Are you going on holiday to Rome in Italy? Do you want to visit the Vatican City? Want to know about the museums in the Vatican? Our guide to the Vatican gives you the facts & information you’ll want to know.
The Vatican City is the world’s smallest sovereign state with a total area of about 1 square kilometre. The Vatican is also one of the best places to visit in Rome and Italy with its multitude of interesting sights including the Sistine Chapel and the Basilica of St Peter. The Vatican also houses its own museums which are, more or less, conjoined to each other making it easy to visit all of the museums in the Vatican in one day.
Opening hours at the Vatican Museums
The opening times of the museums at the Vatican can be quite irregular and have a tendency of changing every few months according to the season. Even within the same season opening times at the Vatican Museum may change from day to day. Generally the Vatican Museums open at around 9am and never stay open beyond about 2pm, although these times may vary either way between half an hour to an hour.
Admission to the Vatican Museum
Admission to the Vatican museums might not seem cheap at 12 Euros, although considering the wealth of amazing artwork on display which is widely acknowledged as some of the best in the history of renaissance art in Italy, if not the world, it is a price worth paying. If you’re lucky and you’re in Italy on the last Sunday of the month then be sure to reserve this day for a visit to the Vatican Museums as admission is free, although crowds will most likely be heavier than usual.
Tours of the Vatican Museum
Although it’s possible to visit all the museums in one day, the extraordinarily vast amount of exhibits on display at the Vatican Museums means it’ll be impossible for you to see everything. It’s best to decide what exactly you want to see at the museums and head for that rather than trying to see everything. Alternatively, you could assess how much time you have to spend at the Vatican Museums and follow a suggested route. There are four colour coded suggested routes of the Vatican Museums for you to choose from, ranging in time from one hour to five hours. If you’re interested in an audio guide these are available for rent at the museum in a number of major languages and cost 5 Euros.
Highlights of the Vatican Museums
It’s impossible to list all of the amazing exhibits at the Vatican Museum, although the Sistine Chapel and the Pinacoteca are two major draws. The Pinacoteca at the Vatican Museums is believed to be the last piece of art work done by Raphael the renaissance master.
