Vatican City, an enclave surrounded by Rome in Italy, is the smallest sovereign state in the world. With a size of just 0.44 square kilometers, this pilgrimage destination is a unique place that blends art, history and religion. Going around the Vatican felt like visiting one massive museum with a vast collection of masterpieces concentrated in one space.

The Vatican serves as the official residence and seat of the Pope, the head of the Catholic Church. It also houses some of the world’s most valuable and renowned religious artwork.

While not all are displayed in the galleries, there are over 70,000 artworks within Vatican City’s walls, including masterpieces by Michelangelo, Raphael, and other great artists.

With Pope Francis’ recent passing and funeral rites being held at St. Peter’s Square, I can’t help but reminisce about what it was like visiting the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel for the first time last year.

Visiting the Vatican was one of the most overwhelming experiences of our Europe trip. Although it was challenging to explore with the heatwave last year and thick crowds ahead of the 2025 Jubilee year, I could feel that sense of holiness seeping from every corner we visited. It was a humbling experience to be part of the crowd, just one among the roughly 20,000 tourists who visit the Vatican daily.

For the most part, I shuffled around St. Peter’s Basilica, the hallways of the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel in a stupefied daze. While I was already amazed by the churches we visited in Rome, particularly the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major, nothing prepared me for the sheer scale and opulence inside the Vatican.

Being surrounded by such grandeur and wealth left me awestruck and feeling insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

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St. Peter’s Square

Since we took a guided tour, we got early access to St. Peter’s Square and St. Peter’s Basilica before the regular crowds were allowed entry. The grand piazza in front of St. Peter’s Basilica, where a Vatican obelisk stands at the center, is one of the main landmarks.

Both the square and the Basilica are named after St. Peter, an apostle of Jesus whom Catholics consider the first Pope. This gathering spot is typically where the current Pope addresses the world, conducts major ceremonies, and receives pilgrims.

St. Peter’s Basilica

St. Peter’s Basilica is one of the most prominent buildings in Vatican City, with its dome a key feature of Rome’s skyline.

It’s the world’s largest Catholic church and is arguably the most awe-inspiring one in the world. St. Peter’s Basilica is the resting place of St. Peter and is said to be one of the holiest sites of Christianity and Catholic Tradition.

Regardless of your faith and religious beliefs, it’s a magnificent structure that’s a must-see for its architectural grandeur and historical significance.

While the sculpture was under restoration during our visit, one of Michelangelo’s most famous sculptures, the “Pietà” can normally be found inside St. Peter’s Basilica.

This statue portrays the scene of Mary, the mother of Jesus, seated with Jesus Christ, her son, lying in her arms after having been taken down from the cross.

As we left, I noticed how the basilica was illuminated by natural light shining through windows. The sunbeams cast an otherworldly glow inside, making the place feel all the more holy.

After a visit to the Roman Forum and lunch break at Piazza Navona, we returned in the afternoon to tour the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel.

Vatican Museums

With its extensive collection of art and artifacts, including the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Museums are a treasure trove for art and history buffs. However, with 54 museums and 1,400 rooms, it’s not possible to visit everything in one go (or maybe even in a lifetime), especially with the regular volume of visitors.

We were led to some highlights, including a gallery with ancient Roman and Greek statues, a Pinecone courtyard, and key galleries.

While I’d love to share more details on the actual artwork, half the time here I was craning my neck, not knowing which way to look. The ceilings, walls and floors all bore spectacular works of art, with such intricate details that it was hard to take everything in.

We couldn’t linger and read the exhibit details, as we were ushered along. We also had to keep watch for the waving flag on a stick carried around by our local tour guide so as not to lose our tour group.

Expect to shuffle shoulder to shoulder through a maze of rooms with walls adorned on all sides.

It was a blur of galleries packed with marble columns, porcelain fountains, ceramic busts, ornate tapestries, massive murals, and every other imaginable artwork.

In this age of social media, almost everyone had their phones out while walking. But there comes a point when you give up taking photos because it just doesn’t make sense to snap photos of all the details when there’s just too much to see.

Sistine Chapel

The most famous attraction in Vatican City is the Sistine Chapel, which features Michelangelo’s iconic frescoes of Genesis and The Last Judgment painted on the ceiling.

We were allowed to take photos and videos in the previous galleries except for the Sistine Chapel, and part of me was glad for this rule. With everyone putting their phones away, it was a surreal experience to gaze up and appreciate the details of the ceiling in silent reverence with everyone else in the room without feeling to need to document the moment.

Details of the ceiling seen in a poster from the Vatican gift shop

Vatican Museum souvenir shops

After visiting St. Peter’s Basilica in the morning and after exiting the Sistine Chapel, we had to some time to look around the Vatican Museum Bookshop, which had special stamps, coins, Holy Water and rosaries.

The other museum shops had loads of religious artwork-related souvenirs in puzzles, postcards, prints, posters, children’s books and toys.

While we’re Catholic, we’re not exactly what you’d call devoutly religious. But by the time we were through, my husband Art (who normally only visits churches as an excuse to bike during the annual Holy Week Visita Iglesia) was willing to shell out precious euros to buy consecrated rosaries and posters bearing prints of the ceiling of Michelangelo’s most famous masterpiece.

While the tour left me feeling overwhelmed with all the sights, I’m grateful for the once-in-a-lifetime experience.

How to visit Vatican City

Trying to see everything there is at the Vatican Museums isn’t possible due to the sheer volume of visitors and time limits. Friends recommended booking tickets ahead of time or joining guided tours where local experts help you navigate instead of trying to go the DIY route. While this is usually more expensive, you can save time lining up and figuring things out for yourself.

As we entered through a separate entry point with other large tour groups, we saw the long lines of individual travelers snaking all around the corner without pre-booked tickets, trying to get in.

While it’s possible to book last-minute tickets for the next day, we were warned that tickets to the Vatican can sometimes be sold out for the entire month if you visit during peak summer months. Book tours and tickets to Rome and Vatican City here.

Travel tips

There’s a strict dress code to visit certain sites in the Vatican. Visitors are required to dress modestly, with no sleeveless or low-cut garments, shorts above the knee, miniskirts, or hats.
It can get very hot during summer months and most galleries are not air-conditioned. I recommend wearing lightweight clothing in light colors (not black as I did). Bring a scarf or wrap to cover up inside (so it’s easy to take off if it gets too hot later in the day). Shades are a must for outdoor areas.
You’ll be walking a lot, so wear comfortable and flat shoes. Avoid footwear that could be considered loud or garish
Don’t bring big bags. You’ll be forced to leave it at the entrance, which means doubling back from the exit.
Bulky items like umbrellas, selfie sticks, tripods and stands for photography, and video cameras must be left at the baggage counter. Leave them in your hotel room.
You can wear hats and caps outside, but you’ll be expected to remove these before entering any religious site out of respect.
If you have the time to spare, do not combine visiting other major sites in Rome with visits to the Vatican on the same day, as it can get overwhelming. You might want to save visiting the Colosseum, Roman Forum and walking around piazzas and fountains for another day. You’ll want to schedule some downtime after this.