A tour of Rome must include the Sistine Chapel, part of the Vatican Museum, situated near St Peter's Basilica, and home of the Creation of Adam by Michelangelo

The Sistine Chapel, part of the Vatican Museum, is situated in the Vatican City which occupies 44 hectares within the Italian capital. It is the world's smallest independent state and home to the world’s largest church, museum and piazza.

The Chapel not part of St Peter’s Basilica, (Vatican Palace) is crammed with thousands of examples of the most breathtaking art.

During the high season there are long lines to get in, but it is worth persevering, and for many, to see the Chapel is to realise a lifetime’s ambition. But remember there are over 1400 rooms, so plan your visit before you go.

Pope Sixtus IV originally built the Sistine Chapel between 1473 and 1481 and over the years many artists have contributed frescos and paintings.

Creation of Adam

These earlier works now tend to be overshadowed by the frescos painted by Michelangelo. The ceiling, which tells the creation story, was commissioned by Julius II in 1508, and completed in 1512 and is the largest example of painting ever planned and carried out by one man. The centrepiece is The Creation of Adam, where God and Adam are touching fingers.

However to see it at its best, try not to visit when its very busy, the Chapel is fairly small and when the crowds pile in there is little room to move, and certainly there is no time or space for quiet reflection.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the opulence of a building where superlatives trip easily off the tongue; paintings by Caravaggio, Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci and Bottecelli, as vibrant and exciting, as the day they were painted, certainly add to that feeling.

Vatican Museum

But there’s more in the Vatican Museum than classical art to see, Greek, Roman and Egyptian antiquities compete with Etruscan vases and Aztec sculptures for the visitor’s attention, in fact you will find modern and classical art from every corner of the world.

The best way for visitors to get to the Vatican Museum and around this incredible city (Rome) is to use public transport (bus and metro). Beware unlicensed taxis and if you decide to hire a car, make sure you have nerves of steel and can park in the smallest of spaces.

Leave yourself plenty of time to see what’s important to you, for in a lifetime you would never see it all.

Useful Information:

Dates Vatican Closed: Sundays, except for the last Sunday of each month, unless it falls at Easter, on June 29 (St. Peter and Paul), or on December 25 and 26 (Christmas Holiday)

Other Vatican Holidays:

January 1, 6

February 11

March 19

March 23, 24 (Easter - Easter Monday)

May 1,(Ascension Thursday),

May 22 (Corpus Christi Day)

August 14-15

November 1

December 8 (Feast of the Immaculate Conception), 25-26.

• The standard entrance price is 14 Euros.
• On the last Sunday of every month except June, there are no entrance charges.
• The museum opens between 8.30am - 6pm, with last entrance at 4pm.

All the above information is subject to change

The vatican museum is very easy to get to:

• By bus: buses leave from many parts of the city, but the best point to go to is Termini which is the central hub for all modes of transport.
• By Metro: on line A ,the nearest stop is Cipro-Musei Vaticani.
• Maps and guides can be bought at many points throughout the city.
• Audio guides are available in eight languages.
• Telephone number: 06 6988 4947
• Web site mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/MV_Home.html