Enter the sistine chapel before it opens to the general public and enjoy michelangelos masterpieces in peace before embarking on a thorough guided tour of the vatican museums and st peters basilica there is simply no better way to see the highlights of the vatican without the crowds that can overrun the galleries later in the day selling points enter the sistine chapel 45 minutes before the general public to see the chapel at its best spend 3 hours exploring of the vatican museum