Welcome to The Vatican
Top Reasons to Go
Michelangelo's Sistine Ceiling: The most sublime example of artistry in the world, this 10,000-square-foot fresco took the artist four long, neck-craning years to finish.
St. Peter's Dome: Climb the twisting Renaissance stairs to the top for a well-earned view (the elevator to the right of the main church portico goes up to the base of the dome, but there are still a lot of stairs afterwards).
Papal Blessing: Join the singing, flag-waving throngs from around the world at the Wednesday general audience on St. Peter's Square (usually only in spring, summer, and early fall).
Musei Vaticani: Savor one of the Western world's best art collections—from the Apollo Belvedere to Raphael's Transfiguration. It can be overwhelming though, so don't plan to see everything in one day.
St. Peter's Basilica: Stand in awe of the largest church in the world.
Getting Here
Metro stops Cipro or Ottaviano will get you within about a 10-minute walk of the entrance to the Musei Vaticani. Or, from Termini station, Bus No. 40 Express or the famously crowded No. 64 will take you to Piazza San Pietro. Both routes swing past Largo Argentina, where you can also get Bus No. 571 or 46.
A leisurely meander from the centro storico (historic center), across the exquisite Ponte Sant'Angelo, will take about a half hour.
How to Beat Those Long Lines
Home to the Sistine Chapel and the Raphael rooms, the Musei Vaticani are among the most congested of all Rome's attractions, drawing up to 30,000 visitors per day in high season.
The best way to avoid long lines is to make reservations online for an extra €4 (biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/musei/tickets/do). Although reservations do minimize your wait time, it can still be extremely busy once you're inside, though afternoons are usually less busy. The free Sunday is best avoided altogether, unless you're feeling very brave and patient.
Another good idea is to schedule your visit during the Wednesday General Audience, held in the piazza of St. Peter’s or at Aula Paolo VI, usually at 10:30 am when the pope is in town. To see the pope's calendar, visit www.vatican.va.
Finally, you might book a tour, either with the Musei Vaticani directly or with a private agency that guarantees that you'll skip the line. The Vatican’s own guided tour of the museums and Sistine Chapel, which can be booked online, costs €33 and lasts two hours.
