Get more time to immerse yourself in the Vatican's awe-inspiring art with no-wait access to the museums and basilicas. Your expert guide will bring…
See priceless works of art from the Papal collections in the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel. Go on a stirring journey through centuries of art,…
See priceless works of art from the papal collections with your skip-the-line ticket to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel. Receive a 15%…
See some of the lesser-known but culturally significant sites of the Vatican on an informative walking tour that gives you insight into the city's…
Benefit from immediate entry to St. Peter’s Basilica and enjoy the freedom to explore at your own pace. Using your own mobile phone or tablet, marvel…
Discover one of the most beautiful sites in the world on this fantastic 3-hour tour of the Vatican with skip-the-line access. Explore the Vatican…
See all the most important sights of the Vatican City with a guide in your chosen language. Skip the long lines to the Vatican Museums, Sistine…
Skip the lines and discover one of the world's top art collections at the Vatican Museums. Marvel at Michelangelo's frescoes in the Sistine Chapel.
Optimize your time with the Vatican at your Pace! Visit the Vatican Museums with this exclusive skip-the-line access! Explore the Renaissance…
Rome
See all 1326 tickets & toursSign up for a weekly dose of travel inspiration
Vatican City – everyone’s heard about it, but what is it exactly? Is it a part of Rome, is it independent, are only priests allowed in? There are a lot of mysteries and misconceptions surrounding Vatican City, so here are 5 fascinating facts.
With a tiny population of 842 and an area of 110 acres (roughly an eighth of New York’s Central Park), Vatican City is the world's smallest independent nation-state.
As a completely non-commercial economy, all of Vatican City’s money comes from donations, museum admission fees and the sale of postage stamps, books and tourist souvenirs.
Featuring the world-famous Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City is a highly popular tourist destination, attracting over 4 million visitors yearly.
In 1277, a secret passageway was built between the Vatican City and the nearby fortified castle Castel Sant’Angelo, providing an escape route for the pope if the city was attacked.
The colorfully dressed men standing in front of the city’s entrances are the famous Swiss Guards. Former mercenaries, they are now the permanent de facto army of Vatican City.
Although Vatican City is extremely popular with tourists all year around, if you’re looking for a quieter visit, your best bet is during the low season between November and February.
There is so much to see in Vatican City, make sure you’re not pressed for time. Importantly, if you want to see the Sistine Chapel, it’s essential that you enter the Vatican Museums before 3:00 PM so you can reach the chapel before it closes.
Although there is more than enough to take in as an individual visitor, those who want to learn about Vatican City’s rich history would benefit from one of the many excellent tours offered. There are public as well as private tours. Note that latter need to be booked well in advance.
You’re unlikely to run into the pope on your visit to Vatican City. However, every Wednesday the pope holds a public audience on St. Peter’s Square in the summer and in the Audience Hall during winter. The audience starts at 10:30 AM, but most visitors arrive earlier to secure a good seat. Security opens between 8:00 AM and 8:30 AM.
Marcelo was great! Very knowledgeable & passionate, but not overwhelming. Had a wonderful time & learned so much.
Our tour guide Francesca (I hope I spelled that right) was engaging, funny, and I was glad that she kept some grown up information discreet (but in good humor) so that our 11 year old didn't have a clue of what she was hinting in terms of "social services" of women :) Thank you for an informational and well organized tour, from sign up to the tour end. We are very happy with the overall experience of the tour and would like to refer others as well. In terms of tagging along children on tours, it was a tour that could be done on stroller and the activities were short and precise, therefore our four children from 2 to 11 were not bored at any point but I would also like to make a point that we were not rushed at all. I would recommend this tour to people without vehicles and also with small children as you can cover a lot in the morning, but still get to see the wonderful aqueducts and other historical places. If you try to get there yourself, you are sure to get lost/not find parking!
Great experience - the order is easy and email confirmation with a tickets came on time .
Very good guide! Good tour. We got to see it all, and had a great time in the Vatican!
The subject is a priori wonderfull, still with the numerous attendance, the guide could highlight what's most important.
