The Best Time to Visit Vatican Museums, FAQs and Tips

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Discover these essential tips on visiting the Vatican Museums including the best time/day to go, how to buy the cheapest tickets and more!

Vatican City is a common sighting on any Rome travel itinerary. In fact, some would say that a visit to The Eternal City is simply incomplete without stopping at the Vatican.

For starters, the iconic St. Peter’s Basilica is one of Rome’s most prominent symbols and alone, should not be skipped. However, if you are fortunate enough to schedule a visit to the Vatican Museums, seize the opportunity.

The Vatican Museums, located in the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church, are filled with treasures, including the celebrated Sistine Chapel, masterpieces from the world’s most famous artists, and nearly 30 different museums under one complex.

The Vatican Museums are a sizable itinerary item but undoubtedly worth the time. In this guide, discover the best time to visit the Vatican Museums in addition to visitor FAQs and tips.

how to visit vatican museums — Mosaic of Minerva on the floor of the Vatican Museums

Vatican Museum Hours

The Quietest Time to Visit Vatican Museums

Avoid disappointment and try to have realistic expectations while visiting one of the most popular sites in Rome. Although you will never be completely alone at the Vatican Museums, you can still choose a calmer time slot that will enhance your experience.

There are two options that are considered to be the best time to visit the Vatican Museums. First, the early morning Vatican tour that requires you to line up at 7:30am.

This ensures you’ll arrive before anyone who dares to sleep in while on vacation. Second, visiting the Vatican Museums after 4pm has been proven to be much quieter than the daytime crowd.

These two opportunities are both deemed to be the best time to visit the Vatican Museums solely based on the highest chance of avoiding too many other people during your visit.

In short, do not visit the Vatican during late morning or early afternoon. This applies to any day of the week and any time of the year.

If you’re visiting in the summer, you’ll be surprised by how many folks are lined up for the early morning Vatican tour. At that point, the early evening slots are much more favorable.

During our visit to the Vatican Museums in the later time slot, there were moments where we were in a gallery completely by ourselves. Choose the latest entry slot there is, based on the season.

In the summer, the last tickets are sold for 6pm and in the winter, it cuts off at 4pm.

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Best Day to Visit the Vatican Museums

Based on foot traffic and tourist trends for the city of Rome, avoid visiting the Vatican Museums on the weekends. Since the Vatican Museums are closed on Sundays, this really leaves Saturday as the day you unquestionably want to avoid.

Visiting the Vatican Museums on a Monday may sound like a smart idea, but it’s a trap. A majority of the other top museums in Rome are closed on Mondays, which means visitors are choosing the Vatican not only out of interest but necessity.

The best day to visit the Vatican Museums is Tuesday or Thursday. These are both unsuspecting days where you can count on the least amount of crowds and tour buses to spoil your visit.

Although Friday daylight hours are busy, Friday evening at the Vatican Museums is one of the most underrated times to visit. Many tourists choose alternative “weekend night” activities over a museum visit, which leaves the Vatican in a more peaceful state.

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Visiting Vatican Museum FAQs

Is Vatican City in Rome?

Geographically speaking, yes, Vatican City lies within the municipal borders of Rome. Vatican City is comprised of a tiny surface area but is nonetheless surrounded by the city of Rome and therefore technically within the same country of Italy.

However, here’s where it gets tricky. The Vatican has its own state establishments and governing functions, just like an independent country. In 1929, the state was born and currently holds the title of being the smallest country in the world.

The micronation is even entitled to its own population count, which sits under 1,000 and is often referred to as a city-state.

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Do You Need a Passport to Enter Vatican City?

Vatican City may be an entirely separate country, but accessing the small nation does not include a border control process. You do not need to present a passport upon entering the country’s perimeter.

The Vatican is not part of the European Union, which would usually mean that border patrol is in place. However, the Vatican is part of the Schengen zone which allows free movement within the participating countries.

Is It Free to Enter Vatican City?

As one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city of Rome, it’s easy to forget that Vatican City is not Disneyland. Therefore, travelers should think of it as simply visiting another country, which would mean you do not pay an admission fee.

Visitors can enter Vatican City for free and see the main square (Piazza San Pietro) and even St. Peter’s Basilica without an entrance fee.

The remainder of sites found in the Vatican, such as the Vatican Museums, Vatican Necropolis, Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Gardens, and more, are not free to enter.

Is There a Dress Code for Visiting the Vatican Museums?

Similar to any religious institution you’ll want to enter in Rome (or Italy), a modest dress code should be maintained. An appropriate dress code to follow for visiting the Vatican Museums requires no shorts or skirts above the knees, hats, sleeveless or low-cut shirts.

One of the easiest travel tips for female tourists in Rome is to pack a large enough (lightweight) scarf to use over shoulders or legs to temporarily cover up.

It should also be known that visitors are required to walk through a security checkpoint when entering the Vatican Museums.

Do not bring anything that may set off the alarm as you’ll only slow down the check-in process. Furthermore, excessive bags, backpacks or luggage are also not permitted.

Most visitors that go to the Vatican Museums don’t know this, but the coatroom is free to use and an excellent feature to take advantage of.

How Long Does It Take To Visit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel?

Depending on how thoroughly you want to experience the Vatican Museums, one can easily spend half a day touring each room with a casual lunch at the cafeteria. Unless you’re an art history fanatic, this likely isn’t the case for the majority of visitors.

People who are there to appreciate the top highlights should plan a two-hour visit, at the least. Most guided tours will, in fact, last three hours.

The Vatican Museums are deceivingly large and stretch over 7km in total coverage. They are not and should not be something you quickly pop in and out of.

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Do You Need to Book a Tour for the Vatican Museums?

It is not a requirement to book a guided tour in order to visit the Vatican Museums. However, if there is one thing we would do differently from our own visit, we would have opted to join a tour.

Assuming you have the time, the guided tour takes a little longer but is ultimately the best way to feel like you had a comprehensive visit to the museums.

Upon entering the Vatican Museums, it is not entirely clear on where you should start or the best self-guided route to take.

Of course, there are signs pointing in the directions of the major attractions like the Sistine Chapel, but as an average visitor, it’s easy to feel lost about what else is worth seeing. Particularly for those who don’t want to miss out and want to take advantage of the time they are there, a guided tour can be extremely valuable.

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Are the Vatican Museums Good for Kids?

When comparing the alternative activities to do with kids while visiting Rome, the Vatican Museums do not make the top of the list. Naturally, it does depend on how old your children are, but with younger kids, it can be challenging to get through the Vatican Museums.

There is absolutely nothing in the Vatican Museums that is geared towards the entertainment of children, and we didn’t expect there to be. You must rely on your child either being entertained by what there is to see or come prepared with other forms of distractions.

The walking route of the Vatican Museums is also not especially stroller friendly. In the beginning of our visit, the staff was nice enough to show us where the main elevators were at the entrance.

However, throughout the rest of the tour, the staff didn’t always point us in the right direction that would help avoid using the stairs. We also rarely saw clear signs for elevators.

Fortunately, as parents, we’re personally experienced with getting around by carrying our stroller or quickly collapsing it which made it possible for us to still use the stairs with everyone else.

If you don’t have a travel stroller or carrying it is not an option, we imagine the elevator route can get complicated. Babies or toddlers that are happy to be transported in a carrier instead of a stroller will have a much easier visit.

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When Are the Vatican Museums Free to Visit?

On the last Sunday (Domenica in Italian) of each month, the Vatican Museums grant free entry to all visitors. This is a fantastic opportunity to take advantage of, but it’s important to be aware of the potential queues this will create.

Naturally, everyone loves free entry, which means the lines can be very long.

Is Photography Allowed Inside the Vatican Museums?

By the look of this post, you can probably tell that photography is allowed inside the halls and museums. Unsurprisingly, the use of flash photography is prohibited, along with extensive camera gear and selfie sticks.

A majority of the galleries, as you can imagine, lack studio lighting, which makes taking photos a bit difficult.

The only area where there is zero photography allowed is the Sistine Chapel, where the famous Michelangelo fresco painting lives on the ceiling. Even when there is a crowd, the room is well staffed and you are being monitored, so it’s definitely not encouraged to be sneaky.

How to See the Vatican Museums

To visit the Vatican Museums, it is required to purchase admission and schedule a visit. Vatican Museum tickets are sold online, which is the best place to select your time slot.

Although it is possible to purchase Vatican Museum tickets on the museum’s official website, it’s almost always sold out. The interface is not the easiest to use and often ends in frustration.

This is a shame because ticket prices sold directly by the Vatican Museums cost €17 without online booking (over €10 less expensive!). The discount is however, meaningless if the tickets are never available.

We highly recommend using a third-party platform like GetYourGuide or Viator. By doing so, you can check availability and choose from various types of tours.

Or, you can simply book entrance tickets and guide yourself through the museums. Either way, it’s much simpler to do so by not using the Vatican Museum’s website.

The base admission to the Vatican Museums starts at €29 per adult (children under 5 are free) when you book “skip the line” tickets. It essentially only includes access to the main gallery halls and the Sistine Chapel.

This standard ticket does not include any sort of guide (person or audio) or entrance to the gardens. Entry tickets to the Vatican Museums can get pricey (up to $80!) depending on the type of package you choose.

The best overall option for visiting the Vatican Museums is with this 3-hour tour, which includes fast-track access (no lines), a tour guide, and a headset.

Where to Go After Buying Vatican Museum Tickets

After purchasing tickets online, you’ll receive an email with a confirmation. The confirmation email is not valid as an actual entry ticket. At the time of your reservation, you’ll present the QR code, barcode, or voucher that you received at the first main door. Then, you’ll go through a security checkpoint and metal detector.

After this, you need to go to your left, which is where the box office windows are. Only here is where you’ll finally receive physical tickets upon checking in. These are the tickets that are scanned on the floor above the ticket office and before the main entrance to the museums.

Getting to the Vatican From Rome

The most overlooked detail while visiting the Vatican is knowing where the entrance is to the Vatican Museums. You’ve likely seen countless photos of Vatican City and the grand Piazza before St. Peter’s Basilica.

As theatrical as this scene is, it is not where you enter the Vatican for the museums. The entrance to the Vatican Museums is strictly here, along Viale Vaticano.

The Vatican is located on the west bank of the River Tiber. A majority of Rome’s major landmarks are found on the east of the river and within the historic town center. Tourists that are staying in or coming from Rome’s old town simply need to cross over one of the many bridges to reach the Vatican.

If walking isn’t in the cards, you can very easily take the metro instead.

To reach the entrance of the Vatican Museums, take Metro Line A (towards Battistini) to one of the two stops nearby. Metro stops Ottaviano and Cipro are both within a 5-minute walk of the museum’s entrance.

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Highlights of the Vatican Museums

The Vatican Museums are an impressive collection of various art collections and one of the biggest in the world. Not only does it house the largest gathering of Ancient Greek and Roman sculptures, it is also home to Ancient Egyptian artifacts, modern art and masterpieces from Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.

With over 50 different galleries and exhibits that make up the Vatican Museums, there is much to discover.

Whether you’re able to conquer a majority of the Vatican Museums in one trip or not, these are some of the highlights that are a must-see.

Gallery of Geographical Maps
Gallery of Tapestries
Profane Museum
Octagonal Courtyard
Gregorian Egyptian Museum
Raphael’s Rooms
Chiaramonti Museum
Sistine Chapel
The Carriage Pavilion
Pio Clementino Museum

🗺 PRO TIP: If you’re the type of traveller who likes to prepare, you’ll benefit from studying the Vatican Museums map before your visit. Access it here and get to know the layout before you go!