Rome: Complete Early Morning Vatican Tour | Small Group
Overview
Available languages
3 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Meet at our comfortable offices less than a block from the museum entrance. Join our small group Vatican tour in the early morning with a top-notch tour guide and get the earliest entrance available to the museums, Sistine Chapel & Raphael Rooms. In a small group, you will be able to discover with no rush the extraordinary abundance of history and art.
Your guide will tour you through these corridors and halls, pointing out the exhibits on display. Once through, the Sistine Chapel awaits you.
The finale of our early entry Vatican tours culminates in St. Peter’s Basilica. Majestic and inspired, it is the perfect place to come full circle on the morning’s itinerary. Feast your eyes on Michelangelo’s Pietà and admire the stunning interior of the dome he designed, as well as Bernini’s massive bronze baldachin sitting over the Pope’s private alter directly above St. Peter’s tomb and other little-known details that can only be spotted when inside!
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
MEETING POINT IS VIA SANTAMAURA 14b, What a Life Tours
The ticket is valid only for the date and time reserved. We are unable to accommodate late arrivals due to a time entrance of the Vatican Museums tour voucher. Missed tours or tickets due to late arrivals are non-refundable. Please allow extra time to reach the meeting point as Rome's streets can be confusing. Meeting time is 15 minutes before the start time of the tour.
A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. ALL participants MUST cover their knees and shoulders. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements.
While the Vatican Museums are equipped with elevators for wheelchair access, they are not conveniently located on the group tour route and only give access to specific sections of the Museums. As a result, we cannot accommodate wheelchairs/walkers on this tour.
Please remember to bring with you a valid ID document for all participants.
We cannot accommodate service animals.
Please notice that we are not responsible for the number of visitors the Vatican Museums allow inside.
Large umbrellas are not permitted, please leave these at your accommodation.
No pictures, videos, or even speaking is allowed in the Sistine Chapel.
We recommend that you bring your own headphones as the ones provided by the Vatican have a single earpiece only, and you may prefer to use both earbuds to hear the guide better.
St. Peter's Basilica is an active parish and therefore subject to last-minute closures due to mass or other religious events. In these cases, we will offer an extended tour of the Vatican Museums (including areas normally not part of the tour). Please note that closures of St. Peter's Basilica can happen anytime without further notice. No refunds are recognized for unexpected closures.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
The activity starts directly at our office located conveniently very close to the Museums' entrance.
Vatican Museums
The Vatican Museums feature many works of art that belonged to the different Popes and are full of artistic beauty. Here is a glimpse of some of the most beautiful things to see in the Vatican Museums. Rooms and Galleries of the Vatican Museums, as the Greek Cross Room, the Gallery of Maps, the Gallery of Tapestries, Raphael Rooms and much more! From a relatively small collection of statues brought in by Julius II, it grew into a gigantic museum to a point that nobody even knows how many items are kept in the vaults and galleries of the Vatican.
What‘s Included
Meet your guide at our comfortable offices near the Museums' entrance
Skip-the-line access to St. Peter’s Basilica
Headsets to hear the guide
Entry to the Sistine Chapel
Small group
Expert English-speaking tour guide
3.5-hour guided tour
Early entrance guaranteed
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Options
Complete Early Morning Tour
Sistine Chapel & Pinacoteca
Duration: 3 hours: Admire the amazing Vatican Pinacoteca in this Wednesday's Special itinerary.
Museums & Sistine Chapel: Please note this tour does not include St. Peter's Basilica but will go to the marvelous Pinacoteca instead.
Before the Crowds Early Entry: EXCLUSIONS:
-St.Peter's Basilica
Reviews
2,186 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Knowledgeable, Witty, Fun - Best Vatican Tour
580duncanc,,Dec 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Elaine is one of the best tour guides i've had the absolute pleasure of being led by! One could spend an eternity in the Vatican collections and not see everything, but we felt we had a great introduction to the highlights. I especially appreciated her wit and trivia about every artifact or artwork we paused at, going deeper than your average tour guide. Her breadth of knowledge of both the artifacts and the inner workings of the vatican is immense. I also really appreciated her politeness with other tour groups and guides, emphasizing etiquette to our whole group throughout the tour. I'm going to recommend this to others—we had an amazing time!
Organized and Knowledgeable
Connector322867,,Dec 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Elaine was very knowledgeable and organized in her presentation as we went through the Vatican. She had little tidbits of information that kept the tour very interesting!
Mario was a professional...
Barbara H,,Dec 29, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Mario was a professional and knowledgeable. He made the logistics of getting in and out of the Vatican very easy. His knowledge of the history we were seeing made the experience very rich and interesting and his light hearted, funny demeanor made the tour exceptionally enjoyable! I would definitely recommend Mario and this tour!
The Holy See
Quest287184,,Dec 26, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great experience. Easy to find meeting point. Guide was very experienced & was able to get us in position avoiding the long entrance lines. She was very knowledgeable & patient with everyone throughout the tour. Highly recommended!
You will learn a lot while having fun
Kristi W,,Dec 23, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00You will learn a lot while having fun! The tour guide was very knowledgeable and entertaining. She made sure we had rest breaks and an opportunity for water. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting others in our small group. I’m glad we did this tour!
Fun tour overall
janekS9040YS,,Dec 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Elaine was a great guide. Very funny, British sense of humour and full of knowledge on the Vatican. The tour itself is more of a quick walk through the highlights of the museum. There’s not time to stop and really take in the details, and despite the early morning entrance the rooms are already crowded. That’s not a fault of the company or the guide, it’s just the way it is. So be aware that if you’re looking for an in depth tour of the museum you’re probably better off going private or coming back for a second visit. We were given 20 minutes in the Sistine chapel which was more than adequate, and overall the tour was great. We learnt a lot from Elaine that we wouldn’t have known if we just visited on our own.
Vatican tour
Q3223KNbrandonf,,Dec 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The Vatican tour was outstanding. Elaine was the best and the tour was very informative. Would return again. Recommend highly.
Great Tour
340avae,,Dec 21, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had an amazing experience with Elaine, she was fantastic and made the tour the best. Would totally recommend this tour.
Amazing tour
K8752EYjimb,,Dec 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Elaine delivered an exceptional What A Life Tour Golden Tour—truly unforgettable from start to finish. Her depth of knowledge is incredible, but what sets her apart is how she brings history to life with fascinating inside secrets, rich details, and stories you won’t find in any guidebook. Every stop felt meaningful, engaging, and thoughtfully curated. Elaine’s passion is contagious. She answers questions effortlessly, shares behind-the-scenes insights, and makes you feel like you’re experiencing the city through an insider’s lens. The tour was perfectly paced, packed with amazing knowledge, and left us feeling inspired, informed, and wanting more. If you’re looking for a tour that goes beyond the surface and turns a visit into a truly memorable experience, Elaine’s Golden Tour is an absolute must. Highly, highly recommended!
Vatican tour with Elaine
brinikjes,,Dec 19, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Elaine was the ideal tour guide. She was knowledgeable and witty making the Tour fun. She had knowledge of little known facts that many would miss. We were a couple minutes late and What a Life tried to get in touch with us which was appreciated. I highly recommend what a life tours and hope you are lucky enough to get Elaine as your guide.
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