My wife and I would like to visit the Vatican Gardens in 2026. What is the best way to get tickets and what are the best days of the week and times to visit? Can we see them by ourselves?
Thanks in advance.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16643 posts
Buy your tickets through the Vatican's own website but it's much, much too early to do so.
https://tickets.museivaticani.va/home
https://tickets.museivaticani.va/home/fromtag/2/1737612000000/Giardini-Vaticani
(You don't want the "Guided Tours for groups": you want the "Guided Tours for Individuals" option. I picked a random active date to get to the listings: click "more info" for details about the tour). Vatican tours generally become available 60 days in advance.
No, you can't visit the gardens independently.
Note that the tour includes the Sistine.
Sorry, can't help you with day of the week or time so I would pick whatever is available at the time tickets are available that suits you best.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11806 posts
Start here for current info https://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en/organizza-visita/scegli-la-visita.html and select the gardens. Offerings change from time to time so what will be on offer, exactly, in 2026, only the Vatican Museums know. The garden tours are always escorted. When we took it, several years ago, we were given an audio guide and listened as we weeee walked through a defined path.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16643 posts
Offerings change from time to time so what will be on offer, exactly,
in 2026, only the Vatican Museums know.
That's for sure, Laurel. :O)
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7958 posts
We were happy with our 2016 Gardens tour, but it was largely mini-bus based, with recorded commentary. There was some, strictly regimented, walking in the gardens. Not a complaint, just trying to describe it for you. Whether you are picking up a museums tour or the garden tour, the big "tour lobby" (for lack of a better name) is a noisy scrum, all day long. We probably waited an hour in the outdoor pre-security line before our entry to the complex for a 10:00AM tour.
I am used to crowded museums, and had been to the Sistine Chapel once before. But, on a relatively non-luxury newsboard, there is a lot of posting here about (made up name) Executive Entry To Skip The Line. I'm not particularly sorry that we didn't buy it. I will add that the break for self-seated (inside) lunch, before a return to the art museums, was a valuable relief. It is not sensible to think about a three hour Slow Food lunch in fine-dining in Vatican City on your Vatican visit day. A quick stand-up lunch in the roof cafe would not be a dumb decision, either.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16643 posts
Tim, it sounds like you took the "Open Bus" tour of the gardens?
I don't know as they provide that tour anymore - or at least not through the Vatican's site - as it doesn't show up as a bookable visit type in their listings. It's very possible that it's only available during the warmer months but nothing shows at the moment; we'll see if it pops back up this spring. Anyway, the tour I referenced above is a walking tour.