We booked an early morning Vatican tour with What a Life Tours for our trip to Rome last month, and it was an A+ way to explore the world's smallest country. We could've visited on our own, as many obviously do, but it was great to have a skilled guide to put all that marble and history in context. We'd already paid to come to Rome and set aside a morning to see Vatican City. The added value we got out of the tour far outweighed the incremental expense. I found the tour on Get Your Guide, where it was highly rated with thousands of reviews, and I liked that it was a small group situation, with a maximum of ten participants. We received strict instructions to arrive before 7:45 at the What a Life office, within walking distance of the Vatican. We checked in and got assigned to our tour group, with an amazing guide named Giulia. She set us up with audio devices that let us hear her through our earphones even when she was just whispering--a cool bit of tech I'd never encountered before, but saw again twice more before leaving Italy. We arrived in time to enter the Vatican Museums right at 8:00, the start of visiting hours. Our tickets allowed us to skip the line, which was nice in mid-November, but no doubt doubly nice during peak season. Giulia was fantastic, so smart and informative and funny. She knew how to corral us, and I got the sense that she could work very easily under much worse conditions. She let us know how lucky we were to see the Vatican on such a quiet morning. There were plenty of people, but the crowd was apparently nothing compared to the crush of summer or early fall. The Vatican is so grand it was almost overwhelming, and it was extremely helpful to have a guide to keep us oriented. She gave us so much insight into what we were seeing, pointing out the highlights and offering a running commentary with a dry wit that was all Giulia. In the Gallery of Maps in the Vatican Museums, she showed my husband where he could find the village his family came from, painted on a 16th-century Fresco. She also prepared us well for the Sistine Chapel, where visitors are not allowed to talk, using down moments to tell us about the chapel and its artwork, with the aid of a well labeled print-out. The tour was three hours long and encompassed the museums, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica. We could've spent several more hours in the museums alone, but we saw a lot, moving at a pretty brisk pace. The tour was very well calibrated. I can't think of a single thing I would have changed. I thought about booking our Colosseum tour through What a Life (would've saved me a review) but saw that the one they offered had very few ratings, compared to the thousands they had for the Vatican. I'm curious what their other tours are like, and have more confidence in the company overall after going on this one. If you're visiting the Vatican, in any case, What a Life Tours is a top notch provider. We saw and learned so much in those three hours, and had a truly wonderful time. read more

We did the early entry (7:45 am) tour with Jeannette. She was amazing. Her knowledge was expansive and being an art historian made it even more amazing. She not only covered the immense history of the Vatican, but her knowledge of the artists and their works was very helpful. I would not hesitate to recommend her and thus company. It was limited to a group of ten made it so easy to stay together and not lose anyone. read more

What a Life Tours - Ceiling in the map room. - Walking Tours Near Me - Rome, RM

See all

It is absolutely possible to do a self-directed tour of Vatican City but understand that you'll miss out on so many little details and behind-the-scenes things. I booked my What a Life tour and arrived right on time (sorry, folks!) and we were on our way. A decent-sized group of ten with our guide. We spent right about three hours. All sorts of interesting statues, hallways, mosaic floors and of course, the Sistine Chapel. Along the way, our guide made sure to point out stuff that I would totally have missed. I'm really happy to have done this tour! [Review 19118 overall - 290 in Italy - 88 of 2023.] read more

See all

My husband & I were gifted the Rome in a Day: Full-Day Private Tour for our honeymoon trip, which was one of the highlights of our trip overall. Esmerelda was incredibly knowledgeable, kind, patient, easy going, and witty. We spent a fabulous day together exploring the Colosseum, Palentine Hill, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Pantheon (our favorite), enjoyed delicious gelato and a fabulous lunch together (spots recommended by Esmerelda), Vatican City, the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica, and likely more that I am missing as it was a whirlwind day packed with rich history and amazing sights. The perfect day in Rome! Thank you to What a Life Tours for great programming and introducing us to the lovely Esmerelda. Until we meet again, Esmerelda! :) read more

What a Life Tours - St. Peter's Basilica with Esmerelda :) - Walking Tours Near Me - Rome, RM

We went in a group with Daniella as a family and had a wonderful time! She delivered the history of all the stops we made and let us see everything at a wonderful pace. I definitely wouldn't brave this tourist attraction without being on a tour and would highly recommend Daniella with What a Life Tours! read more

Upfront I have to apologize for not remembering my tour guide's name for my early morning Vatican tour on July 1, 2024. I am finally getting around to writing about my experience over 2 weeks ago. She is the witty British woman that performs her tour guide duties with great enthusiasm. She did an excellent job of providing not only a historical background for every art piece covered by the tour. But her excellent story telling skills brought to life ancient stories. Also, I have to thank What a Life Tours for tailoring the small group only tours. I did observe other tour groups with way too many people and many did not look engaged in the actual impersonal tour they were supposed to be experiencing. Believe me when I say everyone in our group was totally engaged in our exciting tour. Even her jokes were timed perfectly, this woman can teach a class on what a tour guide should be. I was so moved by her story telling that afterwards I not only fact checked her information and wanted to know a whole lot more. So yes, I do feel as if I have been changed as a result of taking this tour. I do not recommend any first time visitor try to tackle coverage of the Vatican on their own because the task is too daunting. I highly, highly recommend my tour guide, so don't be shy when asking to be led by the witty English woman with What a Life Tours. read more

We signed up for the Vatican Early Access Before the Crowds Tour and were not very happy with it. The tour guide was fine and shared a lot of interesting details while leading us to Vatican and Sistine Chapel. My lower rating is mainly for the organization of the tour itself. We felt it was too much rushed tour, maybe it would've been a much better one had we have 1 more hour. We had a total of 20 minutes to spend inside St. Peter's Basilica which I think is nowhere near enough. Sure we were told of a few pieces of art work in there before going inside but 20 minutes in there was like go to each art, take photo, take a look and then leave. My wife and I both felt the time we had to spend doesn't justify the magnificent artwork and history of that place. After that we went straight to Vatican Museum which means you don't get to go to the Dome even if you want to. And secondly, if you want to come back to St. Peter's Basilica after visiting Vatican Museum you would have to go thru the line again. Believe it, it is going to be a HUGE LONG line. We also had to spend a lot of time waiting outside of the Vatican Museum for the group entrance ticket thus felt this was very disorganized. Overall I think it maybe better for you to just go to St. Peter's early in the morning to avoid the crowd and spend as much time as you want in there, go up the Dome to see the skyline of Vatican and Roma. Then go to Vatican Museum yourself or get audio guide. Try to avoid the early morning because that's when all tour groups go there and make it such a crowded place. read more

Vatican, Sistine chapel and St Peters skip the line tour was amazing! Daniela was an excellent guide, without her, we would have not had such a great experience and understood what we were seeing! It really was a skip the line experience, we were escorted past a line that was hours long, hot and crowded. The headsets made it very easy to hear every word. The pace was perfect, giving breaks while we listened to explanations. Daniela was very knowledgeable and engaging, while explaining the history. The three hour tour was perfect and we ended with St Peters and could roam more if we wished. I am so glad we took this tour and highly recommended it! The meeting location was their office and very easy to find. read more

The people working the front desk are extremely rude. First, we arrived at 9:30 and was abruptly told to come back at 10:00 as they were not open. Then I can back at 9:50 (as I saw their doors were open) and was then told my reservation was not with them and literally waived off. I asked where I might go to find my tour group, and the gentleman behind the desk just waived me off again. Long story short, I did not use them, but after this brief interaction I won't! read more

One of the highlights of Rome!! We did the 2-in-1 Colosseum and Vatican tour, from 7:30 am- 3:30 pm. I would like to start off by saying I am NOT a history buff, I had little history knowledge going into this tour, but this tour was the PERFECT length of time for me (at no point did it ever seem to "drag on") and was filled with just the right amount of information. The Vatican tour started an hour before the Vatican opened, which helped to avoid large crowds and congestion. Tip- don't worry about eating before the tour- once we met up with the group in the morning, we were given breakfast (pastries, sandwiches, and coffee). The Vatican tour included the Vatican museum, St Peter's Basilica, and the Sistine Chapel. The Colosseum tour included the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and several arches. The tour also allowed to skip all the lines for each exhibit (that alone is worth the price)!! The tour guides were generally interested in teaching you about the history of Rome, and thanks to headsets you were able to hear them clearly. Every fact given to us was either important or interesting, and it made the day very enjoyable!! And for once, I actually have all the tid bits of information memorized (easier when you find them intriguing). Our first group at the Vatican was less than 10 people- and the second half of the tour ended up being just me and my significant other (private tour!!!). Loved everything about this tour and the tour guides and would recommend this company to everyone!! read more

Wow! The girls running this are AMAZING! Booked a tour via Google a few days ago and downloaded the app. We had to take a train into Rome and it ran late so we called and the girls reassured us that they would wait and they did for about 10 minutes. Beatrice took us on a Vatican tour and Sistine Chapel. She was very professional and informative! read more

Gabriel was our tour guide and was outstanding!! Extremely knowledgeable and informative. Could not have asked for a better guide. Walks of Life gets five stars. Very impressed with their communications and commitment to ensuring a successful tour. Highly recommend the tour and Walks of Life read more

We visited Rome recently and enjoyed 2 fantastic trips with the wonderful guides of What a Life Tours. Our trip to the Vatican museums with Elaine surpassed all expectations. Her knowledge of the Vatican was truly impressive, as was her ability to pitch her wealth of information to suit our group members - with a blend of gravitas and humour - meaning that our attention was held throughout. We would have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending both Elaine and What a Life if you wish to have a stimulating tour of the Vatican. Our second trip was to the Palatine Hill, Roman Forum and the Coliseum with Flavio. It was a very hot day, yet Flavio kept our attention throughout with his interesting presentation of the facts in clear chronological order (if only I had Flavio as my history teacher all those years ago at school!), along with his considerate care of the whole group in the high temperatures. His background knowledge was very impressive and it was great that he was also able to include informative responses & witty anecdotes in response to our various queries. Rapid access worked as well as it possibly could given the size of the crowds at both trips, so we had no complaints on that scrore either, and both guides seemed to get us ushered through with relative ease. Happy to recommend What a Life Tours to others visiting Rome read more

My family and I toured the Colosseum, including the underground, Palantine Hill and the Forum with Tanya. We had her all to ourselves and it was fantastic!!! She was so wonderful and engaging with our four kids, all younger than 10. She made the place come alive for them and we are so grateful! It was also very informative and entertaining for us (the parents) who are both history majors with a strong background in ancient history. The tour is long, but absolutely packed with info. I would definitely bring snacks and water if you have little kids. Tanya was great about bathroom breaks and finding a spot to sit down and let their feet rest. We highly recommend this tour and tour company. We also did the Vatican and had a similarly great experience. read more

A trip to the Vatican can be overwhelming, but with Angelo the Italian-American serving as the voice in your head, an otherwise hectic--possibly even chaotic--place, is easily digestible. So there you are, on the approach, St. Peter's basilica in sight, when a man approaches you. This man says--correctly--that tickets are sold out, and, unless you want to stand in a ridiculous line for three hours (it really it is that long). Listen to him, as long as he is from What A Life Tours, the only tour company that doesn't employ ridiculous flags to keep everyone in a group. You a guided from the square, for what seems to be a long distance, to their office. This walk is long and hot on a sunny day, but is necessary either way as their office is directly across from the entrance to the museum. Yeah, I bet their rent is high. Angelo then guides you through the museums for the next two hours, seeing only about 15% of the place but it does include the gorgeous Sistine Chapel. The bulk of his tour builds to the chapel, discussing museum pieces which inspired Michaelangelo on his own tours of the museum and are reflected in his creation of the Sistine Chapel. Pretty incredible stuff. Art history for the layman, and a true value-added element of the tour. Angelo had an obvious passion for Roman history, and his tour was both informative, funny, and personal. He provided a nice dose of reality in an otherwise surreal place and tied it all together for us in a nicely wrapped, satisfying package. Even though the price is more than double the ticket of entry to the museums, it is absolutely worth the cost. Make sure you go with these guys. read more

When I looked for tours before going to Italy in April, I wanted to be sure it was not a scam. I came across several well publicized companies but didn't feel right for me. Then I happened to find What a Life Tours and I was glad I did. My friend and I had three tours with this company and each time it was an above and beyond experience. My first tour was an early morning trip to Vatican City. The tour guide was amazing and lead us up to the St. Peters Basilica. We heard the amazing history and went inside. Unfortunately, I lost my copy of my CDC vaccine card as we made our way to the Vatican Museum and could not enter. This is where Joseph and his team really shined. While I could not go with my group, the company accommodated us with two tickets in the museum and the Sistine Chapel. This was my error that I dropped my card but the company made sure I got to experience the beauty and majesty of the Vatican. My second tour was a private tour of Pompeii and Amalfi. It was a little pricey compared to other companies, but that extra money went a very long way. Our driver was magnificent. He gave us local history as we rode about two hours from Rome. We get to Pompeii and our guide Lelo was incredible. He gave us an intimate understanding of Pompeii that gets lost when in a small to large group. I learned so much that it was a very major highlight of my vacation. Then off to Amalfi where I got to see the St Andrews Cathedral and do a little shopping. Even though we had to be out by 4PM, the Cathedral was closed until then. Our driver made an exception to this and I was able to go inside and get a few shots. From there we headed back. Amazing views of the coast was like icing on a very delicious cake. The last Tour was underground the Colosseum and I tell you that God truly blessed us. A little boy had fallen and bumped his head so hard that he went unconscious. In our group we had a pediatric nurse and she was able to help that boy until the ambulance arrived.He suffered a concussion but was otherwise okay. The tour guide was so lovely and you could feel her heart as she knew she was on the job but she also tended to the child. We were given a time extension for the tour and when the situation was dealt with we pressed on learning and trying to stay dry from the rain. If I had the chance to visit Rome again , I would not hesitate to book with this company. I loved my experience and even with the unfortunate circumstances, they were simply incredible. There is something to be said about knowing the job, but another when passion for what you do is mixed with compassion and empathy. I was truly moved and learned more about Italy than just dates and times. What A Life showed just how beautiful the Italian heart can be. read more

What a joke. The "early" access does not avoid the crowds because there are literally thousands of others who have purchased these "early access" tours from various companies including this one. We waited over an hour before we entered and had to endure a 45 minute talk about the chapel paintings. If I was an art history major and we were studying for my final this would be have helpful but instead it was dull and boring...WE JUST WANT TO BE INSIDE. Avoid paying for this "early access" BS and just wait in line to get in. read more

We booked a tour with these guys for the Vatican a few weeks before our trip and the overall experience was superb. The communication from email to the tour itself was clear and concise and we had an excellent time. The 9:30am tour only had 8 people for Easter Weekend so it was cool to have a small group. Obviously one of the perks was to skip the f'n line, which made the price totally worth it. We were able to easily understand our tour guide and she pointed out many things we would have missed. The first 1.5 hours or so felt a bit rush, but that was ok since we all know the grand daddy of them all was waiting for us, the Sistine Chapel. One of the benefits with signing with a respected tour company is many of the tour guides are familiar with the Vatican staff. So we had an idea of when the Sistine Chapel or St. Peters was going to be closed early or not. If you plan on multiple tours, make sure to ask for a discount! read more

We set up this tour several months ago before getting to Rome. Mario, our tour guide, met us at the address we were told around 7am. We were served coffee and pastries. Mario was very knowledgeable about everything we would be seeing. We got in line around 730 am and that"s when he gave us an overview of the Sistine Chapel and what each of the paintings represented. He had book with pictures of the Chapel as a reference. This was so helpful before going in because we then knew what to look for and why. We were one of the first groups in the Sistine Chapel, which was very nice because it was such a small group of people and we were able to enjoy it without it being overcrowded. Would highly recommend this tour and ask for Mario! We also used this tour company to view the Coliseum and Palantine. Carlotta was our guide and was amazing. She is a former archaeologist, which was awesome for the tour. She was so informative and funny. Would highly recommend her for a tour or the Coliseum and Palantine. read more

Wife and I Toured the Colleseum underground, Palestine Hill and Roman Forum with Michael. He was a wonderful tour guide, friendly, and a very nice man. He shared his knowledge with us and we appreciate it greatly. Thank you Michael. read more

Today I was part of a tour guided my Anna from What a Life Tours. The hospitality arriving this AM was as friendly at the office. As was the communications in making our choice. Anna's knowledge and passion was totally delivered through her guidance. One could not but rank this TEAM but top shelf. Awarding them 5 stars and Anna providing the polish for the shine of the stars. Thank for welcoming us and creating the excitement to return. Tom Hutchison Williams Party Thanks Anna read more

Very good tour operator! We wanted to see the Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica. With a group of 12' we figured we better have an escorted tour and this company was great. Early access, separate lines, knows all the shortcuts and all the great history. We were able to take pictures of some amazing shots without the crowd of tourists. This made it worth it. They even made sure we walked through one of the Locked Doors that was open for his Jubilee year which is every 25 years. Our guide then told us where the other three doors were and off we went. Great service, great help and great prices. read more

There's a reason as to why this tour group has such high marks, because it really is that good. We didn't plan on seeing much of the Vatican as we knew the lines for the museum would be huge and the earliest tickets for the Sistine Chapel were in the late afternoon, that wouldn't work for us. So as we got out of the cab, we were approached by one of the tour guides selling the tour saying we could skip all the lines going in. As my family was speaking with him, I quickly looked up the tour group and saw the great reviews, so we decided to go with it. Long story short, it was worth every penny. Our guide, Marcello was a fantastic and knowledgeable guide who was very thorough and still added humor and made the tour fun. Not to mention being able to skip the line for the museum that went on for blocks was a big plus too! If you like learning about history, you'll love this tour. TIP: Where you initially pickup your headphones, there is a bookstore right behind it where you can buy bottles of water for €.50. Go there and pick a few bottles up before you head into the Vatican. read more

The Vatican is a huge and overwhelming place with tons to see and large crowds. We chose to do a group tour with 8 of us with Grant last Saturday and couldn't have been happier. We were so impressed with Grants knowledge and humor, he really made this tour a good time. Pointed out everything we needed to see with great bits of history and guided our group in and out of the massive seas of people. He was funny, knowledgeable and super personable. I would highly recommend taking this tour as you avoid the long lines but even more so would recommend requesting Grant as your guide. The evening after our tour while exploring Rome we ran into another couple from our tour at dinner, they had same opinion as us and could not get over how great of a guide Grant is. We really appreciated him and this tour was one of our main highlights of Rome! read more

Mario was the best! We had a wonderful early bird tour of the Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museum, and St. Peter's! We passed about 250 tourists in line to enter, most of whom were soaked in the typical mid-January rains at 8am. There was NO ONE with us in the Raphael rooms. Only about 15 people in the Sistine Chapel, and we stayed for at least 20 minutes, practically by ourselves. When we revisited the Sistine Chapel later in the tour (around 9:30) there were about 400-500 tourists, hardly room to move. Mario made this tour fascinating for us, giving us plenty to see and think about! If you think you've seen it all, go on this tour. read more

My 20 year old son and I toured the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and Basilica this past Saturday. Being from New York, I was overwhelmed who to book with but appreciated the great reviews of What A Life Tours-and let me tell you, they did not disappoint! The communication was friendly and prompt. We were assigned Grant as our tour guide. I cannot say enough great things about him, he was incredibly knowledgeable, funny and engaging. He spent a few minutes with every one in our small group, asking follow up questions and getting to know them. He shared information about himself and his travels and had an awesome sense of humor. I looked at my son when the tour was over and said I didn't think the experience would have been as great as it was if we had a boring tour guide. My son agreed, Grant made our tour fabulous and worth every cent. I happily recommend What A Life Tours if you're looking for a great experience in Rome, and ask for Grant! read more

well organized, tour guide knowledgeable, pleasant experience made even better by skipping the line - no other way to do.

Had a great day with our tour guide, Anna! She made my first time touring the Vatican City such a great time. 5 stars and you'll be happy to pick this company. All of them were delightful! Michelle with the Williams party. read more

Took the Ancient City Tour with the company. Their guide Thomas Patridge was absolutely awesome. Brought great depth and insight the Roman forum and Coliseum. Best three hours of fun and education I've had on a vacation in a long time. read more

Very glad to have added What a Life Tours to our Rome/ Vatican vacation! Our guide Angelo was very entertaining and interactive with the people in our group. Angelo was very informative about the history of the Vatican City. Angelo put this history into perspective and related it to the times of our present day life. I noticed at times there were visitors from other tour guides looking in our direction and being entertained by Angelo. Needless to say, it was worth every penny. My girlfriend loved it as well! Highly recommended.. Also, don't forget to ask Angelo about the restaurants where the locals go.. we went to every one! It wasn't just a tour guide, it was an experience!! Thank you Angelo!!! read more

We were glad we did this tour. The company is well organized and Marcello was a great guide. He was very personable and knowledgeable and educated us a lot about some of the pieces in the museum (you cannot possibly see it all!) Breakfast was also a nice touch. read more

We had a plan as we walked toward St. Peter's square, but a sweet girl approached us about the What a Life tour and we are so grateful she did. Mark, our "English" tour guide, seamlessly wove the theological and historical pieces together throughout the tour. An additional bonus was the very appropriate humorous quips - you'll have to go to see the "Bill Clinton" statue in the Vatican Museum for yourself!I cannot imagine attacking that place without a "personal" guide explaining and navigating you through that huge place. My only wish would be to have him continue in the Basilica itself; however, he did an awesome job of explaining where we could go from there - we chose to walk to the top of the dome first, then the crypts and the Basilica. Absolutely worth the money! read more

Want to thank Marc Anthony for a wonderful tour of the Vatican & the 16th Chapel He gave us so much information & answered all our questions Thank You Marc! read more

We want to thank Grant for making our Vatican tour so magical! All the staff members that we met through What A Life Tours were amazing! We are very grateful we found the service. It saved us a TON of time, didn't wait in lines, and was a great price for what we got out of it. Grant, our tour guide, did a FANTASTIC job through the whole experience! He was funny, extremely knowledgable, kept us all together, and provided some amazing insights, tips, and things to look for that made our experience absolutely amazing! We highly recommend anyone who is considering taking a tour of the Vatican, to go with What A Life Tours! read more

Our tour guide was amazing! Entertaining and extremely knowledgeable. I learned far more about the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and the art/museums than I ever could have on my own, and was able to fully appreciate the city, its history and its beauty. I highly, highly recommend this tour as opposed to going on your own. Their prices are extremely reasonable and even saved us money on admissions/ticket fees. Wear comfortable shoes...it's long and you will have a great time! read more

Toured Vatican City with Ana today and highly recommend this tour. We noticed other tour guides reading from notes and I can assure you that the guides from this company don't need cheat sheets! Professional from the front people to the guides, this was fun, informative and entertaining. read more

Not bored for a single moment, it was amazing. Our guide was Grant, and we toured the Vatican. Learnt all the art history behind everything. Amazing. read more

A group of four of us were approached by this tour company outside the Vatican and semi-aggressively pressured into a tour. We thought the tour started at 2:30pm, however this was just the "free introduction" portion, which is about an hour long in which 25% was filled with bad jokes, 50% some historical facts about the Vatican, and 25% of talk to fill the time. We walked around the Vatican assuming that we would go straight into the Vatican museum, however we ended up at the tour company's office, which was pretty frustrating since we felt like we had just wasted an hour. I did feel like we were mislead in the beginning about what was going to happen. The actual tour started around 3:30pm and lasted 2 hours long--the tour itself was fine, passing many tour groups, ours didn't seem any better or worse than others. The price was 46 euros per person, in which I have no comparisons so I'm not sure what this compares to the average. All in all, I would recommend this tour company only if you are sure exactly when you will get into the museum--I did not like the fact that we wasted a lot of time, something I think that was done on purpose to encourage us to buy the tour. read more

Spent our first day in Italy touring the Vatican. Wasn't supposed to be a private tour but others had backed out so just my wife and I. Carlotta was out tour guide. Full of knowledge and super passionate about art and history and knew everything about everything. Its a shame we arrived that morning and didn't sleep on the plane the night before. Couldn't give my full attention. I highly recommend this tour and ask for Carlotta. read more