Vatican Museums Cost: Tickets, Sistine Chapel and Dome
Updated October 28, 2026
Quick answer
The Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel cost 20 € at the ticket office or 20 € + 5 € booking fee on the official website. The reduced ticket costs 10 € (+5 € online) for ages 7 to 18 and students up to 25. Children under 7 go free, and the last Sunday of the month is free for everyone. St Peter's Basilica is free to enter; the dome costs 22 € by lift or 17 € by the stairs.
| Ticket or tour | Price | What it includes | Cancellation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vatican Museums, standard ticket at the office | 20 € | Museums and Sistine Chapel, valid on the day of issue | Non-refundable |
| Vatican Museums, standard ticket online | 20 € + 5 € | The same, with the “skip the line” reservation on the official site | Non-refundable |
| Vatican Museums, reduced ticket | 10 € (+5 € online) | Ages 7 to 18, students up to 25, priests and members of religious orders | Non-refundable |
| Vatican Museums, free | 0 € | Under 7s, disability of 67% or more, last Sunday of the month | — |
| St Peter's Basilica | Free to enter | Access to the basilica; entry is not guaranteed | — |
| St Peter's dome by lift | 22 € | Lift to the terrace and a visit to the basilica | — |
| St Peter's dome by the stairs | 17 € | Climb on foot and a visit to the basilica | — |
| Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel ticket | from $37 | Skip the ticket-office line, booking fee, optional audio guide | Non-refundable |
| Skip-the-line ticket with host | from $51 | Official ticket and a host at the meeting point | Free up to 24 h before |
| Museums, Sistine Chapel and basilica with a guide | from $68 | Licensed guide, headsets, optional basilica | Free up to 24 h before |
| Guided tour of the Museums, Sistine Chapel and Basilica | from $71 | Licensed guide, headsets, basilica and dome depending on option | Free up to 24 h before |
| Early entry with the basilica | from $122 | Earliest entry, English-speaking guide, tour of all three sites | Free up to 24 h before |
| Basilica, dome and grottoes with a guide | from $33 | Tour of the basilica and the papal tombs; dome if you pick that option | Free up to 24 h before |
| Vatican Museums at night | from $85 | 2-hour guided tour in English; basilica not included | Free up to 24 h before |
| Private Vatican tour | from $290 | Private guide, tickets to the Museums, Sistine Chapel and basilica | Free up to 2 days before |
| Ticket with audio guide | from $42 | Skip-the-line entry, booking fee, map, audio guide on your phone if you choose it | Free up to 24 h before |
Official Vatican Museums ticket price (Sistine Chapel included)
One ticket gets you into the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel; there is no separate ticket for the Chapel. The standard ticket costs 20 € at the ticket office, without a reservation, and 20 € + 5 € if you book it on the official website with the “skip the line” option. It is valid only for the day it is issued for, and the official ticket is not refundable. The only official online shop is tickets.museivaticani.va: the Museums warn about websites with similar domains that charge much more. If you are torn between buying there or with a tour, read the comparison of official Vatican tickets.
Reduced ticket and who qualifies
The reduced ticket costs 10 € at the ticket office or 10 € + 5 € with an online reservation. It covers young people aged 7 to 18, students up to 25 with valid ID, and priests and members of religious orders. School groups pay 5 € (+2 € online). Free entry goes to children under 7 and people with a certified disability of 67% or more, plus their companion if they are not self-sufficient; that ticket is requested in the entrance hall, not online. And everyone gets in free on the last Sunday of the month, from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm: we cover it on the Vatican Museums free Sunday page.
St Peter's Basilica: free; the dome: paid
St Peter's Basilica is free to enter. You go through the security checks under the right-hand colonnade of St Peter's Square, and operators warn that entry is not guaranteed and that the basilica can close without notice for ceremonies. What you pay for is the dome: 22 € by lift to the terrace and 17 € by the stairs, both including a visit to the basilica, at booking.basilicasanpietro.va. Children up to age 6 and people with a disability above 74% with one companion go free, and there is a reduction for ages 7 to 17 and for groups. The official site also sells timed visits and a digital audio guide. More in the St Peter's dome guide.
Price with a booking partner and what it adds
The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel ticket we sell costs from $37, against 25 € on the official website with a reservation. It includes skipping the ticket-office line, the booking fee and an audio guide if you choose that option, and it is rated 4.5 out of 5 from 159,426 reviews of this ticket on GetYourGuide. Like the official one, it is non-refundable. What you pay extra for in the other products is the service: a guide, a host, an early slot or a small group. The skip-the-line ticket with a host, for example, includes the official 20 € + 5 € and covers fees, the reservation and assistance at the meeting point with the rest. Eight of the nine products have free cancellation and seven let you reserve now and pay later.
Price comparison by ticket type
Without a guide, the cheapest option is the official ticket office (20 €), with the risk of the line, or the official online reservation (25 €). With a guide, the guided tour of the Museums, Sistine Chapel and Basilica costs from $71, and the Vatican Museums and St Peter's Basilica tour from $68. For the basilica alone, the basilica, dome and grottoes tour starts at $33. If you want fewer people, look at early entry to the Vatican Museums (from $122) or the Vatican Museums at night (from $85). The private Vatican tour costs from $290 and the ticket with audio guide from $42. All of them are on the Vatican Museum tickets page.
Other Vatican prices
The Vatican Necropolis, with St Peter's tomb, is visited on request through the basilica's official website; the Vatican Necropolis guide explains what you'll see. In Castel Gandolfo, the Papal Palace and the Secret Garden have a standard ticket of 12 € and a family rate, sold at the Palace ticket office. Tickets for the Pope's general audiences and celebrations are always free and are requested from the Prefecture of the Papal Household; we explain it in how to see the Pope. For opening days and times, check the Vatican Museums hours.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to get into the Vatican?
The Vatican Museums with the Sistine Chapel cost 20 € at the ticket office or 20 € + 5 € online; the reduced ticket, 10 €. St Peter's Basilica charges no entry and the dome costs 22 € by lift or 17 € by the stairs.
How much does it cost to see the Sistine Chapel?
The Sistine Chapel is included in the Vatican Museums ticket: 20 € at the ticket office or 20 € + 5 € with a reservation on the official website. There is no ticket for the Chapel alone.
Is it free to enter the Vatican?
St Peter's Basilica and the square, yes. The Vatican Museums are free on the last Sunday of each month, from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, and always for children under 7 and people with a disability of 67% or more.
How much does it cost to climb St Peter's dome?
22 € by lift to the terrace and 17 € by the stairs, both with a visit to the basilica. From the terrace there are about 320 steps to the top.
Why does a partner ticket cost more than the official one?
Because it includes a service on top of the ticket: a guide, a host, an early slot, an audio guide or free cancellation. The best-selling ticket costs from $37, against the official 25 € with a reservation.
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