Make your visit to the Vatican more holy enjoyable by following these 10 simple tips. Photo: davehamster

Saint Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums rank among the most visited sights for a traveler coming to Rome.

And for good reason — the Vatican, the world’s smallest independent state, is the home base of the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope.

It also houses the world’s most important collection of classical sculptures and Renaissance art within the Vatican Museums — including Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, which alone attracts a whopping 4 million visitors per year.

Related: Cheap hotels near Vatican Museums | Best budget hotels in Rome

Tips for visiting the Vatican

You are bound to have company as you visit these popular sights. Fortunately, you can avoid the worst of the crowds and maximize your enjoyment of these sights with some insider tips and careful planning!

1. Book your Vatican Museums tickets online

Don’t be one of those people waiting outside the Vatican Museums in a three-hour line! Book your ticket in advance online at the Vatican website, then head straight for the ticket office to pick up your tickets and go right into the Museums.

Note that there is an extra €4 fee for booking online, but the time you save is worth it. Remember to print your tickets, as the attendant will need to scan the barcode as you enter.

2. Go early or go late

Although you’ll avoid the worst of the crowds by skipping the line, you’ll still be wandering around the Museums with many people – about 25,000 people visit the museum every day. You can have more space to yourself if you visit outside peak late morning hours.

We’d recommend going first thing in the morning when the museum opens at 9 am, or after lunch when the crowds have died down. Make sure to enter by 3 pm to allow enough time to visit the plethora of art–remember that the Museums close at 6 pm.

3. If possible, visit from Tuesday to Friday

If your schedule allows, try to visit the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica from Tuesday to Friday, avoiding the weekend and Monday. Tourists flock to these sights on Mondays, when other museums in Rome are closed, and, of course, over the weekends.

By visiting on weekdays you will be able to beat some of the crowds and have a more relaxed visit. If possible, visit the Museums on a Wednesday while the Pope is having his weekly morning audience in St. Peter’s square.

4. Visit during the off-season

If you have some flexibility with the timing of your visit to Rome, try visiting the city during “off-season” when the weather is still mild and the city has fewer tourists. Visiting during this time allows you to see sights without lines and crowds, and gives you a unique perspective on how Romans really live.

Although Rome is never a vacant city, you will find far fewer visitors from mid-January to March and from November to mid-December.

5. Visit the Museums on a “free” day… but come early.

The Vatican Museums are free on the last Sunday of each month and on World Tourism Day (September 27). On these days you can visit the Museums without paying the entrance fee.

Note that you should get there very early or go towards the end of the day (4 pm is the last entrance), as you won’t be alone!

Don’t skip the spectacular Map Room in your rush to the Sistine Chapel! Photo: stefanorometours

6. Pace yourself

The Museums are extensive and take at least three hours to get through. It’s important to keep in mind that you won’t see the Sistine Chapel until the end of the Museums visit, and while you can jump ahead to it, that would be a pity, given the amazing works that you’d be skipping over.

Highlights of the Museums include the Map Room and the Rooms of Raphael with the famous School of Athens. Check out this map of the Museums to know where to allocate more or less time as you make your way through the 54 rooms.

7. Take the secret passageway from the Sistine Chapel straight into the Basilica

After you visit the Sistine Chapel there is a secret passageway that takes you straight into Saint Peter’s Basilica. Take it, as it saves you the hassle of leaving the Museums and walking through St. Peter’s square only to face another long line of tourists.

Note that this passageway is technically only supposed to be used by tour groups, so you might just want to hang out and wait for one to start through and walk with them!

8. Take the elevator halfway up to the cupola

The view from the top of Saint Peter’s is a well worth a visit… but the 551 steps to the top can be daunting and difficult if you aren’t in shape or suffer from vertigo or claustrophobia. Seriously.

You can avoid the worst of the climb by taking an elevator halfway up and continue the rest by foot for €7. Note that you will still have to climb 320 steps and that there is only one passage for climbing up and back down, so you should skip this experience altogether if you feel uncomfortable in narrow spaces.

9. Dress appropriately in order to enter

The Vatican is a holy area and to enter the Museums and the Basilica you must dress appropriately — covering shoulders, thighs, neckline, and midriffs. This means no shorts and no tank tops. Long shorts and t-shirts are fine for men. Women should wear longer skirts/dresses (or pants) and bring a shawl to cover their shoulders. All backpacks and umbrellas must be checked before you enter the Museums, as well, so try to pack light as you visit these sights.

10. Eat before your visit

Many of the restaurants and cafés immediately surrounding the Vatican are overpriced and underwhelming. They take advantage of tourists who are hoping for a quick bite to eat before or after visiting the sights. For example, the café located just opposite the Vatican Museums “Caffe Vaticano”, is notoriously expensive and known for charging unsuspecting tourists an arm and a leg for a coffee or simple sandwich.

Instead, try one of these budget eateries near the Vatican before your visit, all within a three-minute walk from the Vatican Museums:

• Habemus Pizza (pizza by the slice)
• Duecentogradi (sandwiches)
• Fa-Bio (salads)

Saving at the Vatican and Vatican Museums

Whereas entrance to Saint Peter’s Basilica is free, discounts are hard to come by at the Vatican Museums, which cost €17 to enter.

You can qualify for a reduced ticket if you are between 6-18 years of age, if you’re a student up to 25 years of age (with valid ID or International Student Card), or a priest or religious employee (with documentation). Children under 6 are free.

See the full list of reduced price tickets on this page.

Hours

Vatican Museums

Opening times: Mon-Sat, 9 am-6 pm (last entry at 4 pm).

The last Sunday of each month the museum is free and open from 9 am-2 pm (last entry at 12:30 pm) but this day is extremely crowded. For more specific information, visit the Vatican Museums website.

Saint Peter’s Basilica

October 1 – March 31: Open daily, from 7 am – 6:30 pm
April 1 – September 30: Open daily from 7 am – 7 pm

Saint Peter’s Cupola

October 1 – March 31: Open daily from 8 am – 5 pm
April 1 – September 30: Open daily from 8 am – 6 pm

Cheap hotels near the Vatican

Get an early start to your visit by staying at one of our recommended budget-friendly hotels near the Vatican, including the Marta Guest House. Or search all hotels available for your dates in Rome.

More Rome advice

Looking for more ways to save time and money in Rome? Check out all of our articles in our Rome guide.