Vatican & Sistine Chapel: Family-Friendly Private Half-Day TourPrivate Tour

Things to know

What makes this tour special

Explore the world-famous Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel with a private guide and learn about Vatican City and the history of the papacy through its extensive collection of art, archaeology and anthropology artefacts gathered by the Popes over the centuries.

On your family-friendly private tour, you will:

• Enjoy the personalised attention of a private tour guide, who will tailor the tour to your family’s interest, to make it engaging for children and teens;
• Visit parts of the museums not usually seen including the Egyptian Museum, and the Carriage Museum;
• Explore the Egyptian gallery, to see well-preserved mummies and learn all about Egyptian funerals;
• See the amazing carriage pavilion - which still smells of old leather and horses, see centuries-old carriages used by Popes on ceremonial occasions and old horse liveries and uniforms; 
• Walk down the halls of busts and statues, filled with ancient statues of gods, heroes, and wealthy Roman men and women, to learn all about life and fashions in ancient Rome;
• See the famous Laocoön and Apollo statues;
• Walk the galleries of Candelabras - filled with ancient statues, the Raphael Tapestries, and the dazzling 16th century frescoed Maps;
• Marvel at the astounding works of Michelangelo Buonarroti as you enter the Sistine Chapel;
• See if you can find some naughty jokes that Michelangelo hid in his art - that the pope didn't see - but your guide will show you;
• End the tour inside the Vatican Museums, where you can grab something to eat at one of the family-friendly pizzerias, and keep exploring at your own leisure, or exit the museums with your guide. 

Vatican City is the smallest country in the world, yet one of the most culturally rich places on earth! The Vatican Museums are home to some of the world's most admired and valued works of art - many of which are frescos and so immovable - such as the Sistine Chapel.

Your private, family-friendly tour will ensure you see all the usual highlights of the Vatican Museums, but also some areas not often seen on guided tours that will really engage your younger family members, such as the Carriage Museum and the Egyptian Gallery.

The Carriage Museum still smells of horses and is where you will see a huge array of ceremonial carriages, sedan chairs - and the more modern pope mobiles! The Egyptian museum contains fascinating funereal relics of ancient Egypt - including a well-preserved mummy.

You'll also see famous statues such as the Apollo and Laocoön in the Belvedere Courtyard, before walking down the long galleries of the Raphael Tapestries and dazzling Gallery of the Maps.

Finally, enter the Sistine Chapel - the awe-inspiring work of Michelangelo, and perhaps the most remarkable masterpiece in the entire history of art.

Your guide will explain the meaning, symbolism, and brilliance of Michelangelo's work, pointing out a few hidden jokes that Michelangelo - who often fought with the pope - left in the frescos! 

What you'll see

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