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Friday night Sistine chapel

We are going to be in Rome at the end of August prior to a cruise. We will be there on a Friday night and I think that might fit our schedule best. I see many link to different night tours - what is the "best", most direct way to book a Friday evening?

Posted by
1045 posts

I did this visit to the Vatican museums last year - a wonderful way to see it without the crowds or excessive heat. One of the tickets includes a 'happy hour' with a delicious cold buffet supper . . . and a concert! Then you have the museum and Sistine til 11:00 pm. This was my 3rd time in the museum and I'm convinced it will be the only way I'll go back.

Posted by
117 posts

Sorry to burst onto your thread! On the Vatican website description of evening tickets, it says”following an itinerary that includes . . .” Does that mean you have to visit the museum their way? I noticed on some of the outside tours that they only guide ppl through the upper galleries. I guess I’m asking if I can see stuff at my own pace. Thanks!

Posted by
15678 posts

I guess I’m asking if I can see stuff at my own pace. Thanks!

Kelly, if you want to visit at your own pace on a seasonal Friday night - no guided tour - this is the ticket you want:

http://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en/visita-i-musei/scegli-la-visita/musei-e-collezioni/musei-vaticani-e-cappella-sistina/-i-aperture-notturne--i---visita-libera-musei-e-cappella-sistina.html

Don't let "open tour" throw you off: it's just the way they are wording self-guided exploration.
But do understand that only select parts of the museums will be open to tourists on Friday nights.

Posted by
1045 posts

I'm a little late jumping in on this thread - Friday night with the happy hour (ok, it's one glass of wine), a cold buffet supper (plenty and very good), a concert (different groups through out the season, all good so far), and unhurried time in the museum and Sistine!?! It doesn't get much better! There's no pressure from guards even at 11 o'clock when many people are still in the Sistine - when you leave there you still have a couple more amazing hallways filled with art to meander through before exiting. I now schedule my 2 weeks in Rome around my Friday night's in the Vatican!

Posted by
47 posts

We did this in 2017 and it was well worth it. A lovely dinner and plenty of time to see the museums and the Sistine Chapel.
When you get out at 11 there are lots of taxis lined up waiting for you. We took the Metro and managed just fine.