Vatican Tickets and Tours

Vatican City, within walking distance of the centre of Rome, is the residence of the popes and the centre of the Catholic Church’s power worldwide. Its main attractions are St Peter’s Basilica with its dome, St Peter’s Square and the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel.

If you want to avoid the queues – which are, quite literally, the longest queues in Rome – make sure you secure your ticket by buying it in advance. Here’s a guide to the different types of tickets and tours available for advance purchase:

The cheapest

Vatican Museums: Fast Track Ticket + Sightseeing Bus Tour

Your direct entry to the Vatican with no queuing at the ticket office

Explore everything the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel have to offer at your own pace by booking these tickets in advance and skipping the long queues at the ticket offices.

From €60 at Hellotickets

Gain direct access to the impressive Vatican Museums, the St Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel, and spend as much time as you like admiring the works of art in each of their galleries. Thanks to the skip-the-queue tickets, you can enter the complex without having to go to the ticket office firstand explore at your own pace. What’s more, you have the option of adding an audio guide to your ticket, which will provide details of the main paintings and sculptures you’ll encounter along the way.

For just around 30 euros, you’ll gain access to one of Rome’s top tourist attractions, and booking your tickets in advance will save you a lot of hassle once you’re there.

The best option

Guided tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica

Your entry to the Vatican with a guided tour in a small group

Enjoy a more intimate experience of the Vatican with an expert guide and in a small group.

From €69 at Hellotickets

With this option, you’ll have access to the Vatican Museums, where you can admire, amongst other works, the marvellous Sistine Chapel. The advantage? It includes a ticket that saves you from endless queues, and you’ll be accompanied by an expert guide who’ll help you understand the context of everything you see.

Believe me: in a place with so many works of art, so much history and so much symbolism, you’ll be glad to have some background information on the main galleries, the leading artists and the key works, so you aren’t overwhelmed by the sheer volume of sights, corridors and art you’ll find inside. On this tour, you’ll explore the main rooms and galleries of the Museums, learning the most relevant details about the Vatican Museums’ most significant works.

If you’re not a fan of large organised group tours, do bear this option in mind, as it will allow you to hear the guide’s explanations more clearly, set a more leisurely pace during the visit and have greater freedom to ask questions, seek recommendations, and connect better with the guide, etc.

The Premium option

Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel: Early Access + Guided Tour

Your ticket to visit the Vatican first thing in the morning to avoid the crowds

This is undoubtedly the most exclusive way to visit the Vatican Museums: you’ll be able to enter the Sistine Chapel before it opens to the general public and enjoy the art without too many tourists around, accompanied by an expert guide in a small group.

Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes

From €124 at Hellotickets

Of all the premium entry options available for the Vatican, if there’s one you should seriously consider, it’s this early entry ticket with priority access to the Sistine Chapel. This option allows you to visit when visitor numbers are lower (before it opens to the general public and other tours) and, without a doubt, enjoy it much more.

This ticket option guarantees you’ll be able to see the Vatican Museums in general, and the Sistine Chapel in particular, as part of a small group, an hour and a half before the crowds flood the corridors. If you’re looking to treat yourself on your trip, I’d strongly advise you to give this serious consideration.

Vatican Museums: Fast Track Ticket + Sightseeing Bus Tour

Your direct entry to the Vatican with no queuing at the ticket office

Explore everything the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel have to offer at your own pace by booking these tickets in advance and skipping the long queues at the ticket offices.

From €60 at Hellotickets

Guided tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica

Guided tour of the Vatican Museums in a small group

Perfect for exploring the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica with an expert guide in a small group, so you can make the most of the experience. What’s more, you’ll gain access to the Museums without having to queue.

From €69 at Hellotickets

Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel: Early Access + Guided Tour

Visit the Vatican Museums first thing in the morning to avoid the crowds

The most exclusive way to visit the Vatican Museums: you’ll be able to enter the Sistine Chapel before it opens to the general public and enjoy the art without too many tourists around, accompanied by an expert guide.

From €124 at Hellotickets

I’d suggest two types of ticket at different prices:

• The most highly recommended option is to buy the ticket that includes a guided group tour in Spanish, which will cost you around 43 euros. However, depending on the type of ticket you wish to buy, the price will vary considerably.

The good news is that there are options to suit all budgets. If you’d like more details on ticket prices for the Vatican, you can read my article on the subject here: Vatican Tickets Price.

• For a more premium option, which allows you to avoid the crowds, you can enter the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums before they open to the general public. This costs a little more, but if you want to make the most of the experience, you won’t regret it. It costs around 60 euros. You’ll be accompanied by an expert guide at all times, and the silence that reigns in the galleries at that time of the morning is well worth the extra cost.

Finally, there are also combo packs that’ll help you save money when visiting the Vatican and other attractions in the city. For example, on Hellotickets you can get the Colosseum + Vatican combo pack. In a single day, you’ll visit both attractions with a specialist guide, and the cost is around €122 euros, making it a more economical option than buying both visits separately.

You might also want to look into buying the Omnia Card and the Roma Pass, the city’s tourist cards, which will give you access to other museums and monuments as well as the Vatican at a reduced price.

The best option is to buy your tickets in advance online, ensuring that the option you choose includes skip-the-queue access to the Vatican. All the options available on Hellotickets include this, which will be a huge advantage when you visit the Vatican.

The long queues that form at the gates of the Vatican wind their way round the walls flanking the Museums and are, quite literally, the longest queues in Rome. Waiting for several hours in the sun to gain access to the Museums, the Basilica and the Sistine Chapel can turn into your worst nightmare if you arrive without tickets and have to queue at the ticket office.

Rome is such a tourist-heavy city with so many wonders to see that a good option is to buy the city’s tourist card, which will allow you to visit the Vatican Museums as the tickets are included in the price.

Omnia Vatican and Roma Pass

Also known as the Omnia Card Rome, this card is often combined with the Roma Pass tourist card and is the best option for visiting the Vatican as it includes entry to the museums and other attractions, as well as free public transport.

Rome City Pass

This is Rome’s VIP pass, giving you free entry to the Vatican Museums as well as other sites such as the Colosseum. You can purchase the pass for a period of 1 to 7 days and, for an additional fee, include transport or an airport transfer.

If you’re thinking of visiting the Colosseum (it really is a must-see), you should know that you can buy a combined ticket for the Vatican and the Colosseum, which will save you time and money, so it’s really good value. The price is better value than buying both tickets separately, and you’ll skip the queues at both attractions, making your visit much more enjoyable.

What’s more, this ticket package also includes a visit to the Pantheon, another of the Eternal City’s great architectural gems.

From experience, I can assure you that the nearly two hours you might have to spend queuing outside (with long stretches in the sun) will really sap your energy for exploring the Vatican Museums. Bear in mind that, depending on what time you go, you run the risk of tickets selling out, so I’d advise you to go first thing in the morning.

The first thing you need to know is that when people talk about a general skip-the-queue ticket for the Vatican, they are referring to entry to the Vatican Museums. You can walk freely around Vatican City (you don’t need a ticket; it’s just like visiting another part of Rome) and entry to St Peter’s Basilica is free.

However, the Sistine Chapel and all the artworks and galleries in the Vatican Museums – which house some of the world’s most famous works – are subject to an admission charge and require a ticket; crucially, tickets sell out quickly as capacity is limited and there are thousands of people wanting to visit every day.

Yes, all Vatican tickets include a visit to the world-famous Sistine Chapel. In fact, despite the sheer size of the Vatican Museums, you’ll soon realise that the Sistine Chapel attracts the largest number of visitors, as practically everyone stops there to admire it.

To enjoy it at a more leisurely pace, you can always buy a ticket with early-morning entry to avoid the crowds.

Not always, but entry to St Peter’s Basilica is free, so you won’t have to pay if you don’t want to. That said, the queues are incredibly long, so there’s the option of paying to go in (with or without a guided tour) and thus skip the queues. Once inside, you’ll be amazed by its size and the quality of some of its artworks.

If you want to climb St Peter’s Dome, you’ll need to pay for a separate ticket, but you can buy it on the spot without needing to book in advance, and there aren’t usually long queues to get in. If you’re unsure whether or not to pay to climb the dome, my advice is to take a deep breath and go for it.

Halfway up you’ll probably have second thoughts (the narrow spiral staircase is quite a challenge), but once you reach the top, the views will be well worth it and you’ll be able to count the experience as one of the highlights of your trip.

No. The Vatican Necropolis, situated beneath St Peter’s Basilica, requires a separate ticket. It’s a fascinating visit that allows you to see the crypts and tombs of some historic popes and the Apostle St Peter. If you’d like to organise a visit, I recommend doing so well in advance, as capacity is quite limited and demand is very high.

Entry to the Vatican is free or at a special rate for students under 25 and university students, members of religious orders or accredited pilgrims, people with disabilities, journalists and children under six. Find out how to visit the Vatican at the best price or get discounts in this guide.

The Vatican Museums are open, with some exceptions, from 9 am to 4 pm. Please note that on Sundays the museum is closed all day due to the Papal Mass held in St Peter’s Square, and on some public holidays as well. The best time to visit, as is usually the case with all tourist attractions, is first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon. Just bear in mind that tours which include a visit to St Peter’s Basilica after 2.00 pm do not guarantee entry.

I’ll tell you everything in this detailed guide, which covers all the Vatican opening times (the Museums, the Basilica, the climb up to the dome, etc.).

Depending on what you want to see in the Vatican, you’ll need at least three hours (two, if you rush through it, but it’s not worth doing that). Personally, I prefer to spend three hours on a leisurely tour of the Museums, leaving a few things in the collection to see later, rather than rushing through the entire Museums in two hours just to tick off the box that I’ve ‘seen’ everything.

If you also want to stop off at St Peter’s Basilica, climb up to its dome or enjoy a stroll around St Peter’s Square with its colonnade, the visit will inevitably take longer and you might even need a whole day. It’s important to plan what you want to see in the Vatican so that you can work out how much time you’ll need and enjoy your visit.

Yes. A guided tour is 100 per cent recommended: a collection with such rich symbolism and historical context is far more enjoyable when led by an expert who can share anecdotes about its creator, its style or the reasons behind its historical significance. There are various options for guided tours of the Vatican, depending on the time and budget you have available.

For example, the most comprehensive tour, offering the best value for money, costs 38 euros and will allow you to see the highlights of the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. If you want to avoid the crowds, you can always choose the premium option to enter the Sistine Chapel first thing in the morning, before it opens to the general public, and enjoy it at your leisure in a very small, exclusive group.

Vatican City is some distance from the centre of Rome, but that doesn’t mean it’s difficult to reach. There are several ways to get there; choose the one that best suits your itinerary:

If you’re buying tickets on the Vatican’s official website, bear in mind that they’re non-refundable and are only valid for the day you choose. If you don’t like to leave things to chance when travelling, I recommend booking these skip-the-queue Vatican tickets on Hellotickets, as they allow free cancellation; this way, you won’t lose your money if any unforeseen issues arise during your trip.

Ana’s Traveller Tip

If you book your ticket in advance, you’ll avoid queues lasting over two hours.

Visiting the Vatican is a must-do on your trip to Rome, but to make the most of your day, it’s a good idea to plan your visit a little in advance. Here’s what you need to bear in mind when visiting the Vatican:

Make sure you’re dressed appropriately when visiting the Vatican

We learn from our mistakes, and I’m sure you know someone who, after planning their visit, has had to turn back without seeing the museums or the basilica. At these two sites, you must ensure your legs and shoulders are covered. Sleeveless tops, low-cut tops, shorts, miniskirts and caps are not permitted.

Do you have to cover up in the middle of summer? Well, use your common sense: carry a long scarf or shawl in your rucksack that you can put on to enter these places, so you don’t have to wear it all day. I can assure you it’s better to be safe than sorry.

How to avoid the crowds when visiting the Vatican

To avoid the queues, you know you need to buy your ticket for the Vatican Museums in advance, but avoiding the crowds won’t be quite so easy… The only way to minimise them is to choose the first or last time slot, avoid visiting just before or after a public holiday, and, if you can, avoid the high season.

What to do with rucksacks and luggage when visiting the Vatican

They aren’t allowed, and queues can form again at the ticket offices. I recommend you visit with only the bare essentials, because after so many hours on your feet, even a packet of tissues starts to feel heavy.

Is it worth paying for the children’s audio guide?

If you’re visiting the Vatican Museums with children, I recommend you ask for the audio guide designed especially for them (recommended for ages 6 to 12). This will make the visit less tiring for them and they’ll enjoy the artworks more.

Where to eat near the Vatican

As this area is quite touristy, it might not immediately seem like the best part of Rome to stop for lunch or dinner. But that doesn’t mean the Italian capital isn’t still a culinary hotspot, so even in the vicinity of the Vatican you’ll find exquisite places to eat.

Get your taste buds ready and enjoy the best Roman dishes!

Ana’s Traveller Tip

Keep a scarf in your rucksack so you can cover your shoulders when entering the Vatican Museums and St Peter’s Basilica.