Sistine Chapel
Rome, Italy
Vatican Museums, Rome
i
Photo: Andreas Tille, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Ticket
- ≈ €25 online (€20 + €5 booking); reduced for ages 6–18 and students
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Opening hours
- Mon–Sat 8:00–20:00, last entry 18:00
- Time on site
i
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 3 h
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Free entry
- Last Sunday of the month 9:00–14:00, no booking, queue from 7am
- Closed
- Other Sundays and church holidays — check the museum calendar
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours for the main route including the Sistine Chapel
- Location
- Entrance on Viale Vaticano; Metro A Ottaviano or Cipro, 10 minutes' walk
Key facts
1506Julius II put the newly found Laocoön on display — the museums' founding moment
Sourcei
English Wikipedia≈ 7 kmof halls and galleries
Sourcei
English Wikipedia≈ 20,000works on show out of roughly 70,000
Sourcei
English Wikipedia120 mlength of the 16th-century Gallery of Maps
Sourcei
English Wikipedia4 roomsfrescoed by Raphael, including The School of Athens
Sourcei
English Wikipedia1932Giuseppe Momo's double spiral staircase was built
Sourcei
English Wikipedia8:00–20:00Monday to Saturday opening hours
Sourcei
Vatican Museums official websiteVatican Museums tickets
Book on the official Vatican Museums website: most sources put the full ticket at about €25 — €20 entry plus a €5 booking fee. Children 6–18 and students under 25 pay a reduced rate; under-6s are free. Tickets are for a fixed date and entry time, and spring and summer slots sell out weeks ahead.
The on-site desk only sells unreserved leftovers, and in high season the no-booking line runs along the Vatican wall for one to two hours. Tour operators resell slots for more — worth it only when the official site is sold out or you want a guide. The Sistine Chapel has no separate ticket: it's the last room of the museum route.
Opening hours
According to the official site, the museums open Monday to Saturday from 8:00 to 20:00, with last entry at 18:00. On the last Sunday of the month they open free from 9:00 to 14:00 (last entry 12:30); every other Sunday they're closed. They also shut on church holidays such as 1 and 6 January, Easter, 29 June, 15 August and 8, 25 and 26 December — check the annual calendar on the museum's site.
Vatican Museums highlights
- Pio-Clementino Museum — the Laocoön, the Apollo Belvedere and the Belvedere Torso that Michelangelo studied.
- Round Room — a 13-metre porphyry basin from Nero's Golden House under a mini Pantheon dome.
- Gallery of Maps — 120 metres of 16th-century painted maps of Italy under a gilded vault.
- Raphael Rooms — four rooms painted by Raphael and his workshop, with The School of Athens.
- Pinacoteca — Raphael's Transfiguration, Leonardo's St Jerome and Caravaggio's Entombment.
- Egyptian Museum — mummies and statues gathered from Roman villas and Egypt.
- Momo Staircase — the 1932 double spiral near the exit.
- Sistine Chapel — Michelangelo's ceiling and Last Judgement at the end of the route.
How long do you need, and which route?
The main route with the Sistine Chapel takes 3–4 hours; seeing everything is a full day. The usual order is the Pinecone Courtyard, then Pio-Clementino, down the long galleries to the Raphael Rooms and on to the Sistine Chapel. The Pinacoteca sits off to one side near the entrance — visit it first, because doubling back later is a long walk against the flow.
At 8:00 most early visitors rush straight to the Sistine Chapel, so the sculpture galleries are quiet for the first half hour. The route is one-way, so look properly as you go.
How to get to the Vatican Museums
Tap a route to highlight it on the map.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
On foot
- Sistine Chapel is about 17 min away on foot.
- St Peter's Basilica is about 17 min away on foot.
- St Peter's Square is about 14 min away on foot.
More tips
- Metro line A to Ottaviano or Cipro, then a 10-minute walk to the entrance on Viale Vaticano.
- Bus 49 stops right outside the museum entrance.
- From St Peter's Basilica it's about 15 minutes' walk along the Vatican wall.
- Booked visitors and the walk-up line use the same gate on Viale Vaticano.
Best time to visit
Take the 8:00 slot or go after 15:00, when morning groups have left. Weekdays from November to February are calmest. Some summer Fridays have evening openings, announced separately on the official site. Avoid Saturdays, Mondays after the Sunday closure, and the free Sunday.
Are the Vatican Museums worth it?
Yes — it's the only way into the Sistine Chapel, and even a three-hour visit takes in the Laocoön, The School of Athens and Michelangelo's ceiling. If crowds wear you down, book the first slot or a guide who knows the shortcuts. Afterwards, walk round to St Peter's Basilica.
Before you go
Ready: 0 of 5Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser.
You are ready for the visit
Rome's museums: compare and choose
Museums in Rome rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| Sistine Chapel | 64 | 30 min | Vatican Museums ticket ≈ €25 | 6 min walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castel Sant'Angelo | 57 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €15–20 | 18 min walk |
| Domus Aurea | 49 | 1 h 15 min | ≈ €18, with VR ≈ €26 | 3.8 km |
| Ara Pacis | 47 | 1 h | ≈ €13–15 | 30 min walk |
| San Luigi dei Francesi | 47 | 20 min | Free | 32 min walk |
| Galleria Borghese | 45 | 2 h | ≈ €18 | 3.2 km |
| Vatican Museumsyou are here | 44 | 3 h | ≈ €25 | — |
| Capitoline Museums | 43 | 2 h 30 min | ≈ €15–19.50 | 2.8 km |
| Baths of Diocletian | 42 | 1 h | Basilica free; museum ≈ €10–12 | 3.7 km |
| Galleria Doria Pamphilj | 39 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €16–18 | 42 min walk |
| Palazzo Farnese | 39 | 1 h 15 min | Paid, booking only | 33 min walk |
| Imperial Fora | 38 | 1 h | Free from the street; museum ≈ €13–15 | 2.9 km |
| Palazzo Barberini | 37 | 2 h | ≈ €15 | 3.0 km |
| Villa Farnesina | 37 | 1 h | ≈ €12 | 31 min walk |
| Palazzo Massimo | 34 | 2 h | ≈ €10–12 combined ticket | 3.6 km |
| MAXXI | 32 | 2 h | ≈ €12–15 | 45 min walk |
| Ostia Antica | 31 | 3 h | ≈ €12–18 | 21.9 km |
The Vatican in a day
Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel in the morning, St Peter's and the dome after lunch, then the square and Castel Sant'Angelo at sunset.
- Vatican Museumsyou are here3 h · ≈ €25
- 6 min walk from the previous stopSistine Chapel30 min · Vatican Museums ticket ≈ €25
- 3 min walk from the previous stopSt Peter's Basilica1 h 30 min · Free; dome ≈ €8–15
- 5 min walk from the previous stopSt Peter's Square30 min · Free
- 13 min walk from the previous stopCastel Sant'Angelo1 h 30 min · ≈ €15–20
5 places · about 7 h 27 min with walks · 27 min on foot in total
Nearby and on the way
How to do it right
- See the Pinacoteca first — it's off the main route.
- Pio-Clementino is near-empty in the first half hour after 8:00.
- The cloakroom is free — drop your backpack.
- Don't miss the spiral staircase on the way out.
Questions
How much are Vatican Museums tickets?
About €25 online (€20 plus €5 booking); reduced for ages 6–18 and students, free under 6.
What are the Vatican Museums opening hours?
Monday–Saturday 8:00–20:00, last entry 18:00; closed Sundays except the last Sunday of the month.
When are the Vatican Museums free?
On the last Sunday of each month, 9:00–14:00, without booking.
Do I need to book Vatican Museums tickets in advance?
Yes, in most seasons; walk-up tickets are only sold when slots remain.
How long do you need at the Vatican Museums?
3–4 hours for the main route; a full day to see everything.
Is the Sistine Chapel included?
Yes, it's the last stop of the museum route; there's no separate ticket.
Is there a dress code for the Vatican Museums?
Shoulders and knees must be covered for the Sistine Chapel.
Where is the Vatican Museums entrance?
On Viale Vaticano, 10 minutes from Ottaviano or Cipro metro stations.
What are the must-sees?
The Laocoön, Apollo Belvedere, Gallery of Maps, Raphael Rooms, Pinacoteca and the Sistine Chapel.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- Vatican Museums official website (museivaticani.va): hours and calendar
- English Wikipedia, Vatican Museums
- 2026 ticket guides: artvisitguide.com, The Better Vacation
Top YesGo picks: Rome
Pantheon
Rome, Italy
Trevi Fountain
Rome, Italy
Colosseum
Rome, Italy
Archbasilica of St John Lateran
Rome, Italy
Roman Forum
Rome, Italy
Circus Maximus
Rome, Italy
Spanish Steps
Rome, Italy
Santa Maria Maggiore
Rome, Italy