It always astounds one just how much the Vatican City has to offer in such a tiny microcosm. From its gloriously ornate cathedrals to its expansive squares, to its luscious gardens and historical masterpieces, the Vatican City must surely be on every Roman holiday-maker’s to-see list!
One of the unmissable experiences the Vatican is famous for is its extensive museum collection known as the “Vatican Museums”. It should come as no surprise that the centre of the Catholic world also houses one of the world’s most luxurious art collections, with illustrious names like da Vinci, Caravaggio, Michelangelo and more gracing its ultra-luxe ceilings, chambers and halls.
Experiencing the Vatican Museums is a tour on top of a tour, an extra experience alongside the other Vatican attractions, so you should really allow at least three hours to indulge in them.
A guided Vatican Museums tour alone takes at least three hours, so this should give you an idea of the collection’s breadth (it includes some 70,000 pieces – no biggie!).
So, if you plan on visiting the Vatican as well as its famed museums, be sure to allow yourself a full day in this fabulous microstate.
You’ll enjoy it alongside these spectacular Vatican sites:
The Sistine Chapel
A museum in itself as much as a cathedral, the Sistine Chapel is one of history’s grandest testaments to artistic and design brilliance! The stunning Sistine Chapel is best known for its incredible frescoes, the likes of which include its unmistakable ceiling, The Last Judgement, and The Creation of Adam, easily two of history’s most revered masterpieces…
St. Peter’s Basilica
St. Peter’s Basilica is more grand cathedral than pious art gallery, as it contains the eerie-yet-completely fascinating necropolis as well as the tomb of the eponymous St. Peter.
You cannot tour the Sistine Chapel without ducking over to St. Peter’s: it’s a much different experience from the chapel but completely worth the visit!
The Vatican Gardens
There are not too many places in great Rome where you kick back and relax without the sounds of tourists’ shuffling feet or whizzing Vespas, and so the Vatican Gardens is a great little respite from the city’s hustle and bustle.
Take your time to stroll the gardens and enjoy its lush design – they truly are a fantastic spot for a breather after taking in so much Vatican.