Must see!
The State of the Vatican City came into existence in 1929. It is situated entirely within the city of Rome, sprawling over a hill west of the River Tiber, and separated from the rest of the city by a wall. Vatican City comprises St. Peter’s Church, St. Peter’s Square, the Vatican and the Vatican Gardens.
What To Do:
Tourists are advised to avail of guided tours from licensed tour operators to skip waiting in the long line and get the most out of their visit.
• See the Pope and hear one of the holy masses. Every Wednesday the Pope holds a general audience at the Vatican.
• Discover the beauty that is St. Peter’s Basilica Aside from going inside, you can take an elevator up to the roof and than make a long climb up 323 steps to the top of the dome for a spectacular view.
• Go to the Vatican Museum The museum is most famous for its spiral staircase, the Raphael Rooms and the exquisitely decorated Sistine Chapel.
• Tour the 60-acre Vatican Gardens The only way to see this is through a guided tour.
Where To Eat:
The Vatican Museums have a reasonable cafeteria style restaurant, a bar, and a pizzeria, all of which are open during museum opening hours, and until about one hour after closing. Restaurants and cafes are found outside the city. Via Borgo Pio, a beautiful street two blocks from the Vatican has more restaurants, bars and pizzerias than any other street in the neighborhood.
Where To Stay:
Unfortunately, there are no hotels or apartments inside the Vatican. But there are a number of monasteries and convents that take paid lodgers. Better ask your tour operator about these. Other than this, your next option is to find accommodation in the surrounding neighborhood of Rome.
• Colors Hostel – Found on the west side of the city, a few blocks north of the Vatican. • B&B Roman Holidays – near Vatican Museum, Via Bu Meliana 12 • Hotel / Hostel Papa Germano – Popular two-star hotel / hostel near the central station
How to get there:
It’s easy to get to the Vatican by taxi, bus or by foot from Rome – the closest neighborhood on the other side of the Tiber being Navona. Take the Metro line A to Cipro for the Museums, or Ottaviano for St. Peter’s, or the tram to Piazza del Risorgimento.
References:
Tripadvisor.com , http://www.worldtravelguide.net/country/299/top_things_to_see_and_do/Europe/Vatican-City.html Realtravel.com Vaticantoursonline.com
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