sistine chapel tours official website

Vatican Tours

Vatican City offers countless artistic and architectural treasures, and you’ll be able to make the m...

Our tours in Vatican

Pristine Sistine at Closing Time: Late Entry Vatican Tour

The Complete Vatican Tour with Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter’s Basilica

Pristine Sistine™ Early Entrance Small Group Vatican Tour

Rome in a Day Tour: Including Vatican, Colosseum & Historic Center

St. Peter’s Basilica from Top to Bottom with Dome Climb & Crypt

VIP Vatican Key Master’s Tour: Unlock the Sistine Chapel

Alone In The Vatican: Exclusive VIP Access Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Tour

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

See Tours in Other Cities

Contact Information

• Help Center
• Terms & Conditions
• Cancellation Policy
• Health & Safety
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Settings
• Travel Agents

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.

Trieste Salario neighborhood guide: all you need to know about one of Rome’s prettiest districts

Piazza di spagna: all you need to know about rome’ most iconic piazza and its neighborhood, you may also like, how to see rome in two days: perfect..., fun and interesting facts about the colosseum for..., christmas markets in rome you will love this..., how to see the best of rome in..., free things to do in rome you’ll love..., how to buy tickets for the pantheon +..., how to visit the spanish steps in rome:..., largo di torre argentina: all you need to..., 40+ rome hidden gems you’ll love, outdoor swimming pools in rome you’ll love this..., privacy overview.

• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

Italy Travel Experts Tours and Vacations

How To Visit the Sistine Chapel in 2024: Tickets, Hours, Tours, and More!

Brie Greenhalgh Last Updated: August 28, 2023

The pope’s private chapel might be small, but it’s mighty. From Michelangelo’s iconic ceiling to The Last Judgement , art lovers will be awe-struck! But visiting will take some planning since you can’t just see the Sistine Chapel on its own. In this guide, we share everything you need to know about how to visit the Sistine Chapel.

Pro Tip:  Planning your visit to the Vatican in Rome? Bookmark this post in your browser so you can easily find it when you’re in the city. See our comprehensive  guide to Vatican City  for more planning resources and our  top Vatican tours  for a memorable trip.

Visiting the Sistine Chapel: What We’ll Cover

It’s no wonder millions of tourists stand in awe under Michelangelo’s ceiling every year. The Sistine Chapel holds some of the most incredibly vivid and detailed art ever to come out of the Renaissance.

You can be one of them too! We’ve put together this helpful guide to help you plan your visit to the Sistine Chapel, especially if it’s your first time. Here’s what you need to know about the tickets, hours, tours, and more.

• Opening hours and tickets
• How much time to budget
• How to get there
• What to see
• Guided tours
• Facts and History
• Places to eat nearby

Not ready to book a tour? See if a Sistine Chapel tour is worth it .

Sistine Chapel Opening Hours and Tickets

The Sistine Chapel is part of the Vatican Museums within Vatican City. That means you’ll need to purchase tickets to the Vatican Museums in order to see the Sistine Chapel.

The opening hours will also be the same as the museums, and they will vary seasonally and according to special events, so be sure to check the official website for up-to-date info.

What are the Sistine Chapel Hours?

• Monday to Thursday from 9 am to 6 pm
• Friday and Saturday from 9 am – 10:30 pm
• Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. (only the last Sunday of the month). This is a free day. We strongly advise not visiting on this day as lines can be very long, and entrance is not guaranteed.

When is the Sistine Chapel Closed?

The Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums are closed on the following dates each year: January 1 and 6, February 11, March 19, April 18, June 29, August 15, November 1, and December 8.

They’re also closed on the first three Sundays of every month.

How to Buy Sistine Chapel Tickets:

Ticket prices vary based on the type of access you want at the Vatican. From the Sistine Chapel website, you can opt for a basic entry ticket with an audio guide, tickets with a guided tour, or an early morning guided tour.

Tickets for the Vatican Museums sell out weeks, sometimes months, in advance, so be sure to book online well in advance of your visit to avoid disappointment. The museums are one of the largest collections in the world, and there is little to no written information inside the museums. To truly appreciate the collection and take advantage of skip-the-line and privileged access, look to take a guided Vatican tour . Take a look at our article on the Best Tours of the Vatican and Why .

Full price ticket: €17 Reduced ticket : €8 Online reservation fees: €5

Want to book a tour? Check out our  best Sistine Chapel tours to take and why .

Things to know:

• It’s highly recommended to avoid visiting the Sistine Chapel on the fourth Sunday of each month since that is the free day to visit the museums. It makes for an overly crowded experience that won’t leave the best impression. It’s also best to avoid coming on Holy Week (the week leading up to Easter) and weekends during June and July.
• Since the Sistine Chapel is a place of worship, there is no speaking allowed inside. Additionally, men and women are required to cover their knees and shoulders. Be sure to wear modest clothing or bring a shawl to cover these areas; otherwise, you might be refused entry to the Sistine Chapel.
• The Sistine Chapel is located towards the end of the Vatican Museums, so it’s not possible to see it first when you enter the Vatican. Technically, there are nine miles of museums, but you won’t have to wander through it all to get there!

How Much Time to Budget

Short answer: 20+ minutes in the Sistine Chapel. However, you’ll need a couple of hours since you’ll start your journey at the Vatican Museums and explore several rooms before reaching the chapel.

The Sistine Chapel is a place you don’t necessarily want to rush. Once you enter this sacred space, it’s worth spending at least 20 minutes or more just taking in each detail in the frescoes that completely surround you. The images of the apostles on the walls are so well done that you might even think they are actually standing within an alcove of columns!

Michelangelo spared no detail in creating both the Sistine Chapel and the Last Judgement, and a tour guide will share the funny details of certain images he incorporated here.

There are benches along the edges of the chapel that you can sit on (when it’s not too crowded!) and reflect upon the artistry and sacredness of depictions here. You’ll probably be on your feet a lot, so taking a short break under Michelangelo’s masterpiece is a good idea.

Since you have to enter the Vatican Museums to get to the chapel, you’ll still need to plan for a couple of hours or so. There’s a lot to see along the way to the Sistine Chapel, from the Pio Clementino Museum to the Gallery of Maps. For more details of what you will see, check out our free guide to the most important artworks in the Vatican.

How To Get To the Sistine Chapel

It’s occasionally mistaken that the Sistine Chapel is located in St. Peter’s Basilica. In fact, the chapel’s exterior is visible from St. Peter’s Square, but the only public entrance is through the Vatican Museums. And you can’t skip from the entrance straight to the chapel due to how the museums are laid out. But really, why would you want to when there is so much to explore here?

So, to get to the Sistine Chapel, you’ll need to go to the Vatican Museum entrance located at Viale Vaticano, 103 . This is about a 15-minute walk from St. Peter’s Square and on the northern edge of Vatican City near the Prati district.

The closest metro stop to the Sistine Chapel is Ottaviano. You’ll need the red line to get here, also called Metro Line A. This line runs every few minutes from Rome Termini and past the Spanish Steps before stopping near the Vatican. If you’re staying near a metro station on the Blue line, simply ride it to Rome Termini and switch to the Red line that’s heading towards the Vatican.

When you exit the metro station, you’ll be on the corner of Via Ottaviano and Viale Giulio Cesare. Walk along Viale Giulio Cesare towards the McDonald’s about a block away. Turn left on Via Leone IV, walk for a block, then cross onto Viale Vaticano. The museum entrance will be on your left, where the long wall seems to end. It’s about a 7-minute walk.

The buses in Rome run often and are quite affordable. There are two bus stops at the Vatican entrance, depending on which direction you’re coming from. Both are called Viale Vaticano/Musei Vaticani. The only line that goes here is 49, so be sure to choose the right bus line from where you are staying. You can check the signs at each bus stop to see which line includes a stop at Viale Vaticano/Musei Vaticani.

The odds are good that you likely won’t rent a car in Rome since the streets are narrow, rules are guidelines, and GPS isn’t perfectly accurate. In that case, you might prefer to take a taxi if public transportation isn’t your thing. Tell your taxi driver “Vatican Museums,” and they’ll know exactly where to take you. If you’re in central Rome, the cost for a metered taxi ride should be under €15 for sure.

If you’re athletically inclined, you can also rent one of the many e-bikes available within the city. Simply download the app for Helbiz or Lime, locate the nearest bike or scooter, and then take off on your merry way to Viale Vaticano, 103. If you’re staying near Trevi Fountain, it’s probably a 15-minute ride to get to the Vatican. Always be mindful of cars and uneven terrain when you ride a bike in Rome since you’re not allowed to ride on the sidewalk!

Rome is a large city, and the Vatican is located a little further than many of Rome’s main sites. If you’re staying near the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, or Rome Termini, it’s a 40-minute walk or more to get to the Vatican. In that case, using a taxi or the metro is probably best to save your energy for walking at the Vatican. But if you’re located in Trastevere, near Spanish Steps, or in the Prati district, you can walk there in under 30 minutes.

What To See at the Sistine Chapel

The Sistine Chapel is filled entirely with frescoes—almost literally from floor to ceiling. There are over 300 people included in scenes from biblical history and beliefs. What you might not know is that Michelangelo wasn’t the only painter here. Luca Signorelli, Cosimo Rosselli, and many others also contributed their expertise.

Here are a few key things you should look for as you stare in awe at these incredible paintings. You can read about these paintings and more in detail here .

• Creation of Man (ceiling)
• The Last Judgement (wall at the entrance)
• Handing the Keys to Peter (lateral wall)
• The Fall and Expulsion from Garden of Eden (ceiling)
• Legacy of Moses (lateral wall)
• The Flood (ceiling)
• The Last Supper (lateral wall)
• Baptism of Christ (lateral wall)
• Banishment from the Garden of Eden (ceiling)

Guided Sistine Chapel Tours

Planning how to visit the Sistine Chapel must include decisions about how early you want to get there to avoid crowds, especially in the busy summer months. The best time of year to come to the Vatican (or Rome in general) is later in September or October. You’ll have a richer experience without so many tourists, and the heat will not be so oppressive.

We have several popular tour options that include exclusive access, early entry, or even after-hours entry. Not sure which one to take? Check out our article, ‘The Best Tours to Take of the Vatican and Why? ‘

Exclusive After Hours Sistine Chapel With Aperitivo

Looking for that truly exclusive opportunity to enjoy the Vatican and Sistine Chapel? This might just be what you need. With a late afternoon entry to the Vatican, you’ll be led with your small group through the highlights. Then, you’ll step into the Sistine Chapel along with no more than 100 other people (usually at least 2,000 during the day)!

Your guide’s stories about this magnificent ceiling will come to life as you experience quiet time in the Sistine Chapel that few ever will. Afterward, enjoy a drink with us during your aperitivo in the Pinecone Courtyard.

See tour itinerary, price, and description

Colosseum, Roman Forum & Vatican Highlights Combo Tour (8 hours)

This tour is for the art-history buff, visiting the majority of the Vatican Museums, including the Pinacoteca, Sistine Chapel, and more. You’ll even have time in the Cabinet of Masks, which is an area reserved specifically for guided tours. Your guide will share plenty of stories and information to engage and inspire even novice art lovers.

Privileged Entrance Vatican Tour with Sistine Chapel (3.5 hours) 

This is our most popular Vatican tour. It covers all the must-see sights for visitors, including the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. It’s good for art lovers and anyone who wants to see a ton but doesn’t want to be too mentally exhausted by the end of the visit. A major benefit of this tour is that we have an 8 a.m. entrance time, which is an hour prior to general admission and gets you in when it’s less crowded.

Skip the Line Vatican Tour with Sistine Chapel (3 hours) 

If you want more available entry times throughout the day, then opt for this tour. It’s a great low-price Vatican tour that covers most of the main attractions, including the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. With multiple start times, you can fit your visit into the rest of your plans in Rome. The price is also hard to beat from a top-quality tour company.

Exclusive After Hours Sistine Chapel Tour with Aperitivo (3.5 hours)

If you want to see the main galleries in the Vatican and understand them but don’t want to get caught up in every detail, this is for you. We have an 8 am option that beats the crowds, along with other start times. It’s a small group tour and great value that’s also our fastest way to see the best of the Vatican Museums.

Vatican Night Tour with Sistine Chapel (2 hours)

To avoid crowds, you need to plan an early or late trip to the Vatican. This after-hours guided tour lets you experience the Vatican’s best museums without the heat and crowds. After enjoying the quiet of the Sistine Chapel, you’re free to explore the rest of the Vatican on your own before it closes. This tour is only available on weekends, so plan in advance to secure your reservation.

Not ready to book a tour? Find out if a Sistine Chapel tour is worth it .

Facts and History About the Sistine Chapel

A few lines of facts and history can’t do justice about the history of the Sistine Chapel, and it’s main creator, so browse this article written by a licensed Vatican guide to learn more. But here are just a few interesting things to know about the world’s most famous chapel.

• Construction of the Sistine Chapel took place from 1473-1481.
• You can see the roof of the bland exterior of the chapel when you stand in St. Peter’s Square. The boring brick walls are a stark contrast to the paintings inside!
• The interior walls of the church were painted before Michelango’s ceiling by many artists, such as Pietro Perugino, Sandro Botticelli, Biagio D’Antonio, Cosimo Rosselli, Luca Signorelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio, and more.
• Michelangelo learned under the tutelage of Domenico Ghirlandaio.
• Pope Julius II commissioned Michelangelo to paint the Sistine ceiling in 1508, even though Michelangelo wasn’t a painter so much as a sculptor.
• These frescoes were his first attempt at painting in that medium.
• He had to build scaffolding 60 feet high to reach the ceiling, which was subject to whatever seasonal temperatures there were.
• It took four years to complete the ceiling, which was controversial over the use of so many naked figures in a sacred chapel.
• Michelangelo was asked to return at the age of 61 and complete another painting, which became the Last Judgement and is the other masterpiece to enjoy in the chapel.

Where To Eat Nearby

The Vatican Museums have a few self-service eateries and several snack bar options as you wander the 9 miles of museums. The main restaurant, which is similar to a cafeteria, is at the top of the escalators near the entrance. Don’t expect amazing food here, but it’s enough to refuel when you’re hungry. Otherwise, there are a few great options we recommend not far from the Vatican. You can check out our full guide to the best restaurants near the Vatican here.

Bonci Pizzarium | €€ | Great option for pizza, fresh bread, and suppli (rice balls), though there’s limited seating

Hostaria Dino E Toni | €+ | Traditional trattoria we love that’s casual and offers a variety of dishes from pasta to beef

Where To Stay in Rome

Rome has a rich cultural history and many iconic landmarks to explore. Plan where to stay in the magnificent Eternal City in the best neighborhoods.

Reader Interactions

Leave a comment cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• In The Press

POLICY & TERMS

• Cancellation Policy
• Terms & Conditions
• Privacy Policy

Vatican Museums (Sistine Chapel)

Vatican museum tickets & sistine chapel tours in rome.

All information about the Vatican museum tickets, which includes a visit to the famous Sistine Chapel (Capella Sistina) and immense art collections. More tips, tours and skip the line tickets for the Vatican City museums (Musei Vaticani).

Vatican Museum, an immense art collection

The Vatican Museums (‘ I Museu Vaticani ’) are some of the largest museums in the world with an enormous art collection that varies from ancient Roman and Egyptian artefacts, religious objects, beautifully painted rooms and even modern art. The 26 different museums of the Vatican are housed in a complex of multiple Apostolic palaces, and are by far the most popular museum destination in Rome, in part because of the famous Sistine Chapel . During your visit, you will marvel at the many art treasures that the popes have collected in 54 halls since the 16th century.

Sistine Chapel: paintings by Michelangelo

The absolute highlight of the route through the Vatican museums is a visit to the Sistine Chapel ( 'Capella Sistina' ). The name is derived from the founder of the chapel, pope Sixtus IV. The impressive ceiling of this 15th-century Sistine Chapel was painted in the 16th century by Michelangelo . It portrays the story of creation, the great flood and other scenes. The side walls are equally beautiful with paintings of the life of Jesus made by Ghirlandaio, Botticelli, Perugino, Pinturicchio and others. The wall behind the alter shows Michelangelo's painting of the ‘Last Judgement’. The Sistine Chapel is mostly known for being the space where the cardinals meet for conclave when electing a new pope. When a new pope is being elected, smoke comes from the chapel's chimney twice a day. White smoke means a new pope has been elected, while black smoke means the cardinals were not yet successful in their mission.

Other highlights of 'I Museu Vaticani'

If you would like to learn more about the background of the artworks in the Vatican Museums , we recommend using an audio guide. Do you plan not to spend too much time in the museums? Then – in addition to the Sistine chapel tour – these are the rooms and artworks you should not miss on your visit to the Vatican museums :

• Stanza della Segnatura : This room lies on the second floor and was originally pope Julius II's library. Later it was used as a church tribunal. This room is one of the main attractions as it displays the works of Raphael Santi.
• Stanze di Raffaello : These rooms on the first floor were decorated by Raphael Santi for Pope Julius II. The paintings represent theology, philosophy, poetry and law. For instance, the famous painting of ’The School of Athens ’ from 1509 depicts philosophy with philosophers Plato and Aristotle being displayed centrally.
• Laocoön group : A group of marble statues from 40 – 20 BCE of the Trojan priest Laocoön and his sons. According to tradition, the priest wanted to prevent the Trojan horse from being let inside the city. The statue shows Laocoön being strangled by Poseidon's snakes.
• La Galleria della Carte geografiche : The first floor is also included in your Vatican Museum ticket and is home to the 16th-century gallery of maps with enormous topographical maps on the walls and the ceiling. The 40 beautiful wall panels were created by Ignazio Danti.
• The Pinacotheca : The ground floor houses a large collection of tapestries and paintings of the Vatican with works by the great masters, including Caravaggio, Leonardo da Vinci, Titian and Raphael Santi.

Vatican City Tickets & Guided Tours

Video: tour of vatican city & capella sistina, where are the vatican museums in rome.

I Musei Vaticani are located in Vatican City , the closest address in Rome to the entrance of the museum with the Cappella Sistina is Viale Vaticano 100 Roma.

FAQ Vatican Museum visit and tickets

Do i have to buy tickets for the vatican museums.

Without tickets it is not possible to visit the museums. A limited number of visitors are admitted per hour and due to the enormous popularity of the Vatican museums, it is strongly recommended to book tickets in advance , which allows you to secure your visit at your preferred timeslot and your great advantage will be avoiding the long queues.

Do I have to buy tickets for the Sistine Chapel?

The Sistine Chapel is part of the Vatican Museums. To visit the Sistine Chapel you just need a regular Vatican Museum ticket, which also includes the chapel.

How can I book a guided Vatican city tour?

Read more about booking guided tours at this guided tours page . You should especially consider whether you want a guided tour including St. Peter's Basilica or not.

Is there a dress code in the museum?

Wear appropriate clothing. Your knees should be completely covered, as should your shoulders. Flip flops are also prohibited.

Most visited attractions

Top 25 Things to do in Rome

Colosseum & Tickets

St.Peter's Basilica & Tickets

Sistine Chapel

Tickets sell out fast in Rome: check availability now »

The Sistine Chapel is home to some of the most fascinating frescoes in the world. Come join visitors from all four corners of the earth in gazing up at the world’s most famous ceiling.

• Rediscover one of the most famous images in Western art: the Creation of Adam
• Explore the lofty heavens and the fiery depths of hell in Michelangelo’s Last Judgment
• Get lost in the details of the chapel’s walls, painted by a team of top Renaissance artists, which include Botticelli and Perugino

Visiting the Sistine Chapel

To visit the Sistine Chapel, you must also visit the Vatican Museums . 

Or at least buy a ticket for the Vatican Museums, walk through them blindfolded, and then visit the Sistine Chapel. There really is no other way. 

Here’s the thing, though; visiting the Vatican Museums is like going to a Michelin-starred restaurant and having a fifteen-course meal. It’s all great, but what you’re super excited about is the dessert (in this case, the Sistine Chapel).

The trouble is, by the time it’s served, you barely know where you are or what you are looking at anymore. 

Such is the way the Vatican Museums are laid out, and such is the vast amount of stamina that will be required of you when you go. 

Should you go?

Absolutely.

It’s how you go that’s going to change everything. The Sistine Chapel is more than just Michelangelo ’s ceiling. 

But first things first. Let’s get you there and discuss what to wear.

Tickets & Prices

Tickets grant you access to the world-famous Sistine Chapel, as well as the many other galleries and collections in the Vatican Museums.

By booking online, you’ll avoid the queue – infamous for being the longest in Rome. Use that saved time to spend even longer enjoying the galleries.

Visit the Sistine Chapel with one of these hand-picked tickets.

• Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel (Last Minute) – Escorted entrance and unlimited time inside the Vatican Museums.
• Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel (Skip The Line) – Skip past the long lines and get quick access to both the Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel.
• Rome Tourist Card (Bestseller) – See the best of Rome with this popular combi-ticket. Includes access to The Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica (official guided tour), and more…
• The Vatican City Pass – Explore the best of the Vatican City. Includes access to St. Peter’s Basilica (official guided tour), Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel (last-minute tickets), and more…

A few things to keep in mind:

• Book your time slot online and arrive at least 15 minutes before your designated time.
• The tickets will arrive in your email, which you can then show either printed out or in digital form.
• Discounted tickets for children aged 12-17 and students up to 25 years old (with a valid student ID).
• Optional audio guides are available, for an additional fee, in Italian, English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, or Russian.

Rome Tourist Card

Get this nifty card and enjoy skip-the-line access to the collections of the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. 

With the same pass, you can also enjoy visiting other famous Roman attractions, such as a guided tour of St. Peter’s Basilica ; an audio guide of the Pantheon ; and priority entrance to the Colosseum , Roman Forum , and Palatine Hill .

Additional ticket information:

• Includes an audio guide in 10 languages, plus a guide to the city of Rome.
• Select your visit dates online and receive tickets by email. Arrive at least 15 minutes before your designated time.

The Vatican City Pass

Discover the holiest country in the world with this handy pass. Simply book your visit dates online and receive tickets by email. Valid for three days from the starting date.

What’s included:

• Skip-the-line access to the collections of the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel.
• Guided tour of St. Peter’s Basilica with an official Vatican guide.
• Rome: City Audio Guide App with over 130 hotspots to discover.
• Big bags and suitcases are not allowed inside. You can leave them in the on-site lockers
• Shoulders and knees must be covered
• Photos and videos are strictly forbidden inside the Sistine Chapel

Getting There (And What Not to Wear)

It’s a museum, but the Sistine Chapel is still an actual place of worship, so be mindful of modesty rules. 

Basically, regular-length shorts are acceptable. Very short shorts and strappy tops are not. Make sure you have a thin scarf to cover up those shoulders, just in case. If you’re planning on visiting St Peter’s on the same day, the same rules will apply, so keep a scarf handy.

(Souvenir and convenience shops are aware of this and will often sell scarves, so if it does slip your mind, you ought to be able to pick something up along the way).

Metro 

Your closest Metro stop is Ottaviano on the A-line (orange). It’s a six-minute walk away. 

It’s worth noting that Rome only has 2.5 lines – the A, B, and the interminable work-in-progress C.

If you’re staying in the historical centre, you’ll have already seen that metro stations are few and far between. Most of the time, you’re better off walking (you will get to see more of the city that way). 

If you choose to walk to the Vatican City , try the following:

Walking Directions From Piazza Navona

Take Via dei Coronari until you reach Via del Panico, and then cross Ponte Sant’Angelo. From there, the dome of St Peter’s Basilica will be visible, and signs for the Vatican Museums will be plentiful. 

It’s a 25-minute walk – only ten more than the bus, and a far more scenic route.

Walking Directions From Metro Stop Ottaviano (6 minutes)

If you are staying near a Metro stop, get off at Ottaviano (A). If you need to take the B line (blue), you will need to change at Termini. 

At Ottaviano, take one of the left-hand side exits up. 

There are a couple of routes (as the conflicting signs indicate), but I’d recommend the following:

• Turn right down Via Germanico. 

Three reasons for this recommendation:

• Castroni . Bookmark Castroni as a gourmet Italian produce store or somewhere for random items you crave from their world foods section. There are several Castronis in and around central Rome.
• Pam . On Via Ottaviano, a one-minute walk from Castroni (on the same side of the street),  is a supermarket called Pam. Cheaper than other local supermarkets; come here for water and honestly-priced snacks. You’re going to need them. 
• Clementina . At the start of Via Germanico, opposite Castroni, is Cafe Clementina. Come here for fruit bowls, eggs, pancakes, and salads in addition to traditional Italian breakfasts. If you like a big breakfast, this might be the perfect pre-museum spot. 

3. Continue down Via Germanico until you reach the end, where you meet Via Leone IV. 

The left side is for non-ticket holders, while the right is for ticket holders. Official staff will check with you and guide you to the appropriate lane. 

The ticket holder line will be much shorter and should move quite quickly. 

(This guide is on the assumption you have a pre-booked ticket and a Vatican-guided tour).

Entrance 

Once you’ve walked up Viale del Vaticano, head to this canopy, where staff check tickets and direct you towards the entrance. 

Vatican Museum Staff, scan the QR code on your ticket at the door. Bags go through the metal detectors. 

(Water bottles are permitted). 

You’re Finally In. Now What? 

As instructed on the Tiqets app, after you’ve passed the metal detectors, look for the big ‘guided tours’ sign. Go up a short flight of stairs, and on your right, you’ll see the guided tours ticket office. 

Big ‘Guided Tours’ sign you see just after the metal detectors

The ticket office for guided tours where you get your physical tickets.

Join the line and show a member of staff your ticket (a printout or on your phone). They will once again scan the code and give you a receipt and a physical ticket in return. Hold on to both of these.

The letter they write on the receipt corresponds to the Meeting Point stand you need to wait at for your guide. 

At the Meeting Point, someone will take your receipt in exchange for an earpiece for the tour. 

You will need the physical ticket to go through the museum barriers with your guide once you’ve joined your group. 

You scan the barcode on the back of the ticket, which allows you through the barriers just like on the Metro. 

One of the meeting points. Staff will ask you to redeem your receipt for an earpiece.  

In the high season, groups can reach up to 30. Your Vatican Museums guide will be carrying a pole with a numbered yellow flag attached at the top. Be careful not to fall behind too much, as the radio signal gets weak, and you won’t be able to hear the guide. 

How to Ace Your Sistine Chapel Visit

Official Vatican Guided Tours end just after the Raphael Rooms. After this, you are instructed to walk through the Contemporary Art Collection, at the end of which is a short flight of stairs that take you to the Sistine Chapel. 

While it’s true that good things come to those who wait, it’s utterly unfair to sandwich what is actually a semi-decent collection of modern art between the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel. 

How can you possibly take in Matisse, Picasso, and Van Gogh (not to mention countless other contemporary artists) in full knowledge that you’re about to witness one of Renaissance Art’s greatest masterpieces? 

Here is where you will need that stamina and resilience. The Sistine Chapel isn’t even the finishing line in this museum marathon, so stay focused.

At the start of your Vatican Museums tour, your guide will take you to either an interactive screen like this or to a series of old-school panels outside in the Belvedere Courtyard. 

Both show details of the Sistine Chapel. 

The reason for this is that guides (Vatican Museum tour guides, at least) do not go in with you to the chapel. The tour ends just before. 

So they give you the spiel beforehand and hope you remember the key takeaways by the time you get there. 

Our guide Kinga was great – she pointed out this detail from the Last Judgment.

Here we see a poor soul, condemned to hell, with donkey ears and a serpent apparently biting his member. 

Then we learn that this is, in fact, an archnemesis of Michelangelo, a purist priest called Biagio da Cesena, here depicted as Minos from Greek mythology.

He violently opposed Michelangelo’s depiction of the angels and saints in total nudity and ordered they be covered up instantly. 

(Another painter later covered up people’s unmentionables with loincloths). 

Michelangelo never forgave him, and this was his final revenge.

Sign indicating the Sistine Chapel and the Contemporary Collection are next.

At this point, your guide will collect your radio earpieces and wish you farewell. 

You’ll be pretty excited to see the Sistine Chapel by now. 

But there’s still a way to go, I’m afraid. You’ll first come to the quite lovely Matisse Room. Which, in any other museum, would be a considerable ‘wow’ moment, but here, it’s like, ‘yeah yeah…let’s keep it moving’. 

It’s really remarkable. I really can’t think of anywhere else in the world where one would be that dismissive of a Matisse collection.

A very sweet depiction of the Virgin and Jesus Christ by Henri Matisse.

You will then go through several more rooms featuring works by Chagall, Picasso, and even a couple of small Van Goghs. If you like modern sculpture, this is also a place to linger for a while. 

Alternatively, steel yourself, and keep your eyes firmly facing forward until you get to a short flight of stairs and finally a sign pointing you in.

Guards will greet you at the door, and there will be several up on the raised platform by the altar on the lookout. Expect to be reminded at regular intervals:

‘No photo’.

‘No video’.

‘Silenzio’.

You are almost there.

Dos and Don’ts for Visiting the Sistine Chapel

• … be prepared mentally . Arm yourself with patience. It will quite likely be extremely busy. You will have seen a lot by the time you get there.  
• … dress appropriately . Remember to keep your shoulders covered. Technically, you should also remove any hats and caps too. 
• …research a little before you go . Hey, I’m not saying get an MA in Art History before you go there or anything like that. But it will help to know a little bit about what you’re going to see, a little backstory. (Don’t worry, I’m going to help you out on this one). 
• … download some music on your phone to listen to (reception is patchy down there, you might not be able to get online). This is optional, but it might be helpful to create a little ambiance for yourself amid the crowds of people. 
• … hurt your neck by looking up too much. Seriously. Looking up at all those Renaissance wonders had me fantasising about VIP sessions where they bring in sun loungers for a more comfortable ‘horizontal’ viewing experience. 
• …take pictures. Don’t do it. Guards get really cranky about it, which kind of harshes the vibe. It turns the Sistine Chapel into one big school trip with the guards keeping us unruly kids in check. They have microphones, too, and will routinely remind everyone, ‘No photo, no video’. And then add a solemn (and arbitrary) ‘silenzio’ when people get too rowdy. 
• …forget about the Last Judgment behind the altar. It’s not just the ceiling that’s impressive. 

Ok, I’m There. So What Am I Looking At? 

I know you know The Creation of Adam … but then what? 

Let’s divide the Sistine Chapel into five more manageable parts and then pick out a ‘best of’ from each one. I’m no art historian, but here’s what I liked the most. 

• The Ceiling – that’s a no-brainer. This is what we paid for, right?

The ceiling, painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512 is the real showstopper here. The nine panels depict key scenes from the book of Genesis, From The Separation of Light and Darkness to The Deluge (Noah’s Ark).

Everyone will be inching towards the centre of the chapel to see The Creation of Adam. 

Ok yes, your eyes are going to immediately want to go there. It’s a real visual kind of ‘gimme, gimme’ moment. But you have time. Why not build up some anticipation here?

Take a look at The Creation of the Sun, Moon, and Planets; it’s the second one along. See God there with the long beard? OK, now see a shapely behind seemingly flying away? Yep, that’s also God, flying off again after creating the planets. As our guide pointed out, how often do you get to see a painting of God’s rear? 

The Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise, sixth panel along. Note how grotesque Eve is all of a sudden now she’s to blame for the downfall of all mankind. 

• The North Wall  (the Stories of Jesus)

Take some time to appreciate Christ Consigning the Keys to Peter by Perugino, depicting Jesus handing over the keys of heaven to Saint Peter. It’s the fifth panel. Widely considered to be a cornerstone of Western Art in terms of linear perspective (it’s all math) – take some with this one. 

The Baptism of Christ by Botticelli, the first panel, also gets my vote for the pleasing composition. (But what do I know… we like what we like.). 

• The South Wall   (the stories of Moses).

I liked Botticelli’s The Temptation of Moses the best here.

What looks like a chaotic scene is actually seven different crucial scenes of Moses’ life. Instantly recognisable will be Moses receiving the ten commandments in the top left, followed by leading the Jews out of Egypt beneath. 

• The Entrance Wall

It doesn’t get a lot of press on this wall, and it will be less crowded in this section, so it’s actually a good place to hang back. The two frescoes are not the originals since back in the 16th century the doorway caved in and the walls collapsed, destroying the frescoes and taking the life of a Swiss Guard, narrowly avoiding taking Pope Adrian VI’s life too. 

The frescoes show the Resurrection of Christ and the Archangel Michael defending the body of Moses.

• The Last Judgment

Last but not least is the Last Judgment. Michelangelo painted this when he was in his 60s between 1533 and 1541 and it is immense. In every sense of the word. 

Sooo much to look at here. We’ve already covered bad boy Michelangelo’s revenge portrait of the Puritan priest; it’s in the bottom right corner. You can check it out for real now.

Have a look at St Bartholomew, below and to the right of Jesus, holding his own skin (a reference to being flayed alive). His face is thought to be a self-portrait of Michelangelo himself. 

Also, notice the radical way Michelangelo painted Jesus. Apart from being mega ripped, (as is everyone in this painting, women included) the way Michelangelo painted his torso is said to be inspired by the Belvedere Torso. Callbacks like that are great. 

The cluster of super sculpted angels (no pudgy cherubs here) blowing trumpets, bottom centre, are awakening people from the dead- but only Jesus can decide their fate.

Walk back to the Entrance Wall. It’s less busy than the main hall, you might be more likely to find some free seating and look up without straining your neck. When you’ve composed yourself, you can go back to the main part of the chapel. Head over to the Last Judgment and look at all the details. 

Keep an eagle eye out for a free spot on the benched seats against the walls. 

If you’ve got some good quality earphones, now might be the time to use them. Listen to some soothing music and take it in. 

Bars/Restaurants / Gift Shops / Recommended Souvenirs 

Exit through the gift shop(s).

After the Sistine Chapel, you will still have yet to walk through what will feel like fifty more sumptuous galleries that look like the one below. 

Smart marketing folk at the Vatican have positioned two pop up gift shops along the way to break the monotony as well as provide pockets of retail relief. (In case you’re absolutely bursting for a magnet).

Eventually, you will arrive at the main foyer / gift shop next to the spiral staircase that heralds the end and will lead you out.

Here, you can expect overpriced artbooks on Michelangelo, various religious artifacts and paraphernalia, and decorative plates featuring Popes of years past. Frankly, not much you couldn’t find outside the Vatican City Walls for a fraction of the price.

Did you know Vatican City has its own laboratories? With monks creating and distilling perfumes and colognes, all with their own secret formulae? Unavailable to buy outside the Vatican City Walls and modestly priced, I went for this gift set for my mother. 

You’ll find Farmacia Vaticana at the very end right before you exit the gift shop area and take the spiral staircase down.

Solid Lemon-scented soap with Vitamin E. 

Vatican Eau de Cologne. (Only available to buy within the Vatican City).

Restaurants

There are several places available for a pit stop, albeit an overpriced one: 

After leaving the Sistine Chapel, look for signs to take you to Caffetteria Il Forno- a cafe split over two levels, providing a welcome moment of respite before continuing on. 

On Level 1 (where you enter the museum after getting your ticket), you’ll find the Self Service (offering cafeteria/canteen style food), the Caffetteria Centrale for a quick espresso, and the Pizzeria.

The most evocative bistrot restaurant has to be La Pigna – placed in the middle of the Belvedere (Pinecone) Courtyard, shown below to the left. Expect inflated prices and below-average food (by Italian standards).

The tranquil Belvedere Courtyard with La Pigna to the left and plenty of benches to relax on.

•  Top Tip :

If time is on your side, then plan to spend the day.

Get a morning ticket for the Vatican Museums with a guided tour. Our Vatican guide Kinga was a Doctor in Art History and she really brought the whole thing alive.

My top tip is to bring a packed lunch/trail mix since it’s essentially a marathon (over 7kms of galleries). 

Take a well-earned break after the Sistine Chapel but do not leave the museums (as you won’t be able to get back in). 

Make your way back out into the Cortile of the Pigna (above), find a bench, and take a load off. Rest your eyes. Hydrate. Refuel with that trail mix or a sandwich from Pam. 

It’s been a lot.

Now head back in.

Nearby Attractions / Food & Drink

Castel sant’angelo – 15 minute walk.

Once the site of Emperor Hadrian’s tomb, then a fortress, a castle, and now a museum covering two thousand years’ worth of Roman history. 

Very nice views from the top and photos on Ponte Sant’Angelo practically take themselves, it’s that photogenic. 

The area alone is worth a visit. There’s an outdoor library/bar to the right called Bibliobar which has echoes of Paris and the Seine.

Castel Sant’Angelo and Sant’Angelo Bridge. 

Bibliobar. An outdoor / cafe with snacks, coffee, and drinks.

Food & Drink 

The area closest to Vatican City is Prati. It can be a bit on the pricey side, but this is still Rome, and good food at honest prices is never too hard to find. 

7 minute walk away (closest metro- Cipro on the A):

• Eroi della pizza – Piazzale degli Eroi, 4, 00192

Superb pizza by the slice and cracking suppl ì . Friendly staff and friendlier prices. 

• Fischio – Piazzale degli Eroi, 00136 

Cross over and you’ll find Fischio (FISkio); an outdoor kiosk turned bar where you can buy spritz and gin and tonic in hipstery cans, or a glass of organic (quite pungent) wine. It’s laidback and potentially just the ticket after all that high culture at the Vatican. 

10 minute walk away:

• Il Sorpasso – Via Properzio, 31/33, 00193 

Relaxed wine bar with a great wine selection (without being pretentious about it). Try one of their Italian ham and cheese boards (with advice on which order to eat the cheese). Good mix of locals and expat residents. Where pretty Prati people go for a chilled out wine evening. 

15 mins metro and or walk away:

• Argot (Prati) – Via Alessandro Farnese 2, 00192 (Closest Metro Lepanto, one stop after Ottaviano on the A line).

Superior cocktails and food at trendy yet friendly cocktail bar/restaurant Argot. Cocktails are a bit expensive but made by people who know their stuff and go down a treat.

Did You Know That: 5 Interesting Facts

• Michelangelo initially didn’t even want to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel because he considered himself a sculptor and not a painter. He was eventually persuaded to accept by Pope Julius II.
• Biagio de Cesena, the papal master of ceremonies, was a harsh critic of the Last Judgment’s composition, so Michelangelo painted him into it as Minos, the supervisor of the damned into hell. He’s the one with donkey ears.
• It took four years for Michelangelo to complete the ceiling, and the experience was so unpleasant that he wrote a poem about his physical discomfort.
• The nudes in the Last Judgment were considered improper for a papal commission, so Pope Pius IV ordered many of them to be covered up with strategically placed cloths. Luckily, that was mostly undone during later restoration work.
• Michelangelo was much more adept at painting the male body rather than the female. In fact, the few female figures represented are considered by many to be quite ‘manly’.
• Pope Sixtus IV, from whom the Sistine Chapel gets its name, had it built between 1473 and 1481. It was originally called the Cappella Magna (‘Great Chapel’). It served as a place of religious and functionary papal activity.
• He also commissioned a team of great Renaissance artists to paint the walls, which they finished in 1482.
• In 1483, Sixtus IV celebrated the first mass there, at which the chapel was consecrated and dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
• It wasn’t until 1508 that Michelangelo Buonarroti was commissioned to paint the ceiling, under the patronage of a new pope: Julius II.
• A further 22 years passed before Michelangelo returned to paint the Last Judgment under the patronage of Pope Clement VII and Paul III.
• In the 1980s, major restoration work began on the artworks in the chapel and many of Michelangelo’s figures were finally returned to their nude selves.
• Today, apart from being an extremely popular tourist destination, the chapel still serves as the venue for the papal conclave, the process by which a new pope is elected.

The Sistine Chapel is located in the Vatican City of Rome.

It took Michelangelo 4 years to paint the Sistine Chapel.

It took Michelangelo 4 years to paint the Sistine Chapel due to the scale of the task and his reluctance to do it. Not only was it physically taxing but also permanently damaged his eyesight.

Michelangelo was paid around 3000 ducats for painting the Sistine Chapel.

Address: Sistine Chapel, , 00120 Vatican City, Vatican City · view larger map

• Pilgrimages
• Rome Day Tours
• In the Media

Guided tours of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel

The Catholic Traveler’s Guide to Rome is offered completely free to be sure you have the best pilgrimage experience – and is only possible because of my generous supporters. Please consider supporting my work through Patreon or Substack , or a one time tip through Venmo . 🤍

I think most people can get by touring the Vatican Museums on their own without a guide. Simply using an audio guide or a guide book is all most need. Here’s why…

Nearly 30,000 people visit the Vatican Museums each day.

30,000 people. Every day.

This looks miserable because it is miserable.

Some of the best works of art are housed in the Vatican Museums. There are some amazing private guides. Despite this, the biggest complaint I hear about visits to Rome is how miserable the Vatican Museums were.

Plus, admiring beautiful art is a very personal thing. If you go alone, you can go at your own pace. You can sit and enjoy a work of art. You can venture off the typical tourist itinerary – there’s a reason it’s Vatican Museum s and not Vatican Museum. There are lots of galleries in the Museums that most people never visit.

Go it alone

You can, and should, book a ticket to the Vatican Museums on their official website.

The Museums are nearly always packed, but later in the day the crowds start to thin out.

My favorite time to visit is during the Night Openings of the Vatican Museums . This is seasonal and a really cool and unique experience.

Another new(ish) option is to book breakfast at the Vatican Museums . You pay a little more, but get in before the crowds. If you go this route, go straight to the Sistine Chapel to enjoy it before the crowds. Then you can back track and visit the rest of the Museums.

Guided tours

If you feel you need a guided tour, you have tons and tons of options. I’ve listed some of the best here…

For a private guided tour, I recommend Agnes at Understanding Rome . She’s professional, fun, and engaging. You should let her know I sent you. You should also book early as she’s quite popular.

One of the best guides out there is Liz Lev . She’s often booked solid and also a bit more expensive than most other guides, but she’s worth the price. She’s a good friend, let her know I sent you.

If you have the means, I highly recommend becoming a Patron of the Arts for the Vatican Museums . The perks are amazing, the price probably isn’t as much as you’d expect, and the guides are excellent. In fact, the first time I took a Patron tour, my guide was the same woman who guided U.S. Presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama – and it was just the two of us.

The official Vatican Museum tours are hit or miss. More often than not, it’s a miss. Once I had the Vatican assign an excellent guide to me. Once. Don’t get me wrong, there are a few great guides employed by the Museums, but you don’t get to pick.

What to avoid

Any of the big tour companies in Rome – especially if you are Catholic. I lived across the street from one of the biggest companies (even endorsed by the Vatican) for two years, I heard nonstop bashing of the Church. I currently live across from another one of the big ones, I don’t hear Church bashing every day, but the tours sound really lame.

Anyone who harasses you near the Vatican to “skip the line.” It’s a rip off. Just don’t.

Join my email list for travel tips, pilgrimage announcements, and stories from nearly 20 years of leading pilgrimages.

Click here to read the most recent newsletter.

• Archaeological sites
• The Trevi Fountain
• Vatican Museums
• Saint Peter’s Basilica
• Villa Borghese
• Piazza di Spagna
• Piazza Navona
• Colosseum tickets
• Vatican Museum tickets
• Sistine Chapel tickets
• Saint Peter’s Basilica tickets
• Colosseum tours
• Pantheon Tours
• Car rent with driver
• Transfer Rome / Fiumicino Airport
• Transfer Rome / Ciampino Airport
• Transfer Rome Civitavecchia
• Phone numbers
• Charter bus rental

Sistine Chapel: Tickets

Where and how to buy tickets for the Sistine Chapel? How much do they cost?

Top selling tickets on ArcheoRoma

starting from 30.25 €

starting from 144 €

starting from 97 €

starting from 43.75 €

Tickets for the Sistine Chapel are both available:

• as an addition to the offer relating to the visit to the Vatican Museums
• integrated into packages offered by tour operators
• integrated into the Omnia Card (the tourist card offered by the Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi)

Official tickets

Visit to the vatican museums and sistine chapel.

4.7 /5      | 24436 reviews

The best-selling tickets for access to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. Skip the line tickets with priority access.

Reduced tickets:

Reduced tickets are available for children from 6 to 18 years of age, as well as for students between the ages of 18 and 25. It is necessary to present a document certifying enrollment at the university for the current year. There are no reductions for the over 65s.

Free entry:

Admission is free for children under 6 years of age . It is also free for disabled visitors and their carers. As it is not possible to book in advance, they will have to go directly to the “Special Permits” and / or “Reception” counters located in the entrance hall of the Vatican Museums.

Visit to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel with audio guide

Visit to the vatican museums and sistine chapel with lunch, visit to the vatican museums and sistine chapel with breakfast, open tour of the vatican museums and sistine chapel with happy hour.

The Vatican Museums also offer the possibility of enjoying a happy hour (apericena) in the square garden, the “secret garden” in front of the Vatican Pinacoteca. On the menu: platter of cold cuts and cheeses, tasting of three first courses, fried, bread, pizza, dessert or fruit, prosecco or wine.

Important information

Bookings made on the official website are non-refundable . However, it is possible to change the date and title of the ticket (tickets are nominal). It is also not possible to change the number of participants if you are in a group.

It is important to wear appropriate and decent clothing. Shorts, miniskirts, hats and low-cut dresses are not allowed.

Guided tours

4.6 /5      | 1118 reviews

2-hour guided tour and skip-the-line tickets for the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel.

Combined tickets

starting from 62 €

4.2 /5      | 296 reviews

Visit the Vatican with the Vatican City Pass! Skip the line entrance to the Vatican Museums, Quick access to Castel Sant'Angelo and audio guide of Rome

4.3 /5      | 2372 reviews

The Rome Tourist Pass is a complete package for tourists in Rome. The ticket includes visits to Colosseum, Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St Peter's Basilica and more.

4.9 /5      | 37 reviews

Full day tour of Rome visiting the most important tourist attractions of the eternal city. From the Colosseum to the Vatican Museums, to the Sistine Chapel.

starting from 129 €

3,2 /5      | 12 reviews

The Omnia Card is a box that includes the Roma Pass 72h and allows you to visit, in addition to the Colosseum, the Vatican Museums and St. Peter's Basilica

4.7 /5      | 1030 reviews

Combined ticket for visiting the main places of interest in Rome. Priority access and audio guide included in the price.

Discover Rome

Discover interesting sites

archaeological sites museums

Events and exhibitions

Events you don't want to miss

Book your tickets and visits

Guided tour

Book your guided tour

Book your stay in Rome

Car rental with driver

Tickets: your opinions and comments

Have you visited this monument? What does it mean to you? What advice would you give to a tourist?

Questo sito utilizza cookie tecnici e di profilazione. Proseguendo la navigazione acconsenti all'uso dei cookie. Maggiori informazioni . Accetto

• 2024 TRAVEL UPDATE
• Work with us
• Beyond Bologna
• Regions of Italy
• Travel books
• Best group tours
• Itineraries
• Accommodation guide
• Italian phrases for travel
• Rocket Italian review: 2024 update
• Ultimate Italy Travel Planner
• City Planners
• Essential Guides
• Italy themed gift ideas
• Trip planning services

Best Vatican tours: Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museums and St Peter’s Basilica

This article may contain compensated links. See our full disclosure here

Touring the Vatican is one of the top things to do in Rome. But deciding which tour to choose can be overwhelming. We’re here to help you find the best Vatican tour for your trip.

Article contents

Summary of recommended tours

We’ve provided a complete analysis of the best Vatican tours available in this article. This includes dates and times available, duration and other useful information. Here is a summary if you’re the kind of person who wants quick answers.

Best standard tours

• Walks of Italy – Complete Vatican Tour  (small groups up to 20 people)
• Liv Tours – Skip the line Highlights of the Vatican tour (small groups up to 6 people – 5% off with code – UntoldItaly)
• CityWonders – Skip the line tour of the Vatican (larger groups)
• Vatican official – Standard Vatican tour (provided by the museums – historic focus)

5% discount on small group tours with Liv Tours. Discount applied at checkout when you click this link  or use code ‘UntoldItaly’

Best early access tours (beat the crowds).

• Walks of Italy – VIP Key Masters Tour (open the Sistine Chapel at 6.00am – small group tour) – this is the earliest and most exclusive tour
• Walks of Italy – Alone in the Vatican (small group and early access from 6.30am)
• Liv Tours – Alone in the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums (small group with early access from 6.30am, includes breakfast in the Pine Cone Courtyard)
• Walks of Italy – Pristine Sistine – best first access with the general public tour

*Note, in 2024 the Vatican Museums changed it’s early entry policy to allow only a handful of visitors access prior to 8am when doors are open to the general public. Places on these exclusive tours are extremely limited

What to see on a Vatican tour

First, let’s clear up exactly what ‘the Vatican’ is so you can decide which parts you wish to tour. The Vatican is in fact an independent city state within Rome ruled by the Pope – the head of the Catholic church. It is the smallest country on Earth with an area of 0.44 square kilometers and population of just 1,000.

The main areas to visit inside the Vatican City are:

• St Peter’s Basilica including cupola (dome), tombs and square – more info
• Vatican Museums including the Sistine Chapel – the world’s greatest art collection with works by Raphael, Giotto, Caravaggio and of course Michelangelo
• Vatican Gardens – arguably the most beautiful gardens in Rome with stunning views of St Peters, grottoes and lawns

Most Vatican tours will include visiting both St Peters and the Vatican Museums as part of their package. The gardens can only be accessed by a separate tour usually combined with a tour of the Vatican Museums (but not St Peters).

Why take a tour of the Vatican Museums and St Peters

There are two main reasons to join a tour of the Vatican – experience and convenience.

With over 6 million visitors a year, the Vatican Museums and St Peters are among the most popular attractions in Rome and the world. And rightly so. Their collection of art is mind boggling in scale and value. And the historical importance of the buildings is almost unparalleled.

Unless you are a highly educated art historian, there is no way you will know what to look for among all the glitz and walls dripping with priceless paintings. And unfortunately, the information provided by the museums is disappointing.

Visit with a guide and they will be able to point out the most important pieces and their symbolism and significance. Not to mention the major events that have taken place between those walls.

You will spend at least 2 – 3 hours visiting the Vatican no matter how you approach your visit. This is because it takes that amount of time to move through the buildings. That being the case, it makes sense to have an expert guide you through the highlights.

Tours start in the Vatican Museums skipping the long lines for tickets and use a special entrance to St Peter’s from the Sistine Chapel to avoid the separate lines for the Basilica. So if you are not on a tour or have not pre-purchased tickets you will need to line up twice to see both main areas of the Vatican.

Prefer to visit without a guide?

Make sure you buy skip the line tickets prior to your visit to avoid waiting in lines – around 2-3 hours during peak periods.

You can buy tickets for the Vatican Museums on the official site here or if you are having trouble using the site or they are sold out you can buy Vatican  Museums skip the line tickets with authorized ticket seller GetYourGuide here .

St Peter’s is a separate entrance. Buy tickets to skip the line at St Peter’s here .

What to look for in a tour of the Vatican

By law, all guides operating in the Vatican must hold a license that can only be obtained by a very strict examination process. So you know that any guide you tour with will have a thorough knowledge of the details, dates, and facts of the art and buildings you visit.

Your choice really comes down to timing, group size, inclusions, length and style and price of tour. Generally, the size and length of tour will determine the price, however, you also pay extra for exclusive experiences.

• Timing – early morning and evening tours are available and are strictly limited so you will have fewer crowds to contend with
• Group size – if budget allows, try to book a tour with a group size less than 20. Any more than this and you’ll be struggling to hear (despite headsets) or engage with your guide
• Inclusions and itinerary  – basic and express tours of the Vatican focus on the highlights of the Vatican Museums (Sistine Chapel, Gallery of Maps, Michelangelo’s masterpieces, Pinacoteca Courtyard) plus St Peter’s interior. Longer tours will take you to the Underground Crypts, the Carriage Pavilion and Nero’s bath
• Length – the shortest tours available are around 2 hours and you can also join full day tours of the Vatican.
• Budget – basic tours start at around €40 for large group tours while you can pay between €300 – €500 per person for a private tour of the Vatican

Worth Noting

• We have not found a tour that includes visiting St Peter’s dome. If you want to ascend the dome you will need to buy a ticket at the basilica office at the conclusion of your tour
• If you find yourself waiting in line for tickets and wishing you had booked a tour, please do not join one of those offered by the scammers that work the crowd. They are not recommended – expensive and basically just entry tickets (if that!)

The best Vatican tour companies

Here are some of the most popular operators and our assessment of how they differ. There are literally hundreds of tour operators working in the Vatican so we have chosen the best for different types of travelers.

• Walks of Italy – working closely in partnership with the Vatican Museums to create unique and engaging experiences for English speaking visitors, the Walks of Italy offerings Pristine Sistine and VIP Key Masters tours are outstanding 
• Vatican official tours – The Vatican Museums tours are generally the least expensive option but note that group sizes start at 16 people. Expect a focus on religious history and the church. Their Art and Faith tours are focused on the relationship between art and religion in the context of the history of the Catholic Church in Rome – view all official Vatican tours
• Liv Tours – this Rome based company is known for their very small group and private tours and knowledgeable guides who are expert at adjusting tours for their guests’ interest and knowledge level – view all Liv Tours Vatican tours PLUS 5% off with code ‘UntoldItaly’ 

Best Vatican tours

We chose the best small and larger group tours of the Vatican offered by the tour companies mentioned above. We used our own experience and cross checked this with ratings on tours on TripAdvisor, GetYourGuide and other media. This is updated on an ongoing basis so we can bring you the best tours available.

Please note – If you are visiting on a Wednesday, your tour group will not be able to enter St Peter’s basilica due to the weekly Papal Address. In this case, the tour will include additional galleries of the museums.

If you are looking for a private Vatican tour please skip forward to the section below.

Standard tours of the Vatican

Most tour operators offer a standard 2 – 3 hour Vatican tour that includes highlights of the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s. These tours start at the same time the museums are open to the general public.

Your tour includes skip the line for tickets and have a dedicated guide escorting you and explaining the art and history.  But, there is no escaping the crowds, unfortunately. You will however be able to use the group entrance into St Peter’s avoiding a half hour walk back to the main entrance and line for the basilica.

Early morning Vatican tours

We think that early access tours are the best way to experience the Vatican. You can see the priceless artwork in relative solitude as you pay a premium to enter without the crowds. If these tours are within budget then we strongly suggest choosing the earliest tour available.

The Vatican Museums allow a very limited number of people each day in to the galleries at 6:00am with the “ clavigero ” or key keeper of the Museums. You can join this unforgettable tour led by the wonderful team at Walks of Italy – more info and booking instructions here . Note – this applies to the museums only and does not include access to St Peter’s. If you would like to read our complete review of this experience – visit this page

LISTEN: to our Vatican Museums Tips and   Highlights podcast episode with Walks of Italy co-founder Stephen Oddo

Complete Vatican tours

If you’re an art and history lover it is fair to say that 2-3 hours will barely scratch the surface of the 54 galleries and 20,000 works on display. These early start tours ensure you see the highlights as well as some of the lesser known treasures in the museums such as Nero’s bath, the Borgia apartments, Pinacoteca Vaticana and 16th century double helix Bramante staircase which inspired the modern version of the same name. Visit the Vatican Museums ticket office to learn about openings of special galleries and sections of the Museums.

Family friendly tour of the Vatican

Do you want to take the whole family to tour the Vatican Museums? We suggest giving this a lot of consideration especially if you have very young children. They will need to do a lot of walking, often in hot and stuffy rooms and remain silent in the Sistine Chapel.

If you do decide to go, booking a family friendly tour is a great idea. Your tour will be tailored to the interests of children and your guide will assist in keeping your kids entertained so you can enjoy the experience too.

Liv Tours offer a fun family friendly interactive tour in the Vatican designed especially for families. This is a great way to introduce your children to the history and stories behind this precious art collection.

Special Vatican tours

Evening vatican museum tours.

During the summer months the Vatican Museums open from 19:00pm to 23:00pm on Friday evenings. With limited numbers allowed into the galleries you can enjoy them without the crowds and in the cooler night air. This exclusive experience will no doubt be a highlight of your trip to Rome.

Note – this experience does not include visiting St Peter’s basilica so you would need to go there separately

Recommended night Vatican tours

• Vatican Museums official [group size up to 30]  – click for info
• Walks of Italy [group size max 15] at 19:30pm – click for details

Claim your 5% discount on small group tours with Liv Tours.   Click here and use code ‘UntoldItaly’

Vatican Garden Tours

The Papal gardens are among the finest in Europe that are centuries old. A stroll through the gardens reveals sculptures, fountains and stunning views of the basilica. They are an oasis away from the chaos of the city beyond.

A tour of the gardens will help you appreciate the history and stories behind the many works of art within the gardens and their significance to the Catholic church. There is a replica of the sacred Lourdes grotto in France as well as monuments and statues collected by and dedicated to former popes.

An advantage of doing a tour of the gardens is that it also includes admission to the Vatican Museums. And yes, you skip the lines. No tour is provided in the museums, however.

Vatican Scavi tours

If you have a particular interest in Christianity and history, there could be no bigger thrill to see what is said to be the tomb of St Peter the apostle, deep below the basilica that bears his name. Only 250 people per day are allowed into this sacred area as part of escorted 90 minute tours run by the Vatican. Tour groups are small with only 12 people visiting the excavation site and tomb.

You need to book this tour months in advance by following the instructions on the official Vatican excavations office page . Please note – children under 15 years may not go on this tour. You may not take photos on the tour.

Private Vatican tours

Would you prefer a fully private tour of the Vatican Museums? Private tours are a great way to enjoy the Vatican at your own pace and to see those things you really want to see. Starting at around €350, they can also be more cost effective if you are traveling in a larger group. We recommend  Liv Tours for private Vatican tours.

DISCOVER: The Best hotels near the Vatican City .

Useful information for visiting the Vatican

Both the Vatican Museums and St Peter’s basilica are religious sites. Men and women should cover knees and shoulders as a sign of respect. You may be refused entry if you are not suitably attired.

During the hot Roman summers you might like to bring a light shawl or scarf as an alternative to wearing clothing that covers your shoulders.

Tours are not offered on Sundays when the museums are either closed or open to the public for free admission.

Tour itineraries do not include St Peter’s basilica on Wednesday due to the usual Papal audience in the piazza.

The best day to do a standard Vatican tour is probably Tuesday when you avoid the extended long weekend European visitors.

If you want to do an early morning tour choose from Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday.

Night tours of the Vatican are only available on Fridays from April to October.

Yes, it is a condition of entry that all people entering the Vatican Museums and St Peters pass security checks. Don’t worry, these lines move quickly

Yes, cloakroom facilities are found near the entrance to the Vatican Museums and there is a separate cloakroom for St Peters. Both are free of charge

Yes, you can take photos (without flash) in most areas except the Sistine Chapel where photography of any kind is not allowed. Flash photography is forbidden in all areas as it may damage the artwork

Planning a trip to Italy?

We love travel in Italy and sharing our knowledge. Read our Italy trip planning guide or join our FREE Italy travel planning community . Our 140,000+ members are happy to answer questions about your itinerary, how to get from place to place, the best places to stay and fun things to do.

Sign up for our news and podcast updates where we share mini guides, tips, exclusive deals and more and we'll send you our Italy Trip Planning Checklist to say grazie ! >> click here to subscribe

Italy City Guides

Latest italy travel podcasts and articles, rome airport transfers: how to get from the airport to the city center in rome, hidden gems in rome: off the beaten path in the eternal city, 3 days in rome: itinerary ideas for visiting the eternal city, the 8 best hotels near rome airport 2024, how to buy tickets for the colosseum in rome, episode #217: 5 must have experiences in rome, episode #214: rome’s best kept secrets – explore the eternal city with liv tours.

Please share if you found this article useful

Vatican Museums in Rome

We take care of your journey at some of the world’s most astonishing attractions, such as the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica and St Peter’s Tomb. Versed in the history of these iconic institutions, our team beautifully curates the most engaging and entertaining experiences for you and your closed ones. With us, you can visit the Vatican City in a group or privately and at a time of your convenience. Our mission is to share the extraordinary legacy of the amalgam of artistic, historical and cultural value within the Vatican City. We aim to help you discover the wonders of the Museums comfortably, uniquely and in the company of expert tour guides who will be able to share their knowledge in a captivating way.

POPULAR TOURS

Vip Early Entrance Vatican Guided Tour

If there is one place in the world that holds a powerful amalgam of artistic, historical, religious, and political value that is within the open borders of the Vatican City

10:00 AM Vatican Museums Small Group Tour

The Vatican City is a perfect example of a one-size-fits-all travel destination. It is a place that attracts daily a large number of tourists with different interests

Friday Evening Vatican Guided Tour

The Vatican Museums hold a sheer amount of artwork, beauty, and splendour that attract thousands of tourists on a daily basis.

A look at the Vatican Museums map would reveal the labyrinthine collection of art that is hosted within the walls of this famous complex. To facilitate your journey we offer Vatican Museums tours that will help you explore the 7 kilometres of art galleries under the guidance of an expert in the Vatican’s history and culture. By choosing a guided Vatican Museums tour you will have a special itinerary that will take you through the most awe-inspiring parts of the complex. Our best tours of the Vatican include the Vatican at night tour and the early entrance tour. Our tours are extremely diverse and can match any busy tourist’s schedule. With us, every day is the best day to visit the Vatican. By choosing one of our special tours your Vatican Museums visit will be extremely comfortable and filled with intricate stories about the museum’s art and creators. Not only will you be guided through the Vatican Museums, but you will also benefit from a special visit to the Sistine Chapel, where you can admire Michelangelo’s vividly coloured frescoes, and we will end this experience with a St. Peter’s Basilica tour.

We also offer Vatican Museums skip the line tickets, with these you can explore the museums at your own pace while getting rapid entry. Entrance to the Vatican Museums will be done through a special corridor that will take you right past the crowds. Booking Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel tickets will take a lot of stress off your shoulders. Our skip the line tickets list covers all of the main attractions of the Vatican. You can book St. Peter’s Basilica tickets which will allow you to explore a hugely significant symbol for Christianity with extraordinary Renaissance architecture and Baroque art. Every year millions of tourists of all faiths visit St. Peter’s Basilica and get astonished by the art inside, such as Michelangelo’s Pietà and Bernini’s Baldachin. For those with a higher sense of adventure, we offer tickets that will give you access to a special tour at St. Peter’s tomb. With these, you will go under St. Peter’s Church to an archaeological site that includes graves and structures that have been built to memorialize the location of St. Peter’s tomb.

OUR TICKETS

Saint Peter’s Basilica skip-the-line tickets

Enter the spiritual centre of the Vatican through a special-access corridor skipping the long general-access lines. Enjoy the freedom to explore at your own pace St Peter’s Basilica, a shrine of Christianity and art. 

Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel Tickets with skip-the-line access

Get a priority pass that allows you to skip the long ticket lines at the Vatican Museums. Explore humanity’s most valuable and awe-inspiring collection of masterpieces at your own pace.

Saint Peter’s Tomb special access tickets

Have the experience of a lifetime as you head below St. Peter’s Basilica to the Roman necropolis. Explore an authentic Roman cemetery with tombs and gravestones from the days of pagan Rome.

Why "The Vatican Museums" Is The Perfect Choice?

The pope's residence.

The History of the Museums starts with the Pope's residence, the Niccoline Chapel and the Borgia Apartments.

Collections of art

Collections of art gathered by the Popes over the centuries, represent the attraction for millions of enthusiastic tourists every year.

The Sistine Chapel

The Sistine Chapel is renowned for being decorated with what many perceive as the most spectacular masterpiece in human history, Michelangelo’s frescoes that cover the ceiling.

Witness the fabulous art and architecture in the museum of museums

© COPYRIGHT 2023 IWF SRLs, VIA SATRICO 7, 00183 ROME, ITALY, P.IVA 15741651002

DETERMINAZIONE PROVINCIA DI ROMA – LICENZA NUMERO 478323 DEL 28/05/2021 R.E.A. RM 1611120

• +39.366.22.020.40
• [email protected]
• Piazza della Città Leonina, Rome

This website is not the official website of the Vatican Museums. It is run by IWF Srls and works with attractions and tour operators to provide incredible experiences at the touch of a button.

• [email protected]
• +39 392 216 3049
• Via Boezio 4/c Roma, Italy

Enjoy the treasures of the Vatican & the Sistine Chapel!

Skip-the-line with our tours, top-rated tours and activities in the vatican and rome.

We have received hundreds of reviews by happy guests and we keep improving our standards!

Skip-the-line Official Tours

Our special partnership with the Vatican Museums management allows our tours to save time and hassle with preferential access.

Special Tours & Activities

Some of our guides are experienced with school groups, others with team building business tours and other with families and kids. Just choose what you need.

Phd Doctors & Archeologists

Take a quality tour led by a local expert that knows the Colosseum and Ancient Rome in depth.

Skip the Line Classic Vatican & Sistine Chapel Tour

Top-rated on Trip Advisor

All included

Guided Tours done

Local Guides in the team

Online Reviews

Returning Guests

Our Guided Tours

Choose your tours or contact us to help you with your choice and give you a discount on combo packages on multiple tours.

Skip-the-line Classic Vatican & Sistine Chapel Tour

Vatican tour with dome visit, vatican tour for kids & families, colosseum forums & ancient rome tour, best of rome in one day tour, contact us for more info & booking.

Our team can take care of your Italian Vacation from a to z. We are local and we provide direct support to our guests wherever they are.

• Holidays in Rome
• Where to Stay
• Where to Eat
• Best Time to Visit Rome
• Top 10 Tips for Rome
• Bathrooms in Rome
• What to Pack & What to Wear

Money Matters

Getting Around

Getting to Rome

• Learn Italian
• Rome & Vatican Tours
• Italy Tours
• Transfers & Transport
• Sign up & get a FREE ebook  Subscribe Today!
• Romewise Home Page
• Rome Tourist Attractions
• Visiting the Vatican

Visiting the Vatican - Top tips you need to know!

By Elyssa Bernard

November 21, 2023

Planning on visiting the Vatican when you come to Rome?

Here's everything you need to know!

Visiting the Vatican - everything you need to know

Here is what you really need to know about visiting the Vatican:

• When to go ? (what time of year and time of day)
• What to see ? (St. Peters Basilica and the Vatican Museums, and much more!)
• Which should you visit first, the Vatican Museums (Sistine Chapel) or Saint Peter's Basilica ?
• How to skip the lines for Saint Peter's Basilica ?
• How to get tickets/skip the line to the Vatican museums ?
• Can you just visit the Sistine Chapel ? 
• Can you see the Sistine Chapel without crowds ?
• How do you visit the Vatican Gardens ?
• How do you visit St Peter's tomb ?
• How to plan all your Vatican visits for your trip ?
• How to get to the Vatican ?
• Where to eat near the Vatican ?

The first time I came to Rome as an adult, I missed seeing the Sistine Chapel because I had no idea the Vatican Museums closed at 2pm (long before smartphones and Google, ahem.) 

It must have been a Free Sunday, when the Vatican Museums are open and free but with reduced hours.

Now that I live here, I go often to Saint Peter's Basilica , Saint Peter's Square , and the Vatican Museums .

I also helped thousands of our guests plan their visits in the 17 years we ran our B&B .

Based on years of first-hand experience, I know how to tell you what to do and what not to do.

You can avoid a stressful visit to the Vatican by reading my tips first!

QUICK FACTS ABOUT VISITING VATICAN CITY

• You don't need a passport.
• Vatican City is a separate state from Italy, with just over 500 residents.
• The two main places to visit are Saint Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums (where the Sistine Chapel is.)
• The pope is head of Vatican City.
• The pope's church is not Saint Peter's Basilica. It is Saint John in Lateran.
• You can visit the Vatican, and you can stay nearby, but you cannot sleep inside the Vatican.

Visiting the Vatican - When to go

• There really is no "best day" for visiting Vatican City, i.e. when there are fewer people. The Vatican is Rome's most popular tourist destination and is pretty much always busy. You might consider Tuesday or Thursday as your best bets. Dates around a weekend can be a bit busier, and on Wednesday there is (usually) the Papal Audience , meaning even more crowds.
• In the mornings, many tour groups show up, including those offering early skip-the-line access. Also, people in general come early to try to "beat the line," so you may find the Vatican Museums much more crowded in the early morning than you expect, and  slightly less crowded in mid-afternoon.
• St Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums tend to be even more crowded on Saturdays , when Rome fills up with weekend visitors.
• The Vatican Museum is closed Sundays, except for the last Sunday of every month , when they are free . This is the most crowded day you can imagine for visiting the Vatican Museums .
• On Wednesdays (except for  July , when the pope generally takes a break ), the pope holds an audience at St Peter's Basilica . In warmer months, it will be in Saint Peter's Square . In colder months, or if it's raining , it will be in an auditorium-type hall just to the left of the basilica. This means that the whole area will be packed due to all the people who attend the papal audience , many of whom visit the Vatican Museums after the audience.
• If you do visit Vatican City on a Wednesday , know that St Peter's Basilica will be closed until the papal audience is over (around 12-1pm.)
• As for time of year, winter low season months are best if you want to be more relaxed and find smaller crowds . This means most of December ( except  December 8 , and Christmas through the Epiphany, January 6 ), January and February . Believe it or not, it's just as crowded at to visit Vatican City between Christmas and January 6 as it is during summer.
• Here's  how and when to include visiting the Vatican in a 3-day itinerary in Rome .

IMPORTANT TIP :

To visit St Peters Basilica and the Sistine Chapel, you must be properly dressed : no bare knees, midriffs or shoulders.

Sandals and jeans are fine.

Be careful when wearing knee-length shorts and skirts; the opinions of the Vatican guards as to what is acceptable may vary.

You may wish to bring a sarong or wear the kinds of shorts that have attachable legs, such as hiking trousers .

In a pinch, you will find plenty of vendors just outside the Vatican, who sell t-shirts or scarves.

No matter what season you visit Rome, here are 4 things never to leave at home:

Disclosure: If you make a purchase through a link on this page, I may receive a small commission - at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my site!

Visiting the Vatican - What to see?

The main things to see when visiting the Vatican are  Saint Peter’s Basilica  and the  Vatican Museums .

You can see one and not the other, although v isiting both in a single day is very do-able.

Looking for Michelangelo's masterpieces?

Michelangelo’s Pietà is inside Saint Peter's Basilica.

Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel is inside the Vatican Museums.

Just try not to plan any other big visit like another museum or archeological site like the Coloseum  for the day you visit the Vatican, as you will be pretty exhausted.

Do you really want to visit the Vatican and Colosseum in one day? Here's how!

Or take the stress out of it by taking this "Rome in a Day" Tour with Vatican, Colosseum & Historic Center.

To get the most out of your visit to the Colosseum, take a VIP Colosseum Underground Tour with Roman Forum & Palatine Hill.

St Peter's Basilica

Saint Peter’s Basilica  is a Renaissance-era church and by many standards, the world’s largest. 

The Vatican is a basilica but not a cathedral, as it does not have its own bishop.

The main cathedral of the “Bishop of Rome”, as the pope is called, is San Giovanni in Laterano , or Saint John in Lateran .

But the pope is head of Vatican City , where he resides.

It's a little confusing isn't it?

Anyway, just think of the Vatican as a huge church, with a lot to see inside.

Click here to read more about what exactly the Vatican is.

Click here to visit my dedicated page all about Saint Peter's Basilica and its history, and things to see and do there.

 🤙 Roaming in Rome? 📱

Get yourself an Italian eSIM for calls, messages and data when traveling here.

Save on data charges with plans from just 19€ from Holafly - our recommended eSIM provider!

Click here to get yours now  and use code ROMEWISE to save 5%!

St Peter's Dome

It's very much worth  visiting the basilica's dome , but you should know it can get a little crowded up there, and there are a LOT of steps.

The first level is 231 steps, but there is an elevator option. ( Someone in a wheelchair or with walking difficulties can take the lift to this first level.)

The second portion is another 320 steps, with no elevator option.

The dome gets narrower as you go up, so you will be climbing this part single file, and with the roof slanting over your head.

I say this as someone with a close relative with vertigo: you may want to avoid climbing the dome at the Vatican if you suffer from vertigo or claustrophobia.

But if none of that is an issue, then do it!

You'll love the views from up there, both of the church and of the surrounding city.

Visit my dedicated page all about Saint Peter's dome and how to climb it.

Michelangelo’s Pieta

My favorite piece of art inside of  St Peter's Basilica  is Michelangelo’s Pietà .

Actually, it may be my favorite piece of art in the world.

An exaggeration?

I can't help it...just look at it:

It’s on your right as soon as you walk inside Saint Peter's Basilica.

When I visited it with my mom, she cried, saying “look at her face, it’s just about a mother’s love for her child."

Unfortunately, someone wielding an axe once attacked it, and it’s now behind glass.

But you can still see it very well.

And take note of Mary’s face.

It’s really special when you see it in person.

Michelangelo Tidbit :

This was one of Michelangelo’s first major works.

He made it when he was only 22.

He was not sure people would know he did it, so he snuck in late one night and carved his name (Michelangelo Buonarroti) on Mary’s sash.

The Pietà is the only sculpture Michelangelo ever signed (or needed to sign.)

Vatican Grottoes - The Tombs of the Popes

Inside Saint Peter's Basilica, you can go down one level and see the area where some of the popes are buried.

Saint Peter is said to be entombed just underneath the church .

This is why many popes are also buried here. 

It's quite interesting to visit the popes' tombs , called the Vatican Grottoes   - there is a lot of history down there.

Don't worry, it's not dark or claustrophobic.

On the contrary, it's a huge open space full of light and lots to see (no photos allowed.)

To visit the Vatican Grottoes, get up close to Bernini's Baldachin and look for the entrance nearby.

It's free to visit the Vatican Grottoes.

You should make sure you are done visiting the basilica or have a plan to go back up, because the normal route through the grottoes has you exit the basilica entirely.

Not to be confused with St. Peter's tomb

When people talk about visiting the Vatican grottoes, they are referring to a place where you can see the tombs of many popes (as I wrote above.)

But this is not the same as visiting the  Vatican Necropolis , where St. Peter is said to be buried.

A  visit to Saint Peter’s tomb , also referred to as a scavi  visit, is a special and wonderful thing to do, and I highly recommend it. (" Scavi " means "excavations".)

It is a delicate archeological site, and they only take 250 people in per day, in 12-person tours at a time, so you must  book way in advance . (No photos allowed.)

NEW FOR 2024!

The archeological area of the Vatican Necropolis of Via Triumphalis is now open for visitors.

This is an ancient Roman burial site that is within the Vatican walls and before now was very difficult to get access to.

You can only enter as part of an official Vatican tour group, and tickets need to be purchased through the official website .

This is an entirely separate visit, so you will not have access to either St Peter's Basilica or the Vatican Museums.

Click here to watch my YouTube video about it and see what it's like!

The Vatican Museums

The second major site to visit at the Vatican is the Vatican Museums.

This is the part about Vatican City that will take most of your time and energy.

The Vatican Museum contains the world’s largest private art collection (and just imagine that much of the art they own is not even on display!)

They are called "museums" and not just singular "museum" because the museums were started in 1506 and have been added to many times over the centuries.

They now occupy many different buildings all connected to on another.

That's one reason there is so much to see!

You will see a lot of art inside the Vatican Museums, including paintings, sculptures, ancient artifacts, and much more.

I think the number one thing people want to see when they visit is the Sistine Chapel.

For more about the Vatican Museums and Sistine chapel, visit my dedicated pages:

• Visiting the Sistine Chapel
• Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel
• Visiting the Vatican Museums
• Vatican Museums Must Sees
• Vatican Museums Tickets
• Vatican Museums Tours
• Vatican Secret Rooms

More things you will see at the Vatican:

Besides the two main sites - the museums (Sistine Chapel) and the basilica, there are more things you will see when you visit Vatican City.

Look for these as you walk around:

St. Peter's Square

It would be easy to take Saint Peter's Square, Piazza San Pietro in Italian, for granted.

After all, if you're beelining to get into the basilica, you might be focused on the security queues and wondering how long you will have to wait.

But St. Peter's Square, also called Vatican Square, is worth visiting and enjoying by itself.

It's the only part of Vatican City you can visit without any tickets or queuing.

If you have very limited time , you may even decide that this is about as much as you want to see of Vatican City, since everything else involves queues and/or tickets plus an involved visit inside.

Click here to visit my page all about St. Peter's Square, its history, and what to see.

The Swiss Guard

You might spy one or more of the Swiss Guard at the gate to Vatican City.

The Swiss Guard wear different outfits depending on their duties, but they are all dressed in costumes originally designed in the early 1500s (although not by Michelangelo, an urban myth.)

The Swiss Guard have a specific duty to guard the pope's life and Saint Peter's Basilica.

They are the world's smallest army and they are very well trained.

You will not see the Swiss Guard at the Vatican Museums.

There, you will see Vatican Museums guards who dress in more modern attire.

The Leonine Walls

In the 9th century, Pope Leo IV had defensive walls built around Vatican City following the sacking by raiders of Old St. Peter's Basilica in 846.

You can still see those walls today in and around the Vatican, especially if you visit the Vatican Gardens .

You can also see parts of these walls surrounding Saint Peter's Square on the side where the security gates are, and along the way from the Vatican to nearby Castel Sant'Angelo .

Click here to read a more detailed yet brief history of the Vatican.

For more Vatican history, check out these dedicated pages:

The Vatican Post Office

Don't miss a visit to the Vatican Post Office if you want to mail any postcards. 

It's easier and more efficient than going to the Italian Post Office, and your mail will get there faster!

There is also a Vatican mailbox up on the roof ( Saint Peter's Dome ), and usually another post office in Saint Peter's Square .

More sites you can visit in Vatican City

Besides Saint Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums, there are some more sites you can visit in Vatican City.

You have to pay for these (and for the scavi and gardens, you must book in advance.)

You will find more details about each one on their respective dedicated pages:

• Saint Peter's Tomb (Vatican Necropolis or Scavi )
• Saint Peter's Dome
• Vatican Gardens

Which to see first - The Vatican Museums/Sistine Chapel, or St. Peter's Basilica?

If you book a tour of the Vatican, usually this means taking a guided tour of the Vatican Museums , which ends with the Sistine Chapel .

Some tours include taking the shortcut from the Sistine Chapel into St Peters Basilica.

There has been some back and forth recently about whether the shortcut is available or not, but for now, it is once again the case that  you can only take the shortcut  from the Sistine Chapel to  St Peter's Basilica  if you are on a tour that  INCLUDES  the basilica.

The Vatican can, and does, change their mind frequently on this matter, so if it is important to you to be able to take this shortcut, I recommend booking a tour that ends in St Peter's Basilica to be on the safe side.

If you are on a tour that ends in the Basilica the decision is made for you.

But if you are taking a Vatican Museums tour that does not include the Basilica, or if you are visiting the Vatican Museums on your own, you'll have to decide what order to visit the museums and the basilica in, assuming you want to visit both on the same day, which many people do.

 🔐 Store your bags and luggage securely! 🧳

We're parterned with Radical Storage who have locations across Italy for you to keep your luggage safe before and after check-in, while on day trips and for everything else between 👌

Click here to book now and use code ROMEWISE to save 5%!

How long does it take to visit the Vatican Museums?

To  visit the Vatican Museums  (where the Sistine Chapel is),  you need a purchase a ticket  (unless you  come on the Free Sunday .)

Once inside, even if you go quickly, you will need about 2 hours for this this visit.

If you are not able to take the shortcut from the Sistine Chapel to Saint Peter's basilica, you will exit the museums where you entered them.

This is about a 15-20 minute walk from Saint Peter's Square and the entrance to the basilica.

Click here to see a map of Vatican City and how far apart the entrances of the Museums and the Basilica are  (it opens in a new window.)

St Peter's Basilica Shortcut

You can only take the shortcut from the Sistine Chapel to St Peter's Basilica if you are on a tour that INCLUDES the basilica.

The shortcut is open from 9:30 am - 5 or 5:30PM, and it's ONLY accessible to tour companies or private guides that you book OUTSIDE the Vatican Museums website.

The Vatican Museums does not have any ticket or tour that includes the shortcut.

This means that you won't have access to the shortcut during the  KeyMaster tour , the  Extra Time tour , or any other tour that does not specifically include the basilica.

If you book any tour of the Vatican Museums, you can check the details to see if it finishes in the  Sistine Chapel  or the basilica.

Click here to view a map of Vatican City  (it will open in a new page.)

How long does it take to visit Saint Peter's Basilica?

A visit inside Saint Peter's Basilica could take anywhere from 1-2 hours, not including the time you spend in line waiting to go through security (assuming you go through security in the front and do not take the shortcut from the Sistine Chapel.)

To visit Saint Peter's Basilica, you do not need (nor can you buy) tickets, as it's free to go inside.

But you do have to wait in the line for security, which is airport-style - there is an x-ray machine to put your items in and you will walk through a metal detector.

And that can cause the queues to get pretty long.

Lately, the lines to get into Saint Peter's Basilica have been so long, they are looping back again around the square.

Wondering which tour to take of the Vatican Museums?

Visit my page about Vatican Museum tours to find out all the options!

If you book a Vatican Museums tour that does not allow you access to the Basilica, and/or you want to visit the Basilica separately, even on a different day, I'd suggest getting to Saint Peter's Basilica when it opens at 7 AM (if you want to avoid the line).

The lines are longest from about 10 AM - 5 PM, and in high season can be long throughout the day, even from 7 AM until closing!

Skipping the lines at Saint Peter's Basilica

The easiest way to skip the lines at Saint Peter's Basilica is to visit it using the shortcut from the Sistine Chapel (which currently is only available on booked museum tours that end in Saint Peter's Basilica).

There has been some back and forth recently about whether the shortcut is available or not, but for now, it is once again the case that  you can only take the shortcut  from  the Sistine Chapel to  St Peter's Basilica  if you are on a tour that  INCLUDES  the basilica.

As of now, you cannot do this  unless you are on a tour .

If you only plan to visit Saint Peter's Basilica , and not the museums, or you decide to visit these two sites separately, you can avoid the queues by following the tips in my video above:

• Come when it opens at 7 AM
• Come in Low Season
• Book a visit to Saint Peter's tomb
• Use the Pilgrims' entrance - reserved for prayer or attending mass or confession

Wondering where the bathrooms are at the Vatican?

Find out here .

Brief History of Vatican City eBook

The history of the Vatican stretches back thousands of years, and to know everything about this incredible micro-state would take a lifetime to learn.

With this eBook, discover the brief history of Vatican City - where it got its name, who built the basilica, where the Popes are buried and more!

Topics covered include:

• Details about the Vatican's origin , going back to the time of Ancient Rome
• The role important artists such as Michelangelo played in the creation of the Vatican as we know it today 
• How the Vatican came to be an independent city state within the boundaries of Rome

What else is included in this Brief History of Vatican City e-book?

• 50+ pages of information covering all areas of the Vatican's history
• Dozens of stunning and original photos showcasing the Vatican
• Insightful diagrams and drawings to help illustrate the more detailed elements of the Vatican's history
• + much more!

Look inside:

Only $8.99!

Skipping the line to get into the Vatican Museums

This may be the number 1 question I get about visiting Rome - How to skip the line for the Vatican Museums?

It's quite simple:

• You can pre-purchase tickets to the Vatican Museums through the Vatican's website . This means that you will not have to stand in the line waiting to buy tickets. You will, however, have to wait in a very short line of others like you, who have pre-booked tickets and have to pick them up. (The tickets you purchase in advance are more of a voucher, and they must be converted into physical paper tickets to enter the museums.) You also still need to go through security as everyone does. So you do not entirely skip the line, but your line will be much shorter.
• You can pre-purchase tickets to the Vatican Museums through a ticket reseller . There is usually a small surcharge for this but it can be worth it due to 1) Ease of use and/or 2) the possibility of finding tickets available here when tickets are not available on the Vatican Museums' website.
• You can purchase an Omnia Pass  or Turbo Pass .  These will also get you a tour with a guide from the Vatican Museums, as above. It’s not as simple as it sounds and you will need to be careful to understand what you are getting into. Click here to go to my page about the Roma Pass and Omnia Pass  or to this page about other Rome City Passes for more details about these passes.
• You can  book a tour of the Vatican Museums , either with a tour company or with the Vatican Museums themselves.  Your entry tickets are included in the tour, so you only have to go through the security line.
• If you book a visit to the Vatican Gardens , skip-the-line tickets to the Vatican Museums are included!
• I do not recommend this at all, but if you have not booked tickets, and they are sold out online, and you find yourself arriving at the Vatican Museums, you will ALWAYS find touts selling you a skip-the-line ticket or tour. I don't recommend it because you cannot be sure they are legit, and if they are, you have no idea what kind of tour you are getting. I also just can't stand, in principle, to be so bombarded by these guys every time I am within a mile of Vatican City. But it can be a good option if it's your last recourse and the lines are crazy long. Just be aware that  only licensed tour guides may give tours inside Vatican City .

Visiting the Vatican Museums with a Guide

Most Vatican City tourism consists primarily of a visit inside the Vatican Museums, which always includes  the Sistine Chapel .

Some tours also include a visit or even a tour inside Saint Peter's Basilica.

You may expect a guided tour of the Vatican Museums and Basilica to last roughly three hours total.

To find out about the many different kinds of tours you can book, visit my page about Vatican Museum Tours , which breaks down your options between group tours, early access tours, semi-private tours and more.

Can you just see the Sistine Chapel?

No, you cannot just see the Sistine Chapel .

To see the Sistine Chapel , you must go through the entire Vatican Museums, which can take at least 2 hours if you tour it and see the highlights .

The Sistine Chapel is at the very end. 

That said, if you are interested in an "Express Tour" of the Sistine Chapel, you can book this tour that skips the line then beelines to the Sistine Chapel and finishes in Saint Peter's Basilica .

This tour is only 1 hour and 45 minutes and does not include a tour of the rest of the Vatican Museums.

You do still have to walk through them, but the focus of the tour will be the Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter's Basilica.

(If you are really pressed for time, you could peel off once you get to the basilica and just not finish the tour.)

is it worth taking the time to explore the museums?

I really do believe that visiting the Vatican museums  is absolutely worth doing in its entirety, even if you really only wanted to see the Sistine Chapel.

The  rest of the museums   are truly wonderful.

You have the Raphael rooms, the maps gallery, the floor-to-ceiling tapestries, papal apartments, Etruscan art, and  so much more.

Click here to visit my page about the top 10 Vatican Museums must-sees.

I highly suggest  taking a tour  to visit the museums. 

They will take care of getting your tickets.

But if you go your own without a tour, you could get the audio guide, or follow my instructions here for the best way to visit the Vatican Museums .

And you will have to book your tickets on your own .

If you are heading to the Vatican in the morning, as I said above, I suggest you visit Saint Peter’s Basilica first, and the museums later, because the queues for Saint Peter's Basilica have gotten so long (sometimes it's a 1-2 hour wait to get in!)

If you decide to go to the Vatican Museums first, just make sure to leave enough time to stand in line to visit Saint Peter's so that you get inside while there is still some daylight, so you can enjoy the sun coming through all the stained glass.

Here's a great Vatican Highlights Tour with St. Peter’s Dome Climb

Can you see the Sistine Chapel without the crowds?

Perhaps the easiest way to see the Sistine Chapel with fewer crowds is to come in really low season .

But we hardly have a low season anymore in Rome, and even when we do, somehow the Vatican is always still crowded.

So how can you see the Sistine Chapel without the crowds?

It is possible!

With the below tours, you will have a VIP, exclusive experience, and you'll get to enjoy the Sistine Chapel almost alone :

Open the Vatican Museums with the Key Master

On this exclusive tour with Walks of Italy , you will have true VIP access to the Vatican museums - literally accompanying the guard who opens all the doors to get the museums ready for visits.

You will accompany the Vatican Museums Key Master as you walk through the museums, turning on the lights, even inside the Sistine Chapel!

Watch my video to see what it's like:

How to plan all your Vatican trips during your stay

The typical way of visiting the Vatican is to spend half a day seeing the  Vatican Museums  and  Saint Peter's Basilica .

These are both easy to fit into a typical  3-day visit to Rome .

The perfect 3-day itinerary in Rome

Trying to figure out how to organize your visit to Rome? I've got the perfect 3-day itinerary for first-time visitors (or those who have not been here in a while.) It works for a 2.5 day visit as well.

In my 3-day itinerary, you'll see all the major must-see Rome attractions like the Vatican , Colosseum , Trevi Fountain , Pantheon , Piazza Navona , Spanish Steps , Castel Sant'Angelo , and much more.

And if you have more time, or want suggestions for extra/other things to do, you'll find that there too.

Visit my page with the best 3-day itinerary in Rome for first-timers .

I have found that often when people can get tickets to special things at the Vatican, like St Peters tomb (the Vatican Necropolis, or scavi ), the Papal Audience , or the Vatican Gardens , they often want to also visit the Vatican Museums on the same day.

Here's my advice for visiting Vatican City when you want to see more than just the Vatican Museums:

Including the Papal Audience

How to visit the vatican museums and attend the papal audience.

Papal Audience tickets  are not difficult to come by, and since it's "in the morning", many visitors assume it would be a good idea to go to the Vatican Museums right after the audience.

I don't agree.

If you are really short on time, then, you CAN go to the Vatican Museums after the Papal Audience.

It's just that this is going to make for a pretty exhausting day.

To go to the Papal audience, you need to get there by 8am to get a decent spot, let alone a seat.

The audience begins around 9:30 AM and finishes around noon.

You'll probably want to grab at least a snack or lunch somewhere in there .

This means going inside the museums from about 2 PM once you have made your way to the Vatican Museum entrance.

If you also visit St. Peter's Basilica after the museums (which is typical), that is a 3-4 hour visit.

And a very long day. (Also, if you want to climb the dome , you likely won't get there in time.)

My suggestion?

If you can break these visits up over two days, I would.

Attend the Papal Audience and then go inside Saint Peter's Basilica (and climb the dome if you want.)

Then on a separate day, visit the Vatican Museums and see the Sistine Chapel.

Including a visit to the Scavi (St Peter's tomb)

How to visit the vatican museums and also take a scavi tour.

At the end of the  scavi  tour (St. Peter's tomb), you wind up inside  Saint Peter's basilica .

So you will already see that.

You could also  climb St. Peter's dome  if you have time and energy.

Visiting the Vatican Museums takes easily 2.5 - 3 hours, and that does not include the time it takes GETTING there once you leave the basilica.

If you are coming to the museums from St. Peter's basilica, you need to factor in about 15-20 minutes' walk to the Vatican museums entrance.

This is after you've already done a 1.5 hour scavi tour, and spent time walking around one of the largest churches in the world.

So as you can see, adding the Vatican Museums makes it a pretty exhausting day.

If you need to do it all in one day, make sure to book your scavi tour first, then book your museums visit with at least 4 hours between visits.

Break this up over two days.

Book the scavi tour.

You have no control over when they will grant you tickets, so if you are lucky enough to get them, you can then book other things around that. 

Plan to see St. Peter's basilica (and climb the dome) on this day.

Then, book your Vatican Museums visit for another day. 

HOW TO VISIT ST PETERS TOMB, THE VATICAN MUSEUMS (SISTINE CHAPEL), AND ATTEND THE PAPAL AUDIENCE

You are definitely going to need two days.

First book the scavi visit  which is never on a Wednesday mornings anyway (the Papal Audience is on Wednesdays.)

Plan to  visit St Peter's Basilica  after that, since you will come out into the basilica after the tour anyway.

If you want to  climb St Peter's dome , you will do it on this day.

This is a pretty long and full day by itself.

Then, once you get your  Papal Audience tickets , book your tickets or tour of the Vatican Museums for after the audience (even if I said above I discourage doing all this in one day, at least if you don't include the basilica it's a little less tiring).

This will be a very full and long day also.

Ready to plan your trip?

Including a visit to the Vatican Gardens

If you want to visit the vatican gardens and visit the scavi (st. peter's tomb).

TWO Vatican Gardens

On this page, I'm referring to the gardens inside Vatican City , i.e. directly behind Saint Peter's Basilica.

There are ALSO papal gardens at the Pope's summer residence, the Apostolic palace at Castel Gandolfo.

To learn more about the gardens at Castel Gandolfo and how to visit them (it's easy!), visit my dedicated page here.

If you are able to get tickets to St. Peter's tomb ( scavi ) and also the Vatican Gardens , congratulations!

Here's how to include visiting the Vatican Museums and St. Peter's basilica as well.

First book the scavi visit .

Then book the Vatican Gardens tour on a different day, and plan to visit the Vatican Museums right after the gardens, as it's included in your ticket price with the gardens.

Visit St. Peter's Basilica after the scavi, again, on a different day from the Gardens/Museums.

If you want to do it all - visit the Vatican Museums, vatican gardens, papal audience, scavi tour and st peter's basilica and dome

How you plan your days fitting in these visits will depend on two things  - the Papal audience , which is always Wednesday morning 10am - 12pm (although you need to get there by no later than 8am); and the time of your scavi booking (which depends on the scavi office - you cannot control this).

Once you get those two bookings, the next difficult booking to get is for the Vatican Gardens . 

So book that one around the Papal Audience and scavi tour.

Note that tours of the Vatican Gardens are at 9am or 11am.

They are also not held on the morning of the Papal Audience.

I'd suggest you spread this over 3 days.

Or, to fit this into two (intense) days, try to do the scavi tour after the Papal audience, if you can get scavi tickets for the afternoon.

Then book the Vatican Gardens, Vatican Museums , and St. Peter's Basilica on a separate day.

(And climb St. Peter's dome once you are inside St. Peter's basilica if you like.)

How to Get to Vatican City

You have several options for how to get to the Vatican.

But the most important factor to consider is what you are visiting first.

Click here to see a Google map showing where the different entrances are for the Vatican Museums, Saint Peter's Square, and the scavi entrance . It will open in a new window.

How to get to the Vatican Museums

The Vatican Museums entrance is on Viale Vaticano .

If you plan to take a taxi , just tell the driver "Vatican Museums".

Visiting the Vatican Museums and arriving by Metro

Otherwise, the most common way to get there is by Metro.

Rome's metro red line A has two stops, equidistant from the entrance to the museums (about a 10-12 minute walk): Ottaviano and Cipro .

The Ottaviano metro stop is the first one you will come to if you are coming from Rome's center.

When you emerge from the metro station, you just need to follow the crowd towards Vatican City.

Once you see Michelangelo's bastions (walls), follow them to the right and you will come to the entrance of the Vatican Museums.

If you are visiting the Vatican museums from the opposite direction, or if you forget to get off at Ottaviano, or, better yet, if you want to get off at the next stop to get some fabulous pizza by the slice from Bonci's Pizzarium, then you will get off at Cipro stop. 

However, from this stop, you cannot see the same stream of people, nor can you immediately see the Vatican City walls, so you will need to navigate a little bit to find the walls.

Once you see the walls, follow them until you come to the entrance.

Visiting the Vatican Museums and Arriving by Bus

Another option for arriving at the entrance of the Vatican museums is to take a bus or buses.

Many buses will get you pretty close to the entrance of the Vatican museums.

These include the 492, 49, 23, and the 81.

How to Get to Saint Peter's Basilica and Square

The entrance to St. Peter's Basilica is on Saint Peter's Square .

This is about a 15-20 minute walk from the Vatican Museums, so if you are not visiting the Vatican Museums (or not visiting them first), and want to go directly to the basilica, you can still take the metro, but make sure to get off at Ottaviano, not Cipro.

From Ottaviano metro stop, St. Peter's Square is about a 10-15 minute walk .

Follow the crowds, but at the walls, do not make a right towards the museums, just keep going straight. 

Buses that arrive closest to St. Peter's Square include the 40 and the 64.

How to get to the Scavi/St Peter's Tomb

If you are visiting the Vatican for an appointment to see St. Peter's tomb, the fastest and easiest way to arrive is by taxi .

They can drop you right in front of the entrance where you need to go, which is at the Swiss Guard, to the left of the basilica as you face it.

If you take a bus, get the 64, as it drops you about a block away.

To take the metro , make sure to get off at Ottaviano, and give yourself about 20 minutes' walking time from there to get the the entrance of St. Peter's tomb.

Where to Eat Near the Vatican

There is no place to eat inside St Peter's Basilica or in St Peter's Square (there is a tiny snack bar on the roof of the basilica, which you can only access if you climb the dome .)

There are some cafés and fast-food options inside the Vatican Museums.

There are also fun dining options you can book, and combine with your visit to the Museums.

Otherwise, visit my page about lots of options for eating breakfast, lunch, dinner and aperitivo near the Vatican . 

Want to  share this page on Pinterest ? Pin it here!

Get your 100%  free  Rome trip planner now!

Simply sign-up today for our free newsletter and get the Romewise Quick Start guide to Rome:

We are committed to respecting your data. Click for our Privacy Policy .

Comments? Questions? Suggestions?

Please come over to the private Romewise Facebook group and join in the conversation.

You will often find me there, happy to answer your questions / comments!

You will also meet other Rome lovers and experts, too.

What are you waiting for?

Come join in the fun !

Read here about our sponsorship policy

Top attractions and tours

• Colosseum - Don't miss visiting Rome's most iconic monument
• Vatican Museums - This is where the Sistine Chapel is
• Pantheon - Book ahead and skip the line
• Galleria Borghese - You'll need to book ahead for one of Rome's best museums
• Castel Sant'Angelo - See Rome's history through its architecture
• Rome City Pass - A great way to make your Rome visits easier

Disclosure : If you make a purchase through a link on this page, I may receive a small commission - at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my site!

New to Romewise? Start Here

Get the most out of Romewise

Coming To Rome?

Weather in Rome

Accommodation

Already in Rome?

Things to Do

Home    |    About Me    |    Privacy Policy    |    Legal Disclaimer    |    Affiliate Disclosure    |   Contact Me

Copyright © 2009-2024 by Elyssa Bernard, Romewise.com | All Rights Reserved.

• Rome Tourism
• Rome Hotels
• Rome Bed and Breakfast
• Rome Vacation Rentals
• Flights to Rome
• Rome Restaurants
• Things to Do in Rome
• Rome Travel Forum
• Rome Photos
• All Rome Hotels
• Rome Hotel Deals
• Last Minute Hotels in Rome
• Things to Do
• Restaurants
• Vacation Rentals
• Travel Stories
• Rental Cars
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travelers' Choice
• Help Center

Access to St. Peter's directly from Sistine Chapel - Rome Forum

• Europe    
• Italy    
• Lazio    
• Rome    

Access to St. Peter's directly from Sistine Chapel

• United States Forums
• Europe Forums
• Canada Forums
• Asia Forums
• Central America Forums
• Africa Forums
• Caribbean Forums
• Mexico Forums
• South Pacific Forums
• South America Forums
• Middle East Forums
• Honeymoons and Romance
• Business Travel
• Train Travel
• Traveling With Disabilities
• Tripadvisor Support
• Solo Travel
• Bargain Travel
• Timeshares / Vacation Rentals
• Lazio forums

10 replies to this topic

"With reference to your email, we inform you that if you want to go to St. Peter’s Basilica, once the guided tour will be over, you cannot use the special passage from the Sistine Chapel to St Peter’s Basilica, but you have to exit from Viale Vaticano and walk back all the way around the walls until Piazza S. Pietro."

This topic has been discussed many times over the last few months.

Yes, reservations through third party tour companies are never guaranteed.

At the present time, the tours offered through the official website don't normally use the shortcut.

If I want to see St. Peter's Basilica , should I plan on doing that BEFORE my tour? And if so can you tell me what time to arrive to give myself enough time to climb to the top of St. Peters and do a quick self tour of St. Peters? I am not someone who lingers staring at things for a long time.

Thank you!!

It's about a half hour brisk walk from the basilica to the front of the museums. You'll want at least an hour, or more, to climb the dome and look around a bit. You'll want at least another hour, or more, to get through security and visit the basilica so give yourself at least 3 hours for all that, more if possible. If you get there by noon you should have enough time.

Thanks for clarifying dbabe.

#22 on this map is the entrance/exit of the museums:

http://stpetersbasilica.info/vaticancity-map.htm

Everyone who has booked entry tickets or tours gets to skip the long ticket lines. That is not something that is exclusive to third party guides. The line is for those needing to buy tickets. If you already have tickets or a tour booked you go to the guard and they will allow you to go to the front of the line at the appropriate time.

• Safe area June 9:51 am
• Electric rental car - green zone or parking benefits? 9:16 am
• Colosseum Arena Access 7:13 am
• Rome Restaurants recommendations for families? 6:46 am
• Vatican restoration? 3:47 am
• Luggage Storage Bounce vs Airport? 12:43 am
• New colosseum booking information yesterday
• New article on bars for aperitivo (happy hour) in Rome yesterday
• Rome Lounge yesterday
• Access to St. Peter's directly from Sistine Chapel yesterday
• Report, just got back :) yesterday
• Colosseum private tours on last minute change to Rome yesterday
• Colosseum Tour Canceled yesterday
• If you had to choose 1 thing other than Vatican or Coloss... yesterday
• What is the best location to stay in Rome? 8 replies
• Transportation from Rome to Venice 459 replies
• Roma Pass- Is it Worth Buying? 504 replies
• Beaches in/near Rome 3 replies
• Best area to Stay in Rome 2 replies
• Best time to go to Italy 6 replies
• Weather During December 10 replies
• What to Wear/Fashion a & September Weather in Rome/Tuscany 23 replies
• Low Budget Places to Stay in Rome? 30 replies
• Visiting Italy... where to stay in Rome 13 replies

Rome Hotels and Places to Stay

• When to go to Rome
• Money matters in Rome
• Getting around Rome
• Food in Rome - restaurants, rooftop bars, aperitivo (happy hour), pasta places, etc.
• Crime and safety in Rome, including helpful tips
• Passport questions
• Special free (or almost free) events in Rome
• Renting an apartment in Rome
• Day trips from Rome, including Naples/Pompeii, Florence, and beaches
• General information about train travel in Italy
• General Italy travel tips

Vatican Museums

Where we are.

General information +39 06 69883145 [email protected] Office of the Directorate +39 06 69883332 [email protected]

Publications and Merchandising

Sculptures >

Publications >

Gift ideas >

Prints and Posters >

Accessories >

Home decor >

Follow us Menu

Social media

Support menu, patrons of the arts.

Discover the Museums

Discover the virtual tours, search menu, advanced search.