Must-see works
Trying to see everything in the
Vatican Museums collections in one trip is exhausting if not impossible. Book a Rome hotel for a return visit and stick to the highlights on your first trip. The School of Athens in the
Raphael Rooms, Giotto’s Stefaneschi Triptych in the
Picture Gallery and the pre-Columbian Quetzalcoatl in the
Ethnological Museum are all must-sees. Eight kilometres of artistic displays culminate in the
Sistine Chapel, where every year millions of heads tilt back to admire Michelangelo’s masterpiece.
Art and religion
Several guided tours at the
Vatican Museums help visitors get to grips with the sometimes complex artwork. Art and Faith is a three-hour long artistic pilgrimage revealing the passions and struggles of both the artists and the popes who commissioned the works. The itinerary covers the
Gallery of the Tapestries,
Raphael Rooms,
St. Peter's Basilica and the
Sistine Chapel.
The Vatican Museums for families
Sarcophagi and mummies at the
Egyptian Museum will intrigue the little ones, as will the
Carriage Pavilion, displaying a model of the Vatican’s first train engine and papal carriages used in processions. For a breath of fresh air, visit the
Vatican Gardens, dotted with rare plants, statues and fountains.
Practical information
When: Mon-Sat 9am-6pm (admission until 4pm); Sun various
Where: Vatican City
Tickets: €14; under-14s €8; free last Sun of the month Avoid queuing by pre-booking your ticket online and bring binoculars to see the Sistine Chapel in greater detail.
