The Vatican City is an independent city state in the center of Rome. It is the center of the Catholic Church, and overseen by the Pope. Although small in size, the Vatican City contains some of Rome’s most famous landmarks, including: St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican, and the Sistine Chapel.
Basically, nearly every site featured in Dan Brown’s ‘Angels and Demons’ can be found right here. (Just for fun, I recommend reading this book before heading here. It is a shockingly fun guide to Rome).
If you are planning a trip to Rome, then you absolutely must spend some time exploring Vatican City.
Below is my ultimate guide for planning a day trip to Vatican City.
Vatican City Guide
Where is Vatican City?
The Vatican City is located in Rome just to the west of the Tiber River. The city state borders Rome’s Prati and Trastevere districts, and is an easy walking distance from other famous landmarks, like Castel Sant’Angelo. For size reference, the Vatican City is smaller than both Central Park in New York City, and Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.
Is the Vatican City part of Rome?
Vatican City is the smallest independent country in the world. It is not part of Rome, nor is it part of Italy. The city state gained independence from Italy in 1929, meaning that today it is basically country within a country.
Today, the Vatican City prints its own Euro design, and even has a separate post office and stamps.
How do I get to the Vatican City?
If you are already in Rome, you can take the metro red line to the ‘Ottaviano – San Pietro’ stop. From there, you can easily walk the rest of the way. If you are staying in the city center of Rome, it may be easiest for you to walk straight there. St. Peter’s Basilica is a massive landmark that is difficult to miss!
Can anyone visit Vatican City?
Of course! As long as you have a passport that allows entry to Italy, you are able to freely enter the Vatican City. Just shy of 20,000 people from all different religious affiliations and countries visit the city daily. There is no restriction on who can or cannot enter.
Do you need a visa to visit the Vatican City?
Nope! You do not need a visa to visit the Vatican City. Nor do you need to bring your passport to enter. It is actually quite difficult to determine where Rome ends and Vatican City begins. You can certainly wander freely between the two.
How can I buy tickets to the Vatican City?
You do not need to purchase exclusive tickets to enter the Vatican City. However, you will need to purchase tickets (sometimes in advance) to enter some of the larger attractions, like the Vatican Museum, and the Papal Audience.
Does the Vatican City have a dress code?
While the Vatican City itself does not have a dress code, nearly all of the attractions in the city do. The Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica require all entrants to have their shoulders and knees covered. That means no tank tops and no shorts and, although not explicitly banned, no flip flops.
You will not be granted entry if you do not meet the dress code requirements – so plan accordingly!
The top 7 things to do in Vatican City
1. Visit St. Peter’s Basilica
St. Peter’s Basilica is perhaps the most famous landmark in all of Rome. The Basilica has 44 altars, each ornately decorated with art, statues, and mosaics. The entire interior is aglow with the light of thousands of candles, and there is a hushed silence as visitors meander through the aisles and perimeter.
St. Peter’s altar sits as the focal point of the basilica. Below the floors lies St. Peter’s tomb. You can book a special guided tour to go into the basement of the basilica – which is an experience you do not want to miss!
To purchase tickets to tour underneath the basilica, you can apply on the Vatican’s official website by sending the dates you will be in Rome, and hoping there is availability. You can also book through a tour agency, which guarantees admission. Note that this method will be more expensive.
Cost: Free to visit the basilica. Anywhere from $15 – $40 USD for an underground tour of the tombs.
2. Climb to the St. Peter’s Basilica rooftop
If you are looking for the most breathtaking and sweeping view of Rome, then I fully recommend climbing the 551 steps to the top of St. Peter’s Basilica. No other building in the historic section of Rome can be taller than St. Peter’s Basilica, so the views are immaculate and sprawling. This activity is a must for anyone planning a visit.
To find the entrance for the climb, enter St. Peter’s Basilica and head to the right. Follow signs for Copula, and you will eventually hit a ticket booth.
While you’re there, be sure to explore the inside of the Basilica as well. It is truly a piece of art!
Cost: Climbing to the top of the Basilica costs 8 Euros. For an additional two Euros, you can take an elevator to the top. Don’t be fooled. You will still have to climb 300 steps.
3. Marvel at the Sistine Chapel
The Sistine Chapel is perhaps one of the most widely-known attractions in Rome. The chapel is most famous for its ceiling frescos painted by Michaelangelo – particularly The Creation of Adam.
Today, you can see the Sistine Chapel by purchasing a ticket to the Vatican Museum. There are no timed entrances to the chapel itself, but you will need to go during Vatican Museum hours. Note that there is a dress code for the Sistine Chapel and Vatican. The Vatican has a strict dress code, so make sure to cover your knees and shoulders. Otherwise, you may be denied admission.
Cost of admission: a ticket to the Vatican Museum costs roughly $21 USD, and may be slightly more if you book an audio tour. You can purchase tickets on their website.
4. Wander through the Vatican Museum
The Vatican Museum contains some of the most intricate art, relics, sculptures, and tapestries. I expect you could visit the museum dozens of times and still not see everything it has to offer.
The Pinacoteca is one of the Vatican’s massive rooms. It contains artwork constructed by some of the most famous painters like Rafael and Caravaggio. The Rotunda Room was another one of my favorites – containing an epic dome modeled after the Pantheon and walls lined with Greek and Roman statues chiseled out of rock imported from Egypt.
The Vatican Museum is almost an all-day event. It is easy to want to fast-track directly to the Sistine Chapel, but I highly recommend taking your time and exploring all of the nooks and crannies the halls and rooms have to offer.
Cost: A full-entry ticket costs $20 USD without a tour. Guided tours can reach upwards of $60USD, but some include entrance to other areas of the museum that a general ticket does not offer. I would recommend doing a bit of research to find the excursion that is right for you and your interests.
5. Spiral up the Bramante Staircase
The Vatican contains two ornate spiral staircases: one built in 1505, and the other in 1932. The original staircase is typically only open to specialized tours. However, all visitors must descend the modern spiral to exit.
The staircases are double helixes, which means that those ascending to higher floors will never meet those descending. It is an architectural paradox, and makes your brain hurt a bit – but they are so incredibly cool to see.
Cost: included with a ticket to the Vatican Museum. a ticket to the Vatican Museum costs roughly $21 USD, and may be slightly more if you book an audio tour. You can purchase tickets on their website.
6. Visit the Pope’s Garden
Immediately behind the massive basilica lies a hidden treasure in Rome: the Vatican Gardens. The gardens are home to one of the most beautiful and serene landscapes in the entire city.
The gardens are only accessible through a pre-purchased group tour. Typically, these tours are only offered by bus, which may not be everyone’s cup of tea. If you want to ensure you are walking through the gardens, make sure you call ahead to specify.
You can purchase tickets on the official Vatican website. These tickets also include a tour of the Vatican museum.
If you have the time, I recommend booking a visit to the gardens. Otherwise, you can see an overhead view of the gardens from the dome climb. And if you are choosing between the two, I recommend the dome climb for sure.
Cost: $50-$100 USD depending on the tour type. Note that these tickets typically include entrance to the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. Check with the tour agency ahead of time to double check!
7. Listen to the Pope speak in Piazza san Pietro
The Papal Audience occurs every Wednesday and Sunday morning when the Pope is in Rome. Even if you are not religious or Catholic, it is still a neat event to check out. People from, I kid you not, all over the world gather in the square of the Vatican City – sometimes topping over 80,000 attendees.
On Wednesdays, the Pope speaks from his window in the Vatican. On Sundays, he draws a much larger crowd, and speaks directly from the steps of the Basilica.
If you are planning to attend, be sure to reserve a ticket in advance. Note as well that the Pope leaves Rome for parts of the summer – so you’ll want to double check that he is in town.
Here is the schedule and details on ticketing. You can also head to the Vatican’s Bronze Door on the left-hand side two to three days before the event to secure a ticket.
Cost: Typically free!
That’s all, folks
Hopefully this guide helps you kick start your planning for a visit to Vatican City! The amount of history crammed in the small city state is astounding. A trip here is certainly worth adding onto your Rome itinerary! I hope you enjoy visiting!
Have you visited Vatican City? Drop a comment below with some of your favorite sites and activities!
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