Alone in the Vatican: Early Morning Tour & Breakfast｜Italy

Embark on a unique, VIP semi-private tour through the Vatican’s opulent galleries, tranquil courtyards, and grand halls. Admire the gold leaf stucco, frescoes, mosaics, and statues from antiquity and the Renaissance. Experience the renowned splendor of the Vatican in complete privacy with this special access before the opening to the public.

Meet your top-rated expert guide and quietly gain access to the Vatican Museums – two hours before the doors open to the general public. Formerly known as the Apostolic Palaces, the Vatican Museums was the lavish residence of the popes, as well as an impressive palace to receive visiting diplomats. The pope was both a spiritual leader and temporal king – senior to all other monarchs of Europe.

Step back in time as you explore the collection of world-famous antiquities, including the Belvedere Apollo and Laocoön. Wander into the Round Room with Nero’s colossal bathtub made of imperial purple Porphyri stone. Enjoy strolling through the long and opulent galleries of the Candelabra, Tapestries, and Maps free from other people.

Enter the private apartments of Pope Julius II, normally filled with large tour groups. Enjoy the unparalleled vibrancy of the frescoes by Raphael, the beloved painter of sweetness and light. Behold the School of Athens and the Disputa, alone as Pope Julius would have been.

Then, enter the silent, empty Sistine Chapel for an extended sacred moment of epiphany and wonder. Admire Michelangelo’s sweeping frescos on the Ceiling and the Last Judgment, encapsulating the full spectrum of human creativity and Christian belief. Learn all about the long life of perhaps the greatest artist of all time.

Following the Chapel, enjoy a breakfast buffet in the stately Pinecone Courtyard, to round off this extraordinary morning.