Best Vatican Tours: What You Need to Know Before Booking a Vatican Tour
Once you have booked your flight to Italy and you have worked out how many days you will be in Rome, the next step is to figure out what to do when you are in Rome. One of the most important things to do is to visit the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. This article is focuses on the Best Vatican tours you can take and why.
Vatican City is the smallest independent state in the world. It is 44 hectares or roughly 110 acres. Vatican City is also quite young, less than a hundred years old. The Lateran Treaty was signed in 1929 and therefore 1929 is the birthday of Vatican City even though the history of the church spans several centuries before this.
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Table of Contents
If you would like to just jump ahead to the specific information you are looking for just click on the heading in the list.
- Why should I book a tour of the Vatican Museums?
- What should I consider before booking a Vatican Museums tour?
- Recommendations for the best Vatican Museums tours
- Useful information for Visiting the Vatican Museums
- Dress code Vatican
- Photography rules and restrictions
- Tips for beating the summer heat in the Vatican Museums
Why Should I Book a Tour of the Vatican Museums?
Reservation and entrance time
A tour company or a private guide will look after all of the booking details of your visit. If you were to just show up in front of the museums you could easily expect a 1 to 3 hour line for entering the museums from the public line. Having a reservation is key. If you are not interested in a tour but would like to make a reservation you can follow this link here.
Navigating the maze
The first buildings of the Vatican Museums complex were built in the early 1400s under Pope Nicolo IV. The most modern portion of the museum complex was built for the Jubilee year of 2000 under Saint and Pope John Paul II. This means there are over 600 years of architectural history. It is not only what is in the collection that you come to see but also the buildings themselves. For most this is a completely overwhelming experience to try on their own.
Having an expert show you the most important things
The Vatican Museums consist of 54 galleries. There over 20,000 pieces of artwork on display dating from roughly the 9th century BC to modern age. Most people when they visit the museums without a guide feel completely overwhelmed and this of course is understandable. Having an expert guide navigating the maze of the museums and showing only the very most important items really is the best way of avoiding sensory overload.
What to Consider Before Booking a Vatican Museums Tour
- Time slot
- Group Size
- Duration of Tour
Best Vatican Tours for Time slot
Vatican Museum hours are from 9-3:30 pm Monday to Saturday for the public without a reservation.
In peak season (April-October)it is always advisable to book an early time slot or to book a late afternoon time slot.
Tour agencies that are partnered with the Vatican Museums have preferential treatment for entering. They do not wait in any line prior to 10:30am. They have a preferential entrance which allows them to skip the reservation line used by other agencies. Partner agencies also have an extra early entrance to the Museums that can begin as early as 7:30am. In all of these instances when booking with tour providers they begin entering the Vatican Museums a full hour before the public line is opened at 9 am.
Best Vatican Tours for Group size
The best Vatican tours will have smaller group sizes. The number of people in a group tour of the Vatican can range from really small 6 people, all the way up to a maximum of 42 people. I would not recommend booking a group tour with an agency that exceeds 25 people in a group. There is also the option of booking Private Vatican tours or you can contact me directly for more information on private tours of the Vatican Museums. Look for the maximum group size in the information of the tour. Make sure it is a group size you are comfortable with.
Best Vatican Tours for Duration
Are you a person with loads of enthusiasm and energy that would love to really have an in depth tour of the Vatican Museums? Or are you really just interested in seeing the Sistine Chapel and perhaps St. Peter’s Basilica as quickly and hassle free as possible? Do you want to be as close to alone as possible in the Sistine Chapel?It is important to ask yourself these questions before booking your Vatican Museums tour. There are tours that meet the criteria for everyone.
Tour length can be anywhere from 1.5 hours to 6 hours. The choice for the best Vatican tours is limitless.
These are my Recommendations for the Best Vatican tours
Vatican Breakfast
How about a full buffet style American or English breakfast to start your day in the Vatican Museums? This is an option that have become available fairly recently. There are several tour operators that offer this service. The start times range from 6:50am to 7:45am. On this tour you can expect an extra early skip all lines entrance. A fabulous American buffet breakfast and a complete tour of the Vatican Museums including the Pio Clementine museum, Gallery of the Candelabras, Tapestries and the Maps, the Raphael rooms, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. Tour duration is 4 to 4.5 hours.
Sistine Express
The Sistine Express tour is for people who are mostly just interested in going directly to the Sistine Chapel. The Vatican Museums has a wealth of collections to see however visiting the entire collection is not for everyone. Know your limits, know your attention span and if you want something that will be quick and easy then this is the type of tour for you. Sistine Express depending on the tour company has a preferential entrance time of 7:30am, a brief explanation of the Sistine Chapel, a whirlwind through few of the galleries that you must pass in order to even get to the Sistine Chapel and voila! You are in the Sistine with all of its awe-inspiring glory. An added benefit is that it is much emptier than if you were to do a later entrance to the museums. You won’t be by yourself but you will have plenty of space and silence to take in the magnificent site. Tour duration is 1 to 1.5 hours.
Sistine Express with Basilica
All the benefits of time, entrance and efficiency of the Sistine Express with the added bonus of being taken through a guide only security shortcut to St. Peter’s Basilica. Without a guide and a tour, individuals visiting the museum are obligated to exit the Vatican Museums form the Museum exit and if they choose to go to St. Peter’s they must walk around Vatican City to St. Peter’s Square and clear security in the square before they can access the basilica. The security line in St.Peter’s square can sometimes have put to a one to two hour wait. Pick this option if seeing the largest Catholic Church in the world is on your bucket list. Tour duration is 2 to 2.5 hours.
Pristine Sistine
The Pristine Sistine tour is an early entrance Vatican tour offered by tour company Walks. Start time is 7:15-7:30 am meet and greet your guide, explanation of the Sistine Chapel and entrance to the Vatican Museums at 8am. Once through security you head straight to the Sistine chapel to stand in awe of all of its glory. After this your guide will reboot you into the Vatican Museums and your guide will take you through the various museums, gallery and the Raphael Rooms. You will walk through the Sistine Chapel a second time just to take the security short cut to St. Peter’s Basilica where a full tour of the basilica ensues. Tour duration is 4 hours.
St. Peter’s Basilica and Cupola Climb
This tour includes climbing up to the very top of the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. Followed by a comprehensive tour of the Basilica itself and the Vatican Grottoes or Papal Crypts (where some of the tombs of Popes are located) that lie just underneath. This type of tour does not include the Vatican Museums or the Sistine Chapel. For more in-depth information on this type of tour go here.
Standard Vatican Museums Tour
The majority of standard Vatican Museums tours that of course include the Sistine Chapel and St. Peters Basilica go for 3 to 3.5 hours. Included in a standard tour will be 2 restroom breaks the the Pio Clementine Museum or Raphael Rooms or both. In addition, you will have an explanation of the Sistine Chapel and when you arrive at the Sistine Chapel likely 15 to 20 minutes of free time to enjoy the Sistine Chapel at your leisure. All of these tours will include a tour of St. Peter’s Basilica unless the Basilica is closed for a special occasion. For a selection of Standard Vatican tours you can go here.
Extended Vatican Museums Tour
Extended Vatican Museums tours can last anywhere from 4 to 6 hours. This is not the type of tour for the faint of heart. This is the type of tour that die hard art enthusiasts and lovers of archeology will be interested in. You can expect to see all the the sites and artwork from a standard Vatican Museums tour plus a whole lot more. The ultra decadent collection of the Vatican Pinacoteca (picture/painting gallery), the Bramante Staircase, Pio Clementine Museum and in some cases even the Gallery of the Carriages (pope-mobile collection). A veritable feast for the eyes this is absolutely the best Vatican Museum tour for you if you are looking for a comprehensive exploration of the museums.
Vatican by Night
Vatican by Night tour is a tour that takes place on Friday evenings throughout the summer season from April to October. This tour will not include access to St. Peter’s Basilica, however it will get you in the museums at dusk when the temperature can be much more pleasant. This is a tour you should consider if the idea of the museum at peak heat times make you feel uncomfortable. This is an excellent alternative to the day time challenges.
Important Information Regarding Visiting the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica
Dress Code Vatican
The dress code part is extremely IMPORTANT. You might be surprised by how many people do not take the dress code seriously. The Vatican Museums themselves do not have a dress code. However, the Sistine Chapel which is part of the Vatican Museum complex DOES have a dress code. The dress code for entering the Sistine Chapel is shoulders, knees, back and abdomen must be covered. Men are required to remove their hats prior to entering the Chapel. A woman is permitted to use a shawl to cover her legs or shoulders but a man is not. If your tour of the Vatican Museums also includes entrance or a tour of St. Peter’s Basilica the same dress code applies there as well and in fact it is even more strictly enforced.
Photography Restrictions
You are permitted to take photographs throughout the Vatican Museums without flash. So if you intend on taking photos or video it is important you turn off your flash prior to entering the museums. The only place that you are not permitted to take any photography whatsoever including video is inside the Sistine Chapel. Everywhere else you visit in the museums you can take as many photos as you like.
The use of tripods and selfie sticks is forbidden throughout the museums.
Photography is permitted inside St. Peter’s Basilica and in the basilica you may use flash if you like. The only place that photography is not permitted in St. Peter’s Basilica is inside the chapel of the Holy Sacrament which is a chapel dedicated to silent prayer only.
Air Conditioning
One would think that a museum visited by over 6 million visitors per year would have a fully functioning air conditioning system. Especially taking into consideration the fact that the Vatican Museums are located in Vatican City (Rome). The average summer temperatures in Rome range between 25-32 C (75-89 F). Also there is an average of 62 days per year where the temperatures exceed 31C or 88F. This does not take into account the humidity which can make a day at 31C feel closer to 40C.
The Vatican Museums are a complex of buildings that were built between the 15th century and the 20th century. Some of the buildings walls are the art that you go to see when you visit the museums. For example, the Raphael Rooms. Air conditioning is not something that is readily available throughout the museums for this reason. There is a little a/c in the foyer and a little in the Sistine Chapel.
Everywhere else, there is no air conditioning. Take this into consideration when you are looking at what time slot you will pick for your Vatican tour.
The extra early, early morning and evening tours are the best for comfort with regards to temperature. This is especially true for tours taken from May through to September.
Knowing about the lack of air-conditioning ahead of time can help you be prepared to visit these museums.
These are my Tips for Beating the Summer Heat
- Book an early or extra early morning tour.
- Bring at least one bottle of water with you. To learn about the drinking waters in Rome go here.
- Bring a manual or mechanical personal fan.
- Dress according to dress code but ensuring you are wearing lightweight natural fibre clothing that will let your body breathe.
- Bring lots of patience because this museum gets busy and crowded. Throw in the heat factor and this experience can be very overwhelming for people. Patience can help for getting the best out of this incredible place.
For more information useful information about rules and regulations for visiting the Vatican Museums go here.
For more ideas on what to do and see when you are in Rome try this article for inspiration.
