I will be in Rome Tuesday through Thursday in mid June (Leave for the US on Friday). Unfortunately the Vatican Museum is open on Fridays and Saturdays at night which is much less crowded. I have tried to delay my flight one day but the cost is way too high.
Is there a "best" time of day to go? Late in the day?? I have been on an early morning tour several years ago (pre COVID) and thought that was too crowded.
If you were on the early morning tour and thought it was too crowded, I have bad news for you. That is the least crowded time of the day and it has not gotten any better. The suggestion for people trying to decrease crowd effect on this forum is to take one of those early morning tours...........
Here is my question for you, "Do you really want to see the Vatican Museum again, or do you just think that everyone should see it?" If you have a burning desire to see it again and realize it will as crowded or worse, go. If you were just thinking of going because it is one of those "must sees", think about just how important it is to you. Lots of other places to see in Rome that won't be as crowded.
I went last month. We had tickets for 9AM and when we got there at 8:30AM they waved us right in. We went to the Pinacoteca and had it to ourselves for one whole hour! There were many many tour groups around but they all seemed to go right to the Sistine Chapel. By the time we got to that part it was, of course, mayhem. So you could try and get tickets for opening time and show up early. To me it seemed like the people on tours were stuck in the crowds because they were all going to the same places at the same time.
We had a 3:30 entry time and showed up a little early in early May 2019. They waved us right in. We were at the back end of the crowd and St. Peter’s was practically empty. Maybe we were just really lucky, but most tour groups are ending at that time, not beginning. It doesn’t give you as long, but we moved very quickly without crowds.
