5 PLACES TO VISIT IN THE VATICAN

Send

This list of places to visit in the Vatican It will help you prepare a trip to the smallest country in the world, located within the city of Rome, a visit that we are sure, will not disappoint you.
It must be taken into account that the Vatican did not become an independent state until 1929 with the signing of the Lateran Pacts and that the extension of the country does not exceed 0.44 square kilometers, also having among its walls only as inhabitants around 800 people, including the Pope, without a doubt, its most famous resident.

The nerve center of the Catholic Church when the Holy See is located, its highest institution in the Vatican, in addition to this religious importance, it should be noted that all buildings have a great historical and artistic value, which have made it one of the most visited places in Rome.
Based on the three times we have visited this small country, the last two during our trip to Rome in 3 days and the month we spent in the Trastevere neighborhood, from where we wrote this guide to Rome, we have made this list of those that are for us, the 5 essential places to see in the Vatican.

1. St. Peter's Basilica

Without a doubt, St. Peter's Basilica is one of the most sacred temples of Catholicism and one of the essential places to visit in the Vatican.
It is also one of the largest buildings in the world, in which its enormous dome stands out, visible from all the viewpoints of Rome and in which during its construction and interior decoration, great Italian artists of the Renaissance intervened, such as the great Michelangelo.
Once inside, you can not miss the statue of La Piedad by Michelangelo, Bernini's Baldachin and the statue of St. Peter, to which we recommend, take time, as they are true wonders.

After visiting the interior, you can not miss climbing the dome of the basilica to enjoy the views of the entire city with St. Mark's Square in the foreground, which is one of the best things to do in Rome.

Keep in mind that although the entrance to the basilica is free, long lines are formed in the access security control located in the Plaza San Pedro, so a highly recommended option is to book the guided tour of the Vatican in Spanish, in which includes the skip-the-line entrance to St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums. Having a guide you will not miss any detail of its interesting history and all the monuments you will see during the tour.

Remember that to enter the basilica and other Vatican precincts such as museums, you cannot go with very short pants, mini skirt or tank tops.
Visiting hours: every day from 7 am to 7 pm from April to September and from 7 am to 6 pm from October to March. The dome opens one hour later and closes one hour earlier.
If you are going to visit the best known places in Rome, a good way to save time and money is to book the OMNIA Vatican and Roma Card with which you will skip the lines of places like the Colosseum or the Basilica and also have unlimited public transport and Free tourist bus service.

Basilica of Saint Peter

2. Vatican Museums

The Vatican Museums is another of the places to see in the Vatican and that is also in the list of the 20 most essential places to visit in Rome.
These museums, owned by the Catholic Church, have one of the most impressive art collections in the world whereby more than 6 million tourists come inside to marvel at their perfectly decorated paintings, sculptures and rooms.
If you are not an art expert, we recommend visiting the most striking rooms such as the Galleries of the maps, the tapestries, Raphael Stays, the Candelabra Gallery and the great jewel of museums, the Sistine Chapel.

The Sistine Chapel, another of the places to visit in the Vatican, is one of the great works of the history of mankind and it is only worth visiting the museums. The walls of this chapel were decorated by the great Michelangelo between 1473 and 1481 and among the beautiful frescoes we must highlight the famous image of Adan creation located in the central part of the roof and the Final judgment located on the main altar.

When you approach the entrance, located about 500 meters from St. Peter's Square, you will see long lines that can reach 3 hours. The best option to visit the Vatican Museums is the skip-the-line tickets or the guided tour.
To enter without long queues you can book the ticket online on this official website.
Another good way to learn more about the history of each important piece is to book this visit with a specialized guide.
If during your trip to Rome you also visit the Colosseum, the Forum and the Palatine it is preferable to book this offer that includes all this and the museums, skipping all the queues.

Visiting hours: Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm, the last access is two hours before closing. Sundays open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., last access at 12:30 p.m. In this official page you can check the days that it is closed for holidays.

Vatican Museums, one of the places to visit in the Vatican

3. St. Peter's Square, one of the places to visit in the Vatican

San Pedro Square, one of the most beautiful squares in the world, is another of the places to visit in the Vatican, which we recommend not to get lost in your visit.
With an area on which more than 300,000 people have become fit during the religious offices of the Pope, on its sides two sections of columns with figures of 140 saints stand out on the top and in the center, an obelisk of 25 meters of height, brought from Egypt with two sources.

A good time to visit the Vatican is on Sunday during the celebration of the Angelus, the day that the Pope, whenever he is in Rome, offers a brief 20-minute homily from a window of the Papales apartments.
Another good occasion to go is a Wednesday during the Papal Blessing, which is also held in the Plaza de San Pedro in an act that begins at 10:30, although they open access from 8 in the morning.
Keep in mind that places are limited and there are many people who want to see the Pope up close so a good option to attend this homily is to reserve the ticket here in advance or reserve this offer that includes in addition to the papal audience , the guided tour in Spanish to the Vatican Museums.

The best way to get to the Plaza de San Pedro is by walking on Via della Conciliazione, seeing in the background the Basilica of San Pedro. If you stay away from the Vatican you can arrive with the underground line A and get off at the Ottaviano stop.

St. Peter's Square in the Vatican

4. Vatican Necropolis

The Vatican Necropolis, located in the basement of St. Peter's Basilica, is one of the most amazing places to see in the Vatican.
According to the history of Catholicism, the basilica was built on the place where one of the twelve apostles of Jesus of Nazareth, Peter, was buried.
Although it was known that St. Peter, the first pope of Rome, was buried under the main altar of the basilica, it was not until Pope Pius XI ordered to excavate this area, to be buried as close to St. Peter, when it was discovered the treasure which was hidden under the foundations of the Basilica of St. Peter.

During the visit to the Vatican Necropolis you will see several mausoleums of several rich commoners until you reach the supposed tomb of St. Peter, which is next to an inscription of the year 160 that says "Petro Eni", in Greek: "Pedro is here". The guided tour in Spanish ends at the Vatican Grottoes where you can visit the tomb of John Paul II and that of other popes.

To enter you need to send an email to the address [email protected] well in advance. Once the visit is confirmed you have to show up 10 minutes before the time at the entrance of the Necropolis, located to the left of the basilica.
During the visit photos are not allowed, men have to go with long pants, women skirts to the knee and shoulders covered.

As an extra we will tell you that, despite not being believers, we have made this visit on a couple of occasions and we have to say that it is one of the most interesting we have ever done on any trips, so we can only recommend it strongly , being for us one of the most essential places to visit in the Vatican.

Vatican Necropolis, one of the places to see in the Vatican

5. Vatican Gardens

The Vatican Gardens are a green oasis of tranquility amidst the multitude of people who visit the Vatican. This small park that is located on the Vatican Hill, behind St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums, is another of the places to visit in the Vatican We recommend you not to get lost.
Its origin dates back to medieval times and has been used for centuries as a place of meditation and rest of popes and bishops.
In the 16th century, the architect Bramante did a great landscaping work transforming the gardens into a harmonious space, where monuments, sculptures and nature are mixed, which you can enjoy while taking a tour
along some of the trails, to discover some of its most beautiful places such as the Giardino Quadrato, the Fontana dell'Aquilone, the Grotta di Lourdes and the Casina Pio IV, in addition to the unique views that are obtained from the Basilica of San Pedro.
Keep in mind that the gardens can only be visited with a guide by sending an email to [email protected]
If you plan to visit the Vatican Museums it may be more advisable to book this guided tour of the gardens in Spanish that includes the skip-the-line entrance to the museums.