Vatican City<

Traveling to Italy, more precisely to Rome, almost always implies a visit to the Vatican. Visiting the smallest country in the world is quite peculiar and curious, not only for the beauty of its attractions, but also for the historical, tourist, religious and cultural context. The idea of ??going to another country, within the city of Rome is, at least, interesting. Huge and well-guarded walls define the division between the countries. It has no bureaucracy to enter the country, because it has no immigration or any of that, except security issues. The only time you can go through a security search is to enter the Basilica.

 

(The city-state walls)

It is possible to book, on the internet, almost all tours (guided or not). And I definitely recommend it. The best thing to do is to define what you want to visit, the day you want to go and the time schedule of each visit beforehand. One day is enough to visit the main areas of the Vatican. Less than that is not enough. After all, if you want to calmly enjoy the collection, you'll spend extra time.

 

(Inside the Vatican)

We went there during Easter and we expected it to be overcrowded. I must confess I did not find anything above normal. It is full, but nothing that compares to Disney parks around Christmas and New Year's time.

 

(Clean and immaculate grounds)

When we got to St Peter's Square, we were frightened. There were many people standing there who were not there enjoying the view, but rather, they were standing in a huge queue to enter the Basilica. We almost gave up at the sight of such crowd, but as we were admiring the square and taking pictures, we saw that the line was moving relatively fast. Then I decided to face the queue. In addition, it was pretty fast. Worth it! It is beautiful!

 
 

(A worthwhile wait)

St. Peter's Basilica, the largest temple of Christendom, was built in 324 by Emperor Constantine. It is the largest Catholic church in the world, occupying an area of 23,000 square meters, and it can receive up to 60,000 devotees inside. No Catholic church can be bigger than it. It is also a place to walk and take pictures. On papal mass day, the square is crowded with people from all over the world, waiting for the Pope's departure to deliver the traditional Sunday message. Usually he appears at a central window of the Basilica. Unless you insist on seeing the pontiff, I advise you not to visit the Vatican on the days when he appears. The crowd will not allow you to appreciate the details of the area. That's it! I went to the Vatican and did not see the Pope, but I was able to appreciate everything very calmly. It is a matter of priorities. Entrance to St. Peter's Basilica is free and you can still visit the tombs of former Popes, including that of Pope John Paul II.

  

(Inside St. Peter's Basilica)

It is possible to visit the necropolis, which is located underground, more precisely under the Basilica of St. Peter. They say the visit is incredible and exciting. You will find the most famous tomb there: St. Peter's. We made reservations, but due to our planning, there were schedule incompatibility and we had to cancel.
With about 2 to 3 months in advance, you can already buy your ticket with date and time arranged on the website of the Vatican Museums. It is an excellent option, because it will prevent you from being stuck in the gigantic queue that usually forms at the entrance. The visit offers Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan art, galleries dedicated to tapestry, maps, ceramics, among other treasures that can be contemplated closely. The name is in the plural, because it refers to a group of small museums gathered and installed in the old rooms of the palaces that belonged to former Popes. They are all interconnected. At the exit of the Egyptian Museum, you will arrive at Pinecone Courtyard. In this courtyard there is a small restaurant, for those who want to recharge the batteries.

  
  

(Art in every detail)

The admission ticket to the Vatican Museums is not cheap, but it includes a visit to the Sistine Chapel, which is the most famous and majestic chapel of the Vatican and one of the most sought-after and unforgettable tours. The fascination it has on tourists is impressive. Undoubtedly, one of the reasons for such fascination is the ceiling with the Michelangelo's Creation of Adam fresco. In fact, one of the most beautiful and famous paintings in the world. Much is said about this painting, and the most interesting thing is that they speculate that when Michelangelo was called to paint the ceiling of the chapel, he felt annoyed to do that work, because he considered himself a sculptor and not a painter. We did not take pictures inside of the chapel, because it is forbidden. Some tourists disrespect that, but we chose to follow the rules.

  

(On the way to Michelangelo's masterpiece)

Recently, a cemetery was discovered beneath the Vatican City. The discovery of this necropolis of the time of the Roman Empire was made during the excavations for the construction of an underground car park. You will find some of the richest and most influential inhabitants of the distant Roman era buried there. The path to the necropolis is already beautiful, with a stunning view of Rome. Inside the necropolis, you can perfectly see the interior of houses, urns, funeral homes, skeletons and the archaeologists who still work there. There are many skeletons of children and funerary urns properly stored. On this tour, you will receive headphones to follow the tour guide listening to information in one of the available languages: Italian, Spanish or English.

 
 
 
 

(Necropolis)