Vatican Museum Early Morning Tour

More Of The Vatican City From Raphael To St Peters

After the Sistine Chapel Tour, follow your guide back through the museums, savoring the finer details of the multitude of artworks. Some of the most famous and timeless masterworks can be found in the Vaticans gigantic collection, founded by Pope Julius II in the early 16th century. Get a thorough look at the Lacoöon, Belvedere Apollo, dazzling Raphael Rooms, and more with a captivating historic photograph at each stop from your expert guide.

The finale of our early entry Vatican tours culminates in St. Peters Basilica. Majestic and inspired, it is the perfect place to come full circle on the mornings itinerary. Every inch of this 240,000 square foot church is breathtaking, but our tour goes beyond the gold and splendor, revealing the true stories of fervor, innovation, faith, and power. Feast your eyes on Michelangelos Pietà and admire the stunning interior of the dome he designed, as well as Berninis massive bronze baldachin sitting over the Popes private alter directly above St. Peters tomb.

At A Glance Why Youll Love It

Criteria Of Early Morning Trips At The Vatican

Vatican city early morning tours start before 8 AM. So that means you start the journey even before other visitors start to clog up the place. And when visitors start to arrive, you are snuck off to a snack break in the courtyard. You can even get the chance to explore the rarely visited interior set of the Vatican. Some things to look out for before doing the early morning trips are:

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Early Morning Vatican Museums Tour

Enjoy privileged access to the Vatican, private early morning Vatican Museums tour in the company of an expert Vatican lecturer. Beat the queues by starting your tour one hour before the doors officially open to the general public.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Enter the world-famous Vatican before normal opening hours
• Visit the Sistine Chapel with only few people inside
• See top Vatican sites like the Apollo Belvedere statue, Raphaels Rooms, Gallery of Maps, Gallery of Candelabra and the Gallery of Tapestries with a private guide
• Be amazed by the sheer size of St. Peters Basilica, the largest ancient basilica in the world. With Skip the Line Access youll gain direct entry with no need to wait in line
• Enter St Peters Basilica through a fast-track entrance

• Reviews

Beat the Crowds: Solitude in the Sistine Chapel with this Early Morning Vatican Museums Tour

View one of the worlds most impressive art collections before the museum officially opens to the public with Italys Best private, early morning Vatican Museums tour. Skip the long line and have the museum all to yourself, accompanied by a private guide and a Vatican security officer. Enjoy the art without the noise that comes with the crowds.

St. Peters Basilica Guided Visit

Special Tours Of Rome

Visiting Rome should not be limited to seeing the Colosseum, the Vatican and St. Peters Basilica, or the Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona. Most tourists visit Rome every year without really discovering its essence. This city, in every corner, in every aspect is a unique experience to live, it is a journey through time, an encounter with history, with art to enjoy alone, as a couple or with the family. After marveling at Romes mighty monuments it is time to start exploring a different part of the city. People, events, sites and things who have made and continue to make this city one of legendary unparalleled beauty. Come and discover the Eternal city with Walks Inside Rome and its special tours of Rome, what the genius artists left behind and what Romans today keep alive.

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Private Tours To Discover An Unusual And Secret Rome

Is the Eternal City on your list of places to visit at least once in a lifetime? Well, get ready to cross over 2,500 years of history and discover your own version of Rome. You can fall in love with this city even without setting foot in a museum. For sure you will not be bored.

Rome wasnt built in a day! For this reason you may be able to see the main sites in 4 or 5 days, but to explore all the city you would have to stay there for months. Yet, Rome is quite easy to get around on foot, it is easy to find your way around and get a general idea of the city even simply by visiting the neighborhood where you are staying.

In a short time, you will discover typical hidden places as you come across ancient Roman ruins. The Eternal City has something for everyone, come and experience a special tour you will never forget!

If you are looking for something new, our tours are for you

When in Rome, you really can do as the Romans do thanks to your own English-speaking local guide showing you intriguing places known only to locals.

Only your personal guide can give you unique special tours of the glories of Rome, suited to your interests. His passion for the history, art, architecture and culture of the Eternal City will bring your tour to life, from the violent scenes that rocked the Coliseum, to the revelation of Michelangelos original colors in the restored frescoes of the Sistine Chapel.

• Vatican After-Hour Tour
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Standard Tours Of The Vatican

Most tour operators offer a standard 2.5 3 hour Vatican tour that includes highlights of the Vatican Museums, the Sistine chapel and St Peters. These tours start at the same time the museums are open to the general public.

Your tour includes skip the line for tickets and have a dedicated guide escorting you and explaining the art and history. But, there is no escaping the crowds unfortunately. You will however be able to use the group entrance into St Peters avoiding a half hour walk back to the main entrance and line for the basilica.

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What Makes This Tour Special

Experience the only true Skip-The-Line Early Morning Tour and enter the Museums even prior to the Early Morning Vatican entrance, a VIP access granted to only a few agencies worldwide!

With our Prime Vatican skip the line tickets we guarantee the fastest entrance to the Vatican Musuems through our dedicate lane, thanks to our longlasting partnership with the Vatican Museums

Together with you personal storyteller enjoy the semi-empty Museum Galleries where you will be able to wonder at the masterpieces in peace and quiet

Speedy Express Tours Of Vatican Museums And Sistine Chapel

Maybe I should have put this one at the top of the page.

One of the most common questions I hear about the Vatican Museums is: Can I just go see the Sistine Chapel?

I’ve answered this before and even with a tour that guarantees this, you really cannot.

There is an “express route” to the Sistine Chapel from the entrance of the Vatican Museums, which skips the Pinacoteca, the Pio-Clementine Museums, the Egyptian and Etruscan wings.

But you still have a lot of museum to get through before you make it to the Sistine Chapel, so even without visiting any of the above, and bee-lining to the chapel, it will still take you at least 30-45 minutes just to walk there quickly, without stopping to look at anything.

That said, there are tours that help you do this.

In the section just before this one, about Early Access Vatican Museum Tours, you have options for going in before opening hours.

In theory, these could also be considered as fast tours, since you do go directly to the Sistine Chapel.

But with the above, you are also given the chance to go back and take more time in the museums.

Normally I would urge you to visit the rest of the museums, as they are chock full of some of the world’s most amazing and beautiful art.

But maybe you have really limited time, or who have been to the museums before and want to re-visit just the Sistine Chapel.

So, you to book an Express tour:

Pro tip!

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Early Morning Vatican Tours

We think that early access tours are the best way to experience the Vatican. You can see the priceless artwork in relative solitude as you pay a premium to enter without the crowds. If these tours are within budget then we strongly suggest choosing the earliest tour available.

• Take Walks Pristine Sistine tour
• Liv Tours Early Morning Vatican Tour
• Take Walks VIP Key Masters Tour

The Vatican Museums allow a very limited number of people each day in to the galleries at 6:00am with the clavigero or key keeper of the Museums. You can join this unforgettable tour lead by the wonderful team at Take Walks more info and booking instructions here. Note this applies to the museums only and does not include access to St Peters.

Peaceful Quiet And Hassle

Due to the high number of enthusiastic tourists, the museums can get very busy at times and this can jeopardise your experience. This special time slot that we provide ensures a greatly enhanced experience as it is available to only a few lucky tourists. You will practically feel like you have the museums all to yourself which will allow you to pay detailed attention to the masterpieces. Equally important when visiting the museums is having a precise itinerary. This is because the museums corridors are very labyrinthine and host over 7 kilometres of art. To avoid wasting your time wandering through the corridors not knowing where is what, it is advised to be in the company of an expert and our guides know these museums like the inside of their pockets! They also hold encyclopaedic knowledge of the artefacts and will provide you with little-known facts about their creators and much more!

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Religious Art At St Peters Basilica

This tour encompasses all the attractions of the Vatican, including a visit to St Peters Basilica,* a unique example of Renaissance architecture and Baroque art and a symbol of huge significance to Christianity. You will enter the Basilica through a special-access corridor, skipping the long general-access lines. The creation and décor of the Basilica involved the most brilliant engineering and artistic minds of the time. Tourists of all faiths visit the Basilica to discover and admire the creations of the geniuses of Michelangelo and Bernini. You will discover Michelangelos Pietà, an extremely moving sculpture depicting the lifeless body of Jesus in the arms of his mother Mary. Under the same roof, there is Berninis Baldachin, a massive sculpted bronze canopy that sits above St. Peters tomb. The Baldachin is not only jaw-dropping, but it is a prime example of the style that flourished around Europe at the beginning of the 17th century, Baroque. At the end of the tour, you can explore more at your own pace.

The Best Vatican Tour Companies

Here are some of the most popular operators and our assessment of how they differ. There are literally hundreds of tour operators working in the Vatican so we have chosen the best for different types of travelers.

• Take Walks working closely in partnership with the Vatican Museums to create unique and engaging experiences for English speaking visitors, the Take Walks offerings Pristine Sistine and VIP Key Masters tours are outstanding
• Vatican official tours The Vatican Museums tours are generally the least expensive option but note that group sizes start at 16 people. Expect a focus on religious history and the church. Their Art and Faith tours are focused on the relationship between art and religion in the context of the history of the Catholic church in Rome view all official Vatican tours
• Liv Tours this Rome based company is known for their very small group and private tours and knowledgeable guides who are expert at adjusting tours for their guests interest and knowledge level view all Liv Tours Vatican tours PLUS 5% off with code UntoldItaly
• Withlocals very reasonably priced private tours. Choose your own guide and itinerary from the experienced licenses professionals at Withlocals. They offer several different Vatican itineraries you can choose from or adapt view all Withlocals Vatican tours

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Walks Inside Rome Most Popular Tours

For a beautiful escape to the Italian capital come and explore it the right way with an English-speaking local expert guide through an engaging, educational and entertaining itinerary. For more than 20 years, Walks Inside Rome has been offering private and small-groupguided tours in Rome and across other Italys destinations.

Our most popular tours of Rome allows you to explore the Eternal City the right way with our team of local, licensed and expert guides in art, history, archaeology and food. Plus, you can customize your experience to your very own interests.

Contact Us!

We are open 7 days a week. With us you can also book skip-the-line tickets so you dont waste any time in lines. To check out our catalogue of tours and experiences, visit our website or contact us directly.

We look forward to meeting you soon so we can start exploring Italy together!

Evening Vatican Museums Tours

During the summer months the Vatican Museums open from 19:00pm to 23:00pm on Friday evenings. With limited numbers allowed into the galleries you can enjoy them without the crowds and in the cooler night air. This exclusive experience will no doubt be a highlight of your trip to Rome.

Note this experience does not include visiting St Peters basilica so you would need to go there separately

Recommended night vatican tours

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Small Group Tour Of The Vatican Museums And St Peter’s With Breakfast And Early Access Highlights:

• View the richest art collections in the Vatican Museum such as frescoes and its treasures
• Stand in the midst of Michelangelos Judgment Wall, the Creation of the Sistine Chapel
• Skip the line and access into St. Peters Basilica in a small group – early entrance
• Be captivated by the amazing artworks of Michelangelos Madonna, Berninis main altar and the stunning architecture of the basilica
• Admire the magnificent Colonnade and the amazing Cupola of St. Peters in the St. Peters Square.

About Your Vatican Early Entrance Small Group Tour

Your tour begins at 7.30AM near the Vatican Museums entrance. Here youll meet your expert tour guide who will let you into the museums one hour before they officially open and you will be immediately guided through the empty Vatican Museum hallways straight to the first stop Michelangelos Sistine Chapel. Since this chapel is the number one attraction in the Vatican, LivItaly believes its important to give guests the time and space they need to fully appreciate it. Youll get a rare opportunity to admire Michelangelos ceiling frescoes and Last Judgment without having to deal with the surge of crowds by your side.

Wow! We not only sawthe Vatican, we experienced it. Ourguide Daniela was so knowledgableand a natural story teller. There wereonly 6 people in our group whichmade it easy to have one-on-onetime with our guide to ask questions

After youre finished learning all about Michelangelos masterpiece, your guide will loop you back into the Vatican Museums to the beginning of this amazing art collection and discover the highlights of the Vatican Museums with a stop at the Pinecone Courtyard followed by the Octagonal Courtyard to learn about the greatest statues of antiquity,from the mysterious composition of the Greek statues of the Laocoon, the Apollo Belvedere and the inspiring Belvedere Torso.

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Vatican Early Morning Tour Itinerary

Experience one of the most exclusive and intimate tours of the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel with this private Vatican early morning tour entering 1 hour before the public. This Vatican early morning tour starts with a brief introduction to the Vatican Museums, after which you will briskly proceed through the corridors to be one of the first inside the Sistine Chapel. Not to be missed are the Raphael Rooms, regarded by critics as one of the greatest Renaissance painting cycles ever done.

Inside Michelangelo’s magnificent chapel, in the serene atmosphere created by the absence of crowds, time seems to magically slow down. Spot the incredible details and hidden symbols that Michelangelo painted into the worlds most iconic artwork, getting the most from your time here. Gazing up at Michelangelo’s masterpiece, The Creation of Adam, is an experience you will never forget!

After your once-in-a-lifetime Sistine Chapel experience, continue your private tour through the Vatican Museums where your guide will introduce you to its impressive art collections. Admire the spectacular Gallery of the Candelabra, the dazzling optical illusions inside the Gallery of the Tapestries and the detailed maps of Italy frescoed on the walls of the Gallery of Maps. As you wander these monumental attractions with your guide, you will feel the great weight of history accumulated in these halls, as well as the deep sense of the sacred characterizing these works of art.