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Prices and Tickets

Discover the many types of ticket and check prices, reductions or special free entry reserved to different visitors. The entry ticket for the Vatican Museums entitles the visit to the Museums and Sistine Chapel solely on the day on which the ticket is issued. Tickets cannot be refunded. See also:

Full entry ticket

€ 20.00 (without online booking)

Reduced entry ticket

€ 8.00 (without online booking) € 8.00 + 5.00 (with “Skip the Line” booking on the official Vatican Museums website)

Reduced ticket Schools

€ 4.00 (without online booking) € 4.00 + 2.00 (with “Skip the Line” booking on the official Vatican Museums website)

Reduced ticket Students

€ 8.00 (without online booking) € 13.00 (with “Skip the Line” booking on the official Vatican Museums website)

Papal Palace and Secret Garden of Castel Gandolfo

Full entry ticket € 12.00 Discover and check the reductions reserved to different visitors:

Free entry Vatican Museums

• Last Sunday of the month (subject to the Calendar of museum openings/closures ).
• Children below the age of 7.
• Directors of museum institutions, managing boards and other bodies engaged in the protection of archaeological, historic and artistic heritage.
• All disabled visitors with certified invalidity of more than 74% . In the case of visitors who are not self-sufficient, free entry is extended also to a companion. Free tickets for disabled visitors and their companions cannot be booked online but are instead issued, upon presentation of certification of invalidity, directly at the “Special Permits” and/or “Reception” desks situated in the entrance hall of the Vatican Museums. The disabled visitor and an eventual companion are guaranteed priority Skip the line entry (without queuing in line). See Services for visitors with disabilities .
• Holders of the valid cards issued by the following institutions: Icom ( International Council of Museums ); Icomos ( International Council on Monuments and Sites ).
• University teachers in the fields of Archaeology, Art History, Architecture and Ethnology, as well as those from academies based in Rome, for holding occasional specialist lessons in the museum sectors related to their areas of teaching, upon written request to the Directorate of the Museums and Cultural Heritage. Should permission be granted, this does not authorise access to all the remaining display areas, which may be visited only upon purchase of a regular entry ticket for the Museums.

N.B. : If you wish to combine the free entrance to the Museums with the purchase of a guided tour or a restaurant service (Breakfast/Happy Hour/Lunch), please write in advance to [email protected] .

Full entry ticket “Skip the Line”

€ 20.00 + 5.00 (with booking on the official Vatican Museums website)

Reduced ticket Pilgrimages

€ 8.00 (without online booking) € 13.00 (with “Skip the Line” booking on the official Vatican Museums website)  

Reduced ticket University Institutes

€  8.00 (without online booking) € 13.00 (with “Skip the Line” booking on the official Vatican Museums website)

Reduced ticket Seminaries and Religious Colleges

Family tariff.

For the tours of the  Papal Palace and Secret Garden of Castel Gandolfo , parents with children can take advantage of the  Family  Tariff . The special reduced tariff is reserved to  families composed of a mother, father and at least two children (aged between 7 and 18 years and/or students up to and including 25 years of age with valid documentation) . The ticket is free for second and subsequent children, and children aged between 0 and 6 years enter free.

Free entry Papal Palace and Secret Garden of Castel Gandolfo

• For second and subsequent children, families composed of a mother, father and at least two children (aged between 7 and 18 years and/or students up to and including 25 years of age with valid documentation).
• All disabled visitors with  certified invalidity of more than 74% . In the case of visitors who are not self-sufficient, free entry is extended also to a companion. Free tickets for disabled visitors and their companions cannot be booked online but are instead issued, upon presentation of certification of invalidity, directly at the Ticket Office.
• Holders of the valid cards issued by the following institutions: Icom ( International Council of Museums);  Icomos ( International Council on Monuments and Sites ).  

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How to visit the Sistine Chapel: all you need to know

A practical guide detailing how to visit the Sistine Chapel in 2023: passes, best tickets, dress code and practical tips for seeing Michelangelo’s masterpiece in Vatican City.

The Sistine Chapel is one of the most visited attractions in Vatican City and Rome in general.

A masterpiece by Michelangelo and a space of great religious significance for Catholics, the Sistine Chapel is a must see for art lovers and pilgrims.

It is also popular with curious visitors to Rome, attracted here by the beauty and stature of the place.

Visiting the Sistine Chapel is easy.

Many tickets and tours exist and you can choose between different options including a self guided visit, a big or small group tour or a semi-private guided visit.

Despite these many options or maybe because of them, deciding how to visit the Sistine Chapel can be overwhelming.

This guide details all you need to know to plan your visit.

In particular, we look at the best Sistine Chapel Ticket options, Sistine chapel dress code, how much time to plan in the chapel and visiting the Sistine Chapel with kids.

Please note: this post contains affiliate links. Should you make a purchase through them, we might make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Table of Contents

How to visit the Sistine Chapel – need to know

The Sistine Chapel is part of the complex of the Vatican Museums and you access it through them.

Tickets for the Sistine Chapel are part of those for the Vatican Museum and there is no Sistine Chapel Ticket as such. The chapel is close to the museum exit and visitors usually get there after a visit to the rest of the collection.

However, it is also possible to go straight to the Sistine Chapel by following signs for it, marked with ‘Cappella Sistina percorso Breve’.

This path is perfect for people who are short on time and allow you to see part of the Vatican Museum Collection and then see the Chapel in as little as a couple of hours.

Please note: there is no discount for this path, the cost of the ticket is the same, no matter what itinerary you follow once in the museum.

The best time to visit the Sistine Chapel

The best time to visit the Sistine Chapel is the early morning, before the crowds come in.

This option is possible thanks to early bird tours offering early bird entrance before 8 am (see below).

In terms of seasons, the Sistine Chapel is always busy and the flux of tourism follows the high tourism season in Rome. In general, Saturday and public holidays are the busiest, the time around Christmas and Easter being the busiest of all.

How to get to the Sistine Chapel

Access to the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums is from the main museum gate on Viale Vaticano.

Closes Metro Stations are Ottaviano – San Pietro or Cipro (Metro Line A)

Buses serving this area are: 32, 49, 81, 492, 982, 990, tram 19

Taxis will leave you just in front. Taxis are stationed in the square outside the museums.

If you are walking to the Sistine Chapel from Piazza San Pietro, schedule about 10-15 minutes as the entrance is on the opposite side of the complex.

Sistine Chapel opening hours in 2023

Monday to Saturday: 9am – 6pm (last entrance 4pm)

14-30 April 2023 – prolonged opening hours on Friday and Saturday until 10.30pm (last admission 8.30pm)

5 May – 28 October – prolonged opening hours on Fridays, until 10.30pm (last admission 8.30)

Last Sunday of the month: 9am – 2pm (last entrance 12pm) FREE ADMISSION. Except Easter, St Peter and Paul (29 June), 25, 26 and 31 December.

Days of Closure in 2023: the first three Sundays of each month, plus:

• 1 and 6 January
• 11 February
• 15-16 August
• 8, 25, 26, 31 December

The best tickets for the Sistine Chapel

There are many different types of tickets available for the Sistine Chapel.

They range from cheaper ones you can get directly from the Museum Ticket website to every expensive tours offered by external providers.

The best Sistine Chapel ticket for you will depend on your interest and time available. In this table, I have collected what I believe are the best tickets to see the Sistine Chapel at different price points.

Good to know: The Sistine Chapel is one of Rome’s most visited sites. If you go without a ticket, it is likely you will encounter a long line, sometimes lasting many hours. In the past, the only way to avoid it was to invest in pricey skip-the-line tickets.

Since 2020, there is a cheaper way to avoid it!

The museums now operate on shifts and you must pick the time of your visit at the time of booking so you can go straight to the gate for ticket holders.

This has made the visit easier and more pleasant: while you will have to pass security, which may cause a little bit of a line, entering the museums is now pretty quick.

This also means you do not need to break the bank on skip the like tickets: all timed tickets are skip the line tickets, including the cheap ones on the official museum website !

My selection of the best Sistine Chapel tickets and Tours with links for ticket purchase (ticket prices vary even within the same tour depending on time of purchase. Click on the links for full info on each):

Good to know : if your tickets come in voucher form, you will have to exchange them with your actual entry ticket at the ticket booth inside the museum. The booth is immediately after security and the process usually only takes a couple of minutes.

How much in advance to arrive at the Chapel

To limit gathering and waiting time, entrance to the museums follows a strict schedule.

On the day of the visit, you will be allowed in during a 15 minute window around the time of your visit.

So for instance, if you have a booking for 10 am, you will be able to entry between 10 and 10.15 but not earlier not later.

Top tip: If you arrive much earlier, there are cafes nearby where you can get a quick coffee but please be aware that the cost can be high. To avoid bad surprises, head to the till first, place your order and pay there: then head to the bar and consume your coffee the Italian way, standing at the bar. This is the best way to avoid surcharges for sitting at the tables.

What to wear to visit the Sistine Chapel: dress code

The Sistine Chapel is a sacred space and a strict dress code applies.

The rules are the same as the Vatican dress code and call for ‘modest’ clothing as. well as some additional requirements:

Cover knees and shoulders (this applies to men and women): no spaghetti straps or tank tops

Avoid above the knee skirts, even if wearing thick tights.

Do not expose cleavage, bare back or your stomach

Avoid see though and skin tight clothing

Sweaters with slogans may cause offence; double check that the message you are wearing doesn’t come across as offensive or violent

Cover tattoos if they convey a message Catholics may consider offensive

How strictly is the Sistine Chapel dress code applied?

You will hear different opinions about how strict the dress code for the Sistine Chapel is.

Some people will report no checks, while others report being turned away for skirts one inch over the knees.

I highly recommend you follow the rules and take a cautious approach, even if you do not share the Vatican views on what is modest .

This will avoid issues and admissions and will also avoid potentially causing offence since the dress code comes from the religious nature of the site.

What are the best shoes for the Sistine Chapel

There is no specific rule about shoes for the Sistine Chapel. However, for comfort and overall tone, it is best to avoid flips flops and shoes with noisy soles that can echo in the chapel.

Once in the Sistine Chapel: what to expect

Once you are in the Sistine Chapel, it important to know a couple of things.

Inside the chapel, you must stay in silence.

The chapel is mostly likely gong to be very full while you are there and both for respect to the place and other visitors, silence is required. Vatican Museum staff is present and they do enforce the rule.

No photographs are allowed in the chapel, to preserve the frescoes.

Please be aware that the photography rules is strictly enforced and you will be ask to delete photos form your camera and mobile phone and you may be asked to leave the chapel.

As you walk into the Sistine Chapel, you will be surrounded by its stunning frescoes on the walls and on the ceiling.

A good way to see them it to walk towards the back of teh chapel, where you usually get a bit of space and a great vantage point!

Visiting the Sistine Chapel with kids

The Sistine Chapel is unlikely to be interesting for a small child as you are forced to stay almost still, quite and not touch anything.

That said, the visit to the chapel itself doesn’t take long and you can make it interesting by preparing them beforehand.

We love showing them the frescoes on the iPad before we went in, so they could try and spot specific bits on the actual ceiling and our children enjoyed hearing about Michelangelo and how he had to paint on his back, with paint dripping in his eyes!

While you cannot bring food into the Sistine Chapel, parents usually manage to had a lollypop to help keep the children busy!

What to see near the Sistine Chapel

The easiest attractions to visit with the Sistine Chapel are Vatican’s City main sites, but not only.

Things you may enjoy in this area are:

The Vatican Museum

St Peter’s Basilica with Michelangelo’s Pieta’ and Bernini’s Baldaquin

St Peter’s Square and Bernini’s Colonnade

St Pete’r’s dome climb

The Vatican Gardens

Borgo, the lovely medieval neighborhood around the Vatican. Find our Guide to Borgo here.

Castel Sant’Angelo – Find our tips for visiting Castel Sant’Angelo here

Where to eat near the Sistine Chapel

The Vatican Museums have a cafe/ restaurant inside but it does get very busy.

My favorite places to eat neat the Sistine chapel are on Borgo Pio and nearby. They are:

Pastificio Barghigiana, perfect place for a lunch offering pasta and small plates

Il Sorpasso, lovely lunch place with indoor and outdoor seating

Arlu’, very nice restaurant for lunch or dinner

Mama Eat Lab, a great Gluten Free option

Trapizzino, Informal, gastropub

To end the day on a high note, you can also enjoy aperitivo or dinner at the stunning Etoile Terrace, one of the best rooftops bars in Rome.

Where to stay near the Sistine Chapel

The best place to stay near the Sistine Chapel is the lovely area of Borgo, only a few minted from Vatican City and full of charm.

You can find here >>> my guide to Borgo .

Places you may enjoy are:

Trianon Borgo Pio Aparthotel  – nice Aparthotel with self catering apartments between Castel Sant’Angelo and St Peter’s square: ask for an apartment with terrace for great views over the city!

Hotel della Conciliazione  – lovely 4 star hotel right on Borgo Pio, in a perfect location to visit the Vatican. Family rooms available. Ask for those that look internally for extra quiet at night.

How to visit the Sistine Chapel in Rome – pin this

My name is Marta, I am a travel-loving mama born and bred in that messy, wonderful, infuriating, awe-inspiring unbelievably beautiful city that is Rome. A classics graduate and professional travel blogger, on this site I share my insider tips to help you plan your dream trip to Rome, Italy.

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Vatican Tours

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What to know about vatican from our local guides.

The Vatican Museums house 70,000 of the world’s greatest artistic treasures, of which 20,000 are on display. From ancient Roman sculptures to Renaissance paintings, it would take days to discover it all, which is why we highly recommend booking a Vatican tour to help you make the most of your time at the museums.

A few of the collection’s undisputed highlights are:

• The Sistine Chapel, adorned with Michelangelo’s legendary frescoes
• The Raphael Rooms, which include the famous School of Athens
• The Gallery of the Maps, perhaps the most famous of the Museums’ galleries adorned with 40 maps depicting the different regions of Italy
• Laocoön and His Sons, an enigmatic masterpiece of ancient sculpture
• The Belvedere Torso, which is said to have influenced the work of Michelangelo himself

The Sistine Chapel is perhaps the most famous individual room in the entire world. This is in no small part due to the significant artistic masterpieces adorning its interior, with Michelangelo’s “The Last Judgment” and ceiling frescoes being the highlights.

Pope Sixtus IV, the chapel’s namesake, commissioned its construction in the late 15th century. Today, its best-known use is for the papal conclaves, the process through which a new pope is elected by the College of Cardinals. It also serves as the Pope’s own private chapel when he is at the Vatican.

Want to have the Sistine Chapel all to yourself, just like the Pope? Avoid the crowds on a VIP tour outside opening hours. For a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience, you can even accompany the Vatican Key Master himself as he opens the silent halls and galleries in the Vatican Museums early in the morning—including the Sistine Chapel.

As the largest church in the world, St. Peter’s Basilica is itself a masterpiece of art and architecture. It houses some of the most significant religious art in the world, including Michelangelo’s moving Pietà sculpture and the Baldachin, Bernini’s massive bronze altar canopy.

Michelangelo was also the mastermind behind the famous dome crowning the basilica. Climbing the dome is a fantastic way to see not just the incredible mosaics lining the interior up close, but also to feast your eyes on spectacular views over Rome from the very top. Keep in mind that there are over 500 steps to get to the top of the dome from ground level, though an elevator is available to bypass approximately the first half. Underneath the Basilica, the Papal Crypts mark the final resting place of some of the most important Popes in Catholic history.

A guided tour of St. Peter’s Basilica will give you an up-close look at all of these treasures and more. Led by an expert art historian guide, you’ll see a side of the world’s most iconic church that few others get to experience.

The best and easiest way to ensure you skip the line at the Vatican is to book a guided tour . With no-wait access to the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica, you’ll save precious hours of time that would have been spent in line. Plus, you'll be in the company of an insightful guide who can provide context on the innumerable masterpieces that can be hard to make sense of on your own.

The Vatican Museums are open Monday to Saturday from 9 am–6 pm. They tend to get more crowded the later in the day you go, so consider booking an early morning Vatican tour to get ahead of the crowds and ensure a more relaxed visit.

For an especially exclusive experience, consider joining the Vatican Key Master himself as he unlocks the silent halls, galleries, and even the Sistine Chapel first thing in the morning before the Museums open to the public. Accompanied by a small group of just 20 other people, the Key Master’s Tour is the most special way to experience the Vatican in total peace and quiet.

Don’t want to get up early? Another excellent option is to take a special access tour after closing time to wander the halls of the Vatican in peace—and have the Sistine Chapel all to yourself.

From May through October, the Vatican Museums offer extended opening hours until 10:30 pm on Fridays and 8 pm on Saturdays. Taking a night tour of the Vatican is a once-in-a-lifetime experience you won’t soon forget!

The Museums are closed most Sundays (except for the last Sunday of every month) and on certain public holidays.

The Vatican is a religious site, and official rules mandate that visitors dress appropriately or risk being turned away. All guests regardless of gender are required to keep their shoulders and knees covered. In warmer months, it’s useful to have a shawl, scarf, or light jacket handy to pull on when entering the Vatican if your outfit doesn’t meet the dress code standards. Additionally, hats are not allowed.

While the Vatican dress code doesn’t have any hard-and-fast rules regarding footwear, keep in mind that you’ll be doing a lot of walking on your Vatican tour. As long as you have comfortable shoes that are good for walking, you’re all set.

While there aren’t any restaurants within Vatican City itself, the surrounding Prati and Trionfale neighborhoods offer plenty of excellent options—particularly if you don’t mind walking a few blocks away (or further) from the Vatican walls. For a quick, on-the-go option, Anthony Bourdain-approved Bonci Pizzarium serves up some of the best pizza by the slice in Rome. In the mood for a sit-down meal after spending hours on your feet at the Vatican? Velavevodetto ai Quiriti—the Prati outpost of Testaccio icon Flavio al Velavevodetto—is perfect for home-cooked Roman classics.

Check out our popular Vatican articles

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