This was my 3rd visit to Vatican City and easily the best. Easily.
The first time, I had no idea that you should reserve things online in advance. When I showed up and they told me the wait time to get in was 3-4 hours, I bailed. The 2nd time, I reserved an audio guide for the Sistine Chapel but didn’t realize the St. Peter’s Basilica was separate and not included. This time, we got a tour with a guide and did the Sistine Chapel, museums, St. Peter’s, and had the most incredible guide.
He’s originally from the US but is a professor in Rome now. He speaks Italian & Latin, he’s a professor of church history and Roman history, and he does this tour guide thing just for fun on school breaks. Amazing.
Here are some pictures from inside the Vatican.
The most famous area in the Sistine Chapel has a “no pictures” rule that is strictly enforced.
Exiting the back and going over to St. Peter’s.
Inside St. Peter’s.
St. Peter’s Square outside.
The tour was incredible. The art collection is amazing. I’m always conflicted on these types of tours, though. 1. I’m giving money to a church, which helps them continue doing things like discriminating against gays and prolonging the AIDS epidemic. 2. The Vatican was built on tons of suffering in the Middle Ages, extracting taxes and payments from people who couldn’t even afford to eat.
This entry was posted in Europe, Vatican City
