VA
St Peter’s & the Vatican
The world’s smallest state, its greatest art
The world’s smallest state, its greatest art
The largest church in the world and a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture, built over the tomb of St Peter — home to Michelangelo’s Pietà and Bernini’s soaring bronze baldachin.
💡 Entry is free, but dress modestly (covered shoulders and knees) or you’ll be turned away.
Bernini’s breathtaking oval piazza, embraced by a double colonnade of 284 columns topped with saints, centred on an ancient Egyptian obelisk and two fountains.
💡 Come early morning for space and the best light on the colonnade.
Climb (or take the lift partway, then the stairs) to the top of the great dome for a close look at its mosaics and a sweeping panorama over the square and Rome.
💡 The climb is worth it — but there are many steps at the top.
Kilometres of galleries holding one of the world’s greatest art collections — classical sculpture, the Raphael Rooms, the Gallery of Maps and the famous spiral staircase.
💡 Book timed tickets online well ahead to skip the enormous queues.
The climax of any Vatican visit — Michelangelo’s overwhelming ceiling frescoes and The Last Judgment, where the conclave elects each new Pope.
💡 Silence and no photos are required — look up and take your time.
There is very little dining inside Vatican City itself — a couple of cafeterias within the Vatican Museums — so almost everyone eats in the surrounding Roman neighbourhoods. Just outside the walls, the Borgo and Prati districts are full of trattorias, pizzerias, cafes and gelato shops. Be wary of the tourist-trap restaurants right on the main approach roads; walk a few streets into Prati for better-value, more authentic Roman cooking — classic pasta like cacio e pepe, carbonara and amatriciana, thin Roman pizza, supplì (fried rice balls) and superb espresso. The nearby Mercato Trionfale is a great food market. Round off with a proper Italian gelato or a coffee at a local bar before or after your visit.
Vatican City sits within Rome, and you reach it as part of the city. The nearest metro stops are Ottaviano and Cipro (Line A), each a short walk from the Museums entrance or St Peter’s Square; numerous buses and trams also serve the area. There are no border controls — you simply walk in. Within the Vatican, everything is explored on foot, and it is compact, though the Museums involve a lot of walking. Note that St Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums have separate entrances on opposite sides of the state. Security checks and a strict dress code apply. Driving and parking in the area are difficult, so arrive by metro, on foot or by taxi.
Enter the Vatican Museums at opening, working through to the Sistine Chapel.
St Peter’s Basilica, the Pietà, and the climb up Michelangelo’s dome.
Linger in St Peter’s Square, then lunch and gelato in nearby Prati.
Reserve timed Vatican Museums tickets online to skip queues that can last hours.
Shoulders and knees must be covered for the basilica and chapel — no exceptions.
First entry or late afternoon avoids the worst crowds and midday heat.
Photography and talking are banned in the Sistine Chapel — just absorb it.
Quick answers to the questions travellers most often ask before visiting the Vatican.
Yes — it is the smallest independent sovereign state in the world, an enclave within Rome of about 44 hectares. It is the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church, ruled by the Pope, with its own institutions, and it sits inside but is separate from Italy.
St Peter’s Basilica and St Peter’s Square are free to enter (though the dome climb has a fee). The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel require a paid ticket, which you should book online in advance to avoid very long queues.
Allow at least half a day, and ideally a full day, to see St Peter’s Basilica, climb the dome, and tour the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel without rushing. The Museums alone can easily take two to three hours or more.
Modest dress is strictly enforced in St Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel — shoulders and knees must be covered for both men and women. Avoid shorts, short skirts, and sleeveless or low-cut tops, or you may be refused entry.