We will be in Rome in early June. I've been reading up on best times to visit Sistine Chapel. Is first thing still the best? I have seen a few things referencing going later afternoons too. We will have three college-aged kiddos with us.
Thank you!
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7943 posts
Note that the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel tend to have separate entrances. It's hard to get current, on-the-ground info, but there used to be an easy way to enter the Chapel IF you had a proprietary Vatican guide for the museum galleries. Our first segment at the Vatican was 10AM, and we waited (before 10AM) in a line that was, in total, over 1/10 mile long. Mainly security screening, but also to meter crowds in the lobby.
I think it's wise to plan a cafeteria style lunch at the Vatican facility, instead of dreaming of a (2 hour slow-food Italian meal) brilliant cafe on the public street. Then you can go right back to fighting the crowds in the art galleries, no ticket check or line. I doubt there is any magic to coming early. People post here about super-high-priced "beat the hoi-polloi at dawn" tours.