Vatican Tour Question

[TheHawk1]

You can purchase guided tour tickets directly from the Vatican site.  I'm wondering how that compares to tour companies that offer Skip the Line tours, i.e. do these tour groups (City Wonders, Walks of Italy, etc.) actually get through security and in the doors faster than the "official" tours conducted by Vatican staff?

[marazul]

1 hour ago, TheHawk1 said:

You can purchase guided tour tickets directly from the Vatican site.  I'm wondering how that compares to tour companies that offer Skip the Line tours, i.e. do these tour groups (City Wonders, Walks of Italy, etc.) actually get through security and in the doors faster than the "official" tours conducted by Vatican staff?

No.  They just buy the ticket for you, point you to the line and charge you a lot more.

Make sure the Vatican site tours you buy say early admission.  

Edited July 21, 2022 by marazul

[IndyCapt]

On 7/21/2022 at 4:04 PM, marazul said:

No.  They just buy the ticket for you, point you to the line and charge you a lot more.

Make sure the Vatican site tours you buy say early admission.  

Just wanting clarification on making sure I’m dealing with the “official” Vatican ticket website. I’m seeing option for “guided tour for individuals” where you select a specific tour time while ordering the tix. This is 17 euro per person-sound correct? But then has add on “guide” fee and headphone fee etc. Total for 2 is 68 euros for 2 hour tour. Just wanted to be sure I was on the right website. I can select 8:00am. I guess that’s early admission or no?

[cruisemom42]

25 minutes ago, IndyCapt said:

Just wanting clarification on making sure I’m dealing with the “official” Vatican ticket website. I’m seeing option for “guided tour for individuals” where you select a specific tour time while ordering the tix. This is 17 euro per person-sound correct? But then has add on “guide” fee and headphone fee etc. Total for 2 is 68 euros for 2 hour tour. Just wanted to be sure I was on the right website. I can select 8:00am. I guess that’s early admission or no?

 

This is the official website:  https://m.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani-mobile/en.html

 

[marazul]

8 hours ago, IndyCapt said:

Just wanting clarification on making sure I’m dealing with the “official” Vatican ticket website. I’m seeing option for “guided tour for individuals” where you select a specific tour time while ordering the tix. This is 17 euro per person-sound correct? But then has add on “guide” fee and headphone fee etc. Total for 2 is 68 euros for 2 hour tour. Just wanted to be sure I was on the right website. I can select 8:00am. I guess that’s early admission or no?

 

8 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

This is the official website:  https://m.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani-mobile/en.html

 

 

You are in the right website.  "Guided tour for individuals" is the regular tour and 8 am is the first of the day.  The crowds will be less, but it will be crowded. 

 

"Prime experience" is the real early admission. It includes breakfast after the tour. BTW, it is a very good breakfast. 

"Breakfast at the museum" is the next early admission. You have breakfast first and then take the tour ahead of  the "guided tour for individuals."

Both the "Prime" and "Breakfast" tours have a VIP option where your group of 1 to 10 people have their own guide.  Last month we took the Prime VIP tour for the 4 of us and it was outstanding.  By the time we finished breakfast the museum was really crowded.

 

There is also an "Extra time" tour where you tour in the afternoon after the Sistine Chapel closes to the public and it includes a "happy hour" afterwards. It is not offered every day of the week.  Change dates if you have the time or the interest.

 

When in the website, click on "more info" for each tour to get the exact details.

[IndyCapt]

10 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

This is the official website:  https://m.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani-mobile/en.html

 

Thanks!

[IndyCapt]

1 hour ago, marazul said:

 

 

You are in the right website.  "Guided tour for individuals" is the regular tour and 8 am is the first of the day.  The crowds will be less, but it will be crowded. 

 

"Prime experience" is the real early admission. It includes breakfast after the tour. BTW, it is a very good breakfast. 

"Breakfast at the museum" is the next early admission. You have breakfast first and then take the tour ahead of  the "guided tour for individuals."

Both the "Prime" and "Breakfast" tours have a VIP option where your group of 1 to 10 people have their own guide.  Last month we took the Prime VIP tour for the 4 of us and it was outstanding.  By the time we finished breakfast the museum was really crowded.

 

There is also an "Extra time" tour where you tour in the afternoon after the Sistine Chapel closes to the public and it includes a "happy hour" afterwards. It is not offered every day of the week.  Change dates if you have the time or the interest.

 

When in the website, click on "more info" for each tour to get the exact details.

Thank you. Most helpful! We’re looking at a Tuesday in mid October. Is there any benefit to going on a particular day of the week- for crowds? We’ll be in Rome Sunday-Tuesday…thanks again!

[marazul]

21 minutes ago, IndyCapt said:

Thank you. Most helpful! We’re looking at a Tuesday in mid October. Is there any benefit to going on a particular day of the week- for crowds? We’ll be in Rome Sunday-Tuesday…thanks again!

I don't think it makes much difference in which weekday you pick. 

[IndyCapt]

17 minutes ago, marazul said:

I don't think it makes much difference in which weekday you pick. 

Ok thanks!

[cruisemom42]

For the Vatican I've heard it's best to avoid Mondays (because so many other museums in Rome are closed on that day) and also Saturdays, due to it being the one weekend day that the Vatican is open.

 

I'm not sure how much difference that makes in the scheme of things, but Tuesday seems like a fine day all things being equal.

[CNPGOLF]

If we just wanted to tour the basilica (we did the museum tour on the last trip) what tickets would we need?

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, CNPGOLF said:

If we just wanted to tour the basilica (we did the museum tour on the last trip) what tickets would we need?

 

None.  The basilica is free. You may still have to wait in a line though, to go through security.

[NoWhiners]

Thanks for starting this thread Hawk, I had the exact same questions!

 

Having the official site is very helpful but I'm not seeing any 'skip the line' tours. Is this only offered by 3rd parties? And, if so, what lines do we actually skip?! I'm reluctant to do the Vatican but when in Rome and all, and DH wants to see it. We don't want to spend the whole day there and do want to see the Sistine Chapel. 

 

I'm guessing any of the individual guided tour options will work but would like some confirmation from those of you more familiar with things. I'd appreciate any advice and suggestions.

 

Thanks.

[marazul]

You skip the line by purchasing your tickets ahead of time. There is a line to purchase tickets and a security line for people with tickets.  The guards handle the people who have timed admissions. It doesn’t matter where you bought them.  

 

Don't confuse skip the line with early admission. Those are the tours I described in post #5 above. If you take one of the "prime experience" tours, there will be practically nobody waiting to get in when they open the doors at 7:30.  We arrived at 7:10 and we were the first in line in one of the busiest weekends of the summer.

 

Edited July 27, 2022 by marazul

[NoWhiners]

Just now, marazul said:

You skip the line by purchasing your tickets ahead of time. There is a line to purchase tickets and a line for people with tickets.  The guards handle the people who have timed admissions. It doesn’t matter where you bought them.  

 

Don't confuse skip the line with early admission. Those are the tours I described in post #5 above. If you take one of the "prime experience" tours, there will be practically nobody waiting to get in when they open the doors at 7:30.  We arrived at 7:10 and we were the first in line in one of the busiest weekends of the summer.

 

 

Ohh, now I get it, thanks ☺️ That wasn't obvious to me, although I'm sure everyone else understood. We aren't going until October, possibly touring on Oct 28. I did follow the early admission notes. Do you have any sense of the lines being a tad less crazed in late October? I seriously doubt I could get DH up early enough to be there before 7:30 am.

 

I was thinking of a late morning/early afternoon entry, unless that just allows for huge line backups.

 

Thoughts???

[marazul]

8 minutes ago, NoWhiners said:

 

Ohh, now I get it, thanks ☺️ That wasn't obvious to me, although I'm sure everyone else understood. We aren't going until October, possibly touring on Oct 28. I did follow the early admission notes. Do you have any sense of the lines being a tad less crazed in late October? I seriously doubt I could get DH up early enough to be there before 7:30 am.

 

I was thinking of a late morning/early afternoon entry, unless that just allows for huge line backups.

 

Thoughts???

It should be less crowded in October. The "Breakfast at the museum" option starts a little later, but you still have a tour with lesser crowds.

Consider the "Extra time" tours where you go to the chapel after it closes to other tours and then you have happy hour at the Vatican.  Check to see if it is offered on the dates you are there.

Edited July 27, 2022 by marazul

[NoWhiners]

Just now, marazul said:

It should be less crowded in October. 

Consider the "Extra time" tours where you go to the chapel after it closes to other tours and then you have happy hour at the Vatican.  Check to see if it is offered on the dates you are there.

 

That's a great idea, I'll check it out.

 

Thank you again for your help, really cleared some things up for me.

[TheHawk1]

2 hours ago, NoWhiners said:

Thanks for starting this thread Hawk, I had the exact same questions!

 

Having the official site is very helpful but I'm not seeing any 'skip the line' tours. Is this only offered by 3rd parties? And, if so, what lines do we actually skip?! I'm reluctant to do the Vatican but when in Rome and all, and DH wants to see it. We don't want to spend the whole day there and do want to see the Sistine Chapel. 

 

I'm guessing any of the individual guided tour options will work but would like some confirmation from those of you more familiar with things. I'd appreciate any advice and suggestions.

 

Thanks.

You're welcome.

 

I will be there in September, so not sure if it's busier than October?  Also, by the time our ship docks and we take the train in, it isn't possible to make one of the early admission tours that Marazul has suggested.  But I still have an English guided tour already booked for the Museums and Sistine Chapel and then will tour the Basilica afterwards as per Cruisemom's suggestion.

[cruisemom42]

The Vatican museums really have become problematic in terms of crowds. They are busy year-round and unless you are there early, you are going to feel the crowd breathing down your neck most of the time. 

 

For a while, I was going to the Vatican just about every year -- and my visits were generally in late November/early December. In 2018 I took a special tour of one of the newly opened Roman necropoli in the Vatican which included admission to the museum at no extra cost. Following the early morning tour, I headed to the museum. By around 10:00 am it was getting more crowded than I liked. I stopped in the museum cafeteria for a coffee -- I was going to head back, but when I saw the crowds I just left.

 

While I haven't been there since before COVID, tourism has surged back and by all accounts it is busier than ever in Rome. 

 

There are a few areas that are generally uncrowded -- such as the Etruscan rooms. But if you are on the main trail to the Sistine, you're going to have plenty of company in September and October. 

[marazul]

4 hours ago, TheHawk1 said:

You're welcome.

 

I will be there in September, so not sure if it's busier than October?  Also, by the time our ship docks and we take the train in, it isn't possible to make one of the early admission tours that Marazul has suggested.  But I still have an English guided tour already booked for the Museums and Sistine Chapel and then will tour the Basilica afterwards as per Cruisemom's suggestion.

Good luck with the basilica. Last month we took a taxi to St Peter's after our early Vatican tour.  We got there before 11.  The line to get in went two-thirds around the square. We left. It was moving, but it was miserably hot. It would have been nice to visit again,  but not in that heat.

I still would advice you to try it. It might be better later in the day or on the day you visit. 

Have an alternate plan if the line seems to be too long and too slow.  Maybe Trastevere or the Forum.  Many options. 

[NoWhiners]

Well, the timing does seem to be an issue. I was planning for either the 10:30 or 2:30 admission times, but was concerned about how long it would take to clear security. Can anyone shed any light on this?

 

For those of you who have been, would a 4 pm admission time (in late October) be any better than the earlier times? I'm starting to think it could be a long, crowded day 🙂

[cruisemom42]

19 minutes ago, NoWhiners said:

Well, the timing does seem to be an issue. I was planning for either the 10:30 or 2:30 admission times, but was concerned about how long it would take to clear security. Can anyone shed any light on this?

 

For those of you who have been, would a 4 pm admission time (in late October) be any better than the earlier times? I'm starting to think it could be a long, crowded day 🙂

 

If you have a timed entry ticket, in general, you don't have an extremely long wait to get inside. They have separate lines for people with timed tickets/tours versus those who don't have advance tickets.

 

I honestly don't know that later times will be less crowded inside the museum. Possibly people will start clearing out by 4pm -- in your situation that's probably what I'd choose.

[marazul]

31 minutes ago, NoWhiners said:

Well, the timing does seem to be an issue. I was planning for either the 10:30 or 2:30 admission times, but was concerned about how long it would take to clear security. Can anyone shed any light on this?

 

For those of you who have been, would a 4 pm admission time (in late October) be any better than the earlier times? I'm starting to think it could be a long, crowded day 🙂

We may be talking about two different things.  I was referring to the long line at St Peter's basilica,  not to the Vatican museum. As cruisemom and I said before, the line to enter the VM with a timed ticket moves right along. They say to arrive 15 minutes before your timed ticket and that works.

There are no timed tickets or any kind of tickets to St Peter's. It is free admission but you have to stand in line for security. That was the line we decided to skip because of the heat. There were no lines for our early VM tour.

[IndyCapt]

9 minutes ago, marazul said:

We may be talking about two different things.  I was referring to the long line at St Peter's basilica,  not to the Vatican museum. As cruisemom and I said before, the line to enter the VM with a timed ticket moves right along. They say to arrive 15 minutes before your timed ticket and that works.

There are no timed tickets or any kind of tickets to St Peter's. It is free admission but you have to stand in line for security. That was the line we decided to skip because of the heat. There were no lines for our early VM tour.

Just to clarify time and distance between the VM and St Peters basilica, I think taking a taxi from one to the other was mentioned (?) I guess I mistakenly believed they were in the same area (?)

[marazul]

3 minutes ago, IndyCapt said:

Just to clarify time and distance between the VM and St Peters basilica, I think taking a taxi from one to the other was mentioned (?) I guess I mistakenly believed they were in the same area (?)

They are in the same country.  Actually, the short cut between the museum and the basilica is currently closed.  You have a very long walk around the Vatican City walls between them. Take a taxi.