VATICAN MUSEUMS

Updated December 7, 2018

The other big attraction of the Vatican together with St. Peter’s Basilica. They are actually different sections of a large museum. Open from 9 to 18:00. Closed on Sundays, except the last one of the month, when is open from 9 to 14:00 am. Also closed on all catholic festivities. Admission € 17/8 adult / discount (but the last Sunday of the month, when is free). There is an overwhelming number of combined tickets type: night visit, with and without guide, with and without lunch / breakfast…

It homes one of the largest and finest art collections in the world. It is so large that it requires a whole day if you want to visit it all. The highlights are:

Paintings, the most notable are Raphael’s and Leonardo da Vinci’s.
Sculptures, most of them from ancient Rome. Some of them are really hyperrealistic and impressive.

VATICANO MUSEOS 3. Museum Escultura alegoria rio Nilo Nile River allegory sculpture — The “Allegory of the Nile” represents the Egyptian river as an elder. The sphinx on the right and the crocodile next to its foot are details that indicate it. It is surrounded by 16 statues of children representing the 16 elbows (old measurement system) that the level of the waters of the river raised in the annual flood

VATICANO MUSEOS 3. Museum Escultura Laocoonte y sus hijos serpientes sons snakes sculpture — “Laocoon and his Sons attacked by Serpents”, from ancient Greece

Collection of Egyptian art. The star is the throne of Ramses II.
Etruscan art.
Cartographic Gallery of maps of Italy. The ceiling is one of my favorites.

VATICANO MUSEOS 4. Museum galerias cartograficas techo mapas italia ceiling cartographic gallery Italian maps — The ceiling of the Cartographic Gallery. Below, you can see some maps

The chambers (Stanza) by Raphael. Four rooms decorated with large frescoes of the painter and his disciples between 1508 and 1524. They are considered the most important together with the Sistine Chapel. Their motives are historical and to a lesser extent religious.

VATICANO MUSEOS 2. Museum estancias de Rafael Sanzio Raphael Rafaello paintings fresco Escuela de Atenas School of Athens — The School of Athens is considered one of Rafael’s most important works

Of course, the Sistine Chapel, one of the most famous artwork in the world. Certainly, it is wonderful. Not only they the figures, but also the multitude of architectural elements (columns, windows …) which are painted and look real. The problem is that it is very small and is usually crowded with tourists, and the closer the closing time is, the more people congregate in it, because at that time most of the visitors skip the rest of the museum and go straight to the Chapel. It is not allowed to use flash or tripod, so it is difficult to get good photographs.

VATICANO MUSEOS 5. Museum Capilla Sixtina Miguel Angel Sistine Chapel Michelangelo — The Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel

VATICANO MUSEOS 5. Museum Capilla Sixtina Miguel Angel Sistine Chapel Michelangelo (2) — The part on the back, Sistine Chapel

And finally, the exit stairs of the museum, one of the most beautiful I have seen on this style.

CIUDAD DEL VATICANO 0. Escalera Museos Vaticanos stairs Museums City — Vatican Museums stair is another master piece

VATICAN GARDENS

They are only accesible with a guided tour. You can choose between only gardens or gardens and museum, both lasting two hours and cost € 20/33. We have never visited them.

VATICANO MUSEOS 6. Museum Jardines Gardens — Vatican Gardens seen from the Museum

CASTELGANDOLFO PONTIFICAL VILLAS

Since 2014, these guided tours have started to be offered to the summer residence of the popes, 24 km south of Rome. The highlights are the Apostolic Palace (€ 11) and Barberini Garden (€ 20). The visits are guided only; some include the 40-minute train ride to this town.

There are also guided tours to archaeological excavations (necropolis of Via Triumphalis and St John Lateran, but they are only offered to groups.