A One-Day Tour of Vatican City: Must-Visit Attractions!

Last June, our whole family went on a big trip! We traveled to Rome, Italy, then embarked on a Mediterranean cruise, visiting Sicily in Italy, Turkey, and Greece. Finally, we also stopped by Paris, France. It was a trip we planned entirely on our own.

“Vatican City 🇻🇦 is a nation of art”

“Let’s start our first day of sightseeing in Vatican City.”

We were able to reach Vatican City in about 20 minutes by taking a direct bus from our hotel. Since we planned to use public transportation (subway, bus, and tram) in Italy, we went to a nearby kiosk in advance and bought a 48-hour unlimited pass. These kiosks can be hard to find when you actually need one, so if you see one, buy your ticket right away. You can also purchase tickets at tobacco shops marked with a ‘T’ sign.

When you board the bus, you’ll see a yellow validation machine. Be sure to insert your ticket into it to mark the time you started your ride. Bus drivers don’t check whether passengers have tickets, but in Italy and Paris, there are ticket inspectors who conduct random checks. They verify if passengers have a valid ticket and, more importantly, if it has been validated. If your ticket isn’t stamped, you’ll be fined—even if you have a ticket! No excuses will be accepted. To avoid any trouble, always validate your ticket!”

When the bus is crowded, it can be difficult to reach the validation machine. In fact, I noticed that not many people around us were stamping their tickets either…”

Visit St. Peter’s Basilica early in the morning!

We have arrived at our first destination, St. Peter’s Basilica. Even from the outside, it exudes a solemn and majestic atmosphere.

Since reservations can’t be made for this, the best way to avoid the crowds is to arrive early in the morning (doors open at 7 a.m.). We arrived just before noon, exhausted from jet lag and the long journey. That day was clear with not a cloud in the sky, and there was already a long line. With kids, waiting in line for a long time can be really tough. Be sure to carry a sun umbrella and water with you

After waiting for a few hours, we finally managed to get inside. Please note that exposure of skin is prohibited in this basilica, so it’s best to wear clothes that cover your skin. Since it was summer and quite hot, if your clothes are revealing, they will hand out a light scarf-like covering at the entrance.

Finally, we entered the basilica. It’s truly breathtaking. The long wait in the hot sun was definitely worth it. This is an absolute must-see spot.

For lunch, we had Roman-style pizza – Pizza Zizza

We had some time before our next destination, so we decided to stop for pizza. We visited PizzaZizza, a place serving Roman-style pizza.

Roman-style pizza is square-shaped. We asked the staff to choose their recommended pizza for us. The dough is thick and made with a bread-like crust, so it was more filling than expected. We couldn’t finish it, so we took the leftovers to go. Honestly, I prefer pizzas with a thinner crust.

It’s best to make a reservation for the Vatican Museums in advance

We arrived at the Vatican Museums. After leaving St. Peter’s Basilica, we walked to both the pizzeria and the Vatican Museums.

We arrived around 1 p.m., and there were a lot of people waiting under the scorching sun. Since you can make a reservation for the Vatican Museums in advance, I highly recommend doing so. We used GetYourGuide, so be sure to check it out.

This place is also breathtaking. Everything we saw made us go “Wow!” If possible, I recommend using an audio guide to help understand the exhibits better.

Be sure to visit the Sistine Chapel inside the Vatican Museums. Towards the end, you can see Michelangelo’s Last Judgment.

One thing to be careful about is that photography is prohibited in the room where Michelangelo’s Last Judgment is displayed. If you try to take photos without realizing it, you’ll be scolded quite strongly, so be sure to follow the rules.

For dinner, we went to a truffle restaurant – Ristorante Life

After walking a lot and getting really hungry, we took a bus back to Rome for dinner. We had made a reservation in advance at Ristorante Life. It’s a restaurant where you can indulge in truffles. There’s no way we’d be able to eat truffles like this in the U.S. It was also my first time seeing fresh truffles and porcini mushrooms! It was the most blissful experience.

To be continued on Day 2 of our Rome sightseeing!

Vatican City is a very artistic place, and it’s definitely a must-visit when you go sightseeing in Rome. Italy requires a lot of walking, so comfortable shoes are a must. Also, summers can get quite hot, so make sure to carry a sun umbrella, a hat, and water with you! Now, stay tuned for Day 2 of our Rome sightseeing →