Sistine Chapel Tickets & Opening Hours
 Credits: image by @Janeb13 |
In 2016 over 6 million people chose to visit up close and personal the Michelangelo’s stunning frescoes, painted by the artist over 500 years ago in the Sistine Chapel, located in the Apostolic Palace, inside the Vatican City.
It took Michelangelo nearly 6 years of his life to complete the frescoes on the vault and of the back wall above the altar. These masterpieces of art, universally loved and celebrated, offer to visitors a lifetime experience!
To access this incredible site visitors need to buy a ticket and go through an itinerary full of incredible masterpieces along the Vatican Museums. Hence, it’s important to underline that the Sistine Chapel is neither a church, neither part of St. Peter’s Basilica although adjacent to the church. And, unless you are a member of the Catholic Clergy, it’s almost impossible that you will be allow to enter the Sistine Chapel from St. Peter’s.
In this article you will find all the most useful information about the Sistine Chapel, including tickets, prices, opening hours and much more. To learn about its history and most interesting facts visit the article Sistine Chapel Facts and History!
Topics
Attraction Overview
 Opening Hours: Follow the Vatican Museums Schedule Monday to Saturday 9.00am - 6.00pm (last entrance 4.00 pm) |
 Best Time To Visit: 8.30am or 2.00pm |
 Tickets: Needed |
 Accessibility: Accessible |
 Kid-friendly Attraction |
How to Visit
1PLAN YOUR VISIT IN ADVANCE
– Prebook your skip-the-line ticket to the Sistine Chapel & Vatican Museums online from the Official Ticket Office of the Vatican Museum;
2CHECK IN ADVANCE THE BEST TIME VISIT
– Springtime and Summertime: 8.30am or 2.00pm;
– Fall and Wintertime: 9.00am / 1.00 pm / to 2.00pm;
3WEAR COMFORTABLE FOOTWEAR AND BEWARE OF DRESS CODE
– Summertime: sneakers, sun cream and a hat;
– Wintertime: sneakers, umbrella and raincoat
Entry to the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Gardens is permitted only to appropriately dressed visitors.
Low cut or sleeveless clothing, shorts, miniskirts and hats are not allowed.
OPENING HOURS
NOTE: Visiting Hours of the Sistine Chapel follow the schedule of the Vatican Museums. For the updated calendar 2017/2018 you can check this PDF CALENDAR provided by the Vatican Museums.
Closed
Sunday (except the last Sunday of each month*), 1 and 6 January, 11 February, 19 and 28 March, 29 June, 15 August, 1 November, 8 and 26 December
Opening Hours
From Monday to Saturday
9.00 a.m. – 6.00 p.m. (final entry 4.00 p.m.)
Every last Sunday of the month
(*provided this does not coincide with Easter Sunday, 29 June Sts. Peter and Paul, 25 December Christmas Day, and 26 December Feast of St. Stephen)
9.00 a.m. – 2.00 p.m. (final entry 12.30 p.m.)
Free entry
Visitors are required to leave the halls 30 minutes before museum closing time
TICKETS INFO
NOTE: There’s no such thing as “Tickets to Sistine Chapel Only”. To access the site you need to enter from the Vatican Museums entrance and follow the available itineraries within.
Skip the line tickets to the Sistine Chapel & Vatican Museum can be bought online from the Official Ticket Office of the Vatican Museum
Note that:
– Skip-the-line tickets allow visitors to skip the line only at the ticket office, but do not exempt visitors to skip the line at the security checks.
– In order to make the reservation online please have on hand the following documents: an identity document and names of all the participants.
– After the confirmation you will receive the voucher containing the reservation code and tour information. The applicant is asked to print off the voucher (it is also possible to show it on a smartphone or tablet) as to present it on the day of the tour.
– Up to one hour before the tour, it is possible to modify the reservation date depending upon availability. It isn’t possible to make changes to the number of participants.
INDIVIDUAL TICKETS
Duration: valid for only one entrance to the Vatican Museum for the date chosen;
PRICE AND FEES:
- Full entrance: €16.00 + €4 Reservation Fee for online booking (€20)
- Reduced entrance: €8.00 + €4 Reservation Fee for online booking (€12€)
Apply to: children aged between 6 and 18 years old (18 years included). It is also possible to reserve a ticket at a reduced price for students up to 25 years of age on presentation of a student identity document or a valid International Student Card on the day of the visit.*
NOTE: * If a reduced price ticket is reserved without the required documents the visitor will be asked to make payment of a full price ticket so as to enter. The reduced ticket will not be refunded.
ACCESSIBILITY
Wheelchair Accessibility Service:
The Sistine Chapel is accessibile. For more information visit “Accessibility” of the Vatican Museums
General Information:
+39 06 69884676
+39 06 69883145
info.mv@scv.va
How to Reach
1FROM THE CITY CENTER TO SISTINE CHAPEL & VATICAN MUSEUMS
Bus Lines (Stop “Viale Vaticano”):
49
Bus Lines (Stop “Bastioni di Michelangelo”):
23492
Bus Lines (Stop “Emo”):
490492495N1
Bus Lines (Stop “Risorgimento”):
59019
Metro Station:
Take the “Red Metro Line” or “A Line” and stop at “Cipro” or “Ottaviano”.
Address:
Viale Vaticano, 00165 Rome, Italy
Get directions from Google Maps
Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
Sistine Chapel Facts: “Must Know” about Michelangelo’s frescoes
When in 1508 Pope Julius II (also known as Giulio della Rovere) addressed Michelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel, the room was already beautifully decorated.
The name Sistine Chapel, (not Sixteen, neither Sixteenth Chapel) comes from Pope Sisto IV, who in 1474 was the first one to promote renovation works of the old, deteriorated Chapel Magna. From the outside the Sistine Chapel is similar to a fortified castle. It features 4 floors with tall, narrow windows. Read More…
Colosseum FAQ
What is the Sistine Chapel?
The Sistine Chapel is a chapel located in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican City. The Sistine Chapel is a sacred place, preferred location of the most important masses and ceremonies such as the Election of the Pope by the Conclave.
Are there tickets to Sistine Chapel only?
Tickets to the Sistine Chapel only do not exist…yet! You never know what future holds, but for now the Sistine Chapel is part of the Vatican Museums and can be reached only from the museum complex. S
o, if you want to see the beautiful Michelangelo’s painted ceiling you will have to buy a ticket for the Vatican Museums, follow the itinerary, which ends in the Sistine Chapel!
How much does it cost to visit the Sistine Chapel?
As mentioned, to visit the Sistine Chapel you need to buy tickets for the Vatican Museums. Full price is 16€ (+4€ reservation fee if you pre-book online); Reduced Ticket is 8€ (+4€ reservation fee). For more information visit: Vatican Museum: Tickets, Hours and Dress Code.
Can you take pictures inside the Sistine Chapel?
Unfortunately it is not allowed to take pictures in the Sistine Chapel. Checks are quite strict. So, just be careful! However, you can take all the pictures you want in the Vatican Museums.
Are you wondering something about this landmark in Rome? We’d love to hear more from you. Just visit our Q&A section and post your question. It will be answered by an official Rome tour guide!
