombs, learn about the legacy of the Clementine Chapel, and more.
Explore the chapels, altars, and crypts of St. Peter's Basilica with an expert guide.
- An expert guide will lead you through the best of St. Peter's Basilica, from its chapels and altars to the sacred Papal Crypts.
- Dive into art and architecture by Renaissance greats such as Donato Bramante and Carlo Maderno in your preferred language.
- As you walk through the mosaic floors that tell the stories of saints and martyrs, keep an eye out for the awe-inspiring Baldachin by Bernini.
- You can opt for a guide in your preferred language, with tours available in English, French, Spanish, and Italian.
- After the tour, you can descend to the Vatican Grottoes and explore the Papal Tombs, learn about the legacy of the Clementine Chapel, and more.
Inclusions
- Guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica with skip-the-line entry
- Expert English, French, Italian or Spanish-speaking guide
- Assistance at meeting point
- Tip: Check out Pietro Cavallini's Madonna della Bocciata fresco in the Vatican Grottoes and hear the story behind its unique name.
- Strict dress code: knees and shoulders must be covered for all guests.
- Mobile phones must remain on silent mode inside the Basilica.
- This experience is wheelchair and pram/stroller accessible. The right semicircle of Saint Peter’s Square is equipped with ramp access to the Basilica. For any special requirements, contact accoglienza@fsp.va in advance.
- Sign language guided tours are available in Italian at the Basilica. This service must be booked at least 48 hours in advance at the following email address: visiteguidate@fsp.va.
- Expect a long wait at security, especially during peak times. Patience is key, it could take up to 2 hours!
- Around religious holidays at the Vatican, parts of the tour, such as the Papal Tombs, may not be open. In this case, the tour of the Basilica itself will be extended.
- These tickets can't be cancelled or rescheduled.
Reviews
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4.0
3,430 ratings
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Guests from United States, Spain, France and over 65 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Chinyelu
Apr 2025Verified booking
Good, a little disorganized and a lot of wasted time. But it was good. I went off on my own to explore, because the history can be googled or read in the library, most people already read and heard, then come to SEE it . Tour guide needs to focus on getting people inside, taking them to various biblical status, and areas, for pictures. This is not a history class, we only had 1-2hrs , but our tour guide spent 40 mins telling us stories and history outside and on the door way, While I applaud her of her knowledge, however this is not a history class, 6 of us had other tours scheduled right afterwards, so we left the tour midway to explore the Basilica on our own, including the Tomb areas underneath.
Therese
Apr 2025Verified booking
I had an incredible experience on the St. Peter’s Basilica Guided Tour. Our guide was absolutely amazing and extremely knowledgeable about the rich history and architecture of the basilica. I walked away with a much deeper appreciation and understanding of this iconic site. Highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting the Vatican!
Judith
Mar 2025Verified booking
Brigida was a fabulous guide, we learnt such a lot & loved the whole experience. I highly recommend this tour and this company.
Franz-Josef
May 2025Verified booking
- Small group and therefore clearly structured - Very personal and detailed - Very good personal contact - Questions answered very well
View original review in German
Yvonne
May 2025Verified booking
Ticketing experience really easy. Good instructions on meeting place. Great welcome from guide. Amazing information and spectacular sights to see
Christie
May 2025Verified booking
The guide on our tour was WONDERFUL and this review has nothing to do with him. Our tour was supposed to include breakfast (I spoke to an agent on support who confirmed this) There was no mention made of this when we got there, tour was at 8:00 and was moved to 8:15. We got there super early, there was no one to even talk too before the ticketing booth was open and at that point we were hearded out like cattle and the tour started at least 30 minutes late. Naturally we were hungry assuming they'd stop at some point, but no. Never happened. We asked the tour guide about it but unfortunately he knew nothing of it. It wasn't his fault at all and I don't blame him I blame the company. It was supposed to be an hour tour that turned into 2 1/2 hours. Tour was great but we were definitely hungry the whole time. I don't think breakfast should be advertised with the tour if you're not going to offer it. I also believe the length of the tour should be as advertised and that the tour should not start late if you're going to be so adamant in your emails that the tourist not be late.
Krzysztof
May 2025Verified booking
Although there were so many people oir guide told us stories about the basilica especially my kids liked. We will be back in autum. Hopefully the basilica wont be so crowded
Trevor
May 2025Verified booking
We had the tour in english and the guy was really nice. I think his name was Eduardo ( sorry if im wrong ) The whole tour was interresting and time was flying.
Patrick
May 2025Verified booking
St. Peter's Basilica is really beautiful and should be part of every visit to Rome. The tour guide was very nice and knew the answer to every question, made the tour exciting and often asked guessing questions. Thumbs up 😄
View original review in German
Carla
May 2025Verified booking
Everything was very well organized. We went with a small group and our guide Lily knew a lot. The hours flew by! I recommend it 100%. Thank you very much!
View original review in Spanish
SEIGNEUR
May 2025Verified booking
Very good! The guide adapted to the crowds on these rather special days. We were only able to enter the basilica at noon, and the guide kept us there until 1pm. Very interesting tour, with much appreciated commentary.
View original review in French
Paul
May 2025Verified booking
The experience ..awesome! But I had to pay twice as I missed the morning slot!! I contacted Jo who found me a place in the afternoon but I had to pay an extra 25 euros. As I had already paid for the morning I thought that this was unfair. 😞🤔
Simon
May 2025Verified booking
Very friendly guide and group and it did what it said on the tin. Good value, excellent service with serveral phone calls to ensure everything was going as it should. Highly recommended.
ELENI
May 2025Verified booking
Our guide Valentina, was great, polite, knowledgeable. She kept our interest throughout the tour, making it a great experience. Thank you Valentina!
Callum
May 2025Verified booking
When we got there the venue was temporarily closed due to the amunt of visitors, this meant that once we got inside I just felt like the tour was very rushed, so that the tour guides could get onto the next group and catch up. This also meant that I missed my next tour and I wasn't able to get a refund on that because they said it was my fault still, even though the venue was closed.
Suzanne
May 2025Verified booking
Virginia (Ginny) gave us a wonderful tour of St, Peter's! She was an excellent guide and very personable and knowledgeable! Great experience! Thank you!
José
May 2025Verified booking
The guide Mariana was excellent, very well prepared, with very precise and pertinent information about the Basilica and its history. I recommend it.
View original review in Portuguese
alexandra
May 2025Verified booking
Our knowledgeable guide. We enjoyed the information Eduardo (?) Imparted which made us understand the meaning behind many of the artwork gracing the Basilica and St. Peter's square.
Gabriel
May 2025Verified booking
We did the tour with James, all excellent, there were many people, however we entered without queuing, he explained many details not only of St. Peter's Basilica, but also of St. Peter's Square and surrounding buildings! It was a 2 hour tour with lots of information? 100% recommendable!
View original review in Spanish
Kellie
May 2025Verified booking
The guide was knowledgeable but it was out as a 1 hour tour which started on time but we didn't even enter the basilica until over an hour after the tour start time and due to schedule had to leave the tour early when he was 2.5 hours into the time from the tour start. While he did great with what he did show it was frustrating when we were looking for a quicker tour in the time we had available.
Stephan
May 2025Verified booking
It would have been helpful to know who we were looking for. 'The tour guy' not Headout. Si we were wandering around amidst the crowds until a security guard pointed us to The Tour Guy.
Gaby
May 2025Verified booking
The waiting time was fine. Waiting for the tickets in the blazing sun for the guide, who still had to buy the dome tickets, could be improved. Guide had a lot of knowledge, but it was too opinionated for me.
View original review in German
Colleen
May 2025Verified booking
It was very thorough. Our great guide did a good job trying to avoid the crowd and giving us the best experience possible!!
Paola
May 2025Verified booking
Superlative guide interesting and great at telling trivia and data, the time flew by. Only downside the queues which I hoped were skipped with a guided tour but maybe it's also a particular time so I don't blame it.
View original review in Italian
Jan
May 2025Verified booking
Elisabeth was an excellent tourguide. She informed us in an excellenet and very pleasant manner. We ve experienced a winderful afternoon at the basilica
Explore all three Vatican highlights with skip-the-line access to the Museums and exclusive entry to the basilica via a hidden passage.
- Everything you get: Skip the ticketing queues and follow your expert guide through the Vatican Museums, including the Gallery of Maps, Raphael Rooms, and more. Get all the context you need before stepping into the Sistine Chapel to admire Michelangelo’s masterpieces. Enter St. Peter’s Basilica directly—skipping the 2-hour queue—through a special passageway from the Chapel.
- Why choose this: This shortcut takes you straight from the Sistine Chapel into St. Peter’s Basilica, saving you hours of waiting. With over a millennium of history, St. Peter’s is packed with must-see treasures, and your guide ensures you don’t miss the iconic rooms and hidden stories you'd likely miss on your own.
- Upgrade: Go for a fully guided tour inside St. Peter’s Basilica for a deeper, more immersive experience. Explore with an expert who brings its history to life and gain deeper context inside one of the world’s most important churches.
Explore all three Vatican highlights with skip-the-line access to the Museums and exclusive entry to the basilica via a hidden passage.
- Everything you get: Skip the ticketing queues and follow your expert guide through the Vatican Museums, including the Gallery of Maps, Raphael Rooms, and more. Get all the context you need before stepping into the Sistine Chapel to admire Michelangelo’s masterpieces. Enter St. Peter’s Basilica directly—skipping the 2-hour queue—through a special passageway from the Chapel.
- Why choose this: This shortcut takes you straight from the Sistine Chapel into St. Peter’s Basilica, saving you hours of waiting. With over a millennium of history, St. Peter’s is packed with must-see treasures, and your guide ensures you don’t miss the iconic rooms and hidden stories you'd likely miss on your own.
- Upgrade: Go for a fully guided tour inside St. Peter’s Basilica for a deeper, more immersive experience. Explore with an expert who brings its history to life and gain deeper context inside one of the world’s most important churches.
Inclusions
- Guided tour of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel with skip-the-line entry
- Reserved entry to St. Peter's Basilica
- Guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica (as per option selected)
- Expert English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, or Portuguese-speaking guide
- Semi private tour with a max group of 10 (as per option selected)
- Early morning tour with St. Peter's Basilica and Dome climb (as per option selected)
- Headphones
Exclusions
- Gratuities
- Entry to St. Peter's Basilica Dome
- Names on tickets must match a valid photo ID. Double-check the details at checkout for a smooth entry.
- Your ticket includes a specific entry time. Arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your chosen slot.
- Knees, shoulders, and back must be covered for all guests.
- While the tour is not accessible to wheelchair users, the Vatican Museums offer free wheelchair hire and free entry for visitors with mobility impairments (certified invalidity exceeding 74%) and a companion if required.
- When in Sistine Chapel, silence is mandatory and photography is prohibited. Guides will provide all necessary and interesting details before entry.
- Expect a considerable wait at the security line, especially during peak times. Patience is key, it could take up to an hour!
- Please be aware that during the Jubilee Year, certain areas of the Vatican Museums may be inaccessible due to religious ceremonies. Additionally, entrance to St. Peter's Basilica may also experience unannounced closures. These circumstances are beyond our control. Thank you for your understanding.
- The Vatican Museums reserve the right to close any section, including the Sistine Chapel, due to unforeseen circumstances. The closure of any museum section does not entitle visitors to any refund.
- With the Jubilee underway, all entrances to St. Peter's Basilica are restricted. Therefore, in order to secure access, it will be necessary to complete the reservation no later than 5 days before the experience.
- These tickets can't be cancelled or rescheduled.
Reviews
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4.4
19,153 ratings
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Guests from United States, France, United Kingdom and over 99 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Helen
Apr 2025Verified booking
Our guide, Francesca, was funny and easy to listen to. She brought the history to life with her stories and kept us all interested at what was a very busy time in the Vatican. The Vatican museums and gardens were stunning, the Sistine Chapel was breathtaking and St Peter's Basilicia was beautiful. Francesca's stories about the art in the Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo's antics were the highlight for me.
Erin
Apr 2025Verified booking
Our tour of the Vatican museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's basilica was amazing. The crowds were crazy but our tour guide kept us together and helped us get where we wanted to go. Her information was great and she was entertaining.
Harry
Apr 2025Verified booking
The guide was phenomenal !!! So knowledgeable, so invested in the history, and importing that to the group. Her timing, for ingress and egress to specific areas was so beneficial to the whole experience.
Leone
Apr 2025Verified booking
What an amazing tour. Natalia our guide was so well spoken and had such a vast knowledge of so much of the roman history, art ,culture and religion. I had my 85 and 86yr old Aunts with me and she was so considerate and kind to them and didn't rush them. It was a fabulous tour. From the book in to the end it was well run and operated very smoothly. Well worth it . It was longer than we thought and a lot of walking so bring small snacks and water!! Thank you crown tours for a wonderful experience .
Montejo
Apr 2025Verified booking
The guide revealed a wealth of interesting information about Vatican City, the museums, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica. It was an unforgettable experience.
View original review in French
Anthony
Mar 2025Verified booking
I love the entire surreal experience with Vatican Museum,Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica self guided tour. She was an excellent tour guide on everything she talks about. I would highly recommend her and tour company. It was very easy to meet up and how organize it was. Thank you for the wonderful experience. #firsttimeinItaly!!!!
Yulia
Mar 2025Verified booking
Great visit with guide Paola, we didn't have to hear to get into the museums and we learned so much!
View original review in French
LUIS
Mar 2025Verified booking
Excellent tour. Crown tours an excellent company sent me reminders days before to confirm and the same day. This is important if you have different tours or activities. Marco the guide gave us an excellent explanation of everything, which reveals his extensive knowledge of art history. I recommend him 100%.
View original review in Spanish
stacie
Mar 2025Verified booking
Fred was amazing. Our group was small which was even better. He was super informative without being boring or too lengthy. He moved us through swiftly without rushing and was super joyful.
Rafael
Mar 2025Verified booking
It was a great success to have booked the guided tour of the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica with Headout. I did not know you but I trusted the comments and I was right. Alessandro (our guide) was very experienced in getting around the Vatican and very knowledgeable in explaining each part of the Vatican. It is definitely worth your guided tour and I have to say that it is perfect value for money. Thank you.
View original review in Spanish
Philippe
Mar 2025Verified booking
Very beautiful things to see, with a guide speaking our language was essential, we thank Jad, for this pationnante visit as well as for his humor and kindness. It's a good idea to book your tickets before you leave, given the long queues we saw outside.
View original review in French
Yasmin
Mar 2025Verified booking
The highlight of our visit to th Vatican was going through the holy door, the crowd was not as bad as I thought they would be. Our host was great she took her time explaining and giving us the history behind the painting/structures/rooms. We spent most of our time in St. Peter basilica, we where able to go underground to see the tomb of the pope's. The we did some shopping in the Vatican store, it was a great experience.
Ramiro
Mar 2025Verified booking
The Vatican museums are simply stunning! They are truly worth visiting. We got along very well with Pietro, our guide, who guided us step by step through these wonderful rooms full of masterpieces.
View original review in Italian
Davide
Mar 2025Verified booking
Fantastic experience, the guide Susanna immersed us in a fascinating journey through works of art and fantastic places , the excellent explanations of the historical periods and the artists who made them, created a wonderful atmosphere of involvement and attention that we can rarely find in other guided tour experiences . We highly recommend a visit to the Vatican museums , Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's if you find yourself passing through Rome with this agency and if you then have the opportunity to have Susanna as your guide you will certainly have a wonderful experience as well .
View original review in Italian
Marie
Mar 2025Verified booking
Our guide was great! The explanations were very clear, and we appreciated the anecdotes. We'll always remember this visit!
View original review in French
Shannon
Mar 2025Verified booking
Loved being moved easily to the front of the line. Loved doing the 8am tour because it leaves the rest of the day to relax and grab food. The tour guide was VERY knowledgable about art history and was easily able to answer all of our questions. A memorable morning!
Julie
Mar 2025Verified booking
We had a fabulous guide who was friendly, incredibly knowledgeable and approachable. We were informed in good time regarding a change in start time as the original guide was not available. Meeting point was easy to find and just a short walk from the entrance to the Vatican museum. The most expensive tour we booked but definitely worth the money to get the most out of the visit.
majastre
Feb 2025Verified booking
A really perfect guided tour and our French-speaking guide was the icing on the cake - he was really great and very pleasant and taught us a lot of things.
View original review in French
Favre
Apr 2025Verified booking
The guide Liliane at the Vatican was great and the Colosseum guide was also very good.
View original review in French
Valter
Apr 2025Verified booking
All beautiful, with the guide Valeria who is uniqa...thank you Valeria , greetings from Slovenia
View original review in Italian
Susan
Apr 2025Verified booking
Stephanie helped us understand what we were seeing and made the whole tour more enjoyable for us
Lara
Apr 2025Verified booking
Fred was very friendly and informative, amazing guide!! The tour was well planned and the sites were so beautiful.
Sophia
Mar 2025Verified booking
Everything was very well organised. We went through the crowd smoothly and our guide was fantastic.
Geraldine
Mar 2025Verified booking
Very informative! Our guide has guide us through the best of Vatican City.
Beck
Mar 2025Verified booking
Magnificent! Extraordinary! Thanks to our guide Maïté.
View original review in French
Gain insights into the art, history, and spiritual legacy of St. Peter’s with a licensed guide—and climb the Dome for stunning views over Vatican City.
- Everything you get: Explore the interiors of the basilica with a local expert guide who brings context to its sculptures, mosaics, and sacred spaces—including Michelangelo’s Pietà and the Papal Crypts in the Vatican Grottoes. Then, ride the elevator partway up the Dome and climb the final stretch of stairs to reach the top, where panoramic views of Vatican City and Rome await.
- Why choose this: The Basilica is vast, layered with centuries of history and symbolism. Instead of wandering without context, this tour gives you structure, stories, and expert insight—plus access to one of its most iconic experiences: the climb to the top of the Dome.
Gain insights into the art, history, and spiritual legacy of St. Peter’s with a licensed guide—and climb the Dome for stunning views over Vatican City.
- Everything you get: Explore the interiors of the basilica with a local expert guide who brings context to its sculptures, mosaics, and sacred spaces—including Michelangelo’s Pietà and the Papal Crypts in the Vatican Grottoes. Then, ride the elevator partway up the Dome and climb the final stretch of stairs to reach the top, where panoramic views of Vatican City and Rome await.
- Why choose this: The Basilica is vast, layered with centuries of history and symbolism. Instead of wandering without context, this tour gives you structure, stories, and expert insight—plus access to one of its most iconic experiences: the climb to the top of the Dome.
Inclusions
- Guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica and Dome with entry
- Expert English, Spanish, French, German or Italian-speaking guide
- Access by elevator to the base and stairs to the top
Exclusions
- Entry to Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
- Entry to the Necropolis / St. Peter’s Tomb / Scavi
- The Dome is not suitable for wheelchair users or those with vertigo or claustrophobia. Even with elevator access, 320 steps must be climbed to reach the cupola.
- Knees and shoulders must be covered for all guests.
- These tickets can't be cancelled or rescheduled.
Reviews
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4.2
6,816 ratings
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Guests from United States, France, Spain and over 83 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Kimberly
Apr 2025Verified booking
Our tour guide was very nice and knowledgeable. What I didn't like was that it said it was a 2 hour tour and it was to start at 8:25 which it did however one of the most things I was looking forward to was the dome climb. Since the description said 2 hours I felt comfortable scheduling another tour at noon. We were still in line at 11:15 for the climb and we had to miss what I was really looking forward to to make sure we made our next tour. I would suggest in your description that the dome climb isn't until the end of the tour and that your tour can last upwards of 3-4 hours long. Since that was one of my highlights of your tour description we then went back after our other tour and then had to pay more to do the dome climb.
Chinyelu
Apr 2025Verified booking
Good, a little disorganized and a lot of wasted time. But it was good. I went off on my own to explore, because the history can be googled or read in the library, most people already read and heard, then come to SEE it . Tour guide needs to focus on getting people inside, taking them to various biblical status, and areas, for pictures. This is not a history class, we only had 1-2hrs , but our tour guide spent 40 mins telling us stories and history outside and on the door way, While I applaud her of her knowledge, however this is not a history class, 6 of us had other tours scheduled right afterwards, so we left the tour midway to explore the Basilica on our own, including the Tomb areas underneath.
Agnes
Apr 2025Verified booking
We had an unforgettable tour. Even though we thought we had booked an audio tour, we absolutely did not regret the guided tour. Alexandra is a very enthusiastic guide with extensive knowledge about St. Peter's and the Vatican. Her English is very good! Also highly recommended for visitors who have been to St. Peter's before!
View original review in Dutch
Therese
Apr 2025Verified booking
I had an incredible experience on the St. Peter’s Basilica Guided Tour. Our guide was absolutely amazing and extremely knowledgeable about the rich history and architecture of the basilica. I walked away with a much deeper appreciation and understanding of this iconic site. Highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting the Vatican!
Sasa
Apr 2025Verified booking
This was my first Headout experience and it was A+! First of all, our guide, Brigitta, was wonderful! So many informations and fun facts, she was also full of humor and funny comments, it was so nice! She really made us feel close to Rome, Vatican and their history. She eas really easy to talk to and that means a lot! The climb wasn't hard, whole 551 steps. The crowd on top was big, but that is what happens with big turistic places. Our trip was so much better because we had this day in the Vatican!
Judith
Mar 2025Verified booking
Brigida was a fabulous guide, we learnt such a lot & loved the whole experience. I highly recommend this tour and this company.
Carmel
Mar 2025Verified booking
We had a wonderful tour with a very engaging guide who gave a lovely balance of facts and information with regard to art, construction, architecture and religion. She also catered to the needs of younger kids in the group as well as adults from different backgrounds.
Sandra
Mar 2025Verified booking
Our guide was super knowledgeable really enjoyed the whole experience only downside people from group go missing and then we have to wait as guide tries phoning Why are people so selfish
Ariane
Mar 2025Verified booking
We had a great guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica with Michaela. You can tell that she has a lot of heart, wit and a wealth of knowledge. You should plan at least 4 hours for the tour of this wonderful St. Peter's Basilica if you also want to go up to the dome. It was a very special moment for me when I came out of the grottoes and up into St. Peter's Basilica. It was an absolute WOW moment that overwhelmed me. After the tour, you still have time to climb the dome and go through the Holy Door (only in 2025 and then again in 25 years), past Michelangelo's Pietá. On Michaela's recommendation, we took a short break in a side chapel where neither cell phones nor talking are allowed. A guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica is an absolute must, because otherwise you never get to know all the background information. A big thank you to the organizer and to Michaela.
View original review in German
Myriam
Mar 2025Verified booking
The punctuality of the group, the dynamism, the documentation and anecdotes of the guide, her ease in finding her way to the best views. We thoroughly enjoyed this tour and would recommend it in a heartbeat.
View original review in French
Esther
Mar 2025Verified booking
I've been to tours all over the world from Mexico to Uganda but but ANN is the best bar non. I can't wait to book more of her tours SHE IS A STAR!
Philippe
Mar 2025Verified booking
Our guide Frerico was very pleasant and knowledgeable. We really appreciated his comments The Basilica is really impressive.
View original review in French
Giuseppe
Mar 2025Verified booking
The guide was kind and patient. He gave so much useful information and his explanation was very engaging
View original review in Italian
Beberly
Feb 2025Verified booking
Valentina es una excelente guía! Nos encanto el conocimiento que tiene, el trato hacia el grupo y la forma de hacerlo interactivo. Nos encantó!!!
David
Feb 2025Verified booking
A visit worth discovering for its immense history. Great tour with the guide Valeria, who was very explanatory in his tour. Unique experience, to repeat.
View original review in Spanish
Monika
Apr 2025Verified booking
Entertaining tour, with lots of anecdotes. We had a lot of fun.
View original review in German
Hemmer
Mar 2025Verified booking
Received a lot of information about the paintings and the architecture.
View original review in German
Ian
Mar 2025Verified booking
Excellent guide and tour , and the Holy door was open
Stephen
Mar 2025Verified booking
Alexandra, our guide, was great. Friendly, fun and knowledgeable.
Dietmar
Mar 2025Verified booking
It was very informative, all questions were answered by the guide. Everything was fine. We would be happy to do it again.
View original review in German
Christine
Mar 2025Verified booking
We particularly enjoyed the very good and lively tour with Michaela. It was very informative and entertaining.
View original review in German
Franz-Josef
May 2025Verified booking
- Small group and therefore clearly structured - Very personal and detailed - Very good personal contact - Questions answered very well
View original review in German
Yvonne
May 2025Verified booking
Ticketing experience really easy. Good instructions on meeting place. Great welcome from guide. Amazing information and spectacular sights to see
Christie
May 2025Verified booking
The guide on our tour was WONDERFUL and this review has nothing to do with him. Our tour was supposed to include breakfast (I spoke to an agent on support who confirmed this) There was no mention made of this when we got there, tour was at 8:00 and was moved to 8:15. We got there super early, there was no one to even talk too before the ticketing booth was open and at that point we were hearded out like cattle and the tour started at least 30 minutes late. Naturally we were hungry assuming they'd stop at some point, but no. Never happened. We asked the tour guide about it but unfortunately he knew nothing of it. It wasn't his fault at all and I don't blame him I blame the company. It was supposed to be an hour tour that turned into 2 1/2 hours. Tour was great but we were definitely hungry the whole time. I don't think breakfast should be advertised with the tour if you're not going to offer it. I also believe the length of the tour should be as advertised and that the tour should not start late if you're going to be so adamant in your emails that the tourist not be late.
CASTAGNOLI
May 2025Verified booking
Thread-cutters. But far too many very personal comments from the guide, notably about the clergy and its hierarchy, instead of telling us about the subject of the visit: St. Peter's and its dome.
View original review in French
Vatican TicketsApostolic Palace
Make the most of Rome
Plan your visit to the Apostolic Palace
Timings
Location
Tickets
Rules
You can visit the attractions of the Apostolic Palace between 8.30am and 4.30pm. The Vatican is not functional on Sundays.
Best time To visit
- Off-seasons are a very good time to visit, with less heat and no chaos.
- Wednesdays are quite packed at the Vatican Palace as a lot of tourists head to attend an audience with the Pope. But it is a great time to visit the museums.
The Palace is situated within the Vatican City walls.
- By Train: From the Roma Termini station take the RE 12524 towards Civitavecchia or RE 4134 towards Pisa Centrale and alight at St. Pietro.
- By Bus: Take bus 40 or 64 from Roma Termini. Bus 40 stops at Piazza Pia, and bus 64 stops at Terminal Gianicolo or Holy Spirit Hospital.
- By Metro: Take Line A to the Ottaviano-S. Pietro station. From here, it’s just a 5-minute walk to St. Peter’s Square.
- By Tram: Take line number 19 to Piazza del Risorgimento.
- Standard Entry Tickets: With these tickets, you can enjoy access to the Vatican Museums & the Sistine Chapel.
- Skip-the-line Tickets: Bypass long queues and enter the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel with these tickets. Depending on the ticket, you might even enjoy access to St. Peter’s Basilica.
- Guided Tours: A guided tour will allow you to skip the lines with an expert guide.
- They follow a strict dress code. If you are not dressed appropriately, you will be denied entry.
- Video cameras, umbrellas, banners, signs, and sharp objects like knives, are not allowed inside.
- Phones must be kept in silent mode. The use of phones is forbidden in the Sistine Chapel.
- Visitors are allowed to take photographs for personal and domestic use only. Photography is prohibited in the Sistine Chapel
Structure of the Apostolic Palace
Arranged around the Courtyard of Sixtus V, the Apostolic Palace is a series of self-contained buildings consisting of a recognized outer structure.
Sistine Chapel
The Sistine Chapel is the best known amongst the Palace chapels and is named in honor of Sixtus IV. The Chapel is well-known for being a venue for the gathering of the College of Cardinals, used for the election of each successive Pope. Here, the cardinals elect a successor to the traditionally first pope, St. Peter, who is traditionally buried in the crypts near St. Peter’s Church. The Chapel is famous for its frescoes by various Renaissance artists during the era.
Know More
Raphael Rooms
The Raphael Rooms are a suite of reception rooms in the Apostolic Palace, which is now a portion of the Vatican Museums, in Vatican City. These rooms are popular for their frescoes, done by a team of artists who were guided under Raphael. Commonly known as the Stanze, situated above Alexander’s Borgia Apartments, the Raphael Rooms were the apartments intended for Pope Julius II. He decided to redecorate the interiors of the rooms entirely, possibly to outshine the apartments of his predecessor.
Borgia Apartments
The Borgia Apartments consists of a suite of rooms that were for the personal usage of Pope Alexander VI. The apartments were decorated lavishly with frescoes and used iconic themes from medieval encyclopedias, to add meaning and to celebrate the divine origins of Borgias.
The rooms are a part of the Vatican Library and Museums. Currently, these rooms are used for the Vatican Collection of Modern Religious Art, by Pope Paul VI in 1973.
Clementine Hall
The Clementine Hall, also called the Sala Clementina, was created in the 16th century in honor of the third Pope, Pope Clement I, by Pope Clement VIII. Just like the other apartments, the Clementine Hall also consists of numerous large collections of artifacts and frescos, that make the Clementine Hall a famous structure in itself. It is used by the pope as a reception room and sometimes as a site of various ceremonies and rituals. It is in the Clementine Hall that the body of the pope lies for private visitation by officials of the Vatican until it is moved to St. Peter's Basilica or the Basilica of San Giovanni.
Who lives in the Vatican Palace?
The Apostolic Palace is home to the Pope and numerous officials involved in religious and administrative functions. It functions similarly to a state residence, managing the Vatican's various responsibilities.
Paintings inside Vatican Palace
The paintings in the Sistine Chapel are the most prominent works of art in the Apostolic Palace.
You can spot The Vision of The Cross (in the Hall of Constantine) and The Fire in the Borgo in the Raphael Rooms.
The Pinacoteca room houses notable works such as The Crucifixion of St. Peter.
Book Tickets to Sistine ChapelApostolic Palace of Vatican | Site of administrative functions of the Holy See
Apart from being home to the Pope, the Apostolic Palace serves many functions. The Palace is used for performing several administrative meetings of the Vatican in terms of political, social, and economic aspects as a State. The palace has within it beautiful gardens, museums, a library, and more. Hence, this structure has become one of the top tourist attractions in the city of Rome, Italy.
Due to its dual nature as being the home to the pope as well as the site of administrative functions of the Holy See, it has assumed the same stature as the White House. It is a space that exercises various economic, political, and social responsibilities as a State. The term Apostolic Palace has, hence, come to be used as a metonym for the papacy itself, and not just the physical building.
Frequently asked questions about the Apostolic Palace
What is the Apostolic Palace?
The massive Apostolic Palace is the Pope’s place of residence. It's also home to various apartments, museums, offices, public and private chapels, to name a few amongst the lot. The Palace is inclusive of rooms such as the Sistine Chapel as well as Raphael’s room famous for its paintings and architecture. The Palace serves as a space to perform the religious and administrative functions of the city.
Where is the Apostolic Palace located?
The Apostolic Palace is situated within Vatican City, just northeast of St. Peter’s Basilica.
Who lives inside the Apostolic Palace?
The Pope resides in the Apostolic Palace. It is also home to various Vatican officials and staff who manage religious and administrative functions.
Can I enter the Apostolic Palace?
Yes, around 20 rooms of the Apostolic Palace are accessible to the public, including notable areas such as the Sistine Chapel, Raphael Rooms, and Borgia Apartments. Some sections, like the Sala Regia and Cappella Paolina, are not open to the public.
How far is the Apostolic Palace from St Peter's Square?
The Papal Palace is hardly two minutes away from St. Peter’s Square.
When was the Apostolic Palace built?
The construction of the Apostolic Palace (the Vatican or Papal Palace) in the Vatican City, was done between 1471 and 1605.
Why was the Apostolic Palace built?
It was built as a replacement for the Lateran Palace, which served as the primary residence of the popes for over a millennium. The new Palace was intended to enhance the papal residence and administrative capabilities.
Millions love heading out with us
Helen
Apr, 2025
+ 2 more
Our guide, Francesca, was funny and easy to listen to. She brought the history to life with her stories and kept us all interested at what was a very busy time in the Vatican. The Vatican museums and gardens were stunning, the Sistine Chapel was breathtaking and St Peter's Basilicia was beautiful. Francesca's stories about the art in the Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo's antics were the highlight for me.
Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica Guided Tour
Erin
United StatesApr, 2025
Our tour of the Vatican museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's basilica was amazing. The crowds were crazy but our tour guide kept us together and helped us get where we wanted to go. Her information was great and she was entertaining.
Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica Guided Tour
Lalande
FranceApr, 2025
Antonio was great, with clear and precise explanations of the history of the monuments. Lots of humor, which made the visit very enjoyable!
View original review in French
Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Skip-the-Line Tickets
Jason
PortugalApr, 2025
It was an exceptional experience! The super friendly and efficient guide at the entrance to the Vatican! He was right at the meeting point and I called him in 2 minutes and he returned my call quickly! I recommend it! We loved the experience!
View original review in Portuguese
Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Skip-the-Line Tickets
Chinyelu
United StatesApr, 2025
+ 2 more
Good, a little disorganized and a lot of wasted time.
But it was good.
I went off on my own to explore, because the history can be googled or read in the library, most people already read and heard, then come to SEE it . Tour guide needs to focus on getting people inside, taking them to various biblical status, and areas, for pictures. This is not a history class, we only had 1-2hrs , but our tour guide spent 40 mins telling us stories and history outside and on the door way, While I applaud her of her knowledge, however this is not a history class, 6 of us had other tours scheduled right afterwards, so we left the tour midway to explore the Basilica on our own, including the Tomb areas underneath.
St. Peter’s Basilica Guided Tour
Agnes
Apr, 2025
+ 1 more
We had an unforgettable tour. Even though we thought we had booked an audio tour, we absolutely did not regret the guided tour. Alexandra is a very enthusiastic guide with extensive knowledge about St. Peter's and the Vatican. Her English is very good! Also highly recommended for visitors who have been to St. Peter's before!
View original review in Dutch
St. Peter’s Basilica Guided Tour
Sasa
SerbiaApr, 2025
This was my first Headout experience and it was A+! First of all, our guide, Brigitta, was wonderful! So many informations and fun facts, she was also full of humor and funny comments, it was so nice! She really made us feel close to Rome, Vatican and their history. She eas really easy to talk to and that means a lot! The climb wasn't hard, whole 551 steps. The crowd on top was big, but that is what happens with big turistic places. Our trip was so much better because we had this day in the Vatican!
St. Peter’s Basilica Guided Tour
Marche
FranceMar, 2025
I came in 2017 ans now 2025 but still the same surprise.
Everything was so beautiful, museums, paints, monuments...
I was with my mother 79 years old and I would to congragulate the Vatican organization, specially for the people with reduce mobility.
We appreciate
Grazie Mille !!!!
Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Tickets