Never again! It's complete chaos & there is zero crowd control. It's hell on earth...but...hey at least you're surrounded by stuff the Catholic Church plundered throughout history. Why aren't they giving more to the poor? How many cases of items made from precious metals do they really need when there is so much poverty in the world? They're charging everyone between €20-30 for entrance & audio guides...and they're cramming so many people in that you can barely move...they're making tons of money...where's it all going? This was the worst experience while visiting Rome. I wish I'd skipped it & just looked at pix online instead. I'd have €24 more € in my pocket & about 15 less bruises & scrapes on my body from being pushed & stepped on. This place is a money making scheme...nothing more. read more

Musei Vaticani - Yeah, it was this crowded pretty much throughout the entire indoor of the museum. Fire hazard much? - Museums Near Me - Rome, RM

Truly a breathtaking experience. We arrived in the early afternoon and luckily walked right in with no wait. Woo hoo. There was so much to see in every room, nook and corner that you didnt know which way to look first. There was great crowd control especially en route to the sistine chapel which took a while to get to. My friends and I were able to sit down for a few minutes in the sistine chapel to take in the room and all the art. I can still hear security yelling shhhh or reminding us loud tourists to remain quiet. read more

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The Vatican is its own country and laws, though located within the city of Rome. It was declared separate in 1959 and the Pope is the leader. Before your visit, be sure to: Dress comfortably and respectively, shoulders and knees covered for both men and ladies, comfortable shoes, and a hat Be prepared for LOTS OF PEOPLE. Book your ticket in advance to avoid the super long queue. I won't lie. In one day, I visited the Musei Vaticani, The Coliseum, and walked around the streets of Rome during a hot summer day. It is a lot to take in. But still, the Vatican is beautiful. Lots of gardens, sculptures, art, and history to appreciate. It's well worth the visit in spite of the crowds. read more

Unlike most I had a pretty leisurely schedule while in Rome so I opted to save some money and wait in line for the museum. I arrived around 9:30am and waited less than an hour, it wasn't bad at all and really the worst part of the line was the tour sales people pestering you to buy skip the line tickets. TIP: Most of these people are negotiable on price and what one person charges is not necessarily what the other charges so if you're willing to spend more wait til you get there and negotiate. Once you get in there is tons of gorgeous art work throughout. I love museums and this would really be my kind of place were it not literally a sea of tour groups. It's very hard to look at the art, especially in the hallways leading to the Sistine Chapel because their are 20 Tour guides with their flags and umbrellas in your view and 30 more behind you. Plus you are literally shoulder to shoulder with the giant groups. On the bright side if you don't pay for a tour you will get a free one anyway because you will be forced to listen to the guides in each room. Of course the redeeming factor is the Sistine Chapel. It's truly amazing, and thankfully people have to be quiet and are not allowed to take pics so you get a tad bit of peace to appreciate it. Of course some people try to sneak pics but really it's much nicer to stand and soak it in. TIP#2: In the back right of the chapel there's a direct exit to St-peter's Basilica so you don't have to go out and trek back down the hill and queue up again. It's supposed to be for tours only (and the sales folks outside use this as a huge selling point) but if you just walk out with a tour group no one cares and it saves you time. read more

Great place to visit, three stars for the managment. They can do much better job organizing the entrance of the tourists. Went there on Monday and in the morning - big mistake, more people cause it is closed on Sundays and I should have known better not to go in the morning but this time somehow made a huge mistake :( Stand in line for almost three hours could have come Back around 1-3 PM and would have got in without standing in line. read more

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Nothing can impress you more - ever. SEVEN miles of art work in the museum! Expect long lines even in mid-October - best to go early in the morning. Hydrate before you enter. Wear the most comfortable shoes you can. Pay attention to the dress code and museum hours and day schedules. Reasonably priced souvenirs you'll never find elsewhere. Most of all, wear a "True Religion" brand t-shirt like I did!!! Enjoy!!! read more

Musei Vaticani - Outdoor cafe - Museums Near Me - Rome, RM

Another "must see" on a LONG list of "must sees" for the city of Rome. Careful planning and lots of time are needed or this incredible experience. Here are some tips: - The entrance to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel is NOT located at Saint Peter's Basilica. Instead, it's on the other side of the piazza, about a 10 - 15 minute walk away. - Dress appropriately. The church strictly enforces it's dress code: no shorts, short skirts or bare shoulders. - The Sistine Chapel is NOT a separate venue from the Vatican Museums. It's not possible to go ONLY to the Sistine Chapel. You have to walk through the Vatican Museums (a seemingly endless number of interconnected rooms) in order to get to the Sistine Chapel. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as each room is filled with priceless art and artifacts. But for those that aren't art or museum lovers, the nearly mile long (literally!!!) walk through the museums can seem very long indeed if all you're interested in is the chapel at the end. - Once you reach the Sistine Chapel, remember that the chapel is a sacred place. As such, you are asked to be respectful: speak softly and do not take photographs. It's astounding how many people are unable or unwilling to follow this simple request. - Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared for A LOT of walking. - The museums and chapel will be crowded (there's no way to avoid it, so don't bother complaining about it), but try your best to soak in and appreciate the historical, cultural and artistic majesty surrounding you. read more

BUY TICKETS AHEAD OF TIME ONLINE! Yes, this might cost an extra 4 Euros, but that 4 Euros really is priceless, compared to a lifetime of waiting. Plus, if you have your tickets, you get to ignore and breeze past all of those tour companies trying to sell you tickets to skip the line. There's also a student discount (available online too!) You just have to make sure you have a valid student ID when you go and pick up your tickets. The place is HUGE. That being said, you probably don't want to split up with whatever group you're with - because it'll be really hard to find them. Every room leads to another room. It's almost like you're in a maze. A maze to get to the Sistine Chapel, where by the way, you can't take any pictures. But I might have snuck a few selfies in. Another thing you should know about the Vatican Museums - I'm sure it's crowded everyday but it's probably even more crowded on Wednesdays (when we went), which is when there is a papal audience. read more

We purchased the prepaid tickets weeks ahead of time for our visit to ensure that we would only have to wait on line for a short period. We arrived 1 hour before the time indicated on our tickets and were let in about 30 minutes later and breezed into the museum. We spent over five hours wandering the various galleries and viewing one of the most impressive collection of art work in the world. Some of our favorites were the Braccio Nuovo Gallery filled with Roman and Greek busts and statues with the Prima Porta statue of Augustus being the best. The Egyptian Museum with its impressive display of art work and relics and the Raphael Room, filled with huge works by one of the Masters of the Renaissance. Of course we made our way to the Sistine Chapel and it was duly inspiring. The thing to bear in mind is that it is a Church so you will be shushed if you talk to loud and there are no pictures permitted there. Contrary to what some people say you can stay as long as you want but craning your neck upwards and getting jostled by the multitude usually compels you to leave of your own volition within 10-15 minutes anyway. Along with the Colosseum and Forum complex this is one of the few places you NEED to visit when vacationsing in Rome. Well worth the reasonable entry fee and the time spent gazing at the works. read more

Filled to the brim with the spoils of wars and crusades of the past, Nothing less than a 3 day requirement when visiting the Vatican. You may get hustled through the many floors, halls and rooms of this magnificent museum and of course functioning church and cathedral but you must not let it detract from the quality and breath of the exhibits available. There are no days where this museum is not packed nor is the line ever less than an hour to get in. However if you're smart and you spend a little extra money you can skip the line to get in which will make you less tired as you venture through all of the exhibits. The pieces that have been taken from Egypt are magnificent and can only be compared to artifacts found in the museum in downtown Cairo. I was a bit disappointed about the lack of detail written about many of the marbles and pieces of marble artifacts that are found in many of the halls. Had I rented the audio tour, I may have learned quite a bit more. My favorite Room was an exhibition hall to marble sculpture of animals from around the world. Very lifelike, properly proportioned and well the detailed marble sculpture of some of the world's most exotic animals at that time. This museum of course also allows you access to the Sistine chapel where you can see one Of the most famous pieces by Michael Angelo. I would recommend that you plan on spending no less than 45 minutes in the Sistine chapel because of the amount of detail and the amount of people who are crowded into such a small place. There were some small areas dedicated to more modern interpretation of art however these appeared to be less curated than other parts of the museum and may have been traveling exhibits. As this was my 1st time and I only had one day to go to this museum I can tell you that there is a lot more to be explored and some areas need and deserve a lot more time on my return trip. read more

I really loved this place the history of this place is truly amazing . All of the architecture structure so old and all of the statutes that have been found through out the years the way they been kept is unbelievable. If you love history or find it interesting I recommend coming here because is truly an experience of a life time . I would definitely come back again and again . read more

Musei Vaticani - Vatican museum - Museums Near Me - Rome, RM

When in Rome you must book a skip the line tour of the Vatican Museum. It is packed with people from around the world. The regular line can take hours to get in. There are 2000 rooms most of which are not open to the public. The galleries which are have some of the most spectacular art anywhere. A guide will highlight some of the sculptures, murals, paintings and artwork. I especially loved the gallery with large painted maps, the tapestry gallery with scenes from the Bible and the small galleries of modern art. This museum is a must! read more

I'm not Catholic but I decided this would be a great place to visit. When we first entered the staff was extremely RUDE. We told them we had tickets online and he rushed us and yelled at us to move like chill out sir. There wasn't even anyone behind us. The art is super beautiful. When you finally get to look at the art you're being run over by people. This museum is way over crowded. You can't get any good photos here at all. When I finally got to the Sistine Chapel it was VERY over crowded. The security was constantly yelling at you to not take pictures because some cleaning company bought the rights to the Sistine Chapel. Every five minutes you would be yelled at to not take pictures over an intercom. I would definitely not recommend this to anyone with young children or people that hate overcrowded spaces. Like I said the art is gorgeous but you can't really see it because of all of the people. Overall I wouldn't recommend this place! read more

Gorgeous artifacts to appreciate no matter what religious affiliation. Must go see the Sistine Chapel!! Don't fall for the tour groups trying to sell you tickets on the street. They are 2x or 3x the cost of a ticket and even if there's a line, it goes pretty fast. Even if you buy a ticket online, you still have to go to will call and pick it up so don't bother. If you're a student, bring your ID to get a discounted price. They forbid taking pictures of the Sistine Chapel. Do some light research on it before hand so you can appreciate the ceiling more. read more

Musei Vaticani - Museums Near Me - Rome, RM

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It is truly a sight to see. The richness of the place, both in terms of the art and money, is astounding in historical context of the place. Religion aside, it is one of those places you have to visit once. Apparently, many MANY people have that same idea because the museum is crawling with people. Definitely not for those fearful of crowds. I felt claustrophobic in there. There's only one entrance into the museum and a handy map can take you there. You can buy tickets online in advance but it's really the same line to get in. That part was really confusing. See my other review of the guided tour. I did not enjoy it. It's better to go on your own. read more

You often see this on the news, especially when the Pope makes an appearance. I kept thinking, "Angels & Demons" when we arrived. It is very beautiful but here are a few things you should do: Order your tickets online. You skip the general admission line which can be about 2+ hours long. The entrance is to the right of the Piazza, just follow the wall and when you see the end of the line, and if you bought your tickets online, just bypass it and keep walking. Ignore anyone who approaches you about "no waiting" and "Did you order online," they're all trying to scam you. Buy an umbrella before hand from a local store. There was one on the Corso Vittorio Emanuele that sold travel size ones for 4E. If not, and it rains, or should I say pours, you'll be at the mercy of a street vendor. Don't use your camera in the Sistine Chapel or you will be asked to leave, and the security will delete the photos you took from your camera. Otherwise, it's a great place to see history and why Catholics horde money...LOLLL! read more

We followed all the advice and got the skip the line tour with a tour group for the first available tour, yet it was still madness. We did fortunately get into the Sistine Chapel early and were able to enjoy that without the crowd being too crazy. However, once we exited the Chapel and toured the Museum, it felt like a fire code violation every step we took. It was also very hot. I am an art lover and have a deep appreciation for museums, but this was a bit overwhelming for me - even with the aid of a guide. We did go on a Saturday, and it was the day before the free museum day in Rome, so I think there may have been more people than usual with the same idea as us. It may have been less busy on a week day, and that was likely our mistake. Our tour lasted close to 5 hours. While the knowledge gained was incredible, and this is definitely a once in a lifetime experience, one has to really be prepared for this type of tour. Definitely be prepared to do a lot of walking in crowded areas. I saw quite a few children on this tour, but I am not really sure how appropriate the tour is for small children. My husband was pretty bored/tired himself after a couple hours, so I can only imagine how draining this tour is for small children - or even parents of small children. read more

This place is huge filled with art, including the Sistine Chapel (reviewed separately). It also has all kinds of other stuff, like the pope's car collection and coaches from over the years (go outside in the garden and down the stairs). There are gifts the Pope's have received over the years, original art the Vatican has commissioned, artifacts from Rome and around the world, an exhibit on Catholic missionaries. The museum is just huge, amazing and full of history. If you haven't been and are in Rome it's one of the must-see places. When I was there the line wasn't very long and moved fast, In all, I waited about 5 minutes. Just like St Peters, there are lots of tour guides offering to let you skip the line if you're with them. I prefer to go at my own pace, often I would see tour groups blow past me while I was looking at something. But everyone has their preferences, and if the line had been longer (it was just a few minutes the day I came) I might have made a different choice. There are places to eat downstairs though they seemed expensive. I was surprised how long it took me to go through, I had eaten an early lunch just before and was ready for dinner when I left. read more

To avoid the inevitable looooooong line here throughout the day, skip it by visiting with Trafalgar. Due to a contract with the Vatican, Trafalgar is one of only 3 travel companies in the world who gives their customer express access. To avoid crowds in the museum, come here between 9am-11am. To avoid crowds during lunchtime, get lunch before 12pm. There are free toilets to use outside the entrance to the Sistine Chapel. As far as purchases go, I wouldn't buy anything inside the museum due to costs. Food is relatively inexpensive and delicious in small shops outside of and farther away from the museum. You can also purchase nice postcards and other souvenirs nearby for a few euros. read more

Musei Vaticani - Self explanatory. - Museums Near Me - Rome, RM

My friends and I booked a 3 hours long guided tour for €55. The Vatican is a popular tourist spot and yes you can get cheaper tickets with an audio guide without a guide you will need to book in advance. We were told by our airbnb host that people queue for four hours at times to enter the Vatican. The Vatican museum ticket gives you enter into the Vatican city (smallest country in the world with a population of around 450 people with its own supermarket, post office, bank, and town centre), the Vatican apartments, Sistine chapel, and the basilicaq (excluding the domes). You need to buy an additional ticket to see the domes and the Vatican treasury museum. Most tours start off by taking you through the entrance of the museum which is fairly new and built in the late 1900s. You can then step out into the courtyard and see some sculptures such as a large golden sphere and a pine cone. You then enter the popes apartments and get to vi::)ew large tapestries that took years to built, artwork by rafaello and Michelangelo adorning the walls and ceilings and large statues. The second part of the tour is the Sistine chapel where no photography or talking is allowed; however, the disrespectful ones followed neither instruction. Exiting to the right leads you to the basilica. You can see the crypts, then the basilica (you can even sit down for a mass), and even pass a museum shop on the way. Definitely a worthwhile experience. So much history. You definitely need a guide/book to understand all the artwork. read more

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Book tickets in advance!! That is my number one piece of advice. My sister and I got our tickets ahead of time online and we were very glad that we did. The line was unbelievable, it was easily an hour or so wait if we had not had tickets. We went on a guided your and I am very glad that i did. I learned a lot of history and saw so much that I would have otherwise passed if I were on my own. The museum is full of history and its very big so wear comfortable shoes! The only downside of the tour is that it can get very crowded. With so many tours going on at once, I can be hard to keep up with your group at times. You won't have time to see everything during the tour but the guide will go over the main attractions. At the end of the tour you're allowed to go back into the museum and walk through yourself to see things you may have missed. My sister and I were exhausted after the tour, its a lot to see and you walk a lot so be prepared. Overall one of my favorite attractions while I was in Rome. read more

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What can I say. Whether you are an art lover, history buff, religious, seasoned traveler or just curious, this has to be at the top of your bucket list. It really is astonishing what man can and did creat. This place gives you an idea of what humans could do before machines which is unbelievable. Then there is the art. Unparrelelled anywhere and I just visited the Louve in Paris. It is equally inspiring. read more

Musei Vaticani - Museums Near Me - Rome, RM

We had a tough time justifying the expense of this visit. You cannot deny the beauty of the museum, grounds and collections. While we had a timed pass purchased well in advance online it seems anyone with a ticket can enter at any time of their choosing. From start to finish there were too many people and the large tour groups take up all the space making it virtually impossible to enjoy your visit. When asking about the Egyptian collection we were told to go down a closed set of stairs only to not be allowed back up which forced us to work our way back around to areas we'd already been and fight through yet another horde of people. Your money is better spent enjoying the numerous other sites in Rome. read more

Musei Vaticani - Vatican Cafe is reasonably priced. - Museums Near Me - Rome, RM

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11/10. Pope Francis was the best piece of art in this building. Highly recommend. Rome is a busy and fast pace place with mostly tourists, but being in the Vatican is a fully moving experience, and I don't think the variations in your religious beliefs would make that change. It's incredible. read more

We paid for a 3 day passed booked what I thought was a fastpass Museum and St Peters. When we arrived it turned out it was only the museum, the Colosseum was sold out and so was St Peters. Basically I paid 200 euros for a museum fast pass that wound up taking us on a 1 1/2 hour walk and wait to get into a fully packed museum. Not sure how this is considered a fast pass, we haven't used anything else. I can"t believe the Catholic Church is involved in this. The booking website is a miserable mess to use. The website states: Yes, if you have an OMNIA Vatican & Rome Card you qualify for fast track entry into all Vatican City sights as well as the Coliseum, Roman Forum and many more - saving you up to 4 hours during the peak summer months. I feel like I was robbed by the Church. read more

Stunning. Beautiful. Amazing. Huge, big, lots it waking and stairs, not for the faint of heart. We spent 4 hours there and only saw a half of it and did get to see the Sistine chapel. Book ahead online, skip the lines. Get the basic entrance and go at your pace. I'm sure there are ADA accessible routes, but I didn't see much of them - fair warning, a lot of stairs up and down throughout. Entrance has security like an airport, which is good, feels very safe once inside. The Sistine chapel is worth it. I humbly recommend when you enter, start walking straight to the Sistine chapel, you will see lots of amazing art along the way. read more

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I felt like I was taken back 400 years ago. It was mesmerizing to come here. This is a must if you come to Italy

We arrived at 8.15 am and waited 3 hours to get into the vatican which spoiled the experience for us as it was hot and standing around for 3 hours my legs swelled and I sunburned my face (stupid me for not taking sun tan lotion) there was a lot of tours when we went and they have this way of getting into the queue anywhere so u will be waiting for 3 hours then a tour of 30 people come and stand in front of you. which caused alot of arguments amongst the crowd. when in the Vatican the tours just stop in the corridors taking up the whole space and u cant get by them which is a pain. all in all it is well worth the wait, and is a wonderful place to visit, i just wish I had reserved tickets and would highly recommend anyone to do so. apparently this can be done direct with the Vatican online or through the telephone, the reserve line goes in first and I don't think this line includes any tour groups so at least you go in at a much quieter time and get to get ahead of the crowds, read more

I'm not religious, but I was excited about visiting the Vatican during my trip to Italy. It didn't disappoint. Right after entering the city gates, you get a real sense of the centuries of history (good or bad) shaped within its walls, and the sheer magnitude of the art collection on display just about everywhere you look is astonishing - sculptures, paintings, tapestries and frescoes. Highlights for me included seeing Michelangelo's "The Creation of Adam" in the Sistine Chapel and the beautiful architecture inside St. Peter's Basilica. read more

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I'll keep it short because time is precious: obviously the Sistine Chapel is the gem of this museum but there is a TON of cool spots to see along the way there. Plan in advance! Map out your path through the museum based on how much time you have and what you want to see. As has been said before: BOOK TICKETS IN ADVANCE! The line is hours long. read more

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A must if you are visiting Rome. The Vatican Museum is breathtaking. Make sure to dedicate a good portion of either your morning or afternoon. Skip the line tickets or a tour that includes them is also a must because otherwise you may be waiting 3 hours to get in. Soak in the history and enjoy your trip to the Vatican. read more

You can be fooled by the lines outside since they tend to wrap around the block, I have been told by others that it is not so bad if you choose to take the chance & get online but for me we wanted to make sure we had no issues it was better to reserve a tour so u don't get stuck waiting in the very long lines. Be sure to dress accordinly because they do have certain rules when u visit. I would suggest following the rules before entering because it would be a shame to miss such a great experience simply becaUse u did not dress accordinly. The Sistine Chapel on its own was worth the price of admission it is such an amazing thing to see u r left speechless. pictures are allowed in the chapel like in many areas, but they are permitted around other areas of the museum. There is so much to see a day is really not enough time, we had a tour & were here practically all morning u learn so much It's definitely something everyone should see in their lifetime. read more

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The Vatican is a must see/do if you are in Rome. You could literally spend hours walking around. There are so many different pieces of art from all over the world, not just Italian. There is a section with Egyptian art and hieroglyphics that I was not even expecting! The main reason we came was to see the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica but saw way more than expected. Loads of paintings and sculptures down every hallway. A little tip: buy your tickets online to avoid waiting. When we arrived I couldn't believe how long the line was just to buy tickets! The Vatican is super easy to get to by metro. Just exit off Ottaviano and follow the signs. It's about a 5-10 minute walk from the metro station. read more

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Book your tickets online and skip the lines. Use the official website: http://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/musei/tickets/do?weblang=en&do Our time was at 9:00a. We arrived at 8:30a and they allowed us in early. This is not 100% for everyone. We were lucky! If you want an easy way to get to the Vatican Museums look up roninrome.com. This guy is a genius. There is a shortcut that will get you there in no time and through the right doors step by step. The museum itself is huge with many areas to explore. In all honesty, the main thing that impressed me was the Sistine Chapel. We were in awe of that! Everything else in the museum was interesting, but no WOW FACTOR for us. We spent nearly 2.5 hours casually strolling through the entire museum stopping from time to time. There is so much history and art its too much to digest. Here are some things I would like to clarify about the Vatican and museums. There was no issue as far as wearing shorts into the Vatican Museum. It seems as if they don't have time to worry about people wearing shorts with 1000s of people coming in. Our shorts did cover our knees. You may bring water into the Vatican Museum. If you bring food, be discrete. Have a candy bar or something small. Don't bring attention to yourself. There are plenty of restrooms throughout the museum. Having a guided tour is debatable. Some people want to enjoy the art and move on. On the other hand, some people want to learn more about the history of some of the art. We wanted to just enjoy the art. Most pieces of art have a description and history explanation by it. We can read what the guide would have said. Plus we did not feel rushed. The cafeteria has food & drinks that are reasonably priced. read more

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The museum is amazing, so much history and fanciful artwork. The major downfall, this place was wall to wall people. Thank goodness for our skip the line pass and our tour guide with the ear buds or wouldn't have had any idea what was going on. read more

Went here for a tour and it was an amazing experience. It took few hours but it was a beautiful place. read more

What a wonderful place. It is hard not to feel the magic of history whilst touring this museum. On this one I recommend a guide. We had Dario from City Wonders (Dark Rome). He was the most amazing guide ever. He knew his history, his myths, and the gossip surrounding this place. As he said, "[He] would do wonders on Jeopardy." The museum is breathtaking. The Sistine chapel is unreal. Truly unreal. If you ever think if it is worth it to go, just know it is. read more

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Wow!!! Just wow!! Never to be missed when in Vatican. Get tickets online, better yet get guided tour. Just amazing!! Words can't describe how amazing this museum is! The hallways and ceiling are just magnificent! This museum has it all and packed with artifacts of the Renaissance!! read more

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Our second day in Rome began in Vatican City with a tour of the Museum, St. Peter's Basilica, and Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel. We paid for a group tour through the Vatican Museum rather than a third party vendor, which turned out to be a good choice. Our guide was knowledgeable and funny. Highlights of the museum include the statue of Laocoon and His Sons, excavated in Rome in the 16th century and believed to be from around the time of Jesus; the Apollo Belvedere, praised as the best example of the perfection of the Greek aesthetic ideal; the Gallery of Tapestries, featuring 16th century depictions of the life of Jesus; and the Gallery of Maps, whose frescoed ceiling appears to go on forever. According to our tour guide, the gallery was intentionally designed by the Pope to be a slow inclined walk for visitors to make them tired by the time they reached him, lest they steal some of that Papal flare. I enjoyed the Raphael Rooms the most, which included Fire in the Borgo, the Disputation of the Holy Sacrament, and the School of Athens, prominently featuring Plato, Aristotle, and most other notable Greek philosophers. We learned that Raphael was quite the ladies man and died young (in his 30s) from syphilis. If you're planning to go to Vatican City, it's worth taking a guided tour for a summary of the highlights; otherwise, you could end up spending the entire day there. We paid 37 euro each for the tour of the Museum, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica, which took about 3 hours to complete. We visited in December 2015 and it was pretty crowded so I can only imagine what it's like during peak tourist season. read more

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I did Rome in one day. Suck on that Rick Steves! Vatican is simply amazing. We scrambled to get there before it closed and signup for a tour. I highly recommend a tour by a licensed company. They are usually wondering in front of the Vatican and have their credentials available. This will save you lots of time and give you the best experience of this huge facility. While I do appreciate beauty and history of his place, I personally was not as excited about this place as I was with the coliseum. Just not my interest but it is a must for your visit. read more

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