Vatican Museums: Semi-Private Early Entry

Unlock the Vatican Museums at dawn with an expert guide. Explore Renaissance wonders and savor a breakfast buffet in the Pinecone Courtyard.

Duration: 2 hours, 45 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Vatican Museums - Be among the first to explore the sacred halls and galleries of the Vatican, two hours before they open to the public. Delight in an exclusive semi-private tour with an expert guide, accompanied by a small group of just 10 people.
  • Stanze di Raffaello - Typically crowded with hundreds, enjoy the tranquility of Pope Julius…
What's Included
  • Expert guide
  • Museum Highlights
  • Pinecone Courtyard for a full breakfast
  • Extra early VIP access to the Vatican Museums
  • First look at the Sistine Chapel & Raphael Rooms
  • A group of no more than 10 people
  • Semi-Private tour
What's Not Included
  • Saint Peter’s Basilica is not included
Additional Information

At daybreak, before the Eternal City awakes, be the first to enter the hallowed halls, opulent galleries, and sacred chambers of the Vatican Museums, in an exclusive small group with an expert guide. You will experience the Apostolic palaces as the popes of the Renaissance did – peacefully, without the crowds. Enjoy some of the greatest art in the…

Location
Viale Vaticano, 100
Viale Vaticano
In front of Cafe Vaticano, right across the street from the Vatican Museum's Entrance. Please arrive 15 minutes before the start time. IMPORTANT: You must bring photo ID to guarantee entry.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(10 Ratings)
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Donna_a
Dec 4, 2025
Fantastic tour! - This was an excellent tour. Being able to see The Vatican in such a small group was surreal. Our tour guide David was amazing and full of knowledge. I’d highly recommend this tour and would do it again in a heartbeat.
Review provided by Viator
W5614pzkhanhn
May 1, 2025
Best Tour of the Sistine Chapel - I am so glad I waited to write this review after attending two other tours from two different tour companies. Our visit to the Sistine Chapel and Raphael rooms were beyond amazing. Our tour guide Davide F. kept our attention with his quick humor and talent for storytelling. To be in the Sistine Chapel with only a handful of people is an experience I will cherish forever. I can tell you from personal experience LivTours is the best of the best. Don't waste your time or money booking with other tour groups. I can't wait to have the opportunity to book with them again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
U7282rjandream
Dec 9, 2024
Great experience! - Amazing experience, perfectly organized, best tour guide. No line to enter and we were a small group of just 5 people. Vatican museum and Sistine chapel like VIP. Definitely worth the money and super raccomanded
Review provided by Tripadvisor
627zekem
Jul 17, 2024
Once in a Lifetime Experience - Being alone in the Vatican, especially the Sistine Chapel was an unforgettable experience. I had done a different company's tour of the Vatican at a more crowded hour and while it will always be stunning, the views and pictures I was able to get on this tour blow the other out of the water.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Love_my_passport2
Mar 20, 2024
100% Recommend This Tour - 100% recommend this tour! Visiting the Vatican museum with the abstinence of crowds was absolutely AMAZING! Our knowledgeable tour guide walked us through the empty museum, which made for some EPIC photography. Our private tour included- exploring the Gallery of Maps, Raphael's Room, Sistine Chapel, and Michelangelo's masterpieces all before the sunrise. Highlight of the tour, we were able to spend 30 minutes in the Sistine Chapel. Our guide told us stories about the masterpieces and explained the history of the chapel. After our tour we were escorted to the beautiful Acorn courtyard to enjoy a delightful breakfast. You are able to sit and enjoy breakfast for as long as you would like. I highly recommend this tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Untoldmorsels
Mar 18, 2024
The only way to visit the Vatican Museums - It was an absolute thrill to visit the Vatican Museums with a small group of people and excellent guides on this early morning tour including the Sistine Chapel. I have visited the museums several times and found this experience to be outstanding. The highlights for me were walking through the hall of maps with virtually a soul in sight, getting up close to Raphael's masterpieces and of course a complete half hour in the Sistine Chapel hearing stories about Michelangelo's methods and life as he brought his ultimate masterpiece to completion. Highly recommended
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Crobsea
Mar 18, 2024
Once in a lifetime experience of the Sistine Chapel - First off: this was a totally astounding experience. The Vatican Museums were essentially empty: staff was coming in for the day, the windows were open, sunlight was streaming in and the birds were chirping. We entered the Vatican in a group of about 15 and then split into two different groups with one guide per group. We got to visit all the major highlights of the Museums and there was no one else - outside of the other group. I learned so much about the artwork and the setting - and I have been on a tour group tour of the Vatican Museums before. This was way beyond that "normal" tour. The crown jewels were really the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel. We were alone in the Raphael Rooms and got to spend plenty of time - without any crowds - learning all about the dynamics of the artists and great thinkers and church leaders of the time. Then the Sistine Chapel! We spent probably 30 min in the Sistine Chapel and our guide was allowed to talk the whole time. This is not normally the case. We sat on the benches along the side and learned all about how a new pope is picked, when the chapel is used these days and of course, the incredible ceilings and wall. There are so many details and so many stories that I learned on that day - it was totally enriching and unique. We finished with breakfast in the Pine Cone Courtyard and it was a pretty nice breakfast: some breads and pastries, meat and cheese, a yogurt, coffee, etc. Then we were able to take our time - some of the people went back into the museum and others wandered out. But by this time people were entering the Museums and it was starting to fill up.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
618lucreziab
Mar 18, 2024
Far better than anything I expected - The last time I have been there was at least a decade ago, when I decided to visit again I wanted it to be a special experience. Livtours made this experience absolutely incredible, the atmosphere was breathtaking and the guides were very knowledgeable and friendly. I can’t recommend this enough!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ericainitaly
Mar 18, 2024
Blissful Early Morning at the Vatican Museums! - Visiting the Vatican Museums on an early morning private tour was an unforgettable experience. The absence of crowds allowed me to appreciate the masterpieces without distractions (and take amazing photos!) The guide was patient and knew behind-the-scenes info as she expertly navigated us through the vast collections. Seeing iconic artworks like the Raphael rooms, Gallery of Maps, and Sistine Chapel ceiling without anyone else was awe-inspiring. It's a must-do for anyone seeking a deeper appreciation of art and history. Totally worth getting up at the crack of dawn and having the Vatican to oneself. Also the post-tour breakfast was delightful.
Review provided by Tripadvisor