Vatican Museums, Lazio, Italy

5ERFSU82 5:00 PM Nov 26, 2022

Buy your tickets online and arrive early.
The museums contain an extraordinary collection of art not to be missed, including the famed Sistine Chapel. Buy your tickets online in advance, otherwise you’ll have to wait in line for tickets, which could be hours. The entrance is a few blocks from St. Peter’s Square, so make sure you know exactly where you’re going in order to save some unnecessary walking. I also suggest going early in the morning, when it is a little less crowded. By mid-morning, the hallways of the museum were swelling with crowds. We were a little pressed for time and spent about 2 hours exploring the exhibits, but we could have easily spent 3-4 hours if we had more time. The audio guide was 7 Euros and allowed us to wander at our own pace. It was very informative, and we felt that it gave us all the background we wanted without having to hire a private guide or join a group tour. There’s a nice cafe in the courtyard and a cafeteria inside, both offering some good food and drink options. There’s also a small post office inside near the main gift shop, where you can send a postcard from Vatican City.

4CharliMcFarli 5:00 PM Mar 7, 2023

Get there early...
I travelled with my husband and another couple and had pre-booked breakfast and an audio guide. Breakfast: there are 2-3 sittings and the staff are very strict on schedules, bordering on rude. If they put a sign outside with sitting times, they wouldn't have to field everybody arriving to ask the same question. We booked the 815am slot, which turned out to be an 830am start. Service is a bit chaotic - they bring everything to the table, except pancakes which you queue for. The food is ample/decent: fresh bread, scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage and fresh pastries. It took ages to get a hot drink, but overall, it set us up for the visit. Museums: you collect your simple map and audio guide and just press the number displayed in each room/area, or specific statue/item. Then off you go at your own pace. There weren't too many tours to navigate so we had plenty of room to look around. Some of the rooms/items are stunning. Overall, we took 2.5 hours, but you could easily spend much longer.