Vatican Museum guided tour - Private guided tour of the Vatican Museum

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ROME – Tour of the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica (3 hours) - Italy

View of the Vatican

Bernini's Bronze canopy above the papal altar

The papal throne in the St. Peter's Basilica

The Gallery of maps in the Vatican
Museums

The Tapestry Gallery

Dome of the Sistine Chapel

The Original Sin by Michelangelo

THREE-HOUR TOUR IN ROME (VATICAN MUSEUMS, SISTINE CHAPEL AND ST. PETER’S BASILICA)

DURATION:	3 hours
PRICE:	Based on the number of participants
AVAILABILITY:	All-year-round
THE PRICE INCLUDES:	Local English-speaking tour guide for the three-hour tour THE ENTRANCE FEES ARE NOT INCLUDED
ENTRANCE FEES:	ADMISSION FOR THE VATICAN MUSEUMS: Single ticket Full price: € 14.00 Reduced: € 8.00 () We suggest You to reserve Your ticket in advance and then You can enjoy the visit without queue. Booking charge is € 4.00 per ticket. Free of charge:* On the last Sunday of each month; World Tourism Day (September 27) Directors of museums, ministries or governmental organizations assigned to archelogical, artistic, artistic heritage preservation Disabled (with 100% invalidity) and one companion each Journalists authorized by the Direction of the Museums after clearance from the “Sala Stampa della Santa Sede”, the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, the Foreign Press Association and the "Ordine Nazionale Italiano dei Giornalisti" Holders of valid ICOM ( International Council of Museums) and ICOMONS (International Council of Monuments and Sites) membership cards Donors of works and patrons: Patrons and Friends of the Vatican Museums Children under 6 years of age () Reductions:* Visits organized by schools, academies or other educational establishments may be requested in writing on the institute's stationery letterhead and addressed to the Direction of the Museums Pilgrimages organized by diocesis or parish churches by presenting a written request, authorized by the local diocese and addressed to the Direction of the Musems Students under 26 years of age in possession of a valid student card or other document proving their status in the institute for the current year Children under 14 years of age. Access to the Museums is permitted only to visitors with proper attire! The admission ticket to the Vatican Museums is valid for visiting the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel only on the date of purchase. Tickets aren’t refundable. ADMISSION FOR DISABLES: Wheelchairs can be reserved in advance or upon request at the “Special Permits” window in the entrance hall. Routes and toilettes for disabled visitors are also available. The opening hours are detailed below

Meeting with our Tour guide in the Meeting-point, which can be arranged according to guest’s requirements:

The tour shows the visitors the most important religious and cultural places of the Vatican like the Vatican Museums (Pio Clementino + Gallery of Tapestries and Gallery of maps + the Raphael’s Rooms) with the Sistine Chapel and the Piazza del Bernini with the St. Peter’s Basilica (without visiting the dome).

Bernini’s marvellous St. Peter’s Square is one of the greatest public squares in the world. The St. Peter’s Basilica is the most famous Catholic Church and the most important catholic pilgrimage site of the world. The Basilica was built in 326 by Constantine, the first Christian Emperor. In the 15th century the church was so dilapidated that was started with the construction of a magnificent church. The construction lasted over 150 years.

The interior of St. Peter’s Basilica is about 183 meters long and 119 meters high. The huge church has space for more than 60000 people. The most important masterpiece is Michelangelo's Pieta (1498-1500). The sculpture stands in a side chapel right near the entrance, even if behind a glass pane since an attack in 1972. Also significantly is the Baldacchino by Bernini (1624-1633) over the altar. Behind the altar, under the dome you can find Bernini’s Cathedra Petri (1656-1665). Right in front of the altar stands a bronze statue of the apostle Peter, from the 13th century, which is unmistakable for its right foot.

There is so much to see in the great complex of the Vatican Museums that it could swallow up all your vacation with numerous examples of Egyptian, Etruscan, Greek, Roman and Renaissance art.
Another part of the museums are the Rooms of Raphael, the artist who frescoed the private apartments of Pope Julius II. The room of Costantine (The largest of the 4 rooms) was painted between 1517 and 1527 and shows the most significant moments in the life of the 1st Christian Emperor within the vision of the cross and his triumph over Maxentius. Along the way you will also see the Chapel of Nicolas (with frescoes by Fra Angelico) and the Borgia Apartments, which have been designed for Pope Alexander VI.

But, sure, Michelangelo’s masterpiece is the beautiful Sistine Chapel. His modelling ot the human form is really incredible. Between 1475 and 1483, Sixtus IV commissioned Giovanni de’ Dolci to build the Chapel. He wanted this essential building to be architecturally isolated, virtually inaccessible from the exterior, as it were fortified. Its decoration was begun in 1432 and it transformed the severe, almost bare chapel into a precious picture gallery of 15th and 16th century Italian Renaissance Painting. Today the picture gallery contains about 500 works between pictures and tapestries, arranged in the fifteen rooms which compose it according to chronological order.

OPENING HOURS OF VATICAN MUSEUMS AND THE SISTINE CHAPEL:

Monday to Saturday: Entrance from 09.00 to 16.00; Closing time is 18:00
Sunday (the last Sunday of each month): Entrance from 09.00 to 12.30; Closing time is 14.00

Closed: Sundays, except for the last Sunday of each month, unless it falls at Easter, on June 29 (St. Peter and Paul), or on December 25 and 26 (Christmas Holiday)

Other holidays: January 1, January 6, February 11, March 19, April 12 – 13 (Easter), May 1, May 21 (Ascension Thursday), June 11, June 29, August 15, December 8 (Feast of the Immaculate Conception), December 25 – 26 (Christmas)

OPENING HOURS OF ST. PETER’S BASILICA:

The St. Peter's Basilica is open daily Apr-Sep 7:00-19:00; Oct-Mar 7:00-18:00

IMPORTANT INFORMATION : On Wednesdays the Basilica of Saint Peter is closed in the morning for Papal Audience. Tour will feature more of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel.

If you have questions or want to check availability of : ROME – Tour of the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica (3 hours), you can use the information request form or you can contact us

TOURS AND EXCURSIONS FOR POMPEII, CAPRI, NAPLES AND AMALFI COAST

THREE-HOUR TOUR IN ROME (VATICAN MUSEUMS, SISTINE CHAPEL AND ST. PETER’S BASILICA)