A new tour offers visitors, a few of them, a chance to see the Vatican Museums ahead of the crowds, and to actually speak (normally forbidden) in the Sistine Chapel. The rub? You have to arrive at 6 am, and the fee starts at about $375.
For that price, you meet a Vatican keyholder, or clavigero, who normally opens the buildings at that hour. Tickets are limited to 20 per day, and are sold only through TripAdvisor.
With a guide, the visitors get an hour of guided walking through main areas of the Vatican Museums, including Raphael’s Rooms and the Gallery of Maps, as well as the Sistine Chapel. The tour ends at the Pincecone Courtyard, where breakfast is served, along with an opportunity to watch the lines starting to from for regular admission.
Photo: Staselnik/Wikimedia
