Vatican (Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica)

Being one of the largest collections of artwork in the world, the Vatican Museums have highlights of artwork on display from literally the past 2,000 years including of course the most well known Papal Apartments by Raphael and the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo.

We'll see how this most amazing collection is such an interesting reflection of the changing cultural, political and religious dynamics that produced them.

Well see such famous pieces as the Apollo Belvedere, Laocoon group, the great Bronze Hercules, the Galleries of the Maps, Tapestries and Candelabra.

We often take a trip through the painting gallery that contains pieces by Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci and Caravaggio, along with highlights from different centuries with work for example by Giotto and Melozzo da Forli.

Following the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel, we'll have access to the special guide entrance to St. Peter's Basilica to see Michelangelo's fantastic dome.

Along with the shear size of this architectural wonder referred to as the "Pantheon raised to the heights of the Basilica of Maxentius" (both of which we see respectively while touring the historical center and also ancient Rome), we'll see any number of masterpieces in this most important church, such as Bernini's Baldacchino, Boromini's angel and Michelangelo's Pieta, before finishing up in Bernini's inspiring piazza.

This tour is most commonly done at 1:00 PM, yet the BEST way is to actually enter the museums at 8:00 AM before they've even opened up to the general public at 9:00 AM. It's a one day sacrifice to wake up early, yet it allows one of the most uncrowded and pleasant visits imaginable at the Vatican.

The Vatican is at least never conveniently toured on Sunday's. It is best done on your 2nd or 3rd day in Rome, for which we'll help organize your fast entry. Keep in mind that dresses/ shorts must be below knee level and shoulders covered really only for inside certain areas such as St. Peter's, so bringing zip on attire/ scarfs is acceptible.

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