Essential of Rome in 1 Day: Vatican Musems & Colosseum
Unleash your cultural exploration in Rome with our Complete Vatican Museums & Colosseum tour. Dive into a day filled with art and history, guided by our expert art historian. Skip the long queues with our reserved entrance to the Vatican Museums and save even more time with our exclusive access to the Ancient Roman sites. Immerse yourself in the city's finest offerings without the usual crowds.
Maximize your vacation: discover all that Rome has to offer while saving money by combining our top-selling Rome tours into one thrilling day! Listen to engaging commentary from our English-speaking guide as you visit the Eternal City's most significant attractions: the stunning Vatican Museums, the iconic Sistine Chapel, the grand St. Peter’s Basilica, and the historic Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill.
With a small group and priority entrance to all sites, we ensure an unforgettable experience that will leave a lasting impression!
Options
Tour in English Summer Season
Duration: 7 hours
What's included in Essential of Rome in 1 Day: Vatican Musems & Colosseum
(Subject to Option Inclusions)Itinerary
Sistine Chapel
The Sistine Chapel is a chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the pope's official residence in Vatican City. Originally known as the Cappella Magna ('Great Chapel'), the chapel takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who had it built between 1473 and 1481. Since that time, the chapel has served as a place of both religious and functionary papal activity. Today, it is the site of the papal conclave, the process by which a new pope is selected. The fame of the Sistine Chapel lies mainly in the frescoes that decorate the interior, most particularly the Sistine Chapel ceiling and The Last Judgment, both by Michelangelo.
St. Peter's Basilica
The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican, or simply Saint Peter's Basilica is a church built in the Renaissance style located in Vatican City, the papal enclave that is within the city of Rome, Italy. It was initially planned by Pope Nicholas V and then Pope Julius II to replace the aging Old St. Peter's Basilica, which was built in the fourth century by Roman emperor Constantine the Great.
Vatican Museums
This museum houses a large collection of artifacts from Ancient Egypt and also many Egyptian works of Roman production in nine rooms. The Carlo Grassi Collection of bronzes is part of the collection. Such material includes papyruses, sarcophagi, mummies, sculptures and reproductions of the Book of the Dead
Inclusions
- Reserved visit to the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
- Guided tour of the Sistine Chapel
- Guided tour guaranteed for the entire itinerary inside the Vatican Museums
- Professional English speaking tour guide
- Only in English for the highest quality
- Guaranteed skip-the-line access to St. Peter's Basilica
- Reserved Access and tickets to the Vatican Museums
- Hotel Pick up and Drop off
- Transportation from the Vatican to the Colosseum
- Optional Gratuities
- Starting in 2025, there will no longer be a guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica
- We are sorry to inform you that pets are not permitted on our tours
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- This tour visits religious sites, and there is a dress code to be observed. Visitors must be dressed appropriately: no sleeveless blouses, no miniskirts, no shorts, and no hats are allowed
- Please provide the full names of all travelers when booking. Failure to present a voucher with all travelers' full names at the ticket office prior to entry may result in denied entry to the Colosseum and Roman Forum.
- Due to heightened security measures, you may experience delays in clearing security checks when entering the Colosseum
- Due to exceptional religious events, St. Peter's Basilica might be closed without any notice
- Entry to the Vatican Museums is based on strictly timed tickets. For this reason, late arrivals cannot be guaranteed access. All visitors must have a photo ID for the security check
- Bags (Colosseum): Bulky bags, trolleys or backpacks are not allowed at the Colosseum. No glass bottles are allowed. There is no cloakroom in the Colosseum
- Important: If you have a pacemaker you will need to show a certificate, otherwise you will not be admitted without being screened
- For the Colosseum tour: The schedule is subject to changes pending more precise information from the Colosseum management
- Each traveler must present a valid passport or ID document that matches the name provided at the time of booking for successful entry to the Colosseum and Roman Forum
- Please note that starting from March 2025, only for the Colosseum tour the meeting point will change and will be at Via IV Novembre 139, Rome.
- Starting in 2025, there will no longer be a guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica, but entry will still be guaranteed
- Please be advised that the tour itinerary may change, but the guided tour is always guaranteed
- Due to the Jubilee, some monuments may be under restoration. Please pay attention to any messages we may send regarding potential changes
Meet
Pickup and Dropoff
You will make your own way to the meeting points
Meeting Points
- At 2:45 pm meet our guide at : TOWNS OF ITALY TOURIST HUB & COOKING SCHOOL | ROME Via Quattro Novembre, 139 00187 Rome The guide will be displaying a white Towns of Italy sign.
- At 9:00 am meet your guide in Viale Vaticano 100, on top of the stairs next to Caffè Vaticano. 2 hours break to move from Vatican to reach the Colosseum area on your own.
Redeem
Ticket Redemption
At 9:00 am meet your guide in Viale Vaticano 100, on top of the stairs next to Caffè Vaticano. Your guide will have a white logo sign that says "Towns of Italy." 2 hours break to move from Vatican to reach the Colosseum area on your own. At 2:45 (April to 26th October) at 1:15 pm (from 27th October to March) meet your guide at Arco di Constantino (next to Colosseum) to start the Colosseum visit. Please note that starting from March 2025, only for the Colosseum the meeting point will change and will be at Via IV Novembre 139, Rome. Please reach the meeting point on time, late arrivals cannot be accommodated. Please be advised that the tour itinerary may change, but the guided tour is always guaranteed.
