Vatican museum on free Sunday or not?

Komal, I would definitely spend the money and go on Monday. It'll still be plenty busy but at least you can pre-reserve an entry time slot to eliminate wasting time standing in a long, long line.

I avoid all the free days in Europe. On free days the locals are out in droves. The crowds are huge. But if you have to go be first in line when the doors open in the morning.

The crowds at the Vatican are daunting enough on the regular days. On a free day, you'd have to pay ME - a lot - to get near the place.

Thank you all, I get the point :) Can someone please suggest what time is preferable on Mondays? Early morning or later in the afternoon when the tour crowds are a bit less.

Also, please suggest the order in which we should be going. I read contradictory views about doing the Basilica first followed by the Museums and vice versa.

Go early. Do the museum and chapel first - that is where the crowds are.

Komal, I might look at booking one the Vatican 3-hour combo tours of museums and basilica. They'll hit select highlights of 4 miles of treasures in the museum, and then take you through a back passage in the Sistine directly into St Peter's. You're then free to spend as much time in the basilica as you wish to after the tour is over.

https://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/musei/tickets/do?action=gototipovisitapertag&tag=museiebasilicavgsingoli&weblang=EN

If you are a serious museum fan, you might want a more expensive tour which offers early admittance to the Sistine followed by highlights of the museums and St Peter's. This one has been very popular with RS posters:

https://www.walksofitaly.com/vatican-tours/pristine-sistine-chapel-tour

And this one offered by the Vatican offers early entry + breakfast as well:

http://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en/visita-i-musei/scegli-la-visita/musei-e-collezioni/colazione-ai-musei-vaticani/ingresso-anticipato-ai-musei---colazione.html

Hello Everyone,

I read online that the museums are huge and reaching Sistine Chapel takes almost one hour passing through the museum rooms. People have recommended to skip it if traveling with a small kid (which we are).

If we decide to skip the museums (and Sistine Chapel) altogether, do you think St. Peters Basilica and Square will be okay to visit on the free Sunday or will that be too crowded as well?

We only have 3 days in Rome and the other two days (Saturday and Monday) are sunny. Want to see the city and Colosseum in good weather :)