What's on in Vatican City (Holy See), Vatican City through the year

Quiet — travelers describe it as quiet, Free entry, last Sunday

• Rule

  Free entry, last Sunday

  1 Jan – 31 DecCrowded

  The museums are shut on Sundays except the last of each month, when they open free until early afternoon. The queue for that starts before dawn and wraps most of the wall. Source ↗

• Rule

  Wednesday papal audience

  1 Jan – 31 DecCrowdedClosures

  The general audience is held on Wednesday mornings, outdoors in St Peter's Square for most of the year. Tickets are free but the square is closed to sightseers while it runs. Source ↗

Still on: Christmas in St Peter's Square (8 Dec – 6 Jan)

Peak crowds — Free entry, last Sunday, Wednesday papal audience

Nothing new starts in February.

Still on: Free entry, last Sunday (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Wednesday papal audience (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Peak crowds — Free entry, last Sunday, Wednesday papal audience

• Holiday

  Holy Week and Easter

  29 Mar – 6 AprEaster & Holy WeekCrowdedBook early

  Palm Sunday, the Friday Via Crucis at the Colosseum and the Urbi et Orbi blessing from the balcony on Easter morning. Free tickets are needed for the liturgies and the square fills hours ahead. Source ↗

Still on: Free entry, last Sunday (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Wednesday papal audience (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Peak crowds — Free entry, last Sunday, Wednesday papal audience

• Opening

  Friday evening museum openings

  15 Apr – 31 Oct · usuallySummer season opensBook early

  The museums open on Friday evenings from spring to late October, online booking only and capped in number. It is the one slot where the Sistine Chapel is not shoulder to shoulder. Source ↗

Still on: Free entry, last Sunday (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Wednesday papal audience (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Holy Week and Easter (29 Mar – 6 Apr)

Peak crowds — travelers describe it as peak season, Free entry, last Sunday

Nothing new starts in May.

Still on: Free entry, last Sunday (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Wednesday papal audience (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Friday evening museum openings (15 Apr – 31 Oct (usually))

Peak crowds — Free entry, last Sunday, Wednesday papal audience

• Season

  Summer queue on the wall

  15 Jun – 5 SepExtreme heatCrowded

  In high summer the unbooked entrance queue runs along an unshaded wall for hours and the Sistine Chapel is packed shoulder to shoulder. A timed ticket or the first slot of the day is the only fix. Source ↗

• Holiday

  Saints Peter and Paul

  29 JunMajor festivalClosuresCrowded

  The patronal feast on 29 June is a public holiday on both sides of the wall, so the museums close and much of Rome does too. A mass in the basilica and flowers down the via della Conciliazione. Source ↗

Still on: Free entry, last Sunday (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Wednesday papal audience (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Friday evening museum openings (15 Apr – 31 Oct (usually))

Peak crowds — Free entry, last Sunday, Wednesday papal audience

• Closure

  Audiences pause in July

  1–31 Jul

  The Wednesday general audience is suspended for most of July while the Pope takes the summer break, and the public calendar stays thin into August. The Sunday Angelus usually carries on. Source ↗

Still on: Free entry, last Sunday (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Wednesday papal audience (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Friday evening museum openings (15 Apr – 31 Oct (usually)), Summer queue on the wall (15 Jun – 5 Sep)

Peak crowds — Free entry, last Sunday, Wednesday papal audience

• Closure

  Assumption closures

  14–16 Aug

  The museums shut on 15 August with the rest of Italy, and the surrounding streets are as empty as they ever get. The basilica itself stays open. Source ↗

Still on: Free entry, last Sunday (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Wednesday papal audience (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Friday evening museum openings (15 Apr – 31 Oct (usually)), Summer queue on the wall (15 Jun – 5 Sep)

Peak crowds — Free entry, last Sunday, Wednesday papal audience

Nothing new starts in September.

Still on: Free entry, last Sunday (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Wednesday papal audience (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Friday evening museum openings (15 Apr – 31 Oct (usually)), Summer queue on the wall (15 Jun – 5 Sep)

Peak crowds — Free entry, last Sunday, Wednesday papal audience

Nothing new starts in October.

Still on: Free entry, last Sunday (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Wednesday papal audience (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Friday evening museum openings (15 Apr – 31 Oct (usually))

Quiet — travelers describe it as quiet, Free entry, last Sunday

• Closure

  All Saints and holy-day closures

  1–2 Nov

  The museums shut on 1 November with the rest of Italy, and for a scattering of other holy days across the year. Rome is on a long weekend, and the basilica queue is as short as it gets. Source ↗

Still on: Free entry, last Sunday (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Wednesday papal audience (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Peak crowds — Free entry, last Sunday, Wednesday papal audience

• Holiday

  Christmas in St Peter's Square

  8 Dec – 6 JanChristmas & New YearCrowdedClosures

  The tree and the life-size crib go up in the square in early December and stay to Epiphany. Midnight mass needs a free ticket weeks ahead; the noon blessing on Christmas Day does not. Source ↗

Still on: Free entry, last Sunday (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Wednesday papal audience (1 Jan – 31 Dec)