Vatican museum and st petes closed 2nd half of Sept 2012?

Well I have two tickets for a 0800ish tour of the Vatican museum for the 21st of Sept (booked by Viatour). There was a similar post regarding unavailability of tickets for the Florence Uffizi in September. As expressed in my post re the Uffizi it may be that tour companies buy up blocks of tickets so the official site looks like it is completely booked. Hopefully our friends on this post can shed some light on this.

The Vatican Museums website allows you to reserve tickets up to 60 days in advance of the date of your visit. You should be able to reserve tickets for September 24th the middle of next week.

Jan is right. You can only book the Vatican museums 60 days out. They are not sold out they are just unavailable at the moment. If you are looking to book entry tickets or a tour of the colosseum you'll need to wait for that as well. They usually only book a few weeks out for September on. I don't know why they do this but they did it last year and it looks like they're doing it again this year. Just keep checking both official sites for tickets to open up. You won't have any problems booking once they release the dates. Donna

First, the figure in the middle is wearing long shorts. Second, I agree that wearing pants and sleeves for a man is a 100% guarantee of being let inside, so why take a chance? That said, the last time I was in St. Peter's (May 2011), there were men inside wearing long shorts. The guards didn't do anything.

Thanks so very much. This is my first trip out of the US and visiting Italy is my dream come true. Already made the mistake of not being aware of the bad Sunday Monday combination for the main sight seeing days of Florence and Rome. The prospect of not seeing the Sistine Chapel was gut wrenching. So,thanks for making my day. BTW - this is my first experience with Rick's blogs and did not see the Uffizi post.

Just a warning about the Sistine Chapel. The experience of actually seeing it can be anything but spiritual. There's hundreds of people crammed in, all disobeying rules about not talking and not using cameras. I'm not the only one who found it very upsetting and disappointing. I don't want to ruin it for you, but do want you to be prepared for the possibility that it will not be wonderful. So, having said that, I do hope you enjoy it!

Just a word of caution, be sure to adhere to the dress code policy or you can be denied entry into the Basilica and the chapel. Shoulders and knees covered for both men and women and men should wear pants. Donna

I've been to the Sistine Chapel at least 5 or 6 times and yes, it's always crowded, standing room only. As the noise level rises the guards will "Shush" the crowd to a silence so the whole process can start over about every 10 minutes. Yes, there are flashes from cameras over and over and over, and guards will tell you over and over and over to stop. It's the basic illustration of how tourists refuse to follow rules. Other than that the chapel is a great experience especially if it's your first time.

Donna's info is incorrect. Men do NOT have to wear pants. Men and women can wear shorts if they're definitely long enough to cover the knees. And I agree 100% with Harold's description of the Sistine Chapel experience. Best to know in advance. FWIW, the Vatican has an outstanding virtual tour (360 degrees) of the Sistine Chapel that's worth checking out. Here it is.

My information is NOT "incorrect". Here is a picture of the sign out in front of the basilica. http://www.saintpetersbasilica.org/Pics/SQR/DressCode-JG.jpg It clearly shows the men in long pants, not shorts. The women can wear long shorts, capris or long skirts but the men are shown wearing pants. Men run the risk of being turned away if they are in shorts, no matter how long. The only way to GUARANTEE getting into the basilica is to abide by the rules. Some of the guards may let you in with longer shorts on but some may not so why take the chance! Donna

The figures on the left are the women. The figures on the right are the men. It clearly shows the men in pants, not shorts. The fact that men might have gotten in with shorts on means nothing. They might have come from the museums and not have gone through the security line at the basilica. It's also known that sometimes the guards let people in who have on longer shorts. It does not guarantee that they will do this every time. To say that I am incorrect just because someone got away with it is sending the wrong message to people who are planning a visit. It they want to GUARANTEE entry into the basilica they should follow the rules posted. Men in pants is the rule. Donna