Private Viewing of the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums

Rome, Italy

This tour gives visitors an exclusive viewing of the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums. Michelangelo's masterpiece will leave you captivated as you enjoy it minus the huge crowds. A once in a lifetime opportunity so secure a place on this magical tour in Rome. This is a private two-hour small group tour of the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums, for selected nights only.

Seeing the Vatican's galleries when they are closed to the general public is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Tickets are limited and each group will consist of 20 people maximum with your own guide

The Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums are notorious for the crowds of people passing through during the day. With this exclusive two-hour tour you will have a unique chance to escape the crowds and, once the Vatican Museums close to the public, explore the artistic and architectural treasures.

All entrance fees are included in the tour price. Book your spot on this exclusive tour (instant confirmation!) and see the official residence of the Pope, in Vatican City. The evening is hosted by an English-speaking guide/art historian specializing in the Italian Renaissance. Please list any special interests you have (art, architecture, history, culture) at time of booking to alert our guide, so that he or she can better prepare for your private tour.

Why is this tour so unique? The fact that we are renting the entire Sistine Chapel (which costs upwards of $3,000 per tour!) means that we have exclusive access to the Sistine Chapel during our tour. Our group will be the only people in the Sistine Chapel during our visit, except for Vatican security staff.

Not traveling to Rome on one of these days? That's OK, we plan to offer additional dates for this exclusive private tour of the Vatican and Sistine Chapel.

Prices and availability for 2012 are being worked on. Please check back at a later date!

Special Offer - Book now and save 32% off the recommended retail price - Book Now!

USD $324.45

Traveler Reviews

Review by: pkh123	November 2011
This is definitely worth every bit of the cost. There were only 10 of us in the tour and the guide was exceptional --just fabulous!!!!

Review by: Jaime B	October 2011
Though this is an expensive tour, it is worth every penny because it is probably the only way that you can truly see, learn about, and enjoy the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. Two days later, I was walking past the Vatican. At 8:45 AM, the wait to get into the Vatican was 2 hours and 30 minutes! Avoid the crowds and enjoy the true beauty of this amazing place with this tour.

Review by: Teresa L	October 2011
This was a fatastic once in a lifetime tour. Only 11 people. My last trip there I was pushed and shoved and couldn't see anything. The guide was very well informed as well and explained everything we saw in detail.

Review by: Edward L	September 2011
Outstanding! Our tour group totaled 14 including our guide and 2 guards. It was unbelievable to have 30 minutes in The Sistene Chapel with no crowds. Our guide was terrific. She was knowledgable and enthusiastic. It appeared that she loved her job. I highly recommend both the tour and our guide

Review by: William B	August 2011
This was hands down the best tour we have ever experienced. More than worth the higher price to get away from the crowds at a cooler time of day and have the opportunity to truly see and experience the sights of the museums and Sistine Chapel. It is a completely different and superior experience when you are able to hear the tour guide, ask questions, and immerse yourself in the surroundings instead of being herded through in the crowd. We will recommend this to anyone going to Rome!

Review by: susancooling	June 2011
excellent knowledge and service

Review by: Julie S	May 2011
As if being in the Vatican Museums with only 7 other people wasn't good enough, our guide was wonderful! She did her thesis on the Sistine Chapel, so she was very knowledgeable about everything we saw that evening. She answered our questions and made us think about what we were seeing. I highly recommend this tour, it was worth every penny! We plan to take it again when we bring our children to Rome!

Review by: BRETT K	November 2010
Absolutely stunning. Well worth the cost. There were only 8 of us on the tour and we got to spend nearly an hour in the Sistine Chapel itself. Tour guide was excellent. Very knowledgeable and passionate about the subject. Highlight of the holiday for us. Cannot reccomend it highly enough. To be in the Sistine Chapel without a crowd is awesome. You can hear the guide explain clearly ( which the day tours do not allow ) Fantastic experience.

Review by: Bruce B	October 2010
The Sistine Chapel was great but for some reason we didn't go to the Vatican Museum. This was false advertising and I feel that we didn't get what we paid for. This was not what i paid for. I would not recommend it at your cost

Review by: Albert J H	October 2010
Expensive but worth every penny. The guide was very knowledgeable and pleasant. Our group was only 15 people and the highlight was sitting in silence for 30 minutes in the Sistine Chapel!!

Review by: Barrett B	October 2010
Our guide was simply superb. He brought the treasures we were seeing to life. Was wonderful to explore the treasures without being overwhelmed by crowds. A truly spectacular experience.

Review by: Joseph L	October 2010
Our guide was astounding. The vast knowledge she shared with such great love and enthusiasm left us wanting to learn more. I asked ,at the end or our tour, if she taught at university, assuming she was a much sought after professor. Thank you for the experience.

Review by: TONY H	October 2010
This was one of the most memorable parts of our visit to Italy. The tour was amazing and our guide was just wonderful-you could tell she really loved what she was doing. We got to see so much and were not rushed at all. After speaking to others who had went thru during the day and said how over-crowded and uncomfortable it was we were so glad that we went with the night tour.We would highly recommend this tour to anyone but especially those with limited time in Rome.

Review by: Andrew S	September 2010
This was an excellent tour. Our guide was very knowledgeable and explained things very well, taking time to do so and to answer questions. The amount of time spent on the rooms we visited were exactly right for what we saw. The pace overall was very good. The opportunity to take pictures was a very nice benefit. Everything occurred just as advertised. My only disappointment was not being able to see a couple of the highlights of the classical sculpture in the museums and some of the most well-known paintings, but I realize there was not time for everything, and I can imagine it might be difficult to visit rooms to see only a few highlights.

Review by: Colette B	August 2010
It was a great chance to see stunning masterpieces in a calm and uncrowded environment. Our tour operator was very knowledgable and courteous.

Review by: Anthony B, Australia	June 2010
It was probably the best experience to be had in Rome. We felt so honored to see such history at a quiet gentle pace.

Review by: Margaret N, Virgin Islands-US	June 2010
A highlight of our week in Rome. Anna, our guide, was extremely knowledgeable. The time our group of 22 got to spend in the Sistine Chapel was special. We had been chatting throughout the tour but as we entered the Chapel all of us fell silent. A truly moving experience for our diverse group.

Review by: Richard W, United States of America	May 2010
The guide and private nature of the tour along with the setting made for a wonderful experience.

Review by: Anonymous, United States of America	May 2010
Amazing!! Tour guide was excellent.

Review by: Anonymous, Czech Republic	April 2010
Nothing beats the experience of "empty" Sistine Chapel, opened just for few of us.

Review by: Diane R, United States of America	April 2010
The tour itself was amazing. There was an awe-inspiring reverence to being in this environment with a only a handful of people. Our tour guide enthusiastically displayed both a passion and knowledge for her subject matter. She was fantastic. This is clearly a splurge, but one we are glad we made.

Review by: Charles S, United States of America	October 2009
It was a great tour, and the tour guide was very knowledgeable about the art! You do need to be aware that there is only so much that can be seen in two hours. It was great being in the Sistine Chapel with only 30 other people. This was definitely the highlight of the trip for our participants.

Review by: Michael M, United States of America	October 2009
Amazing. Being able to experience the powerful beauty of the art of the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums with an intimate group of admirers was extraordinary. There were only 17 of us for this exclusive tour. This included our tour guide and one guard to usher us through the magnificent halls. We were able to see the beautiful artwork the way it was meant to be seen, as the popes have for centuries, without crowds. Our beautiful tour guide spoke perfect English and enriched our knowledge throughout the tour. Thank you for giving us such a memorable experience.

Review by: Constance M, Australia	October 2009
This private viewing was fantastic. All credit to our guide. This lady was exceptional. Her knowledge and enthusiasm for her work made the visit "top drawer". Thank you very much for the effort in making the tour such a highlight for visitors.

Review by: Cathy K	October 2009
This was costly and I very disappointed. It was supposed to be private but two groups talking over each other is not private. There was a mix up at the door and extra people tried to get in. Employees at the Vatican got mad at the tour guide. Terrible. Not worth it.

Review by: Carolyn	June 2009
The tour leader was 20 minutes late, so our time inside the museum was limited. Several members of the group telephoned her and she explained that she had forgotten there was a football match nearby and could not find parking. When the tour guide finally arrived, the Vatican staff were upset with her and there were some tense words exchanged. We were disappointed that she did not have a microphone earpiece system for the group to use because she had a very weak voice and it was difficult to hear her. Considering the high price of this tour, we did not receive the level of service we expected.

Review by: Laura S, United States of America	May 2009
Our tour guide was very knowledgeable. She has a PHD and gave us so much information. The Sistine Chapel is one not to miss. I loved it!

Review by: Dacheng L, United States of America	May 2009
I enjoyed the tour very much. The guide was knowledgeable, and there was no crowd.

Review by: Anonymous	May 2009
Amazing private tour of the Sistine Chapel. We were told several times to be at the door to the Vatican by 6.45pm SHARP or risk not being let in and the tour guide ended up being about 15 minutes LATE. That didn't start things off well but she ended up being a delight. However it didn't seem like the Vatican staff was too pleased with her tardiness. The tour was certainly worth the price. Very quiet, NO crowds, freedom to walk and get up close to things. At times things seemed a bit rushed, either the guide or the guards seemed to continue 'pushing' through the tour. It was amazing and I'd do it again if I had another chance.

Review by: Lorre P, United States of America	April 2009
Wow! This was the highlight of our trip! It was worth every penny and then some. We felt so special to be in the presence of such beauty with so few people. The tour guide was incredible. She knew so much and taught us much more than we ever expected. My children 8 and 10 years old were amazed by everything! It was a trip to remember! If you can avoid it, try not to bring a child in a stroller. There are a lot of stairs which made it difficult. But the tour was worth an inconvenience that my stroller posed.

Review by: Kevin P, United States of America	April 2009
It was a great experience! We had an hour in the Sistine Chapel, with a group of 20. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and enhanced the experience.

Review by: Stephen M, United States of America	April 2009
This was an excellent tour with a very smart and entertaining guide who spoke perfect English. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone. Keep in mind, there is silence in the Sistine Chapel even with tour guides during the day. This evening tour allowed not only everything to be explained by the guide but there were only 22 of us in the Chapel! Thank you for your great service.

Review by: HUGO G	April 2009
It is an amazing experience to be in the Vatican Museums with so few people. The guide herself was not particularly good and her comprehension of questions asked was a little limited. However, it was a thoroughly interesting tour and it was really good to experience the masterpieces without the usual crowds.

Review by: Pasquale P	April 2009
Wow! This was the highlight of our trip! It was worth every penny and then some. We felt so special to be in the presence of such beauty with so few people. The tour guide was incredible. She knew so much and taught us much more than we ever expected. My children 8 and 10 years old were amazed by everything! It was a trip to remember! If you can avoid it, try not to bring a child in a stroller. There are a lot of stairs which made it difficult. But the tour was worth an inconvenience that my stroller posed.

Review by: Francis C, Netherlands	October 2008
Being in the Sistine Chapel with just 17 other people instead of hundreds was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The Vatican Museum staff were great too.

Review by: Albert D	October 2008
The guide was very difficult to understand or hear. Her voice was very soft, and there were no headphones to aid in hearing her as stated in the tour description. That was very disappointing in such an expensive tour.

Review by: Tony G	October 2008
This tour was not the original tour as our flight was canceled and we lost our private tour, which only happens once a month. We were able to rebook for a longer daytime tour of all of the Vatican sites.

Review by: T S, United Kingdom	August 2008
I just revisited my travel photos from this tour and it reminded me how special this experience was. Although I'm not a fan of organised tours, I hate crowds and queuing even more. After various friends had mentioned that their experience of the Vatican and Sistine was weakened by the hordes of crowds and long lines, I decided that my best chance at enjoying the Vatican would be while nobody was there and when I didn't have to queue. The tour group I was in was small ? only a handful of us, including my friend and I. We met our guide at the Vatican entrance and right on time the huge back doors were opened and we were ushered in. As soon as we were inside, there was nobody there except the Vatican guards. In fact during our entire 2 hours at the Vatican and Sistine, we never crossed paths with any other visitors. We had a local guide who spoke with interest and affection about the history of the Vatican, various events within the Catholic Church, and the creation of the Sistine's ceilings and walls. Ahhhhhhh, even as I write this review, a smile is brought to my face. I can't explain how special it felt to have the guards unlocking each new door to each new room just for us. I try not to buy into the exclusivity factor, but I must admit that I felt quite smug knowing that groups this small are a rarity and that I was experiencing something that not many people have. The guide moved at a good pace, obviously this will be dependent on the guide you get, so being the camera junkie that I am I was able to set down my mini tripod and take some great pics. I know it's a fair bit of money to fork out but I definitely think it's worth it. Several months on, I feel less like I went on a tour and more like I had experienced a rare opportunity.

Review by: Anonymous	August 2008
I just revisited my travel photos from this tour and it reminded me how special this experience was. Although I'm not a fan of organised tours, I hate crowds and queuing even more. After various friends had mentioned that their experience of the Vatican and Sistine was weakened by the hordes of crowds and long lines, I decided that my best chance at enjoying the Vatican would be while nobody was there and when I didn't have to queue. The tour group I was in was small ? only a handful of us, including my friend and I. We met our guide at the Vatican entrance and right on time the huge back doors were opened and we were ushered in. As soon as we were inside, there was nobody there except the Vatican guards. In fact during our entire 2 hours at the Vatican and Sistine, we never crossed paths with any other visitors. We had a local guide who spoke with interest and affection about the history of the Vatican, various events within the Catholic Church, and the creation of the Sistine's ceilings and walls. Ahhhhhhh, even as I write this review, a smile is brought to my face. I can't explain how special it felt to have the guards unlocking each new door to each new room just for us. I try not to buy into the exclusivity factor, but I must admit that I felt quite smug knowing that groups this small are a rarity and that I was experiencing something that not many people have. The guide moved at a good pace, obviously this will be dependent on the guide you get, so being the camera junkie that I am I was able to set down my mini tripod and take some great pics. I know it's a fair bit of money to fork out but I definitely think it's worth it. Several months on, I feel less like I went on a tour and more like I had experienced a rare opportunity.

Review by: Sharyl G, United States of America	July 2008
This tour was worth every penny. The guide was great and the lack of any crowd at all was worth the money.

Review by: Patricia P, United States of America	July 2008
Our private viewing of the Sistine Chapel was the highlight of our trip. Our guide was very knowledgeable, and because the group was small we were able to ask many questions. I highly recommend taking the tour.

Review by: Susan M	July 2008
I took my mother as a birthday treat on this tour. I paid the extra to avoid the crowds. It was well worth the money just to be able to move. Our guide told us that in one day in May 25,000 people passed through the Vatican museums! The guide was very knowledgeable and was willing to answer questions from our group of around 15 people. We were totally alone in the museum apart from the security guards and the cleaners! Fantastic. _br /_ A tip for anyone thinking of going in summer, this place is NOT air conditioned as we had expected, to say it was stifling inside is an understatement. We went on a day that reached 39 degrees and it was so uncomfortable. Everyone was suffering. It's not that easily accessible with all the stairs to climb. My mother is 80 and she found it difficult to keep going in the heat. There are lots of steps. It's a superb trip to do but I would personally have liked to spend more time in the museum looking at the artifacts etc. Our guide concentrated mostly on the paintings and described what they depicted. It's an incredible experience but we wished we had gone in a cooler season and been able to spend longer looking in the glass cases in the museum. We left the building through that area and the security men kept asking us to keep moving if we stopped to look at something. The Sistine Chapel is much smaller than we expected but amazing. Well worth a look.

Review by: Dora H, United Kingdom	June 2008
Excellent tour, only six people in all, including the guide. Very informative and worth the money. It was a completely new experience to be in the Vatican Museums without the other thousands of people, it made us feel very important and privileged. If you can afford it and you're passionate about the Vatican Museums, definitely treat yourself!

Review by: Armin W	June 2008
This is an experience difficult to put in words! To see the Vatican Museum, and more importantly, the Sistine Chapel, in a small group without the crowds and pushing with a knowledgeable guide is wonderful. It really puts things in perspective, and, best of all, we were allowed some private time thereafter to soak in the Chapel. We really had a chance to understand and appreciate his Vision; it is a mind blowing experience. This is the only way to see, feel, and experience the Sistine Chapel.

Review by: Anonymous	April 2008
_strong_Note from Viator:_/strong_ This is from Rosa M. L., director of the Accademia Club and one of the guides who is conducting Viator's exclusive tour of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel. We asked Rosa for her own review of the tour, as she has kindly obliged.

Review by: Bertil E	April 2008
The guide was very good.

Review by: Anonymous	November 2007
The nighttime tour of the Vatican was an outstanding experience, worth every penny we paid. The tour director was so knowledgeable and interested in her subject. She truly loved art history and made the viewing of the Sistine Chapel very special. All the arrangements went smoothly and we enjoyed it very much. I can't think of anything that could make the visit better except more time to see the Vatican treasures in the other rooms!