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Logistics of seeing Vatican museum and St. Peter's Basilica.

Posted by (Texas) on

We will be in Rome on a Wednesday, Sept 17, so assuming the Pope holds a General Audience that Wednesday (Sept dates haven't been posted on www.vatican.va) we thought we would attend that at 10:30. I understand that even with a ticket, we should arrive at least a couple of hours early. RS says you don't have to stay for the entire hour/hour and half, but if we have seats as opposed to standing at the back of the square I would consider getting up to walk out rather rude. So it seems our morning will pretty well be filled.

I'm trying to figure out the most efficient way to see the museum and St. Peter's afterwards. If we've already gone through security for the General Audience, are we already good to go into St. Peters? Or will there be another security line just before entering St. Peter's? If we don't have to go through more security, then I think the choice is clear--go into St. Peter's while we are already in the square, then go out, find something for lunch and spend the rest of the afternoon in the museum.

Has anyone else done this? Is there a better way?

Posted by
484 posts

I intentionally avoided the pope. I really hate lines and massive crowds. So, I can't give you advice about the general audience thing. What we did is this. I reserved Vatican museum tickets online. We went at 1 pm. 2 pm may be better. Allow about 2 hours for museum. Expect very crowded conditions. (We went in June.). Bring water and limit yourself to a small daypack/shoulder bag. At the end of your visit, you will be in Sistine Chapel. Afterwards, there is an exit at the back. You can now do the dome climb and/or the Basilica. Allow about 1 1/2 hours for the Basilica. There will not be another security check at this point. It's good to see the Basilica after 3 pm or so. I hope this helps you.

Posted by
4152 posts

If you plan to do the audience, even with tickets, you need to get there at least 3 hours prior. After the audience they don't open up the basilica right away. It may take an hour or more to get inside. Most of the crowd at that point will go to the museums. Unless you're absolutely set on doing the audience I would suggest going to the museums first thing in the morning and doing the basilica in the afternoon.

Donna

Posted by
11613 posts

Check to be sure the Wednesday audience is not cancelled before you set out.

Posted by
1994 posts

Arriving 3 hours early last October, we were more than halfway back in the square. And FYI, given the crowds, it would've been very difficult to leave early. Movement through that mass of people would have been challenging. But I'm very glad I went.

There was no security entering the square so, you would have to go through security before entering the basilica. And as noted above, there would be a wait before the basilica opened to visitors. We had lunch after the audience while waiting for things to quiet down, and then continued our touring.

Posted by
1005 posts

If you plan to take the shortcut door at the back of the Sistine chapel (which I also recommend doing so you can skip the security line at the basilica and the long walk around the wall bk to the basilica) be sure to check out Bramante's spiral staircase shortly upon entering the museum. If you take the shortcut door out of the sistine chapel you will miss it. Details are in the RS Rome bk. Be sure to make reservations for museum. Have been 3x-- the end of June 2002 when they did not offer reservations. We Got there about 9 am and luckily got right in. Mid October 2011 had a.m. reservations and glad we did as tkt lines were very long. Also mid july 2013 had a.m. reservations and again glad we did. If you have time, climb the dome for spectacular views of the Vatican grounds and Rome. Was also in Rome four days Iast oct/nov and my husband and I walked over to the Vatican on Nov. 1, Italian holiday all saints day, and got to see the pope speaking from his study window. We were very excited to be in the square that day! Have a wonderftulp trip!

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