I mean, who wants to wait in line 2-3 hours to enter a museum while on holiday? I definitely don’t, and I bet you agree! Unfortunately, that turns out to be the reality for many tourists to Rome who don’t plan their visit to the Vatican Museums in advance and end up waiting in line.
Trust me when I say I never saw queues as long as the ones at the Vatican Museums. I’m not joking; you could very likely wait in line for multiple hours – I’ve seen the queue being as long as 1 km outside the entrance, I kid you not.
And when you mix it with the summer heat of Rome if you’re visiting in high season, that definitely doesn’t sound appealing, does it? But you don’t have to take the Sistine Chapel, located inside the Vatican Museums, out of your Rome itinerary.
Fortunately, there’s a way to avoid the queues: plan in advance and book Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums skip the line tickets! But which one to choose?
To help you plan your visit, I’ve put together this very comprehensive guide to the best tours and tickets to the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums that let you skip the line. You’ll thank me later!
Table of Contents
BEFORE VISITING THE VATICAN MUSEUMS & SISTINE CHAPEL IN ROME
Before visiting the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, here it’s some practical information to help you plan your trip.
Hours of Operation
The Vatican Museums are open from Monday to Saturday from 8 AM to 8 PM (last entry at 6 PM). The museum is closed on Sunday except for the last Sunday of the month.
How to Get to the Vatican Museums in Rome
Using the metro is the best option to get around Rome unless your destination is within walking distance.
➤ Take metro line A to the Ottaviano – S. Pietro station: The Vatican Museums are just a 5-minute walk from there. If you prefer to take the bus, buses 40 and 64 are very frequent and connect Rome city center with the Vatican as well.
Free Tickets to the Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
If you’re visiting Rome on the last Sunday of the month, you can visit the Vatican Museums for free from 9 AM to 2 PM (and get free entry to the Sistine Chapel as well).
However, it doesn’t mean that if it’s free you should go for it. Yes, you’ll get to save some money, but expect very large crowds. Maybe you don’t mind, but if you do, keep reading…
VATICAN MUSEUMS & SISTINE CHAPEL TICKETS: SKIP THE LINE & ENJOY YOUR VISIT!
It is NOT possible to buy Vatican Museum tickets directly at the door; the only way to get access is by purchasing them online in advance. Below, you’ll find the best entrance tickets and tours available to visit the Sistine Chapel.
If you’re in a hurry, this is an overview of the best tours to visit:
| SKIP-THE-LINE TICKETS | Museums & Sistine Chapel Entrance Ticket |
| GUIDED TOUR | Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & Basilica Tour |
| EARLY ENTRANCE TOUR | Pristine Sistine Early Entrance Vatican Tour |
| TOUR OF ROME + VATICAN | Rome in a Day Tour with Vatican & Colosseum |
| FAMILY-FRIENDLY TOUR | Vatican & Sistine Chapel Skip the Line Tour for Kids |
Pre-Book your Vatican Skip the Line Tickets and Visit on Your Own
If you’d like to visit the museums on your own, you can book this Vatican: Museums & Sistine Chapel Entrance Ticket. It grants you skip-the-line access, so you don’t have to wait in the queue, and allows you to admire the Papal collections and priceless art at the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel.
The entrance is timed, but once you’re in, you can stay for as long as you want to. If desired, you can include an audio guide to learn about the site at your own pace.
This ticket includes: Skip-the-line access to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, and an optional audio guide. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
Book a Vatican Skip the Line Guided Tour
I’ll be honest, I get bored pretty quickly when visiting museums, and most of the time it’s because I don’t really understand what I’m looking at.
So, when planning my trip to Rome, I decided to book a guided tour, and oh boy – I’m so glad I did! Which is why I highly recommend visiting the Vatican with one. These are the top tours:
▶️ This Rome: Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & Basilica Tour starts by skipping all the lines and entering the museums through a separate entrance. Led by a professional guide, you’ll explore the various galleries, learning about the art, history, and culture displayed in each room.
After checking out some of the most iconic areas, such as the Gallery of Maps and the Gallery of Tapestries, step foot in the Sistine Chapel, home to Michelangelo’s most iconic frescoes and his famous sculpture La Pietà. You can opt to include a visit to the Basilica at the end of the tour.
This tour includes: Skip-the-line tickets, a guide, a headset, and digital content. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
▶️ The Rome: The Original Entire Vatican Tour & St. Peter’s Dome Climb is a really great option. The tour lasts 4.5 hours, and during that time, you’ll get to discover the Vatican in-depth, exploring many areas that few tourists get to access.
Start by climbing up to St. Peter’s Basilica’s dome, from where you’ll get sweeping views of the Vatican and St. Peter’s Square. Then, enjoy a guided tour of the church’s interiors, followed by a visit to the lesser-known Papal Sarcophagi, located below the basilica.
Next up is a tour around the Vatican Museums, where you’ll get priority access to explore the galleries and the Sistine Chapel, admiring their masterpieces up close.
This tour includes: Skip-the-line entrance, dome climb, and a guide. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
▶️ This Private Vatican Museums Tour with Sistine Chapel & St. Peter’s Basilica is perfect for groups, accommodating up to five people. You’ll benefit from your guide’s undivided attention as you tour the various galleries in the Vatican Museums, learning about the paintings and sculptures housed there.
You’ll also visit the gorgeous Sistine Chapel, discovering its history and significance before setting foot in St. Peter’s Basilica, where one of Michelangelo’s most iconic pieces, La Pietà, lives.
The tour lasts three hours, and you can choose your preferred timeslot in the morning or afternoon.
This tour includes: Skip-the-line tickets, a guide, and a private tour. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
Book an Early Entry Tour to the Sistine Chapel
How about entering the Sistine Chapel before everyone else? The Pristine Sistine Early Entrance Small Group Vatican Tour includes early access tickets for you to visit the Vatican right at opening time, when it’s still quiet and nearly empty.
Your guide will provide a full tour of the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica, explaining the history, architecture, and significance of the buildings and displays for the Catholic and the artistic world.
You’ll visit the Raphael rooms, admire the frescoes painted by Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, and wander through the galleries of Maps, Tapestries, and Candelabra.
This tour includes: Early access tickets, skip-the-line, a guide, and headsets. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
See the Sisitine Chapel Alone with These Exclusive Tours
▶️ Book Alone in the Sistine Chapel: VIP Entry at the Vatican’s Most Exclusive Hours to visit the popular attraction without many crowds. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did, because the Vatican can get packed!
You’ll visit early in the morning or in the evening, when the majority of the tourists have gone home, and explore the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel with a professional guide. Get up close to the paintings and sculptures, learning about their symbolism and history, and discover the role of the Vatican and its artistic heritage for the world.
The tour lasts two hours, and it’s available only on a few dates every year, so you should book in advance.
This tour includes: A walking tour, a guide, and exclusive access to the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
▶️ This VIP Key Master’s Tour: Open The Sistine Chapel is a very special tour, as you’ll join the Vatican’s Key Master to open the Sistine Chapel, getting in before anyone else.
Witness the ceremony of opening up the Vatican Museums, unlocking the various galleries, and taking a peek at their wonderful art with a professional, knowledgeable guide. Admire pieces by Leonardo Da Vinci, Caravaggio, and Michelangelo while learning about their painting techniques and symbolism.
This tour, due to its exclusiveness, caters to small groups and sells out quickly, so be sure to book it well in advance.
This tour includes: Entrance fees, a Key Master’s ceremony, and a guide. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
Book a Rome Tour with Skip-the-line Access to the Vatican Museums
Enjoy a packed excursion with Rome in a Day Tour with Vatican, Colosseum & Historic Center. You’ll join a local tour to explore the major highlights of Rome, starting with a visit to the Colosseum, where you’ll skip the lines and hear fascinating tales of gladiator and beast fights as you explore the amphitheater.
Then, move on to the Roma Forum, the ancient heart of the empire, and pass by the iconic Pantheon building. Stroll to the stunning Trevi Fountain (don’t forget to toss a coin for good luck!) and grab a gelato in Piazza Navona.
After a lunch break (own expense), you’ll head to the Vatican, getting to tour the Museums and the Sistine Chapel, admiring their world-class art and learning about their history and artists.
This tour includes: A guide, entry fees, and transportation. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE VATICAN MUSEUMS AND SISTINE CHAPEL
If you’re reading this post, chances are you already know a thing or two about the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, so I’ll just give you a little re-introduction to remind you why a visit to the Vatican should 100% be included in your Rome itinerary.
The Vatican Museums were founded by Pope Julius II in the early 1500s, and considering that the later popes kept expanding the collection, it’s easy to understand why the Vatican Museums are one of the most important art collections in the world. You can visit the Vatican Museums in as little as a couple of hours, but you could also spend a full day (or more) here: the museum is made of over 7 km of statues, paintings, and other art pieces – crazy, right?
Expect all kinds of art from very different times. Some of the highlights of the Vatican Museums are the Raphael Rooms, 4 rooms frescoed by Raphael, the Gallery of the Statues (beautiful statues in marble), and the 9 rooms of the Gregorian Egyptian Museum where you’ll find tons of Egyptian artifacts. Check out also the Spiral Staircase, one of the most photographed staircases in the whole world.
The Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo is part of the Vatican Museums, but it’s often referred to separately because it’s no ordinary art piece. The Sistine Chapel will most likely be the grand finale of your visit to the Vatican Museums before exiting the grounds.
VISITING THE VATICAN MUSEUMS WITH CHILDREN
Visiting the Vatican Museums & the Sistine Chapel with children can prove challenging, especially if you are traveling to Rome with young kids.
The huge lines, coupled with the summer heat if you are visiting in the high season, take a toll on adults as well, so the experience is less than enjoyable for children. Plus, the Vatican Museums are huge, and not very interactive at all, which means the visit can be quite boring for kids.
Trust me, growing up in Italy meant that as a child was dragged to tens of museums and castles and exhibitions, and it was so boring! But this doesn’t mean you should skip the museums, it just means you’ll have to plan your visit a little bit more!
First of all, you definitely want to make sure you book in advance your Vatican and Sistine Chapel tickets skip the line – double important when you are visiting with kids. And to make things more interesting and interactive, consider booking a tour specifically for children. I’ve found two really good ones.
▶️ The Vatican & Sistine Chapel Skip the Line Tour for Kids is a private tour for your family, especially catering to the little ones.
With a professional guide, you’ll explore the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica using interactive visual learning tools, pop-up books, iPad games, and trivia. It’s a super fun tour for the kids, but also for adults!
This tour includes: Skip-the-line tickets, a guide, and a kid-friendly tour. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
TIPS FOR VISITING THE SISTINE CHAPEL & VATICAN MUSEUMS
Skip the Line: Expect very long lines if you don’t buy a skip-the-line ticket prior to your visit (possibly hours long). I strongly suggest buying your tickets online to avoid wasting time. You can buy your skip-the-line Vatican tickets here.
Accessibility: Visitors with certified invalidity over 74% can enter the museums for free (a companion as well if the visitor isn’t self-sufficient). The museums are accessible to visitors on regular wheelchairs, electric wheelchairs, and mobile scooters. However, in some areas, electric wheelchairs aren’t allowed – traditional wheelchairs can be hired free of charge at the entrance hall.
Dress Code: Only appropriately dressed visitors will be allowed inside the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel… and it really would be a shame to travel all that way and not be let in cause you’re not wearing the right clothing! Remember that shirts, miniskirts, low-cut or sleeveless clothing, and hats are not allowed.
Photography: You’re allowed to take pictures in the Vatican Museums without flash. However, it’s forbidden to take any photographs inside the Sistine Chapel. Tripods and selfie sticks are not allowed.
Best Time to Visit: During the week after lunch the museums seem a little less crowded, as many group tours have left.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
At the time of writing, regular tickets on the official site are 17 euros.
It is not mandatory to book your tickets for the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums in advance, but it’s highly recommended as the queues for the ticket office and the queues to enter the museums can be hours long.
Yes, you should, and make sure they are Vatican fast track tickets. You’ll avoid waiting in line for possibly hours!
Jeans are permitted – shirts, miniskirts, low cut or sleeveless clothing, and hats are not allowed.
Skip the line Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel tickets are highly recommended and in my opinion absolutely worth the few extra euros, especially if you are visiting during high season.
2 to 4 hours is the average visit to the Museums and St. Peter’s. I recommend setting aside a good half a day to visit the Vatican without rushing, and more if you’re not booking in advance your Vatican Museum tickets online.
After lunch during the week, the museums seem less crowded as many of the group tours visit in the morning.
Is this even a real question? The Sistine Chapel is absolutely worth a visit!
You can’t take pictures in the Sistine Chapel because the flashes from cameras can be harmful to the painting. The guards are very strict about everyone respecting this rule.
You won’t need your passport to visit the Vatican as there are no border controls between Italy and the Vatican.
This post contains affiliate links, which means if you book something through one of my links I might get a commission, at absolutely no extra cost to you
