Rome, Italy3-4 hoursWeekdays Morning
Vatican Museums
Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel and miles of papal art collections.
Ideal: Ideal for art, museums, religious history, and intensive culture routes.
The collection began in 1506 when Julius II bought the Laocoön group; today nearly 20,000 works are displayed along 54 galleries and a route of roughly 7 kilometres. Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling from 1508 to 1512 not lying on his back as commonly believed but standing with his head tilted back; he added the Last Judgement wall twenty-five years later. The double-helix Bramante staircase at the exit dates from 1932 and was designed so descending and ascending crowds never meet.
Why go?
- To see the Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo's ceiling frescoes
- To experience Vatican art, history, and religious heritage in one route
- To explore one of Rome's most important culture stops
Travel tip
It gets very crowded; early entry or timed tickets greatly improve the experience.
