Ten Things That Will Shock Vatican Visitors
Greetings from St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican! We love to help travelers prepare for their vacations, and other than telling you the best things to do, we love to share the things that will shock you upon arriving in a new destination. Today we’re sharing the top ten travel shocks for Vatican visitors.
Vatican Visitor Shock #1: You Are in Another Country!
When you visit Vatican City, you are entering a new country, so you’ll set foot in two countries in one day. You get two countries for the price of one!
Read: Eleven Things to Know Before You Visit Italy
Vatican Visitor Shock #2: Long Entry Lines
The line to get into the Vatican Museums is insane; up to three hours wait on a busy day. The best thing you can do is pre-book your tickets and/or sign up for a tour that lets you bypass the lines.
Vatican Visitor Shock #3: You Might Actually See the Pope
The Pope has an audience every Wednesday, so it’s possible that you will actually get to see the Pope in person. How cool is that?!
Vatican Visitor Shock #4: Amazing Art Collection
The Vatican Museums hold an impressive art collection, including the Sistine Chapel and some of the best work from Raphael, Michelangelo and others.
Vatican Visitor Shock #5: How Many People Fit in the Sistine Chapel
The amount of people that they squeeze into the Sistine Chapel is shocking. Those long lines all lead inside, and they really pack everyone in so that you can barely move on a crowded day.
Vatican Visitor Shock #6: How Many People Ignore “No Photos” Signs
Photos are not allowed in the Sistine Chapel, yet a shocking number of visitors still take photos even with flash.
Read: Twelve Don’ts of Visiting Italy
Vatican Visitor Shock #7: St. Peter’s is Huge Inside
When you actually go inside St. Peter’s Basilica, it is amazingly huge. The sheer size is shocking, and the interior is beautiful with light streaming through stained glass.
Vatican Visitor Shock #8: Badly Behaved Tourists
It’s shocking to see other travelers touching some of the statues and monuments. Some of the statues have been touched so much that they are disintegrating.
Vatican Visitor Shock #9: You Can Climb the Dome of St. Peter’s
You can actually walk up to the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica and take in an amazing view of Vatican City and surrounding Rome. It’s quite a hike up many stairs, but the view is worth it!
Vatican Visitor Shock #10: The Best Post Office in Italy is in the Vatican City
If you have postcards or things to mail, the best place to mail it is in the post office of Vatican City. They have much better service than anywhere else in Rome, and even seems to arrive sooner than if you mailed it elsewhere.
We hope these ten tips help you prepare to visit Vatican City, and lessen the shocks you have upon arrival. Have you been to Vatican City? We’d love to hear what shocked you; just leave a comment below! For more Wolters World travel tips, check out these blog posts and videos: