Vatican & Sacred Rome

Shoulders and knees must be covered inside basilicas. Avoid sleeveless tops, short skirts and shorts.

Arrive early — security lines for St. Peter's start before 8 am. Wednesdays may host the Papal Audience.

Tuesday and Thursday mornings are usually quietest at the Vatican Museums.

Vatican Museums tickets should be booked online in advance on the official Vatican site; skip-the-line resellers charge much more for the same entry. St. Peter's Basilica needs no ticket — only the security queue.

Everyone passes an airport-style check. Large bags, backpacks and tripods are refused at the basilica and there is no left luggage outside the museums, so travel light.

The cupola climb at St. Peter's is ticketed separately and involves hundreds of narrow, sloping steps; a lift covers the first part only. Not suitable if you avoid confined spaces.

Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel first thing in the morning, then St. Peter's Square and the basilica afterwards. Doing it the other way round usually means two long queues instead of one.