Vatican questions
 

Hello again- will be in Rome next week

1) Are Vatican Museums open on Sunday?

2) Best to buy tickets online (no tour needed, just admission)?

3) Best time to go around noon?

4) With our ticket do we go to the Museums and THEN to St. Peter's through the "tours only" exit? Mostly interested in Sistine Chapel and St.Peters.

5) Borghese question: we have reservations but have now decided to get a RomaPass.
Can we just tell them when we pick up the tickets that we are using it or does that have to be told when reservation made?

***Now that it's crunch time I feel the need to get things perfectly straight after months of following all of your great ideas/advice.

Thanks so much for all of your help!!!
Suzanne

1. I believe the museums are open 1 Sunday a month. Check their web site for opening times and advance tickets.

http://www.vatican.va/

2. << no tour needed >> - is this a question? You don't need to take a tour but you might find it valuable.

3. After noon

4. You can either see St. Peter's first, before the museums, or after the museums. I can't remember what the door said as I just exited and was right by St. Peters. I found it easier to see St. Peter's after the museums rather than walking around to the museum entrance.

The Vatican Museums are open and free the last Sunday of the month, but they close early. Otherwise, they are closed on Sunday.

Didn't you have to pay when you booked the Borghese? You might try calling and get the charge reversed. Tell them you want to keep your time slot, but use the Roma Pass.

When you're leaving the Sistine Chapel, there's an antechapel with exit doors on the left and right. Take the door on the right (right if your back's to the Sistine Chapel altar) with an abrupt staircase visible immediately after the door. That gets you back into St Peter's Square more quickly and pleasantly: you also stay within the secure area so you don't need to go through te x-ray machines again.

3. A couple weeks ago, I entered the museums at around 3:30 pm and there was no line at all. Even the Sistine Chapel was relatively uncrowded. The downside was that the museums close at 6 pm and St. Peter's closes at 7 pm so the amount of time for visiting is limited.

Hi Suzanne,
When are you going to be in Rome? I'm arriving on Sunday, 6/28!

Hi Amy-
My husband and I will be in Rome 6/27-7/1.

Thanks everyone for your help!

Have a great trip Amy!

Hey Suzanne, I'll be there until 7/1 as well. Going to Villa Ada to see La Notte Della Taranta on 6/30. Hitting the Vatican on Tuesday morning. I made my reservations online last week. I don't recall which site, but I opted for the Vatican gardens guided tour because it said I could go and see the museum as well. Have a great time!

Amy