The Vatican Museums have extended their hours starting January 2, 2008.

Individual visitors can now enter starting at 8:30; last admission is at 4:00; the Museums close at 6:00 (but they do start clearing people out before then).

Group tours can now reserve slots not only at 9:00 and 10:00 but throughout the day.

In other words, it's useless and expensive to reserve at any site that only promises "early entry".

Disneyworld at Spring Break will not prepare you for summer lines at the Vatican. Unless you do a private tour you cannot pay to avoid the madness. Even with a regular guided tour, you will wait, wait, wait and then be herded through and told by the guards to keep moving. After the whole Vatican line thing there is another line to go up the dome of St. Peter's. We skipped it because we were just worn out.

Bring drinks and snacks for the waiting.

You can see St. Peter's for free on a separate quick visit. The line there is just a security line and moves quickly. You will be pretty tired out after the Vatican and Sistine Chapel and it's a shame to not see St. Peter's with a rested perspective. My kids loved the spot you stand on outside St. Peters where all the columns line up. Well, I thought it was pretty cool too.

g.

Zerlina,

That is great to know about the new hours. When they did the "special early entrance" thing last year it was a mess. They had contracted with several tour companies to provide "early tours". The problem was, many of the companies were just selling advance entry tickets and not actually doing a tour.

These new hours should help with the lines.