Vatican Museums and St. Peter's Basilica at a leisurely pace

What to expect

Somewhere we will delve into nuances and textures, somewhere - contemplate the scale of the design, and part of the collection - we will inevitably leave aside. It is impossible to enjoy tens of thousands of exhibits in one day, but we will focus on quality rather than quantity.

Let's start with the Pinacoteca - a treasury of painting. Here we will learn some useful life hacks from iconography, have a brief introduction to Raphael, be charmed by tapestries, and uncover the history of Leonardo's painting with the Strangest Destiny.

Museums of ancient art: we will discuss the iconic works of ancient masters and understand why these statues top the lists of Europe's most important artifacts.

Galleries and courtyards of the Vatican: we will have coffee, discussing the daily life of the smallest state and the conclave procedure. And of course, we will visit the Gallery of Candelabra, the Gallery of Tapestries, and the Gallery of Geographic Maps.

Sistine Chapel - the culmination of our journey, renowned for Michelangelo's frescoes and for being the place where the Roman popes are chosen.

St. Peter's Basilica. We will walk through a secret corridor connecting the chapel and St. Peter's Square. Only accompanied by a licensed guide, we will have the opportunity to skip a few kilometers and enter the basilica, bypassing the notoriously long queue.

Visiting the Vatican

• Do not forget to 'grab' the file with electronic tickets. I will send instructions on how to purchase them immediately after booking the tour. Ticket price: adult - €20 + €5 for booking; child (6 to 18 years old) - €8 + €5 for booking. Children under 6 enter for free.
• Vatican guards are strict gentlemen, so it is crucial to arrive on time for the tour.
• Dress code: shorts and skirts should cover the knees, and t-shirts - the shoulders. If it's very hot - take a scarf with you to drape all the forbidden parts of the body when entering the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica.
• The Vatican website has a list of prohibited items: do not bring long umbrellas and glass bottles. Aluminum flasks or plastic bottles will be perfect.

Pay attention

• The life of the Vatican is directly related to religious events. Sometimes this introduces unpredictable changes to our program.
• If your group is larger than 4 people - we will need headphones for the museums and basilica. This will entail insignificant additional expenses, but will also increase the level of comfort.
• We will definitely make stops, but it is better to visit the restroom and get drinking water before the start of the tour. Long queues at the museum entrance are unpleasant.