Visiting Vatican City: museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s
In Vatican City, the museums’ ticket covers the Sistine Chapel for one day only, while St. Peter’s is free and entered from its square, after a separate security check.
In short
- The Vatican Museums ticket includes the Sistine Chapel and is good only on the day it is issued.
- St. Peter’s is free and entered from its square, after a police check separate from the museums’ metal detector.
- Carry a small bag: the museums ask basilica visitors not to leave baggage in their cloakroom, and St. Peter’s has no storage.
- Pick a day other than Wednesday or Sunday: the basilica names them as its busiest, and the Necropolis is shut on Sundays.
- The dome and the Necropolis are separate bookings with the basilica’s own services.
- 0.5 kmVatican Museums to St. Peter’s Basilica, in a straight line
- 320steps left to the top of the dome after the lift
- 6.9 millionvisitors to the Vatican Museums in 2024
- 1984St. Peter’s Basilica enters the UNESCO World Heritage list
What to book first
The Necropolis takes about 250 visitors a day, from age 10, on request to the Fabbrica di San Pietro. Dome bookings are nominative and cannot be modified or moved to another date.
The entry ticket, which also opens the Sistine Chapel, cannot be refunded and works only on its day of issue: buy it for your exact Vatican date, on tickets.museivaticani.va only.
Places to visit
Wilfredor, CC0Vatican Museums
The Octagonal Court. Where Julius II placed his ancient statues early in the 16th century: the starting point of the whole collection.Museumfrom €20
Alvesgaspar, CC BY-SATimed entrySt. Peter's Basilica
Bernini’s baldachin. The bronze canopy over the papal altar: look for the bees of Urban VIII on its twisted columns.BasilicaFree entry
Antoine Taveneaux, CC BY-SASistine Chapel
The Creation of Adam. One of the nine Genesis panels along the center of the vault, between the Creation and the Flood.Chapelfrom €20How to plan your days
Day 1: the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s
The museums’ ticket covers the chapel, and the basilica stands about 0.5 km from the museums. Allow for the second security check in St. Peter’s Square, where queues build at busy times.
Day 2: St. Peter’s from the dome down to the Necropolis
The dome booking places your basilica visit one hour before or after the climb, and the Necropolis visit lasts one hour. The Necropolis is closed on Sundays and Vatican public holidays, so this day falls between Monday and Saturday.
Two entrances and two security checks in Vatican City, about 0.5 km apart
The Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica stand about 0.5 km apart in a straight line, yet they share neither a door nor a security check. Tourists can enter the Sistine Chapel only through the museums, so the chapel belongs to the museum half of your day.
| Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel | St. Peter’s Basilica | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you go in | The museums’ address is Viale Vaticano | The ordinary entrance in St. Peter’s Square |
| Security check | Metal detector at the museums | Italian State Police, in the right hemicycle of the square as you face the basilica |
| Bags | A free cloakroom for what cannot go further | No cloakroom or luggage storage |
Plan for the second check. At St. Peter’s, the checks can cause queues at busy times, and last entry depends on visitor flow and waiting times at security. The basilica asks visitors to plan their arrival well in advance, so leave a margin between the end of the museums and the square.
Avoid this mistake
The museums send rucksacks and packages that staff judge unsuitable to their cloakroom, and they remind visitors who continue to the basilica not to leave baggage there. St. Peter’s has no storage either. A small bag is the only kind that works for both halves of the day.
One outfit for two dress codes
Both places check clothing at the door, and their lists overlap without matching:
- Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel: sleeveless or low-cut garments, shorts above the knee, miniskirts and hats are not permitted.
- St. Peter’s Basilica: men are required to wear long trousers, women skirts below the knee or trousers, and shoulders must be covered for everyone.
The museums’ rule also covers the Vatican Gardens. It extends to visible personal objects and signs, such as tattoos, that may offend Catholic morality. Long trousers or a skirt below the knee, covered shoulders and no hat meet both lists at once.
Sundays, Wednesdays and Vatican City holidays
The three visits follow different calendars. The Vatican Necropolis, under the basilica, is the one that rules out the most days.
| Day | Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel | St. Peter’s Basilica | Vatican Necropolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday | Open | Open | Open |
| Wednesday | Open | One of its two busiest days, with the Papal Audience | Open |
| Sunday | Closed, except the free last Sunday of the month | Its other busiest day, with the Angelus | Closed |
| Vatican holidays | Closed on a listed set of dates | Open on most, hours may vary | Closed |
The museums and the Necropolis close on many of the same holidays, among them 6 January, 29 June, 15 August and 8 December. The last Sunday of the month is a trap if you want everything at once: the museums open for a shorter time and for free, but the Necropolis stays shut.
Good to know
The Papal Audience is held every Wednesday, unless the Pope has other commitments, in St. Peter’s Square or in the Paul VI Hall. Free tickets can be requested through the Prefecture of the Papal Household, and papal Masses also need a free ticket requested in advance.
The dome and the Necropolis: two more bookings at St. Peter’s
Neither is covered by the museums’ ticket, and each has its own constraint on your day.
Two necropolises, two sellers
The Vatican Museums’ ticket menu lists a Necropolis of the Via Triumphalis. The Necropolis beneath the basilica, where the tomb of Saint Peter is kept, is booked on the basilica’s own visits site. Check which one you are paying for before you book.
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- The dome: you choose the dome time, and the basilica visit in the same booking is assigned automatically, one hour before or one hour after it. Even with the lift, 320 steps remain to the top, and the climb is not accessible by wheelchair.
- The Necropolis: you request a guided visit from the Fabbrica di San Pietro. It admits about 250 visitors a day, only from age 10, and payment is by credit card only. The Visits Office reserves the right to cancel, postpone or reschedule for extraordinary events.
- The Vatican Grottoes: on the lower level of the basilica, they hold the tombs of many popes, and the visit is free.
If the dome shares a day with the museums, remember that its basilica slot may fall an hour before your climb, not after it.
Where to stay to visit Vatican City
Borgo
Best for St. Peter’s and the Necropolis
This district of Rome shares a western border with Vatican City, marked by the Vatican wall, and has long served as a forecourt to St. Peter’s. Its center point is about 0.7 km from the basilica and 0.6 km from the Vatican Museums.
Prati
Best for the Vatican Museums
This Rome district meets Vatican City along the Vatican Walls, from Piazza del Risorgimento to Viale Vaticano, the street of the museums’ address. Its center point is about 1 km from the Vatican Museums and 1.2 km from St. Peter’s.
Map
Frequently asked questions
Can you visit the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s in one day?
Yes. The museums’ ticket covers the chapel on the day it is issued, and the basilica is free, about 0.5 km away. Plan for a second security check in St. Peter’s Square.
Is there one ticket for the whole Vatican?
No. The museums’ ticket opens the museums and the Sistine Chapel. St. Peter’s is free, and its dome and Necropolis are booked with the basilica’s own services.
Are the Vatican Museums open on Sunday?
Only on the last Sunday of the month, when entry is free and opening is shorter. The Necropolis under St. Peter’s is closed every Sunday.
Can I leave my bag at the Vatican Museums and go on to St. Peter’s?
The museums ask visitors who continue to the basilica not to leave baggage in their cloakroom, and St. Peter’s has no luggage storage. Bring a small bag.
What is the best day of the week to visit the Vatican?
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday, outside Vatican holidays. The museums and the Necropolis are open, and the basilica names Wednesday and Sunday as its busiest days.
Which metro station is closest to St. Peter’s?
Ottaviano-San Pietro, on line A. The basilica is entered from St. Peter’s Square, separately from the museums on Viale Vaticano.