Best way to spend a day at the Vatican?
May 30, 2017 11:26 AM Subscribe
We are heading to Rome in September and I'm in major planning mode. We would like to spend a day at the Vatican/St. Peter's/Sistine Chapel. I've read the past posts.
I'm looking for a step-by-step guide (will take a guidebook recommendation if you have it, or any recommendation for other resources) but also any insider information. Days and times and how to get in fast and what to see first, route to walk, where to have lunch, etc. Our apartment is close to Piazza Navona, we are four adults who can walk as much as we need to, within reason. I need a strategery!
I'm looking for a step-by-step guide (will take a guidebook recommendation if you have it, or any recommendation for other resources) but also any insider information. Days and times and how to get in fast and what to see first, route to walk, where to have lunch, etc. Our apartment is close to Piazza Navona, we are four adults who can walk as much as we need to, within reason. I need a strategery!
I found it worked well to buy tickets to things online in advance and avoided a lot of lines that way. Here's some info on everything Vatican related.
St. Peter's is a must see. If you want to climb the dome, it takes about an hour. By foot it's 551 steps or you can take the lift and then climb the 320 steps on foot. If you climb the spiral staircase, just know it's NARROW. That climb takes around 10 minutes.
Best advice for the museum: besides basic modesty, for your own sake wear good, comfortable shoes. At the Vatican Museum you will be waiting in line and walking mazes for a very very VERY long time. Just when you think the Sistine Chapel is around the corner, you'll realize it's like three serpentined miles away, with every possible wall, nook and ceiling covered with art both classic and modern. It's overwhelming on many levels, and I promise you, no matter how much you plan for it your senses will be overloaded. So relax and enjoy whatever you see. It's a LOT. These are people who really wanted God to be impressed with all of their stuff.
Agreed on the Pope... they start setting up the chairs long in advance and it's unbelievable how crowded it gets, especially now that people love this pope so much. (If you look in the souvenir shops, you'll notice it's almost like Benedict didn't exist. The souvenirs are mainly Papa Francisco and John Paul.)
posted by miss lynnster at 2:53 PM on May 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
St. Peter's is a must see. If you want to climb the dome, it takes about an hour. By foot it's 551 steps or you can take the lift and then climb the 320 steps on foot. If you climb the spiral staircase, just know it's NARROW. That climb takes around 10 minutes.
Best advice for the museum: besides basic modesty, for your own sake wear good, comfortable shoes. At the Vatican Museum you will be waiting in line and walking mazes for a very very VERY long time. Just when you think the Sistine Chapel is around the corner, you'll realize it's like three serpentined miles away, with every possible wall, nook and ceiling covered with art both classic and modern. It's overwhelming on many levels, and I promise you, no matter how much you plan for it your senses will be overloaded. So relax and enjoy whatever you see. It's a LOT. These are people who really wanted God to be impressed with all of their stuff.
Agreed on the Pope... they start setting up the chairs long in advance and it's unbelievable how crowded it gets, especially now that people love this pope so much. (If you look in the souvenir shops, you'll notice it's almost like Benedict didn't exist. The souvenirs are mainly Papa Francisco and John Paul.)
posted by miss lynnster at 2:53 PM on May 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
Consider the evening openings on Thursdays. I went in September at night, and it was relatively quiet. I got to sit down in the Sistine Chapel (most people who go there don't even realise that there are benches, it's so packed with people). I don't think all the galleries are open in the night sessions, but I don't feel like I missed anything.
Pretty much anywhere in Italy, get there as early as you can. The tour groups show up around 10am, and then it gets crazy.
posted by kjs4 at 4:44 PM on May 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
Pretty much anywhere in Italy, get there as early as you can. The tour groups show up around 10am, and then it gets crazy.
posted by kjs4 at 4:44 PM on May 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
No, wait, I think the evening openings are on Fridays. Double check before making plans!
posted by kjs4 at 4:56 PM on May 30, 2017
posted by kjs4 at 4:56 PM on May 30, 2017
There's a contemporary art gallery in the Vatican, that is genuinely very good and sparsely visited.
posted by kickingtheground at 7:49 PM on May 30, 2017
posted by kickingtheground at 7:49 PM on May 30, 2017
When I went, I woke up at 5am (easy, I was jet lagged) and waited outside St Peter's until it opened. There was only a very small crowd at that time. Plus I got to watch the sunrise over St Peter's Square. It was unforgettable.
(Just don't do what I also did and try to walk up one of the private side roads by accident, only to be accosted by the Swiss Guard. Oops!)
posted by nightrecordings at 8:51 PM on May 30, 2017
(Just don't do what I also did and try to walk up one of the private side roads by accident, only to be accosted by the Swiss Guard. Oops!)
posted by nightrecordings at 8:51 PM on May 30, 2017
Consider the evening openings on Thursdays.
Yes! We did this in Sept 2014 and it was great. I think it is Friday, as kjs4 states. Here's the website. Some of the galleries are closed, but there was more than enough to see and it was still overwhelming.
Rome in general was a LOT of walking. Wear good shoes, and on the day you are at the Vatican, your shoulders and knees must be covered.
posted by basalganglia at 3:29 AM on June 1, 2017
Yes! We did this in Sept 2014 and it was great. I think it is Friday, as kjs4 states. Here's the website. Some of the galleries are closed, but there was more than enough to see and it was still overwhelming.
Rome in general was a LOT of walking. Wear good shoes, and on the day you are at the Vatican, your shoulders and knees must be covered.
posted by basalganglia at 3:29 AM on June 1, 2017
« Older How can childcare be this damned expensive? | How to get through LAX singlehandedly with baby... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
Make sure to double check if the Pope is going to be addressing the public, and avoid those days if you can; it's an utter madhouse.
One thing: make sure any ladies in your party are wearing clothing that fits the requirements (sleeves and not too short, I believe); the friend I went with wasn't allowed to attend Mass because she was in a sleeveless dress, because apparently God cares about things like that.
posted by Tamanna at 1:08 PM on May 30, 2017