The Vatican Gardens open bus tour costs €37 and takes about 45 minutes. Your ticket includes the Museums and Sistine Chapel afterwards on the same day. Book through the official Museums shop before your visit.
Updated Tickets and rules Vatican Museums official site, read ; tour prices read
The bus ticket already includes your Museums visit, so you do not need a separate €25 admission ticket for that day.
The ticket
| Ticket | Adult price |
|---|---|
| Reduced open bus ticketBus audio guide, then Museums and Sistine Chapel on the same day | |
| Adult open bus ticketSame route and inclusions; Museums visit on your own |
Official bus prices, read ; other guided-visit prices appear after date selection
The official Gardens bus costs €37, with a reduced ticket at €23. It includes an audio guide in 7 languages. Afterwards you visit the Museums and Sistine Chapel on your own that day.
A standard Museums ticket costs €25 online. The Gardens bus package adds €12 to that price. The bus must be booked online, so it needs a place in your plan before you arrive.
What to do: If you want the Gardens ride as well as the Museums, book the €37 bus package. Choose the €25 Museums ticket if you want more time indoors and a lower price.
The open bus
The open bus ride lasts about 45 minutes. You stay seated throughout and must wear your seat belt. There are no stops where you can get off and explore the Gardens on foot.
The bus runs Monday to Saturday, subject to the Vatican calendar. It goes ahead in bad weather. Your Museums and Sistine Chapel visit follows the ride, so allow time for both parts of the ticket.
Children must be at least 6 to join the open bus. The ride is unsuitable for wheelchair users and discouraged if you have limited mobility. These limits apply to this bus option.
Your shoulders must be covered, and low necklines are not allowed. Shorts and miniskirts are also forbidden on the bus visit. You can take personal photos in the Gardens; photography is forbidden in the Sistine Chapel.
Other visits
The official shop also offers Guided Tours Gardens and Vatican Museums. Capture Nature is another guided Gardens visit. Prices for these options appear after you choose a date, so check the visit you want before paying.
The top of St Peter's dome gives you a view over the Gardens. It costs €17 by stairs or €22 with the lift. The lift still leaves 320 steps to the top.
A fragment of the Berlin Wall is among the Gardens' monuments. The open bus route can change because of Vatican activities. You stay on board throughout the ride.
Book a Gardens visit through the official Vatican Museums shop at tickets.museivaticani.va. The €37 open bus is one option; the shop also offers guided Gardens visits.
The open bus visit is paid, at €37 or €23 with a reduced ticket. It includes the Museums and Sistine Chapel. A standard €25 Museums ticket alone does not include this ride.
The bus suits you if you want to see the Gardens and are happy to remain seated for 45 minutes. It adds €12 to the €25 Museums ticket; choose Museums admission alone if the indoor visit is your priority.
The ride takes about 45 minutes without stops. Your unguided Museums and Sistine Chapel visit comes afterwards and needs additional time.
The official €37 open bus ticket includes the Museums and Sistine Chapel on the same day. You visit them on your own after the ride.
Yes, from age 6. Younger children cannot join this bus tour, so check the age rule before you book for your family.
Tours
The private option below gives you a walking visit through the Gardens with a licensed guide. It also includes Sistine Chapel access. The €37 official bus is cheaper if you are content to see the Gardens from your seat.
The private tour lasts 4 hours and includes pickup from central hotels within the Aurelian Walls. Drop-off is excluded.
What to do: Choose the €37 bus if you want the Gardens ride followed by a Museums visit on your own. Look at the walking tour if you want to explore on foot.
Vatican Gardens and Sistine Chapel
A private walk through the Gardens with hotel pickup and a Blue Badge guide, then the Sistine Chapel. The official €37 bus costs far less if a ride through is enough, and this tour has no refund.
from €735 per adult, party of two
See the tourPrices in euro per adult, read : the usual lowest price of each option, without short sales. The booking page shows the price for your date. We add no fee.
Nearby
The climb and the view over the Gardens
Entry and opening hours for the Museums visit after your bus ride
Official prices and what each ticket includes