Rome: Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica & Vatican Museums' Guided Tour

On this guided tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica, you can skip the ticket lines to the main Vatican City landmarks.

The Rotunda, the Gallery of Tapestries, and the Gallery of Maps—the museums' most fascinating galleries—will be visited by your local guide. The walls of each of these rooms are adorned with ancient statues, frescoes, and tapestries, and the ceilings are ornate.

Obviously, the most valuable piece in the Vatican collection is not a painting on any wall; rather, Michelangelo Buonarotti, the greatest Renaissance artist, frescoed an entire ceiling and wall.

Michelangelo devoted some of his best years to the Sistine Chapel, worked day and night and even slept in the chapel to please the popes of Rome, created masterpieces from the Creation of Adam to the Last Judgement.

He also used hidden meanings in his work to express his dissatisfaction with his employers. These have now been discovered and comprehended. As your guide tells you about Michelangelo's jokes, pay attention.

The Basilica of St. Peter, the world's largest cathedral and the most impressive piece of Renaissance architecture, is where you should finish your tour. Take note of Gian Lorenzo Bernini's elaborate St. Peter's Baldachin and the well-known Pietà by Michelangelo.

Important information:

• The airport-style security is obligatory for all the visitors. Please note: during peak season you might be waiting up to 30 minutes

What to bring:

• Comfortable shoes

Not allowed:

• Sleeveless shirts
• Short skirts
• Shorts