10 Best Things to Do in Vatican City

Saint Peter’s Basilica is an iconic church and one of the most prominent in the entire city, where you'll find impressive architecture and iconic works of art. The church as it stands today dates back to the 17th century, but the site it's built on once contained an ancient church where Peter is allegedly buried.

Inside the church, you'll find quite a few outstanding works of art, including the only work with Michelangelo's signature. Additionally, you'll find a bronze baldachin that is massive in size and was crafted by Bernini. It's all located on the south side of the city, and it's so huge, you won't be able to miss it.

The Sistine Chapel is an iconic chapel that's the home of the pope, officially, and contains historic artwork by the legendary Michelangelo. The chapel dates back to 1483, when it was officially consecrated under Sixtus IV, though construction wasn't completed entirely until 1508.

When you visit this chapel, the artwork will probably stand out above all else. On the ceiling of the chapel's east side, you'll see Michelangelo's The Last Judgement, a famous fresco by the painter depicting the Second Coming of Christ. It's located along the north side of the basilica, near the centre of the city.

Castel Sant’Angelo is a towering castle that dates back well over a thousand years to the time of Emperor Hadrian and now serves as a museum. It was originally founded in the 2nd century as a mausoleum for Hadrian, but it was eventually turned into a fortress and castle for the papacy and later became a museum.

Inside the museum, you'll find a variety of artefacts from the time of ancient Rome to the present. Look up to see the statue of Michael the Archangel representing the alleged apparition of Michael sheathing his sword in the year 590. It is perched on the top of the castle. It's located right across the ancient bridge from Ponte.

The Vatican Museums are a collection of public museums showcasing the vast collection of the Catholic Church, where you'll find sculptures and paintings from many centuries. There are about 70,000 works total in the collection, though only 20,000 are on display at any given time.

Visiting these museums will let you see some truly incredible works, including sculptures and carved reliefs from the ancient world. Much of the sculpture work dates back to the ancient world, while paintings are more likely to be from the Renaissance era. It's all located by the northern border of the city.

The Gardens of Vatican City (Giardini Vaticani) are a vast greenspace encompassing a fair portion of the entire city that's open to the public. These gardens have about 23 hectares of land, which is most of the Vatican Hill area.

When you visit these gardens, you'll find immaculate landscapes boasting colourful flowers, monuments and sculptures. While these gardens used to be private, Pope Francis opened them to the public in 2015. You'll find them stretching out through most of the western side of the city.

The Vatican Necropolis is a city of the dead underneath the Vatican, where you'll find historic tombs and mausoleums that have been hidden away for centuries. The cemetery dates back to the Roman era, and you'll find remnants from the 1st and the 4th centuries.

One of the primary allures of this particular attraction is that it is allegedly the burial site of St. Peter, one of the Twelve Apostles and the first pope. Plus, Emperor Constantine's Temple is here, along with various Christian and Pagan burial sites. You can book a guided tour of the place. It's located underneath the basilica, on the south side of the city.

St Peter’s Square (Piazza San Pietro) is an immense public square you can visit to take in the lovely surroundings and appreciate the expert design and construction. The square itself was built in the mid 17th century, and it can hold over 300,000 people.

When you visit this square, you may want to take the time to simply look around. Towering columns will surround you on virtually all sides, with a prominent monolith standing tall in the centre at the basilica's foot. It's located in the south-eastern corner of the city.

The Papal Audience is an unforgettable event in which the pope gives a speech before visitors in the square, often followed by prayers and a bit of singing. You'll need to get tickets to the event, but they're free and relatively easy to claim, depending on when you go.

A Papal Audience is notably different from a Papal Mass, which is a full Catholic religious service. Christmas and Easter tickets can be challenging to obtain, but you don't have to plan that far in advance for a typical mid-week audience. These audiences are held at the square, in the south-eastern part of the city.

The Vatican Grottoes are a collection of papal tombs right beneath the basilica, where you'll find tours showcasing graves and artefacts. Over 90 popes have been put to rest here, along with other members of royalty and various dignitaries.

To look through the tombs, all you have to do is show up during open hours, but you can book a guided tour if you want more information during your visit. The tombs themselves are already included with your ticket to the basilica. Since they're located under the basilica, you'll find them on the south side of the city.

Prati is an adjacent neighbourhood to the Vatican you won't want to miss out on with easy access to Roman nightlife that you won't find in the Vatican territory. The neighbourhood itself is primarily residential, but the nightlife offerings let you try out quite a few bars with some nightclubs, too.

One of the best benefits of this district is that while it's outside of the Vatican, it's still far from the hustle and bustle of central Rome. That means you get to enjoy a laid back atmosphere during your visit. It's located just north of Vatican City.