Tourists visiting the capital of Italy should definitely visit the Vatican. In this enclave state, you can see many interesting sights. And of course, many travelers would like to know if it is possible to get to the Vatican on their own and how to do it correctly.
Where is it
At the moment, the Vatican is the smallest officially recognized state in the world. It is located in the northwest of Rome, practically on the banks of the Tiber. On all sides, this city-state is surrounded by the territory of Italy. To get to this most revered place by Catholics around the world, you need to climb the Vatican Hill.
The border of this city almost completely coincides with the ancient defensive wall. Only in one place - in front of the Cathedral of St. Petra - it is indicated by a row of white stones.
How to get to the Vatican: route
The easiest way to get to the Vatican for tourists who come to Rome is by metro. You need to sit on the train following the red line. The closest stations to the Vatican areOttaviano-San Pietro and Cihro. Those tourists who wondered how to get to the Vatican in the Cathedral of St. Petra and go to the enclave through it, you need to get off at the first station. If you want to first see the Vatican Museum from the metro to the surface, you should climb Cihro.
How to choose the time?
So we figured out how to get to the Vatican in Rome. The easiest way is by public transport. But in order to be able to comfortably see the sights of this city, you should also choose the right time to visit it.
Despite the fact that the Vatican is officially a separate state, tourists who come to Rome do not need to receive any additional documents for the right to stay on its territory. You can go to see the sights of this place, in principle, at any convenient time. But experienced tourists are still advised to go to the Vatican in the morning. During the day, just huge crowds of people walk here, and long queues form near the entrance to museums and cathedrals.
The busiest day of the week in the Vatican is Wednesday. At this time here on the square. St. Peter favors the pope. Going to the Vatican on Wednesday is only for those tourists who want to see, among other things, the head of the Catholic Church. The freest days in this state are Tuesday and Sunday. On the seventh day of the week, however, most of the Vatican Museums are closed.
Before you go to this mini-state, among other things, it is worth visiting its official website. SometimesThe Vatican is completely closed to tourists. This is usually connected with the arrival of high-ranking guests or with some internal church events.
Of course, tourists go to the Vatican primarily to see the local museums. Most of these establishments are open 6 days a week from 9 am to 6 pm. At the same time, tickets at the box office for visiting expositions can only be purchased until 16:00.
You can get into the Vatican Museums not only during the day, but also at night. In this mode, they work on Fridays from May 6 to July 29 and from September 2 to November 28.
Do I need to pay?
Freely in the Vatican, tourists have the opportunity to see only the Cathedral of St. Peter, as well as the square in front of it. When visiting the temple, you need to buy a ticket only if you want to climb the dome.
Entrance to all museums operating on the territory of the Vatican is paid. If desired, the exposition can be viewed using an audio guide. This service in the museums of the state is provided to tourists, including in Russian. Of course, you will have to pay for the audio guide separately.
Unfortunately, queues at the box office of the Vatican Museums almost always form. In order not to waste time, it is worth booking tickets for visiting the expositions in advance. Entrance to the territory of this state is free only through the building of the Cathedral of St. Petra.
An excellent answer to the question of how to get into the Vatican without a queue is to visit its official website for the purpose of booking. As payment for museums in this state is acceptedEuro. The Vatican's own currency is issued in very limited quantities and is of interest only to collectors.
It's worth visiting the Vatican Museums relatively inexpensively. For viewing most of the expositions, you will have to pay no more than 1000-1200 rubles. (€15-17).
What is worth knowing?
In principle, the answers to questions about how to get to the Vatican and what time to choose to visit it are not difficult. But a tourist who wants to see this attraction, among other things, should be well prepared for the trip.
Security in the Vatican, for example, is taken seriously. Therefore, on a trip to this most interesting historical place, you should not take it with you:
- backpacks;
- big bags;
- long tripods and cane umbrellas.
Such things will have to be left in the luggage room before entering the Vatican.
Clothes for visiting this state should also be chosen correctly. In the Cathedral of St. Petra, among other things, there is a religious dress code. You cannot enter this temple with bare shoulders and knees.
Useful tips for tourists
The answer to the question of how to get to the Vatican on your own without a queue is a recommendation to visit the official website of this state. But tourists who want to see the sights of this mini-country should also know how to behave on its territory.
Travelers will have to move around the Vatican in a special way. When entering the city, you will need to look at where the crowd is moving and think about the order of visiting museums. People in the Vatican move in a chain in a circle in one direction. It may not work to return after going through some museum.
Climb the dome of St. Petra in hot weather, and especially for people with heart problems, experienced tourists do not advise. A very large number of people usually gather at the observation deck in the Vatican. And many visitors here in stuffiness and the crowd often feel bad. Before visiting the dome, be sure to also buy yourself a bottle of cool mineral water.
What to see?
The answer to the question of how to get to the Vatican on your own is thus extremely simple. But what can be seen in this historically significant place? One of the most famous sights of the mini-state is, of course, the Cathedral of St. Peter. This majestic building dates back to 326 and is currently the largest Catholic historical church. Over the centuries, this building has been rebuilt several times. The height of the facades of the modern Cathedral of St. Petra is 48 m. Inside the temple impresses with the huge size of the halls and rich decoration.
At the entrance to the cathedral, the guard may offer tourists to remove the camera. However, most visitors to this temple take both video and photography without any problems. Special prohibitions on such actions in the cathedral, as inmany other Catholic churches, no.
There are many museums in the Vatican. Their expositions are so extensive and varied that it is most likely that a tourist will not be able to see them all even for a whole day. The question of how to get to the Vatican Museums will most likely not arise among travelers who have arrived on its territory. As already mentioned, each of these institutions has a cash desk.
In the palace complex of the Vatican, travelers, among other things, have the opportunity to see the famous stanzas of Raphael. The rooms themselves with paintings by the great artist already existed in the 15th century. The stanzas appeared on their walls in the 16th century.
In addition to museums and the Cathedral of St. Peter, tourists who have arrived in the smallest state in the world should definitely see the Vatican grottoes. Popes and crowned persons of different years are buried here. In the same place is the burial place of St. Petra.
Should I buy a tour?
People who wondered how to get to the Vatican and decided to see the sights of this mini-state on their own, the trip may ultimately seem very exciting and educational. A trip around this city will be especially interesting if you have an audio guide. Experienced tourists in this city do not advise buying ordinary excursions. It will cost more than an audio guide, and the traveler will receive almost the same amount of information.
Where can't you go on your own?
You will need to buy an excursion in this stateonly to visit the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Gardens. Individual inspection of these attractions in the city is not provided. An excursion to the Vatican Gardens costs about 2,500 rubles.
Tourists are allowed into the Sistine Chapel in strictly organized groups. There are always a lot of people who want to see this attraction. Therefore, tours in the chapel do not last long in most cases. Unfortunately, it is forbidden to take photos and videos here.
