Rome - Sistine Chapel

[vivienne-j]

Folks - we'll be visiting Rome in August. We're not "culture vultures" - we just want to get a flavour of the places we're stopping at. We're using Princess's "Rome on your own" trip, just to get us to Rome and back without any risk of missing the sailing (!). We'll probably do the bus 110 trip round Rome, as recommended elsewhere on these threads, but I REALLY want to see the Sistine Chapel. Is it possible to do just this part of the Vatican, or are you herded round everything? I don't mind paying the full entrance fee, but I like to "cherry-pick" what I see. And (silly question, I guess) are the entrance queues reeeeealllly long?

 

All info gratefully received!

 

Vivienne

[jhannah]

We will be visiting in September. Here's what I've gathered so far:

Lines at the Chapel are long. A private tour guide told me he couldn't bypass them like he can at other sites. To get to the chapel, you have to traverse the Vatican Museum. That's the only way you can get to it. I don't know how fast the line will move, or whether or not you can just walk past the displays and right on into the Chapel. Hopefully someone who has been there will chime in here shortly with that answer.

[dbh62ark]

I have been there 4 times so someone else may have more info, but I think it's going to depend on how crowded it is when you visit there. The rooms that you go through on the way to the Sistine Chapel are spectacular, such as the map room, but there aren't usually "lines" through these rooms. So you should be able to walk through the rooms preceding the Sistine Chapel pretty quickly (although I must say that it pains me to say that because the rooms are stunning and I hate to think about anyone missing them). The longest line that I saw to get into the Sistine Chapel in high season one year was about 45 minutes. Also, please note that you don't go around the Vatican museums in groups unless join a group or are on a tour. You just mill around and look at the exhibits like you do in other museums. My favorite experience there was once when we got to the chapel about an hour prior to closing, and we sat on the benches at the end of the chapel and just sat and marveled at the artwork. If you hit it when there are a lot of tour groups there, it will be difficult to view. I would think that the tour groups would not be there later in the day. I do think it's going to be hard for you to plan around the crowds of tour groups, so if I were you and that were on my "must see" wish list, I'd go for it and have a back-up plan such as visiting St. Peter's Basilica (which is also magnificent and is just around the corner) if things don't work out.

 

Hope you have a great time,

Donna

[katisdale]

We were at the Vatican museum/Sistine chapel in May. The route to the chapel was long, through lots of wonderful exhibits and we had to go up and down lots of steps. We finally saw the Sistine Chapel with 500 others. It was really crowded and being bumped made it hard to quietly observe the art. As we were leaving we found out that there is handicapped access to the chapel that is not marked. Since I have difficulty walking distances and am supposed to avoid stairs, I should have found this. You have to ask when you pay on how to find this route and it will be pointed out to you.

[TWOFERTWO]

:)

..........Hope you have a great time, Donna

 

I think that you have a truely great gift, your writng skills! OUTSTANDING post, thank you. :)

[Andym]

The lines vary, we have been twice, once we had to wait about a half hour and the other time we just went straight in. I agrree there is a lot of things to see before you get to the chapel but I wouldn't miss them. We at times felt herded about but that is just due to the sheer amount of people who are moving through. In the chapel itself you are not allowed to use a camera and the place has security everywhere so don't try to sneak a picture as we saw several people doing this spotted and caught. I don't know what they do if they catch you.

If you drop me an email, I can send you some pictures of the inside.

[Aussie Gal]

Vivienne,

 

The tour groups usually go in the morning so if you can manage to go around 1pm or later you may have a much better chance of avoiding the queues. We did go one morning and we were able to sit and look up at the ceiling. This was just after the ceiling had been finished being retouched in 1994. It is a wondrous work of art and a must thing to see.

 

You also may be lucky as August is not a popular month in Rome, it is very hot and most of the locals are on holidays. There may not be many tourists.

 

Jennie

[andydee]

Hi all,

Can anyone tell me if the camera ban in the Sistine Chapel applies only to flash units or are video cameras also banned?

Thanks,

Andy

[Andym]

Andy, I believe that it could be all cameras but I'm not 100%. They are very very keen about it though.

[BJS]

Have read several variations for the dress code in the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel so need clarification from recent visitors.

 

My question is: Are women allowed to wear capri pants? I am aware of the covered knees and shoulders but on a web site where you can purchase tour they say no capri pants.

 

Also if they are not allowed elsewhere in Europe that information would be helpful in planning what to pack.

 

Thanks for the clarification.

[vivienne-j]

Folks

 

Thank you all for such helpful information.

 

I've just worked out that we're there on a Saturday, and the guide book I have says the Vatican Museum shuts at 1.45pm with last admittance at 12.20!! Looks like we'll just have to try to get there first thing, but if the queues are too horrendous, give it up and enjoy the rest of the city.

 

At least (being in the UK) we can always go back some time soon for a longer land-based holiday, and plan things a bit more to suit ourselves.

 

Thanks again for all the wonderful advice - aren't these boards great?!

 

Vivienne

[Andym]

BJS,

My DW wore a long skirt and blouse for our visit. I don't think they take shorts of any type. If you wear a t shirt or sleevless top, some churches and holy places provide shawls to cover the shoulders.

[jplewis]

Jennie, (or anyone else) is it possible to get to there before any tour groups start coming in? We are early risers and have been in some places before the crowds get there. I haven't researched what time you can start entering - does anyone know?

Also we will be there the last Sunday of the month when it is open and free. Does that mean the afternoon will be terribly crowded?

Thanks,

Patsy

[cruisintwinsmom]

We were there on a Saturday. We left the port about 8:00am and went straight to the Vatican--there was already a line about an hour long. We told our guide that we would move on to see other things, as we had a reservation to see the excavation at St. Peter's at noon. He took us to other well known sites-Forum, Collosseum, a church, circus maximus (to name a few) then back to the Vatican. We missed seeing the Sistine Chapel, but I didn't want to miss seeing other venues by waiting the hour. I had told Claudio (limoinrome) that we did not want to feel rush and if we didn't see everything, we wouldn't be upset--it would just give us a reason to return!

 

Happy Sailing!

[dbh62ark]

Twofertwo, I just saw your sweet note. :)

 

It it my understanding that capris are okay but shorts are not. This applies at many of the cathedrals in Europe. Also, some of them have a problem with bare shoulders. There are frequently vendors outside the religious sites to sell scarves and other items to cover up so that you can go inside.

 

Happy travels to all,

Donna

[sailingfriends]

We were just at the Sistine Chapel, they say no pictures at all with or without flash, and no video cameras either. We did see flashes going off, but they were stopping those they caught. I was told it had to do with FUJI's rights, since they did the restoration. I did get a few shots before I was told no photos, but I did it with no flash and it was not easy, because it is crowded.

 

We took a private tour rather than the ships tours, and we were able to see everything in Rome. Our guide said all the tours go in the AM, so we went about 2 pm and walked right in. As they said above you have to maneuver throught the Vatican Museum to get to the chapel, it was up and down and in and out of buildings, but we finally made it and it was worth the walk. People do tend to linger in the chapel so it was pretty crowded when we finally got there.

 

Enjoy.

[jolene73]

Just got back from the Sistine Chapel as well. No photos allowed. I got a few pics as well with no flash until a guard came up to me. Many people were snapping away.

[Mezzaluna]

We went to the Vatican first thing in the morning and felt like we were cattle being herded through. It was so crowded there was no room to enjoy things from across a room. It was also very hot! We went a the end of June.

 

We saw women denied entrance with capris, cap-sleeved tops, low necklines, sheer tops. Don't take a chance ruining your visit and wasting valuable time.

[mpbmark]

A few points. We were there in October 2003. Arrived at the museum around mid morning and walked right in. It seems to determined by how lucky you are. My wife wore dark long pants and walked right in. Capris, being shorter, may be a problem, but only in selected churches such as Vatican and St. Peters. Almost all the others require “modest” attire with no bare shoulders and covered knees (no tank tops or shorts).

 

While you can take pictures in the museum and even St. Peters (all “pictures” are now actually mosaics), it is definitely not allowed in the chapel. There are guards all over the place and they will shut you down.

 

If you possible can, go through the museum is not to be missed. I strongly recommend you pick up a copy of Rick Steves book, “Mona Winks”. Any edition will work, so check out the used bookstore first. He has a section on the museum and the chapel which can’t be beat for a self guided tour. While I don’t agree with his hotel reviews (a little too spartan for me), his museum guides are great.

 

Finally, watch out for the street urchins. They are masterful pickpockets and frequent the underground and the tourist buses that travel around the various tourist sites. Just be alert.

 

You will have a wonderful time whatever you do. Rome is an adventure.

[BJS]

We saw women denied entrance with capris, cap-sleeved tops, low necklines, sheer tops. Don't take a chance ruining your visit and wasting valuable time.

Thank you for posting this. Others have said they were allowed in with capri pants but will follow your great advice "Don't take a chance ruining your visit" :)