Visiting the Vatican: complete guide
Visiting the Vatican is an essential stop during a stay in Rome. But to avoid disappointments, it's important to plan your visit carefully!
Visiting the Vatican is an essential stop during a stay in Rome. But to avoid disappointments, it's important to plan your visit carefully! Timing, hours, ticketing and must-see sites: here's our complete guide for a successful visit to Vatican City…
Plan ahead to visit the Vatican with peace of mind
1. Choose the right time
The first thing to do to schedule your Vatican visit is to choose your travel dates to Rome carefully. Don't fix them solely based on the season—consider other parameters as well.
According to Vatican recommendations
To regulate tourist flow, the Vatican provides information about low and high seasons, the best visiting days, and those with heavy crowds. This information can guide you in choosing the best dates for your visit.
Low season: Except for Christmas Day and New Year's Day, the period between November and December is the least affected by tourist traffic. According to the Vatican, this is the best season to plan visits, as access to main attractions is easier than during the rest of the year.
High season: Between April and October, the number of tourists in Vatican City is very (very) high. If you choose this period anyway, opt for an afternoon visit (when crowds are slightly smaller).
Best visiting days: Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday are recommended. Conversely, Saturday is discouraged due to large crowds.
Wednesday: This is THE day when the Pope holds an audience at St. Peter's Basilica. On this occasion, the Vatican welcomes enormous numbers of visitors and pilgrims. If you wish to attend the audience, you must pick up a free ticket on the day itself at the Vatican window… and arrive early! If you simply wish to see St. Peter's Basilica: choose another day.
Vatican closure dates: The Vatican is not always open… Closed every Sunday (except the last Sunday of the month when entry is free but not reservable), it may occasionally close on weekdays as well. A tip? Be sure to check the schedule on the Vatican's official website! Note that the Vatican may also occasionally close for a few hours.
Based on visiting hours (and your schedule)
The Vatican is a complex of buildings, including palaces, museums, and gardens; each with its own opening hours. If you absolutely want to see certain sites: make sure the hours and days align with your schedule.
An example? The must-see Sistine Chapel is closed on Sundays (as well as November 1st, December 8th, and December 25th).
2. Buy your tickets in advance
The second thing to do to visit the Vatican is to always reserve your tickets. Otherwise, you risk waiting for hours in endless queues (exposed in summer to scorching temperatures) – and being exhausted before you even start your visit.
Standard visits
Note that there are many scams associated with tourist attractions. If you really don't want to reserve in advance: buy tickets only at the Vatican window on the day itself (never from the vendors located around the site, who will offer you skip-the-line tickets).
To reserve tickets? Go to the Vatican's official ticket office. It's possible to purchase (among other options):
- standard tickets: €17
- skip-the-line tickets: €22
- discounted tickets (pilgrimage, students, university, family, etc.)
Guided tours
For a more enriching experience, hiring a guide is recommended: architecture, artworks, necropolis—the Vatican is full of treasures and stories. While not mandatory, this option is essential to learn more about the places, artworks, and the artists who created them.
If you wish to have a guide accompany you, don't hesitate to review the different tours offered by the Vatican (Extra time, Vatican Museum guided tour, Vatican city tour and museums, etc.) and to book. Be careful: depending on the package you choose, you won't have access to all sites.
When making your reservation (with or without a guided tour), be vigilant and take time to carefully review the above elements (dates, days, hours, tours, etc.) because tickets are non-refundable and valid for only one day.
3. Wear appropriate attire for religious sites
The third thing to plan when visiting the Vatican is to have appropriate clothing. This may seem minor, but it's an important point. Although it's an ultra-touristy attraction, the Vatican remains a religious site. As a result, most buildings require "respectful" attire.
Concretely? This mainly applies to visits made in the height of summer. If that's your case, bring a shawl to cover your shoulders and/or neckline, as well as long pants in your bag (as shorts are also forbidden). Similarly, if you have tattoos, note that they must be covered if they are offensive to morality, the Catholic religion, or decency.
Be warned: access to the Vatican can be refused if you don't comply with these recommendations (whether you've already paid for your tickets or not).
Discover Vatican must-sees
The Vatican houses many monuments. Located close to one another, it's possible to connect them on foot quite easily. Nevertheless, keep in mind that it's hardly feasible to visit them all in a single day.
The Vatican Museums
The Vatican Museums house 70,000 paintings and sculptures, displayed in more than 54 galleries! Antiquities or ancient religious art (Caravage, Raphael, Michelangelo, etc.), the Vatican also hosts works by modern masters, such as Van Gogh, Dalí, and Picasso. Whatever artworks they house: the Vatican Museums have been designed as "places of beauty and openness."
St. Peter's Basilica
An essential building in the Vatican, St. Peter's Basilica is free… and packed with visitors. A tip? If you wish to discover this Renaissance-style building, opt for a guided tour to ensure you can enter! Its highlight? The dome offers breathtaking views of St. Peter's Square…
Note that the basilica's hours also vary by season: 8am to 5pm from October 1st to March 31st and 7am to 7pm from April 1st to September 30th. It is also closed to visits during Wednesday's papal audience.
Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo
Located 45 minutes by car from the Vatican, you'll find the Pope's summer residence – the Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo (a small town southeast of Rome). Accessible by train from the Italian capital, the building is surrounded by magnificent gardens… Entry tickets (and train tickets) are also bookable on the Vatican's official website.
Note Although located near the Vatican, the Colosseum does not belong to Vatican City. If you also wish to visit this iconic building, remember to book your ticket on the official colosseo website. |
Frequently asked questions
Vatican Museums entry costs €17 for a standard ticket and €22 for a skip-the-line ticket. Discounted rates are available for pilgrims, students, university attendees, and families. St. Peter's Basilica is free. On the last Sunday of the month, entry to the museums is also free (non-reservable).
Yes, it is strongly recommended to reserve your tickets in advance through the Vatican's official ticket office. Without a reservation, you risk waiting several hours in queues, especially during high season (April-October). Avoid vendors around the site and buy only through the official ticket office or at the Vatican window on the day itself.
The Vatican recommends visiting on Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday to avoid crowds. Saturday is strongly discouraged. On Wednesday, St. Peter's Basilica is closed to visits as the Pope holds a public audience there. On Sunday, the museums are closed except the last Sunday of the month (free entry).
The Vatican being a site of Catholic worship, respectful attire is mandatory. Shoulders and neckline must be covered (bring a shawl), and shorts are prohibited. Tattoos that are offensive to religion or decency must also be covered. Non-compliance with these rules can result in entry denial, even with a reserved ticket.
The best time to visit the Vatican is November through December (excluding December 25th and January 1st), during the low tourist season. Access to main sites like the Sistine Chapel is easier. From April to October (high season), crowds are very heavy: in this case, opt for an afternoon visit.
Photography is forbidden inside the Sistine Chapel. Silence is also required in this place of prayer. However, photos are generally allowed in other galleries of the Vatican Museums, unless otherwise indicated.
