We will be in Rome from about noon on Mon Aug 27th through Thu 30th. I have booked a timed entry at 3 pm on Monday for Vatican museums. I just figured out that the day before will be a free Sunday; would that increase or decrease the crowds I'm likely to encounter? I'm also hoping that being there close to closing time would thin out the crowds somewhat in the Sistine chapel; does anyone have personal experience of going there toward the end of the day? Also what time do I need to get there for 3 pm entry? Thanks for any feedback; it's my first time in Italy after dreaming about it for many years!
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My mom and I were just at the Vatican Museums this past Saturday (it was crazy crowded) and Monday. I can’t imagine August crowds are that much different than July crowds. And though I can’t speak to being there after a free Sunday, there were noticeably less crowds than on Saturday. Still relatively crowded but again, the difference was obvious, and that was for a 1 pm entry time. I would definitely imagine the crowds thin out by 330...that was about the time we left and there was a lot of breathing room. (On Saturday, we entered for a Vatican employee guided tour at 8:30 and it was wall to wall). We spent nearly an hour parked on one of the benches in the Sistine Chapel and listened to the audio guide explain things. It was lovely.
I would recommend getting to the museums at least 30 minutes before your entry time. They let us go in at about 1240 when we walked up so I imagine there is some flexibility. Plus once inside, you still have to go to the group/timed online ticket line to exchange your voucher for your ticket before going upstairs. Definitely print the voucher beforehand.
And When you first arrive, make sure you don’t get into the ginormous line that is for people without tickets. Walk around until the actual entrance is visible and show your voucher to the staff. They’ll put you in the right line and you should be inside the building within about 5 minutes.
(On another note, I would honestly highly recommend the audio guide for your visit. It was great and helped keep you focused on the art even with the other people surrounding you.)
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OP
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Thank you so much for sharing your experience and tips!