Vatican Wait Time

[kare8ear]

How long did you have to wait to purchase tickets to the Vatican Museum/Sistine Chapel? And did you go with the cruise excursion, private excursion, or on your own? And approximately what time did you go?

 

Do you need tickets for St Peter's Basilica?

 

Thanks for taking the time to answer my many questions! :)

[10suzy]

we took the ship's shore excursion and waited 2 hours. the next day was a religious holiday so that made it worse.

[EGG]

Our ship will be docked on Wed. Is Wed. worse than other days to visit the Vatican and the Sistene Chapel?

 

Ellen

[Andym]

It is very difficult to plan as it varies so much . Plan that it will be quite a line, and when it isn't ....bonus.

[kare8ear]

Here is some great info that Daniele (driverinrome) generously shared with me:

 

on Monday Tuesday thursday or Friday you can show up at the vatican Museum entrance at 2:30 and 99% of the times there is no line .Remember once inside you have until 4:30 to tour. The last ticket is sold at 3:20 pm.

If you visit on Saturdays the chances of getting in without waiting in lines is impossible.

If you visit on Wednesdays during the Papal audience there is very short line because everyones at the Papal audience if you show up after 11:00 am forget about it!!!!

The museum is closed every Sunday except the last one of the month when it is free.Do not go on this Sunday because all you will do is wait in Line!!!!

Wednesday sounds like a potentially good day!

[kare8ear]

So those on the ship's shore excursions wait in line like everyone else? I thought they went through a special guided tour entrance.

 

Thanks!

[10suzy]

I thought that we would go through a special line also - but no, we stood in line with everyone else. I didn't think the tour was worth the $179/person but I didn't look into other options.

[cougfan]

We were in Rome in Oct. 2004 with the Brilliance OTS. We were there on a Wednesday. When we got to Rome there were big crowds because of the Pope so we went straight to the Forum and Coloseum. By the time we had worked our way back to the Vatican at 1PM or so there were no lines. We walked right in. The Sistine Chapel was very crowded but the rest of the museum was a lot less crowded.

 

Julie

[macahayes]

My family and I were just there (albeit not on a cruise). We made arrangements for a private tour of the Vatican. Expecting to go into the private tour line we were greatly disappointed to go to the end of the "other" line.

 

Our guide explained that at 0845 the private tour line gets cut off. It doesn't matter if you are the next in line, if it's 0845, in order to get in you have to go to the end of the non-tour line. Given our arrival time, she thought it best that we get in the regular line and not risk having to join the end of it later.

 

Sure enough, around 0850 lines of people with their guides were walking past us to the end of the line we were in. By this time, the end of the line was no longer visible. They looked non-too happy.

 

Aileen

[Sandy R]

We just returned from Rome (there from 6/19-6/23). We took a taxi to the Vatican Museum at 1 pm on a Tuesday. To our amazement, there was no line. We walked right in and bought tickets. We each rented an audio tape and for the most part, during our visit, the crowds were light. We even got seats to view the Sistine Chapel after a 10 minute wait. I'm sure our experience was somewhat unique but if we did it again, I'd definitely go in the middle of the week and at 1 pm. (We also reserved the Vatican Museum tour for individuals for 2 pm, same day, but didn't take it when we saw there were no lines to get in.)

 

Sandy

[pvmkmyer]

How long did you have to wait to purchase tickets to the Vatican Museum/Sistine Chapel? And did you go with the cruise excursion, private excursion, or on your own? And approximately what time did you go?

 

Do you need tickets for St Peter's Basilica?

 

Thanks for taking the time to answer my many questions! :)

 

You don't need tickets for St. Peter's, but remember to be dressed appropriately. For women that's no bare shoulders, no midriffs showing, appropriate length skirts. No pants. For men, no shorts or muscle shirts. They are strict about this at the Vatican.

 

If this is your first visit I suggest you put up with the crowds and see the Sistine Chapel. It is breathtaking. Try to look at the frescos on the walls. If they were displayed in any other place they'd be a tourist destination by themselves. Of course they are ignored by most everyone because of the amazing Michelangelo's on the ceiling and the Last Judgment on the altar. I also suggest you bring binoculars to see the details of the ceiling. When you enter St. Peter's Michelangelo's "Pieta" is just to your right (follow the crowds and good luck getting up to the front.)

 

Off topic, if you awant even more Michelangelo, try getting to the Church of San Pietro in Vincoli (St. Peter in Chains). It's not far from the Colosseum. The sole purpose of the visit is to see his famous statue of Moses. Truly incredible.

 

Phil

[goldenprincess53]

You don't need tickets for St. Peter's, but remember to be dressed appropriately. For women that's no bare shoulders, no midriffs showing, appropriate length skirts. No pants. For men, no shorts or muscle shirts. They are strict about this at the Vatican.

 

Phil

 

You mention "no pant" above. Does that mean ladies must wear a skirt or dress? I had heard about the covered shoulders, but had no idea we couldn't wear pants.

[10suzy]

you need knees and shoulders covered - so pants or capris work.

[jeno]

Sorry

[CASkippr]

We just returned from our cruise on Saturday. Our driver (driverinrome.com) took us to the Sistine Chapel around 2:30 or 3pm'ish. We had no line and walked right in. There was a small line at the Vatican but he got out of the car, spoke to someone and took us to the front of the line.

 

I agree with the previous poster...the Sistine Chapel is not to be missed, even if there is a line.

 

They are strict about clothing. We saw several people stopped for not having appropriate clothing..either shoulders exposed or shorts/dresses not covering the knees. Our daughter was wearing a dress that day but we were fine since it covered her knees.

 

Have a great time!

Leah

[supernaturalblonde]

We went on a Friday afternoon to the Vatican, and the line was around the corner; however, it went very quickly. Don't be discouraged if you do encounter a line. It moves fast.