I know this question has been asked a million times, but I can't seem to find a way to search past questions, so I apologize... We were planning on going to the Vatican, St. Peter's Basilica, and St. Peter's Square in one day. So much that I've read said get there early, (is 8:30 early enough?) but then I've heard wait until 1:30 or so because everyone goes early?? Just wondering what anyone else who has gone has found...
THANKS for insights
I was there January 2017. I found it is best to buy a tour the earliest one in the morning possible with a guide that includes the Vatican Museum and entry into the St Peters Basilica. This will allow you to circumvent insanely long lines. this is the one I used https://www.mayatoursroma.com/
(and there are different companies offering these that someone else on the forum will recommend)
The St Peters Square does not have a queue so you can visit on your own on the same day or anyday best early morning or late evening.
Hi there. I've also heard about conflicting times of the day. I was just thumbing through my RS Rome book a few days ago and read that his suggestion is to go in the early afternoon.
My husband and I will be visiting Italy in April. We haven't yet decided which time of the day we will go to the Vatican. (We're just getting entry tickets; no scheduled tour.) We have decided, though, that we will go on a Tuesday. I remember reading that Mondays are very busy.
I'm going to buy tickets online in advance so we can skip the line.
We are definitely being tickets ahead of time, probably won't be doing a tour, though thanks for the suggestion.
The conventional wisdom these days is that for the Vatican Museums (which include the Sistine Chapel), the best (probably only) way to avoid a mob scene for at least part of your visit is to sign up for a tour that takes you into the museums before they open to the public. Dark Rome and (more expensive) Walks of Italy offer such tours. There may be other options as well.
Tours will certainly increase your cost. Before deciding it's not worth it to you, Google for pictures of the unbelievable crowds.
OK so it doesn't get you in early but the 3-hour Vatican Museums/St Peter's combo tours will get you to the highlights, and directly into the basilica via a passage at the back of the Sistine reserved for tours. This eliminates a long walk around to the separate entrances and standing in the security line for the basilica. It's also reasonably priced.
Also, if you happen to be in Rome on a Friday (April 21 - October 27) they offer special late openings of just the Museums/Sistine. You can choose to visit on your own or book a tour, and while not all areas will be open, you'll see plenty. This is nice as it can free up time during the day to fit in some other attractions with earlier closing hours. You could visit the basilica before heading off to the museums. It doesn't look like tickets are available yet but should be right around the 21st of this month.
"I can't seem to find a way to search past questions"
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As to your question, I can only say I saw the Vatican Museums in September 1994, and even then, the crowds were so great (and so tense) as to make it impossible to enjoy. If I ever go back, I'd gladly pay whatever it took to see them early or late, away from the crowds - or I wouldn't go at all. That's how miserable it was.
In addition to the Dark Rome and Walks in Italy tours, the Vatican Museums website has early and late tours: http://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en/visita-i-musei/scegli-la-visita/visitatori-singoli.html
