If I reserve tickets to the Vatican, does it include St. Peter's Bascillica?
I know you can reserve both with a guided tour; however on the Vatican website, I can only find reservations without a guide for the Vatican.
I thank you in advance for your help.
St. Peter's basilica is a church and is open to all without a ticket or reservation. You can book a tour or the museums which will include a tour of the basilica but you don't need a tour to see the basilica. You can visit the basilica before or after the museums. If you go before you have to go through security to get inside but the line moves very quickly.
Donna
I think when they say the Vatican they mean the museums only. Ricks book is dumbed down but would be good enough for St Peters Basilica.
"St. Peter's basilica is a church and is open to all without a ticket or reservation."Open to all, as long as they aren't wearing shorts.
That is true, there is a dress code. No bare knees or shoulders both for men and women, boy and girls. You cannot enter if you wear shorts, short skirts, tank tops, strappy tanks, halters or tube tops. You will be turned away at the door. It is open to all if you meet the dress code.
Donna
My advice is to follow Rick's little tip to skip the lines to St. Peter's. Enter the Vatican Museum (get in line 45 minutes before opening) and see the museum, culminating in the Sistine Chapel. Once in the chapel, exit through the little door in the opposite corner of the room from where you entered (it's labeled as tour groups only; disregard this requirment, no one will stop you), exit this door and follow the walkway into St. Peter's. Since you went through Security for the museum, this drops you inside security of St. Peter's and you can go right to the basilica. This is a great idea if you're not using tours.
If you pre-purchase entrance tickets you won't have to wait in line. They allow you to bypass the line. They are timed so you can choose 8:00 if it is available, go through the museums and when finished exit into the basilica. You won't have to wait in the security line for the basilica because you went through one when entering the museums..
Donna
