Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Skip-The-Line Ticket +Audioguide
Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
A host gets you in, and an audio app does the talking after that. Buy direct at €25 if you do not need the help.
from €52 per adult
See the tour
Vatican tickets: Museums, Sistine Chapel, St Peter's and the dome
Vatican Museums tickets cost €25 online or €20 at the door, including the Sistine Chapel. St Peter's Basilica is free to enter. Its dome costs €17 by stairs or €22 with the lift.
Updated Prices and rules Vatican Museums and St Peter's Basilica official sites, read ; tour prices read
The Museums ticket includes the Sistine Chapel; dome entry and guided visits are separate purchases.
Official prices
Vatican ticket prices
| Ticket | Adult price |
|---|---|
| St Peter's Basilica entryFree without a reservation; security checks in the square | Free |
| Vatican Grottoes entryPapal tombs beneath the Basilica; a separate visit from the Necropolis | Free |
| Vatican Museums free Sunday9:00 to 14:00; last entry 12:30; next free date 29 November | Free |
| Papal General Audience ticketsFree tickets requested through the Prefecture of the Papal Household | Free |
| Basilica entry with a time slot1 hour with a dedicated entrance route and the Digital Audio Guide | |
| Papal Palace and Secret GardenAt Castel Gandolfo; sold by the Museums shop; reduced €6 | |
| St Peter's dome by stairs551 steps; online ticket includes the Basilica and its audio guide | |
| Basilica guided tour1 hour with an accredited guide; reduced €12; Basilica entry alone is free | |
| Vatican Museums door ticketIncludes the Sistine Chapel; reduced ticket €10 | |
| Vatican Necropolis guided visit1 hour by request; minimum age 10; reduced €14 | |
| St Peter's dome with the lift320 steps after the lift; online ticket includes the Basilica and its audio guide | |
| Vatican Museums online ticket€20 entry plus €5 booking; reduced online ticket €15 |
Official adult prices, read ; reductions shown where available
The Museums ticket includes the Sistine Chapel on the booked day. It costs €20 at the door or €25 online. The extra €5 buys the official Skip the Line entry. Museums tickets cannot be refunded.
St Peter's Basilica and the Grottoes are free to enter. A booking is optional for the Basilica. The optional €7 slot includes its Digital Audio Guide.
Dome entry costs €17 by stairs or €22 with the lift. Both online tickets include a Basilica visit and its audio guide. A separate €7 Basilica slot would duplicate that access.
The Vatican Gardens open bus costs €37 and includes the Museums afterwards. The 45-minute ride has an audio guide and makes no stops. The same ticket covers the Sistine Chapel on that day.
What to do: If you want a booked Museums visit, buy the €25 ticket and visit St Peter's free. The €20 door ticket saves €5 if you can leave your plans flexible.
Official booking
What is the official site for Vatican tickets?
For the Museums, the official shop is tickets.museivaticani.va. St Peter's has a separate booking site.
Vatican Museums shop
- Museums and Sistine Chapel, €25
- Guided Museums tours and Hidden Sections
- Vatican Gardens visits
- Papal Palace at Castel Gandolfo, €12
The official Museums shop charges €25 for entry with a booking. This includes the Sistine Chapel. If you only need admission, this is the price to compare with reseller offers.
St Peter's Basilica shop
- Basilica time slot, €7
- Dome by stairs €17, by lift €22
- Guided Basilica tour, €18
- Necropolis by request, €20
Entry to St Peter's is free without a booking. You pay €7 if you want a time slot with the audio guide. Booked tickets carry a name and need an entry QR code.
What to do: Use the official Museums shop if you want admission alone at €25. A tour can suit you if you want a guide; compare its route and price before paying.
Opening hours
Vatican opening hours and last entry
7:009:0011:0013:0015:0017:0019:00
Vatican Museums8:00 to 20:00. Monday to Saturday, last entry 18:00
Museums, free Sunday9:00 to 14:00. Last Sunday of the month, last entry 12:30
St Peter's Basilica7:00 to 19:00. Every day, current season
St Peter's dome7:30 to 17:00. Every day, current season
Vatican Necropolis9:00 to 16:15. Monday to Friday, last visit 16:15
open, you can enter open, last entry has passed
The Museums open from 8:00 to 20:00, Monday to Saturday. Last entry is 18:00. You must leave the halls 30 minutes before closing, so time in the galleries ends earlier.
St Peter's is free and opens from 7:00 to 19:00. The dome has paid entry from 7:30 to 17:00. These are the current winter hours at the Basilica and dome.
Necropolis visits run from 9:00 to the last visit at 16:15, Monday to Friday. Saturday visits take place in the morning. The Necropolis closes on Sundays and Vatican holidays.
What to do: If you want both sites, visit the Museums first for their 18:00 last entry. If your priority is the dome, plan around its earlier 17:00 closing.
Museum calendar
When are the Vatican Museums free or closed?
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
2 Novopen
3 Novopen
4 Novopen
5 Novopen
6 Novopen
7 Novopen
8 Novclosed
9 Novopen
10 Novpart closed
11 Novopen
12 Novopen
13 Novopen
14 Novopen
15 Novclosed
16 Novopen
17 Novopen
18 Novopen
19 Novopen
20 Novopen
21 Novopen
22 Novclosed
23 Novopen
24 Novopen
25 Novopen
26 Novopen
27 Novopen
28 Novopen
29 Novfree
30 Novopen
1 Decopen
2 Decopen
3 Decopen
4 Decpart closed
5 Decopen
6 Decclosed
7 Decopen
8 Decclosed
9 Decopen
10 Decopen
11 Decopen
12 Decopen
13 Decclosed
Closed and open days from the official Museums ticket shop, read . St Peter's has its own hours and does not follow this calendar.
The Museums usually close on Sundays. The last Sunday is free except on certain holidays. The next free date is 29 November. Entry runs from 9:00 to 14:00 with last admission at 12:30.
Other closures include 1 and 6 January, 11 February and 19 March. Easter Monday, 1 May and 29 June are closed too. Later closures are 14 and 15 August and 1 November. December closures fall on 8, 25 and 26 December.
Free Sunday entry does not apply on Easter Sunday or 29 June. The same exception covers 25, 26 and 31 December. Free Museums entry includes a visit to the Sistine Chapel.
On 10 November all sectors open at 9:00. On 4 December and 18 December the Sistine Chapel closes at 18:00, with last entry at 17:30.
What to do: If your budget comes first, use the free Sunday from 9:00 and arrive before 12:30. A paid weekday gives you until 18:00 to enter if the shorter hours would limit the visit.
Free and reduced
Vatican free entry and reduced tickets
| Visitor | Vatican Museums | St Peter's paid visits |
|---|---|---|
| Young children | Free under 7 | Free up to the sixth birthday with a parent; Necropolis minimum age 10 |
| Children and teenagers | €10 at the door or €15 online for ages 7 to 18 | Guided tour €12 for ages 7 to 17; Necropolis €14 for ages 10 to 17 |
| Students | €10 at the door or €15 online through age 25, with a document from your institute | Group reductions with a signed letter on headed paper |
| Visitors with a disability | Free with certified disability of at least 67%, plus a companion if you need assistance; tickets issued at entrance hall desks | Free with certified disability over 74%, plus one companion |
| Priests, religious and seminarians | €10 at the door or €15 online with documents; novices also qualify | Group reductions with a signed letter on headed paper |
A Museums reduced ticket bought without entitlement is cancelled, and you then need to buy a full ticket. Bring your documents if you qualify.
On the day
Vatican entry rules
The Museums entrance is on Viale Vaticano, 00165 Rome. St Peter's security checks start on the right of the square as you face the Basilica. The Museums ticket does not cover St Peter's.
A booked St Peter's visit needs its entry QR code. This arrives by email after your voucher. If it has not arrived after 30 minutes, contact the Basilica booking office.
Your shoulders must be covered at both sites. The Museums ban shorts above the knee and low necklines. St Peter's requires long trousers or skirts below the knee. Hats are not allowed.
The Museums cloakroom is free for bags staff consider too large. St Peter's has no cloakroom. The Museums ask you not to leave bags with them if you continue to the Basilica.
Photography is forbidden in the Sistine Chapel. Staff can ask you to delete pictures taken there. Visitors must stay silent throughout the chapel and keep phones put away.
Which ticket
Which Vatican ticket should you buy?
Museums and Sistine Chapel ticket
€25 online or €20 at the door
The €5 booking fee gives you the official Skip the Line entry. If the lowest paid price matters most, the door ticket saves that fee.
Museums and Basilica visit
€25; St Peter's free
The Museums stop entry at 18:00. St Peter's stays open until 19:00. If you also want the dome, its 17:00 closing needs more room in your day.
St Peter's reserved entry
€7
A booking gives you a set time and the audio guide. If you do not need these, you can walk in free. Security checks apply to everyone.
St Peter's dome ticket
€17 by stairs or €22 with the lift
Choose the lift if you want fewer stairs; 320 remain. The cheaper stair route suits you if you are comfortable climbing 551 steps.
Vatican Necropolis ticket
€20 by request
Request a visit if you want to see St Peter's tomb. The free Grottoes suit you if you want other papal tombs without booking a guided visit.
Vatican free entry
Free
St Peter's and the Grottoes are free. Use 29 November for the Museums too, or pay for a weekday if those shorter hours do not suit you.
People also ask
How much are Vatican Museums tickets?
€20 at the door or €25 through the official online shop. Reduced tickets cost €10 at the door or €15 online. Children under 7 enter free.
Can you buy Sistine Chapel tickets only?
No separate chapel ticket appears in the official price list. Your €25 online Museums ticket or €20 door ticket includes the Sistine Chapel.
Does the Vatican Museums ticket include St Peter's Basilica?
No, St Peter's has separate entry and is free to visit. You do not need a Basilica ticket unless you want a paid service such as a reserved slot.
Can you buy Vatican tickets on the day?
Yes, Museums tickets cost €20 at the door. Dome tickets are sold on site while places remain. You must book the Necropolis in advance.
Are Vatican tickets refundable?
Museums tickets cannot be refunded. Booked Basilica and dome tickets also cannot be changed or refunded. Those Basilica bookings are refunded if a liturgy or Holy See event cancels your visit.
What is the official site to buy Vatican Museums tickets?
The only official online shop is tickets.museivaticani.va. Its €25 ticket includes the Sistine Chapel and the €5 booking fee.
Do I need tickets to get into St Peter's Basilica?
No ticket or reservation is needed for free Basilica entry. A €7 booking adds a time slot and Digital Audio Guide. Security checks still apply.
How far in advance should I buy Vatican tickets?
Book once you know your date if you need a particular slot. A €20 door ticket is an alternative if you can keep your plans flexible.
Tours
Vatican tours and hosted tickets
A tour price pays for the service around your ticket. Some options add a live guide. Others give you a host and an audio guide app. St Peter's entry on its own is free.
The prices below are starting prices for the named options. Other dates may cost more or have no places available. For Museums admission alone, the official online price is €25.
What to do: If you only need entry, choose the €25 official ticket when your date is available. Consider a reseller if it has a suitable slot or the guide you want.
Skip-the-Line Group Tour of the Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica
Museums tour with St Peter's
The lowest price for a live guide across both sites, with one 9:00 start. The official ticket costs €25, so about half of this goes on the guide.
from €49 per adult
See the tourSkip-the-Line Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's | Small Group
Museums tour with St Peter's
Up to 12 people with headsets, and the guide stays with you inside St Peter's. This low-season price runs until 14 March.
from €99 per adult
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.
Vatican visit guides
St Peter's Dome
Dome prices and the 320 steps left after the lift
St Peter's Basilica
Free entry and the optional €7 booking
How to get to the Vatican
Routes to the Museums entrance and St Peter's Square