Visiting the Vatican Museums: helpful tips for your upcoming trip!
The Vatican Museums are a must when coming to Rome. Let’s be honest: no one leaves without a glimpse in the Sistine Chapel!
Unfortunately, the long line and the crowd inside often discourage visitors, unless you already know what to do.
Before visiting the Vatican Museums here’s what you need to know!
Check opening hours
They are open from Monday to Saturday, from 9AM to 6PM (last entrance at 4PM). From April to October there is also a special opening every Friday evening, from 7PM to 11PM.
My suggestion is to avoid a visit in the morning, when the Museums are always overcrowded. I always recommend to go in the afternoon or, during summer, plan the visit during the Friday openings.
[Guys, this doesn’t mean there won’t be other visitors at all!]
The Vatican Museums were born as a private collection of the Popes along the centuries. Although they are in the smallest state of the world, they have 4 miles of Galleries and Rooms, over 100.000 objects on show in an area of 42.000 square meters. If you want to spend one minute at each artwork displayed you need 80 days!
Buy the tickets in advance
Before visiting the Vatican Museums, four magical words capture our attention: Skip-the-Line tickets.
There is no need to pay over €50 for a ticket, everyone can buy them on the official website of the Vatican Museums. Of course, it is better to book the tickets in advance: they are limited, so as soon as you know the travel date make sure you book them!
Forget headsets and books – ask for a guide!
To better enjoy your visit, you definitely need a guide. No books, no audio-guides.
Often when visiting the Vatican Museums alone you have the feeling you are missing a lot of its treasures: there are so many works and hidden stories that only a good guide would be able to reveal them all!
Usually the visits follow a fixed itinerary that includes the Pio Clementino Museum (classical antiquity), the Gallery of the Candelabras, the Gallery of the Tapestries, the Gallery of the Geographical Maps, Raphael’s Rooms and the Sistine Chapel.
Important rules you need to know
Yes, even the Vatican Museums have some rules.
- From the Sistine Chapel it is possible to reach St. Peter’ Basilica only in accordance with the liturgical celebrations or other events of Vatican City State.
- Access to the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica is permitted only to visitors dressed appropriately: no sleeveless blouses, no miniskirts, no shorts, no hats allowed in the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica.
- The Sistine Chapel is a religious place: no photos, no videos and no explanations are allowed inside. As respect for the place, you will be asked to be silent.
Hey! 🙂 Are you planning to come in Rome and you think you may need suggestions?
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