Which one to choose in Rome
Sistine Chapel vs St Peter’s Basilica
Two churches in Rome. Sistine Chapel has 241 tickets and tours to book; St Peter’s Basilica has 154 tickets and tours to book. The table and the two notes below put them side by side; the full pages have what to see, the ticket and the timing for each.
Rome, Italy
There is no ticket to the Sistine Chapel on its own. The chapel sits at the far end of the Vatican Museums, and every visitor reaches it through the same galleries, so the decision is really about which museum ticket you buy. The plain timed-entry ticket is the cheapest and the most common: you pick a slot, walk the one-way route at your own speed and stay in the chapel as long as you like. A guided tour costs two to three times more and buys you two things worth having here, an explanation of what the ceiling actually depicts and, with many operators, the side door from the chapel straight into St Peter's Basilica that independent visitors may not use.
Read the full guide →
Rome, Italy
Entry to the basilica itself is free, which surprises many visitors, so what you pay for is either speed or access to something extra. The free route means the security queue across St Peter's Square, which can run from twenty minutes to well over an hour depending on the season and the hour. Priority-access tickets sold by operators do not skip security, but they add a guide and a reserved slot that moves you through faster. The dome is the one genuine ticket: you choose between the full climb on foot and the lift that carries you to the roof terrace, after which everyone walks the last 320 steps up the narrowing shell of the cupola.
Read the full guide →