It’s at the top of your to do list on a trip to Vatican City, whether you’re religious or not. The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel are two of the most popular things to do, and they’re well worth the time you’ll be spending there. That said, the Vatican Museums are vast, so planning your time can be overwhelming! Here are the best tips to help get you started.

The entrance is on the north side, outside the city walls.

This one tripped us up! The entrance location was not abundantly clear at first, and we were almost late for our ticketed timed entry. You’ll need to stay outside the Vatican City walls, and walk about 15 minutes to the right as you’re looking at St. Peter’s Basilica. You’ll definitely see the security area; it’ll be obvious. 

Keep reading: Tips for Visiting Vatican City

Bring your passport!

While you won’t be getting a passport stamp to enter Vatican City, you will need it as proof of identity to get into the Vatican Museums. Everyone in your party will need to show their own passport, so make sure you bring it with you!

More here: What to Know Before You Visit Rome

Pick and choose. 

There is way too much to see in the Vatican Museums to see it all in one day, so do a little research to determine what you’re most interested in seeing. For us, it was the Sistine Chapel and Gallery of Maps. We certainly saw other things along the way, but those two things were really all we had time for. We ended up going back the following day to go inside St Peter’s Basilica separately, since that’s not part of the Vatican Museums. 

Related: 10 Things to Do and See in Vatican City

Don’t bother to reserve lunch.

It seems like a good idea at the time, and maybe it would be during the busy season, but this was a total waste for us. We had to choose a time at booking, so we were bound to that and had to rush through the things we wanted to see to get to lunch. It was just a cafeteria, not worth making a reservation for! If I had it to do over again, I’d skip it and just grab a sandwich at the cafe near the courtyard when we got hungry instead. 

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You will have to go through the Museum to get to the Sistine Chapel.

The walk to the Sistine Chapel took about 30-40 minutes, and we had to go through several other galleries along the way! And we actually took the shortcut to the Sistine Chapel—it would have taken longer to go the traditional way. The last time my husband went to the Vatican Museums, visitors could start in the Sistine Chapel, which I think would have been better for us because we wouldn’t have been rushing through to get there before our lunch reservation. Now you know, so you can plan better than I did!

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You will go through security to get inside.

This is probably not a shocker, but it’s important to know before you go. Security lines can be long, so make sure you factor that into the timing of your visit. You’ll also be waiting outside to go through security, so be aware of the weather—rain, overpowering sunshine, heat, cold, etc.

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You can send a post card from inside the Museums…

…and it will be postmarked Vatican City! While you won’t get your passport stamped here, you can get the official Vatican City post mark on a post card or envelope. There is a post office at the Museum exit, as well as on the south side of St. Peter’s Square. 

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The famous Bramante Staircase is at the exit. 

If you’ve seen photos of Vatican City or the Museums, you’ve almost certainly seen this dramatic, circular, double helix staircase. It’s near the exit, close to the post office in the Museums. I underestimated just how easy it would be to get a great photo of it! There are actually two such staircases, but this more modern one dates to 1932 and is open to the public, as opposed to the 1505 original. 

More here: What to Know Before You Visit Italy

You’ll walk through the Gallery of Maps enroute to the Sistine Chapel.

Whether you take the long route or the short route, you’ll go through the stunning Gallery of Maps on your way to the Sistine Chapel. This was high on my list because I love maps, but also because it’s so ornate and beautiful. It’s another iconic photo spot, so have your phone or camera ready!

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You may want a guided tour. 

If you have the time and the interest, and you don’t want to just wander, you’ll benefit from taking a guided tour. This way, you can take your time enjoying the things you want to see, and won’t waste time trying to find them. This one includes breakfast and early entrance!

Keep reading: The Things Your Tour Guide Wishes You Knew

Want more? Get everything you need on my dedicated Vatican City Page!

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