Sistine chapel

[hehny]

I've been fortunate enought to have traveled to Rome before. I am interested in taking a tour of the Sistine chapel, specifically where you skip the lines or go after hours. I'll only be in port for a day, does anyone have any suggestions? Again, I've seen the major sites and will be traveling with seniors so I'm trying to see what the most comfortable arrangement I can make is. thank you in advance!!

[Charles4515]

I've been fortunate enought to have traveled to Rome before. I am interested in taking a tour of the Sistine chapel, specifically where you skip the lines or go after hours. I'll only be in port for a day, does anyone have any suggestions? Again, I've seen the major sites and will be traveling with seniors so I'm trying to see what the most comfortable arrangement I can make is. thank you in advance!!

 

You can get Vatican tickets online a few months before your date and with those you skip the line. If you can go in the evening and it is available that is the best. Went at 7:30pm, tickets online, skip the line and straight to the Sistine first and it was literally almost empty for about 45 minutes.

[kuldalai]

Book on line via Vatican Museum website . You book vatican Museum admission or tour and the Sistine Chapel comes at the end of the sausage machine !!!

[Ctaycruiser]

I agree with both posts....just book the advance no line tickets to the Vatican Museum (I could be wrong, but i think 60 days is the max you can book in advance?)....and make a beeline to the Sistine Chapel - just follow the signs. I wouldn't bother with booking a museum tour by the Vatican - we did this years ago and the tour ended at the Sistine Chapel. Obviously because there is no talking inside the Chapel. But we didn't relish standing around in a large group in front of posters of the Sistine Chapel while the less enthused guide discussed the chapel at the onset of the tour.

[klauer]

When I went there guards were constantly shouting at people to be quiet -- not really a respectful atmosphere.

[Matcodixon]

When I went there guards were constantly shouting at people to be quiet -- not really a respectful atmosphere.

 

Actually they went back an forth between "Silencio" and "No Photo"

[Charles4515]

Actually they went back an forth between "Silencio" and "No Photo"

 

The photo prohibition seems to have most priority. That is because a Japanese company has purchased exclusive photography rights. They put out a coffee table book which they sell for $1000 a copy. If you know about this you might be able to pretend not to know and get some pictures before they start yelling at you.

[Speedodeedo]

We will be in Rome for 1 day in May, and will be travelling from the port in Civiteca. What is the best way to see the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basillica and the other important Rome sites and get back to the port in time. Is there a tour that does this, so far all the tour excursion I have seen on line and with NCL does not include entering the Vatican Museum to see the Sistine Chapel. Im actually just interested in visiting the Sistine Chapel, and not the other offerings of the Vatican Museum. Please advise. Thanks.

[Matcodixon]

We will be in Rome for 1 day in May, and will be travelling from the port in Civiteca. What is the best way to see the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basillica and the other important Rome sites and get back to the port in time. Is there a tour that does this, so far all the tour excursion I have seen on line and with NCL does not include entering the Vatican Museum to see the Sistine Chapel. Im actually just interested in visiting the Sistine Chapel, and not the other offerings of the Vatican Museum. Please advise. Thanks.

 

We booked a private tour with AP Tours. It was a group of 8 we put together via the roll call here on CC. They were excellent.

We visited: Circus Maximus, the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, the Parthenon, The Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel, St Peter's as well as St Paul's (?) They made sure we had the proper (skip the line) tickets. We did all this on one day at a very reasonable price. They were fantastic and included tour guide when appropriate. They picked us up at the ship first thing in the morning and got us back in plenty of time for departure.

[CathyCruises]

Wow! Rome, Athens and London all in one day! JK, I just couldn't resist :rolleyes:

[hehny]

OP here, thanks for the suggestions! I'm going to look into booking a private morning tour and try to reserve tickets in advance. Happy sailings!