Private Vatican Museums And St. Peter's Basilica Early Bird Tour

This was a great way to see the Vatican if you have limited time. We literally had about 3 hours for a tour before we needed to leave for the airport. I was able to book an early morning tour and we met Patrizia at a cafe across the street. Patrizia was awesome!’ She has been leading Vatican tours for 20 years and knew absolutely everything. We explained that we didn’t have much time and she was able to customize the tour to finish right when we needed to. She was absolutely delightful! Highly recommend!!

Azzurra was a top notch guide for our group of 5. She was friendly, engaging and knowledgeable, and just a very pleasant person to spend our time with. All absolutely top notch.

Our guide Siriki, did a great job. He was very knowledgeable about everything in the Vatican Tour.

Patrizia was so one of the best guides we have ever had. The early morning tour was worth it as we didn't have thousands of people before us.

After taking about a dozen tours during our three weeks in Italy, I can say without hesitation that Azzurra was the best guide we encountered. Our Vatican tour with City Eyes was a highlight of our entire trip. Azzurra and a City Eyes driver met our party of 8 right on time at our Rome hotel and took us to the Vatican. Even the waiting was enjoyable. While we waited, Azzurra shared fascinating background information and showed us photos on her tablet that held everyone’s attention and made the time fly. We breezed through every line we encountered, and at no point did we feel rushed. We had plenty of time to take in the art and architecture of the Vatican at a comfortable pace, which is not something you can take for granted at such a busy site. Azzurra mentioned in her City Eyes bio that the Vatican is her favorite tour to lead, and it was obvious from the first minute. Her deep knowledge and love for the place came through in every explanation, and she kept us engaged with plenty of interesting stories along the way. If you’re looking for a Rome tour, I highly recommend Azzurra and City Eyes. Our group of 8 had a wonderful experience, and we would gladly book with them again.

Absolutely amazing personal tour. This one a 3 hour tour in Vatican City. The Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. Lead by the wonderful Sophia, a PhD in Archeology, she brought her depth of knowledge to every stop we made. The La Pietà by Michelangelo, in St. Peter’s Basilica, actually brought me to tears. It was sculpted between 1498 and 1499, when Michelangelo was only about 23 or 24 years old. It depicts the Virgin Mary cradling the body of Jesus after his crucifixion. And the powerful explanation that Sophia gave, like the open hand of Mary being the final act of surrender. Surrendering her Son to save us. How Jesus’ body was thin and sickly, due to the weight of all the sin He had taken on. It was very powerful. The Sistine Chapel was, I think overwhelming is the correct word. The gravity of the building. The knowledge that the art was painted centuries ago. Understating the story that Michelangelo was telling on the ceiling. The walls. Deeply profound. I enjoyed the museum, the room with all the painted maps of Italy, showing just how much the Pope knew about the entire area. The strengths. The weaknesses. The tapestries, woven by women. Each taking years and some of them having hung there for hundreds of years without fading or stretching. Being able to see the balcony where the new Pope is announced. The square where the Pope speaks every week. Overall, there is just so very much history. So very much to take in. I didn’t take as many pictures here as I was intently listening to Sophia. She was a wonderful teacher and I highly recommend a tour with her. It was a wonderful, deeply moving way, to close out the Rome chapter of our journey.

Marialinda gave us a wonderful, informative, well paced tour. She knew how to move through the crowds and also to not lose us in the process! We really understood the value for our money getting to see so much in so little time.

This was a seamless way to see the Vatican museum and St. Peter’s. Our guide Benjamin was fantastic- knowledgeable, funny and clearly knew how to handle the crowds. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience.

What a fabulous experience. We have had Katie as our guide several times in the past and she was again incredible. Her ability to bring the many Vatican artifacts to life is truly a gift.

Azzurra was exceptional and very knowledgeable. She not only helped us to get through the crowds but provided a great experience for our friends who were in the Vatican for the first time.

The early morning and private tour is well worth it. Our guide, Benjamin was full of information very knowledgeable about all of the artwork.

CityEyes was fantastic. Mirta was an incredible guide.

Ellie was with us again, as we had her on our tour of the Colosseum and were thrilled to see her again. We arrived for the first tour of the day, and she guided us through the masses who were lined up. Very efficient to navigate this crowd and we were inside looking at the fabulous artworks in short order. Because of her in depth knowledge, we gained an appreciation for all that we saw. While I had been to the Vatican two times before, Ellie still provided additional information that was new to me. Cheers to her and City Eyes as everything was carefully planned and they stayed in touch with me for many months after we booked until the day of our tour.

We had an excellent experience with our tour and a great tour guide. Very informative and just the right amount of time. Would definitely go again!

Rosie was a great tour guide for our day at the Vatican. Her knowledge of the sites gave us a true sense of the amazing sites. As a native Roman she was spot on.

Valentina was an incredible guide who turned what initially felt like a “when in Rome” excursion into an absolute must-do experience. She was incredibly knowledgeable and did a wonderful job tailoring her stories and explanations to our young daughters. Our 10-year-old left genuinely intrigued and excited by everything she had learned. Valentina also struck the perfect balance between giving us space to observe and knowing when to share a story or ask a thoughtful question. The early morning option was absolutely worth it, especially since we arrived before the crowds became overwhelming. This was one of the most unexpectedly wonderful parts of our entire visit to Rome. We would highly recommend both the tour and Valentina!

was so easy with hotel pick up and return! very knowledgeable tour guide was worried about the early morning but it was awesome!

Rosetta was very good guide. She was knowledgeable not only about the Vatican museums but also St Peter.

Simone is the best, so friendly knowledgeable and passionate, he is a great teacher, He also knew how to get around in the large crowds and made the most of our time at each site / attraction. Being a local Simone knew all the best spots along the way for coffee, food, and extra hidden historical information.

The Vatican is an experience unlike any other. Our guide Rachele was fantastic. She was knowledgeable and patient and did not rush us through

We had an absolutely fantastic private tour of the Vatican and Sistine Chapel with Gianluca from City Eyes Tour! He was friendly, charming, funny, and incredibly knowledgeable. He brought the history and art to life with fascinating stories and a great sense of humor. Gianluca made the whole experience so enjoyable and memorable—we couldn’t have asked for a better guide. If you’re visiting Rome, we highly recommend booking a tour with him. A wonderful experience from start to finish!

This was an incredible experience. I highly recommend spending the $ for this Early Morning Private Vatican City Tour. Everything was perfect. Our guide Alessandro, met us in the lobby of our hotel, escorted us outside to a very comfortable Mercedes-Benz van and the on to the Vatican. Alessandro is an Archeologist, with vast knowledge of Vatican history. He also knew every shortcut to the most popular exhibits, as well as lesser know but equally interesting lesser know exhibits. Take the tour and request Alessandro!

The private early bird tour of the Vatican with Katie was perfect. The hotel pickup made it so easy. Katie had so much knowledge and interest in the information she shared and the stories she told. Hopefully we will make it back to Rome to do another tour with her.

Doriana was the best private guide. She was extremely knowledgeable and we enjoyed her personality. It was by far the best thing we did on our trip! Thank you

Excellent private, early access tour today with Elisa D! She is extremely knowledgeable about the Vatican tours and has a wealth of interesting and unusual information. She uses time wisely with advance details about the tour and the Sistine Chapel and is very adept at knowing which way to go, which highlights to see, and which order to use for important skip-the-line opportunities. Having a guide is a must and going early with Elisa D brought an extremely valuable perspective to my experience.

Great tour! Beat the crowds and lots of great information, highly recommend if you're looking for a private option.

It was really good to do the tour with the guide. The explanations given ahead of seeing the sistine chapel really enhanced the experience and it was so helpful being able to pass through from the museum to the basilica.

HIGHLY recommend this tour! Our group of six did the Early Bird Vatican tour with Alessia, and it was worth every penny. Alessia was superb! In addition to being an excellent guide, she is an archaeologist, which brought such an interesting scientific and historical perspective to what we were seeing. She explained not only the incredible art and treasures of the Vatican Museums, but also the construction and development of Vatican City itself. Of course, the Sistine Chapel gets all the glory—and it is incredible—but I actually loved some of the other areas of the Vatican Museums even more! The Gallery of Maps, the magnificent tapestries, and room after room of incredible statues and artwork absolutely fascinated me. There is SO much more to see here next time! The Vatican Museums are enormous, and after about 3 hours we felt like we had definitely gotten our money’s worth—and our feet had certainly had enough of standing on those hard marble floors! Alessia did a great job focusing our time on the highlights without making us feel rushed. BOOK THE EARLY TOUR! Friends who visited later that same day encountered much heavier crowds, while our earlier visit was much more manageable. Another huge plus was the luxury transportation. A very nice black van picked us up right at our vacation rental and dropped us back off afterward. After several hours touring the Vatican, it was SO nice not to have to walk farther or figure out public transportation! Excellent guide, fascinating tour, fewer crowds and convenient door-to-door transportation. We highly recommend it!

Elisa couldn’t have done a better job! She was knowledgeable, interesting and fun!! She made the whole experience seamless and fun! Would highly recommend.

Going early is great! Our guide Lina was amazing. She answered all our questions and was so knowledgeable about everything we saw. She knew exactly which areas to highlight. We had a wonderful morning and learned so much. I highly recommend this tour - especially if Lina is your guide!

Our guide Ellie was fantastic and the whole experience could not have been better. Best way to see all of the highlights of the Vatican while beating the crowds.

Going into this tour with only an elementary knowledge of the Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica, I learned so much thanks to Alessia. Her years of experience truly shine—she answered every single question effortlessly and managed to navigate Vatican City so expertly that it never felt overwhelming or crowded. Finishing before the peak crowds arrived was incredible. I’d recommend this tour to anyone!

Ellie was the best guide! She was so informative and patient with us as we were traveling with seniors. Highly recommend her!

Without question, this private tour of Vatican Museums and St. Peter's was worth the splurge. This was our first visit to Rome and the Vatican. We had no idea what to expect. The tour was terrific. Our guide had a PhD in Art History and was delighted that we had some history and philosophy background. She asked questions about what we were interested in and guided us accordingly. We were pre-advised to wear long pants or long skirts and tops with sleeves, regardless of outside temperature. There is a dress code that is enforced. The museums were mind-boggling. The art is everywhere. Not only on display, but embedded on the walls, floors, ceilings. Just astounding. Gorgeous. And without a guide, we would not know where to begin looking. She directed our attention away from crowds and towards specific items so that we could learn a little and come back for a lot more if we chose to do so on our own. We wore earpieces so that we could hear only her. There were many, many private groups doing the same thing we were doing, but with our guide in our ear it never felt super crowded. Another benefit of the private tour is that we had access to private hallways that connected the various museums outside of St. Peter's. The hallway walks gave us time to catch our breath between galleries. We kind of got short cuts to the restrooms as well. Before we entered the Basilica, we were escorted into the Sistine Chapel. I think our early bird status was helpful for entrance, though many folks were already there when we arrived. No photos allowed inside, they said. I took none. Again - art everywhere, and not just on the famous ceiling. We were given a paper guide to help us "read" the ceiling and the story being told behind the alter. The paintings are stunning, beautifully restored - we are so fortunate to see the walls as they were intended to be seen hundreds of years ago. Definitely a tour highlight. St. Peter's Basilica is enormous! Photos and YouTube do not capture the scale of this structure, though I think same can be said for all of Rome's historic buildings. Our guide gave us a heads up on what to look for that is famous, talked about the history of the building and its artwork, showed us where the priest was that blessed objects, and then let us go and explore on our own for the rest of the tour. We did not go downstairs to see St. Peter's grave because the line was too long. We did see the embalmed Pope John XXIII. No Pope Leo sightings, but my son and I were able to go to Reconciliation in a side chapel that had 7-8 confessionals available (language options were taped on the outside of the booths). No lines there! :-) How great is it to receive a sacrament at St. Peter's? Pretty cool! Vatican City is a walled city that closes its gates every night and reopens them at 8am or so. So for our "early bird" tour, this meant meeting our guide in the very long queue outside the city walls at 7:30am. Thankfully we chose to add the "pick up at your hotel" option to our tour so we had a driver come get us and drop us off at our guide's feet. I don't know how we would have found her otherwise. Highly recommended to get this option. We caught a bus after the tour to continue our touring day so did not opt for a return car ride. This was the most expensive tour we purchased for our 9 day trip to Rome and Florence. Money well spent. The early bird tour was finished by 11am - before the high heat of the day. Wish we booked the early bird Colosseum tour too! Will save that thought for another review . . . .

What a great experience we had with Simone! The pick up from our hotel was prompt (and what a nice bonus), and going early in the morning is a game changer. We were able to hit the highlights, stress and crowd free, and Simone was knowledgeable and funny throughout. Would highly recommend CityEyes and this Early Bird Tour in particular.

This was incredible! Rosie was so knowledgeable and an incredible storyteller. We learned so much. This was a bucket list tour and we definitely recommend to everyone. We booked the 7:30am tour and that was best because the crowds weren’t as big

Sylvia was very informative and a beautiful person to listen to about all the history of the Vatican and saint Peter’s basilica! Would highly recommend!

We have been to the Vatican a number of times. Our Guide was so impressive. We learned things that we had not known before. She was beyond excellent. Experiencing these beautiful sites is one thing, having such a thoughtful and knowledgeable Guide is something else entirely. Thank you so much!

Our trip to the Vatican was amazing! Our guide kept us all intrigued and left us with so much knowledge! I have been on 3 private tours of the Vatican and this was by far the best!

Ellie was great. She was personable and knowledgeable and did a great time explaining everything to us.

We loved this tour with Mirta! She and the driver showed up early to pick my family up. We chose the 7:30am time and she gave a lot of great information as we were waiting in line and of course as we were walking through the buildings. She took as many pics as we wanted. Very friendly and knowledgeable!

The word epic comes to mind to describe this very special tour. All details were thoughtfully considered. Marco shared the most interesting stories with us about Vatican City and Rome in general. We highly recommend this tour!

If you are visiting the Vatican and want an unforgettable experience, request Carlo. From the moment our tour began, his passion for Roman history, art, and culture was captivating. Navigating the massive crowds and vast corridors of the Vatican Museums can easily feel overwhelming, but Carlo handled the flow effortlessly. He knew every shortcut, the best spots to view iconic masterpieces like the Laocoön and the School of Athens, and timing details that allowed us to experience key areas without feeling rushed. His depth of knowledge is truly impressive—he doesn't just recite dates and facts; he brings the stories behind the art to life. Carlo gave context to Michelangelo’s work in the Sistine Chapel that changed the way we looked at every panel, ceiling detail, and fresco. Warm, witty, engaging, and incredibly professional, Carlo made our Vatican visit the highlight of our trip to Rome. We could not have asked for a better guide!

Booking the private Vatican & St. Peter's Basilica Early Bird Tour with Viator was a breeze from start to finish. We were a group of 5, including 2 teenagers. Raffaella did a good job engaging everyone with the history. Being able to bypass the lines was key to optimize our time and tolerance for the July heat :). Would highly recommend this tour. Worth every penny for this once in a lifetime experience!

Just an amazing tour. Booking and meet up were seamless. We saw and learned so much. The early morning tour made the experience all the better as it was not crowded. Alessia was amazing. She explained all of the history and the art throughout. Highly recommend.

Azzurra is lovely. Knowledgable. Personable. This review doesn't reflect on her personally in any way. I booked with city eyes. To spend $ 700 and think this was in any way "private" or "before the crowds" is in no way accurate. We stood in line in the sun just like everyone else. This is City Eyes verbiage "Imagine stepping into the hallowed halls of the Vatican Museums when they are still uncrowded, feeling the profound spirituality before the daily crowds arrive. This is the heart of our Vatican Museums Early Morning Private Tour, a journey designed for those who seek a deeper connection with art and history.". This is so far from the truth as to be fraudulent. I'll show you in the pictures. So sorry Azurra, but this was a ripoff.

Excellent tour. Rachelle was knowledgeable, funny and flexible. We throughly enjoyed our tour with her.

Rosie was great. Truly fun and enlightening. She was very knowledgeable, very pleasant, and very kind. Highly recommend.

I must say that booking with a tour with the caliber of Azzurra is another level of experience. She is so knowledgeable and her information and teaching during the tour really made me and my family enjoy and appreciate history a lot more. I highly recommend anyone to book a tour with Azzurra. You won't regret!