Vatican guided tours

Disclaimer: I did not really enjoy the Vatican Museums while I was there due to overcrowding.

My impression is that people either really enjoy the Vatican Museums or they find the experience disappointing. It may be hard to know in advance how you will respond. I think that the Vatican run tours would probably be a satisfactory experience for your family. The biggest factor, from my point of view, is not who is providing the tour but getting into the Vatican at times of the day when the crowds are smaller.

If I were to do anything, I would simply buy the audio guide and move at my own pace. The tour groups are annoying as they often block the passageways and people are shoving each other to get close. As many times as I have visited the Vatican Museums (starting in 1970), I have recently found that they are becoming miserably overcrowded. This Fall, our family has tickets for late November…we always go late afternoon/early evening to avoid the morning tour groups.

+1 for carol: " The biggest factor, from my point of view, is not who is providing the tour but getting into the Vatican at times of the day when the crowds are smaller." That's a tall order, by the way! Apparently it's no longer possible in 2024 (?), but the next issue would be preferred and direct access to St. Peter's from the "end" of the tour, in the SIstine Chapel.

Because we wanted to include the Gardens Tour (mostly by bus), we could only buy the Vatican product, paired with the Museums.

I personally do not believe that private tour guides put proprietary guides to shame. (Another "version" of that thought is that only losers take house-tours from Cruise ship companies ... )I was entirely satisfied with the Vatican product.

I believe the Vatican itself doesn't offer combination tours covering both the Museums and St. Peter's. Therefore, taking a Vatican-operated tour doesn't allow you to use the back door from the Sistine Chapel to St. Peter's. That door (usually available to members of combination tours offered by commercial tour companies) sounds very handy: It allows you to avoid the long walk back through the Museums and around the outside of the building to St. Peter's, and it means you avoid the very long security line at St. Peter's. That's the only negative I'm aware of with the tours offered by the Vatican itself. Only you can judge whether that justifies the very large cost difference. If time is precious and you hope to use the back door, be sure the commercial tour you're considering covers both the Vatican Museums and St. Peter's.

Thanks for the help! I booked the Vatican led tour and will just try to enter Peter's Basilica first thing in the morning.