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The Vatican City, is a city-state surrounded by Rome. Although it is the smallest country in the world it is the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church, home to the Pope and a trove of iconic art and architecture. Its Vatican Museums house ancient Roman sculptures as well as Renaissance frescoes in the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel, famous for Michelangelo’s ceiling.
You can easily see everything the Vatican city has to offer in one day, but we decided to do so in 2 days since both main activities in the Vatican City are just too massive to do in one day.
It is easily accessed to get to by foot, metro, or bus.
By foot: By foot, it is about a 30-minute walk from all the main attractions in Rome and walking in Rome offers the best views.
Metro: If you'd like to take the metro, the nearest metro stop is Ottaviano on line A (red)
Bus: By bus you'll take the 40 and 64 which run the most frequently.
There are many things to do here but here are the most popular things to do in the Vatican city are:
1. Papal Audience
2. The Vatican Gardens
3. The Vatican Necropolis
4. The Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
5. St. Peter's Basilica & St. Peter's Basilica Dome
6. St. Peter's Square
When the Pope is at home in Vatican City, he gives an audience each Wednesday morning in St. Peter’s Square that is open to anyone who would like to join. Therefore we recommend you avoid visiting St. Peter's Square on Wednesdays unless you are interest in witnessing this.
Walking through the different and tranquil paths of the Vatican Gardens, there are three different styles, Italian, English, and French, each with their respective characteristics.
Book in advance: The Vatican Gardens are exclusive, and only a handful of reservations are accepted per day, therefore if you would like to visit the gardens you must book a year in advance! (Today is 20/01/2022 and the next available tickets are in 02/01/2023)
•Entrance Fee: 35 EURO per adult.
•Audio-guide: 7.50 EURO.
•Duration: about 2 hours
The Vatican Necropolis lies deep in the depths of St. Peter’s Basilica. The word Necropolis is a Greek term to "city of the dead". You can discover ancient Roman burial grounds hidden beneath the grounds that dates back to the 1st century and it is believe that this site contains the original tomb of St. Peter himself.
Book in advance: Only around 250 visitors per day are permitted to enter the Necropolis. So, If you wish to visit the Vatican Necropolis, plan ahead.
•Entrance Fee: 26 EURO per adult for a guided tour.
The Vatican Museums has a display of works from the immense collection amassed by the Catholic Church and the papacy throughout the centuries, including several of the most renowned Roman sculptures and most important masterpieces of Renaissance art in the world. There are 54 galleries ranging from classical antiquities and Ancient Egyptian pieces up to modern religious art. The most famous is of course the Sistine Chapel, which is famously the last gallery before exiting the museum. You could easily spend days lost in the many hallways and rooms filled with masterpieces when you visit the Vatican.
BEST TIME TO VISIT:
Tuesday-Friday are the best days to visit. Go to the as early as possible since it gets really busy and the crowds to the Sistine chapel get massively crowded. If you aren't able to visit early in the morning try visiting late in the afternoon. Go as early as possible since it gets really busy and the crowds to the Sistine chapel get massively crazy and full. When the weather is hot, you don't want to be waiting in a LONG LONG line.
Avoid going in the summer since there is no air conditioning and the crowds definitely don't help with that.
SISTINE CHAPEL:
You are not permitted to take photos inside the Sistine Chapel. There are guards reminding you not to photograph. Please respect the rules. Sometimes one has to sacrifice amazing photos in order not to miss the beauty around you.
ST. PETER'S BASILICA:
You can actually enter the Basilica through the Vatican museums. This means once you get to the Sistine chapel there are two doors, the door on the right takes you to St. Peter's Basilica but then there is no way back to the museum. The second door on the left takes you back to the museum. This close proximity can be a time saver for those on a tight schedule.
DRESS CODE:
Its a basic code for both men and women. Both need to cover their knees and upper arms. They prohibit wearing shorts or skirts above the knee, sleeveless tops, and low-cut shirts. Men must take their hats off before entering whereas women may continue wearing theirs. This is a very holy place for many and they are very strict about the dress code. You could be denied entrance if you do not adhere to the dress code.
FOOD:
They have a food court on the second floor with great pizza and good fruit salads. It cost 22€ for 2 large drinks, 3 slices of pizza and 2 fruit salads.
BACKPACKS:
Big bulky backpacks are not allowed in, even if the backpack is half empty. They make you put the backpack in storage. Try to bring small bags and purses.
ENTRANCE FEE:
There are a few ways to order tickets, the best being online. The lines at the Vatican booths are extremely long. Best to order tickets for this in advance since they tend to get sold out quickly.
•Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel (at the booth) 17 EURO.
•Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel book ONLINE - 21 EURO.
•If you would like to add an Audio guide that is another 7 EURO per person.
OPENING HOURS:
Monday-Saturday from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (with the last entry at 4:00 pm).
DURATION OF TOUR:
Expect to spend half a day here. There is just so much to see.
St. Peter's Basilica is one of the most beautiful churches I have been to. It is the biggest church in the world and was created by artists such as Michelangelo.
THE DOME:
The most exciting attraction here is climbing up the dome and seeing the view of the city from up above. In the past, you were able to purchase tickets for 7 or 10 EURO to climb the dome, but now if you'd like to go up to the dome you'll have to go with a tour guide. The way up is pretty hard and narrow. I wouldn't do it if you suffer from Claustrophobia.
BEST TIME TO VISIT:
Best time to visit is week-days except for Wednesday. Come as early as possible, Entrance is free but you need to pass security and the line gets larger and larger as the day goes by.
DRESS CODE:
It's a basic code is for both men and women. Both need to cover their knees and upper arms. They prohibit wearing shorts or skirts above the knee, sleeveless tops, and low-cut shirts. Men must take their hats off before entering whereas women may continue wearing theirs. This is a very holy place for many and they are very strict about the dress code. You could be denied entrance if you do not adhere to the dress code.
ENTRANCE FEE:
•Cathedral - Free.
•Small-Group St. Peter's Basilica Guided Tour - 27 EURO.
•St. Peter’s Basilica Dome: Guided Tour - 29 EURO. There are two ways to go up to the Dome The first option is by foot 550 steps or take an elevator and walk up only 350 steps.
OPENING HOURS:
Every day from 7:00 am until 6:00 pm.
TO ORDER TICKETS: Click here!
St. Peter's Square is a large plaza located directly in front of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City, the papal enclave inside Rome, directly west of the neighborhood of Borgo. Both the square and the basilica are named after Saint Peter, an apostle of Jesus considered by Catholics to be the first Pope.
It is one of the largest and most break-taking squares in the world. Ironic, since it's located in the smallest country in the world.
The most impressive part of the square, besides its size, are its 284 columns and 88 pilasters that flank the square in a colonnade of four rows. Above the columns there are 140 statues of saints created in 1670 by the disciples of Bernini.
Hope this helped you prepare for your trip!