Phones in the Vatican Museums: silent, and forbidden in the Sistine Chapel
The Vatican Museums' visitor tips say that, to ensure the best experience for visitors, they strongly discourage the use of mobile phones inside the exhibition spaces, that visitors are required to activate the silent function of their device, and that the use of mobile phones is forbidden in the Sistine Chapel. The same page asks for absolute silence in the chapel and says guided groups receive their information before they enter.
On photography, the museums say that photographs are permitted for personal and domestic use only in all areas except the Sistine Chapel, that flash is strictly forbidden, and that tripods, stands, drones and professional equipment are not allowed without authorisation. Telescopic selfie sticks are forbidden. In the Sistine Chapel it is forbidden to take photographs or films with any electronic equipment, and guards may require you to delete anything produced in breach.
The only official ticket site, and a scam warning
The Vatican Museums' prices page carries a notice that the only official site for purchasing tickets online is tickets.museivaticani.va, and warns visitors to beware of websites that use similar domains and may charge significantly higher prices. At the time of checking, the full entry ticket cost 20 euros without online booking, with a skip-the-line booking costing an extra 5 euros on the official site, and the reduced ticket cost 10 euros, or 10 plus 5 with skip-the-line booking.
It says the ticket entitles the holder to visit the museums and the Sistine Chapel only on the day it is issued, that tickets cannot be refunded, and that entry is free on the last Sunday of the month, subject to the calendar of openings.
Dress code, cloakroom and what you cannot carry
The museums say access to the museums, the Sistine Chapel, St Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Gardens is permitted only to appropriately dressed visitors, and that sleeveless or low-cut garments, shorts above the knee, miniskirts and hats are not allowed. Luggage, suitcases, rucksacks and packages judged unsuitable must be left in the free cloakroom before entering the exhibition spaces, along with knives, scissors and metal tools.
The museums say that lost items found and not reclaimed by the end of the day are stored at the Vatican Gendarmerie, and that visitors should report a loss at the nearest security point.
Networks and roaming: what we could not confirm
We found no official page from the Governorate of Vatican City State, an Italian regulator or an operator stating which mobile networks serve the city or how roaming is charged there. The Governorate has a telecommunications and information systems directorate, but its public pages did not describe visitor services. SFR Caraïbe's roaming page lists the Vatican among the places where its customers are billed at home rates, which tells us only about SFR's own plans.
Given that, the cautious approach is to treat the Vatican as part of the Italian network area, to check your home operator's terms for Italy and the Vatican, and to avoid enabling roaming in the St Peter's Square crowds without knowing the rate. A foreign eSIM that names Italy is a safer choice, but check that its terms also cover the Vatican.
The UK's Italy advice covers Vatican City
The UK Foreign Office's Italy page says its advice also covers Vatican City. It says UK visitors can travel without a visa to the Schengen area, including Italy, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, that a passport must have been issued less than 10 years before arrival and have at least three months' validity after departure, and that the new Entry/Exit System may ask for fingerprints and a photo on first entry. Cash or travellers' cheques worth 10,000 euros or more must be declared.
It adds that petty crime, particularly bag-snatching and pickpocketing, is higher in city centres and at major tourist attractions, and that thieves use distraction techniques. Keep your phone secure in crowded queues, since the advice warns of distraction thefts.
Emergency numbers
The UK Foreign Office's Italy page, which says it covers Vatican City, lists 118 for an ambulance, 115 for fire and 112 for police, and mentions the 112 Where Are U app, which is only available in some parts of Italy. We did not find a separate Vatican emergency number on the pages we read, so use 112 and ask a guard. Our Vatican City plan page covers data before you arrive.
Networks our Vatican City plans use
These are the operators named on our plans for Vatican City, taken from the plan data, so the list follows the catalogue.
- Iliad5G
- ILIAD5G
- TIM5G
- TIM maritime3G
- Vodafone5G
- Wind5G
- Wind Tre5G