The current meeting of the papal conclave to elect the successor to the retiring Pope Benedict XVI brought back memories of my visit to the Vatican Museum with my parents and sister 2 years years ago Technically located in a separate country with its own tax laws and police force, Vatican City is a sprawling mass of buildings. It is the biggest tourist attraction in Rome with the huge crowds that you would imagine that it would generate. So, it is vital to pre-book your ticket or you will be in stuck in a huge queue to get in We pre-booked an English speaking tour, which had expedited entry included. It's the sort of place that a guide really brings to life with historical tales and is well worth it Be warned that there is a dress code, so dress respectfully There are paintings, sculptures and garments to admire everywhere as well as the history-filled building itself. The multi-lingual labelling is very helpful The artistic highlight is of course the Sistine Chapel painted by Michelangelo and it was explained to us that painting onto wet plaster before it set was a special challenge. We saw the corner of the ceiling that had been cleaned and it was clear that the whole ceiling would be even more magnificent once the cleaning has been completed We also got an unexpected bonus when we were diverted at the end of our tour past the body of St Peter, something which our tour guide had never done before read more

yes.. it was impressive but not what I expected. it was suppose to be religious artifacts Popes collected in the past but what i was expecting and what was in display was totally off. I'm giving 4 stars. while purchasing tickets thru on-time, full Italian meal at the cafeteria was offered and I took that option. mistake!!! I was anxious not to miss 12 noon lunch and by the time we got there at 1 pm, we though we totally wasted our money by missing our reserved time. wrong! it was just set menu at the cafeteria that anyone can get it during lunch time. what a disappointment! 1 star for online exaggeration of this. 2 star for tasteless set menu. it did come with sealed bread, pasta (huge serving) or turkey, dessert and bottle of water. small caffee was also included. other than the water and caffee, food was sub par. I rather get ripped off on the street than here. read more

Okey, I know this is a holy place and its supppose to amaze, but when you spendig two hours in someones armpit it looses the charm. It was so many tourists we lost our guide. There was no place to eat, and even though we had a guide we didnt got to see everything. We couldnt hear him and it was 4 hours total waist of time. Although the seelings were beautiful and I got to see one more country. read more

What? I'm at The Vatican?? What??? Those were the thoughts that kept running through my head as I walked the grounds and experienced the spoils. Before I get in to the meat of this review, a few things: 1.) READ DARA M's REVIEW! Thanks to doing my research and her incredibly useful review, I optimized my Vatican experience. This is an undertaking. Come prepared; 2.) On the topic of preparedness, don't leave any of this experience to chance. Get floorplans. Go over the routes in your head. Read reviews. BUY TICKETS IN ADVANCE!!; 3.) Don't go overboard. You don't want to do a tour. You don't. There might be a language barrier. The information might be made up. You won't be able to go at your own pace and experience the museum for yourself. Group trips linked to strangers went out of fashion with the elementary school trips to the zoo. No adult needs a walking buddy. These are the rules. Ready? Go. I knew I needed to go to The Vatican while in Rome. I knew that I needed to plan things out. Yelp was an invaluable resource. I bought my ticket in advance (20 euros). I didn't have access to a printer but I had that bad boy on my phone. In addition to a ticket, you buy a time to enter. Don't be late. Despite arriving an hour before my tour time, I was almost late. The campus is gigantic and rotten with hordes of people. There aren't clear indications on where to go. I waited to ask an info agent at a kiosk and was cut in line twice. Realizing that I wasn't in the States anymore (don't believe the hype that Americans are the rudest of the rude; we're not), I had to let some folks know that I was in no way the one and I refused to allow random rude people to cut in front of me again. The agent told me where to go and I set about my journey. It was far and there were tons of people in line. Pass them. Pass them all. If you have a ticket, you get to go to the head of the line. If you wait, you will wait for hours and miss your start time. I had people trying to sell me this and that and confuse what I'd bought. Ignore them. Again, only talk to official people. Despite the museum's allegiance to holiness, there's a whole lot of lying and trickery going on. Keep your wits about you. I arrived at the entrance, looked for an official and asked a question. He gave me attitude. I gave him Naomi. I'll let you guess how that worked out. I found the door and walked right in and up to the counter. I had my ticket. Yes! I avoided the throngs of confused-looking tour groups and set about my adventure. Pace yourself. The place is gigantic and can be overwhelming. The Met has nothing on The Vatican Museum. Get a map and plan your route accordingly. The Sistine Chapel closes out the tour so make sure you see everything beforehand. There are gardens/grounds, so make sure you go outside and check everything out. Don't be intimidated by the tours. They are the souls of the lost. Avoid. Regard with pity. Do not interact! There will be more people around you than you're used to. They will be bumping in to things and getting in your way. Stay on course. The crowds are chaotic and unruly. It made me sad that I was in a place of awesome beauty, history and religious significance and there was so much palpable discontent. As mentioned, the crowds were unruly, I saw more than a few people scowling and pushing, the workers aren't friendly... it was commodified rather than deified. Speaking of commodification, everything's for sale. I was put off by all the Pope bobbleheads and the like. Wasn't Jesus against having money changers in the temple? With as many visitors as the museum has, there's no way it's hurting for money. But all the tchotchkes and the presence of gift shops in every wing/exhibit was a turn off. Also, verify what is and isn't open. In early fall, every wing/exhibit was open save for one and I had the opportunity to see all the art history hits but ymmv. Despite these problems (and I think it's fair to dock a star for them), I am so grateful to have come here. I spent nearly four hours milling about and I could have done more. Much like my experience at the Louvre, I had pieces that I had to see in person and everything else discovered along the way was lagniappe. As I mentioned, the tour ends at the Sistine Chapel (I'll review separately). Thanks to Dara M's BOSS-LEVEL review, I knew to exit the museum (and Chapel) through the TOUR EXIT NOT the individual exit. This deposited me (almost) directly into St. Peter's and on to my next adventure. Had I not had that nugget, I would have left through the individual door, walked right out into the madness and spent hours in line. No sir. No ma'am. No more lines. If you come to Rome and neglect to visit The Vatican museum, you're doing it wrong. You're doing it all wrong. Read Dara M's review (after reading mine) and do it all right. Be blessed! read more

It's own country/city state within the confines of Rome, Vatican City is basically a museum filled with the collections of past popes, starting with Julius II. It's really quite a remarkable amount of works, not only of Michelangelo, but of other very recognizable names as well. The only way to get through without the dreaded 2-3 hour wait is to join a tour guide/group (bought online in advance). My husband and I had a private tour guide, which helped tremendously. Even with this option, it's a lot of information to absorb. That said, verse yourself beforehand or make it a point to come back. It gets a bit tightly packed, like a sardine can at some points, so if possible, go during the off season (October-Easter) or try the evening tours. Don't forget to look down (and maybe walk up/down) the double helix Bramante staircase--it's beautiful! Oh, and make sure you dress accordingly--no bare shoulders or knees allowed! read more

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Yelp's in Italy? that means it's time to continue my international reviewing! *rushes to find my travel journals* breathtaking paintings, magnificent scupltures, and eternal architecture are here. there's this overwhelming sense of...I'm not even sure what to call it. majesty? history? power? glory? my tour group when I went had a guide as we went through. our guide was a cantankerous old man who spoke fluent English, and deliberately knocked into Asian tourists who didn't want to obey the "no photography" signs posted in some areas to mess up their shots. I forgot his name, sadly, but he was a rip. he also knew a ton about the Vatican Museums, which I guess is also A Good Thing, but I was more amused by his random dislike of Korean people. since there are so many tour groups going on, and the place is so huge, you're given an earpiece and a radio that you tune into a specific channel to listen to your tour guide. this is especially helpful if, let's say, you notice that someone in your tour group has lost their ticket, and is being harassed by the guards for this. so you take it upon yourself to go rescue her while the group moves on, unaware. so now you've got to find a small group of people in a giant museum collective...tune in for your guide, listen to what he's describing, and take a few shortcuts, and meet up again! I may be a supervillain, but I've got a heart of gold. there are free tickets available on the last Sunday of each month. if you've ever seen the lines of people waiting for the newest Hollywood blockbuster, this dwarfs that by several orders of magnitude. be smart, spend some money, and buy your ticket ahead of time! try to go on a good weather day - even with advance tickets, there are some lines, and some parts are outside as well. wear comfortable shoes, and keep in mind that this is a religious institution - save your trashy clothes for the nightclubs, kids, and show some respect. read more

Do you want to have an amazing unforgettable moment in your life? Go to the museum of the Vatican, what a great trip , this place is magical, the quantity of art in pieces it is something that never finish because you Will see thousands and thousands of pieces of art paintings and sculptures from different times, it's just you need to be there and enjoy the trip. The 16teen Chapel of Michael Angelo It is one of the wonders places in the world ! Ciao amici's ! read more

I feel so weird rating the Vatican Musuem! I am a mere mortal and everything there is beautiful and powerful and I am not worthy haha. Of course its 5 stars. You have to go. And if you do go, make sure you get there AT LEAST an hour earlier than opening, or buy your tickets ahead of time, OR buy a "skip the line" pass. It's double the price but you can avoid waiting 5 hours in a line. Seriously the wait at one point was 5 hours! We tried waiting and then succumbed to the people selling the passes haha. But once you're in, make sure you've allowed yourself plenty of time to wander. The grand finale is the beautiful and breathtaking Sistine Chapel. So it's tempting to rush but enjoy the art, scupltures, and courtyard where all the greats studied! You can't take pictures of the Sistine Chapel, which makes sense. Also, there will be tons of people there also enjoying the musuem, so it can feel a bit cramped at times. But I can't complain! read more

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Save yourself much trouble. Book tickets ahead of time, consider booking with a tour group, or risk waiting in line for hours! Also check and see if the Pope has any special engagements that could alter business hours. The Vatican museums are a must visit. No matter what your religious beliefs are, there's something for everyone to appreciate. The collections of paintings, statues, and artifacts are second to none. The ceilings in the long hallways are unreal. read more

This is a must-see if one is in Rome. The museum was originally the royal palace of the popes, and the walls and ceilings are covered with elaborate artwork. The artwork in the museum is also impressive. The museum includes the Sistine Chapel, with the famous murals by Michelangelo, covering the ceiling and walls. I didn't have much time in the museum as I was on a tour. I wouldn't mind going again to see more of the museum. read more

Pure chaos and stress is how I would describe my experience here. Unless you read Italian, you won't know that you can bypass the line of people who didn't have the forethought to buy tickets online (seriously?!) and go immediately through the gates to pick up tickets and go through security. The guy who gave me my tickets failed to tell me that the receipt he gave me was for my Audioguide. When I got to the front of that disorganized line, I was sent away. If I knew the piece of paper he gave me was for them, that would have helped. The artwork and statues were epic, don't get me wrong. But it wasn't worth it. When we arrived in the Sistine Chapel, it was so crowded that you couldn't move. Literally. It was beautiful and amazing, but so difficult to enjoy when I was suffocated by quite literally 500 people in that space. It took 15 minutes just to get us through the bottleneck doors and leave the Chapel. Overall: no organization, crowded, sweaty, and stressful. Hard to enjoy with the sheer amount of unaware and careless people. Would I do it again? Hell no, but I probably won't ever be in Rome again. Would I tell others to go? Sure. I think it's a once in a lifetime experience. read more

Words cannot express how amazing the Musei Vaticani are. In such a relatively small space, it seems as if one experiences an explosion of Catholic and Renaissance history. From St. Peter's Basilica to the Sistine Chapel, it's a best-of collection of all the art history you studied your whole life. Lines are long and there is usually a wait. Luckily, tour groups get priority access to many of the attractions in Rome. Joining such a group is highly recommended over trying to get in as an individual. A Roman friend told me that the line usually goes way down Via Leone IV during the summer (and this isn't the street the entrance is on, giving you a sense of the crowds). Dedicate a day to the Vatican, whether you have to wait or not, because it's definitely worth your time. read more

There isn't much to say that hasn't already been said in other reviews. The best thing to say is that this place is overwhelming! So much beauty. Book your ticket in advance - that is the best advice you can receive. It's crowded - ALWAYS. Save yourself some time and schedule our visit online before going. Trust me. We were there in February, and although it was a nice day, we were wearing light coats. We immediately regretted not checking them at the coat check before entering. It was SO SO hot inside the museums. So, my 2nd piece of advice is: BEFORE going through the security checkpoint, check your coat or large bag. You really don't want to lug these things around with you, and you will do a lot of walking, so it's best to leave the items in a safe place. Wear comfortable shoes. We were at the museum for more than 3 hours and still didn't see everything - most of that time was spent walking around! 90% of the museum allows pictures - it's mostly the Sistine Chapel that doesn't allow them, so don't forget your camera. And, out of respect, don't be that guy taking pictures in the Sistine Chapel - security will take your phone/camera, make you delete the pictures and then keep the camera until you leave the museum. You don't want that. I would give the museum 5 stars, but I honestly have a few gripes. This is a holy place, a place of worship and a museum with extravagant pieces of artwork. I wish that they would stop commercializing it so much. You are walking down a gorgeous hallway with an elaborately painted ceiling and then BAM! You come across a vendor selling souvenirs. When in the Sistine Chapel, there are many security guards monitoring the guests to ensure they aren't taking pictures, are wearing appropriate clothing and being quiet. However, they have a microphone with speakers and are constantly yelling through these items to convey these requests. Seems like an oxymoron - so, it's ok for you to yell, but not for me to speak in a low volume to my family? And I can't take pictures, but there are 100s of post cards and pictures for sale about 20 feet away. Anyhow, the grounds are immaculate and there is a great view of the basilica from the garden. It's definitely a must see while in Rome - just bring your patience and be prepared to walk A LOT and you'll love it. read more

The Vatican Museums. Are you going to go to Rome without visiting the Vatican? I think not. I went with a group, but the lines for those purchasing tickets were at about the two hour mark early in the morning. So purchase tickets ahead of time or, better yet, go with a tour group and skip the line! I hear it is open to the public for free on the last Sunday of each month, but check out the museum's Wikipedia article for a photo of the outrageous line which that entails. The Vatican Museum is worth it because it's really a trifecta containing: 1. The Vatican Museum: the Gallery of Maps is stunning 2. The Sistine Chapel: with Michelangelo's fresco and The Creation of Adam. Once inside, be very quiet and try to grab a seat along the room's edges to appreciate the view. 3. St. Peter's Basilica: which houses Michelangelo's La Pietà. Good luck getting a good view or photo of that since it is encased in glass and very far away from the designated viewing area, which is really the only letdown of the whole tour. After the tour you're led out onto St. Peter's Square, which is gorgeous. Touring the Vatican Museums is a standout when in Rome or, moreover, when in the Vatican City. read more

Such a beautiful set of rooms all leading up to the breathtaking Sistine Chapel! Make sure you buy tickets ahead of time online and make sure you get there early. If we didn't book online we would have had to wait on a 6 hour line. The museums are gorgeous and my favorite part were the ceilings, so make sure you look up! A MUST SEE IN ROME. read more

When we arrived the lines at the entrance were huge with large bus tour groups everywhere. We had pre-booked with a guide who navigated us past everyone else. Everyone goes through security (like at an airport) but the guards seemed pretty laid back. If you don't have a lot of time in Rome skip the museum and just see St Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel We had to stop by and rent some head sets so we would be able to hear the guide as we toured the museum. With thousands of people shoving their way thru, it would have been impossible to hear her without them. If you're looking for souvenirs, they offer everything you can imagine. There are also restaurants available which we used since we were running late. If you don't have to use them don't. Not the best. The Vatican Museum is immense and you can literally take days to go thru it. The tour guides will give you great detail but also keep you moving. Be prepared for other large groups to walk thru, surround you and ignore that you're there. This is all while bumping into you and jockeying for position to see things. If you don't like crowds, this is not the tour for you. The museums contain a lot of history so if there is something that interests you more, let your guide know. Frescos are on many walls and ceilings, statues and art are placed everywhere. It's a lot to attempt to take in. If you are taking photos, hit a note as you go or you'll never remember it. If you have the time, don't mind crowds, and enjoy history; then definitely book. Otherwise think about it and if you have kids, just don't waste your time, you will all be miserable. read more

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This is a must see when visiting Rome! What can be better then standing right under the Sistine chapel ceiling where The Creation of Adam was painted by Michelangelo??? Note: I heard the line of the Vatican museum can get really long! We got there before it opened, and there still was a decent line. I would suggest arriving before it opens so you can wait in line, because you'll need A LOT of time to sight see. read more

The museum is incredible for all its intricate details and centuries old collections. We did the early entrance with skip the lines tour of the vatican museum as it gets packed with people. You can spend the whole day here looking at multiple vatican arts and collections. So worth it to see and do while you are at the vatican city read more

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I don't know how I can do the Vatican Museums justice in a review...it's one of the most incredible treasure troves of art on Earth. Highlights: *The Sistine Chapel - duh. When you're done gawking at the ceiling, look at the Last Judgement and find the cardinal who criticized Michaelangelo in the lower right. He has donkey ears and a snake biting his unmentionables. Then look up to frescoes by Bottacelli and Perugino. Surely this room alone is worth a visit. *The Gallery of Maps - a football field long gallery of Renaissance frescoes. *The Lacoon - a rare Greek original *The rows of heads in the Chiarmonti galleries *The Animal Galleries - some statues are incredibly lifelike, especially the cuddling greyhounds. *"The Torso" in the Muses' Gallery. You'll see it again later in the body of Christ on the Last Judgement fresco. *The Raphael Rooms - to think this was a pope's dining room! *Extravaagently decorated coffered ceilings everywhere. *Medieval frescoes and Spanish tile floors in the Borgia Apartments *The mushroom risotto in the cafeteria...no joke Lowlights: *Youre going to walk MILES here. Wear good shoes. *In high season, the lines are horrendous. Buy tickets ahead of time but expect a wait regardless as the primary delay is security vs actual ticket buying. *Very few places to sit and rest I've been here twice now and spent the entire day each time, and I still don't feel I've seen a fraction of the treasures here. Fortunately, I threw a coin in the Trevi, ensuring a return visit! read more

1. You don't need to book a guided tour to "skip the line". Just buy your tickets directly from the Vatican official website online & print the vouchers before you come. You pick the date & time. It is inexpensive. http://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/musei/tickets/do You can still rent the audio guide if you wish. 2. The Vatican was extremely hot in June, and it isn't even the real summer heat yet. My daughter is a high school art teacher, so I had an educated tour guide with me. I had to write this review because we were both shocked by the lack of proper care of the items on display in the museums. We have been to great museums, like the Getty and Norton Simon in California. You must keep the humidity level down, and preserve the art so that it won't degrade. People were touching the sculptures, rubbing their hands all over them, there was no air conditioning in the entire facility, and windows were open. It was very hot & with the thousands of people that the Vatican overbooks daily, the heat from bodies added to it. It was horrible. The great treasures of Rome are being used just to make money for the Catholic Church, without properly being preserved and kept forever. Surely, with the millions of people going through they could afford to install air conditioning and control the environment. There are way too many people in the building for SAFETY, or any other reason. The Church is literally letting as many people as can stand in the room, with no room to walk fill them up daily. There is no way for security to even guard the art (even if they wanted to, which they don't), because people are too close to everything. 3. We were not impressed with the Vatican Museum, the Sistene Chapel was small & also just packed with about a thousand people. 4. Overall, we were not impressed with Rome. The City is really dirty, and everything could use a good power washing. We were impressed with the Roman ruins, but the way that Italy has allowed hap hazard building right up against these priceless Roman ruins is just sad. They should have stuck with a historic building style, that blended with the old ruins, but most of the buldings are ugly modern squarish buildings, that are everywhere. It looks as if most of the Italians live in these buildings in small apartments. It is a real mess. 5. An example, we had a fountain in front of our hotel, Via Republic. This foundain was full of about 10 inches of sludge, trash, etc. It was working, but filthy. Surprise, on our last day, they were actually cleaning out the fountain, but why was it allowed to get this bad? 6. Downtown, the roads are squarish cobblestones. Be careful walking because many are just missing, and not replaced, sometimes, 2 together, and your whole foot can get caught in there, breaking your ankle. 7. Restaurants. We ate at many in Central Rome. Waiters are mostly poor, with an attitude like they don't really want to be working. I had heard it was hard to get your check, but saying you have to ask 3 times is the norm. I found the only way to get on my way was to get up & stand at the cash register area, until someone like the owner would get me the check. We are on a really expensive vacation & don't want to be spending our entire time just waiting to get a check for an hour after we have finished our meal. 8. Drinking water, this is really strange, you have to buy sealed bottled water in Rome to be sure you won't get sick. They sell tap water in a bottle or pitcher, cold, but just tap water. Don't buy it, ask for bottled water. Apparently, they do not have consistent water treatment in Rome. Our final feelings were that we liked Spain better than Italy It was much cleaner, and still beautiful. We also visited the Borghese Galleries and this was another museum that had no air conditioning, and beautiful artwork is being damaged by humidity,heat, and exposing art to the elements. Message me if you have any questions. Do not bring kids to the Vatican Museums. I wouldn't bring kids to Rome. read more

The Vatican Museum and the Vatican itself are technically located in a separate country with its own police force, own laws, etc. The city is sprawling both inside and outside of the museum, and you should dedicate a good portion of an entire day to the city. The last tourists are taken into the city at 4:00pm and the city shuts down at 6:00pm. Given it is one of the premiere attractions in Rome, I highly suggest pre-booking tickets and a tour (in your chosen language). I would even suggest that you pay the extra (quite expensive) money to have your own personal tour guide for your group of just a few people (not one of those ladies carrying around a flag on a stick, but your own personal guide quietly and patiently answering your questions). Everything about the museum and its contents are amazing and a must see on your visit to Italy. read more

The Vatican Museum... This should be one of the seven wonders of the world... I've experienced such a breath taking view of one of the most amazing artists of all times Michelangelo... The Sistene Chapel made me want to tear. The art, the restorative statues, the old world feeling, just inspiring to all art lovers and Catholics alike. Please don't forget to visit this museum when you visit Rome. Add this to your Bucketlist! Btw lines are excruciatingly loooong for every room, but worth the wait. Remember, if they say no photos, DON'T TAKE A PICTURE, or the Italian Narqs will truly kick you out and confiscate your camera... No joke! read more

Location: Vatican City. You can use the metro A line and get off at Ottaviano. From there, it's not even a 10-minute walk. The place: Filled with beauty - you could spend an entire day just looking at the ceilings! The architecture is incredible, the art is incredible - everything is so intricate and ornate - it really is mind-blowing! The Sistine Chapel is spectacular and the detail of the ceilings is just mind-boggling. Absolute must if you are a first-time visitor to Rome. That said, the hordes of tourists totally took away from the experience. There was no way of simply walking through the museum at my leisure, without finding myself stuck in a box of sardines. There were people everywhere! My favorite were the idiots running around frantically, holding their iPads over their heads and using them as cameras. The Vatican should take a page from the Borghese Gallery and the Accademia in Florence, and only allow a set number of people in every 2-3 hours. This way the experience would be more enjoyable. I agree with some of the other reviewers who said visiting once is enough. I would also NOT recommend using a tour guide unless you are hell-bent on getting all of the history behind the place. Even if you have 'early access' to the museums, you will find that every single other guide or tour group does too, so you are NOT alone and you're not with just a few people. It's still packed. Book online in advance, otherwise you will be waiting outside for ours, and there is NO shade. The sun beats down on you like wildfire! read more

Our experience was not stellar. The °English Speaking Tour Guide* had very poor English, and the headphones provided had very poor sound quality. I recommend that you SKIP THE GUIDED TOUR and save the $16 Euros, and instead just Download the Free "Rick Steves Audioguide" on I-Tunes. Another complaint about the tour is that she skipped some of the museum's most important attractions. She did not take us through the Egyptian or Greek artifact rooms, and there were several other exhibits that we didn't get to see on the Tour. We ended up going back through the museum on our own and were able to see all of the collections that she skipped. One more thing is the Vatican was very crowded due to the newly elected Pope. Note to Vatican: PLEASE HIRE TOUR GUIDES WHO SPEAK PROPER ENGLISH. read more

AMAZING! I took some of the most amazing photos here. The art and detailing in the museum is just breathtaking! There is nothing like it. Although, please be respectful and do your best to be mindful of the others also taking photos and not block them or hog the view. Also, keep your voices down to a minimal. This is a place where you really want to look at everything, embrace the art and really take your time. I noticed people were very pushy and incredibly rude to others taking photos. Again, there is a line. But the line moves fairly fast. I brought a book and got through the line with no problem. Everyone recommended that we buy our tickets in advance which we didn't get around to doing so. But we waited in line, went through the metal detector and bought out ticket in cash in less than 30 minutes. Gorgeous. Don't miss this when in Roma! Definitely one of the best things we saw and did when we were here. We took the bus from our hotel and walked. I know there is a metro that is closer, but if the weather is nice, the walk is pretty pleasant. Just wear the right shoes! read more

I went in the summer and like other 2 star reviews, extremely long lines-- to enter. We had "skip the line" ticket, had to walk 30 minutes to external office to get ticket (like easter egg hunt). Inside, it was totally crowded, staff was rude, always herded in lines. No directions made it unclear where to go next. I didn't see anything noteworthy, just old sculptures. Other museums in other cities are much better. Inside the pope's church, also disorganized/overcrowded treated with disrespect by ordinary security staff (watching for what?) even though we were just taking pictures. We paid $33 each for this? If you want to go I suggest everyone go in the winter. This& rome itself is dirty& totally overrated. Other cities are much better. read more

Even though we had a guided tour and bypassed the long line to get in, once you get in it is very crowded. Hordes of people from cruise ships. Even being part of a guided tour there is little time to truly reflect upon and take in what you are seeing. That being said, much of what you see will take your breath away. read more

I'm not Catholic, or even Christian, so Vatican City doesn't hold any religious value to me. However, I am a history buff and I enjoy viewing art, which is what most of the country that is open to the public is filled with. The lines are as bad as you can imagine. My wife and I decided to shell out €40 each for one of the independent guided tours that take you right inside. There's dozens of vendors just outside of St. Peter's Square who will pitch you to take their tour. I don't know if there's a difference between any of them, but they all charge similar prices. If you don't want to pay that much, you can book tickets in advance. The Sistine Chapel and St.Peter's Basilica are jaw-droppingly impressive. I actually think the hall of maps was one of the most fascinating parts of the tour. It always surprising me to see just how good [and even bad] cartographers were without the use of modern technology. read more

I don't know anything about art, so I booked a guided tour from a travel website. It is overcrowded because Italy/Rome is just one of the most popular travel destinations, so you can't really fault the actual museum for the crowd issue. I enjoyed the museums a lot, but I also went during a less crowded time. It was really mind-blowing and it's quite large. You may end up spending around three hours in the museums because there's just a lot to see. If you are to go, please try to go during a time that is less crowded and maybe off season! read more

This place is awesome you definatively need a guide to much to learn...many shops right outside an its connected to the vatican... get ready to walk lots.. n dont forget to go to the dome read more

Just like around the rest of the Vatican, people hang around the Vatican Museum with "skip the line" packages-- promising that you'll avoid 2 hours in line, when we only ended up waiting a grand total of 15 minutes. (Granted, we went around 3:30pm and only had until 6pm to look). So don't feel pressured to buy any of their deals! Aside from that, the Vatican Museum is every bit as impressive as it boasts. Even the staircases in and out of the museum are beautiful spiraling works of art. You could easily spend a full day walking around the museum and stopping for espresso breaks throughout. Unfortunately, some of the prettiest exhibits like the hall of maps is a corridor on the way to the Sistine Chapel, so you're pushed and shoved the entire time. I would suggest looking online beforehand to see what parts of the museum are closed for renovation, because it felt like large sections had scaffolding covering the painted walls despite being peak season for tourism. I would also ultimately suggest avoiding the Sistine Chapel unless you're a major art buff and it's completely integral for your trip. The museum is full of a lot of impressive exhibits and just getting to the chapel took an hour, and we didn't get to enjoy anything along the way (being shoved through the halls, suffocating heat from the crowd, and an irregular start-stop pace that required your full attention). Don't worry though and take a more relaxed second to watch one of the many professional restorers working on the large murals to appreciate the painstaking work. Check out the Etruscans who pre-dated the Romans or pre-educate (if you're doing an Italy trip) and look for some of the sculptures that were recovered from Pompeii and relocated to various museums around the world. read more

What a beautiful site to see! You can not go to Rome and Not see the Vatican, we booked our Tour with City Wonders which included the Sistine chapel, the Vatican, and St. Peter's Basilica. Lucia was our tour guide and she did an amazing job! I definitely recommend requesting her if you can. read more

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Correction: Happy Hour is held weekly on Fridays from April to October. See official website.

What a beautilful museum!!! We have a private tour and the art work was breath taking. The information that we learned and knowledge that we were standing where decisions were made that shaped the modern world was overwhelming. The gift shop on site was very affordable and going in May ment we had smaller crowds but still great weather. I can't wait to go back. read more

Plan to spend half a day here so you're not rushed going through all the exhibit rooms. Also, I would recommend booking your scheduled tour ahead of time through the official Vatican group (sorry forgot their name), as the lines can get very long for those without a reserved schedule. We had a 9:00am schedule, and didn't get to the Museum gate until around 9:20 and our "escort" practically just walked us up to the gate, in through the security bag check, and then gave our museum tickets once we got inside and we were on our own. Audio guides are available for rent for 7€. Bring your own headset/ earphones as they sell the earphones for 1,50€. Or you can check the schedule for a guided tour for 8€ (+ticket price). We got a 3-Day Omnia Card- which allowed us to get a scheduled time into the Vatican Museum + Sistine Chapel & St Peter's Cathedral. Also includes a 3-day Hop On Hop Off bus (Yellow Roma Bus) and the Metro (train) & more. read more

Musei Vaticani - Museums Near Me - Rome, RM

The museum is huge you can easily spend the day there. I would suggest booking a tour so that you can skip the line to get inside. Plus you don't want to miss all the history inside. Remember they do not permit any photographs in the Sistine Chapel. The room will get full. Find a place to sit on the bench around the room and look up in amazement. read more

Musei Vaticani - A few shots from inside the Sistine Chapel. I had special permission to take photos inside. - Museums Near Me - Rome, RM

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Went in mid-September, early morning. My two takeaways from the visit were: very crowded, and there are a lot of con-men everywhere. There're many people pretending to be Vatican Museum employees and trying to dope tourists into buying their tour packages around the perimeter of the Museum (especially near the entrance). Those guys wore dress shirts and all had little fake ID badges hanging around their necks. They pretend to work for the Museum and approach trusting, clueless tourists heading that way. One even tried to dope me even though I told him I had purchased entrance tickets online already. He pretended to work for the Museum and told me the tickets I had can only get me into the Museum, and if I want to see the rest of the Vatican like the St Peter's Basilica, I had to join a tour for 55 Euros (FYI, entrance to the Basilica is free). For those who are interested in visiting, know that real employees at these places generally don't ever come up to you offering to help. So be wary of anyone who does. Plus, Vatican employees have uniforms that kinda look like security guard uniforms, nothing like some random office worker with a little badge. Aside from that, it is a must-see site for a tourist, but the visit itself wasn't all that enjoyable due to the crowd and those big tourist groups that keep stopping everywhere and blocking the way. The British Museum, Versailles, and Louvre that we visited in the same trip were much more enjoyable overall. read more

The world famous Vatican Museum! I love the history and the art and everything they have on display here. But I guess, so does the rest of the world. They try to accommodate everyone and that's where it starts going downhill. At 9AM there's already a huge line outside. Huge, as in around the block huge. Luckily we got tickets online, which I HIGHLY recommend. But there are still lines to go through security. And when we walk in, there are hoards of people. Tour groups and individuals just everywhere. I like that the museum has a guide to show you a route so you don't miss too much, but after a couple rooms, I felt like we were cattle being moved along a maze. I did not get to enjoy and read about all the art. Everyone's main goal was to get to the Sistine chapel. After about 2 hours of being pushed along, we reach the end and I finally can breathe and relax. I do recommend coming here, but just be prepared for the crowds. read more

One of the greatest if not the greatest collection of art anywhere that I have seen. Art in multiple media from the Greek and Roman periods, through Medieval and Renaissance. The entrance is not from St. Peter's, so check out location and times. I personally would allocate a whole day for the museum itself and strongly recommend a good guidebook or a downloaded audio tour on your phone so that you can go at your own pace. read more

I had the privilege of visiting Musei Vaticani on two separate pilgrimage groups in 2007. We had very smart tour guides who made reservations so we were able to bypass the long lines and get in. :-P The first one was with the Franciscan group; the second was with the Salesian group. When I came with the Salesian group, I chose to separate myself and just meet up at an agreed upon time with the rest of the tour group. It was just awesome to visit both times, I enjoyed just exploring on my own the most. There were groups of art history students in the tapestries gallery. I must admit that I was quite jealous that I was not one of them. While they had to stay in their group cluster listening to their docent/guide, I got to wander to my heart's content within the perimeters viewing them. Well, there is always a bright side. :-))) I enjoyed the the Sistine Chapel the most, looking at the ceiling and wondering how Michaelangelo managed to balance his internal moral compass regarding his relationship with the Vatican while painting his masterpiece, The Last Judgement. It was strained between them, to say the least. There were guards maintaining peace and quiet. And there were groups of people getting tours. There was a PA recording reminding visitors to be quiet. Uhm, yeah--tell that to the tour groups. When I was fanning myself with my jacket in an attempt to keep cool, one guard gave me a stern look and made signals to keep the jacket on. (Uh, just fanning, signor!!! It is too D*** hot in here!!!!) No sleeveless allowed, period. Women who came in sleeveless were given scarves to drape over their shoulders at the entrance or those paper cloths one gets at their doctors' office. It was hard to pray with all that chatter going on. Truly felt sorry for the guards having to maintain a quiet atmosphere. It was hard to pray and meditate with the constant chatter and shushing. (When I do make a return visit--and I will make a return visit--I will be the one wearing earplugs.) Fresh Review #1 of 100 Yelps! for 2013. read more