Vatican Museums on a Saturday

[Kayelache]

We will be in Rome on a Saturday, October 28 on the Rotterdam's repositioning cruise. I know the Vatican Museums close early on Saturdays, I think it's 2 or 2:30PM. Is that the last time for admission, and if you get in at, say noon, you would have time to at least hurry to the Sistine Chapel? Or, do they chase everyone out at that time, regardless of when you got in? I imagine the lines would be impossible to try to go there in the morning.

How would you plan for a Saturday visit to Rome?

[cruisemom42]

We will be in Rome on a Saturday, October 28 on the Rotterdam's repositioning cruise. I know the Vatican Museums close early on Saturdays, I think it's 2 or 2:30PM. Is that the last time for admission, and if you get in at, say noon, you would have time to at least hurry to the Sistine Chapel? Or, do they chase everyone out at that time, regardless of when you got in? I imagine the lines would be impossible to try to go there in the morning.

How would you plan for a Saturday visit to Rome?

 

The closing time listed is indeed the "out of the museum" time. According to Rick Steves, the last entry is about 90 minutes BEFORE the posted closing time. According to the Vatican web site, the museum closes at 2:45 on Saturdays in October. Good luck, it's a tough break.

 

If this is your main priority for the day, check into the possibility of pre-booking one of the Vatican-sponsored tours. I haven't done this, but from what I understand if you get the reservation, you can bypass the line for tickets when you arrive. They are only offered a couple of times a day (and I'm not sure of the time(s) on Saturday) but a little research should help you figure it out.

[modem9]

October 28th is a Sunday. According to the Vatican website, on the 28th, the museum is free but you have to exit by 1:45. If you are going to be there on Saturday, October 27, you have to enter by 1:30 and must exit by 2:45.

[Kayelache]

I'm sorry, I put in the wrong date, we will be in Rome on the 27th, on a Saturday, not the 28th.

[piper28]

The last entry time also seems to be somewhat misleading. Apparently they can decide they've let enough people in and close down. From people we talked with the day we were in Rome (but didn't make it to the library because it was Saturday), they had stop letting people in earlier than the last entry time.