Vatican Museum Night Tour

It really depends on what you're looking for. The museums are huge and I usually suggest a tour for first time visitors. If you can rent an audio guide I would say go on Friday night, if you can't I would suggest a guided tour during the day.

Donna

Given the size/breadth of the Vatican collections, I think you'd be fine without a guide, even on a first visit. Pick a type of art/era of art history that interests you and go spend time enjoying the beauty. And the lack of crowds is undoubtedly going to be a positive. The museum has "routes" that focus on various types of art, and those should be useful. I didn't do a guided tour until my third visit to Rome (and about my 6th visit to the Vatican Museums). While I learned a great deal on the tour, the earlier, unguided experiences helped me learn what art I love. If you want to do a tour, Context Rome is superb. Small groups (no more than 6, which is so important in a busy museum; and they'll go with fewer), academically qualified guides who are interesting and willing to adapt the tour to the interests of the individuals in the group. And they do a night tour, although I'm not sure which days. (FYI, Context also operates in a few other major cities; I've used them in Florence and Paris and was very happy with those experiences also.)

I'm generally a do the tour yourself person but we thought the Viator 8:10 a.m. tour was fantastic. This was not cheap...$230 for two persons. You get in ahead of the crowd and the group is limited to a max of 8 (oh, and it is an English language tour). What we found so compelling about it was you think, oh, I like this kind of art or that. Then the guide (an art historian) shows you something you'd just walk by and you kinda go, "Oh my god, LOOK at THAT!" I've never recommended a tour in my life before (well, except the Rick Steve's Tour of Greece but that's another ball of wax). If you decide on this tour choose a Saturday if you can and TAKE A TAXI from your hotel. You're late, to bad so sad.

One thing about touring the Vatican Museums in the evening is that you then have one less evening to spend in a cafe, or a great restaurant, just enjoying Rome and Italian food, or less time walking around the Pantheon, Piazza Navona and the Trevi Fountain. But as you will be there for a week, you'll have many other evenings to do that.

We've visited the museums as part of the Vatican Museums tours and on our own. The tour was good, but even at two hours, there were many pieces that we didn't have time for. I enjoyed more touring the museums on our own. We used as references Rick Steves guide to the Museums, and supplemented it with the more detailed information from the Blue Guide Rome (very dry and detailed). It kind of depends on how interested you are in the art in the museums.

My husband & I are looking to do the same thing in October. My hope is that the crowds will be a lot lighter, since I've heard some not-so-great things about the organization of the Vatican Museum. Hopefully it's less hectic at night. I'm not worried about the lack of tours, if you have an idea of some of the pieces/artists you want to see, find them on a map, and go check it out.

Sorry to ask a question rather than an answer, but..... I was also looking at going to the Vatican museum at night, and I understand that certain parts of the museum are closed, but will I be able to do the "Rick Steves self-guided tour". Those are the only parts that I will be visiting anyway. I would really appreciate an answer.

I was a first time visitor to Rome last year... I got a ticket for a Friday night entry last year in the middle of September. It was the only time I have been there so I can't totally comment on what the crowds are like during the day. I had a 8pm entry and just walked around myself. I think I ended up outside again before 11pm... I flew in from Paris and got a taxi from Termini to my hotel who waited as I tossed my bags on my bed and ran back outside. He gave me a pizza recommendation in Trastevere that I didn't have time to get to...anyways. They do close off some areas but you get to see pretty much all the main things I believe and of course you get to go to the Sistine Chapel which may not to be as crowded as normally. "Silencizio! No Photos please!!" I still hear that in my head (you'll see) Amazing...afterwards, I walked back to my hotel near the Trevi fountain after getting lost for awhile. Gelateria Giolitti is open until 2AM! I saw more people at the Trevi fountain at 1AM Friday and Saturday nights then I did at 9AM on Sunday (was able to get some photos with no people in them Sunday! I walked over to the Pantheon and got there just before it opened on that same Sunday) I went to the St. Peter's late on a Sunday afternoon like 4pm, there was line that started at the big fountains almost but it moved pretty quickly...went to the top of the Dome walked around inside the Cathedral...got poured rained on leaving and by the time I got to Piazza Navona it had stopped and the sun was out.

These are the rooms that are open on Friday nights: Visitors will be able to admire important collections, following an itinerary that includes the Gregorian Egyptian Museum, the Pio-Clementine Museum, the Upper Galleries (Candelabra, Tapestries and Maps), the Raphael's Rooms, the Borgia Apartment, the Collection of Modern Religious Art, the Sistine Chapel. You can compare these to the Rick Steves tour to see if you can do that itinerary. Donna