A Guided Tour of the Vatican | Live Lovely Travel | Rome

Two hours after leaving the Colosseum, we were prepared for our next guided tour at the Vatican. I did not take as many photos during this tour for a couple reasons; the number one being that this place is so majestic that it couldn’t possibly be represented well in photographs. Some places are meant to be seen with your own eyes, not through the lens of a camera. The other being that the Vatican must have been the most crowded place I have ever seen in my life. In fact, Over the past couple years the amount of people visiting the Vatican every single day has sky rocketed to well over 25,000 visitors every day! 

When visiting the Vatican, you truly will want to book a skip-the-line tour. Tickets sell out early so buying them in advance will ensure that you actually get to see the Sistine Chapel during your visit to Rome. You won’t want to miss out on this bucket list opportunity. And you’ll be thankful you skipped the line when you see the hundreds of people lined up blocks around the corner of the Vatican City. There is so much to see once you make it inside. If you have anxiety around crowds, you may want to plan in advance to overcome that obstacle, because you will be packed shoulder-to-shoulder with other visitors during your stay. An amazing fact about the Vatican City is that although it is in the middle of Rome, it is actually an independent country with its own set of rules and laws; the smallest country in the world.  Don’t forget to look down every so often. The floors are just as incredible as the walls and ceilings. The famous Sistine Chapel with Michelangelo’s masterpiece was extraordinary. No photography is allowed in the chapel and gusts should remain quiet and respectful. Matthew and I do our best to respect the wishes and rules of the places we visit. If you want to see a photograph of the famous creation scenes, you best look them up online because we didn’t take any photos. Even if we had, a tourist photo would not be nearly as impressive. This is a private entrance for only the most important of guests, including the Queen of England. No one is allowed into the hall, but you can lean over the barrier for a peak. Construction for St. Peter’s Basilica started in 1506! It still amazes me that buildings that old can still be so strong today. The light shining through the windows is so angelic. One warning I will issue to visitors is that the mummified bodies of many of the popes are actually on display in glass vases. I did not know this going in so I thought I should issue out a caution to keep you from being unpleasantly surprised. Although I am not religious, I was raised by my Catholic mother. Every Catholic I have met has been a lovely and welcoming soul, much like my grandmother, and the locals we met during our visit to Italy. I decided to partake in the holy water ritual at the Basilica at the end of our visit. The Swiss Guards of the Vatican have been working to guard the city and the pope since the 1500s. To be a guard, they must be from Switzerland, Catholic, between the ages of 19-30, male, no shorter than 5’8″, and single. The guards serve for two-four years and never leave the Vatican during that time. When visiting the Vatican there is a dress code. You want to make sure that you shoulders, chest, thighs, and feet are covered. In other words, you must have sleeves of some sort (or a scarf to cover your shoulders) and no shorts or short skirt are allowed. No sandals or flip flops are permitted either, so come prepared with sensible shoes and a modest outfit. We met a few other American couples during our tour and asked a nice couple from Michigan, Allison and Matt, if they would join us for dinner. After a couple weeks of traveling on our own, it was nice to speak with other people, especially in our own language. We loved learning about their travels and what they enjoyed most during their trip. If you ever find yourself on a tour or with a group and you happen to click with other visitors, don’t be afraid to ask them to join you some place for a meal or another tour. You might just make a new friend or two.