Skip the Line: Small Group Vatican or Timed-Entry Colosseum Tour

based on 402 reviews

Duration:2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Location: Rome, Italy

From $163.21

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This 2.5 hour Vatican Tour is led by an expert guide who will share stories you won't hear anywhere else! Visit the highlights of the Vatican Museums in small, exclusive groups limited to 10 people or less. Skip-the-Line no-wait access is included and is the fastest possible way to enter the Museums. For a special experience, choose the first access of the day at 8:00AM. All tours included Skip the Line access to St. Peter's Basilica (except Wednesdays, special events).

Are you looking to add a Colosseum experience to your itinerary? Select the option for a 3 hour, Timed-entry Colosseum + Roman Forum and Palatine Hill small group tour (max 15 guests) in English. Please note this option does NOT include a Vatican tour which must be purchased separately.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

WHAT TO EXPECT

1. Vatican Museums
A typical itinerary inside the Vatican Museums includes the Pavilion of the Carriages, home to everything from centuries old horse-drawn carriages to vintage and modern cars really used by Popes past and present. You'll visit the Pinecone Courtyard, the Hall of the Maps (the "Oval Office" of the Pope centuries ago), the Gallery of the Tapestries, the Pinacoteca, Belvedere Courtyard, Room of the Muses, the Round Room and Candelabra Gallery.
2. Cortile della Pigna
This courtyard gets its name from the enormous bronze Pinecone sculpture that dominates it.
3. Sphere within a Sphere
The Vatican Museums contains some modern art as well, including this famous sculpture: Sphere within a Sphere. Variations of this sculpture can be found in many settings around the world.
4. Museo Pio Clementino
The most famous wing of the Vatican Museums, the Pio Clementino museum contains much of the Museum's most important highlights. Your guide will take you through the Room of the Animals, where you can spot the life-like statues of fauna from around the world. Head to the Octagonal Courtyard where a small fountain trickles in the background of famous statues like the Laocoonte and Apollo Belvedere. Don't forget to look at the Candelabra Gallery -- master painters decorated these ceilings to create the illusion of a 3D effect centuries ago!
5. Gallery of the Maps
Head with your guide to the Gallery of the Maps -- and get a perspective of the world how it was five centuries ago. These exquisitely detailed, hand-painted giant maps are a favorite of the Vatican Museums. See if you can find the Italian cities you have visited, or spot the nod to Christopher Columbus' journey to the Americas.
6. Stanze di Raffaello
Raphael painted these rooms with incredible frescoes, originally meant for the private rooms of Pope Julius II.
7. Sistine Chapel
No guides are able to speak inside the Sistine Chapel. However, your guide will prepare you in advance for your free time inside so you'll know what to look for.
8. Museos Vaticanos
Your visit ends close to where it began, after the spiral staircase at the entrance to the Vatican Museums.
9. Vatican City
Visit to Vatican Museums - Vatican City
10. St. Peter's Square
When available, access is provided to St Peter's Basilica, skipping the lines. A tour is not provided inside the Basilica, only access. Your visit will end at the steps of St. Peter's Square with an introduction made by your guide after which you will be on your own to continue exploring.
11. St. Peter's Basilica
When available, access is provided to St Peter's Basilica, skipping the lines. A tour is not provided inside the Basilica, only access. Your visit will end at the steps of St. Peter's Square with an introduction made by your guide after which you will be on your own to continue exploring.

ADDITIONAL INFO

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• Children 6 and under are entitled to free access to the Vatican Museums (with proof of age)
• Children aged 7-18 are entitled to a reduced entry fee (see tour and ticket pricing) and must provide proof of age.
• Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult
• For Vatican Tours only: 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.
• Check-in is 15 minutes prior to the booked start time. Tickets are time sensitive and we cannot accomodate late arrivals.
• For Vatican Tours only: Skip the Line Access (no guided tour) to St. Peter's Basilica is included when available, except Wednesdays and special events.
• For Colosseum Tours only: Please note that our walking tour involves extended periods of walking and standing on varied terrain, including several staircases. To ensure the comfort and safety of all our guests, we recommend this tour for individuals comfortable with this level of activity.
• For Colosseum Tours only: The Colosseum may decide to close unexpectedly in inclement weather. In this case you will be offered a change of date or full refund.
• During booking, you must insert the full names of each passenger which should be the same names on their respective identity documents. Tickets will be emitted in the names provided and are non-transferable.
• Please note that Vatican Tours and Colosseum tours must be purchased separately. If you selected a Vatican Tour option, it does not include a Colosseum Tour. If you selected a Colosseum Tour option, it does not include a Vatican tour.

CANCELLATION POLICY

Posted By : Z8403MJpaulb
Our tour guide, for our Vatican tour was a pleasure with a bubbly personality. He showed and explained things extremely well and his knowledge of the Vatican was impressive. Our congrats to EcoArt and many thanks to Riccardo. We would gladly request Riccardo as our guide on any future tours we might!
Thank you,
Paul and Nancy Bearor
From Virginia, USA
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-20 02:43:41

Posted By : carols12344
Martina was fun, entertaining and was able to provide the perfect amount of historical details in what can be an overwhelming site in Rome. Would highly recommend her in all future tours w Viator!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-16 15:32:55

Posted By : E2784YAjamesm
Elisa was an awesome tour guide. Her knowledge of the Vatican was out matched by her excitement in sharing it.

If you book a tour with EcoArt make sure to ask for her.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-16 02:49:59

Posted By : Culture716953
Amazing views. Amazing and very knowledgeable host. Beautiful and very historical artwork. Good pace and lovely crowd. We thoroughly enjoyed the tour.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-15 07:07:18

Posted By : R6550HXtravisr
Amazing tour and knowledgeable tour guide! Thank you Monica for being our guide. The room with maps of Italy was the coolest thing.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-15 01:28:50

Posted By : reneelY1459RI
Would definitely recommend taking the tour. Not only did we get to skip the line and save valuable time, but our guide, Oscar, was extremely knowledgeable and we learned so much about the pieces of art. To see it in person is just breathtaking.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-14 20:19:27

Posted By : lizzydripping08
Eduardo our guide was fantastic - we booked tour independently of a cruise port of call - though our journey was to take only an hour from the port which would have left is an our to meet our guide it took 2 hours we thoughts we wd miss our meeting time we were contacted by get yr guide and they said not to worry they wd try and get us caught up to the tour - fortunately we made it just in time - it was on my bucket list - Eduardo was a marvellous guide wd recommend 100%❤️
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-14 09:38:37

Posted By : Relax57447633889
Rosalba was our guide. We were traveling with my family of 6. This was a BIG bucket list trip of ours to visit Rome and the Vatican. The Sistine chapel was breathtaking. Something about just being inside, despite the crowds of people, there was a change in the atmosphere you could feel to your core. She also explained some of the history of the Basilica prior to entry because the Basilica wasn’t apart of the tour. It’s a lot shorter anyways, so we didn’t mind touring on our own. We spent some time, simply awestruck, in the presence of the statue of Mary holding Jesus. It was an undescribable feeling that simple took your breath away for mere seconds. My stepmom isn’t able to typically walk long distances or many stairs but she pushed along like a trooper and Rosalia was patiently walking slower to keep the group together and making frequent stops to talk about all the history in the Vatican. TIP:
The Flag she carries is gray and hard to notice many times over the other tours brightly colored flags, but the yellow ducky on it was a nice touch to recognize easier. Also, men careful not to put your phones directly on the security rollers (before and after the security belt rolls it through), because it can fall through and onto the floor and break. Just put it in your woman’s purse or fold it inside your wallets when placing it on the rollers through security.
Thanks again for this incredible experience! I’d do this again over the Colosseum if I had to choose.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-14 02:45:37

Posted By : Skanks
Our guide, Ilaria, was superb. Very experienced, knowledgeable and friendly. She made the tour our high point of our visit to Italy. With only a short time in Rome we chose this trip at the expense of more general sightseeing and we were so pleased we did. We got to see so much and Ilona gave us plenty of information. The trip was quite expensive but worth it.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-12 02:41:47

Posted By : annegH1568WL
A very comprehensive tour. Guiseppe gave us heaps of background information. We had the opportunity to ask questions. Can be a bit o overwhelming and tiring especially for very young or old
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-11 07:01:59