Rome Italy Travel
to Vatican City
Rome Italy Travel to Vatican City and the Prati District
On your Rome Italy travel, visit one of Rome’s greatest landmarks, the oval St Peter’s Square (Piazza San Pietro), which is a masterpiece of perspective and illusion and appears to look circular.
St. Peter's Square
St Peter’s Square is surrounded by Bernini’s two semi-circular colonnades of quadruple rows of columns with an obelisk in the center of the square, framed by two fountains on each side.
Perched high on top of the colonnades above St Peter's Square are 140 statues of saints.
There are tours to the top of St Peter’s Basilica and you have the option of climbing the many stairs within the dome (a great workout), or you can take an elevator to the top of the basilica for a fee.
Once at the top, you will have a magnificent view of Vatican City, the Piazza San Pietro, and the stunning 140 statues of the saints on top of the colonnades. This is truly an amazing place to visit on your Rome Italy travel.
Dark, round, marble slabs are set in the pavement between each fountain, and if you stand on one of these circles, the four rows of columns appear to perfectly align into a single row.
St. Peter's Basilica
Bernini did a wonderful job of giving Michelangelo’s dome of St Peter’s a beautiful setting.
St Peter’s Basilica itself rests over St Peter’s tomb and is a most impressive structure with its overwhelming interior measuring 211 m (692 feet) long, 186 m (610 feet) wide at its widest point and 132 m (433 feet) high.
Visit Vatican City and Its Museums on Your Rome Italy Travel
Countless of treasures are held in the city of Rome and many are here in the Vatican City, which covers 108.5 acres within Rome on the western bank of the Tiber.
The Vatican runs a separate postal system and maintains an army of Swiss Guards wearing the colourful and flamboyant uniforms designed by Michelangelo.
The Vatican Museums contain one of the World’s greatest collections of art, including Renaissance, ancient and modern statues, paintings and decorative arts that you must see on your Rome Italy travel.
To see everything on your Rome Vacations would take days, and if you are short of time, you have to plan ahead for your visit to the Vatican.
My Top Picks of the Vatican Museum for Your Rome Italy Travel:
Apartamenti Borgia (also known as Appartamento Borgia)
Chambers of the Borgia Pope Alexander VI (1492-1495) decorated with brilliant frescos by Pinturicchio.
Museo Pio Clementino
This exhibit contains the world’s greatest and largest masterpieces of sculptures from the ancient world with exquisite Greek and Roman originals.
Here you can see Cortile del Belvedere, the octagonal court which houses the Apollo Belvedere from the 4th century BC, the Laocoon from the 2nd century BC and the Belvedere Torso in the Hall of the Muses.
Pinacoteca
The Pinacoteca is an eclectic picture gallery housed in 18 rooms with works of art from the Middle Ages to the 19th century.
The gallery features art by Caravaggio, Fra Beato Angelico, Fra Filippo Lippi, Leonardo da Vinci, Perugino, Raphael, Titian and Veronese.
On your Rome Italy travel, make sure to see: Filippo Lippi’s Coronation of the Virgin Perugino’s Madonna and Child, Titian’s Madonna of San Nicoletta dei Frari Raphael’s Transfiguration.
Stanze di Rafaele and Loggia di Rafaele
The 4 rooms are the papal apartments (stanze) built for Pope Julius ll in the 1500s and highlight the best of Renaissance painting.
The 13 arcades of the Loggia were painted by Raphael with scenes from the Old Testament and one scene from the New Testament.
Sistine Chapel (Cappella Sistina)
The world famous Sistine Chapel, named for its founder, Pope Sixtus IV, houses Michelangelo’s stunning ceiling frescos and also the beautifully restored Last Judgement.
The ceiling is actually flat but appears vaulted.
The restoration of the Last Judgement reveals the true colours used by the Master and depicts the figure of Christ in the upper center, surrounded by the supplicant Mary and his saints.
Don’t miss this amazing experience on your Rome Italy travel.
The Vatican Gardens
If you love gardens and want to see the Vatican Gardens, tours are organized by the Pilgrim Tourist Information Office, located to the left of Piazza San Pietro facing the basilica, and the tickets must be ordered at least one day in advance.
Papal Audiences
If you would like to see the Pope on your Rome Italy travel, plan ahead.
Papal audiences are usually held on Wednesdays at 10:30 am or may be earlier in summer around 10 am, when the Pope is in town.
In addition, the Pope delivers an address every Sunday at noon from his study window in St Peter’s Square to the congregation below.
The Audiences are held in the modern Nervi Hall (Sala Nervi or Audience Hall) behind the colonnade to the left of the basilica.
During the summer, the Pope resides at the papal summer residence of Castel Gandolfo. Here the Pope holds the Angelus prayers on Sundays for the pilgrims.
Every week a helicopter transports the pontiff from Castel Gandolfo to the Vatican for the Wednesday audience.
To attend a Papal Audience on your Rome Italy travel, either obtain a free ticket a day or two before at the Prefettura della Casa Pontificia (which means Prefecture of the Papal Household – telephone 06 69 88 30 17) beyond the bronze doors to the right of the basilica before the colonnade past the Swiss Guard.
You can also request in writing to:
Prefettura della Casa Pontificia 00120 Citta del Vaticano
In your letter, include:
- the number of people in attendance
- the desired Wednesday and alternate dates
- the language spoken
- and the address of your hotel in Rome
Remember to dress appropriately with knees and shoulders covered.
Tips for Your Rome Italy Travel
in the Vatican City and Its Museums
What many people don’t realize is that the entrance to the Vatican museums is located on the northern side on the Viale Vaticano (to the right of St Peter's Square), a 10 – 15 minute walk from St Peter’s Basilica front entrance.
- The museum entrance at Viale Vaticano leads to the famous bronze double helix ramp that climbs up to the ticket office.
- To avoid the long line-up, you may consider catching a bus, which takes you from in front of the Vatican Post Office located at the right hand colonnade at St Peter’s Square, through the Vatican Gardens and ends up at a small gate by the museum ticket desk.
- To accommodate the millions of visitors who travel to Italy to the Vatican Museums, the traffic flows one-way through four coloured tours which range from 1 ½ hours to 5 hours and you cannot turn back to see something you missed. All the tours end in the Sistine Chapel but plan ahead for a long visit.
- At the ticket office is a booth selling guide books which are well worth buying.
- After you have entered the Museums and gone up the long escalator, turn right and walk opposite to the direction of the escalator until you see the famous circular staircase on the left.
- Take your pictures but don’t head down the staircase which is an exit. Simply return to the top of the escalator to continue into the Museums.
Since the Museums are vast and have limited places to purchase food and beverages, bring your own food and water, and use the restrooms located at the entrance.
On Your Rome Italy Travel to the Vatican City Wear Proper Attire
As in most duomos and basilicas, remember to wear appropriate clothing as the dress code is conservative and monitored by staff.
- Do not wear short shorts, miniskirts, skimpy dresses, sleeveless blouses, shirts or t-shirts.
- For women, bring a scarf to cover your shoulders and avoid skirts a couple inches above the knees as a staff member in a bad mood may not let you in (speaking from experience).
- I have worn the same length skirts in other visits when I travel in Italy without problems, but the experience may vary and it’s worth coming prepared.
- For men, you will probably be okay with safari shorts and short sleeved t-shirts.
- Jeans and t-shirts are acceptable for both men and women.
- Capri’s for women and long shorts for men are ideal on hot summer days.
The Castel Sant’ Angelo in the Nearby District of Prati
This massive brick and stone castle was built by the Emperor Hadrian (117 – 138 AD) as a mausoleum for him and his family.
In front of Castel Sant’ Angelo is the marble Ponte Sant’ Angelo Bridge, lined with statues of angels designed by Bernini.
This edifice has served the popes as a fortress, prison and a palace. The Castel Sant’ Angelo, which is in the District of Prati, is open to the public so make sure to include a visit on your Rome Italy travel.
It was often used as a papal refuge, as it is linked to the Vatican via a covered passage known as the Passetto di Borgo.
The Castel Sant’ Angelo fortress contains a museum of arms and artillery and offers fantastic views of Rome and Vatican City.
Return to Rome Part 1: Rome Vacations in the Historical Centre
Rome Italy Travel to Vatican City - Return to Great Vacation Ideas Travel Guide
Rome Italy Travel to Vatican City - Return to Family Vacation Ideas in Italy
