We are standing in the centre of the Sistine Chapel gazing up at the hands of God. There are less than 20 people in the room.
It’s as if we are alone with Michelangelo and God.
We aren’t of course, but our Walks of Italy Pristine Sistine tour group is so small (there are 7 of us in total) that it feels that way.
We move to the side of the chapel to sit on the wooden benches and stare up in silence as our Walks of Italy guide whispers in our ear via a headset explaining the extraordinary images that cover the ceiling above.
There is so much to see when you visit Rome that you need weeks not days to do this fantastic city justice. But days are all we had, and we had to make the most of it so we opted for a private tour of the Vatican and Sistine Chapel.
What makes Walks of Italy Pristine Sistine Tour unique?
- Our entrance into the Vatican Museums occurs 1 hour before the general public.
- There is no waiting for hours in a long queue in front of the Vatican Museums.
- With a Vatican private tour we were able to “skip the line” to enter St. Peter’s Basilica.
- Our Walks of Italy Vatican Tour Guide is an expert in art history and religion; explaining the history of the Papal Palace, and symbolism of the artwork and architecture. She told us engaging stories about the Popes and the artists and was always available to answer any question we threw at her.
- Small groups, never more than 12 people in a tour.
- We were each provided with a headset so that we were able to hear every word our guide was saying — an important thing considering that since we were in a place of worship, she was often whispering so as not to disturb others.
The Pristine Sistine Tour by Walks of Italy
After our short wait outside, where our guide gave us an introduction of what we were about to see, the doors opened, and we quickly walked through the halls of the Vatican Museums to our first stop, the Sistine Chapel.
The 3+ hour tour starts at the Sistine Chapel so that we can have our private moment without the crowds, exits, and then re-enters the building again with the rest of the general public.
The amazing thing was that as we were hurrying through the hallways, there was no one in the halls except the odd security guard.
I’ve heard stories of people inching along the halls of the museum shoulder-to-shoulder trying to get a look or take a photo, and I couldn’t imagine this scenario at the time until we re-entered the building in the midst of the crowd. We had visited off-season, and the tourists were just a fraction of what it would look like during the summer.
See the difference here in the Gallery of the Maps? Yikes!
Sites visited on the Walks of Italy Vatican Museum and Pristine Sistine Tour
- Sistine Chapel (twice)
- Raphael Rooms
- Belvedere Courtyard with Apollo Belvedere & Laocoön & His Sons
- Pinecone Courtyard
- Gallery of the Candelabra
- Gallery of the Maps
- Gallery of the Tapestries
- St. Peter’s Basilica
- St. Peter’s Square
TIP: If you are looking for something special you might want to consider the private Vatican night tour by Walk of Italy!
Pristine Sistine Tour Tips
- The meeting time is at 7:30 am. So plan to be early just in case you have problems finding the meeting location.
- There is a lot of brisk walking and you will need to keep up, so it’s best to tour with very few belongings and comfortable shoes.
- Only small bags can be brought inside the museum. Large handbags and backpacks must be checked.
- Dress modestly with knees and shoulders covered.
- Photography inside the Sistine Chapel is strictly not allowed.
Granted, we didn’t see every piece of art and statue in the Vatican Museum Collection — that would take days — what we did see was the best of the collection, and I can genuinely say it was magnificent.
I plan on revisiting the Vatican Museums to see the things that I missed. At least I know I did my Vatican tour the first time the right way and will use it as an introduction to my next visit, and the next one after that!
Have you visited the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica?
We were guests of Walks of Italy. All opinions, as always are our own.
Read more Walks of Italy reviews and book your private tour of Italy on HERE.
Search for the perfect Rome hotel at the lowest price.
For more Italy content, read:
– A Cooking Class in Rome – Walks of Italy Tours – Review
– Chroma Tessera Hotel in Rome Italy – Review
– La Vita Sicilia – For the Love of Food in Sicily
– 5 Best European Adventures for History Buffs
Sounds like a perfect way to see the Vatican. We had a guide with a special pass as well, but it was different. While we got to cut the queue, we still visited with crowds of people.