Early Morning Vatican, Sistine, St. Peter's Semi or Private Tour
Overview
Available languages
3 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Get early morning access into the Vatican Museums to admire countless works, and beautiful courtyards! Together with a truly small group of only 6 participants max, or in your very own private group, you will be able to avoid the big crowds and quietly enjoy these wonderful masterpieces. The Vatican Museums is on everyone’s Rome itinerary so you can imagine it gets quite full, quite quickly. This tour guarantees the personalized and intimate feel that is only possible with our truly small group size, or in your very own private group. We believe that having an intimate experience makes ALL the difference! With your expert local guide, make your way through the vastness of the Museums, with the greatest highlights of the Papal art collection, the Raphael Rooms, the Gallery of Tapestries, the Pinecone Courtyard, and of course the exceptional Sistine Chapel. Finish with the incredible Saint Peter's Basilica.
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Important Notice Jubilee Year 2025: As part of the 2025 Jubilee celebrations, from December 24th, 2024 to January 6th, 2026, St. Peter’s Basilica may experience unexpected partial or complete closures. In the rare event that the Basilica cannot be visited, rest assured that your tour experience will remain exceptional. Your guide will seamlessly adapt the itinerary to include alternative highlights, ensuring the full duration and quality of your tour. Please note that, in accordance with our Terms & Conditions agreed upon at the time of booking, partial or full refunds cannot be issued due to Basilica closures.
Places of worship have strict dress code requirements for entry. All participants are required to have shoulders and knees covered (no tank tops or short dresses) to enter.
Vatican management maintains the right to delay the opening of the Sistine Chapel for religious reasons, in this case the guide will modify the itinerary and extend your visit of the museums to ensure you make the most of your time before access to the Sistine Chapel is permitted.
Photography is not allowed in the Sistine Chapel and all other artwork can only be photographed without flash.
Please be aware that the Sistine Chapel is a Holy Place and talking during while inside the chapel is strictly forbidden. Therefore, your guide will provide a comprehensive overview of the Sistine Chapel before entering and will be able to answer more questions once you have left the space.
St. Peter’s Basilica is an active church and can be closed unexpectedly for liturgical ceremonies. If closed, your guide will provide a revised itinerary including more of the Vatican Museums. No compensation is granted in these circumstances.
Backpacks are not permitted in the Museum.
Guests with wheelchair accessibility needs will find difficulty with this small group tour. To ensure a barrier-free tour with alternative routes, please book the private version of this tour.
Everyone in your group, regardless of age, needs a government issued ID to enter the Vatican Museums.
IMPORTANT: Please advise our team if you believe that a disability qualifies you for complimentary access to the Vatican
Access to the Raphael Rooms is contingent upon crowd conditions, timing constraints, and guard-regulated routes. Including them may not always be feasible. In these cases, your tour guide will exercise discretion to adjust the itinerary, ensuring a comprehensive experience.
Not recommended for travelers with mobility issues
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Skip the long ticket lines
Private Option of this tour is Available!
Tour in a Safe and Semi Private Group of 6 people
Learn from a Professional Local Expert Guide
Enjoy Early Morning Entrance to the Vatican Museums for a quieter experience
Food and drinks
Gratuities (optional)
What To Expect
Vatican Museums
With the luxury of our truly small group size of 6 people max, or in the personalized intimacy of your very own private group, you will be guaranteed to get the very most out of your Vatican experience. This way you can easily navigate through the countless masterpieces with an expert guide, ask all the questions you wish, and have the guarantee of a personalized experience. We trust this makes ALL the difference! Walk through the heavily decorated Gallery of the Candelabras and enjoy the trompe l’oeil in the Gallery of the Tapestries. After you learn about the impressive Gallery of the Maps, continue to the exquisite Raphael Rooms. With your professional expert tour guide, you will be sure to see all the highlights as well as hidden gems! You will not only learn the fantastic history of the powerful Popes but will also delight in the bits of gossip and other little-known stories about life in Vatican City.
Stanze di Raffaello
The Papal art collection at its best in the Raphael Rooms
Options
Private Tour
Private Guide: Book this option for your own private group and enjoy a complete Vatican tour with a Private Guide for you only.
Shared Tour max 6 people
Semi-Private Tour
Vatican Key Master Upgrade
End your exclusive VIP tour with a delightful breakfast in the Pinecone Courtyard.
Duration: 2 hours: Join the Vatican’s Key Master to unlock the empty galleries and the Sistine Chapel in total privacy. St. Peter's NOT included
Reviews
3,689 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Highly Recommended, Better Than We Hoped.
William K,
Nov 7, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00After the slightly chaotic initial sorting at the meeting area into our small group of six, the Liv Tours 3 1/2 hour skip the line early entry tour of the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, & St. Peter's Basilica with Sabrina was a truly top-of-the-line experience. I estimate we were among the first 50 to 100 people to enter the building upon opening. I highly recommend it and thought it an exceptional experience and value. We felt well taken care of and enriched by our guide Sabrina's intelligent commentary, guidance, and instruction. One could spend years here and never see everything so it is almost ridiculous to think that even the 3 1/2 tour (which is longer than many) is enough. That said, it was a pleasure being guided by Sabrina, an archaeologist, who provided context and was able to weave this bucket list of art & history into a meaningful journey through the intertwined histories of Greece, Italy, Rome, the arts, religion, and the Catholic Church specifically. There is a lot of walking here and there are very few places to rest. This is the design of the museum and is no fault of the tour or the guide but forewarned is forearmed. The pace was not rushed but even at 3 1/2 hours there was little time to dawdle. We loved every moment of the tour and we're grateful to have visited in the month of November when the temperatures are pleasant and the crowds reduced. Most areas of the interior are not air-conditioned, something to consider if thinking about coming in summer months. The air was fresh and clear first thing in the morning but crowds and temperatures grew inexorably as the morning went on and were vastly higher by the time our tour was completed. The tour ends in the Basilica where, it being a jubilee year, we were free to wait on our own in the line, which went quickly, to go through the Holy Door of plenary indulgence and see The Pieta.
Excellent experience
981fredrickw,
Nov 7, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our guide Bruno was great. Extremely knowledgeable about the history and contents of the Vatican Museum. We would highly recommend Bruno and LIV Tours
Nice tour of the Vatican, Basilica and Sistine Chapel
Don R,
Nov 7, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00This tour started at 7:30a and was billed as early access, but there must be a thousand tours with the same title, as there were many people waiting to get in. Our group of 7 stayed together and most of the tour felt like we were not crowded. Once we got into the Sistine Chapel the flood gates opened and more so when we went to St Peter's Basilica. Overall I would recommend this small group tour, just be ready to be along with thousands of others.
Pay. For. The early. Time slot.
Jim C,
Nov 6, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Our tour guide Donata was excellent for my wife and I! Made the tour engaging for everyone. For those debating paying the additional monies for a paid early tour: groups get in 1-1.5 hrs BEFORE the museum opens to the public. Well worth it, not crowded (minus the Sistine chapel but it’s too be expected).
Not to be missed!!
Heena L,
Nov 6, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00We had an amazing private tour! Our guide Valeria was a walking encyclopedia, fully engaging and ready to answer any questions we had. Valeria's enthusiasm and attention to detail really made the cost worth while. We felt we were in safe hands, especially in crowded areas, and she was very mindful of our children. We learnt so much from the private tour, not being rushed through like other groups. Special highlight was learning about the Sistine Chapel art, and what to look out for beforehand, so when we entered we could just marvel at Michelangelo's masterpiece. It's expensive, but well worth it, and was the highlight of our trip to Rome.
Vatican museum and the Sistine Chapel semi private tour
Deana R,
Nov 6, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00This skip a line tour was everything it was promised to be. Our guide, Mossimo was knowledgeable and witty. He made sure we got the most out of our experience. We would definitely choose this tour and this company again.
The best tour!
Storyteller779820,
Nov 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00One of our best tours! Taking the early morning tour was a God-send. We were able to tour the museum without the crowds. Everything we saw was so awe inspiring and having our guide, Patrice, explain what we were looking at, made the tour much more informative and enjoyable. Walking through the Holy Doors in this Jubilee Year at St. Peter's was such a blessing.
Tour of the vactican during the jubilee
135anthonyv,
Nov 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The tour gave our family access to areas of the Vatican that a regular visit wouldn’t normally include. The detailed insights into the art, the stories behind them, and the guidance on can’t-miss highlights made this tour an exceptional value!
Massimo exceeded expectations!
Linda H,
Nov 5, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Our guide, Massimo, was excellent! He really made our tour personal and he was extremely knowledgeable. We were entertained throughout and found the tour very educational.
Make Sure You Visit The Vatican
Anna T,
Nov 5, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Great experience with a funny, charming, and extremely knowledgeable tour guide Alessandro. Even with an early tour time there always will be lines but Alessandro will still make it enjoyable. He explains what are myths and the truths. There is so much to see and you wish you could linger in the Sistine Chapel but the crowd is too large,
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