Vatican City Tourism &amp; Travel Guide

Sistine Chapel and Vatican Private Tour

St. Peter's Basilica: Its roots began with the first Christian emperor, Constantine, in A.D. 324. By 1400, the Roman basilica was in danger of collapsing, prompting the Renaissance popes to commission plans for the largest, most impressive, most jaw-dropping cathedral the world had ever seen. Amid the rich decor of gilt, marble, and mosaics are countless artworks, including Michelangelo's Pietà.

By Tiziana Gargaro

This church is considered as the center of Christianity and there is a reason for this. This was the place where Saint Peter, the chief apostle and the first pope, died a martyr and was buried in 64 AD. So it made perfect sense to build the principal shrine of the Catholic church here. The building and its architecture is truly impressive and its opulent interiors are true testimony to the kind of wealth Catholic Church possessed in 16th and 17th Century. One thing that just cannot go unnoticed is 26 meters high bronze ‘Baldachin’ right under the dome. The dome has an impressive colorful vaulting with sixteen ribs supporting four massive pillars and the triangular spaces where the pillars meet the dome, decorated with mosaics. You must have visited many churches, cathedrals, basilicas before but nothing really comes close to St. Peter’s Basilica. The art on ceiling, sculptures, altar, prayer halls, mosaic floor, decorations…everything is so marvelous and everything has history to it. There are 5 entrances that lead to 85 mts long Nave of the Basilica. Once inside the nave the enormous size of the church becomes apparent. Right in front of Papal Altar is the Confessio , the presumed grave of St. Peter. Remember the scene from Angels and Demons where McKenna (the villain) flees to a remote recess in the building where he sets himself on fire and commits suicide …well this is that place. Right below the Apse of Basilica (where the clergy are seated) the supposed chair of St. Peter called Cathedra Petri is placed. Apse is decorated with baroque work.

Peeping at the Pope: Vatican City

By Kanika Kalia

The entire interior of St. Peter's is lavishly decorated with marble, reliefs, architectural sculpture and gilding. The Basilica contains a large number of tombs of Popes and other notable people, many of which are considered outstanding artworks. There are also a number of sculptures in niches of the chapel including Michelangelo’s Pieta. The dome is the most outstanding feature of the Basilica. Not only is the art inside the Basilica overwhelming, but also the pure size and grandeur is tremendous. The beauty is indescribable. No photograph can ever capture it; you have to be there to experience it and believe it. It is the perfect blend of art and religion. Even though I am a staunch atheist, I felt a certain spirituality in the air. There was reverence in the eyes of the believers. There was devotion for Christ and there was admiration for the art and architecture. It was like two worlds were coalescing.

Inspired by Italy: Rome and the Vatican

By Ashmita Das

Vatican Museums

Viale Vaticano, 00120 Vatican City

Sistine Chapel

Viale Vaticano, 00120 Vatican City

After navigating through the museum, we finally reached the most important part of it, the Sistine Chapel. The wall on which the much-famed The Last Judgment, by Michelangelo, is painted looms out slightly over the viewer, and is meant to be somewhat fearful and to instill piety and respect for God's power. That piece inspires nothing but admiration. The artwork is astounding and nothing rivals it. But again, the crowd dampened the experience. But, this is where I'll explain to you, the perks of being five-feet tall. I walked right to the back of the room and blocked out the crowd. Once you focus on just piece of art, everything else fades away. It's almost like The Matrix, everything slows down. Concentrate enough and you feel like you're a part of Creation of Man.

3 Reviews

Inspired by Italy: Rome and the Vatican

By Ashmita Das

Michelangelo wrote a novel with the fresco of “The Judgement day” inside the Sistine Chapel.

Walking the All Stars all over Rome

By Elena

The site where the Papal Conclave meets in order to elect the Pope, this 15th Century Chapel is probably the most popular attraction in Vatican City. Home to Michelangelo's masterpiece 'The Last Judgement' and several ceiling frescoes, you get into this house of wonder after a long walk through the galleries of the museums and a dozen security guards will work hard to keep you from clicking any pictures. The nine frescoes depict God's Creation, the tale of Adam and Eve, the Fall and the plight of Noah. The Last Judgement (Giudizio Universale) on the west wall illustrating Christ passing his sentence over dead souls stands out in every way possible. And no, Michelangelo did not paint the ceiling while lying on his back. That is merely a myth. Interestingly, there are stories about how Michelangelo was an artist who refused to conform to the norms of his time. When the Papal officials complained about the existence of nudity in the frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo painted the Gates of Hell behind the pulpit where the Pope delivers his Mass and portrayed several saints as foolish and in compromising positions. Now that's some form of revenge. Getting there: The Sistine Chapel is located inside the Vatican Museums and the entry comes for about 16 Euros. They are open from 9am to 6pm with 4pm being the last admission. Additionally, entry is free on the last Sunday of the month. The queues can be long so book your tickets online if you are in a bit of a hurry. There are several galleries to see in the museums with the Chapel being the final stop, after which you proceed to St. Peter's Basilica. Photography, as mentioned above, is prohibited, but nobody can stop you from gazing at the ceiling in amazement for as long as you like, although the crowd could be a bit of a deterrent. You could take the Metro to 'Ottaviano-San Pietro' which is on the A Line of the Rome Metropolitan and your journey to the Vatican and back should cost you 3 Euros. Beware of pickpockets. The museums are located 900 metres from the station and noon is the best time to visit.

A Globetrotter's Christmas in Rome

St. Peter's Basilica

Piazza San Pietro, Città del Vaticano, Vatican City

Tear yourself away from the massive glittering trees by the Colosseum, and make your way to Midnight Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican city. Join thousands of revelers who throng the square to hear Pope Benedict XVI’s Christmas sermon; this is where you can experience all the pomp and circumstance expected of the Catholic Church.

8 Reviews

By Ashmi

Best Of Rome In A Day: History, Art and Culture

Rome and Vatican City Private Walking Tour

This work of Renaissance architecture is the largest church in the world. The burial site of St. Peter, this church is much revered in Christendom. Even otherwise, the church is an architectural marvel whose design has had contributions from immortalized artists like Bernini, Bramante, Michelangelo and Maderno.

A Tour of Rome, Italy with a Local

St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City truly sums up the artistic excellence and fine Renaissance spirit. Revered for being built on the crucifixion spot of the first Pope- St. Peter, this church is one of the largest built in Rome. From Michelangelo, to Bernini, to Raphael, to Bramante, and even Peruzzi, many famous geniuses worked on the structure of this church. It was built during the peak of the Renaissance in Italy, bringing together both- Renaissance and Baroque style of architecture together, making the basilica a must see!

By Sergio Grom

Best Of Rome and Vatican City In A Day

What is possibly the most breath-taking and extraordinarily huge church in Italy, St. Peter's Basilica can draw up to 20,000 visitors every single day and for some very obvious reasons. This church is home not only to the great bronze Baldachin sculpted by Bernini, but also to two of Michelangelo's creations - his symbolic Pieta that also contains his signature and his greatest achievement as an artist, the 119 metre dome of the Basilica. Also a burial place for Popes including St. Peter, this basilica is capable of making you feel like an ant inside a King's palace. A tiny lift can take you 320 steps away from the dome and you are expected to dress 'appropriately', making sure your shoulders and knees are covered. Both the interior and the facade are equally magnificent and I personally find it very difficult to choose one over the other. Getting there: Entry to St. Peter's Basilica is absolutely free and the admission is from 7am to 7pm from April to September and 6:30pm from October to March. Do not queue outside St. Peter's Basilica as it will be a sheer wastage of your time. See the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel first as you will come out to the Basilica once you are done. You could take the Metro to 'Ottaviano-San Pietro' which is on the A Line of the Rome Metropolitan and your journey to the Vatican and back should cost you 3 Euros. Beware of pickpockets. The Basilica is located on St. Peter's Square, 800 metres from the station and noon is the best time to visit.

Maiden Euro Trip - Barcelona - Paris - Venice - Rome

Huge and beautiful

By Sakshi Prakash

4. Bask in the magnificence that is the St. Peter’s Basilica, in Vatican City.

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By Tripoto

Vatican Museums & the Sistine Chapel

Viale Vaticano, 2, Città del Vaticano

The museums of the Vatican are by far the best place to experience Renaissance art. A collection that has taken over five centuries to build, it houses 54 galleries, the last being the Sistine Chapel, the roof of which has been designed by Michelangelo. To get here, one must go through the previous 53 galleries, which, given the objects of beauty placed within them, is something nobody would object to.

4 Reviews

Rome and Vatican City Private Walking Tour

One Day Private Tour: Colosseum & Vatican Museums

One Day Private Tour: Vatican Museums & Highlights

A Tour of Rome, Italy with a Local

These museums within the Vatican are a much envied store house of the most treasured artistic works such as paintings and sculptures, dating back to the Renaissance. Having being founded in the early 16th century, the Vatican museums along with the 64 galleries are more than 500 years old. Not only thousands, but millions of tourists visit these museums each year, in reverence and aww of such artistic excellence. The Sistine Chapel, famously known for its ceiling having been painted by Michelangelo, is undoubtedly the most renowned living memory of Renaissance Art across the world. Besides this, Raphael’s Stanza Della Segnatura is also quite popular here. This visit truly marks the quintessence of art in Rome.

By Sergio Grom

Vatican Museums

Viale Vaticano, Roma, Città del Vaticano

The museums boast one of the world's greatest art collections. They're a gigantic repository of treasures from antiquity and the Renaissance, all housed in a labyrinthine series of lavishly adorned palaces, apartments, and galleries leading you to the real gem: the Sistine Chapel.

4 Reviews

Sistine Chapel and Vatican Private Tour

By Tiziana Gargaro

If the term 'rich' can be attributed to museums, it probably is because of the existence of the Vatican Museums. Home to the greatest collection of art in the world, the Vatican Museums, founded by the 16th Century Pope Julius II and expanded by his successors, are gold mines in their own right. The exhibits that include several galleries (about 50), halls and three courtyards, extend up to 7 kilometres and house several works of Michelangelo and Raphael. The displays range from the most exquisite paintings to ceiling frescoes inside the Sistine Chapel and even Egyptian mummies. Getting There: Entry to the Vatican Museums comes for about 16 Euros and after a lot of frisking courtesy the security, you are handed your audio guides which come for a price of 7 Euros and are highly recommended. The queues can be long so book your tickets online if you are in a hurry. The museums are open from 9am to 6pm with 4pm being the last admission. Additionally, entry is free on the last Sunday of the month. As previously stated, there are several galleries to see in the museums and there is only one direction that everybody follows so do not be intimidated, you will not get lost. You could take the Metro to 'Ottaviano-San Pietro' which is on the A Line of the Rome Metropolitan and your journey to the Vatican and back should cost you 3 Euros. Beware of pickpockets. The museums are located 900 metres from the station and noon is the best time to visit.

Trastevere, Italy: Not all roads lead to Rome

When in Rome , know its history. Vatican Museums display some of the most revered classical sculptures and masterpieces of Renaissance art in the world. It sure takes a lot of time to be bedazzled by the glorious artefacts and sculptures inside these marvellous structures.

By Sourav

Vatican Museum (Place of renowned classical sculptures and most important masterpieces of Renaissance art in the world) Vatican Church (holding a unique position in the Christian world: A beautiful sculptures built by Bernini, Tombs of popes, One of the largest in the worldcastle Sant'Angelo ( Castle of Holy angel ) Roman Forum (Ruins of important govt. buildings of roman era: Market place)Colosseum (Simply I say watch Gladiator).Palatine Hill ( Center most Sevel Hills of the Rome)Pantheon ( Most preserved and influential building with a so called angel holeCapitolini museums (Group of Archaeological Museums )Galleria BorgheseFontana Di Trevi (The beautiful Trevi Fountain)

All you should know before planing a trip to Rome

By Sindhu Chandra

Vatican Museums

Viale Vaticano, Rome, Italy

The museums inside the Vatican are home to some of the most envied and treasured Renaissance paintings and sculptures. The various museums and the 64 galleries within the Vatican envisage the works of various artists throughout the century. The museums are more than 500 years old, having being founded in the early 16th century. Not only thousands, but millions of tourists visit these museums each year. The Sistine Chapel painted by Michelangelo is the most renowned piece of Renaissance Art across the world. Apart form that Stanza Della Segnatura by Raphael is also quite popular. A peek into the culture and the epitome of art in the ancient era of Rome.

5 Reviews

Best Of Rome In A Day: History, Art and Culture

Best Of Rome and Vatican City In A Day

Divine Rome: Walking Through Vatican City Landmark

The museums inside the Vatican are home to some of the most envied and treasured Renaissance paintings and sculptures. The various museums and the 64 galleries within the Vatican envisage the works of various artists throughout the century. The museums are more than 500 years old, having being founded in the early 16th century. Not only thousands, but millions of tourists visit these museums each year. Earlier kept only for the Pope to cherish, these museums have been opened to the general public to awe at the glory and beauty of Renaissance art. The Sistine Chapel painted by Michelangelo is the most renowned piece of Renaissance Art across the world. Apart form that Stanza Della Segnatura by Raphael is also quite popular. A peek into the culture and the epitome of art in the ancient era of Rome.

Peeping at the Pope: Vatican City

The museum complex features one of the finest collections of art on the planet. The Vatican Historical Museum (Museo Storico) provides a fascinating look at the long and intriguing history of the Vatican. The collections of the Vatican Museums include ceramics from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, collection of arms, armor and uniforms of the Papal armed forces as well as portraits of popes and the carriages and cars used by the popes. The display chronicles the Pope’s ride from horse-drawn carriages to the “Popemobile.” The earliest vehicle on display is from 1825 and the display even includes the white Fiat 1107 Nuova Campagnola that carried Pope John Paul II (1980)when he was almost assassinated. Just as you enter, one thing that cannot go unnoticed is the world’s most famous staircase built by Giuseppe Momo. Among the many highlights, Apollo of Belvedere (the statue of the God Apollo stretching out his arm)is considered as perfection of aesthetics. Another great masterpiece discovered in 1506 is the Laokoön . It is said that Laokoön ,a priest of Poseidon,warned the Trojans not to bring the wooden horse left behind by Greeks during the Trojan War in to the city of Troy. Just after his prophecy , two enormous sea serpents rose from the sea and killed Laokoön and his sons, silencing any further dire prophesies from the priest. The Trojans took this as a bad omen and did not heed Laokoön’s warning. They hauled the cursed horse into the city walls and rest we all know as we saw in movie Troy ( I love it when I can relate something to a movie :) ). The Hall of Muses holds the famous Torso of Belvedere. It also contains the portraits of personalities from the Greek world, Socrates, Sophocles, Plato, etc. . They are all copied by the Romans from the original Greek works.

By Kanika Kalia

It all looks as if Catholic priests wanted to learn as much as they possibly could from pagans, just look inside the Vatican Museum- it’s full of stolen pagan artefacts from all over the World.

Walking the All Stars all over Rome

By Elena

Sistine Chapel

Viale Vaticano, 2, Città del Vaticano

The Sistine Chapel is the official residence of the Pope in Vatican City. It's famed ceiling painted by Michelangelo is the most renowned piece of Renaissance Art across the world. "The Last Judgement" painted by the great artists is what brings art lovers and curious minds together to praise and absorb this beautiful creation. Apart from that, it has numerous frescoes by a team of Renaissance painters like Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino, Pinturicchio, Domenico Ghirlandaio etc. Sistine Chapel is a highlight of Vatican City and definitely cannot be missed.

4 Reviews

Best Of Rome and Vatican City In A Day

Divine Rome: Walking Through Vatican City Landmark

Sistine Chapel and Vatican Private Tour

Five hundred years ago, the majestic ceiling frescoes adorning Rome’s Sistine Chapel were unveiled to the public. Painted by a rising young sculptor named Michelangelo, they remain one of the Italian Renaissance’s most iconic masterpieces, with 5 million neck-craning tourists peering at their beauty each year.

By Tiziana Gargaro

This is the official residence of the Pope. I assure you that the beauty of art work on the ceilings and walls of Sistine Chapel will remain in your heart forever. Tourists are not allowed to take photographs inside Sistine Chapel. The prohibition against photography is in place to prevent the flashing of cameras from affecting the art. Sistine Chapel showcases Michelangelo’s greatest artwork in form of beautiful frescoes that tends to come as a surprise to first-time guests. It is said that Michelangelo painted the ceiling all by himself, all the time lying on his back resulting in him getting nearly blind. Vatican City will surely quench your thirst for spirituality and will give fresh perspective of art, history and architecture. Visiting this place is like food for the traveler’s soul. There is no right or wrong way of visiting the Vatican City, but lack of planning can surely ruin your experience . How was your trip to Vatican City? Let me know in the comments. If you need any more info, leave me a message and I will be happy to help. Thank you for stopping by :) .

Peeping at the Pope: Vatican City

By Kanika Kalia

Piazza S. Pietro

Piazza San Pietro, Rome, Italy

Right next to the Basilica is the St. Peter's Square. With an imposing Obelisk in the center and fountains on the axis which was relocated from Egypt, the square looks particularly delightful in the night with the light playing on the water as well as dancing through the columns of the Basilica.

3 Reviews

Rome and Vatican City Private Walking Tour

One Day Private Tour: Colosseum & Vatican Museums

Right next to the Basilica is the St. Peter's Square. With an imposing Obelisk in the center and fountains on the axis, which was relocated from Egypt, the square looks particularly delightful in the night with the light playing on the water as well as dancing through the columns of the Basilica.

One Day Private Tour: Vatican Museums & Highlights

Eurotrip: Amsterdam, Italy, Greece, Cyprus

Viale Vaticano

Viale Vaticano, Roma, Italy

The Vatican. The grandest churches and architecture from The Roman catholic church. we also visited some Greek orthodox churches in cyrpus and the contrast in the rituals and the architecture is noticeable.

1 Reviews

By Anirudh Gupta

Saint Peter's Basilica

Piazza San Pietro, Città del Vaticano, Vatican City

2 Reviews

One Day Private Tour: Colosseum & Vatican Museums

One Day Private Tour: Vatican Museums & Highlights

Piazza S. Pietro

Piazza San Pietro, Vatican City, Vatican City

Designed by the extremely popular Baroque artist Bernini, the iconic St. Peter's Square is where the Pope greets and blesses the crowd every Sunday noon. A bird's-eye view of the Piazza San Pietro will remind you of a giant keyhole and its Obelisk, its pair of colonnades and St. Peter's Basilica as a matter of course, will remain conspicuous. Tuesdays and Thursdays are the best days to visit and the entry is obviously free of charge. Click a lot of pictures and listen to the locals being severely critical of the otherwise 'cool' Pope Francis. Also remember that you are literally in the heart of Jesus. Getting there: You could take the Metro to 'Ottaviano-San Pietro' which is on the A Line of the Rome Metropolitan and your journey to the Vatican and back should cost you 3 Euros. Beware of pickpockets. St. Peter's Square is 800 metres from the station and noon is the best time to visit.

1 Reviews