Things to do · Rome
Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel: how to choose a ticket
Miles of art, a ceiling you cannot photograph and a basilica with a dome over the city. These are the choices to make.
St Peter's Basilica
The basilica is free. The security queue is what you pay with.
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You have walked through gallery after gallery of maps, tapestries and marble. Then a door opens, a guard says ‘no photo’, and everyone in the room looks up at once. This is the Sistine Chapel, and it is quieter than you expect.
In short: Vatican Museums tickets
The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel are one visit. St Peter's Basilica is another, with its own queue. To do both in a day, a guided tour that takes you from the chapel straight into the basilica is the easiest option. Always book the museums ahead.
Our first choice: timed entry to the museums and the Sistine Chapel. See experiences and tickets
How to choose the right Vatican ticket
You want your own pace: timed entry with an audio guide. The cheapest and most flexible option.
First time in Rome: a guided tour of the museums, the chapel and St Peter's. The guide knows which rooms to skip.
You want the dome: a separate St Peter's tour with the dome and the crypts.
Three ways to see the Vatican
Choose by how much time you have.
Museums and chapel entry
For your own pace: timed entry with an optional audio guide.
Book: Museums and chapel entry
Guided tour with St Peter's
For first-timers: the museums, the Sistine Chapel and St Peter's with a guide, without two queues.
Book: Guided tour with St Peter's
St Peter's with the dome
For the view: priority entry to St Peter's Basilica, with the dome and the crypts.
Book: St Peter's with the dome
The view from the dome
The last stairs are narrow and slanting. The view over St Peter's Square makes you forget them.
Worth knowing
Dress code: cover your shoulders and knees in both the museums and the basilica. Bring a scarf if you are in a vest top.
No photos in the chapel: photography is not allowed in the Sistine Chapel, and the guards will tell you.
Sundays: the museums are closed on most Sundays. Check opening days before you book.
Getting there: metro line A to Ottaviano, then about ten minutes on foot.
Time: allow three hours for the museums and another hour for St Peter's.
Hotels in the centre
From the Spanish Steps the Vatican is about a 30-minute walk, and the rest of Rome is right outside the door.
Hassler Roma
The hotel has stood at the top of the steps since 1893.
Hassler Roma
For the view: at the top of the Spanish Steps since 1893, run by the same family for six generations. From the rooftop restaurant Imàgo you see the dome of St Peter's above the rooftops.
Book your stay: See rooms at Hassler Roma
Rocco Forte Hotel de Russie
The garden lies just behind the hotel, between Piazza del Popolo and the Pincio.
Rocco Forte Hotel de Russie
For the garden: a Rocco Forte hotel between Piazza del Popolo and the Spanish Steps. Behind the facade lies a terraced garden of around 2,800 square metres, and Picasso and Cocteau stayed here in 1917.
Book your stay: See rooms at Rocco Forte Hotel de Russie
More hotels in our Rome hotel guide.
Vatican Museums tickets: FAQ
Do I need to book the Vatican Museums in advance?
Yes. Tickets are sold with a time, and without a booking you may queue for a long time or not get in at all. Book a couple of weeks ahead, especially in spring and summer. On the last Sunday of the month the museums open with free entry, but the queues are very long.
Is the Sistine Chapel included in the Vatican Museums ticket?
Yes. The Sistine Chapel comes near the end of the route through the museums and is included in the standard ticket. St Peter's Basilica is not part of the museums and has its own entrance. The chapel is the last big room before the exit, so save some energy for the end. Photography is not allowed inside.
Is St Peter's Basilica free?
Yes, entry to St Peter's Basilica is free. You go through a security check, and the queue can be long. The dome and some tours cost extra. Come early in the morning or late in the afternoon for the shortest queue. The basilica closes to visitors during some ceremonies, so check before you go.
What is the dress code at the Vatican?
Shoulders and knees must be covered, in both the museums and St Peter's. Short shorts and vest tops may be turned away. A light scarf solves most problems. The rules apply in summer too, and the guards at the entrance turn away anyone who breaks them. Trousers or skirts below the knee are the safest choice.
How long do I need at the Vatican?
Allow three hours for the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, and another hour for St Peter's. With the dome it becomes half a day. With a guide you stick to the highlights and save time. On your own, decide in advance whether you want the Raphael Rooms and the Pinacoteca, as it is easy to wander for hours.