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Sistine Chapel First Entry Experience with Vatican Museums

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Roma, Italy
Sistine Chapel First Entry Experience with Vatican Museums
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Sistine Chapel First Entry Experience with Vatican Museums
Sistine Chapel
Sistine Chapel
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From $70.38

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Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance. Learn more
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Safety measures
icon1 to 4 hours  (Approx.)
Mobile ticket
iconOffered in: English

Overview

Visit the Sistine Chapel before the crowds arrive on this guided first-entry experience to the Vatican Museums complex. Explore at your own pace, accompanied by an expert guide, stopping to admire Michelangelo’s famous ceiling fresco and his other works in a tranquil, crowd-free atmosphere.
  • First Entrance into the Vatican Museums & the Sistine Chapel before the crowds arrive
  • Enjoy Michelangelo's masterpieces before the crowds arrive
  • Take the time to explore the Vatican Museum for as long as you want
  • Share the experience with a small group

Why Travelers Choose This Tour

Be among the first people of the day inside the Sistine Chapel with this ticket.
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From $70.38

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First Entrance into the Vatican Museums
First Entry Experience to the Sistine Chapel
Tickets to the Vatican Museums and all reservation fees
All Day Access to the Vatican Museums
Semi-Private group of 10 people or less
Expert, English-speaking guide
Gratuities
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Food and drinks, unless specified

Departure Point

Via Tunisi, 4, 00192 Roma RM, Italy

At the bottom of the steps across the street from the Entrance of the Vatican Museums. The steps are located right next to Caffè Vaticano on the corner of Viale Vaticano and Via Tunisi. The closest Metro stop is Line A (Ottaviano – Musei Vaticani).

Return Details

00120, Vatican City
Your early morning Vatican experience starts as you meet your host outside the Vatican Museums. Go in and head directly to the Sistine Chapel, the pope’s private place of worship, which is normally the last thing seen on a tour of the Museums complex. However, with this ticket, enter the chapel as one of the first visitors of the day, allowing you to enjoy it without the crowds.

Gaze in awe at Michelangelo’s iconic ceiling fresco, 'The Creation of Adam,' as well as 'The Last Judgment,' his blue fresco that adorns the back wall of the chapel. Talking is not allowed inside; learn about these Renaissance masterpieces before you enter. After seeing the chapel, you're able to explore the Vatican Museums at your own pace.

Your tour concludes back in St. Peter's Square, where you're able to take in the architectural splendor of the Vatican.
Itinerary
Stop At:  
Sistine Chapel
Your experience begins just outside the Vatican Museums in the early morning, where you’ll receive your tickets and be accompanied to the Sistine Chapel. There, you’ll have the time and the space to contemplate its beauty. This is a far cry from the crowded afternoons when there's barely room to move around in, let alone appreciate, this incredible space. To this day, critics say that no artist’s work has ever approached the scale, technical skill and sense composition of Michelangelo’s frescoes. People the world over have been awestruck by the powerful imagery of the “Creation of Adam,” painted on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, while others have marvelled at “The Last Judgment,” which adorns the altar wall. You’ll have the luxury to see these 15th century masterpieces for yourself, up close and personal.
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Duration: 30 minutes
Admission Ticket Included
Stop At:  
Vatican Museums
After your once-in-a-lifetime Sistine Chapel experience, you have the option to visit the Vatican Museums without having to leave and enter again. Besides full-day tickets, we also provide a map of the 9-mile-long museum and an introduction to its highlights - everything you need to design your own itinerary, enjoying the world-renowned art collections at your own pace.
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Duration: 2 hours 
Admission Ticket Included
Pass By:  
Cortile della Pigna
Pass by the Pine Cone Courtyard to admire Vatican Museums from a different angle
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  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements
  • St Peter's Basilica, the grottos and the dome: After the tour, you may visit these attractions on your own. Your tour will end at the front of St Peter's Basilica, which is a very convenient location to leave for lunch, visit the Vatican bookstore, visit the Vatican post office, enter St Peter's Basilica, continue to the grottos below St Peter's or climb to the dome. Your tour guide will be happy to point you in the right direction!
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Near public transportation
  • Most travelers can participate
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers
  • OPERATED BY City Wonders Ltd

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

  • This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Learn more about cancellations.

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Q:
What is the policy on face masks and attendee health during Sistine Chapel First Entry Experience with Vatican Museums?
A:The policies on face masks and attendee health are:

  • Face masks required for travelers in public areas
  • Face masks required for guides in public areas
See all safety measures taken by Sistine Chapel First Entry Experience with Vatican Museums.
Q:
What is the social distancing policy during Sistine Chapel First Entry Experience with Vatican Museums?
A:The policy on social distancing is:

  • Social distancing enforced throughout experience
See all safety measures taken by Sistine Chapel First Entry Experience with Vatican Museums.
Q:
What is the maximum group size during Sistine Chapel First Entry Experience with Vatican Museums?
A:This activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers.

See all safety measures taken by Sistine Chapel First Entry Experience with Vatican Museums.

Traveler Photos

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Traveler Tips

  • "There are other tour groups, but no where near as the mass crowds as usual.this tour is highly recommended for all." See review
  • "Don't worry, you will still have the opportunity to explore the museums after you visit the Chapel." See review
  • "Show up early, grab some cappuccino before the tour, and get ready for the experience of a lifetime!" See review

Reviews

4.5
star-4.5
870 Reviews
5 stars
646
4 stars
153
3 stars
36
2 stars
17
1 star
18

Reviews by Viator travelers

Showing 1-10 of 870 reviews
star-3
No pictures or videos allowed in sistine chapel
darren_p
, Feb 2020
It is short not so much info. No pictures or video is allowed in the sistine chapel. The vatican museum is short. They just give you a guide to do it your own. We are done in an hour.
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star-5
Excellent
DEBORAH_S
, Feb 2020
Well worth the effort to get up and go early. The tour was Well organised, Informative and no queuing. You were then left to fill the day as you pleased
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star-5
Excellent
drrahimaiqbal
, Feb 2020
Excellent, very informative and friendly people They were really very helpful, we missed our tour, they make new timing on same day
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star-3
Worth the early wake up?
ashleymancusi
, Jan 2020
This tour was good, however it wasn't what we expected. There were a lot of groups doing the same 'before opening' tour so the place was still fairly packed (though admittedly much less so). Our guide was knowledgeable and lead us through the building to the Sistine Chapel, stopping along the way to give us some interesting facts. He then left us to explore the rest of the museums and the Vatican itself at our own convenience.
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-4
A great visit of the Sistine Chapel
sylvie939
, Jan 2020
Although it was very early in the morning, we had a wonderful one hour tour through some parts of the vatican museums. Of course it is not possible to see all the astonishing art pieces during such a short period of the time but that was not our goal anyway. We wanted to see the sistine chapel with enough time and space to walk around inside of it so that we could see all the beautiful paintings and this tour made it possible. After all the explanations our guide Gigi had given us, he stoped his tour in front of the entrance of the chapel because it is not allowed to talk inside and so we had about two hours left to see the chapel, and all the other parts of the museums that we were interested in, before they opened their doors for the entire public. My only point of critique is that our lovely guide, who did really a good job, talked a little bit to fast. But if you go to bed early enough the day before your tour will take place and if you drink a nice espresso immediatly (which is possible at a little cafe near the entrance of the museums) before the tour starts it should be no problem.
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-5
Literally first in!
DaisyDuck301
, Dec 2019
Marco, our guide with City Wonders (bought through Viator), literally got us in 1st! Even though our tour was for 7:20am, and other group start timed were 07:10am! It's a simple tour, where you are literally just escorted in, with the guide filling any wait time with history and details. Was so worth it! The line to get into the Sistine Chapel was already all the way down two sides of the Vatican wall when we came out at 10am.
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star-5
Before Opening Hours: Sistine Chapel Exclusive Entrance & Vatican Museums
Marie S
, Dec 2019
This tour was amazing..even in off season the line ups outside when we were done were very long...this was so worth the money to beat the crowds...would recommend this tour
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-5
Wonderful Tour!
RBlakemore
, Nov 2019
Very nice tour! At the end of the Sistine Chapel, turn RIGHT instead of left - This will take you into St. Peter's Basilica, instead of waiting in tremendous lines from the St. Peter's Square / Piazza San Pietro!
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star-4
Happy with Sistine before hours. VERY UPSET ABOUT HOP ON HOP OFF
NorthStar09487772609
, Nov 2019
This tour was fabulous. However the Hop on Hop off bus was not available and we really feel due a discount. We were unable to obtain the voucher in order to get on and were led to different places by the concierge who actually called your representative. When we got to that destination they were closed (after walking quite a distance). We use the Hop on bus when we travel as it has always offered a great orientation to the city. We were very displeased that we worked so hard to use it and did not! So we are out the money for the attraction and lost time looking for it.
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-5
Absolutely Amazing
AF11AUD
, Nov 2019
Loved this tour from start to finish our guide was engaging, interesting and extremely knowledgable. We were taken care of from the get go. Cannot recommend this highly enough.
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1 traveler found this review helpful

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