A visit to the Vatican is one of the must-see sights in Rome that you shouldn’t miss. Unbelievably world-famous sights are located here in a very small space. In the smallest state in the world is the center of the Catholic Church and thus important places and buildings.

 You should  plan a whole day for your  visit to the Vatican. Because for the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, Peter Square and St. Peter’s Basilica with dome you need time.

The Vatican is visited by almost 5 million tourists every year. That is why you should be well prepared for the visit. I admit it: we weren’t there on our first visit to the Vatican.

So that you are well prepared for your visit to the Vatican, you will find all the important information and tips here. Everything about opening times, entrance fees and avoiding queues.

This saves you time and money and allows you to relax and enjoy the tour.

Have fun with our tips for visiting the Vatican!

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More Rome tips:

1. My experience with the Roma Pass – save money with the CityPass? (+ Alternatives)
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3. Visiting the Colosseum: this is how it works without long lines!
4. The tour of Rome for the Illuminati film on your own through Rome
5. Eating out in Rome – tips for restaurants in Rome
6. How to get from the airport to the city in Rome

Tickets for the Vatican

The entrance fee for the Vatican (Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel) is currently 21 euros for adults. 12 euros reduced for children.

You can buy the tickets on site, but then you have to deal with very long queues on site. With us it was several hundred meters long and went around several corners of the walls (waiting time at least three hours). Therefore, you should definitely reserve your tickets before you  travel !

The tickets cost a little more on the Internet, but you save yourself pointless standing around in the sun.

There are different tickets for the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel:

• Ticket on the official website for 21 euros
• Skip-the-line ticket for 21 euros  (simple ordering process from a German provider)
• Ticket with guided tour including St. Peter’s Basilica for 41 euros

My tip:  With the  Rome City Pass  , entry to the Vatican, the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel is free. Without queuing and queuing. These Rome Passes bring you further valuable and time-saving advantages. This gives you more time to discover Rome.

Tickets for St. Peter’s Basilica and the Dome of St. Peter’s Basilica:

In principle, entry to St. Peter’s Square and St. Peter’s Basilica is free. Nevertheless, there are long queues at the entrance on public holidays, bridging days or during the main season. Because the security controls are very strict here. The waiting time is shorter than at the Vatican Museums, but it is clever to avoid it.

If you plan to visit the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica, you can buy a ticket in advance for faster admission.

Here you can find a detailed  experience report on the Roma Pass with alternatives for sightseeing passes .

Tickets for St. Peter’s Basilica and the Dome of St. Peter’s Basilica:

In principle, entry to St. Peter’s Square … Read the rest