10 Best Things to Do at the Vatican

You can spend at least a whole day in the Vatican and still not see all the art it contains. In addition to the spectacular square that welcomes you with its immaculate white colonnade, you can visit the Vatican Museums to admire the Sistine Chapel or enter St. Peter's Basilica.

Don't be overwhelmed by the number of things to see and do in the Vatican. I've put together a list of the essentials you can't miss:

The Sistine Chapel contains one of the most popular works of art in the world, without a doubt. It is located inside the Vatican Museums and to access it you will need to purchase tickets for the Vatican. Despite the size of the Vatican Museums, you will see that practically all visitors stop in front of the Sistine Chapel.

In principle, you will not be able to take photos (or at least, not with flash), but don't worry. Enjoy the views of such a unique work of art and forget about your mobile phone and camera for a while. It's worth it.

You should know that not only Michelangelo participated in the frescoes that cover the walls and ceiling, but also artists such as Botticelli, Guirlandaio, Signorelli and Perugino. While the 12 side paintings depict episodes from the lives of Jesus and Moses, the fresco on the high altar is Michelangelo's masterpiece, 'The Last Judgement', and the ceiling combines passages from the Old and New Testaments.

The best time to visit the Vatican Museums

If you want to escape the crowds, it will be difficult in the Vatican Museums due to their high visitor numbers. However, there are always tricks to seeing the museums without so many people: book a visit to the Vatican Museums first thing in the morning or book a guided night tour to see the Sistine Chapel and the rest of the Vatican Museums.

The Vatican is famous for being the place where St. Peter, the first Pope, was buried, but it is also the smallest state in the world with a population of around 1,000.  The area, dominated by the majestic dome of St. Peter's, attracts pilgrims from all over the Christian world every day.

Leaving history and religion aside, this dome is one of the highest points in the city of Rome and the view from the top (that square with two semicircles bordered by columns that you have seen in hundreds of aerial photographs) is well worth the effort of climbing up. Tickets to climb the dome can be purchased online and also include a guided tour of the Basilica and the papal tombs.

Keep in mind, however, that the climb is not easy and is not suitable for everyone, so if you are thinking of climbing to the top of Vatican City, you may want to check out my article on how to climb St. Peter's Dome first.

As soon as you discover the sculpture of the Pietà upon entering St. Peter's Basilica and admire its imposing size in white marble, you will understand why this sculpture, dating from before 1500, went down in history as one of Michelangelo's most special works.

The figure represents the Virgin Mary mourning over the body of her son Jesus after his death on the cross. The realism of their faces, their proportions, and the movement and tension that this work accumulates make it unique in the world.

Almost two metres high, it leaves everyone who enters St. Peter's Basilica speechless, and no wonder. This is the most outstanding work you will see inside the Basilica.

Before climbing the dome, take a moment to contemplate St. Peter's Square from below (this is the square where the Pope's famous masses are held). In the summer months, the obelisk in the centre provides the only shade available in a square that is 320 metres long and 240 metres wide. It is very difficult not to feel comfortingly insignificant in the face of such vast dimensions.

These gigantic canopy columns presiding over the altar of St. Peter's Basilica will catch your attention as soon as you walk through the entrance doors. The Baroque style, brought to its highest expression by Bernini, makes this piece the undisputed centre of attention inside the Basilica. You will have to stand quite far back to fit it completely in your camera, as it is almost 30 metres high.

The real jewel in the crown of Vatican City is the Vatican Museums adjacent to the square. Inside, of course, is the world-famous Sistine Chapel, but this is not the only attraction in a museum that houses art from the 15th to the 19th centuries, including Egyptian, Assyrian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Italic, Christian, medieval and modern religious art.

The Vatican Museums are divided into several areas or museums, and although you can spend as many hours as you like inside, if you don't want to return from your trip to Rome with a nagging feeling of regret, in my opinion you shouldn't miss the world-famous Sistine Chapel, the sculptures in the Pio Clementino Museum and Raphael's rooms. You can explore them on your own or take a guided tour of the Vatican Museums.

The sculptures of the Pio Clementino Museum

Dedicated to classical sculpture, this museum contains works such as the statue of 'Laocoon and his sons' (one of my favourites because of its expressiveness) and the Apollo Belvedere, which embodies the ideals of classical beauty.

The paintings in the Pinacoteca

Your art history teachers would never allow you to skip a collection of 460 paintings that includes masterpieces by the greatest Italian artists such as Da Vinci, Titian, Caravaggio, and Raphael.

The Gregorian Egyptian Museum

Although these works are not as well known to most people, I recommend that you take a look at the Egyptian art collection, one of the treasures of the Vatican Museums.

Raphael's Rooms

This is perhaps the area that arouses the most excitement after the Sistine Chapel. Pope Julius II commissioned Raphael to decorate these four rooms, and for 16 years he and his pupils devoted themselves to the task with such mastery that these paintings ended up bringing the painter's fame to the same level as Michelangelo's. It is a real treat for the eyes to linger over the details of these paintings.

The spiral staircase

You'll find it at the entrance; stop and take a look at it from above and don't let this architectural toy go unnoticed among the works of art.

The candelabra gallery

If, like me, you enjoy admiring the museum rooms themselves as well as the works they contain, I recommend you seek out this gallery because, in addition to being one of the most original, it offers a beautiful view of the Vatican Gardens.

Of course, as a traveller, you must decide what interests you most. If you are passionate about cartography, the Gallery of Maps will be a must-see for you, and if you can recite the Roman emperors from memory, you will enjoy seeing the Hall of Busts. The catalogue of the Vatican Museums is immense.

If you are wondering how to visit the Vatican Gardens, I can tell you that you can only do so with the help of the museum staff: either on a guided tour or on board a bus with an audio guide.

Personal opinion: it is not a must-see if you are thinking of paying for museum tickets just to see the museum, but since you are there, when you visit the museum, be sure to take a tour of the gardens.

Since you're there, you might want to explore the area around the Vatican to get a more complete view of Rome. In and around the Vatican, you'll inevitably find hundreds of souvenir shops selling everything from postcards to tennis rackets bearing the Pope's image. But if you feel like taking a stroll beyond the walls surrounding Vatican City, you'll discover Prati, a residential neighbourhood away from the crowds where you can see Romans walking, shopping or enjoying an aperitif.

Via della Conciliazione is also worth a visit: its width and majesty leads to St. Peter's Square and connects it to Castel Sant'Angelo, which is also worth a visit.

And if you want to explore the streets of Rome in a different way, I recommend taking the Angels and Demons tour of the Vatican, based on the famous novel by Dan Brown. Save the cardinals from the Illuminati while discovering the city's most emblematic sites. Fun is guaranteed!

As you know, the Pope, the highest representative of the Catholic Church in the world (and head of the Vatican State), lives in Vatican City itself. And although having a private audience with the Pope requires a lot of paperwork, good contacts and a very good reason to meet with him, it is possible to attend a live mass or the weekly blessing he gives every Sunday from his window.

Expect crowds, as religious groups and pilgrims always gather there to attend these events, but if you want to round off your visit to the Vatican with a meeting with the Pontiff, here's everything you need to know to see the Pope in the Vatican.

This may surprise you, but yes, in a place with so many tourists, you can eat very well without breaking the bank. But you'll have to know where to look, because the area is full of tourist traps. That's why I've made a list of places to eat near the Vatican and included menus for all tastes and times of day. Bon appétit!