Exclusive: Goodnight Vatican

The Vatican Museums house the most famous and most visited art collection on Earth. Curated over centuries by the papacy, the Vatican’s attractions include the world’s most beautiful paintings, sculptures, frescoes and archaeological treasures. The collection began with pope Julius II in the early 1500s and has expanded over the centuries to encapsulate more of human history, from antiquity to the modern day.

As the Vatican is the most visited museum in the world, the best experience is to see it on your own terms: after the bulk of the crowds have left. In a serene and positively dreamlike evening visit, you can enjoy a guided tour through the Vatican with only a fraction of the usual visiting population present.

On the evening of your tour, your professional guide will show you to a scenic terrace with an unparalleled vantage point over the Vatican gardens and Saint Peter’s Basilica. From there, you will be taken into the museums to explore the galleries at your own pace and in blissful silence. In the marvelous peace of the Vatican after hours, view the works of Michelangelo, Bernini and Raphael without the immersion-breaking disruption of tourist crowds. Wander the sculpture museums and the Tapestry Hall, and best of all, step into the grand Sistine Chapel with a singular level of quiet and privacy. 

The only way to enjoy the Vatican to the fullest degree is to see it for what it is, without its regular swarms of visitors. Treat yourself to the intimate, awe-inspiring experience of standing in the world’s most beautiful museums after hours.