1 day in Vatican City – Attractions to see in just 24 hours
Vatican City, among other Italian attractions, is one of the most visited places in the country. The fact that it is a city within a city, is old-yet-intriguing and has history that goes back centuries, make it a relentless crowd puller. Though it takes only half a day to check out Vatican city’s main attractions, if possible spend a whole day here.
There are numerous tours out there that you can book, but believe us when we say that the best way to see Vatican City is through a self guided tour. It will be better if you rent a car especially if you are driving to the next destination on your road trip itinerary.
Start your day at Saint Peter’s Square & Saint Peter’s Basilica
Enter the Vatican City through Saint Peter’s Square – the most popular square in Italy was designed by artist Gianlorenzo Bernini in 1656. It is the place where the lines to enter Saint Peter’s Basilica start.
Saint Peter’s Basilica is the most popular church in the world. It sits within papal conclave in Rome known as the Vatican & is noted for its Renaissance style architecture. Officially known as the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican, it was constructed using the designs of Donato Bramante, Carlo Maderno, Michelangelo and Gian Lorenzo Bernini, it is the largest church in the world.
There is no entry fee and the church remains open from 7 AM to 7 PM. Though you can visit it at whatever time you feel like, we suggest you cover this attraction in the morning. Another important thing that you should keep in mind is the attire; if you are not wearing the right clothes you will not be allowed to enter. After exploring the Church, do visit the cupola and if you are upto it, there is also a crypt below the church that is open to the public – it has the tombs of various popes including Saint Peter himself.
Visit Castel Sant Angelo
Castel Sant’angelo was commissioned by Emperor Hardian in the 2nd Century for himself and his family. It is noted for its cylindrical shape and though it is a mausoleum, over the years it was used for a lot of other purposes, for instance in the 14th Century, it was used as a military fortress in the 14th Century and today it serves as a museum (i.e. Museo Nazionale di Castel Sant’Angelo). It is located in Rome, but there used to be a passage through the Passetto di Borgo that connected it to the Vatican which was used by Popes to escape whenever Rome was under siege. At one time it was the tallest building in the city and was used by the popes as a castle and a fortress.
The museum has five stories which you can visit and after all the walking you can visit the cafe located on the roof that gives splendid views of Rome that you can enjoy while sipping your coffee or having a bite.
Have a look at the Statues on the Ponte Sant’Angelo Bridge
The Bridge of Sant’Angelo, originally known as Aelian Bridge or Pons Aelius is a bridge in Rome, Italy which was built in 134 AD on the orders of Roman Emperor Hadrian. It was built to provide a grand entrance into the mausoleum of Castel Sant Angelo.
The bridge spans the River Tiber, was faced using marble, has five arches and was used to connect Rome’s city center with the newly built Castel Sant’Angelo. Today the bridge connects Borgo and the rioni of Ponte; it is used purely as a pedestrian bridge now, so walk across the bridge as you enjoy the stunning views of Castel Sant’Angelo.
The bridge is noted for its 10 stunning statues of angels, their names are given below:
Angel with the Column, Angel with the Whips, Angel with the Crown of Thorns, Angel with the Sudarium, Angel with the Garment and Dice, Angel with the Nails, Angel with the Cross, Angel with the Superscription, & Angel with the Sponge
Make your way towards Vatican Gardens
Vatican Gardens or The Gardens of the Vatican City are urban garden spaces in the Vatican City which interestingly covers half of the land on which the city resides. The walk through the Vatican Gardens is one of the top 10 things tourists do as it is the best way to see all the monuments and the buildings scattered around the gardens, majority of which incidentally date back to the 9th Century.
The roots of the Vatican Gardens go back to Baroque and Renaissance periods, however, the current look of the Gardens is credited to Pope Nicholas III. When the Papal residence returned to the Vatican from Lateran Palace, he ordered the plantation of Orchids & enclosed the area. Though you can do the self-guided tour of the gardens, it will be best to join a tour if you are visiting Vatican City Gardens for the very first time.
After the tour of the gardens, visit the Sistine Chapel & the Vatican Museums.
Spend the remaining day exploring Vatican Museums
The Vatican Museums are the Vatican city’s museums and include admissions to Sistine Chapel, Chapel of Beato Angelico and Raphael Rooms.
The Vatican Museums include 54 galleries which showcase about 70,000 works (art and sculpture) out of which about 20,000 are on display. The museums date back to the 16th Century and are known to have been founded by Pope Julius II. Highlights of Vatican Museums:
Sistine Chapel
Sistine Chapel is located in the Pope’s official residence – Apostolic Palace, which was designed by the brilliant architect Michelangelo. Its most famous features include the frescos that embellish its interiors, the ceiling and the Last Judgement by Michelangelo.
Vatican Gallery of Maps
Another great highlight of Vatican Museums, the Gallery of Maps is part of the Belvedere Courtyard’s west side. It contains a series of topographical map of Italy painted using the work of geographer Ignazio Danti.
The Bramante Staircase
It is a double staircase which was added in 1932 using the designs of Giuseppe Momo. The defining feature of the staircase is its helix structure.
Where to stay in Vatican City?
- Residenza Paolo VI Hotel
- Vatican Style Rome
- Vatican City Relais