Italy Travel: A Trip Report, Part 2: Vatican

The Holy See, though an independent nation (smallest in the world), is an enclave of Rome. So you can visit it like any other place in Rome, no Visa or Passport required. Just can’t stay there overnight.

Vatican

We made a day trip to the Vatican during our stay at Rome and used a tour (from Walks of Italy) to explore it. This was great right off the bat as we could skip the super long lines to get in.

While visiting the Vatican, we need to dress conservatively - that means knees and upper arms covered for both men and women. This is enforced. And in general be respectful since this is a religious site.

Also, note that your backpack will not be allowed inside the Museum - they will store it for you.

Tour: Complete Vatican Tour with Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter’s Basilica

We continued to have great experience with this tour company and our tour guide was simply amazing and extremely well versed in all things Vatican. And we were so glad to skip the long line.

The tour started at the Vatican Museum, at the Peacock Terrace.

Then we moved on to the Belvedere Courtyard, which was just the beginning of the magnificent sculptures and pieces of art we were about to witness.

Once inside there were rooms, and hallways filled with history. There are literally tens of thousands of artifacts in the museum, and the guide helped us navigate the important ones - otherwise it would take days to explore.

Emperor Nero's 2000 year old Bathtub

The museum itself is a museum goers, and historians bucket list place, and was an experience in itself, looking live at sculptures and artifacts we had only read about in history books.

I posted a few pictures here but really, no pictures could do it justice.

From ancient Nero’s monstrous bathtub still intact, to the sarcophagus of Constantine’s mother, rooms and room of sculptures and relics, exquisite art on the ceilings, ancients mosaics on the floor, the galleries of Maps and Tapestries, papal relics, many ancient Roman relics, some hidden secrets, the Raphael rooms, and of course the Sistine Chapel with Michelangelo’s masterpiece.

The 4 hours of the tour disappeared very quickly (maybe not so quickly for my three and half year old, but thankfully she kept herself entertained).

Beautiful paintings on the ceilings everywhere in the museum

The gallery of Maps and the ornate ceiling

Tapestry of the Resurrection of Christ - that took 20 years to make.

The beautiful Sistine Chapel was the last stop of the museum tour - no pictures or talking is allowed in the Sistine Chapel, and it was truly a surreal and moving experience just standing there and looking up at the vast ceiling at Michelangelo's masterpiece.

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After the Vatican museum, we directly got into the magnificent St Peter’s Basilica (the largest church in the world).

As we entered the hallowed grounds of St. Peter's Basilica, we were immediately struck by its sheer grandeur. Larger than life itself, this sacred edifice rises like a majestic sentinel, beckoning pilgrims and tourists alike to step into its embrace. The Basilica's beauty is unparalleled, a testament to human creativity and devotion spanning centuries.

Right at the entrance, we encountered the breathtaking 'Pieta' statue, crafted by the masterful hands of Michelangelo.

Inside the sacred walls the resting places of mummified Popes, ancient masterpieces of paintings and sculptures. This was truly an extraordinary place.

The magnificent St. Peter's Basilica

There were actual masses happening at the Basilica that you can witness. You could also visit the tombs underneath, and climb the steps all the way up to the top of the dome.

By centuries old law, no building in Rome can be taller than the St. Peters Basilica. That is why there are no skyscrapers in Rome.

The Swiss guard (guarding the Vatican for 500 years).

Finally we exit via the St. Peter’s Square (where the Pope makes his appearances).

On one side we can observe the Swiss guard along with souvenir and bookshops, and the Vatican Post Office (if you want a send a postcard postmarked at the Vatican).

But the gorgeous piazza that is the St. Peters Square itself is a sight to behold - inspite of seeing it in so many movies, being there was a different experience. The square covered a massive area, surrounded by an elliptical range of colonnades, and statues of saints upon them, and an ancient Egyptian Obelisk at the center.

St. Peters Square

This whole tour was not just a sight seeing tour but a transformative journey and glimpse into the history and soul of Rome.