Visiting the Vatican: Guide to Museums & St. Peter’s Basilica

Ever wondered what it’s like to step into the world’s smallest sovereign state, home to some of the most renowned artistic and cultural treasures? As the spiritual heart of the Catholic Church and a major pilgrimage site, the Vatican attracts millions of visitors each year. Its iconic landmarks, such as St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums, offer a unique glimpse into centuries of art, history, and faith.

Whether you’re drawn by the architectural grandeur of St. Peter's Basilica, the artistic masterpieces housed in the Vatican Museums, or the serene beauty of St. Peter’s Square, this guide will help you make the most of your visit. Discover essential travel tips, must-see highlights, and the best times to visit for an unforgettable experience.

How to visit the Vatican?

Vatican City, spanning just 44 hectares, is packed with treasures. Both its top attractions, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Vatican Museums, require dedicated time to fully appreciate.

Thanks to its small size, the Vatican is easily accessible on foot. However, trying to visit both major sites in one day can be ambitious. Plan your visit carefully to savor each location.

Vatican Museums

For art and history enthusiasts, the Vatican Museums are a must-visit. Home to one of the largest art collections globally, the museums feature 54 galleries showcasing everything from classical antiquities to modern masterpieces.

St. Peter’s Basilica

This iconic Renaissance church is both an architectural marvel and a spiritual landmark. Inside, you'll find Michelangelo’s Pietà and St. Peter’s Tomb. Don’t miss St. Peter’s Square, designed by Bernini, for a complete Vatican experience.

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Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Tickets

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Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Guided Tour with St. Peter's Basilica

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Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Guided Tour

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Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Premium Small Group Tour

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Vatican Museum opening hours

Monday to Saturday
8am to 7pm

Every last Sunday of the month
9am to 2pm (Final entry at 12:30pm)

Closed

Sundays (except the last Sunday of each month)
January 1 & 6, March 19, April 1, May 1, June 29, August 15, November 1, December 25 & 26

Note: If the last Sunday of the month falls on Easter, Christmas, or New Year's, the museums will be closed.

Detailed Vatican Museums' timings

How to reach the Vatican?

Duration: 11-15 minutes

From Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, or Roma Termini

Take Line A (the orange line) to Ottaviano-San Pietro station. Walk 5 minutes to St. Peter’s Square.

Alternative Stations

Cipro (8 minutes' walk to the Vatican)
Lepanto (16 minutes' walk to the Vatican).

Duration: 30-35 minutes

Bus 49: Stops directly in front of the Vatican Museums.
Bus 32, 81, 982: Stops at Piazza del Risorgimento (7 minutes' walk).
Bus 492, 990: Stops at Via Leone IV / Via degli Scipioni (5 minutes' walk).

Duration: 53 minutes

Take line number 19 from Piazza dei Gerani.
Alight at Piazza del Risorgimento, then walk 7 minutes to the Vatican.

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The Vatican does not have its own airport and aerial entry is possible only via the Italian airports. Rome Airport Transfers offers easy travel services from the airport to the city

Fiumicino Airport: Use airport transfer services or take the Leonardo Express train to Roma Termini and follow metro directions.
Ciampino Airport: Take a shuttle bus to Roma Termini and follow metro directions.

Rome airport transfers

Know before you visit Vatican Museums

Cloakroom: Available for free.
Audioguide: MP3 guides available.
Lost & Found: Items are stored at the Vatican Gendarmery.
Post Office: Located adjacent to the Courtyard of the Cuirasses.
Bookshops: Various locations throughout the Museum.
First Aid: Staff trained in emergency care.
Restrooms: Signposted throughout the museum.

Free entry to all disabled visitors as well companions of visitors who are not self-sufficient. They will also be guaranteed priority skip the line entry.
Hire a wheelchair from the cloakroom (subject to availability).
The Museums are accessible also to visitors on mobility scooters and with electric wheelchairs. However, in areas with space constraints, the visitor can transfer to a traditional wheelchair, which may be hired free of charge in the entrance hall.
Disability-friendly toilets are located throughout the museum.

Strollers: Strollers are allowed entry. Families can use the special lifts for easy access to museum spaces.
Baby changing facilities: Some restrooms are equipped with changing facilities for babies and a nursing room.
Relaxation areas: Seats are located along the museum to enable the visitor to take a break and rest.
Children's menu: The Self Service corner of the Museums offers a special menu and high chairs.
Pre-booked lunch: Families can pre-book their lunch, which would ensure them a reserved table.

Those not dressed appropriately will not be allowed entry.
Animals, except guide dogs, will not be allowed entry.
You can take photographs, for personal use only, in all areas except the Sistine Chapel.
Touching the works of art is prohibited.
You have to keep your phone in silent mode. Using mobile phones is forbidden in the Sistine Chapel.
Smoking is forbidden.

Detailed rule book for visiting Vatican

Baldacchino: A canopy that rests over an altar or tomb, supported on columns.
Cartoon: Derived from the Italian word 'cartone', cartoon refers to a full-scale preparatory drawing for a fresco, oil painting, or tapestry.
Chiaroscuro: The use of strong contrasts between light and dark to achieve a sense of volume.
Fresco: A method of mural painting on plaster.
Icon: A sacred image.
Sarcophagus: A stone coffin.

How to enter the Vatican?

The Vatican Museums is accessible from Viale Vaticano on the Northside of the city-state.
St. Peter's Basilica, on the Southeast side of the city, is accessible from Via della Conciliazione.

Skip the Lines at the Vatican

To avoid the long lines typical of this top attraction, follow these tips:

Book Online: Purchase your tickets in advance.
Skip-the-Line Options: Choose tickets that allow you to bypass the regular queues.

Note: Without tickets, you could wait up to 2 hours.

Which Vatican entrance to use?

What is inside the Vatican Museums?

Gregorian Egyptian Museum

At the Gregorian Egyptian Museum, you can see sculptures, statues, and other objects that had been brought into Rome from Egypt, as well as some pieces of the Egyptian collection from the Hadrian`s Villa at Tivoli.

Pio Clementino Museum

The museum is made of twelve different rooms that showcases pontifical collections of classical sculpture dating back to the original collection of pope Julius II (1503-1513) and, donations from collectors and antiquaries.

Profane Museum

The museum was created to display the non-religious objects of the Carpegna, Vettori, and Assemani collections present in the museum at the time of its founding.

Borgia Apartments

The Borgia Apartments are a suite of rooms that were used as a residence by Pope Alexander VI. He had commissioned Bernardino di Betto to decorate the rooms with frescos in the 19th century.

Lapidary Gallery

Curated by Gaetano Marini, the Lapidary Gallery features a stone library with epigraphs that are written on slabs, bases, memorials, urns, altars and sarcophagi, dating from between the 1st century B.C. and the 6th century A.D.

Gregoriano Profano Museum

At the Gregoriano Profano Museum you will find original Greek sculptures, reconstructions of Greek originals made during the Roman age, and sculptures of the Imperial Roman age.

Pinacoteca

Inaugurated in 1932, the Pinacoteca is home to 460 paintings by some of the greatest artists of the history of Italian painting, from Giotto, who ushered in the Italian Renaissance, to Raphael’s last painting.

Sistine Chapel

A chapel in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican City, the Sistine Chapel is known for the beautiful frescos created by Botticelli, Perugino, Pinturicchio, Ghirlandaio, Rosselli, and most importantly, Michelangelo.

Raphael's Rooms

Four rooms form a part of the apartment in the Apostolic Palace that was chosen by Julius II della Rovere as his own residence and used also by his successors. These rooms are famous for the frescos painted by Raphael.

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Frequently asked questions about visiting the Vatican

What are the Vatican opening hours?

Till 31 October 2021, Vatican will be open Monday to Thursday from 8.30 AM to 6.30 PM and on Friday and Saturday, from 8.30 AM to 10.30 PM. From 2 Nov 2021, Vatican will be open Monday to Saturday from 8.30 AM to 6.30 PM.

When is the Vatican closed?

Vatican will be closed on 1 November, 8 December, and 25 December

When is the best time to visit the Vatican?

Plan a visit during early mornings and late afternoons on a weekday between October to March (excluding Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s) so you can enjoy Vatican with the least amount of crowd.

Where is Vatican Museums located?

Vatican Museums is located at 00120, Vatican City.

How do I get to Vatican Museums?

You can get to Vatican Museums via metro, bus, or tram.

Is there a bookstore at the Vatican Museum?

There are many small and big bookstores located throughout the Vatican Museum.

Do visitors at the Vatican get access to Wi-Fi?

For security reasons, there is no Wi-Fi coverage within the museum premises.

Are dogs allowed inside Vatican Museums?

No animals, other than guide dogs for those who are visually impaired, are allowed inside the Vatican Museums.

Is Vatican Museum fully accessible?

Vatican Museum can be accessed on wheelchair; they offer guided tours in sign language for deaf and hard of hearing visitors, and tactile and multi-sensory tours for visually impaired visitors, among other things.

Are there items that are prohibited inside the Vatican Museum?

Luggage, suitcases, rucksacks, packages and containers not considered suitable by staff, umbrellas, sticks, tripods and stands for photography, video cameras, banners and signs of any type, knives, scissors and/or metal tools, firearm, or alcoholic beverages are not allowed inside the Vatican Museums.

Can I take photographs inside the Vatican Museums?

Photography, for personal and domestic use, is allowed in all part of the Vatican Museums, apart from the Sistine Chapel. Flash photography is strictly forbidden.

Can I use my phone inside the Vatican Museum?

The Vatican Museums strongly discourages the use of mobile phones inside the exhibition spaces. Keep your phone in silent mode. The use of mobile phones is strictly forbidden in the Sistine Chapel.

Are there restrooms inside the Vatican Museums?

Yes, there are restrooms located throughout the Vatican Museums. Just look out for the signposts indicating where they are.