Overview
** VATICAN CITY TOURS **
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Did a day tour of the Vatican City, that is really all it takes while you’re in Rome. I have mixed feelings. We did St. Peters Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and the grounds, But it’s a bit disheartening to see all of the artwork and statues that they have from all over the world, specifically Africa that they have claimed as “theirs”. We did observe a mass with the Pope and there was a lot of pushing and shoving because people had pilgrimaged from all over the world to view the Pope.
We weren’t treated differently per say, but we felt “watched” and there just seemed to be a sense of privilege to other populations that were there over those who were brown and black.
It is definitely something to see, but you leave feeling a bit off because you know that the church has not always been kind to black people.
While travelling in Rome we took a day to go visit the Vatican. It was a very long time ago but i still remerber how amazing was the venue and the interior of the Vatican (breathtaking architecture).
We were very young and didn’t know that you have to be covered to enter inside de Vatican (it was a crazy hot summer) anyway we managed to cover our arms ect… Inside the church was even more impressive. Even if it was very crowdy people were very repectiful. Anyone who like history should go to visit if you are in Italia. It was safe and travelling while black was ok too.
you have to visit all the churches and the Vatican museum to be filled with all catholic religion history.
So many sculptures in the vatican museums. It was nice to see the Sistine Chapel, but you have remain silent, and cannot take photos. If you get lucky and go while the Pop does an address from St. Peter’s Square, you can see something most Catholics never will.
Very good idea for spiritual retreat or to have the chance of meeting the pope lol.
Be atheist or not. Vatican City is a city with a lot of history and very beautiful.
I visit it in summer time and I recommend buying tickets to enter museums in advance because the lines are long and the prices are expensive.
If you’re traveling to Rome it is an absolute no brainer that you take a day to check out Vactican City. You won’t actually need an entire day if you opt out of the guided tour and settle for a self guide tour using Rick Steves. (its a free app so now you’ve just saved some $$$) We strongly advised getting your admissions tickets in advance to avoid the lines as they tend to get really long in the blink of an eye. The art and view points while inside are nothing short of amazing! Take a million and one pictures but be sure to keep your phone low while in the Sistine chapel because them guards are waiting for you to slip up! We put together some footage from your experience in Vatican City fell free to check it out should you need a visual. ☺️
https://youtu.be/eFG2gKy3uxI?t=201
The Vatican City is a heavy tourist destination for Catholics, but can be enjoyed by anyone, especially if you’re into history. You really need a half day here to explore. Save time by booking one of the many skip-the-line tours online(with audioguide), which includes the Vatican museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica. So many sculptures in the vatican museums I lost count. It was nice to see the Sistine Chapel, but you have to be dead quiet, and can’t take photographs. The vatican portion was just so massive, and so crowded that it’s hard to enjoy at times. If you get lucky and go while the Pop does an address from St. Peter’s Square, you can see something most Catholics never will. But the crowds are just enormous. St. Peter’s Basilica is the epitome of a Catholic church, probably the most intricate in the world. That and the Vatican have detail that is unmatched. Remember to wear appropriate clothing, as you are on church grounds the entire time.
What an experience. The grounds here were breathtaking. Even though I’m not catholic, I appreciated all of the beauty and history within the walls of the smallest country on Earth. St. Peter’s Basilica… WOW. The detail is out of this world and if you look up you’ll see that you’re able to walk alongside the ceiling. I know that may sound confusing but it’s true! And please go ALL the way to the top of the church where you can see the most epic view of the city. I will admit it was a tough hike though. If you have heart issues, claustrophobic, or simply out of shape please do yourself a favor and take the elevator up halfway. At some points if you’re out of breath and can’t move, the stairways are so slanted and slim, you’d block traffic behind you. And did you know all of the popes are on display in the basement! That is a must-see along with Peter’s tomb and the Sistine Chapel. Overall, I enjoyed my day trip to Vatican City. If you’re in Rome, please take a day. It’s well worth it.
The Vatican City is a tourist destination with the sole purpose of visiting the churches and museums. If you are a history buff or into religion (Catholic), then it is a must do on your travel list. You basically just need one day here to explore. Save time by booking one of the many skip-the-line tours, which will give you a tour of all the Vatican museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Petersburg Basilica. Out of all the things you will see, St. Petersburg Basilica is probably the most jaw-dropping architecture/design I have seen. It is rich, elaborate, and ornately decorated. Unfortunately, all the hype about the Sistine Chapel is for nothing. I was so excited to finally see it. When we finally arrived, it’s a very small room full of people looking up at the ceiling and security guards yelling at everyone to be quiet lol. You can’t talk or take photos. The room is not very well lit, so it’s difficult to really see and appreciate the painted ceiling. Still an amazing work of art. It was anti-climatic for me. Just cool to say I’ve seen it in person. If you’re religious, research what time the pope will come out so you can have an opportunity to see him (massive crowds, it will be from far away tho). They have large teleprompters so you can get a better view. Oh yea, it’s a holy city so dress appropriately.
As you can imagine, Vatican City is no so much a party city as it is full of HISTORY! When the tour guides inform you that the complete tour will take 3 hours, believe them. 3 hours sounds like a long time, but you don’t realize how long you’re actually there because there’s so much to see and learn about. My favorite moment was in the Sistine Chapel. It was amazing to see the original works of Michelangelo, and to experience a priest pray over the entire chapel as we were walking through. We also go a chance to pray in St. Peters chapel, which was also an amazing experience. If you visit Rome without a chance to visit Vatican City, you’re missing out.
There really isn’t much to do here except visit the Vatican cathedrals and museums. Although it’s named Vatican City, it is actually is one of the smallest countries in the world. It’s an actual country. If you’re religious, this might be the purpose of your trip but otherwise, there is a lot of history within the city/country since it’s the head of the Catholic Church. I would say that if you’re trying to visit the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums, purchase your tickets online ahead of time. It really helped us skip the line and walk right in rather than stand in the line that almost always wraps around the wall of the perimeter for people trying to get in. The website is in Italian and only part of it translates so you might have to use Google Translate or something. Also, the ticket has some rules on attire. Remember that you’re visiting a live working church city/country and you want to try to be respectful. With that said, the Vatican has some of the most beautiful works of art I’ve ever seen. Tapestries, sculptures, painting on the wall and ceilings, rugs, jewelry, gems, text and prints. So much to see. I also mailed a postcard from within the Vatican City since they have their own post office and mail stamp.
Other than the museums, Sistine Chapel, and St Peter’s Basilica, you have to go out of the country to the city of Rome. There is no “nightlife” within the walls of the Vatican as it’s The Church.