What time should I go to Sistine Chapel?

The best time to visit the Sistine Chapel is around 1:00 pm on weekdays or early in the morning by queuing up before opening. To enjoy the visit with fewer people we recommend: not to go on the last Sunday of the month (when entrance is free);



People Also Ask

The best time to visit the Sistine Chapel is around 1:00 pm on weekdays or early in the morning by queuing up before opening. To enjoy the visit with fewer people we recommend: not to go on the last Sunday of the month (when entrance is free);

MORE DETAILS

Visit the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums Inside you can admire Michelangelo's frescoes and the works accumulated by various Popes over the centuries. The visit lasts about three hours but depends on how long you decide to stay and admire the works.

MORE DETAILS

The Sistine Chapel is part of the Vatican Museums within Vatican City. That means you'll need to purchase tickets to the Vatican Museums in order to see the Sistine Chapel.

MORE DETAILS

Remember the best time to avoid the crowd in Vatican City is around midday and over the weekend and Mondays. It's recommended to also book any tickets for Vatican Museums in advance. There are skip-the-line tickets, or you can book a tour of the Vatican and Sistine Chapel.

MORE DETAILS

The Vatican Museum is closed Sundays, except for the last Sunday of every month, when they are free. This is the most crowded day you can imagine for visiting the Vatican Museums. On Wednesdays (except for July, when the pope takes a break), the pope holds an audience at St Peter's Basilica.

MORE DETAILS

The Vatican has a dress code that some travellers might not be aware of when visiting. Luckily if you're planning on wearing jeans to the Vatican, you definitely can! When you plan to visit, it's best to keep your knees and shoulders covered. And for footwear, you will need flat shoes, not flip-flops or casual sandals.

MORE DETAILS

To access the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel it is mandatory to book a ticket online.

MORE DETAILS

The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel are visited on one ticket. You will enter the Sistine Chapel through the Vatican Museums, so if you only want to see the Sistine Chapel, you will have to walk through the Vatican Museums first.

MORE DETAILS

Visitors to the Sistine Chapel are asked to observe absolute silence. It is absolutely forbidden to use a mobile phone in the Sistine Chapel and it is strictly forbidden to take photos and film inside the Sistine Chapel.

MORE DETAILS

Hats, low-cut or sleeveless dresses, shorts, miniskirts are not allowed. Torn trousers and T-shirts are not recommended. You can buy plastic capes to wrap around to cover your knees and shoulders.

MORE DETAILS

It's forbidden to show up with bare sleeves. In summer the solution can be to bring a cardigan or a shoulder cover to wear inside the Museums. Pants or skirts must cover up to the knee. It is absolutely forbidden to wear a top that leaves the belly open.

MORE DETAILS

Arriving at mid-day With ticket lines often snaking around the walls, it's best to get there early. The Vatican Museums opening times are 9am to 6pm Monday to Saturday and we recommend getting there when the doors open – if not a bit earlier to allow for delays.

MORE DETAILS

The best ways to skip the lines at the Vatican
  1. Buy a skip-the-lines ticket with audio guide. ...
  2. Book a group guided tour. ...
  3. Use a Discount Card / Tourist Pass. ...
  4. Get a VIP early entrance and breakfast ticket. ...
  5. Buy a basic ticket online ahead of time.


MORE DETAILS

On weekdays, mass is held at 8:30 AM, 9 AM, 10 AM, 11 AM, 12 PM and 5 PM. On Sunday and Holy Days, mass is held at 9 AM, 10:30 AM, 11:15 AM, 12:15 AM, 1 PM, 4 PM, 4:45 PM and 5:30 PM.

MORE DETAILS

However you are not allowed to drink anything among the galleries, there are courtyards where you can fill up your water bottles at the fountains where the water is fresh and where you can quench your thirst. You can bring water from a plastic bottle.

MORE DETAILS

It's protected by a copyright law, which means selling those snaps, or even sharing them on social media without permission, could lead to a fine. Meanwhile, photography is off limits at the Sistine Chapel in Italy. The reason? The flashes from cameras can be harmful to the artwork.

MORE DETAILS

If you are seen using any of these things, guards have the right to confiscate your camera or phone, and request the immediate cancellations of any video or photographic material produced.

MORE DETAILS