Vatican Behind the scenes | Private

Experience a personal tour of the Vatican‘s collection with your own private, licensed guide and access the areas that few ever get to see. Guaranteed to be one of the best experiences in Rome, this tour takes you on a  mesmerizing journey through priceless masterpieces of the Renaissance together with sculptures and mosaics from antiquity. 

The Sistine Chapel, Saint Peter’s Basilica, and the Vatican Museums‘ mind-blowing collection and the unforgettable frescoes of the Raphael Rooms await you.  However, what makes this tour unique is the special openings to the Bramante Staircase and Niccolina Chapel. Your private four-hour tour will leave you feeling enraptured and will form one of the most unforgettable experiences that you could have in Rome. 

Explore the Vatican Museums’ Most Exclusive Corridors and Rooms 

Your Private Vatican Behind the Scenes tour offers you the opportunity to go off the beaten path and experience areas of the Vatican that most don’t get to experience. Marvel at the architectural wonder that is the original Bramante Staircase. Enter the Niccolina Chapel and admire its beautiful and intricate frescoes by Fra Angelico and his assistants. 

Available upon special request, the Cabinet of Masks is a hidden gem of the Vatican Museums, named after the intricate floor mosaics at its center, originally from Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli. This exclusive room features one of the Vatican’s most refined collections of classical sculpture, including the graceful Three Graces, a favorite of Goethe, a delicate nymph, and multiple statues of Aphrodite, the goddess of love.

Meet the Laocoön – a statue soaked in pathos 

Discovered on the Esquiline in 1506 (though sculpted perhaps 1,500 years earlier), the Laocoön statue is one of antiquity’s undisputed masterpieces. Mentioned by Pliny the Elder, Mount Vesuvius’ most famous victim, the artwork depicts one of the most famous scenes from the Trojan War in which the gods punish a Trojan priest named Laocoön for revealing the Greeks’ trickery and warning them not to lead the wooden horse into Troy’s walls. Dragged into the sea by a serpent along with his two young sons, the statue powerfully captures Laocoon’s agonizing desperation – a helpless father struggling in vain to save his children. 

Pay homage to Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel 

Marvel at Michelangelo’s masterpiece, the Sistine Chapel, in the peace and tranquility it deserves, practically alone and free from any crowds. Your specialist guide will bring to life the frescoes of this private papal chapel, creating a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Discover the story behind Michelangelo’s creation of the Last Judgement, see if you can spot key figures and scenes on the Sistine Chapel Ceiling – even try to identify Michelangelo himself who painted his self-portrait into the torso of a certain saint. 

Soak in the sights of Saint Peter’s Basilica 

The final Vatican highlight on your Vatican Behind the Scenes experience is the majestic Saint Peter’s Basilica. Admire its marvelous mosaics, still cared for by the Vatican Mosaic School, and come face to face with Michelangelo’s Pieta, and Bernini’s Baldachin in all their resplendent glory. 

Conclude your private adventure outside the basilica, in Saint Peter’s Square, where the Pope still holds his audiences. In the shade of the ancient Egyptian Vatican obelisk, you can absorb the incredible experience of having witnessed wonders that others rarely get to experience. Book our Vatican Behind the Scenes Tour to enjoy an extraordinary experience! 

*Please note, shoulders and knees need to be covered during the tour. No vests, shorts, or skirts above the knee will be allowed inside the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica.*