Vatican Museum on early November..crowds?

We will be in Roma Nov 2. I know November isn't high tourist season so I'm wondering what to expect on crowds in the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. I've read somewhere that afternoon crowds are less. Anyone have first hand knowledge? I'm trying to determine if we want to buy a skip the line pass.

No one has been in Rome in November?

I've been to the Vatican museum a few times in the off-season, including at least once in November. I wouldn't consider going without a timed ticket unless you want to spend time waiting in line. The Vatican seems to be busy year-round. Last time I was there (early March 2015, also off-season), I got in early with a reserved tour but the museums got very crowded by mid-morning and there was a fair line-up outside when I exited around 2pm.

You don't need to purchase any skip-the-line pass, just a regular timed ticket. (These have a separate, expedited line.)

Thank you!

I am just floating this out there for others, but keep in mind that November 1 (which is a Sunday this year) is All Saints Day (this is celebrated as a national holiday in Italy). I wonder if this will have an impact on the next day (Monday) as far as crowds and even openings.

Hank

The year we lived in France, the week including November 1 was a school holiday so we drove with our two teenagers to Italy. I remember crazy traffic on the autoroutes and huge line-ups at the Vatican. I would book ahead.

There really isn't an off season for Rome ... January and February may be somewhat less busy but there are always crowds at places like the Colosseum and the Vatican Museums. The only time I've ever been to the Vatican Museums during regular hours when they were not jammed was about four weeks after 9/11, when there were very few Americans in Europe. It was still crowded but not shoulder-to-shoulder.

We did the Vatican museum in mid November once. We also had timed tickets and we were glad we did after we saw the lines. On the way in, it would have been a substantial wait in line, and glancing at the line after.after we visited.. a very substantial wait. At that time, it was a good ways toward St. Peter's. I could only think how bad the lines might have been in the peak months...hours!

There are better ways to spend your time in Rome than standing any time in line, particularly when it is pretty easy to get a pre-reserved timed entry.

Great info....thanks everyone!