Confused about the Vatican

I also have Ricks Audio Guides too :) Including St peters Basilisca

There are several companies that offer tickets to skip the line - search for reviews online and shop for the best price. On Wednesdays the Pope usually has the Papal Audience in St Peter's Square. While the audience is taking place you cannot enter St Peter's Basilica. Since you plan on attending on a Wednesday I would visit the museum and then the basilica. If you visited on any other day I would switch the order.

Leeanna, Rome will still be crowded in September but if it's early in the month the Pope will still be out of the city at his summer residence - so Wednesday still may be okay.

There are many companies that are "affiliated" with the Vatican Museum (VM). Simply put, that means they have entered a business arrangement with the VM. They purchase daily allotments of "skip the line" tickets and use them for their own tour groups, sell them to the public, or sell them to other tour agencies who DO NOT have the "skip the line" privilege. Getting this "privilege" is a long, tedious, and expensive process! As a consumer, you can buy them directly in line at many websites for about €29. The cost to the company is €14 + €4 (early entry fee) = €18 so they are making €10-11 per guest.

The Dome of St. Peters is incredible – and so is the climb! You have two options. First you can pay €5 and climb ALL the stairs… or you can pay €7 and take the elevator to the roof of the basilica and then climb the remaining distance (a little under 300 stairs). The climb is long, the stairs get narrow and winding – pay the €7 and ride as far as you can! Once you’re up there, you can go inside the Dome for a look down into the Basilica (WOW!), then you CLIMB the stairs to the exterior of the Dome for GREAT views of Rome and a look into the Vatican City grounds… then on your way down, you head for the roof of the basilica for a unique view. From the roof, you ride the elevator down and you’re dropped off inside the basilica itself!

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As far as when to go, that’s up to you and your stamina – and time of day! I’ve always gone first with friends and they feel the massive size of the basilica – then we go inside – then in the afternoon we go to the VM. I like to finish my day over in the VM because it’s just too crowded for me in the AM. (I was there Saturday and there was still a 1 hour entry line to the VM at 2:30 PM!).
I really would steer away from Wednesday to avoid lines because many folks will believe (right or wrong) that the Pope is there EVERY Wednesday… so it’s usually pretty crowded on Wednesdays. The busiest days of the weeks are in order :

Free Sunday – last Sunday of the month – don’t even think about it!!!!!!!

Monday – Closed on normal Sundays so ALWAYS busier on Monday

Wednesday – Pope in town, very crazy and limited access to basilica

Saturday – the day the locals come with friends and family

That leaves Thursday, Tuesday, and Friday as the days when the lines are least (which in the summer is not much of a difference!). I would go on a Thursday or Tuesday if I had my choice…

Hope that info helps – have a great time!

Ciao,
Ron

I just did the Vatican at the end of August (bad tourist time). I went at about 2:00 in the afternoon and did not have to wait in line at all.

Wow Ron!! Thanks for that info!! that exactly what i was after!!

Unfortunately I'm not a very partient person, and would love to avoid a line if possible!! hahaha!! even if its only an hour long line! Unfortunately I can only go on a wednesday :( Because I am on an organised tour, I know the day that I can go, and we will only be there for 2 nights.

I am thinking that maybe it would be best for me to buy a 'skip the line' ticket... Does anyone know if they are at a certain times? Or can I just pick a day?

You can buy a "skip the line" ticket for any day - except Free Sunday :)

Go on the web and google it and you'll get plenty of options!

Ciao,
Ron

We will be in Rome the end of June for 2 days. We booked a tour through Angel Tours which have been mentioned several times on RS helpline. There was a "skip the line" morning ticket that toured at 9:30 a.m. We chose the afternoon tour (1:30)which does not have skip the line priviledges but was less expensive. After reading too much info. also, we are relying on what people have said that the line is not long in the afternoon. Many comments said that the Vatican is way too crowded in the morning during certain times of the year.

FYI - I was in the Vatican area Saturday at 2:30 PM and there was about a 1-hour line to get in... On Wednesday this week, there was no line at 2:45 PM when I rode by... Conversely on Monday of this week at 10 AM the line reached all the way to St. Peter's Square - that's about a 3 hour line - OUCH!

Don't go on Monday unless you have a "skip the line" pass! Traffic is getting heavier so the lines will extend even later into the day...

Ciao,
Ron

I have been speaking with my friend in Italy whom I will be staying with at the end of my trip (she is in northern Italy), and as I am flying out of Rome, we have decided to go down a little bit earlier and see a bit more of Rome before I go, so I think that I will maybe go to the Vatican with her, and that way I can take my time and not be rushed to keep with the tour.

If possible I will try to go on a Tuesday or Thursday as suggested (as I fly out on a Friday)

If anyone still has any advice or suggestions they are more than welcome. :)