Sistine Chapel Opinion
 

What I would like to know is whether we should arrive early, walk briskly through the museum rooms and make a beeline for the Sistine Chapel, and then work our way backwards? Or do the regular route and save the Sistine for the grand finale? I'm asking because I know that the artwork leading to the Chapel is pretty wonderful and it will take us quite some time to reach it, and we might be punchdrunk with the glory of it all. So should we see the Sistine with "fresh eyes?" I hear so many tourists rush through everything in their effort to reach the end.

So what do you think about eating dessert first, as it were, and dinner after?

My personal experience is that you will be overwhelmed regardless --- not just by the Sistine Chapel, but by all the other incredible art and history. So my recommendation is simply to take everything in the order given by the tour, and stop as long as you like at each spot. They will try to rush you through the Sistine Chapel, but stand your ground until you have had your fill. I can bet that regardless of how long you stay, you will wish you had stayed longer and will want to return. Good luck.

I don't think anything can take away the glory of the Sistine Chapel. If you do it last, you can just sit there and enjoy it. Then out one of the back doors directly to St. Peters. Look in Rick Steves book. He tells you how to do it. Otherwise you have to walk all the way around. You might as well save the steps.

I took a tour that finished with the Sistine Chapel, but if I did it on my own I would do the Sistine first. I would recommend seeing your favorite rooms/pieces first in any museum because near the end I found my feet, legs and lower back really starting to ache. There is seating in the Sistine but we had to wait a little while to get a seat.
I think binoculors would be very handy also(wish we brought them).

I just read Wayne's posting. I've never been there in a high tourist time. He's correct. Stand your ground. It's worth it.

We did the trick of scooting over to the Sistine Chapel as soon as we entered the Vatican Musueum. It was only half full because it was still early BUT we almost weren't able to get back to the musueum. There was a rope and a guard blocking the cutback into the museum. Luckily, the guard was an easygoing type, and let us thru the rope.

If you get to the Sistine Chapel and you feel that you'd rather exit the museums quickly, the way to get out is fairly simple. When you enter the Sistine Chapel, the "Last Judgement" is right behind you. On the far right, there's a door with a sign that says "Tour groups only". Wait for a group to start going out that door and go with them. You'll go down a staircase and exit the museums right next to St. Peter's.

If you want to get REALLY quickly to the Sistine Chapel, here's what you do: After walking the corridors with the tapestries and the maps, you'll get to a small room divided by a rope. If you go under the rope, you'll be right next to the entrance to the Sistine Chapel, saving maybe 15-30 minutes.

However, be warned that you will NOT see the Raphael rooms.

I'd head for the Sistine first, at peak times it's just nuts in there, crowded and very noisy, and no place to sit.
I unfortunately wasn't as moved as I hoped to be. I left, had some lunch, went back to the Sistine (about a 15 minute walk inside!) and it was slightly less crowded and better for a visit.

As for backtracking, if you tell the guard you want to go back to the gift shop or the cafeteria, you shouldn't have a problem it seems to me.

I agree that all of the museum rooms are fantastic, so I would take my time seeing them first, go downstairs for a little refreshment break in the cafeteria, then carry on to the Sistine Chapel. You can backtrack and walk in any direction really once you get inside the museums.
I have been a few times and always save the Chapel for the Grande Finale. I also go into St. Peters separately, there is just so much to take in.

Hi.

My two cents (and worth every penny): See the Sistine as early as you can, take some opera glasses (those wonderful images are pretty far away) and don't be rushed. Be prepared to be disappointed; it is generally uncomfortably crowded, not well-ventilated and not terribly well-lit.

You want glory? You want true awe? Step into St. Peter's and just try to keep your jaw from dropping!

You're welcoe.

Seeing the Sistine Chapel was the highlight of my trip to Rome. If I had it to do over again, I'd go there first and see it with relatively few people there. We got in about 10:00 and it was already quite full and very noisy. Even half the people would've been welcome. The only plus to seeing the Sistine Chapel last is taking the group exit on the side opposite the entrance to exit right onto the front steps of St. Peter's. Just be sure to bring binoculars of some sort!

I wasn't in the least underwhelmed with the Chapel; I was however underwhelmed with St. Peter's. Go figure.

I was there last year and as I recall, there is really no other way to get through to the Sistine Chapel except to go through all the papal palaces and galleries, then you finally reach the Sistine Chapel. True enough, the other stuff pales significantly in comparison, but it is an interesting prelude to a spectacular finish! We took our time in the Sistine Chapel; however, with the crowds jostling to come in, they have to keep the traffic moving. Unless you don't take a seat on the benches around the side perimeters, you more or less have to look and then keep moving. And that was in October - supposedly "off season" for tourists!

We did just that. Got in line early, stopped to get the audio tour and made our way directly to the chapel. The great thing is that is was almost empty. Not one time did the guard have to "ssshhh" the crowd and play the recording (in many languages)requesting everyone to be quiet. That alone was worth it. There was literally a dozen people in there (inclu. us) for 45 minutes to an hour until the real crowd arrived.

Hi,

IIRC, someone earlier suggested that, in addition to the opera glasses, do neck stretching exercises.

It may not apply to you but we did a tour thru the museum and chapel with an art history major and she was very good at building up to the chapel.

Funny thing about the tour, it might have made me appreciate the chapel less than I would have otherwise. With the guides explanations I was able to analize what I liked in paintings (very subjective I know) and came to the conclusion that I appreciate Michelangelo's sculpture more than I do his paintings.

Contray to other posts I did not find the lack of binoculars a problem. The images are so large and bright even with sitting at one end I did not feel deprived.

We took the Scala Reale tour and were very happy. http://www.scalareale.org/index.html
Rick

I agree with sandi travelnut -- that's exactly what we did. Arrived at opening time, scooted right through the galleries to the Sistine, stopping only to pick up the audio guide (which we thought was worthwhile).

We arrived to an almost empty chapel, with room to walk around and look, a place to sit and listen to the audio, time to focus the binoculars. We were so engrossed that we did not notice the crowd building at first, until the noise level and the number of announcements became too much to ignore.

It's a tremendous amount to take in without getting mental indigestion, and we wanted to be fresh. You can always make a separate visit to the galleries...

Just another couple's opinion, but we did this and would definitely recommend it...

We got in line around 8:00-8:15am, waiting for the 8:45am opening...it was a modest line (this was just a few weeks ago, so still "high" season in terms of a crowd), but not *that* bad. At 8:45, we DID take off like a shot through the people to get our tickets and hit the Sistine Chapel first. Why? First of all, the tour groups...they are misery. Try to get around them at all costs (you'll recognize them by the bandannas tied to antennae, and other creative sight tools). You'll cruise through the map rooms, the tapestries, and some other objets d'art galleries, and will reach the Sistine Chapel. At this point, it was no later than 9:00a, and we were there with -- get this -- about 15 people. AMAZING! No guards shushing, no scrambling to get a seat, just peace and quiet to view one of Europe's greatest treasures. It is true -- you cannot officially backtrack!!! BUT, as long as you have a map or guidebook, you just work your way back, do all the rooms (incl. the Raphael Stanza), and can do those among the throngs of tour groups and visitors happy with the fact you were able to see the piece de resistance the way you did it! We actually found our way back in the Sistine Chapel at one point later in the morning, and it was a nightmare! I would never want to squish my way in there with those hundreds of people! Plus, they were literally clearing the room of everyone every 15 minutes to get the next batch in...

My $.02 -- run like a rabbit to the Sistine Chapel -- you won't regret it!

~ Chris and Jacky

Taking the Scala Reale tour was the best time and money spent. There is so much to see other than the Sistine and they really can build the case for why that's as grand as it is. They can also help you use your time wisely, which'll help you keep from frying your brain... we did 5 hours with them including St. Peters and were almost ready for more. It was so interesting!