Vatican Tickets: Admission & Guided Tours 2025
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A visit to the Vatican is part of every trip to Rome. What many visitors to the smallest state in the world don’t know, however, is that admission to some of the attractions often involves long waiting times.
Due to the large crowds of visitors, Vatican tickets and guided tours sell out quickly, especially in high season. Therefore, to visit the Vatican, you should plan well in advance.
You can book your visit to the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica from your home.
Skip-the-line tickets are also available, which allow you to skip the long lines. These tickets are a little more expensive but will save you lots of time.
This article provides a clear list of all available ticket options to help you plan your Vatican admission easily. You can also find more tickets on our Rome tickets overview page.
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Who’s writing here?
Hi there, fellow adventurers!
I’m Allie and I travel to Rome a lot! ♥️
Allie
Vatican Museums Tickets & Admission to the Sistine Chapel
Admission to the Vatican is free. However, if you would like to visit the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel, you will have to pay an entrance fee and should plan about half a day for your visit.
Both sights are among the most popular attractions in Vatican City. The waiting time at the entrance is around 1-3 hours. The quickest way to avoid a large number of visitors is to use our tickets from the well-known provider GetYourGuide.
Thanks to a separate entrance to the Vatican Museums, you can enter the museum without queuing. What’s more, you can cancel your tickets free of charge up to 24 hours before the start of your visit!
Guided tour of the Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel (St. Peter's Basilica optional)
If you would like to learn more about the history and works of art in the Vatican Museums, you can visit them on a guided tour. Guided Vatican tours usually last 2.5 – 3 hours.
An experienced guide will lead you through the impressive halls and galleries and give you a deeper insight into the works of art and their significance.
Vatican tours are particularly useful if you are visiting Rome for the first time, have never visited the Vatican Museums before, or would like to learn more about the background of many works of art.
Thanks to modern headphones, you are always connected to your tour guide during your guided tour so that you can absorb all the information about the various paintings, artifacts, and statues.
If you opt for skip-the-line entry, you can also get into the museum much faster and with less stress on a guided tour.
Guided Tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica
Guided tours already include Vatican Museum tickets and Sistine Chapel tickets. Admission to St. Peter’s Basilica is free anyway, so you pay nothing more for the highlights in the Vatican.
You start your tour in the museums, visit the Sistine Chapel, and end in the majestic St. Peter’s Basilica. This comprehensive tour offers a deep insight into the history and art of the Vatican and allows you to enjoy the most important sights without stress.
This tour lasts 3 hours. Here, too, you can choose between private and small group tours with a maximum of 20 people in English, German, French, Spanish, and Italian.
St. Peter's Dome Ticket with Audio Guide
The dome of St. Peter’s Basilica is a fascinating highlight of the Vatican and can be visited with or without a tour guide.
However, tickets are often unavailable at short notice, locally or online, during the high season and vacation periods. So don’t wait too long and book online in advance.
Visit the Vatican Gardens
A visit to the Vatican Gardens is particularly exciting for visitors who are generally interested in nature and the Vatican’s history.
These peaceful and well-tended gardens, which are not normally open to the public, offer an oasis of tranquillity and beauty in the midst of the busy Vatican.
Here, you can admire the magnificent landscaping and diverse flora, follow in the footsteps of the popes, and discover historical statues and exotic plants.
Booking a bus tour is the easiest and most popular way to explore the Vatican Gardens. The ticket includes admission to the Vatican Museums, so you only have to pay once.
Vatican City Admission: Visit free Highlights
St. Peter's Basilica
St. Peter’s Basilica (or Basilica di San Pietro) is undoubtedly one of the most outstanding landmarks of the Eternal City and is also the most important church in Christendom.
Construction of this architectural masterpiece, one of the world’s most important religious sites, began in 1506.
The builders included greats such as Donato Bramante, Raphael Santi, Bernini, and others! It took around 120 years to complete. Entry is free of charge. However, the entrance has exceptionally long waiting times, especially in spring and fall.
We recommend booking skip the line tickets online and using a priority entrance. This is signposted on-site and is only open to ticket holders with a skip-the-line option.
With the flexible audio guide, you can explore the majestic St. Peter’s Basilica at your own pace. The official audio guide lasts about an hour and can be downloaded directly to your smartphone.
Various language options are available, including English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, and Chinese. You can immerse yourself in the fascinating world of St. Peter’s Basilica without being tied to a group.
The extraordinary architecture and the many artistic details that the church has to offer will amaze you!
St. Peter's Square
St. Peter’s Square is a masterpiece of Baroque architecture designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini in the 17th century. It stretches in front of the imposing façade of St. Peter’s Basilica and is surrounded by 284 travertine columns.
Incidentally, the gigantic obelisk in the middle of St. Peter’s Square is around 4,000 years old and originally comes from Egypt. It weighs 330 tons, which makes transporting it seem almost impossible.
In addition, two remarkable fountains from the 17th century add to the great scenery that you can enjoy during your visit to the Vatican. The two fountains underline the square’s beautiful symmetry and create a beautiful, peaceful atmosphere.
What visitors say...
Further tips for your visit to the Vatican:
Dress code for your visit to the Vatican
There is a dress code in many parts of the Vatican, especially if you want to visit St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museums, or the Sistine Chapel.
It serves to respect the religious significance of these places and the cultural norms of the Vatican. Here are the most important points about the dress code in Vatican City:
- Shoulder and knee-length clothing: Wear clothing that covers your shoulders and knees. Tank tops, sleeveless shirts, miniskirts, and shorts are not permitted.
- Avoid clothing that is too revealing. Clothing that is too tight or see-through could be considered inappropriate.
- Proper footwear: Wear appropriate shoes. Flip-flops and slippers are not normally permitted.
If you do not comply with the dress code, you may be refused entry to parts of the Vatican, particularly the religious sites such as St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel.
Best time to visit the Vatican
The best time to visit the Vatican is usually early in the morning, especially from Tuesday to Thursday. These days are less crowded than the weekend and bridge days.
Only those who arrive early in the morning have the chance to enjoy the sights in a relatively quiet atmosphere. It usually gets very crowded from mid-morning onwards, especially at Easter or in the fall.
These times attract particularly large crowds of visitors, which can lead to considerable waiting times at the entrance. Buying Vatican tickets in advance shortens the waiting time enormously. It gets a little quieter in the late afternoon after many tourist groups have finished their tour.
On Wednesdays, there is usually a papal audience from 9:30 a.m., which several thousand visitors attend. If you do not wish to attend, we recommend that you plan your visit for the early afternoon.
Visitor Information
Address:
Città del Vaticano, 00120 Vatican City
Transportation:
Subway stop: Ottaviano, Line A, Cipro Line A
The most popular Vatican tickets at a glance:
Opening hours:
St. Peter’s Square
St. Peter’s Square is open around the clock and freely accessible.
St. Peter’s Basilica
April 01 – September 30: 07:00 – 19:00
October 01 – March 31: 07:00 – 18:30
Closed on 01.01 | 06.01 | Easter
St. Peter’s Basilica Dome
April 01 – September 30: 08:00 – 18:00
October 01 – March 31: 08:00 – 18:00
Crypt
April 01 – September 30: 08:00 – 18:00
October 01 – March 31: 08:00 – 17:30
closed on Sundays & public holidays
Vatican Museums
Monday – Saturday: 9.00 – 18.00 (last admission: 16.00)
Fridays open until 21.00
Sunday: closed (except the last Sunday of each month)
Nearby:
St. Peter’s Basilica
Dome of St. Peter’s Basilica
St. Peter’s Square
Vatican Museums
Sistine Chapel
Vatican Gardens
Castel Sant’Angelo
How to get to Vatican City
The Vatican is easily accessible by metro in Rome. The nearest metro station is Ottaviano (line A), from where you can reach the Vatican on foot in just a few minutes.
Bus lines 40 and 64 also take you directly to St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican. Alternatively, you can reach the Vatican on foot from Piazza del Risorgimento in just a few minutes.
The Cipro station is the most recommended for visiting the Vatican Museums. Please note that the metro can be very crowded during rush hour, especially in the morning and evening.
There may also be long queues at the ticket machines, so buying Metro tickets in advance or purchasing a multi-ride ticket (e.g., Roma Pass) is advisable.
The metro is a convenient and efficient way to get to the Vatican. The connection is extremely good, so we can definitely recommend it.
Editor: Allie Hartmann
Hey and welcome to Rome-Tourist!
My name is Allie and I travel regularly to Rome, Italy.
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