- When our tour is over will we be able visit St. Peter's Basilica or the grottos or dome?
Absolutely. Our tours end at the front of St. Peter's Basilica which is a very convenient location to leave for lunch, visit the Vatican bookstore, visit the Vatican post office, enter St. Peter's Basilica, continue to the grottos below St. Peter's, or climb to the dome. Your tour guide will be happy to point you in the right direction!
- What is the difference between the morning tour at 9.30 AM and the afternoon tour at 2.30 PM?
The only difference between our morning and afternoon tours is the starting time. Our morning tour departs from the meeting point at 9.30 AM and our afternoon tour departs at 2.30 PM. The itineraries are the same for both tours. One thing to consider when booking the afternoon tour, however, is that St. Peter's Basilica closes shortly after the tour ends. If you are planning to climb the dome of St. Peter's, visit the Papal Tombs, or spend more time inside the Basilica after your tour you will not have time to do these things. MyVaticanTour suggests the morning tour if you are interested in staying at St. Peter's after your tour.
- I have made my reservation but have not yet received a confirmation voucher / I have already sent an inquiry to info@myvaticantour.com but have not received a response. How do I get a hold of your office?
MyVaticanTour's customer service promptly answers every single inquiry. You may have received an answer from us in your junk mail. For further inquiries feel free to contact us at the following telephone number: +39 06 83360561.
- Are there discounts for children?
Absolutely! Children ages five and under join the group and private tours for free. Children ages 6 through 18 have a €5,00 discount on all tours.
- Do both the 9.30 AM tour and the 2.30 PM tour Skip the Line?
Yes.
- Are pick-up and/or drop-off in hotel included in our tour?
Although neither the private nor the group MyVaticanTours include pick-up and/or drop off in hotel (there is a designated meeting point), our MyVaticanTour staff can arrange private car services at your request. Prices begin at €50,00 each way for up to 3 people.
- Do you offer your tours in Spanish or other languages?
We do offer tours in Spanish, which you can book by selecting "Vaticano en Grupo" on the booking box or by visiting www.descubrevaticano.com . Tours in other languages can be given on request as private tours, just contact us and ask!
- Is it possible to arrange a tour for a time other than 9.30 AM or 2.30 PM and still Skip the Line?
The group tour only departs at 9.30 AM and 2.30 PM. If you would like a tour at any other time during the Vatican's opening hours, our staff can arrange it for you as a Private Skip the Line tour. Please note that for tours requested outside of our regular service hours an additional fee will be applied.
- Where does the tour meet?
The tours meet at a location very close and convenient to the entrance of the Vatican Museums. Full details about the exact location are disclosed on your confirmation voucher when you book your tour online.
- What is the difference between a private and group tour?
With a private tour you have a private guide, just for your group who can cater more personally and directly to the interests of your party. You are free to move at your own pace and there is much more flexibility with the itinerary and timing of a private tour. Group tours include no more than 20 people per guide and are composed of mixed parties.
- We are taking a cruise ship to Civitavecchia and then transferring to Rome. We should be leaving the port by 7.30-8.00 AM. Will that allow us enough time to reach the meeting point for the Vatican group tour that meets at 9.15 AM?
Transfers from Civitavecchia on average take 1 hour and 30 minutes, so that is cutting it very close. Depending on the day of the week and the amount of traffic you encounter you may arrive with plenty of time to spare or you may arrive very late. Since we cannot refund late arrivals please consider carefully before booking a morning tour. We also offer afternoon group and private tours at 2.30 PM which may be a better option for you.
- At the end of the tour, will I be able to explore the Vatican Museums on my own?
It depends. Our tours exit the museums after the Sistine Chapel and ends at St. Peter’s Basilica. From the ending point (in front of the Basilica) you cannot re-enter the Museums without waiting in the Museums general public line and purchasing an additional ticket. You can, however, hand in your headsets to your guide as your group leaves the Sistine Chapel and re-enter the Museums if you don’t mind missing the end of the tour. While our tour covers the Museums quite thoroughly and most customers are ready to move on to the Basilica at the end of the Museums section, you are free to choose as you wish. If you book a private tour we may be able to arrange it so that the tour ends within the Vatican Museums and not at St. Peter's Basilica.
- Do you cater to wheelchair users? Do you or the Vatican provide wheelchairs?
Only for private tours can we accommodate wheelchairs. In group tours we cannot because wheelchair users must use alternate routes to move about the corridors of the Vatican Museums and our standard group sizes are too large to use these routes. In a private tour you will be more flexible to take the appropriate routes because your group will be smaller and you will have your own guide. If you do decide to book a private tour and need a wheelchair the Vatican Museums provide chairs free of charge in the main lobby. You can easily pick one up after entrance, but before starting your tour.
- What exactly is included in the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel group tour? How long is it and how much time do we spend in the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, etc.?
The price is all-inclusive: limited group of 20 people maximum, Skip the Line entrance, entrance ticket, guide and tour. Our tours are very classic and comprehensive. They last for three hours and cover many wings of the Museums including, but not limited to, ancient Greek\Roman sculpture, the Hall of Maps, the Gallery of the Candelabra and the Hall of Tapestries. Absolutely included are the Sistine Chapel and Raphael Rooms. From the Sistine Chapel the groups exit the Museums and end the tour at St. Peter's Basilica in St. Peter's Square.
- Can I take a backpack into the Museums?
The Vatican asks all visitors to check in their backpacks/umbrellas at the beginning of the tour so we would recommend people travel light and leave any unnecessary belongings at home. The tour ends on the other side of the Vatican so those doing the afternoon tour may not be able to get their belongings back until the following day.
- Are you sure we don’t have to stand in line?
You absolutely do not have to wait in the general public line. We have a special entrance agreement with the Vatican which allows us to enter at 9.30 AM and at 2.30 PM through the pre-booked priviledged entrance. We then guide you through the security check point before entering the Museums.
- Where do we pick up our tickets?
You do not need to pick up or receive tickets. When you book online your browser will generate a confirmation voucher which you should print, sign and bring to the meeting point of your tour. Our server will also send you a copy of your confirmation voucher by email. Consider this your ticket.
- What is the dress code?
The Vatican has a very strict, but very simple dress code: no shoulders, stomachs, or knees may be showing. Footwear of any kind, jeans, and capris are ok. It is also not possible to wear hats within the basilica.
- I have already booked my tour, can I review my confirmation voucher and tour details online?
Yes. Simply click on the "Your Voucher" link situated in the website footer.