Join The Vatican’s Key Master On An Ultimate VIP Tour As The First To Step Inside The Renowned Museum Before It Opens To The Public, And Even Help Turn On The Lights!
New York, NY (September 9, 2021) – City Experiences announced today a VIP Key Master’s Tour of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, offered exclusively by the global tours and experiences provider, Walks. In partnership with the Vatican Museums, this one-of-a-kind tour provides visitors a unique opportunity to travel with an intimate group through the institutions before they open to the public.
The two-hour tour experience pairs guests with an official Vatican guide as they open doors and turn on lights in iconic rooms painted with some of the world’s most famous art. Cover the expansive, most-visited rooms including the Raphael Rooms. Finish your experience with an exclusive breakfast on the Pinecone Courtyard before it opens for public visitation.
Ticket options include the choice to stay inside the Museums to continue exploring or leave as the doors are opening to the public. Tickets are on sale now at takewalks.com.
“Walks has always aimed to offer guests the most personal and unforgettable tour opportunities around the world, and we are thrilled to feature this exclusive product among our continually expanding collection,” said Stephen Oddo, SVP Hornblower Group, President & Founder of Walks. “This once-in-a-lifetime tour offers the most incredible Vatican experience imaginable, and we couldn’t be prouder to be the only operator to offer such an exclusive experience.”
Ticket holders will enter the Vatican Museums before dawn and travel with the Key Master on their daily ritual. Sweeping through silent halls, you will unlock rooms covered in world-famous frescoes and hear footsteps echo around the Pope’s Palaces. Guests will also be accompanied by an Official Vatican Museums Tour Guide, hand-chosen by the Museum authorities to lead this special experience. As you move through the Museums, learn about the historic and artistic significance of the world-famous site.
After touring, guests will have access to a full breakfast buffet at the still-closed Pinecone Courtyard in the Museums. Grab a coffee and take in the serenity of the morning as you gaze upon the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica behind you.
Visitors will be required to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test completed within 48 hours prior to entry. Guests must also provide a legal form of ID matching the vaccination or test results. This does not apply to children under 12. For more information, click here.
Walks is a global leader in tours and activities, operating sightseeing tours, food tours, and day trips in 14 cities around the world including Rome, Paris, Barcelona, London, New York City and San Francisco.
Specializing in small group special access tours, Walks began as Walks of Italy in 2009, guiding over a million travelers to attractions like the Vatican, Colosseum and St. Mark’s in Venice. The company has since expanded globally with major U.S. offerings including the Statue of Liberty, and Alcatraz, leading hundreds of thousands of guests on tours of top attractions.
In early 2021, Walks joined City Experiences’ growing portfolio of land-based experience companies, supporting the company’s overall business strategy towards growing its product offerings for its guests.
City Experiences represents a diverse portfolio of experiences in major travel destinations worldwide and includes more than 25 brands, offering locals and tourists alike a broad range of global experiences.
For more information visit https://www.cityexperiences.com or https://www.takewalks.com.
Please CLICK HERE for press photos of the VIP Key Master’s Tour.
About City Experiences
City Experiences represents Hornblower Group’s expansive portfolio of water- and land-based experience companies and includes two sub-brands: City Cruises and City Ferry. City Cruises companies operate dining, sightseeing and private events across 22 destinations in the U.S., Canada, and the UK. City Cruises companies also operate cruises on behalf of the National Park Service and the Niagara Parks Commission and currently hold service contracts to provide ferry service to the Statue of Liberty National Monument and the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration, Alcatraz Island and Niagara Falls. City Ferry companies offer specialized knowledge and expertise required to transport passengers, vehicles, and other cargo safely across inland and coastal waterways, serving as operator of NYC Ferry and Puerto Rico ferry system, among others. City Experiences’ portfolio of companies also offers a range of water- and land- based experiences including shore excursions, partner-offered experiences, multi-port packages, with companies including Cruising Excursions, ShoreTrips, Niagara Jet Adventures and Walks products. For more information visit cityexperiences.com.
About Walks
Walks is a global leader in tours and activities, operating sightseeing tours, food tours, and day trips in 14 cities around the world including Rome, Paris, Barcelona, London, New York City and San Francisco. Specializing in small group special access tours, Walks works closely with many of Europe’s top attractions and, most recently, with major U.S. attractions including the Statue of Liberty and Alcatraz. Led by only the best local guides, Walks’ tours are thoughtfully designed to offer a deeper insight into the culture, food, and history of their destinations. In 2020, Walks began offering virtual tours known as Tours from Home, receiving widespread recognition. For more information visit takewalks.com.
About Hornblower Group
Hornblower Group is a global leader in world-class experiences. The corporate entity of Hornblower Group is comprised of American Queen™ Steamboat Company and City Experiences. Seaward Services, Inc., a marine services company specializing in the operation, maintenance and repair of government and privately owned vessels, is also a subsidiary of Hornblower Group, operating and maintaining U.S. Navy Ranges and port facilities, including local oil spill response. Today, Hornblower’s footprint spans 111 countries and territories, and 125 U.S. cities, with offerings including water-based experiences, land-based experiences, overnight cruise experiences, and ferry and transportation services. Hornblower Group is headquartered in San Francisco, California, with additional corporate offices in Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; London, United Kingdom; New Albany, Indiana; New York, New York; and across Ontario, Canada.
Press Contacts:
Melissa Gunderson / City Experiences / [email protected]
Michael DeiCas / City Experiences / [email protected]