Vatican City (Citta del Vaticano) Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience Vatican City. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Skip-the-Line Group Tour of the Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica

• Skip-the-Line Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's | Small Group

• Skip the Line: Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel + Optional Basilica

• Skip the Line Vatican, Sistine Chapel, and Basilica Guided Tour

• Rome: Skip the Line Vatican, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Small Group

While it costs nothing to visit Vatican City, St. Peter’s Basilica, and some other public attractions, you’ll need to buy a ticket to visit the Vatican Museums. Admission to the museums starts at €20 for adults, plus an extra €5 for skip-the-line entry purchased via the website. Reduced tickets for €10 are available for young people aged 7–18, students, priests and other religious officials (with ID), pilgrims, and some other categories of visitors.

Yes, Vatican City is definitely worth visiting, especially if you're interested in art, architecture, and history. The city is the center of the Roman Catholic faith, so it's religiously important to many people; however, you don't need to be observant yourself to enjoy visiting the churches, public spaces, and museums. Taking a guided tour of the Vatican Museums is a great way to learn more about the priceless artworks and artifacts within.

Per one customer who booked the Skip-the-Line Group Tour of the Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica, "Amazing tour from start to finish. Giovanni our tour guide was informative, engaging and very knowledgeable. The skip-the-line tickets are a must, as even on a rainy day like our day the queues were still huge and we walked straight to the front. Myself and my partner would 100% recommend."

While you can explore Vatican City on your own with an audio guide, booking a guided tour is highly recommended to get a deeper understanding of the site’s religious and artistic history. Guided tours offer skip-the-line access, insight into artworks' history and significance, and access to restricted areas, enhancing your Vatican visit.

Yes, Vatican City’s St. Peter’s Basilica is a religious institution with a fairly strict dress code. Guards can refuse entry if you don’t cover your shoulders, knees, tattoos, and or religious symbols that might be considered offensive. Avoid wearing ripped or see-through clothing. You’ll also have to remove hats or caps.

Yes, papal audience (held Wednesdays) and mass (daily) at the Vatican are open to the public. To attend, pick up free tickets from the Swiss Guards at the Bronze Doors or request advance tickets from the Prefecture of the Papal Household.

Exploring the Vatican isn’t exactly a walk in the park—you’ll have to navigate large crowds and ticket and security lines. Plan to spend at least three hours exploring the museums and Sistine Chapel, plus additional time to visit St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Gardens. You could spend all day here.

Photography for private use is allowed in most areas of the Vatican Museums but not within the Sistine Chapel. Flash photography and tripods are also prohibited. Inside St. Peter's Basilica, photography is generally permitted, except during mass or religious ceremonies out of respect for the sanctity of the religious site.

To avoid crowds at the Vatican, you can opt for early morning, late afternoon, and weekday visits. Booking skip-the-line Vatican City tickets or guided tours allows you to bypass some lines—but the best way to avoid crowds is to visit on special tours that arrive very early before public opening hours.

There are tons of fun things to do when you're done visiting Vatican City. According to travelers, these are some of the top attractions in Rome:

• Colosseum

• Roman Forum (Foro Romano)

• Sistine Chapel

• St. Peter's Basilica

• Palatine Hill (Palatino)

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in Rome.