jft99

Hello!
I just bought the Vatican Museums ticket and my schedule of visit is on Jun 8, Thurs at 9am. Before my Vatican Museums tour starts, I want to visit St peter's Basilica first at 7am to avoid the crowds. Will I be able to do this? Will I have enough time to go to the museums before 9am from the basilica? I also plan to climb the dome after the museums.

alandavid

You could do that, but part of the advantage of visiting the museum is to get express entrance into St Peter's after.
1. Visit the museum.
2. Visit the Sistine Chapel
3. Exit the tour group exit and you'll be right at the line to climb the dome.
4. Finish in St Peter's

J62

Last time I was in Rome, about a year ago, I was disheartened at the wall to wall masses of people inside St. Peters and stayed no that 15 minutes.

If you are like me and don't like crowds then do whatever you can to avoid them, including arriving at 7am.

You don't need to see every sight inside the basilica - it would be enough for me to simply enjoy the splendor in relative quiet.

Which reminds me of my first visit several decades ago. I was sitting in a pew near the high altar, quietly reflecting, when the basilica echoed with the squeak, squeak, squeak of rubber on marble. Here I'm thinking "who's the idiot doing that?" A few moments later a relative of mine sits down next to me and says "did you hear my acoustics demonstration son? Aren't they great?"

Talk about being mortified.

bvlenci

I encourage you to go to the Basilica first to avoid the crowds. Just remember to allow 15 minutes to get to the Museums entrance from the Basilica.

People taking a tour are allowed to use the "express" entrance to the Basilica as they leave the Sistine Chapel by the tour-group door. If you're not on a tour, they sometimes will allow you to use this door, but it's not guaranteed.

J6, I don't know how your relative could have avoided the squeak of rubber on marble, other than taking off his shoes. If the shoes squeak, there's nothing you can do about it.

jft99

Thank you all for the advice! I guess I'm gonna have to wake up very early to get there before 7am.

kybourbon

>>> Just remember to allow 15 minutes to get to the Museums entrance from the Basilica. <<<<

I think you need to allow a bit more than 15 minutes since you are taking a tour because you will still need to go through security and meet up with the tour group. If you just had an entry ticket reserved and not a tour, the 15 minutes would be fine.

Pepper_von_snoot

Remember to dress properly for St. Peter's.

Those who are not dressed in an appropriate manner you will NOT get past the Vatican guard.

Tears and pleading do no good.

Shoulders and knees must be covered. No bare midriff.

Thin

annhig

And for men no shorts!

if you get to St Peter's by about 7.15 you will have it more or less to yourself for an hour or more before you have to leave for the Vatican museums which will also not be crowded at that hour, though there will probably be a long queue round the side of the building.

I would want to be leaving the Basilica at 8.30am to make the tour at 9am.

the Dome doesn't open until 9am so you won't be able to do that until later, but IMO it is well worth doing, if only to see the mosaics that go round the inside of the Dome up close, and to be able to explore the roofs of the Basilica, which I found fascinating. There is also a cafe up there, and loos.