I have tickets for a 9 am Vatican Museum tour with a shortcut to St Peter's Basilica for Oct 8. Our plan was to climb the dome after the tour. I just learned Pope Leo will be saying a mass at 6pm inside the Basilica. There are currently no Dome climb tickets offered for after 10 am that day. If I want to climb the dome, I can do it another day.
My question is does anyone know what time they typically restrict Basilica access on the day the Pope says mass there? I emailed the tour company, but I have not heard back.
If we do not have access to the Basilica after the tour, I may rearrange my itinerary,
Posted by
Moncton NB
1557 posts
My experience is quite dated (early 2000s) but we also visited the Vatican Museums on the day of a papal mass (this one outdoors in St. Peter's Square). We found it to be the best time to visit the Museums as the crowds were drawn to the Basilica and the Square, leaving the Museums relatively quiet. By the time we finished seeing the Museums (around 11:00 am or noon), the papal mass was over, the crowds left, and we saw the Basilica in relative quiet as well. It was quite a serendipitous accident.
Posted by
Milan Italy
101 posts
Hi, Giangilberto from Milan, the best source is the Vatican Press Office Bulletin, which lists papal liturgical events and details. The Basilica also has its own official website with closure notices.
The Vatican usually publishes details of papal celebrations just a few days in advance, not a month ahead.
The booking system doesn't offer dome climbs after 10:00 AM on that day. That restriction comes directly from the Vatican, even if there wasn't a formal announcement. If the dome closes at 10:00 AM, access to the Basilica is likely restricted during that time not because of the 6:00 PM Mass but probably for the preparations inside.
That's my reading of it, not something the Vatican has stated, but the booking system is telling you something.
So, a 9:00 AM visit to the Museums isn't at risk, and neither is heading to the Basilica right afterwards provided you arrive by 10:00 AM. You can simply move the dome visit to another day, just as you had already considered.
I’ve included links to the two official websites below.
I just checked and found no information on this yet, so keep checking periodically, especially as the date gets closer.
https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino.html
Posted by
OP
New York
16 posts
Giangilberto Thank you for your reply. This was helpful. The website is showing I can purchase tickets for up to 11:00 that day without the Dome Climb. I think our tour will make it in time to view the Basilica, but not do the Dome climb. I will try for that another day (or swap my Colosseum tour with my Vatican tour)