--- title: Wednesday Early Morning Sistine Chapel and Vatican I Max 6 People lang: en type: tour city: Rome country: Italy price: 159 currency: EUR price_unit: per_person availability: bookable rating: 4.97 reviews: 33 duration_minutes: 180 languages: [en] free_cancellation: "true" rank_in_category: 56 of 138 (Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St Peter's Tours) schedule_checked: 2026-10-03 data_updated: 2026-10-03 canonical: https://guidekin.com/italy/rome/tours/wednesday-early-morning-sistine-chapel-and-vatican-i-max-6-people/ --- # Wednesday Early Morning Sistine Chapel and Vatican I Max 6 People **Guidekin's take:** Picked for a clever bit of timing: on Wednesday mornings the Basilica is closed for the papal audience, so the Museums are at their emptiest, and this group capped at six goes in early to use it, Pinacoteca and Raphael Rooms included. Early access and guide are included at €159 per person. St Peter's is only possible after the tour ends. In our comparison: #56 of 138 in Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St Peter's Tours, by rating weighted by review volume (table below). ## Overview Wednesday's are a wonder - and the best day to experience the Vatican Museums in all their glory! Since St Peter's Basilica is closed for the Papal Audience on Wednesday mornings, the museums are far emptier than on other days of the week. This, coupled with early morning access, gives you the ultimate advantage of seeing the museums with the fewest crowds possible! Explore the vast Vatican Museums with your expert guide and see incredible works from famous Renaissance masters such as Raphael, Caravaggio, Leonardo and Giotto. Stroll through the charming Pinecone Courtyard & Octagonal Courtyard as you hear stories and anecdotes from your guide. Then, behold Michelangelo's greatest masterpiece - the Sistine Chapel, all before the crowds pile in! This tour is offered in a small group of maximum 6 people so you can interact directly with your guide and ask all the questions you like! ## Before you book - Meeting point: Outside Caffe Vaticano, - Max 6 people: small group - Min. 2 to book: not for solo travellers - Starts 07:30: one departure a day - Food not included: bring or buy your own - Children from €144: ages 3 to 17 **Pickup:** No hotel pickup: everyone meets at the start point ## Key facts - Price: from €159 per person - Duration: 3h - Rating: 4.97/5 from 33 reviews (collected from Guidekin & Viator & Tripadvisor) - Free cancellation (see policy below) - Operator: LivTours - Minimum booking: 2 travellers at this price - Group: Shared, up to 6 travellers - Guide languages: English - Start times: 07:30 - Booking: Instant confirmation, mobile ticket - Price checked on Viator: 2026-10-03 ## Reviews 4.97 from 33 ratings on Guidekin, Viator & Tripadvisor. 100% of ratings with a star breakdown are 4 or 5 stars: 33 of 33. - 5 stars: 32 (97%) - 4 stars: 1 (3%) - 3 stars: 0 (0%) - 2 stars: 0 (0%) - 1 star: 0 (0%) ### What reviewers say Reviewers praise the guides, small groups and quieter chapel visits, but some could not visit St. Peter's as they had hoped. **Praised:** - Guides explain the art and history with engaging stories and humour - Small groups help visitors follow the guide and appreciate the artwork - Early visits allow quieter time in the Sistine Chapel before crowds build - Thoughtful pacing leaves time for key artworks, photos and questions **Complaints:** - Some could not visit St. Peter's as hoped because of a closure or a long queue Written by Guidekin from the 32 most recent English reviews on Viator & Tripadvisor (2024-04-10 to 2026-07-21); last checked 2026-10-03. ## What's included - Raphael Rooms and Pinacoteca - The Sistine Chapel - Small Group tour of MAX 6 people - Early Morning Access to the Vatican Museums - Local Expert Guide - Galleries of the Candelabra, Tapestries & Maps - Pinecone Courtyard & Octagonal Courtyard - Carriage Pavilion ## Not included - Food and drinks - Gratuities (optional) ## Itinerary 1. **Vatican Museums** (1h 30m; admission included) - Discover some of the most famous paintings and sculptures from western civilization and listen to amusing anecdotes about the former popes and artists represented in the museums. With a small-group tour of maximum of 6 people, easily maneuver through the crowded museums at a... 2. **Sistine Chapel** (20m; admission included) - Next comes the highlight of the tour -Michelangelo's masterpiece, the Sistine Chapel. Since you are forbidden to speak inside the chapel, your guide will prepare you with anecdotes and details before entering to see one of the most remarkable works of Renaissance art ever... 3. **Cortile della Pigna** (30m; admission included) - Stroll through the charming Pinecone Courtyard 4. **Stanze di Raffaello** (20m; admission included) - Marvel in front of Raphael's masterpieces. 5. **Once you have finished admiring the Sistine Chapel, it's then time to continu...** (20m; admission included) - Once you have finished admiring the Sistine Chapel, it's then time to continue to your last stop of the tour - the Pinacoteca of the Vatican Museums. This special section has been a part of the museums since 1932, and houses amazing works from Renaissance masters such as... ## Schedule - Runs: Wed - Departures: 07:30 - Schedule last checked: 2026-10-03 - These are published departures, not a live seat count; availability is confirmed at checkout. ## Cancellation For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. ## Meeting point Outside Caffe Vaticano, on Viale Vaticano 100 which is directly across from the Vatican Museums entrance. Your guide will be holding a LivTours sign. Map: https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJcdPFYmNgLxMRfvcxfbrnzRg Ends: back at the meeting point ## Good to know - Public transportation options are available nearby - Suitable for all physical fitness levels - On Wednesday morning St. Peter’s Basilica is closed, which means less crowds, but also that you will not be able to access the Basilica until after the tour ends. - Vatican management maintains the right to delay the opening of the Sistine Chapel for religious reasons, in this case the guide will modify the itinerary and extend your visit of the museums to ensure you make the most of your time before access to the Sistine Chapel is permitted. - There is no photography allowed in the Sistine chapel, and all other artwork can only be photographed without flash. - Please be aware that the Sistine Chapel is a Holy Place and talking during your visit inside is strictly forbidden, therefore your guide will give you an explanation of the Sistine Chapel beforehand during your tour, in order to give you a comprehensive explanation before entering the chapel. - Backpacks are not permitted in the Museum. - Everyone in your group, regardless of age, needs a government issued ID to enter the Vatican Museums. - IMPORTANT: Please advise our team if you believe that a disability qualifies you for complimentary access to the Vatican - Places of worship have strict dress code requirements for entry. All participants are required to have shoulders and knees covered (no tank tops or short dresses) to enter. Booking asks for: dates of birth ## Compared with other Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St Peter's Tours | Tour | Price | Duration | Rating | Group | |---|---|---|---|---| | **This tour · #56 of 138** | €159 | 3h | 4.97 (33) | shared, max 6 | | [Private Vatican Highlights Guided Tour with Sistine Chapel](/italy/rome/tours/private-vatican-highlights-guided-tour-with-sistine-chapel/?format=md) | €250 | 3h 15m | 4.99 (1713) | private | | [Rome: Complete Early Morning Vatican Tour / Small Group](/italy/rome/tours/rome-complete-early-morning-vatican-tour-small-group/?format=md) | €99 | 3h 30m | 4.94 (2821) | shared | | [Express Early Morning Sistine Chapel Tour with Max 6 People](/italy/rome/tours/express-early-morning-sistine-chapel-tour-with-max-6-people/?format=md) | €148 | 2h | 4.98 (513) | shared | Ranked #56 of 138 in Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St Peter's Tours by Guidekin score (rating weighted by review volume). Prices here run from €8 to €4913, median €136; typical length 3h. 57 of 138 are private. Figures are live from the tour cards; the rubric is our handpicked set, not the whole market. Full list: https://guidekin.com/italy/rome/vatican-tours/?format=md ## More in Rome - All Rome tours: https://guidekin.com/italy/rome/?format=md - This page as HTML: https://guidekin.com/italy/rome/tours/wednesday-early-morning-sistine-chapel-and-vatican-i-max-6-people/ Filters, the full catalogue and the URL contract for this city: https://guidekin.com/italy/rome/?format=md