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The Vatican
Two very different visits hide under one name, and you can do one without the other. St. Peter's Basilica and its square are free to enter. The Vatican Museums are a ticketed, hours-long march through galleries that ends at the Sistine Chapel. Both sit a short walk apart on Rome's western edge, inside the independent state that is the seat of the Catholic Church.
Photos: Jebulon (CC0), Jebulon (CC0), Jebulon (CC0), via Wikimedia Commons
Worth it for most Rome visitors. St Peter's is free, and the museums end at the Sistine Chapel, which there is nothing else like. Skip the museums if you only care about the basilica, or if shoulder-to-shoulder galleries on a packed day would ruin it for you.
Worth it for
- Seeing Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling for the first time
- Anyone drawn to St Peter's Basilica, free to enter, and the climb up the dome
- Art and history lovers with several hours to give the galleries
You can skip if
- Very large crowds get to you and you cannot book a quieter early or late slot
- You only want the basilica and square, not the ticketed museums
Tickets & tours for The Vatican
Which ticket should you buy?
St. Peter's Basilica and Square
St. Peter's is one of the largest churches in the world, built over the traditional burial site of the apostle Peter. The current basilica, finished in the 1600s, involved Bramante, Michelangelo, and Bernini among others. Inside you can see Michelangelo's Pieta and Bernini's bronze baldachin over the high altar.
Entry to the basilica is free, but it draws long lines because everyone passes through airport-style security at the entrance to St. Peter's Square. Lines tend to be shortest early in the morning. The square out front, framed by Bernini's curved colonnade, is open and free to walk through at any time.
Climbing the dome
Michelangelo's dome can be climbed for an extra fee, separate from the free basilica entry. You buy the ticket on site near the entrance to the basilica. There is a cheaper option using stairs the whole way and a slightly pricier one that takes a lift partway up before the final flight of steps.
Even with the lift you still climb a stretch of narrow, curving stairs that lean with the dome's shape, so it is not suitable for everyone. The reward is a close view of the basilica's interior from the gallery, then a rooftop panorama over St. Peter's Square and the whole city. The dome usually closes about an hour earlier in winter than in summer.
Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel
The Vatican Museums hold one of the richest art collections anywhere, built up by popes over centuries: classical sculpture, the Raphael Rooms, maps, tapestries, and far more. The standard route is long and largely one-directional, funneling everyone toward the Sistine Chapel at the end.
The Sistine Chapel is the climax, with Michelangelo's ceiling and his Last Judgment on the altar wall. It is the room where conclaves elect a new pope. Photography is not allowed inside and staff ask for quiet, since it remains a sacred space. Entry to the museums is by timed ticket and the corridors get extremely busy, so an early or late slot helps.
Hours, dress code, and the papal audience
The Vatican Museums are generally open Monday to Saturday and closed on most Sundays, with an exception on the last Sunday of each month, when entry is free but hours are short and crowds heavy. Booking a timed ticket in advance is the practical way to avoid the worst queues.
A modest dress code applies in the basilica and the Sistine Chapel: shoulders and knees must be covered, so skip tank tops and short shorts. On most Wednesday mornings the pope holds a general audience, usually in St. Peter's Square, which changes access to the basilica area for part of the day. If you want to attend, free tickets are arranged separately in advance.
The Vatican: FAQs
Yes, entry to the basilica is free. The wait comes from the security screening for St. Peter's Square. Climbing the dome and visiting the Vatican Museums are separate, paid experiences.
The Sistine Chapel is reached through the Vatican Museums, so you need a timed museum ticket. There is no separate chapel-only entrance for general visitors.
Shoulders and knees must be covered in St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. Avoid sleeveless tops, short shorts, and short skirts, or bring a scarf or layer to cover up.
They are closed on most Sundays and on a number of Catholic holidays through the year. The last Sunday of the month is an exception, with free entry, shorter hours, and big crowds.
Metro Line A serves Ottaviano, a short walk from both St. Peter's and the museum entrance, and Cipro, which is close to the Vatican Museums.
On most Wednesday mornings the pope holds a general audience, usually in St. Peter's Square, which affects access to the basilica for part of the morning. Attending requires free tickets arranged ahead of time.
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