Truly something that stays with you! When we visited, a priest led the entire room in prayer for peace. I'm not a religious person (nor was I raised Catholic) but it was an incredibly moving experience. It is, of course, very busy and the chapel was very crowded, but most of the other visitors were respectful of the request for silence. There's a great story behind the reason why you can't take photographs - I won't spoil it for you, but I looked it up out of curiosity after our visit as we didn't have a tour guide. My only criticism is that the maps that the Musei Vaticani hand out aren't the best design. I was confused trying to follow it, so gave up and went via signpost instead (we didn't get a chance to take in the entire museum as we didn't have long to spend in Rome, so if you do visit the Musei Vaticani, allow an entire day). Of course, I'd have liked to have stayed longer to just admire and absorb this beautiful artwork too, but wouldn't we all!

To avoid the crowds, I signed up in advance for a pre-opening small group tour of the Vatican Museums which included breakfast outside. It was SO WORTH the money. Rooms were empty! Easy to see everything and take photos. Highly recommend. Another alternative to save money is to use Rick Steves’ audio guides. Free to download to your phone. Often just as good as a group tour without having to feel like cattle being herded.

Very pretty, I didn't really know what to expect. It was smaller than I thought it would be. The art work was absolutely amazing felt you could stand a stare for hours and just keep seeing new things. 1 negative is how busy it is so you constantly feel like your standing on someone.

For those who dream of taking a picture of The Creation of Adam and The Final Judgement as a memory, you're out of luck. But I understand the rationale though. Being there in person is exponentially better than seeing it through pictures. The Creation of Adam itself is relatively small with a lot of paintings within the chapel and it took me a few rounds to find it. Photography is allowed within the rest of the Vatican museums though, just no flash. And again, no photography of any form is allowed within the Sistine Chapel and don't make any noise within the chapel as well! The staff will make a scene if you're caught violating their rules!

I walked a very far distance to see the Sistine Chapel. Since I make use of a walking stick the walk was arduous but to see the Sistine Chapel in all its beautiful glory and to have this experience ingrained in my memory forever ....worth it!

The Sistine Chapel is definitely on of the most impressive chapels we have ever visited. My wife, two sons (4 and 2 years old) and I went there in August during the day. Maybe we were lucky, because it was raining before, but there was almost no waiting time at the entrance (the priority entrance was therefore obsolete). However, the chapel itself was rather crowded and therefore it is difficult to enjoy the atmosphere there. Still, for us it was a great experience and from our point of view, the Sistine Chapel is definitely a must-see in Rome.

Around 4 Million visitors see the Sistine Chapel each year and this of course means that it is very packed and in the height of summer not very quiet or serene. Setting this aside, it is still the place to see. You are lead through the Vatican museums in what will seems like endless rooms and ceilings and sign posts toward the Sistine, until you finally reach the stair case that takes you inside. It is heavily marshalled and you are literally herded along with the flow; it it is marvellous to behold. What you cannot do is to take video or photo's - The prohibition against photography has been in place for several decades, and while many assume that the no-photography rule is in place to prevent the flashing of cameras from affecting the art, the real reason dates back to the restoration of the chapel's art that began in 1980 and took nearly 20 years to complete. In return for funding the renovation, Nippon TV received the exclusive rights to photography and video of the restored art. You will almost constantly hear the security shouting "no photography" but you still have your eyes (and memories) to enjoy eye-popping art that adorns nearly every inch of the walls and ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

I expected possibly a little more than I actually saw. There are so many people crammed into the Chapel at anyone time I think it's hard to appreciate it's beauty. Tickets are hard to come by and I think people visit on reputation. You are not allowed to take photos inside.

Wow! We booked our Sistine Chapel tour with Tix & Tours at the very last minute and it was one of the best decisions we made during our trip to Rome. Skipping the line allowed us to fully enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the Chapel without the usual crowds, and our guide was absolutely fantastic - knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about the history and art of the Vatican. If you're looking for a memorable experience, definitely check out Tix & Tours!

What a room. It is a place to gawk at the splendour around and above you. The scene where God and Adam are nearly touching fingers is epic. Stories from the life of Jesus and Moses are told. The reason you cannot take photographs [and some stupid people were] is the Japanese company that restored the room has copyright for its work. It is crowded but greatness draws a crowd. It inevitably is the highlight of most Vatican tours. After three visits over the years, I would have no problem going again.