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Vatican City Travel Guide:

Best Places to Visit in the Vatican

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Map of areas of the Vatican open to tourists

Map of areas of the Vatican open to tourists

 

 

 
Overview    Top of Page  
  The Vatican City is compact and the areas open to the public are relatively limited.   A thorough tour of the Vatican Museums will take at least half a day.  If you do not have enough time for a complete tour of the Vatican, come back again, as it  should not be missed by any world traveler.

The best place for current information about visiting the Vatican is at the Holy See's Website www.vatican.va .

If you are interested in attending a general Papal audience, they are held in St. Peter's Square, the Paul VI Hall (Aula Nervi), or in Saint Peter's Basilica.  During the summer, general audiences may be held  Castel Gondolfo, the pope's summer residence (approximately thirty miles outside of Rome).

  • Tickets are free of charge and available from
    • Prefettura della Casa Pontificia (the Pontiff's Household)
      Palazzo Apostolico
      00120 Vatican City State
  • Tickets can also be requested through the Church of Santa Susanna (the American Catholic Church in Rome) at www.santasusanna.org/popeVatican/tickets.html  or by contacting the U.S. Bishops’ Office for Visitors to the Vatican (at their office located at the Casa Santa Maria on Via dell’Umiltá, 30, 00187 Rome, Italy, one block from the Trevi Fountain. The Bishops’ office can also be contacted via email at nacvisoffrome@pnac.org or fax at (39) 06690011.)
  • If you do not have a ticket for an audience, you can attend the Sunday Angelus, held at noon in Saint Peter's Square, which is hosted by the Pope, unless he is at Castel Gondolfo or traveling.

St. Peter's Basilica and St. Peter's Square

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top Destinations  Top of Page
 
If you plan to  visit the Vatican, read about its history and other fascinating information in our section Travel Facts on the Vatican City

 

Vatican

 

    St. Peter's Basilica is a stunning building.

 

  • St. Peter's Basilica Click for a photograph of St. Peter's Basilica prepared for an outdoor ceremony Click for a close up of the front of St. Peter's Basilica Click for a detailed photograph of the interior of the dome of Saint Peter's Basilica

    • St. Peter's is the largest Catholic church in the world.  Its design and architecture are stunning and its interior is rich and impressive.

    • If you are a follower of Catholic Church history, you might be interested in seeing the excavations beneath the Basilica. These tours require advanced reservations.

     

  • St. Peter's Square Click for a view of Saint Peter's Square Click for a picture of the Vatican's Swiss Guards Click for a beautiful view of St. Peter's Square from above

    • You have seen it on the evening news but it will become grander when you can explore it on your own.  Designed by Bernini and completed in the  17th century, the square is dramatic and impressive.  However, it is just the start of an unforgettable day.

 

 

  • The Vatican Museums Click for a photograph of Momo's Spirar Staircase in the Vatican Museum

    • The Vatican Museums include significant art collections and interesting cultural museums.  Several tours are offered and all include a visit to the Sistine Chapel.  Be sure to visit the Vatican Museums web site  before your visit in order to prioritize what you want to see during your time in the Vatican.

  • The Sistine Chapel

    • Various portions of the Chapel's frescos were created by  Michelangelo, Botticelli, Perugino, and others: the Sistine Chapel is extraordinary.

     

  • Raphael's Rooms

    • Created by Raphael and his school of artists, the images in these four rooms are remarkable.

     

  • Pinacoteca (the Vatican Art Gallery)

    • Giotto, Melozzo, Rafaello, and Leonardo da Vinci are just a few of the artists' paintings and sculptures you will recognize.

     

  • Gregorian Egyptian Museum

  • Gregorian Etruscan Museum

  • Ethnological Missionary Museum

  • The Vatican Gardens

    • The Vatican Gardens are extensive, given the size of the Vatican.  Fountains abound and the combination of statues, fountains and gardens present a beautiful scene.

    • A guided tour of the gardens is offered every day at 10 am, except Wednesdays and Sundays.  Tickets must be reserved in advance by fax at (39) 06698-85100. Bookings are valid only if you receive a fax confirmation. 

      • You must bring the confirmation with you to the Guided Tours desk on the day of the tour, when tickets can be purchased. A  passport or an identification card is required for entry; a driver’s license is not accepted as proper identification. The gardens are not guaranteed to be open every day and the Vatican reserves the right to cancel reservations without previous warning.

      • For more information on visiting, see this site.

       

    If you are interested, more information about Vatican City can be found by clicking the links below.

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The dome of St. Peter's Cathedral, the Vatican

 

Interior of Saint Peter's Basilica looking towards Bernini's Baldacchino

 

The Baldacchino by Bernini serves as a canopy for the altar in St. Peter's

Beautiful art will surround you during your tour of the Vatican

 

 

 

 

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