thirteen things to keep in mind when Visiting sistine chapel
To reach the chapel, you must walk past the Vatican museum. Visitors usually spend 3 hours exploring both attractions. To fast-track to the Sistine Chapel, you need at least 90 minutes.
The Chapel is a masterpiece of art and architecture, so take your time to admire the paintings and sculptures. There is much to see, so take your time with the chapel.
The best time to visit Sistine Chapel is as soon as it opens at 9 am. If you can’t make it in the morning, the next best time to visit is in the late afternoon – between 1.30 and 3.30 pm.
Buying Sistine Chapel tickets online in advance saves you a lot of waiting time by skipping the ticket counter queue.
While visiting the Sistine Chapel, you must wear clothes covering your shoulders and knees as a sign of respect. Therefore, sleeveless tops, shorts, skirts, and hats are prohibited.
Large bags and backpacks are not allowed inside the Sistine Chapel. You can leave them in the cloakroom at the entrance of the Vatican Museums.
Under a funding agreement, no photography or filming is allowed inside the Sistine Chapel. There are guards placed to ensure nobody clicks photographs inside the Sistine Chapel.
The Sistine Chapel allows free entry on the last Sunday of each month. Be ready to brave a massive crowd on this day. It's also free on the 27th of September, i.e., World Tourism Day.
These are also known as Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel tickets because they get you access to both attractions. You can also explore St Peter’s Basilica.
We recommend a three-hour guided tour, which provides skip-the-line access to the three most magnificent sites in the Vatican City – Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museums, and St Peter’s Basilica.
From April to October, every Friday, the Vatican Museums are open from 7 pm to 11 pm. During this guided 3-hour night tour, you can also explore Sistine Chapel.