# Vatican City travel eSIM guide > Vatican City mobile guide: phones on silent and banned in the Sistine Chapel, the only official ticket site, what we could not confirm on roaming, the UK's Italy advice and 112 and 118. Page: https://esimnest.com/vatican-city/guide/ Vatican City has no mobile operator of its own that we could find, and it is covered by the UK Foreign Office's travel advice for Italy. What a visitor's phone meets there is mostly a set of rules: the Vatican Museums require phones on silent and forbid their use in the Sistine Chapel, ban flash and professional equipment, and warn that only one website sells tickets officially. This guide reads the museums' own visitor pages, the Foreign Office's Italy advice, which says it also covers Vatican City, and SFR Caraïbe's roaming list, and says plainly that we found no official statement about which networks serve the city or how roaming is charged there. By eSimNest Team. Facts last checked 2026-10-02 against the sources listed at the end. ## 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. Emergency calls: Many travel eSIMs carry data only, and a data-only profile may not place a normal phone call. Keep a voice-capable SIM for emergencies, such as your home SIM or a local plan, and save the local emergency number from this guide. Plans and current prices for Vatican City: [eSIM for Vatican City](https://esimnest.com/vatican-city/). ## Questions ### Can I use my phone in the Sistine Chapel? No. The Vatican Museums say the use of mobile phones is forbidden there, as is photography with any electronic equipment. ### Should my phone be silent? Yes. The museums require visitors to activate the silent function, and strongly discourage phone use in the exhibition spaces. ### Where do I buy tickets? The museums say tickets.museivaticani.va is the only official site and warn about similar-looking domains. ### Are selfie sticks allowed? No. The museums say telescopic selfie sticks are forbidden. ### Does roaming work in the Vatican? We found no official statement, so check your operator's terms for Italy and the Vatican. ### Do I need a visa? The UK Foreign Office's Italy advice, which covers Vatican City, says UK visitors can stay up to 90 days in any 180 without one. ### What are the emergency numbers? The UK Foreign Office lists 112 for police, 118 for an ambulance and 115 for fire in Italy. ## Sources - [Vatican Museums: useful tips](https://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en/organizza-visita/consigli-utili.html) - [Vatican Museums: prices and tickets](https://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en/organizza-visita/tariffe-e-biglietti.html) - [Vatican City State: official website](https://www.vaticanstate.va) - [SFR Caraïbe: European roaming](https://www.sfrcaraibe.fr/forfaits-mobile/voyager-avec-sfr/roaming-europeen/) - [GOV.UK: Italy entry requirements](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy/entry-requirements) - [GOV.UK: Italy safety and security](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy/safety-and-security) - [GOV.UK: Italy getting help](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy/getting-help)