Tips for visiting the Vatican Museums
It is an overwhelming collection, and very popular, but
having a few tips will make your visit a lot more enjoyable.
Book your tickets ahead of time
You don’t have to book tickets super early — I booked mine the night before — but do book. It is very easy and means you can avoid the line to get in. Which can be very long some days.
Get there early
Like opening time early. I know, you have pre-booked your tickets so why bother with the gettng there early if you are not going to have to wait in line? Well …
Head straight to the Sistine Chapel
Now, this will have the effect of all the attendants/guards you go past looking at you as though they are thinking “typical stupid tourist, ignoring a magnificent collection just to go to the best-known feature so they can tick it
off their list. What a heathen”. But don’t worry, they will understand what you were up to when you come back past them (as you will as the Sistine Chapel is near the end of your visit to the Vatican Museum and you are NOT
ending it straight after seeing the Sistine Chapel this first time). And you will be tempted to stop and look at all the amazing stuff you pass, but rest assured you will see it again.
Photo credit: BriYYZ on Visualhunt.com / CC BY-SAThe reason for this — you get to be in the Sistine Chapel with relatively few people (there were only a dozen last time we were there). This gives you a chance to easily move around the room, looking at whatever you want. It gives you a chance to sit down on the benches on the sides and look up, unimpeded. It also means you won’t have to spend your time frustrated trying to admire this wonderful work of art while crammed in a room full of idiots ignoring the signs and the guards telling them to be silent, and strobing the place with the flashes from their cameras.
Once you have had your fill, head back to the start, taking time to admire the amazing works in the Gallery of Maps before it too becomes full to bursting point. And don’t forget to look up. Actually, throughout your visit look up, look around, just look — while the collections are amazing, the buildings themselves are stunning as well
Photo credit: Vvillamon on VisualHunt.com / CC BY-SAYou won’t see everything
Even with all that looking you will barely see a tiny fraction of the collection in one day. You wouldn’t even see it all properly if you took all year. Add to that the fact that often areas are closed for renovations, or certain works are on loan to other institutions or away for repair, and you just have to accept you won’t see everything.
You won’t see a Swiss Guard
They’re next door at St Peter’s Basilica.
Side note: The lines to get in to St Peter’s Basilica can be even longer than those for the Vatican Museums. And even in winter, the midday sun can be hot. However we waited until around 4:00pm and had to wait less than 15 minutes to get in. Whatever the time, it is worth it so just go.
The shops are not that expensive
The souvenirs in the shops at the Vatican Museums are not that much more expensive that outside. Of course if you want to buy an expensive silk scarf, it’s going to be expensive. But in general it is not too bad. And if you don’t want the bother of carrying stuff around with you, just order it online when you get home. They even have Vatican baseball caps! (which I would never buy in a thousand years, but if that floats your boat …)
You can eat pizza at the Vatican!
It’s not great pizza, but it is relatively inexpensive and hey, you get to eat pizza. In the Vatican.
Just head to the cafeteria. Bonus — it is still within the museums so you can get back in to the exhibits afterwards.
I have been lucky enough to live in six countries and travel to many more. While not as fun as actually traveling, writing about it is a pretty good way to spend my time. If you have questions about anything just get in touch in the comments.
