RAPHAEL'S ROOMS (STANZE DI RAFFAELLO)

Get skip-the-line access and priority entry as you bypass the long ticket lines and head straight inside the Vatican Museums. Your designated host will walk you to the museum’s entrance. Take your time to explore the museum and the Sistine Chapel. The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel house some of the most exquisite works of art ever created. The Vatican Museums, which comprise 54 galleries, are home to the largest and most important collections of Renaissance art. See the Pigna Courtyard, Pius Clementino Museum, Candelabra Gallery, Tapestries Gallery, Raphael's Rooms, and others. The 15th-century walls and ceilings of the Sistine Chapel have some of the most incredible frescoes. The paintings in the Sistine Chapel date back to the 16th century. See Michelangelo's famous fresco of the Last Judgment and the Creation of Adam. The Sistine Chapel is also still used for religious purposes, such as the Papal Conclave, the process by which a new Pope gets chosen. Castel Sant'Angelo Italy's Castel Sant'Angelo is known as the "Castle of the Holy Angel." The mausoleum for Roman Emperor Hadrian was built here in 185, and it later served as a military structure and a haven for Popes during the sieges of 1527. You will gain an in-depth understanding of Roman history and architecture by exploring the castle, which is now a museum. Access the chamber of ashes and the cells where many historical figures were imprisoned, divided over five floors and connected by a spiral ramp. Along with an extensive collection of antique weapons, see the beautifully decorated rooms that served as the papal residence as you make your way up to the castle. Check out the top-floor terrace for stunning, panoramic views of Rome.

Your professional guide will lead you through the Vatican Museums through our reserved Official Partners entrance, saving time on any long and winding queues. Then, begin your exclusive tour in a group of just up to 15 people. Marvel at the vast collections of Renaissance art spread out over many galleries. While you traverse the Gallery of Tapestries, the Gallery of Maps, and the awe-inspiring Raphael's Rooms, you can listen to your guide's commentary on your headsets and understand more about the rich tradition of culture and history embodied in the Vatican. Next, you will make a stop at the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo's magnum opus, where you can spend time appreciating the finer details of Michelangelo's marvelous murals. Learn all about the Vatican city’s role in shaping world history and Christianity as it is perceived today, on this tour of its most famous landmarks. This means you can visit the Vatican safely and with very few people around – which will be an amazing, almost unbelievable way to experience this incredible place.