Our guide, Silvia was great. However, we were supposed to start at 1145 but we did not get going until almost 1220. Communication needs to be better if the tour guides are running late. After the rocky start it was smooth sailing and very informative.
Outstanding tour, extremely informative guide. Very crowded, Little disappointed with the crowd in the Sistine Chapel, people on their phones and talking very different from my last visit.
I have participated in many guided tours around the world, and I can say without hesitation that this was the worst experience I’ve ever had. Save your time, money, and sanity—do not book this tour.
The experience was a disaster from the very beginning. We arrived at 8:20 AM, well ahead of the scheduled start time, but there was no signage or representative to be found. After stepping away briefly for a coffee and returning at 8:35, we were abruptly reprimanded by a staff member who claimed we were late—even though we were still early by any reasonable standard. She explained that the group had left early due to crowds, and blamed us for missing a call made just minutes prior. No apology, no accountability—just confusion and hostility. We were shuffled between three different people before finally meeting our guide.
Unfortunately, meeting the guide did not improve the experience. He rushed through the exhibits, offering minimal and surface-level commentary. At no point did we feel like we were learning or engaging with the rich history in front of us. Even worse, when some members of the group paused to admire Roman sculptures and artifacts—an essential and celebrated part of the Vatican Museums—the guide lashed out. He said, and I quote: “This is a Vatican tour, not a Roman art tour. If you want to look at Roman art, you can do that on your own. Just give me the headset, and you can go.”
This was outrageous. Roman art is not only central to the Vatican’s collection—it’s impossible to meaningfully experience the Vatican Museums without appreciating the Roman art interwoven throughout. To be told we weren’t allowed to look at it, or ask questions about it, defeats the entire purpose of being there.
And it didn’t end there. We were promised access to the underground tour and entry to the basilica—neither of which were delivered. Instead, the guide spent 15 minutes giving us vague directions to try and access them on our own. When we attempted to follow through, we were informed that reentry would require going through security again, which meant potentially another two-hour wait. So much for the advertised “skip-the-line” access—it was a complete lie.
When we asked for a refund or even the chance to redo the tour properly, we were met with a flat refusal and zero accountability.
This tour was disorganized, dishonest, and shockingly unprofessional. We received far less than what we paid for, and were actively discouraged from enjoying one of the most culturally rich museums in the world. If you are considering booking this tour—don’t. You’re better off exploring on your own, or booking with a company that actually respects your time, money, and interest in history.
I strongly urge the company to review this failure and issue a refund for what was essentially a bait-and-switch experience.