A fragment of the painting inside the Sistine Chapel, Rome, Italy
A fragment of the painting inside the Sistine Chapel, Rome, Italy

Sistine Chapel (Cappella Sistina)

Vatican City, 00120

The basics

The Sistine Chapel is part of the Vatican Museums (Musei Vaticani). To visit, purchase Vatican Museum tickets or tours and enter through the museum complex. Because the Sistine Chapel attracts millions of visitors each year, those who don’t reserve skip-the-line tickets in advance will find long lines upon arrival.

Many travelers find that the complex frescoes are best appreciated with the assistance of an official tour guide, so booking a group tour, an expert guide for a private guided tour, or even a self-guided audio tour is recommended. Tours visit the Vatican Museums first and typically pass the Raphael Rooms (Stanze di Raffaello) and Gallery of Maps on the way to the chapel. They sometimes also visit the Pinecone Courtyard and Vatican Gardens (Giardini Vaticani).

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Rome: Semi-Private Vatican Museums Tour with Sistine Chapel
Rome: Semi-Private Vatican Museums Tour with Sistine Chapel
star-4.5
$94.95 per adult
Traveler Favorite
Amazing Vatican Tour— Everything you need
Our guide was energetic, accommodating, and a trained archaeologist as well as an art lover. She was careful to help older members of the group who had trouble with stairs, and when she heard my son was enamored of the Swiss Guard, she introduced him to one! She obviously knew her way around. It was a LONG tour but she really did it right.
Savannah_S, Mar 2024

Things to know before you go

  • Seeing Michelangelo's frescoes can be unforgettable even for kids if seen as part of a small-group or kid-friendly Sistine Chapel and Vatican tour.

  • Because the chapel is a Catholic church with a dress code. Wear clothing that covers your shoulders and knees and maintain decorum by keeping your voice low.

  • Though photography (without flash) is permitted in the Vatican Museums, no photography is allowed in the Sistine Chapel.

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How to get there

The Sistine Chapel is part of the Vatican Museums complex adjacent to St. Peter's Basilica (Basilica di San Pietro) in the Vatican City (Citta del Vaticano). The Ottaviano station on Line A of the city’s underground metro system is about a five-minute walk away.

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When to get there

The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel are famously crowded, especially during the middle of the day.

Booking early morning and evening Sistine Chapel tours with exclusive entry or early access can help you savor the chapel in relative peace. The chapel is often quieter on Wednesday mornings, when the papal address attracts most visitors to St. Peter's Square (Piazza San Pietro) instead of the museums.

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Sistine Chapel highlights

The majesty of Michelangelo’s sumptuous ceiling frescoes, which cover 5,000 square feet (460 square meters) and depict more than 300 figures illustrating the creation of the Earth and humankind, and the state of humanity, is hard to overstate. Take a few moments to focus on and appreciate the iconic scene of the “Creation of Adam” in the ceiling’s central section, one of the most famous and replicated religious paintings of all time.

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A fragment of the painting inside the Sistine Chapel, Rome, Italy
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Frequently Asked Questions
The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Q:
What are the nearest attractions to Sistine Chapel (Cappella Sistina)?
Q:
What else should I know about attractions in Rome?
A:
As well as visiting the Sistine Chapel (Cappella Sistina), check out these trip ideas to make the most of your visit: