Discover with us the majesty of the Vatican’s masterpieces: from the Saint Peter Basilica to the Vatican Museums, in the heart of Rome’s city center.
It is one of the unmissable places to visit during a vacation in Rome. The Vatican, with all its masterpieces kept inside its walls, is a stunning discovery, not only for Christian believers. As the center of Christianity and one of the holiest sites worldwide for over a billion faithful, Vatican City is the smallest state in the world and part of the historical center of Rome.
With Saint Peter’s Basilica, a treasure trove of masterpieces, and the Vatican Museums, one of the richest and most visited museums in the world, discover with us the majesty of the Vatican—an incredible journey through art and religion, in the heart of Rome.
Saint Peter’s Basilica
A monumental masterpiece and one of the symbols of Rome worldwide, Saint Peter’s Basilica is a breathtaking sight, starting from the square with its iconic colonnade designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The colonnade represents an embracing space, where the two arms extend like the maternal arms of the Roman Catholic Church.
Saint Peter’s Basilica is not only the most important church in Rome. It is a place where the echoes of history resonate, an awe-inspiring feat of architecture. Its interior is adorned with immortal masterpieces, including Michelangelo’s celebrated Pietà and the bronze canopy created by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
The dome, which dominates Rome’s skyline, is another perfect Baroque masterpiece by Michelangelo and one of the highlights of any visit. It can be climbed to admire a stunning view of the whole city center of Rome.
Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
Vatican City also hosts one of the most important museums in the world: the Vatican Museums, home to one of the richest collections, with over 300,000 artworks ranging from ancient classical pieces to contemporary art. In its galleries, visitors can admire works by legendary artists such as Giotto, Fra Angelico, Perugino, Pinturicchio, Titian, Caravaggio, Guercino, and modern masters like Boccioni, Balla, De Chirico, and Guttuso.
The vast collection also includes the Raphael Rooms, with the iconic The School of Athens, and Michelangelo’s breathtaking Sistine Chapel ceiling, featuring The Last Judgment—two of the most stunning masterpieces in the world. These are an unmissable stop and a well-deserved visit during any vacation in Rome.
Since at Vatican museums every day there is always a long queue at the entrance, the best way to skip the line it is booking a tour with a reserved entrance ticket to be sure to avoid long waits.
Vatican Grottoes and Vatican Gardens
With a visit to Vatican City, it is also possible to admire one of the most fascinating and interesting places in Rome, not only for Christian believers but also for archaeology lovers: the Vatican Grottoes. The place where most of the popes are buried and—according to archaeologists —at the lowest level of these grottoes lies the tomb and the bones of Saint Peter.
Most of the perimeter of Vatican City is covered by the Gardens, a botanical open-air museum that can be visited during a tour of the Museums. With flowers, creepers, shrubs, and plants from all over the world, decorated with statues, fountains, and temples, the Vatican Gardens are divided into three main sections: the Italian, the English, and the vegetable gardens.
Visiting the Vatican with the Clavigero
The incredible artistic and archaeological masterpieces kept inside the walls of Vatican City can be explored with the Clavigero, the key holder of the Vatican Museums.
In the past, the Clavigero was the official guardian of the museums and Saint Peter’s Basilica, the person in charge of opening and closing the doors and rooms within the Museums, including the Sistine Chapel, the place where the Conclave, the official meeting for the election of a new pope, is held.
Visiting the exhibition rooms with all their incredible artworks, with a special tour guide like the Clavigero, is a wonderful experience to discover one of the most important museums in the world, a visit to do at least once in a lifetime during a vacation in Rome.