Visit Vatican: Sistine Chapel, museums, tickets, tours & tips

The Vatican is a must-see on a trip to Rome, you have to visit it. Although, it is the victim of his success: bustling and crowded. Visiting the Vatican can be a real hassle. In this post, we share what we learned from visiting the Vatican without a guide and how to visit St. Peter’s Basilica with skip-the-line tickets:

1. The Must-sees in the Vatican 
2. Best days to visit and days to avoid 
3. Skip-the-line tickets 
4. Practical advice: lunch, walk, how to get there 

1. The must-sees of the Vatican: what to visit in the Vatican?

The Vatican is a city-state. It is a country enclaved in Italy. In the Vatican, several places are open without a guide, but others are only accessible with a certified guide.

1.1 St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sacred Grottoes, and the panorama from the dome

If you have little time, this is the place to visit first. St. Peter’s Basilica is exceptional inside! You can also climb on the Basilica’s dome and walk on the roof, with a view of Rome!

The visit to the Sacred Caves is accessible with tickets for the Basilica. Tickets for the panorama from the Saint Peter’s Basilica dome are sold separately.

Panorama from the dome. Tickets for the dome are sold at a particular counter after ticket control for the Basilica. You have to queue for the Basilica and pass the security control. Once done, you can buy tickets for the dome. There are 2 types of tickets: the one with the elevator is more expensive, and the other by the stairs is cheaper.

1.2 Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel

The Vatican Museums are remarkable for their collections but also their interiors! It is a fascinating place to visit, as the Vatican has one of the world’s largest, most beautiful, and rich art collections.

1.3 Tours with guide only

Visiting the Vatican Gardens or the Vatican Necropolis (or Scavi) without a guide is impossible. You can only see these places on a guided tour.

2. When to visit the Vatican: times, tips, best days

To avoid. There is one day to avoid unless you want to see the Pope: Wednesday! (we did make this colossal mistake on easter week!) On Wednesdays, the Basilica is closed. Same for Sunday: the Basilica and the Sistine Chapel are closed.

Best time? Clearly, in winter, there are far fewer people and queues. But if you come at other times of the year, prefer Monday, Tuesday or Thursday. Otherwise, opt for skip-the-line tickets to avoid queues, which can take up to 3 hours.

Always check the timetable and exceptional closure on the Vatican’s website. It happens several times a year.

3. Skip-the-line tickets for visiting the Vatican

Several skip-the-line tickets are available to visit the Vatican, depending on what you want to see. Click to see the availability according to your dates:

• St. Peter’s Basilica: without an individual guide, just the visit of the Basilica avoiding the queue and an audio guide. Once the checks have been passed, you can buy tickets for the dome.
• Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel: Skip-the-Line Tickets
• Guided tour of the museums and the chapel
• Guided tour of the gardens, museum, and chapel

Good to know! You can take a guided group tour if you can’t find tickets to visit the Vatican without a guide (yes, it’s possible in peak season). There are often last-minute guided tours for group visits.

4. Practical advice for visiting the Vatican

Here are some handy tips for visiting the Vatican on a trip to Rome.

4.1 How to go to the Vatican?

From the heart of downtown Rome, you can walk to the Vatican. It is a pleasant walk! You can opt for accommodation close to the Vatican: more information on our blog about Rome’s neighborhoods.

You can also take a bus. Although, you will still need to walk at least a little, and it’s not always quicker. If the weather is nice, we recommend taking a walk instead, especially since the streets of Rome are full of treasures!

4.2 What to wear in the Vatican?

Quoting the official website:

“Entry to the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Vatican Gardens is only permitted to visitors dressed in a respectful manner. High-cut and/or low-cut clothing, shorts above the knees, mini-skirts, and hats are not permitted.”

4.3 What else to see in the area?

Very close to the Vatican, 10 minutes on foot, there is the Castel Sant’Angelo. It is a Roman monument that was built in 125. It was to be a mausoleum but was later used for military purposes.

To know more about other places to visit in Rome, you can read our blog article: Visit Rome in 2, 3, or 4 days.

4.4 Where to eat during the visits?

There is nowhere to lunch in the Vatican. You have to leave the city-state to get back to Rome. You will find many places between the Vatican and the Castel Sant’Angelo.

Sfiziami Italian Bistrot is a trattoria with authentic and homemade Italian cuisine and delicious pasta. The place is tiny; there are only a few tables.

Borghiciana Pastificio Artigianale: exquisite italian food, one of the best pastas in Rome.

Vatican City is one of Rome, Italy’s best places to visit.