Not to be missed, breathtaking architecture and complete sense of peace walking around at your own pace taking all the artistic work of its time read more

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Another amazing experience. I came here several times during my stay in Rome. Each time I came I saw something different and was yet still AMAZED by the entire experience. Home to some of the WORLDS most famous painting and statues as well as to the Pope himself St Peters Basilica is 10/10 Passing through the Holy doors 1000/1000 Sistine Chapel 10/10 Vatican Museums 10/10 Vatican Obelisk 10/10 read more

It's way more crowded here than in the 90's when I first visited, but that's life! Visit this place when in Rome! You cannot get another encounter like this. I think of the scenes in the movie, "Twilight: New Moon" or whatever episode the Voltari are fake scheming in this town. I loved all the shops because I am a sucker for souvenirs. Watch out for scammers, beggars, and pick-pockets though. read more

November 12, 2024 7:30AM to 1PM - Definitely a must see while in Rome. Just got a weird vibe/energy when I was here. If they auctioned a few items, could they end world hunger or fund all the catholic schools across the globe....? My favorite was the map room, so beautiful and so grand. Sistine chapel was great but the security guards and employees just continued to yell "no photos" "keep walking" "stand in the middle" "no photos"... wonder how people got their photos taken of the creation of Adam? Maybe they signed up for special access and not peasant access. Also, really weird vibe with the yelling as isn't church/chapel supposed to be a place of worship? I always thought we treat churches/chapels like libraries and quietness is appreciated... All in all it was a memorable experience. Had an interesting interaction with some Russians (saw their passports) cutting in line at the entrance right in front of us and local Italian guy cutting in line at the cafeteria.... In the most holiest land on Earth.... Can't get over the irony of how God is watching.... Definitely pre-book your visit before coming as they can get BUSY! read more

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What a magical place I'm not even religious but just being there and seeing all the history and every thing gold everywhere is immaculate. I can't believe how high the ceilings are and just the pristine condition everything's at. read more

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The Vatican City is the smallest independent country in the world by space and by residents. Despite being small in size, it is mighty in "power" as it is the spiritual and administrative headquarters for the Roman Catholic Church. This is the residence of the pope, leader of billions of Catholics from all over the world. Even non-Catholics hold this land and the Pope at high esteem. Vatican City has St. Peter's Basilica, Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museums, Apostolic Palace, and Vatican Gardens. While visiting Rome, it is a must to swing by the Vatican City to visit these cultural landmarks. However, please note that these areas are all crowded and each site requires its' own extensive planning in order to have a pleasant experience. read more

Vatican City - Local Flavor Near Me - Rome, RM

Few experiences compare to visiting Vatican City. St. Peter's Square is breathtaking on its own. When you enter St. Peter's Basilica, you'll be in the largest church in Christendom, surrounded by magnificent Renaissance and Baroque art. If you feel up to it, go up to the first level of the dome -- take the 231 stairs or the lift -- for awesome views of the interior of St. Peter's and outside of Rome. But Vatican City is so much more the just St. Peter's. There are the Vatican Gardens (separate review) and the Vatican Museums. Both of them are by controlled admissions. We've spent many visits in each of them over the last decade. read more

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How can someone not rate this 5 stars? Besides the fact your risk eternal damnation, how can you not enjoy the history and importance of the area. Yes, lines are long but when you are the one of the top spots for catholics and non-catholics alike, one should expect this. The museum is absolutely massive and one could spend days just exploring that. Obviously the Sistine Chapel is kinda a big deal and St. Peters Basilica is right up there as well. I am not religious but still walked away with wonderment and awe. read more

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Came to the Vatican City at the beginning of December 2025 and it was crowded, even in fall. After going thru the huge line and inside, the Vatican City was quite huge and it had a lot of rooms to explore. It seems they direct the traffic in one way and they won't let you go back to the same way as you came in. The Sistine Chapel is heavily guarded and they won't allow you to take pictures. But they allow you to enjoy and see it at your own pace. Seating is very limited because the room is usually crowded. Keep this in mind. Overall, the whole experience was divine and there is a lot to see and a lot to walk : ) read more

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Absolutely beautiful! Mom still considers is her favorite country to date! It is the smallest country in the world ! it only took us about 10 hours to see practically everything. We came a week after Easter, so everything was still set up for mass. I didn't grow up with religion, but Mom was brought up in a Catholic, so this was huge to her. This was her holy pilgrimage. We walked around the cathedral, and my mom was able to get her rosary blessed by one of the bishops. Even without the religious buildings in art were spectacular ! It was also really nice that it wasn't extremely crowded and we were able to move through the line less than an hour ! It's literally only a 30 minute walk from Rome, so there is no reason not to visit if you're in Rome already. It was amazing to be in the vicinity of such beautiful architecture and history. It's also amazing how ornate the buildings are ! And how beautiful architecture used to be! read more

Vatican City - Christ and Mary - Local Flavor Near Me - Rome, RM

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Amazing!! Went on a tour from getyourguide and opt in for vatican and sistine chapel tour with skip the line- the skip the line is pricey but super important special this year because its jubilee year there are so many people in Vatican. The history, structures, the ceilings, just everything was historically beautiful. Vatican you can take pictures but once you enter sistine chapel no cameras allowed at all. Must wear comfortable shoes lots of walking!!! and I suggest bring water and a small snack its about 2 1/2 hour tour. if you want to pass holy door this will be the easiest and fastest way is to get this tour. Worth it! read more

Vatican City - Local Flavor Near Me - Rome, RM

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I signed up for the Rome in a Day Tour with Vatican, Colosseum & Historic Center with Walks and while it made for a long day, it was phenomenal. The tour started at piazza novana and ended in the Vatican City with a break for lunch in the middle. We could have stayed in Vatican City for days. I never imagined how vast it would be and taking it all it was impossible. read more

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My Vatican City Triptych 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Are you going to see the Pope? My sister laughed when I answered her question: Not if I can help it. Why not? You don't want to see the Pope? Hell no I don't want to see the Pope. I'm going to do everything I can to make sure I miss him. Why do you say that? The Pope is cool. Yeah, the Pope is cool, I answered. I have all the respect in the world for the Holy Father. So why don't you want to see him? I said, because I know if I run into him he's going to want to hang out with me all day and I'm not down with that. What in hell are you talking about? The Pope is going to want to hang out with you? Of course the Pope would want to hang out with me, I answered. Think about it, all the guy does is pray and work every day. He never goes on Vacation. Never gets a day off. I have no doubt whatsoever he'd jump at the chance to sneak out of his Palace and hang out with me. Shaking her head in disbelief she asked, So, what's wrong with that? What's your problem? Look, I told her, I don't want to be rude but the guy is a total Buzz Kill. It's like he became Pope and he forgot how to party. And if you go out somewhere with him, what are the chances the guy is ever going to pick up a check? I bet he doesn't even carry a wallet. She laughed and said, He took a Vow of Poverty, you moron. You're just proving my point, I replied. 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 So, I went to Vatican City and I managed to avoid His Holiness. And that's probably a good thing. Because just in case I did run into him, I had a few things on my mind that he was going to hear about. Like, why is there no discount for former Altar Boys on admission to the Vatican Museum? What's up with that? I mean, no Altar Boy discount after requiring me to learn the Mass in Latin. No discount after all those years of getting up early 5 days a week to serve at 7 o'clock Mass. Huh? After serving at countless weddings for people who never tipped the Altar Boys. After serving Christmas Midnight Mass every year. All that dedication and I can't even get a discount to see the your Art Collection from like 5 or 600 years ago? Not cool, bro. 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Visiting Vatican City was a dream come true. It was even more spectacular than I had imagined it would be. It is one of the most emotional travel experiences I have ever had. It hit me even before stepping a foot inside St Peter's or the Vatican Museums. I felt my heart racing as we walked the last block down Via di Porta Angelica before entering St Peter's Square. Cutting through the colonnade and entering the square was almost overwhelming. I slowly turned around to take it all in. Then I slowly turned around again. Through teary eyes I stared at the dome of St Peter's for the longest time. I thought about the story of Michelangelo and Pope Julius II. Then I turned and my gaze moved along the tops of the colonnades added by Bernini, that define the piazza in front of the basilica. One by one I tried to check out each of the 140 statues of different Saints. I thought surely I can name a few of these guys. But try as I might, I couldn't. Not one of them. Quite embarrassing, actually. Embarrassing because it exposed how little I knew about the iconography of Christian art. Just a couple hundred years ago a typical visitor here would have easily been able to identify many if not most of the Saints in question. For generations Artists used easily recognizable accoutrements to help a largely illiterate audience identify the Saint being portrayed. Since St Peter, who Catholics count as the first Pope, was given the Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven by Jesus, when you see keys in a religious artwork, it's a good guess you are looking at a representation of a Pope. St Peter himself is easily to identify in an artwork by his symbol, an upside down crucifix. The story is when he was condemned to be crucified by the Romans, Peter requested to be crucified upside down because he felt unworthy to die in the same manner as Jesus. I pushed my ignorance of the iconography out of my mind and focused on the overall effect of the nameless statues on top of the colonnades. They seem to me like loving guardians watching over the endless procession of pilgrims that visit Vatican City year in and year out. All around me tour groups gathered and were lectured by their leaders. Random Priests and Nuns walked here and there through the crowds. Pigeons swooped down from on high, fighting over crumbs dropped by careless visitors. Before I left the square I took a hard look all around me. I wanted to remember this scene forever. Mikey C says: and I will. read more

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We didn't love the museums as much as we had anticipated, even with the well-produced audio tour. Part of our lack of enthusiasm may have been due to jet lag, but a lot of it was from being part of a massive throng of people pressing through the museums in order with limited access to the outside walks, gardens and gathering spaces. Part of it was our naiveté of thinking we could pick and choose the museums we wanted to see. That's not how it works, and with 5 thousand visitors daily, I get it. Finally making it to the Sistine Chapel was worth the claustrophobic experiences to this chapel. I'm just not sure we'll do it again. read more

Sorta odd to be sitting here writing a review for Vatican City. It is definitely worth a visit despite the hassle - it is beautiful though we were not able to enter St Peter's Basilica as part of our tour as they were preparing foe an event given it is Jubilee year. Tons of chairs were all set up outside. My advice is to book a tour that allows you to skip the line - the lines are massive even early in the morning on an October weekday. The Vatican museum and Sistine Chapel were packed!! It felt line we were being herded through as there is a constant flow of people walking by and pushing along. Our tour guide was good about pausing at certain points though to describe the artwork and other interesting findings. read more

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Visited Vatican City with the family recently. I didn't know what to expect when we visited, but it has a wonderful museum of artifacts from around the world. The exhibits included cultural artifacts such as a native American Indian headdress and artifacts from native cultures around the world. That's a stark contrast to the other sculptures, paintings, and reliefs in the rest of the museum. The place was constructed with the highest quality and it has a rich history. We primarily wanted to visit the Sisteen Chapel, but before you can do that, you have to walk through the museum. The artwork in this place is unparalelled. I've never seen so many carved statues in one place before. There are famous paintings everywhere and it's just something you have to see to believe. The Sisteen Chapel was smaller than I expected, but covered in Michaelangelo's work, nonetheless. If you're in Italy, it's a must-see. However, the place is insanely crowded and you are given a time window during which you're allowed to enter. If you miss your window, you have to change your ticket for another time. Amazing. read more

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A gorgeous and must visit place in Rome. I lived close by so I walked it everyday and got to know most of the streets, shops, and gems!! There's free filtered bubble and flat water near the castle! So fill up and reuse your plastic bottles if you're not using a water bottle. read more

Vatican City is the moment I decided heaven is absolutely going to have marble floors and so much art. This is the smallest country in the world! And no you don't get a passport stamp! But it does have its own post office, mint, and phone system. I walked in as a mild sinner and walked out like I had just been spiritually dry-cleaned. Honestly, if this doesn't get me into heaven, nothing will. read more

Open bus tour was great! Arrive at the museum an hour before your tour to get through the line and security. Wear long pants/skirts and covered shoulders or you won't be allowed admittance. The gardens were beautiful and the guide was perfect time, 45 minutes. read more

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Even if you're not religious, this is a must see and truly amazing. The history and artifacts in the museum alone are worth going to, but of course the Sistine Chapel where Michael Angelo created his masterpiece on the ceiling is sort of inconceivable. This is also where the conclave meet to elect a new Pope which just took place two months ago.Pictures don't do justice to the enormity and beauty here. When you see St. Peter's Basilica and the square you do feel like you're somewhere truly special regardless of your religion. When in Rome I suggest a visit it's worth the time even in the summer sun. read more

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Beautiful location, 2nd visit. Went to secure tickets to mass. The Sistine Chapel is amazing The architecture is gorgeous Easy to get to read more

Vatican City - Local Flavor Near Me - Rome, RM

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Absolutely horrendous. I knew it would be crowded because we went on the last Sunday of the month when the entrance to Vatican Museums is free. When we got there at 7.30 the queue was already 2h worth of wait and they open at 9am. Then our bottles were confiscated at the security point because they were metal (sorry for not polluting the planet with plastic bottles!!). After we queued for about 30 minutes at St Peter's Basilica, we were told that only people with special permission would be admitted and we can queue again at 1pm. I guess posting it to the website or putting up a sign would be too tourist-friendly. If I wasn't an atheist to begin with, I would be an atheist now. DO NOT GO ON THE LAST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH. It's not worth it. read more

One of the most magnificent places to visit in the world if not the best. I got goosebumps touring the Vatican. If you are in Rome, do not miss it. read more

Stepping into Vatican City is like wandering into a living painting, tiny even as small countries go but packed tighter than rush hour Rome with masterpieces and pilgrims. The colonnades of Saint Peter's hug you with enormous, ancient embrace. Stand in the middle, tilt your head back and relish every Roman skyline cliché in one visual take. The sheer scale humbles you and it's a must‑see for mega‑architecture fans. The museums and Sistine Chapel are the labyrinth of Renaissance glory. Feast your eyes on the pink‑granite obelisk anchoring the square. Perfect for people‑watchers and pilgrims alike. It is wall‑to‑wall tourists, selfie‑sticks poking out like wheat in a field. Remember: bring patience. Arrive early (first light is when the Square is nearly empty). Post‑museo? Hit a side‑street cafe in Borgo or Prati. Avoid the souvenir‑swamped mall by the exit. Vatican City is everything: miniature nation, mega landmarks, spiritual. It's regal, overflowing and a smidge exasperating. Crowd fatigue is real, but that Sistine gulp of glory? No filler, no filter. Definitely a must, but do it on your terms: arrive prepared, tread softly and let the art envelope you. Enjoy the tiniest country that is the biggest experience you might squeeze into an afternoon. Better however, break up your visit and make it more than one. read more

出門東奔西走，看過那麼多日出，又回歸到原來的生活，旅行不能改變什麼，不過每出門走過一次，就會多接觸，了解一種生活方式～ 梵蒂岡， 世界上最小的國家， 裡面的寶藏那真的是包羅萬象， 一輩子一定要來一次，不，不只一次的地方， 一個值得你，一來再來的地方！ read more

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The Vatican City is the headquarter of the Roman Catholic Church, and it's also the home to the Pope and a place for iconic art and architecture. There are millions of tourists visiting each year, and I would suggest you to plan at least a day trip here. read more

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We had a spectacular day at the Vatican City. We did hire a guide. I highly recommend this. She took us thru everything and when we started to get tired we just let her know and she took us to the most important pieces. But it was all unbelievably gorgeous. It's hard to imagine when you look at it that human hands crafted it. It's a long day, so bring lots of water and snacks. But it's worth it. read more

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While it's beautiful micro country with amazing artwork and architecture, inside and outside the whole Vatican City, but if you go in the summer it's ungodly hot inside since they still think air conditioning will get you sick, but not the hordes of tourists sneezing everywhere... never mind the BO. If you want to really enjoy yourself I'd recommend visiting in an off month and it could properly about 2 days to explore everything, and don't forget to book in advance since its popular year round. read more

Absolutely breathing and a can't miss!! Go earlier in day for less of a crowd. It was more beautiful than I ever imagined!! read more

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Magnificent with amazing history and art. Love the Vatican City and it's a dream come true to come here! read more

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A must-see when visiting Rome, regardless of your religion. You NEED a tour guide. Non negotiable. It's insanely busy, huge, and you will get lost, wait in lines, and otherwise have a horrible time without a guide. I've been twice, both with a guide, and it was well worth the price! This year was more crowded than usual because of it being a jubilee year so keep that in mind when planning. The earlier you arrive, the better. read more

We did the Vatican city muesuem, Sistine chapel. Note that this is all in one entrance. The muesuem is huge and you would probably need a day. If you plan to combine St peters Basilica, then plan ahead of the day.the access and entrance to the Vatican are well planned and managed. The muesuem is way over crowded, but you can see artifacts. There are restrooms in certain levels. The restaurant at lower level between the muesuem is great. The sistine chapel is great with a lot of details to add. There is a postal office at the lower level it's cool that you send cards from there to anywhere in the world. The total cost in 2024 was 2 euros. The kids enjoyed a lot on the visit to the Vatican city. It is definitely a great place to visit and a lot of history . read more

Vatican City - Local Flavor Near Me - Rome, RM

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Area is packed with people. It's crazy crowded all around Vatican City! Long lines for food and checkouts at the shops. Lots of people just standing in the way. (Move out of the walking path please) If you don't mind the obnoxious crowds, it's fine. There's lots of food options and shopping that can be done here. Except to walk a lot. Ubers can get you close, but due to all the people on foot, they can't get you that close. read more

The Vatican City is the world's smallest country, with an area of just 0.44 square kilometres, it is a micro-state landlocked within the city of Rome. It's the home of the Catholic Church and an iconic and beautiful attraction for tourists to visit while in the city, regardless of their religion. It is home to the Sistine Chapel, St Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums. The entire area is stunning, from St Peter's Square to the Basilica, it can get insanely busy with tourists though and it can be difficult to get somewhere to sit down, let alone somewhere to stand and try and take clear photos and admire the views. The lines seem well managed but they were slow-moving, so you must be prepared to wait for quite a while even with a ticket. It's well worth a visit while heading to Rome regardless of your religion just to see the stunning buildings and history behind the Vatican City, and it ticks another country off your list too! read more

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Good job Catholic Church. This was a once in a lifetime experience. Great staff and well maintained facilities after thousands of years. You can see the work of Michaelangelo. I hope I will get to meet him someday in heaven (I will complement him profusely). BTW thanks for choosing a Pope from the USA. To the Pope: we are very proud of you. I hope our paths will cross sometime. I'm jealous of your home. read more

We came here with a Royal Caribbean excursion, so I don't even know how much the tickets were to get in, so sorry. Luckily, we came on a charter bus and we were able to get dropped off at the main entrance, but I did see a line of taxis close to it so getting there on your own shouldn't be that bad. There's a couple security check points which I don't really think they look for many things in general, maybe just weapons or something... I don't know. The security person just talked to his friend the whole time and didn't even look at the screen... So anyway, the guided tour is recommended if you have the entire day to spend here, but if you're like and like to see things, as much as possible, just get the basic ticket and go for a walk, a long walk! There is seriously so much to see! The history here is crazy as you might already know. There is so much art! It's indescribable really. Everywhere you look there is art! The Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, the square! There so much! I do have an issue with the Sistine chapel. They say no pictures or videos, and if they catch you they're pretty rude about it. I didn't get fought but I saw people did and people are so judgy. Listen if you're making once in a life time trip and you want a picture, you should be allowed to take a damn picture. Especially when you pay to get in. They make so much money a day in entrance costs that it's ridiculous to get yelled at for taking a picture or video. I'm an artist, so I get that light and excessive exposure is bad for the life of the paint, but they're afraid of a picture! So dumb. When they painted the Sistine chapel it was meant to be for the public so it should be free, and it's within a Catholic City, which technically is supposed to be free for all but since they're also Catholic the suggest a "donation". Well my "donation" should include the ability to take a damn picture! Anyway, this place is amazing and holds so much history! Even for non-Catholics this place is great! I came for the art and I was not disappointed! Definitely recommend spending the entire day here if you can! read more

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We booked this tour through Viator. Our prior Viator's Colosseum tour was not good as you can read from my prior Colosseum review. This Viator Vatican tour on the other hand was far superior. When we got up in the morning there was a rumor that taxis and Uber would strike. We were able to Uber from our hotel to the Viator meeting area on the steps near the Vatican. Many tour guides and tourists were located here. We were able to locate Viator guides on the stone staircase. We were early so we had to wait for our tour to start. Vatican City officially the Vatican City State is a landlocked sovereign country, within Rome, Italy. It became independent from Italy in 1929 with the Lateran Treaty, and it is a distinct territory under "full ownership, exclusive dominion, and sovereign authority and jurisdiction" of the Holy See, itself a sovereign entity under international law, which maintains the city-state's temporal power and governance, diplomatic, and spiritual independence. The Vatican is also a metonym for the pope, the city-state's and worldwide Catholic Church government Holy See, and Roman Curia. When our tour started we had an excellent tour guide Antonella, who guided us throughout the Vatican property which was quite large with many buildings. Antonella was very knowledgeable about the Vatican. I got along with Antonella, because my name Tony is the Italian male version, namely Antoni or Antonio. We first visited the grounds and the museum, which was quite large. We had a bathroom break. There is a trove of iconic art and architecture here. Its Vatican Museums house ancient Roman sculptures such as the famed "Laocoön and His Sons" as well as Renaissance frescoes in the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel, famous for Michelangelo's ceiling. The Sistine Chapel was packed with visitors so we could only spend a few minutes inside the Chapel. After the Chapel we were lucky to have a chance to visit the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican, which was scheduled to be closed for renovation. A giant bronze canopy at the center of St Peter's Basilica is getting its first major makeover in more than 260 years to restore its luster in time for Holy Year celebrations in 2025. Saint Peter's Basilica, is a church of the Italian High Renaissance located in Vatican City. Construction started on April 18, 1506. Overall our tour of the Vatican was the highlight of our visit to Rome. Because of that I posted lots of pics from Vatican City. After we finished our tour we were looking for a local restaurant to enjoy a late lunch. More to come regarding our late lunch on the outskirts of the Vatican City. read more

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You're definitely going to want to wear comfortable shoes, bring hydration and sun protection and plan to spend several hours - nay, the *whole day* - at the Vatican. There's so much to see, do, read, experience and walk in, around and up to here. It's amazing, awe-inspiring and maybe a little overwhelming. It's also very crowded, but that should surprise no one. It's a little daunting but entirely fascinating. We went with a tour because we wanted to make sure we were going the right places, seeing the best things and experiencing the "can't miss" sites. I wouldn't recommend the tour we went on - it was overly large, the tour guide seemed a bit discombobulated and the breakfast that was included - with "exclusive access to the surrounding areas" for tour attendees - was not at all what we experienced. (And the breakfast was inedible. Our guide kept going on and on about the pancakes - "get the pancakes, they're the best, you'll never have better" - and they were awful. Also, each one of our tables were attacked by the pigeons hanging out on the patio. And yes, I mean "attacked", to the point where the manager was out furiously shooing the birds away with a towel and his arms. At least four of us ended up wearing the runny scrambled eggs on some part of our body as the birds brazenly swooped in to consume the meals we'd paid for, then in a haze of feathers and eggs flew off to the nearest railing, until our attention returned to our tables.) At any rate, I do believe the tour helped us get in, past the ticket line and security, but I don't think it helped more beyond that. I would have loved to have had more time to wander the spaces, take in the paintings, experience the sculptures and the history, and I think, should we ever go back, that's what I'd do. Because there's no way you can do it all in several hours. Not if you want to do it right. read more

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Such a beautiful place! Now I can mark this off my bucket list: Visiting the smallest country on earth Seeing where the Pope speaks from Viewing Michael Angelo's most beautiful work Let me say a few things. It's hot, hella hot. #bringwater Cover those shoulders and knees. #toosexy Sneak the photos. #dontgetcaught Have a tour guide. #followtheleader We began on a simmering day needing water and some small snacks--I'll know next time. Dress light, expect tons of exercise. Our tour guide was a beautiful Italian man with a sexy accent and a lot of knowledge. Who doesn't love a man with brains and good looks? We meandered through the Vatican City for our tour learning about history--both Roman and art. It was amazing We followed with the group throughout the massive works of art, history lessons, beauty of the city, etc. it was amazing. I will say the most amazing thing was when we reached the center of the Sistine Chapel and looked up. I cannot describe the beauty. There are no words worthy of this majestic art work. All I could think was, "What was he thinking?" Absolute beauty. read more

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This is one of those places that you just have to visit within your lifetime. Why? Well, because of it's historical significance in European and world history. Pictures do not do it justice. It is said that if you stand in front of different piece of artwork for 15 seconds it would still take you a few years to see every single piece. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you hire a guide to walk you through the most significant pieces. Otherwise, you will get tired and realize that you did not see the most significant pieces before leaving. Another even more important reason for hiring a guide is that they can get you around many lines. When I visited the line to get in was several blocks long in the unshaded brutal Roman July heat. Even the Pope leaves the Vatican every July for a cooler small town elevated retreat. It truly baffles me how anyone can rate the Vatican anything less than perfect?!? Yes, occasionally there might be an overflowing garbage can. But its because thousands upon thousands of people visit every day. The architecture, the art collections, the history (a few centuries worth) are amazingly beautiful! I truly feel privileged that I had the opportunity to visit. I do have to mention that the church along with the good also had some bad history. At times corruption set in and tarnished the reign of a few Popes. I was lucky enough to visit one of the rooms which was sealed off for hundreds of years and not talked about because of the terrible things that happened in it. So much history within the walls of the Vatican! Just to give you an idea, in medieval times every King, Queen, and rich family in Europe wanted a hand in the power of the church. read more

Vatican City - St. Peter's Square in front of St. Peter's Basilica. - Local Flavor Near Me - Rome, RM

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