The tour was great. Early meeting time but necessary as we were near the front of the line into the Vatican Museum and entered the Sistine Chapel before it was too crowded. While waiting in line our guide, Francesca, told us all about the history of the Chapel and the meaning of the various panels. She was an excellent guide, very detailed, knowledgeable, pleasant to listen to speaking style, welcomed questions and comments, well paced. Would have liked to have seen more of the paintings in the museum; perhaps cut back on some of the sculptures. Length of tour was just right, however, to cover all. Would highly recommend requesting Francesca as a guide.
While waiting in line, Francesca's introduction to the the Sistine Chapel was a wonderful preparation allowing us to focus on the various stages of Michelangelo's masterpiece once we entered the quiet, and not yet too crowded space, early in the day. The entire tour had just the right cadence to absorb highlights of the spectacular Vatican Museum while leaving enough interest to further explore St. Peter's Basilica on our own after the tour. Thanks for a great start to our week in Rome!
Francesca was a great guide! She really knew her subject and had a passion for the buildings we visited and the objects inside. The small group was really effective in the museum. Francesca was also adept at managing the group through the crowds - the Early Entry was absolutely essential.