Once-In-A-Lifetime Vatican Insider Tour Experience: Privileged Access to Art...Architecture...Faith...History
5-Day Land Program in Rome
The Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums proudly introduce The Vatican Insider Tour Experience, a journey of faith and artistic grandeur offering Vatican Insiders exclusive, unprecedented access to the Vatican, including many off limits sites. Extraordinary access and special activities for Vatican Insiders are unavailable on other tours.
Highlights For Vatican Insiders Only
- VIP On-Stage Seating near the Pope at His Wednesday Audience (click here for photos of a recent Papal Audience)
- Private Viewing of Sistine Chapel after hours
- Private Vatican Holy Mass with Cardinal in Private Chapel
- Private Viewing of Vatican Secret Archives
- Private Wine Reception and Gala Candlelight Gourmet Dinner in Vatican Museums after hours
- Private Lunch in Papal Gardens
- Unprecedented Access to Vatican's Extraordinary Artistic Treasures
- Private Lecture by Chief Restorer of Vatican Museums, Private Tour of Restoration Laboratories and Private Viewing of Ongoing Restoration Project
- Private Transportation by Vatican Motor Coach for VIP Entry
- Front-of-Line VIP Access to Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica
- Many More Special Access Vatican Sites and Activities
- Substantial Portion of Vatican Insider Tour Experience Price used by Vatican Museums for Restoration, Conservation and Acquisition of Art
Exclusive Benefits And Mementos For Vatican Insiders
- Vatican Scholar Guide Plus Dedicated Host Accompany each intimate group of not more than 25 Vatican Insiders.
- Vatican Photographer To photograph each Vatican Insider, with the option to order prints online for an extra charge.
- Collectible Memento To Be Blessed by the Pope At Pope’s Wednesday Vatican Audience. Created exclusively for Vatican Insiders.
- Personalized Commemorative Gala Dinner Menu For each Vatican Insider engraved with their initials.
Price: $8,490 per person, based on double occupancy. Please contact us for private group pricing.
Price Details: 50% deposit is required to reserve and full payment required 30 days prior to departure. See Refund Policy below to learn how you may protect your investment if you have to cancel for any reason.
Inclusions: Fare includes 4 nights accommodation at The St. Regis Grand Hotel, Rome with American breakfast daily; Vatican access and activities; ground and roundtrip airport transportation, and meals stated in itinerary.
Exclusions: Fare does not include roundtrip air; meals not stated in itinerary; suite upgrade and extended stay; gratuities; optional activities and tours; spa services and additional items of a personal nature.
Disclaimer: Deposits for this program are nonrefundable, due to limited availability. Until a minimum of 25 travelers reservations are booked for a particular session, the deposit will be subject to refund or choice of another session. Itinerary subject to change. We strongly recommend purchasing Travel Insurance to protect against injury, illness, force majeure and unforeseen circumstances at the destination. Optional medical evacuation insurance coverage also available for purchase. Protect your trip investment with AuthentAssure. Payments made for The Vatican Insider Tour Experience are fully refundable, less a $250 per person administrative fee, up to 30 days prior to departure. Cancellations requested within 30 days of departure are nonrefundable, unless the traveler has opted for AuthentAssure trip protection.
Once-In-A-Lifetime Vatican Insider Tour Experience: Privileged Access to Art...Architecture...Faith...History: Itinerary
Vatican Insider 2010 Inaugural Sessions
Travelers are invited to join the December 5 - 9, 2010 Vatican Insider Tour Experience. Please inquire for additional 2010-11 sessions, available to closed groups on a private basis.
DAY 1: ARRIVE ROME
DAY 2: VATICAN MUSEUMS
Accompanied by Vatican elite guide (with premium listening system) plus dedicated host.
8:30 am Private Transportation to Vatican Museums by Vatican Motor Coach From The St. Regis Grand Hotel for priority private entry to Vatican and VIP front-of-line access to Vatican Museums.
9:00 am Welcome By International Director of the Patrons of the Arts for the Vatican Museums.
9:10 am Sculpture Restoration Laboratory Presentation by Vatican restorers. Learn about preservation and care of renowned sculptures such as Apollo Belvedere, Laocoön Group, Colonnades of St. Peter's. Off limits to others.
9:45 am Museum of Papal Carriages Off limits to others.
10:15 am Private Papal Gardens Limited access to others. Transportation by Vatican motor coach.
11:15 am Active Restoration Site Presentation on restoration of the Sistine Chapel and other Vatican treasures by head restorer of the Vatican Museums, who has supervised restoration of works of Michelangelo and Raphael. Restoration sites to be viewed may include Borgia Apartments, Rafael Rooms, Gallery of Statues. Limited access to others.
12:30 pm Private Lunch in the Papal Gardens Catered private lunch in the Casina of Pius IV, Pontifical Academy of Sciences, in the Papal Gardens. Off limits to others.
2:30 pm Vatican Secret Archives Viewing of ancient and priceless secret Vatican historical documents of momentous importance such as: Charter of Carolingian Emperor Confirming Gifts of Charlemagne to the Holy City (962); Founding of Franciscan Order to St. Francis of Assisi (1223); Founding of Cambridge University by Pope John XXII (1318); Commission of Sistine Chapel Ceiling to Michelangelo (1535); Trial Transcripts of Galileo For Heresy (1616). Limited access to scholars only.
3:00 pm Tower of the Winds Site of the famed Vatican Meridian by Ignazio Danti. Breathtaking views of the Vatican and Rome from rooftop terrace. Limited access to others.
4:00 pm Private transportation to The St. Regis Grand Hotel by Vatican Motor Coach
DAY 3: VATICAN MUSEUMS FOLLOWED BY ST. PETER’S BASILICA
Accompanied by Vatican elite guide (with premium listening system) plus dedicated host.
8:30 am Private Transportation to Vatican Museums by Vatican Motor Coach From The St. Regis Grand Hotel for priority private entry to Vatican and VIP front-of-line access to Vatican Museums.
9:00 am Vatican Museums Special access to gallery highlights including the Pinoteca with the works of Rafael, Giotto, Leonardo, Caravaggio and Bernini.
10:30 am Mosaic Restoration Laboratory Presentation by Vatican restorers. Learn about preservation and care of extraordinary ancient mosaics in the Vatican Museums collection. Limited access to others.
11:30 am Snack and Rest Break
12:00 pm Papal Tombs Including the Tomb of Pope John Paul II. Special access for Vatican Insiders only.
12:30 pm Private Viewing of the Pieta Limited access to others.
1:00 pm Private Transportation by Vatican Motor Coach
1:15 pm Vatican Necropolis Including the Santa Rosa excavation. Off limits to others.
2:00 pm Private transportation to The St. Regis Grand Hotel or Spanish Steps Shopping District by Vatican Motor Coach
DAY 4: ST. PETER’S BASILICA FOLLOWED BY VATICAN MUSEUMS
Accompanied by Vatican elite guide (with premium listening system) plus dedicated host.
8:15 am Private Transportation to St. Peter’s Basilica by Vatican Motor Coach From The St. Regis Grand Hotel for priority access to St. Peter’s Basilica.
8:45 am VIP On-Stage Seating at Pope’s Wednesday Vatican Audience Seating is on-stage near His Holiness. Limited access to others. Collectible premium mementos created exclusively for Vatican Insiders to be blessed by the Pope. (Click here for photos of a recent Audience.)
12:30 pm Private transportation to The St. Regis Grand Hotel by Vatican Motor Coach
5:30 pm Private Transportation to Vatican by Vatican Motor Coach From The St. Regis Grand Hotel for priority access to the Vatican.
6:00 pm Private Holy Mass Celebrated by Cardinal in Chapel of the Holy Family in Governor's Palace of Vatican City State Organist and soloist or choir of Vatican seminarians accompany Holy Mass. For Vatican Insiders only. Off limits to others.
7:00 pm Private Transportation to Vatican Museums by Vatican Motor Coach
7:15 pm Private Viewing of the Sistine Chapel, Rafael Rooms, Apostolic Library, Galleries of Tapestries and Statues, and Much More For Vatican Insiders only. Limited access to others.
8:30 pm Private Wine Reception followed by Private Gala Candlelight Gourmet Dinner in Octagonal Courtyard, Vatican Museums (indoors) Commemorative dinner menu personalized for each Vatican Insider with initials engraved. Harpist accompanies dinner. For Vatican Insiders only. Off limits to others.
11:00 pm Departure from Bramante Staircase Original entrance of the Vatican Museums. Off limits to others.
11:15 pm Private transportation to The St. Regis Grand Hotel by Vatican Motor Coach
DAY 5: DEPART ROME
Once-In-A-Lifetime Vatican Insider Tour Experience: Privileged Access to Art...Architecture...Faith...History: FAQs
The Pope's Wednesday Audience
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for privileged access to the globally-celebrated Wednesday Audience of the Pope, spiritual father to more than 1 billion worldwide, experiencing the spirituality of the ceremony among a constellation of attending cardinals, bishops and dignitaries with onstage seating near His Holiness.
Photograph by Ryan Hilton © 2010 Authentescapes
Exclusive photographic access arranged by order of the
Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums.
Vatican Insiders will be escorted by Patrons staffers through a designated entrance at St. Peter’s Basilica to be seated on stage facing the vast piazza of St. Peter’s Square filled with over 60,000 cheering pilgrims and visitors
filled with the wonder of faith.
Photographs by Ryan Hilton © 2010 Authentescapes
Exclusive photographic access arranged by order of the
Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums.
From these seats, Vatican Insiders will have an unobstructed view of the Pope's arrival in his famed Popemobile flanked by His retinue and large security detail.
Photographs by Ryan Hilton © 2010 Authentescapes
Exclusive photographic access arranged by order of the
Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums.
After the Pope ascends the stage to deliver His greetings in many languages to the huge crowd, Vatican Insiders will be near the Holy Father, closer than any of the other pilgrims and visitors, to receive His Holiness’ special blessing and feel the power of the Holy Father’s love for His flock..
.jpg)
STAY IN TOUCH