We will be in Vatican City on Wednesday, April 20 and just realized that there will also be a papal audience that day in the square at 10 am. In the RS book, it says that the Basilica will be closed until 1 pm on such Wednesdays, though I can't find mention of that on the Vatican website. Our original plan was to head to the Basilica at 7:30 am and then to the Vatican Museum. I'm assuming the papal audience will be ridiculously crowded, but we'd love to catch sight of it. How will this affect planning for the day? Can anyone confirm that the Basilica will not be open earlier that morning?
All reservation times are still available that day for the Museum. I'm just trying to figure out how to plan these three things into our day.
Posted by
Pa and Italy
4152 posts
The basilica is closed during the audience and opens about an hour or so after it's over. The museums and the basilica will be extremely crowded after the audience. I would book a mid morning entry to the museums so that you reach the chapel by about 12:30. Once through with the chapel you should be able to exit the museums and work your way around to the basilica.
Donna
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Thank you, Donna. But do you know if it is closed not just during the audience, but before? We had planned on going to the Basilica first at 7:30.
Posted by
Pa and Italy
4152 posts
It's closed the mornings of papal audiences and stays closed until about an hour after the audience.
Donna