Vatican City Debate

Unless the Vatican is the absolute top sight on your list, I would skip it. Crowds will be miserable, even with a tour, as you note. Prioritize the Colosseum, Forum and Pantheon instead, and leave yourselves some time just to walk and enjoy the city. With the short amount of time you have, you could even consider a half-day or full-day highlights tour (I've never taken one but I am sure there are recommendations on the forum if you search).

Such a hard decision! We will be only a 10 minute taxi ride away. Is it worth going and looking around without entering the museums?

I would not have wanted to leave this earth without seeing the Sistine Chapel.

agreeing with periscope.

With the extended hours, the Museums will be open until 20:00 on Saturday, with last entry at 18:00. If you really want to make it happen, go as late as you can. And this would be your arrival day, so you would have to determine how much energy you'd have left at that time.

I would skip the Vatican and instead go to St. Peter's, the Pantheon and the Borghese Gallery.

Yes, I figured with jet lag and being practical we would only be able to go around 2 or 3PM and probably only stay for 3 or so hours.

I'm hoping to hear from someone who has gone on a Saturday around that time. This is probably the only time I will ever be able to see it but I don't want to go just to check off some list if the crowds truly take away from the experience.

I see I'm in the minority. Personally, I was not as moved by the Sistine Chapel as I expected to be, due to the shoulder-to-shoulder herds and the constant "Silencio" and "No photo" warnings by the guards over the loudspeakers. If I had been able to see it in peace and silence I think the experience would have been very different. St. Peter's, though, did blow me away.

I do think the crowds take away from the enjoyment and still wouldn't choose the Vatican over the ancient sites, but to each their own.

@marco and smay665, I hadn't considered doing that but that's what I'm leaning towards now. Thank you for the suggestion!

Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel were a huge disappointment for me. Everyone has their own interests and priorities. I felt like the Borghese Gallery (timed entry) provided a much more positive and enjoyable experience. Crowds will be an issue at the Vatican.

It’s going to depend how much you really want to see the Vatican museums and the Sistine Chapel and how well you tolerate shoulder to shoulder crowds. I did it because I’ve studied the Sistine Chapel but it was a chore going thru the museums where it was difficult to see much and to finally get to the chapel. But again, it’s crowded with staff continually calling for “silence, please.” And you need to remember that the ceiling is high so you’re not going to see a lot of detail. It was such a relief to finally get to St. Peter’s.

We're all different but I can't imagine taking on the Vatican Museums on a jet-legged arrival day. To handle the crowds and vastness of the place, you need to be at least somewhat well rested.

I don't want to go just to check off some list if the crowds truly take away from the experience.

But that can, unfortunately, be said about many of the most popular sights in Rome. So prepare yourself... wait until you see the mob scene at the Trevi Fountain...

I will be in Rome for the first time in the 3rd week of May. After putting out this disclaimer :) here is what I suggest:
Saturday afternoon: St Peter's Basilica and square followed by Rick Steves Heart of Rome walk. Just pick some sights along the walk that would appeal to your family and do that part of the walk. You maynot be able to do the entire walk.
Sunday: Colosseum, Roman Forum first thing in the morning. Pantheon after lunch. Evening you can stroll around Piazza Navonna or head to Trastavare.
Vatican museums look tough to do on this trip and so do any other museums. To the teenagers I would think that Rome would be more appealing then being stuck inside a museum with the crowd.
Crowds will be everywhere. Only way to avoid them is to go off season. I would just be mentally prepared, accept it and enjoy my time there.

I think a large crowded museum after a transatlantic flight would be hell on earth. There are so many wonderful things to do in Rome and you are not going to see them all in 2.5 days. So pick the sites that will fit best with your schedule. I don’t see how you are going to enjoy the Vatican Museum on either Saturday or Sunday.

Ideally, it’s best to be outside in sunshine on your arrival day to help you stay awake. Saturday would be a good day to see the Forum and Colosseum. If you love art, see the Borghese on Sunday. It requires a timed ticket purchased in advance, which minimizes crowding.

@shom, Thank you. That sounds like a good itinerary and I am just follow the same plan!

I vote for shom’s plan.

I visited the Vatican Museum and St. Peter's Basilica twice when my husband and I were in Rome last January. The first time, I went on the early tour, as soon as the museum opened. There were a lot of people, but really not that crowded. I got to see the Sistine Chapel with relatively few people, and easily found a seat on a side bench and got to gaze and marvel at the ceiling. It was moving and breathtaking and I'm so glad I did it.

I went back the next day with my husband for a 1pm tour. The crowds were such that it wasn't nearly so wonderful. The whole museum was shoulder to shoulder people. The Sistine Chapel was similarly crowded, and we couldn't get seats.

I would not recommend the Vatican Museum on a Saturday on your arrival day. If you could get a tour that starts at opening time on Sunday, maybe go for it.

Other things I would concentrate on: Colosseum, Forum, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain. At the very least, go to St. Peter's square and see it from the outside. My husband and I also loved the Castel Sant'Angelo. The views from the top are amazing. But it probably wouldn't be on your list with such a short visit.