The Best of the Vatican and St Peter's Basilica: Private Tour

On this tour of the home of the Catholic Church, you will have the opportunity to visit the important landmarks with major significance to Catholics. Hear about the tumultuous history of the Church and the colourful popes who reside behind these sturdy walls.

On your private tour, you will:

• Discover the Highlights of the Vatican Museums, including the Pinecone courtyard, The Laocoön, the Room of the Maps, and Raphael Rooms;
• Marvel at the works of Michelangelo Buonarroti, including the Creation of Man and the Last Judgement in the Sistine Chapel, the ‘Sculpture of the Pieta' in St. Peter's and of course the magnificent Dome of the Basilica;
• Explore St. Peter's Basilica, the largest church in the world, and see the precious marbles and artworks, including Bernini's famed Baldachin!;  
• Your tour ends at St Peter's Square, where you can keep exploring at your own leisure. 

Vatican City is considered the centre of the Roman Catholic Church and is undoubtedly one of the most historically and culturally rich cities in the world. As the world’s smallest independent state, situated in the centre of Rome, Vatican City is home to the Swiss Guards – tasked with protecting the Pope; St. Peter’s Basilica – the centre of the Catholic world; St. Peter’s Square – a large plaza situated in front of St. Peter’s Basilica; Sistine Chapel – the official residence of the Pope; and Vatican Museums – home to paintings and sculptures collected by the Popes for hundreds of years.

The stunning St. Peter’s Basilica is the centrepiece of Vatican City, and its huge dome can be seen on the Roman skyline from most points in the city. Although not the mother church of the Catholic Church, it is its largest and holiest shrine and an important place of pilgrimage.

Then, your comprehensive tour of Vatican Museums will whisk you through the entire complex. Begin with a stroll through the impressive Belvedere Courtyard, before exploring the many rooms and galleries of the museums. Explore the Gallery of Tapestries, and the Gallery of Maps, and be mesmerised by Michelangelo’s great frescoes inside the Sistine Chapel.

Tour duration
3.5 hours 30 minutes

Type of tour
Walking tour: no transportation is included

Attractions along this route:

St. Peter's Basilica
The most important church in the Catholic world, and without doubt the most impressive.

Vatican Museums
A jaw-dropping Papal collection of art and artefacts.

Pieta' by Michelangelo
The Pietà or "The Pity" (1498–1499) is a work of Renaissance sculpture by Michelangelo Buonarroti, housed in St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City.

Pinecone courtyard
First Main Courtyard in Vatican

Raphael Rooms
The four Raphael Rooms form a suite of reception rooms in the Apostolic Palace.

Sistine Chapel
The Sistine Chapel is a chapel in the Apostolic Palace, in Vatican City and the official residence of the pope.