Travel Answers

Vatican City

Hi,

Is Vatican open for tourists post new pope has been selected. I am looking at visiting St Peters ('Basilica di San Pietro'), the Sistine Chapel ('Cappella Sistina') and the Vatican Museums ('Musei Vaticani').
in July 2013.

Can anyone tell me the official opening times and prices for The Vatican and Sistine Chapel over the 2013 Easter weekend please? We don't arrive in Rome until the Saturday afternoon so think we may miss them.

For the next 30-40 days, I will conduct an experiment here at VT using the new features of the website. As you know, VT does not (yet) have a good way to communicate breaking or time-sensitive news that is important to the traveler. While VT is working on solutions, I would like to use the existing and recently added features of the website to try to follow the events in the Vatican and report how they may affect travelers to Rome in the next 30-40 days. To do this, I will add - hopefully daily - updates to schedules and changes in the Vatican (and Rome) that affect the typical visitor, such as changes to the hours of the Vatican Museums, changes to access to the Basilica, changes to audiences and the Angelus at noon, changes to the Necropolis and gardens tours and whatever features of the Vatican that visitors can access, as well as changes in Rome related to the conclave. I am posting this notice here in the Vatican City Forum, the Rome Forum, and in the Misc Forum, BUT I am adding all updates to the Comments at the bottom of the page of the Vatican City Travel Guide (Vatican City Travel Guide. If you lose this link, just do a search on Vatican City as a destination - you'll get one hit, which will be the Travel Guide for Vatican City. Go to the bottom of the page for the Comments. If you want to be notified of any new comments, then find the box with "Follow" to the right of "Comments" near the bottom of the page, and click it. Your Dashboard will be updated each time a new comment is added. Of course, you are invited to add your own comments about the changes in the Vatican about any updates that you have discovered, or to ask any questions that affect your travel plans in particular. I and the rest of the VT Community will answer them as quickly as we can. I expect to keep this up until a new Pope is elected and the Vatican settles back into a routine...until then, please subscribe to the Comments on the Vatican City Travel Guide, and let me (and VT) know how well this experiment works for you. Bill McCalpin Vatican City Travel Editor mccalpin@vtmail.com

My Jewish friend bought a menorah pendant about 15 years ago at a jewelry store outside the Vatican. It was stolen and she is desperately trying to replace it? Any suggestions as to what stores to contact? Many thanks

Hi, we are in Rome for 5 nights from the 3rd february. We are staying about 10 minutes from the colloseum so assume it is fairly easy to walk to the vatican from here. I know you need tickets for the museums - does the sistine chapel come under this or will we need further tickets? St. Peters Basilica - do we need tickets for this or is it just a case to queue - is it all clearly sign posted? I note that there is an audience with the Pope on Wednesdays if he is in Rome - how do you get tickets for this and is it worth it as we will be spending one day in the Vatican and I am assuming that this may take a chunk out of our visit? Look forward to all your responses. Clare

What is the best day and time to visit the Vatican? What is the best tour company you have used? Name of tour guides that you liked? We are going in September and will be in Rome Friday afternoon through Tuesday morning. Thanks!

This is really a railfans question, but a Roman who uses san pietro regularly may be able to answer this. On google you can see a little 2 car multiple unit on the spur to the Vatican from san pietro station gcerc.files.wordpress.com/20... but this isnt a Roma suburban train. The Vatican rarely use this line now of course, but we are just interested in what this train is and if it's ever seen parked there or if this is just a freak coincidence when the helicopter was passing.

Hi, I am going to Italy and the Vatican Museum and have 2 questions about it. 1) Has anyone taken their Ipad into the museum? Is it allowed? 2) There are some Vatican Museum Guide apps I am thinking of downloading. Has anyone used them and, if so, how do they compare with the audio guide you can get at the museum? Thanks in advance.

I'd like to photograph the spiral staircase from the top looking down (along with everyone else, I'm sure). How do I get to this staircase once I get through the front entry? I think I read it's near the exit--do you start at the top or bottom? Is there an elevator if it starts at the bottom? Once you start walking on the stairway can you go back into the Museum? (we wanted to take the door from the Sistine Chapel to St Peters so we can avoid the line from the outside).

It's going to be pretty tight for time so knowing that we HAVE to visit all of these places in 1 day, I need a little more info: once we drop off our bags at 1030am at our hotel which is beside the Termini, is the metro line A the fastest way to get to the Vatican? I am going to be booking our tickets (2) on their website--is it a good idea? Do we definitely avoid the line up by pre-booking? We'll be there on the Tuesday just after Easter--any problems we might encounter? Can I take photos inside (without flash of course). After we're done, what's the fastest way to get to the Coliseum (besides walking? Mama don't walk so fast...)? The Coliseum is open later than the Vatican in April, is that right? When does the last ticket get sold for entry to the Coliseum/Forum/Palatine? I understand we might not see it all, but we've only got the one day to do it (ok maybe just the coliseum, not Palatine). Many thanks!

How I can book tickets for the visit of Vatican Gardens in minibus and than museums of Vatican? In thw website I find the Vatican Gardens only 2 hours by foot with guide. But I know there is a minivan for 1 hour with audioguide

When I visited the Vatican in August I bought a bunch of scarves from the gift shop. My friends loved them, so I'm trying to buy more, but all emails to the Vatican either go unanswered or disappear. Does anyone know if there's an email address to the gift shop, or someone at the Vatican that can buy and ship me a bunch of scarves like the ones I bought. Thanks,

How can I find tour guides who take Polish speaking tourists?

What is the best way to reach Vatican city? We are staying near Termini station. We have 110 Open bus tickets as well.

Since Vatican is not covered in Roma Pass that i plan to buy.I'm wonderng if its a good idea to do it on monday and then see rest of places from Tue to Thurs or the other way around.any thoughts? or its the same thing?

Hello VT'ers. Been in Rome this weekend wonder what about tickets in Vatican. 1. Is Saint Peter Basilica (church) free for visit or need a ticket ? 2. Is Cupola of the Saint Peter free or need a ticket ? 3. BETTER TIME OF THE DAY TO VISIT IT ? AND 4. How many hours (AVERAGE) need to spend to visit St. Peter, Museuns and the Sistine Chapel ? I know that : The admission ticket is valid for visiting BOTH the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel only on the date of purchase Any other helpfull TIP will be WELCOME ! :) THANK YOU IN ADVANCE. Lois

I've read the VT tips and also went to the official site for the Vatican and I'm not finding much information. I'm thinking Sunday would be the best day to go because they will have a service. I don't know what time the service will take place and would also like to have the guided tour. If there is a service (besides Wednesday & Thursday) perhaps that may be better with possibly less people? Thanks, in advance, for your insight!

A group of us (6 pax) are heading to Rome in February. The only time we can visit Vatican is on Feb 12 (Sat!) and Feb 14 (Mon!). Its off peak but its on the 2 days of the week that are not advisable to visit. Plus Sat is stuck in between 2 closing days of the Vatican. I'm reluncant to go on Monday because we will be going to Pompei and Naples on Sunday. If we have to go early to queue for tickets, it be tiring. So Sat is better. But... 1. Heard that on Saturday, opening hours is till 12.30? Or is that daily winter hours? or just winter saturday? Oh Lord. No one can 100% confirm this. 2. Should i "skip the line"? or just wing it? 3. If monday's last entrance time is 3PM, is it possible to head over to St Peter first then to the Museum in hope the crowd have thinned out by 11-12PM? Note: I prefer not to buy tickets but to wait more than an hour, i would consider paying the extra 24Euros to skip the line.

Hello, I have heard that a hotel reserved to the ecclesiastics was built a few years ago in the Vatican state. Could you confirm and indicate its location, and precise if a taxi can drive you there. Thanks in advance.

Is there a certain day of the week when the pope comes out for sighting or mass?

Hi all there, I'm planning to visit soon Italy and the Vatican. I need some contact information to the Museum of the Vatican if any one out there can help me. I'd be very grateful. Johan Svensson realiste_dz@yahoo.co.uk

I believe that when it comes to t-shirts it's not only how much skin they cover but also what's printed on them. I heard that recently some people who were very angry about the church's handling of clergy sexual abuse tried to get in wearing t-shirts with some kind of slogan written on them. I guess predictably they were stopped from entering. I wonder what would happen if they went in wearing jumpers and then once they safely were inside took them off to reveal their t-shirts. I wonder if they would just get asked to leave or whether some form of penalty would apply..?

Hello, How to reach Vatican city from Pantheon? And secondly i am keen on visting the sistine chapel...Is it necessary to but tickets for vatican museum also?

My wife and I will be in Rome on July,30, 2010, our 50th wedding anniversary. We would love to renew our marriage vows in Rome on that date. Is this possible? Thank you, Richard L. Collins rcollins002@wi.rr.com

We are planning to attend the Xmas Eve midnight mass at the Vatican this year. We have already requested for the tickets and received a confirmation from the Prefecture of the Papal Household that the tickets have been reserved for us. Can anyone share their experience, and the Dos and Donts on attending this mass? I heard that although the mass starts at 10 pm, we will have to start lining up at about 4 pm. Must everyone in the group wait in the line together? Or can 1 or 2 persons wait in the line first, then the rest of the people in the group join in later. We have elderly people and little children in our group. Not sure if they can wait in line for that many hours. Would appreciate any advise from those who have attended the mass before. Many thanks.

I am trying to decide if I am crazy leaving Venice on Christmas Eve by train in the afternoon of the 24th of Dec and trying to get to the Vatican for the Christmas eve Mass that is at 10:00pm. I'm not sure what it will be like once I get to Rome to get transfers to the Vatican from the train station on Christmas Eve and what time I need to be in Line at the Vatican with my tickets for the mass? Help! please!

WHAT TIME DO THE SHOPS IN VATICAN CITY CLOSE IN JULY?

Hello :My wife and I are planning to visit the Vatican next month and we'd like to know at what time are held the Audiences and if cameras are allowed.Thanks for your help.

Hi everyone, Our small group of 8 people will visit Rome August 21-22, 2009. I have found several online tour companies that offer the so called "skip the line" tours or just "skip the line" museum ticket vouchers to the Vatican museums. From visitors' reviews, it appears, though, that because so many people get scared by the long queues at the Vatican box office that this "skip the line" line often is as long or longer than the regular line to get the tickets without prior reservation. Do any of you have a knowledge if it is really necessary to book the tickets in advance in order to avoid the long queues? Some visitors indicate that in the afternoons there is little waiting in the general ticket queue. We will be in Rome on Friday and Saturday. Is it harder to get into the Vatican museums on those days than on week-days? Any insight and advice for visiting the Vatican museums on Friday/Saturday in late Augugst would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Tuzik

More of a notice than a question...from the Vatican Museums website (mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/MV_... "NOTICE TO VISITORS: On Wednesday, January 7, 2009, the Sistine Chapel will be closed from 10.30 a.m. to 12.00 o’clock a.m. On Saturday, January 10, 2009, the access to the Sistine Chapel will be possible till 12:00 p.m. (exit within 12:30 p.m.). On Friday, January 16, 2009, the access to the Sistine Chapel will be possible till 1:30 p.m. (exit within 2:00 p.m.). On Saturday, January 17, 2009, the access to the Sistine Chapel will be possible till 12:30 p.m. (exit within 1:00 p.m.)." No info on why the Chapel will be offlimits at these times. This means that if you are going to the Museums on these days, that the strategy of coming after lunch to avoid the lines may backfire on you... Bill