Find out about skip-the-line tickets and guided tours for the Vatican Museums and Gardens. Get access to one of the largest art collections in the world.
The Vatican is one of the most visited attractions in the world. With around 11 million visitors in normal years, more than half of the approximately 20 million visitors to Rome visit St. Peter’s Basilica. There are about 7 million visitors to the Vatican Museums.
Vatican City is the smallest state in the world. The head of state is Pope Francis.
Vatican Museums
The Vatican Museums are among the largest art collections in the world. They show the treasures that popes have accumulated over the centuries. They are among the five most visited museums in the world. In normal years, that’s around seven million visitors.
But not only the exhibits are worth seeing, but also the buildings. The rooms are artfully designed. Raffaello’s rooms, which he painted for Pope Julius II, and Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel are particularly famous.
Opening hours
The Vatican Museums are open:
Monday – Saturday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m
Easter to the end of October Friday + Saturday – 10:30 p.m
They are closed on January 1st + 6th, February 11th, March 19th, Easter Monday, May 1st, June 29th, around August 15th, November 1st, November 8th, 25th + 26th. December.
Tickets Vatican Museums
For the Vatican Museums, you need to make reservations well in advance, as tickets often sell out well in advance.
Entrance to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
This ticket sells out quickly. Online ticket for entry to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. The ticket is only valid for 15 minutes at the booked entry time. You scan the QR code you received at one of the machines in the entrance hall of the Vatican Museums and receive an entrance ticket that you can keep as a souvenir. Young people up to 18 years of age and students up to 25 years of age must show proof of age or student ID for the reduced tickets at the cash desks. Children under 6 do not need a reservation.
Last Minute Tickets
Online ticket for the entrance to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. The ticket is only valid for 15 minutes at the booked entrance time. Adolescents up to 18 years old must show proof of age at the ticket office for the reduced tickets.
Breakfast at the Vatican Museums
Online ticket for early entry to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. Before visiting the museums and the Sistine Chapel, enjoy an extensive buffet breakfast in the museums’ pine courtyard.
Vatican Pass
The Vatican Pass includes reserved admission to the Vatican Museums, admission to the Dome of St. Peter’s Basilica, and an audio guide for St. Peter’s Basilica. In addition, you will receive an audio guide app for Rome.
Rome Tourist Pass
The Rome Tourist Pass includes reserved entry to the Vatican Museums, a guided tour of St. Peter’s Basilica and reserved entry to the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill. In addition, you will receive the reserved entry to the Pantheon with audio guide and an audio guide app for Rome.
Guided tours of the Vatican Museums
The passage from the Vatican Museums to St. Peter’s Basilica is currently closed.
The most exclusive tour: unlocking the Vatican Museums
Accompany the clavigero in the early morning at 6 a.m. to unlock the rooms and enjoy the deserted Sistine Chapel. Afterwards, enjoy a breakfast buffet in the Pine court.
Breakfast in the Vatican Museums
Enjoy your breakfast buffet from 7:30 a.m. in the Pine court and be among the first to visit the museums and the Sistine Chapel. An expert will accompany you on your early viewing.
If you want, you can stay in the museums all day.
Guided tour of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
3 hour guided tour of the Vatican Museums.
After the tour, you can continue exploring the museums on your own.
Guided tours Vatican Gardens
The Vatican Gardens are a green oasis in the middle of the Vatican City.
To visit the gardens, you can choose between a ride in an open bus or a two-hour guided tour on foot.
There are also gardens at the Pope’s summer residence in Castel Gandolfo.
Open bus through the gardens and entrance to museums and Sistine Chapel
This ticket is valid for the visit of the Vatican Gardens in the open bus. Children under 6 years old are not allowed. The visit to the Vatican Museums is included.
Guided tour of the Vatican Gardens and Museums
Guided walking tour of the Vatican Gardens and Vatican Museums with Sistine Chapel.
Dress code in the Vatican
There is a dress code for entry to the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica, all basilicas and churches in Rome and the catacombs. Shoulders and knees must be covered. Sturdy shoes are recommended in St. Peter’s Basilica. You will not be let in with beach sandals.
You will only be admitted barefoot in special cases. You are also not allowed to wear any headgear.
How to get to the Vatican Museums
By bus :
Line 23 from the Basilica of St. Paul and the Pyramid (Ostiense) to Piazza Risorgimento
Line 81 from the Colosseum, Circus Maximus, Capitol
Line 49 from Piazza Risorgimento to the museum entrance
By metro (underground) :
Line A from the Basilica of San Giovanni, Termini, Repubblica, Spanish Steps, Piazzale Flaminio (Piazza del Popolo) to Cipro
By tram :
Line 19 from Porta Maggiore, San Lorenzo, Bioparco
From Fiumicino airport :
Regional train FL1 towards Fara in Sabina to Trastevere and there change to Valle Aurelia station
From Ciampino Airport :
With the shuttle bus to Termini and then Metro A to Cipro
From the port of Civitavecchia :
Regional train from Civitavecchia station to Valle Aurelia station
Find the Vatican Museums on Google Maps 