re: Where to stay in Rome.

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Sistine Chapel - Be prepared. It is nice and all but it's not what you are expecting. It is standing room only and the room is absolutely shoulder to shoulder packed

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I'd recommend the "Breakfast at the Vatican" ticket from the official Vatican site. It wasn't even that much more per person... less than 20 Euros and it includes museum entrance. You get in maybe an hour early, they have you in the courtyard (Cortille della Pigna) and you basically rope drop the museum. We were alone in the Raphael rooms and with maybe 12 other people in the Sistine Chapel.

We actually didn't even end up eating breakfast fwiw (they don't force you if you just want to skip the lines)

Evidence of the emptiness...