Location: Vatican City
Top Things to do in Vatican City
Top Restaurants in Vatican City
What to do and see in Vatican City, Lazio: The Best Sacred & Religious Sites
Sure, Vatican City is tiny—110 acres—but it houses the world's largest Catholic church (St. Peter's Basilica) and has perhaps the best collection of artistic masterpieces in the world (the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo's Pieta, the Laocoon Group, etc.). And maybe only 800 people live here, but one of them's the Pope. It's a pretty good argument for quality over quantity.
Restaurants in Vatican City
1. Cupola di San Pietro
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3,323 reviews
Reviewed By Jwallace_83 - San Mateo, United States
The views from above are wild!! You can see the entire Vatican City, and Rome on a clear day. Worth the steps and spiral staircase. Wasn’t sure where it was going at first but it was well worth it!!
2. Cappella Redemptoris Mater
3. Vatican Grottoes
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 446 reviews
Beneath the main floor of St. Peter's Basilica are the tombs of several popes and saints.
Reviewed By asiyahnoemik - Pula, Croatia
Visit to St. Peter's Basilica is a special experience. And visiting the Vatican grottoes is also extremely interesting. Extending beneath St Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Grottoes contain the tombs and sarcophagi of numerous popes, as well as several huge columns from the original 4th-century basilica. In addition the grottoes also include some tombs of secular monarchs such as the tomb of Queen Charlotte of Cyprus, the tomb of the Stuarts, and the tomb of Queen Christina of Sweden. The entrance is in the Pier of St Andrew near the high altar. The place is full of fascinating tombs and sarcophagus, tunnels, chambers and Italian art. We loved seeing this part, because it is a very peaceful and serene walk past the remains of the popes who presided over the catholic church. Very interesting visit.
4. Vatican Necropolis
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 858 reviews
When Pius XII ordered a thorough excavation of the area under the High Altar in St. Peter's Basilica, twisting stone passages were found leading to an ancient Roman necropolis, which contained chambers 10- to 15-feet wide with preserved frescoes and mosaics.
Reviewed By MandySSS - Minneapolis, United States
A truly one of a kid tour. The Necropolis was where Christians buried their own before Roman rulers converted and actually persecuted the Christians. Apostle Peters bones are here where they guide claims thee is a 95 % chance they are his. Truly a amazing site whether you are a Christian or not!! No pictures allowed and a sacred place so dress appropriately and bring a small flashlight if possible. Also must make reservations through the Scavi Office of the Vatican.
5. Vatican City
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 7,152 reviews
The world's smallest state, center of Catholicism, and home to the Pope.
Reviewed By NordicBlonde
As a party of 8 we had a guided tour of the Vatican which we had organised through our hotel concierge. Our guide, Gianluca Pica, was excellent. He was very knowledgeable and really seemed to enjoy sharing it all with us. He patiently answered all our questions and made the history of the Vatican come alive. The tour cost €60/hour with a minimum of 3 hours which was split between the whole group. We also paid extra for Fast Track tickets to beat the queues as they were quite long even though we were told it was fairly quiet as it was February. I would suggest to buy fast track even if you don’t want to use a tour guide as the queue for entering the Basilica without going through the museums went round the whole outer perimeter of St Peter’s Square! We toured the main parts of the Vatican museums, the Sistine Chapel and the Basilica and I would recommend Gianluca and Eyes of Rome to anyone who wants a really fun, interesting, informative and fascinating tour of any of Rome’s ancient or historical sites.
6. Tomb of Urban VIII
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 203 reviews
Reviewed By 577SusanH - Tacoma, United States
This sculpture, like so many in Vatican City and throughout Rome, is amazing. The attention to detail is unbelievable when you think about it being carved from marble. Definitely another priceless work of art and an amazing representation of Christianity. So much symbolism . . . .
7. Baldacchino di San Pietro, di Bernini
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,060 reviews
Reviewed By Margo7850p
Canopy in the interior of the Basilica of Saint. Peter, also known as Italian baldacchino, measuring about 28.5 m high, was designed and made to commemorate the burial place of the first successor of Christ, and this is probably the largest artistic bronze casting preserved to this day. The outstanding sculptor and architect of the developed Baroque in Rome, Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini worked on this work in the years 1624-1633, and this was the first public order that the artist received immediately after the election of Maffeo Barberini as Pope Urban VIII. Baldacchino was consecrated by the same pope on June 28, 1633. Each of the four spiral columns supporting the canopy consists of three parts. At the top are four statues of angels, and at the top of the lid is a gilded cross on the globe.You can also notice bees on the canopy, they come from the coat of arms of the Pope's Urban VIII family. In its final form, it is a combination of the artist's creativity and ingenuity, and becomes a great symbol of Baroque art.
8. Monastero Mater Ecclesiae
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 3 reviews
9. Sistine Chapel
Probably the most famous chapel in the world because of its incredible artwork, notably "The Last Judgment," Michelangelo's stunning fresco covering 10,000 square feet of the ceiling and wall.
Reviewed By AllanJGJ - Wellington, New Zealand
Most people who've visited the Sistine Chapel will insist you must see it when you go to Rome, and then regale you with tales of massive queues to get in, too many people in the Chapel once you do get in, being pushed through too quickly, the cost of tours, no photography allowed, plus many other moans. All these things are true. If you love Renaissance art then nothing is going to put you off but for many others with only a few days in Rome they should think long and hard about the time and aggravation involved in visiting this attraction just to get 'a tick in the box'. There are so many other superb things to do in Rome that maybe the Sistine Chapel's cost-benefit analysis doesn't stack up for you. For me as a love of Renaissance art and having read a lot about Michelangelo and about the process of the creation of this amazing series of artworks and of the politics involved I was surprisingly unaffected by seeing it in the flesh so to speak. Perhaps buying a book with large full colour prints and explanations of the works might be more satisfying for many. At the end of the day the size of the Chapel added to the number of people inside means you don't really get close to any of the works and the limited light doesn't help - the paintings and the room as a whole didn't zing as I had expected and I was disappointed that I was disappointed, if that makes any sense. So don't think on your first trip to Rome that this is a must do. I did it on my fifth trip because being here for a fortnight I could afford the time, and put up with the aggravation, but the truth of the matter is that while most people would of course give the art an 'excellent' rating they would probably give the experience an 'average'.
10. Vatican Museums
With more than five miles of corridors, this vast complex of museums chronicles the history and accomplishments of mankind over the last 2000 years, featuring classic masterpieces such as Rodin's "Thinker" and the Sistine Chapel.
Reviewed By SAC572016 - Reading, United Kingdom
A lover of renaissance art totally bowled over by Raphael and Michelangelo There are also so many amazing ceilings and works of art to view / the map room just one example It is a case of walking in a procession through each room but well worth it
