The highlights route at a glance
The Vatican Museums are large, and it is easy to wander without a plan. A common route starts in the Pigna Courtyard and passes through the ancient sculpture of the Pio-Clementino Museum. It goes on through the Candelabra and Tapestry galleries and the Gallery of Maps, then the Raphael Rooms, and ends in the Sistine Chapel.
This is a guide, not a fixed path. The Pinacoteca and the Egyptian Museum are extra stops you can add. Do not plan to see everything. Choose the stops that matter to you and leave time for the chapel at the end.
The route in order
Stops, and what to look for at each.
| Stop | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Pigna Courtyard | The start of the route |
| Pio-Clementino Museum | Ancient sculpture: the Laocoön and the Belvedere Torso |
| Candelabra and Tapestry galleries | Two long galleries on the way to the maps |
| Gallery of Maps | 40 painted maps in a corridor 120 metres long |
| Raphael Rooms | Four rooms, with the School of Athens |
| Sistine Chapel | Michelangelo's ceiling and the Last Judgment |
The Pinacoteca and the Egyptian Museum are not on this list. Add them if you want more.
The Laocoön in the Octagonal Court
The Pio-Clementino Museum holds ancient sculpture and is named after Pope Clement XIV and Pope Pius VI. The Octagonal Court belongs to the historic core of the collection. The Laocoön stands there.
The group shows Laocoön and his two sons fighting with serpents. It was found in 1506 on the Esquiline Hill and bought by Pope Julius II. The date of the work is about 40 to 30 BC. That is a careful estimate, not a firm date of manufacture.
Our picks: seeing the highlights
Walk the route on your own with an entry ticket, or go with a guide.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Museums, Sistine Chapel and basilica guided tour
Entry without the ticket queue, a guide and headsets. St Peter's access and the dome with a lift to the terrace come only with certain options.
Check availability →Museums tour with an official museum guide
Entry without the ticket queue, the museum ticket and a guide from the Vatican Museums.
Check availability →
Museums and Sistine Chapel entry ticket
Entry to the museums without the ticket queue, with the booking fee included. A guide, a St Peter's ticket and the dome are not part of it.
Check availability →Tours along the highlights route
Skip-the-line tickets and guided visits of the Vatican Museums, the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel, with live prices and availability.
The Belvedere Torso
The torso is in the Hall of the Muses. It is a marble figure from the first century BC, signed by Apollonios of Athens. Some read it as the hero Ajax. That identification is a favoured guess, not a certain fact.
Look for it on the way through the Pio-Clementino Museum.
Galleries on the way to the maps
After the sculpture the route runs through the Candelabra Gallery and the Tapestry Gallery. They are long halls and part of the way to the Gallery of Maps. Use them to look up and to catch your breath.
The Gallery of Maps, the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel each have their own page here. Read them ahead of the visit so that you know what you are looking at.
Two staircases, not one
There are two staircases that people call Bramante. The original one dates from the early sixteenth century: its start is given as 1505 or 1512. You can see it from inside the Etruscan Museum. Being able to see it does not mean you can walk on it. Do not expect to use it on the standard route or with every tour.
The famous double spiral is the modern staircase near the exit. It is attributed to Giuseppe Momo and dates to 1932.
The Egyptian Museum
Pope Gregory XVI founded the Egyptian Museum in 1839. It has 9 rooms and also shows finds from Roman Egypt and Egyptianizing works made in Rome. The last 3 rooms cover the Ancient Near East.
It is not part of the main route. Add it if time allows, and check the closing time before you start.
Plan the rest of your visit
More from the Vatican Museums.
The Sistine Chapel
Michelangelo's ceiling, the Last Judgment and the rules.
The Raphael Rooms
Four rooms, with the School of Athens.
The Gallery of Maps
40 painted maps in a corridor of 120 metres.
The Vatican Pinacoteca
Raphael, Leonardo and Caravaggio in 18 rooms.
The basilica and the square are a different visit. St Peter's Basilica has its own guide.
Vatican Museums highlights: frequently asked questions
What are the main highlights?
The Pio-Clementino sculpture with the Laocoön and the Belvedere Torso, the Gallery of Maps, the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel. The Pinacoteca and the Egyptian Museum are extra stops.
In what order should I see them?
A usual route goes from the Pigna Courtyard through the ancient sculpture and the Candelabra and Tapestry galleries to the Gallery of Maps. After that come the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel.
Where is the Laocoön?
In the Octagonal Court of the Pio-Clementino Museum.
Can I walk on the original Bramante staircase?
Do not count on it. The original staircase can be seen from inside the Etruscan Museum, but that is not a right of access on the standard route.
What are the opening hours?
The museums are open Monday to Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The last entry is at 6:00 p.m. Halls are cleared 30 minutes before closing. On Sundays they are closed, except the last Sunday of the month.
Can I take photos along the route?
Private photos without flash are allowed outside the Sistine Chapel. Selfie sticks are banned. In the Sistine Chapel, photos and films are not allowed.