papal visit vatican

  © Copyright Prefettura Casa Pontificia            Languages Deutsch English Español Français Italiano Português

  WWW.VATICAN.VA | PROFILE | AUDIENCES | TICKETS

How to Buy Pantheon Tickets in Rome

How to skip the line at St Peter’s Basilica

How to skip the line at the Borghese Gallery

How to skip the line at the Colosseum – 2024

How to skip the lines at the Pantheon

How to skip the lines at the Vatican – 2024

Should I get a Roma Pass?

The best time of day to visit the Colosseum

The best time of day to visit the Vatican Museums | Opening hours 2024

The cheapest way to skip the lines at the Vatican | 2024

What are the official websites to buy tickets for Rome’s major attractions?

Vatican and Sistine Chapel tickets

How to get past Colosseum ticket buying problems – 2024

How do I travel to Rome from Fiumicino airport? 2024

How do I get into Rome from Ciampino Airport? 2024

How do I book train tickets around Italy?

Hop-on-hop off bus tours

August 15th is Ferragosto, a national holiday, and many things in Rome are shut

How do I buy a slice of pizza in Rome?

How do I buy cigarettes in Rome?

How do I mail a letter in Rome?

How do you use the bidet when on vacation in Rome?

How much cash to bring with you to Italy

How to buy vape supplies, e-cigarettes and juice in Rome

How to cross the street in Rome (and live to tell the tale!)

How to get English-speaking medical treatment in Rome

How to order a coffee in Rome

How to visit Rome with children

How to visit Rome’s Olympic Stadium

How to visit the mosque in Rome

The difference between St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, and the Vatican

The difference between the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill

What is the dress code in Rome?

What kind of electrical adapter do I need to bring to Italy?

What should I see if I have only one day in Rome?

Where are the best views of Rome?

Where can I buy a used bike in Rome?

Where can I find a wifi cafe in Rome to work in? 2024

Where can I run in Rome?

Where’s the bathroom in Rome?

12 reasons you shouldn’t drive a car in Rome

Avoid common problems with Rome’s public transport

Can I travel to Rome at the moment?

• Can I use Uber or Lyft in Rome? 2024

Getting to and from Rome Ciampino airport at night

How do I get to and from Fiumicino Airport (FCO) at night?

How to buy a ticket for Rome’s public transport system using an app

How to get from Rome’s Civitavecchia port into the city

• How to not get pickpocketed

How to use Rome’s public transportation network – with map – 2024

Rome’s “secret” train that gets you across the city in 20 minutes – for only 1 euro

Scooter sharing: renting an electric scooter in Rome

The best way to get from the airports into Rome (and back again)

Aperitivo: Rome’s low-cost drink and food extravaganza

Become a Spritz Specialist and a Pasta Pundit

Beer in Rome

Do I need to tip in Rome?

Food tour in the heart of Rome

Hooch and History: the Tipsy Tour of Rome

How to avoid being ripped off at a tourist trap restaurant in Italy

How to cook perfect pasta

How to eat gluten free in Rome

How to eat vegan and vegetarian in Rome

How to use an Italian stovetop coffee pot

Pasta and Tiramisu class

The truth about sandwiches in Rome

What to order in a restaurant in Rome

What’s the difference between a Ristorante, an Osteria, and a Trattoria?

Why you never need to buy water in Rome

• Where to stay in Rome

Colosseum Arena tour with Forum and Palatine Hill

How to visit the Coppedè Quarter in Rome

Off the beaten track to see the beaten track: Via Flaminia Antica

Orientation tour: self-guided piazza walk

Rome Vacation Tips Eternal City Night Walk

Rome Vacation Tips guided walk of the Baroque City

Rome Vacation Tips tour of the Colosseum, Forum, and Palatine Hill

Rome Vacation Tips VIP Vatican Tour

Self-guided walking tour around the ancient city

Terrifying ghost tour of haunted Rome

The Popes, Domes, and Tombs Tour of St Peter’s

Where can I see Caravaggios for free in Rome?

Basilica di San Clemente: the most interesting historical site in Rome

Guided Modern Architecture Tour Of Rome

Guided Street Art Tour in Rome

Rome’s other “Jewish ghetto”

San Lorenzo in Miranda – a church in a temple

The optical illusion of St Peter’s Basilica from Via Niccolò Piccolomini

Villa Torlonia: ersatz architecture and Mussolini’s home in Rome

Where can I see street art in Rome?

Can I splash in the fountains in Rome?

How to avoid the African bracelet scam

How to get a Covid test in Rome with English language certificate – 2024 update

Special rules for visiting the Vatican during the coronavirus pandemic

What to do in Rome in an emergency

What’s with all the trash in Rome?

Why do shopkeepers in Rome never seem to have any change?

• Book train tickets around Italy
• Day trip to Tuscany
• Day trip to Pompeii
• Things to do in Florence
• Things to do in Milan
• Things to do in Naples
• Things to do in Tivoli
• Things to do in Venice
• How to Vacation in Dublin
• How to vacation in Istanbul

How to see the Pope in Rome | Updated for 2024

How to see the pope in rome in 2023.

Whether you’re religious or not, it’s always amazing to see a globally important figure in the flesh. Here’s how to do it.

To see the Pope in Rome, you have three options. The first option is to visit on a Sunday morning just before noon for a chance to see him for free. You can also get a papal audience ticket the Nervi auditorium, or a ticket to one of the infrequent Papal masses held in St Peter’s Square.

Here’s how to do each:

When is the Pope at the Vatican?

The Angelus is held at St Peter’s Square most Sundays at midday. The papal audiences are held most Wednesdays at around 10.30am. Both only occur when the Pope is in Rome. You can check the Pope’s official schedule on the Vatican’s website to check times and for any cancellations.

Get Papal Audience tickets >

1) Get a ticket for a papal audience 

See the Pope up close and personal! 

There’s a papal audience held in St Peter’s Square OR the Vatican’s Nervi Auditorium , almost every Wednesday, at 10.30 am.

Tickets are officially free, but are only available by faxing (yes really!) the Vatican offices. Official info here . As you can imagine, there are hundreds of people sending faxes all the time, so the line is often busy.

There is also an email address that apparently works but is not listed on the official Vatican website, which seems to be extremely out of date. You need to fill in this form on the Vatican website, then email it to [email protected] . You will not receive an immediate response but with all things in Rome, patience is a virtue.

You may have to pick up your tickets from the Swiss Guards at the Bronze Door , and you may also request them from the same guys the day before, then pick them up here the next day. If you are in the auditorium (which might happen because it’s cold and rainy) then you can go into the basilica immediately afterwards.

Alternatively you can pay a few euro to get a ticket where someone has already done the faxing for you, and get a guided tour of St Peter’s Basilica thrown in. Wednesdays only:

Most audiences with the Pope are held in a 1970s auditorium that you enter by passing between the columns to the left of the square as you gaze at St Peter’s, and then pass through a security check with your ticket. It’s comfortable and there are plenty of bathrooms. His Holiness addresses the audience from in front of a vast, grotesque sculpture on the stage called “The Resurrection”. 

2) See the Pope give the Angelus by visiting St Peter’s Square on a Sunday morning

3) get a ticket for a papal mass in st peter’s square.

Mass is usually held in the Piazza San Pietro on special occasions. If you want to attend, you will need to book a free ticket (see instructions above) to pass through the barrier into the square. Once you’ve received confirmation, you must arrive the day before the mass and pick your tickets up from the Swiss Guards by the Bronze Gate between 9 am and 7 pm.

Once you have your ticket for mass in the the square, the ticket is for you to get into the square at the time of the audience, not the Basilica, and you will have to stand –  the seats are for VIPs and religious orders. The basilica opens after the mass.

Insider tip: if you turn up a few hours early and just stand in the squre you won’t actually need a ticket, but beware that there is limited access to bathrooms before the mass, and zero access during it.

Now make sure you don’t miss out: plan your visit in advance:

| Plan your vacation

| emergency.

Read this now >

| Book your hotel

| popular articles.

• How to use Rome’s public transportation network – with map – 2024
• How to skip the lines at the Vatican – 2024
• How to skip the line at the Colosseum – 2024

| Recent articles

Related posts

Photo credit: AFP

Tickets in advance!

Because of ticket supply problems following the end of Covid restrictions, it is strongly advised that you  buy tickets and tours in advance to visit attractions in Rome.

Buy your tickets now to avoid disappointment.

• Where to Stay
• Where to Eat
• Best Time to Visit Rome
• Top 10 Tips for Rome
• Bathrooms in Rome
• What to Pack & What to Wear

Money Matters

Getting Around

Getting to Rome

• Learn Italian
• Can You Travel to Rome Right Now?
• Italy Green Pass - do you need one?
• Rome Coronavirus News & Updates
• Rome & Vatican Tours
• Italy Tours
• Transfers & Transport
• Sign up & get a FREE ebook  Subscribe Today!
• Romewise Home Page
• Rome Tourist Attractions
• Visiting the Vatican

Visiting the Vatican - Top tips you need to know!

By Elyssa Bernard

November 21, 2023

Planning on visiting the Vatican when you come to Rome?

Here's everything you need to know!

Visiting the Vatican - everything you need to know

Here is what you really need to know about visiting the Vatican:

• When to go ? (what time of year and time of day)
• What to see ? (St. Peters Basilica and the Vatican Museums, and much more!)
• Which should you visit first, the Vatican Museums (Sistine Chapel) or Saint Peter's Basilica ?
• How to skip the lines for Saint Peter's Basilica ?
• How to get tickets/skip the line to the Vatican museums ?
• Can you just visit the Sistine Chapel ? 
• Can you see the Sistine Chapel without crowds ?
• How do you visit the Vatican Gardens ?
• How do you visit St Peter's tomb ?
• How to plan all your Vatican visits for your trip ?
• How to get to the Vatican ?
• Where to eat near the Vatican ?

The first time I came to Rome as an adult, I missed seeing the Sistine Chapel because I had no idea the Vatican Museums closed at 2pm (long before smartphones and Google, ahem.) 

It must have been a Free Sunday, when the Vatican Museums are open and free but with reduced hours.

Now that I live here, I go often to Saint Peter's Basilica , Saint Peter's Square , and the Vatican Museums .

I also helped thousands of our guests plan their visits in the 17 years we ran our B&B .

Based on years of first-hand experience, I know how to tell you what to do and what not to do.

You can avoid a stressful visit to the Vatican by reading my tips first!

QUICK FACTS ABOUT VISITING VATICAN CITY

• You don't need a passport.
• Vatican City is a separate state from Italy, with just over 500 residents.
• The two main places to visit are Saint Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums (where the Sistine Chapel is.)
• The pope is head of Vatican City.
• The pope's church is not Saint Peter's Basilica. It is Saint John in Lateran.
• You can visit the Vatican, and you can stay nearby, but you cannot sleep inside the Vatican.

Visiting the Vatican - When to go

• There really is no "best day" for visiting Vatican City, i.e. when there are fewer people. The Vatican is Rome's most popular tourist destination and is pretty much always busy. You might consider Tuesday or Thursday as your best bets. Dates around a weekend can be a bit busier, and on Wednesday there is (usually) the Papal Audience , meaning even more crowds.
• In the mornings, many tour groups show up, including those offering early skip-the-line access. Also, people in general come early to try to "beat the line," so you may find the Vatican Museums much more crowded in the early morning than you expect, and  slightly less crowded in mid-afternoon.
• St Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums tend to be even more crowded on Saturdays , when Rome fills up with weekend visitors.
• The Vatican Museum is closed Sundays, except for the last Sunday of every month , when they are free . This is the most crowded day you can imagine for visiting the Vatican Museums .
• On Wednesdays (except for  July , when the pope generally takes a break ), the pope holds an audience at St Peter's Basilica . In warmer months, it will be in Saint Peter's Square . In colder months, or if it's raining , it will be in an auditorium-type hall just to the left of the basilica. This means that the whole area will be packed due to all the people who attend the papal audience , many of whom visit the Vatican Museums after the audience.
• If you do visit Vatican City on a Wednesday , know that St Peter's Basilica will be closed until the papal audience is over (around 12-1pm.)
• As for time of year, winter low season months are best if you want to be more relaxed and find smaller crowds . This means most of December ( except  December 8 , and Christmas through the Epiphany, January 6 ), January and February . Believe it or not, it's just as crowded at to visit Vatican City between Christmas and January 6 as it is during summer.
• Here's  how and when to include visiting the Vatican in a 3-day itinerary in Rome .

IMPORTANT TIP :

To visit St Peters Basilica and the Sistine Chapel, you must be properly dressed : no bare knees, midriffs or shoulders.

Sandals and jeans are fine.

Be careful when wearing knee-length shorts and skirts; the opinions of the Vatican guards as to what is acceptable may vary.

You may wish to bring a sarong or wear the kinds of shorts that have attachable legs, such as hiking trousers .

In a pinch, you will find plenty of vendors just outside the Vatican, who sell t-shirts or scarves.

No matter what season you visit Rome, here are 4 things never to leave at home:

Disclosure: If you make a purchase through a link on this page, I may receive a small commission - at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my site!

Visiting the Vatican - What to see?

The main things to see when visiting the Vatican are  Saint Peter’s Basilica  and the  Vatican Museums .

You can see one and not the other, although v isiting both in a single day is very do-able.

Looking for Michelangelo's masterpieces?

Michelangelo’s Pietà is inside Saint Peter's Basilica.

Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel is inside the Vatican Museums.

Just try not to plan any other big visit like another museum or archeological site like the Coloseum  for the day you visit the Vatican, as you will be pretty exhausted.

Do you really want to visit the Vatican and Colosseum in one day? Here's how!

Or take the stress out of it by taking this "Rome in a Day" Tour with Vatican, Colosseum & Historic Center.

To get the most out of your visit to the Colosseum, take a VIP Colosseum Underground Tour with Roman Forum & Palatine Hill.

St Peter's Basilica

Saint Peter’s Basilica  is a Renaissance-era church and by many standards, the world’s largest. 

The Vatican is a basilica but not a cathedral, as it does not have its own bishop.

The main cathedral of the “Bishop of Rome”, as the pope is called, is San Giovanni in Laterano , or Saint John in Lateran .

But the pope is head of Vatican City , where he resides.

It's a little confusing isn't it?

Anyway, just think of the Vatican as a huge church, with a lot to see inside.

Click here to read more about what exactly the Vatican is.

Click here to visit my dedicated page all about Saint Peter's Basilica and its history, and things to see and do there.

 🤙 Roaming in Rome? 📱

Get yourself an Italian eSIM for calls, messages and data when traveling here.

Save on data charges with plans from just 19€ from Holafly - our recommended eSIM provider!

Click here to get yours now  and use code ROMEWISE to save 5%!

St Peter's Dome

It's very much worth  visiting the basilica's dome , but you should know it can get a little crowded up there, and there are a LOT of steps.

The first level is 231 steps, but there is an elevator option. ( Someone in a wheelchair or with walking difficulties can take the lift to this first level.)

The second portion is another 320 steps, with no elevator option.

The dome gets narrower as you go up, so you will be climbing this part single file, and with the roof slanting over your head.

I say this as someone with a close relative with vertigo: you may want to avoid climbing the dome at the Vatican if you suffer from vertigo or claustrophobia.

But if none of that is an issue, then do it!

You'll love the views from up there, both of the church and of the surrounding city.

Visit my dedicated page all about Saint Peter's dome and how to climb it.

Michelangelo’s Pieta

My favorite piece of art inside of  St Peter's Basilica  is Michelangelo’s Pietà .

Actually, it may be my favorite piece of art in the world.

An exaggeration?

I can't help it...just look at it:

It’s on your right as soon as you walk inside Saint Peter's Basilica.

When I visited it with my mom, she cried, saying “look at her face, it’s just about a mother’s love for her child."

Unfortunately, someone wielding an axe once attacked it, and it’s now behind glass.

But you can still see it very well.

And take note of Mary’s face.

It’s really special when you see it in person.

Michelangelo Tidbit :

This was one of Michelangelo’s first major works.

He made it when he was only 22.

He was not sure people would know he did it, so he snuck in late one night and carved his name (Michelangelo Buonarroti) on Mary’s sash.

The Pietà is the only sculpture Michelangelo ever signed (or needed to sign.)

Vatican Grottoes - The Tombs of the Popes

Inside Saint Peter's Basilica, you can go down one level and see the area where some of the popes are buried.

Saint Peter is said to be entombed just underneath the church .

This is why many popes are also buried here. 

It's quite interesting to visit the popes' tombs , called the Vatican Grottoes   - there is a lot of history down there.

Don't worry, it's not dark or claustrophobic.

On the contrary, it's a huge open space full of light and lots to see (no photos allowed.)

To visit the Vatican Grottoes, get up close to Bernini's Baldachin and look for the entrance nearby.

It's free to visit the Vatican Grottoes.

You should make sure you are done visiting the basilica or have a plan to go back up, because the normal route through the grottoes has you exit the basilica entirely.

Not to be confused with St. Peter's tomb

When people talk about visiting the Vatican grottoes, they are referring to a place where you can see the tombs of many popes (as I wrote above.)

But this is not the same as visiting the  Vatican Necropolis , where St. Peter is said to be buried.

A  visit to Saint Peter’s tomb , also referred to as a scavi  visit, is a special and wonderful thing to do, and I highly recommend it. (" Scavi " means "excavations".)

It is a delicate archeological site, and they only take 250 people in per day, in 12-person tours at a time, so you must  book way in advance . (No photos allowed.)

NEW FOR 2024!

The archeological area of the Vatican Necropolis of Via Triumphalis is now open for visitors.

This is an ancient Roman burial site that is within the Vatican walls and before now was very difficult to get access to.

You can only enter as part of an official Vatican tour group, and tickets need to be purchased through the official website .

This is an entirely separate visit, so you will not have access to either St Peter's Basilica or the Vatican Museums.

Click here to watch my YouTube video about it and see what it's like!

The Vatican Museums

The second major site to visit at the Vatican is the Vatican Museums.

This is the part about Vatican City that will take most of your time and energy.

The Vatican Museum contains the world’s largest private art collection (and just imagine that much of the art they own is not even on display!)

They are called "museums" and not just singular "museum" because the museums were started in 1506 and have been added to many times over the centuries.

They now occupy many different buildings all connected to on another.

That's one reason there is so much to see!

You will see a lot of art inside the Vatican Museums, including paintings, sculptures, ancient artifacts, and much more.

I think the number one thing people want to see when they visit is the Sistine Chapel.

For more about the Vatican Museums and Sistine chapel, visit my dedicated pages:

• Visiting the Sistine Chapel
• Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel
• Visiting the Vatican Museums
• Vatican Museums Must Sees
• Vatican Museums Tickets
• Vatican Museums Tours
• Vatican Secret Rooms

More things you will see at the Vatican:

Besides the two main sites - the museums (Sistine Chapel) and the basilica, there are more things you will see when you visit Vatican City.

Look for these as you walk around:

St. Peter's Square

It would be easy to take Saint Peter's Square, Piazza San Pietro in Italian, for granted.

After all, if you're beelining to get into the basilica, you might be focused on the security queues and wondering how long you will have to wait.

But St. Peter's Square, also called Vatican Square, is worth visiting and enjoying by itself.

It's the only part of Vatican City you can visit without any tickets or queuing.

If you have very limited time , you may even decide that this is about as much as you want to see of Vatican City, since everything else involves queues and/or tickets plus an involved visit inside.

Click here to visit my page all about St. Peter's Square, its history, and what to see.

The Swiss Guard

You might spy one or more of the Swiss Guard at the gate to Vatican City.

The Swiss Guard wear different outfits depending on their duties, but they are all dressed in costumes originally designed in the early 1500s (although not by Michelangelo, an urban myth.)

The Swiss Guard have a specific duty to guard the pope's life and Saint Peter's Basilica.

They are the world's smallest army and they are very well trained.

You will not see the Swiss Guard at the Vatican Museums.

There, you will see Vatican Museums guards who dress in more modern attire.

The Leonine Walls

In the 9th century, Pope Leo IV had defensive walls built around Vatican City following the sacking by raiders of Old St. Peter's Basilica in 846.

You can still see those walls today in and around the Vatican, especially if you visit the Vatican Gardens .

You can also see parts of these walls surrounding Saint Peter's Square on the side where the security gates are, and along the way from the Vatican to nearby Castel Sant'Angelo .

Click here to read a more detailed yet brief history of the Vatican.

For more Vatican history, check out these dedicated pages:

The Vatican Post Office

Don't miss a visit to the Vatican Post Office if you want to mail any postcards. 

It's easier and more efficient than going to the Italian Post Office, and your mail will get there faster!

There is also a Vatican mailbox up on the roof ( Saint Peter's Dome ), and usually another post office in Saint Peter's Square .

More sites you can visit in Vatican City

Besides Saint Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums, there are some more sites you can visit in Vatican City.

You have to pay for these (and for the scavi and gardens, you must book in advance.)

You will find more details about each one on their respective dedicated pages:

• Saint Peter's Tomb (Vatican Necropolis or Scavi )
• Saint Peter's Dome
• Vatican Gardens

Which to see first - The Vatican Museums/Sistine Chapel, or St. Peter's Basilica?

If you book a tour of the Vatican, usually this means taking a guided tour of the Vatican Museums , which ends with the Sistine Chapel .

Some tours include taking the shortcut from the Sistine Chapel into St Peters Basilica.

There has been some back and forth recently about whether the shortcut is available or not, but for now, it is once again the case that  you can only take the shortcut  from the Sistine Chapel to  St Peter's Basilica  if you are on a tour that  INCLUDES  the basilica.

The Vatican can, and does, change their mind frequently on this matter, so if it is important to you to be able to take this shortcut, I recommend booking a tour that ends in St Peter's Basilica to be on the safe side.

If you are on a tour that ends in the Basilica the decision is made for you.

But if you are taking a Vatican Museums tour that does not include the Basilica, or if you are visiting the Vatican Museums on your own, you'll have to decide what order to visit the museums and the basilica in, assuming you want to visit both on the same day, which many people do.

 🔐 Store your bags and luggage securely! 🧳

We're parterned with Radical Storage who have locations across Italy for you to keep your luggage safe before and after check-in, while on day trips and for everything else between 👌

Click here to book now and use code ROMEWISE to save 5%!

How long does it take to visit the Vatican Museums?

To  visit the Vatican Museums  (where the Sistine Chapel is),  you need a purchase a ticket  (unless you  come on the Free Sunday .)

Once inside, even if you go quickly, you will need about 2 hours for this this visit.

If you are not able to take the shortcut from the Sistine Chapel to Saint Peter's basilica, you will exit the museums where you entered them.

This is about a 15-20 minute walk from Saint Peter's Square and the entrance to the basilica.

Click here to see a map of Vatican City and how far apart the entrances of the Museums and the Basilica are  (it opens in a new window.)

St Peter's Basilica Shortcut

You can only take the shortcut from the Sistine Chapel to St Peter's Basilica if you are on a tour that INCLUDES the basilica.

The shortcut is open from 9:30 am - 5 or 5:30PM, and it's ONLY accessible to tour companies or private guides that you book OUTSIDE the Vatican Museums website.

The Vatican Museums does not have any ticket or tour that includes the shortcut.

This means that you won't have access to the shortcut during the  KeyMaster tour , the  Extra Time tour , or any other tour that does not specifically include the basilica.

If you book any tour of the Vatican Museums, you can check the details to see if it finishes in the  Sistine Chapel  or the basilica.

Click here to view a map of Vatican City  (it will open in a new page.)

How long does it take to visit Saint Peter's Basilica?

A visit inside Saint Peter's Basilica could take anywhere from 1-2 hours, not including the time you spend in line waiting to go through security (assuming you go through security in the front and do not take the shortcut from the Sistine Chapel.)

To visit Saint Peter's Basilica, you do not need (nor can you buy) tickets, as it's free to go inside.

But you do have to wait in the line for security, which is airport-style - there is an x-ray machine to put your items in and you will walk through a metal detector.

And that can cause the queues to get pretty long.

Lately, the lines to get into Saint Peter's Basilica have been so long, they are looping back again around the square.

Wondering which tour to take of the Vatican Museums?

Visit my page about Vatican Museum tours to find out all the options!

If you book a Vatican Museums tour that does not allow you access to the Basilica, and/or you want to visit the Basilica separately, even on a different day, I'd suggest getting to Saint Peter's Basilica when it opens at 7 AM (if you want to avoid the line).

The lines are longest from about 10 AM - 5 PM, and in high season can be long throughout the day, even from 7 AM until closing!

Skipping the lines at Saint Peter's Basilica

The easiest way to skip the lines at Saint Peter's Basilica is to visit it using the shortcut from the Sistine Chapel (which currently is only available on booked museum tours that end in Saint Peter's Basilica).

There has been some back and forth recently about whether the shortcut is available or not, but for now, it is once again the case that  you can only take the shortcut  from  the Sistine Chapel to  St Peter's Basilica  if you are on a tour that  INCLUDES  the basilica.

As of now, you cannot do this  unless you are on a tour .

If you only plan to visit Saint Peter's Basilica , and not the museums, or you decide to visit these two sites separately, you can avoid the queues by following the tips in my video above:

• Come when it opens at 7 AM
• Come in Low Season
• Book a visit to Saint Peter's tomb
• Use the Pilgrims' entrance - reserved for prayer or attending mass or confession

Wondering where the bathrooms are at the Vatican?

Find out here .

Brief History of Vatican City eBook

The history of the Vatican stretches back thousands of years, and to know everything about this incredible micro-state would take a lifetime to learn.

With this eBook, discover the brief history of Vatican City - where it got its name, who built the basilica, where the Popes are buried and more!

Topics covered include:

• Details about the Vatican's origin , going back to the time of Ancient Rome
• The role important artists such as Michelangelo played in the creation of the Vatican as we know it today 
• How the Vatican came to be an independent city state within the boundaries of Rome

What else is included in this Brief History of Vatican City e-book?

• 50+ pages of information covering all areas of the Vatican's history
• Dozens of stunning and original photos showcasing the Vatican
• Insightful diagrams and drawings to help illustrate the more detailed elements of the Vatican's history
• + much more!

Look inside:

Only $8.99!

Skipping the line to get into the Vatican Museums

This may be the number 1 question I get about visiting Rome - How to skip the line for the Vatican Museums?

It's quite simple:

• You can pre-purchase tickets to the Vatican Museums through the Vatican's website . This means that you will not have to stand in the line waiting to buy tickets. You will, however, have to wait in a very short line of others like you, who have pre-booked tickets and have to pick them up. (The tickets you purchase in advance are more of a voucher, and they must be converted into physical paper tickets to enter the museums.) You also still need to go through security as everyone does. So you do not entirely skip the line, but your line will be much shorter.
• You can pre-purchase tickets to the Vatican Museums through a ticket reseller . There is usually a small surcharge for this but it can be worth it due to 1) Ease of use and/or 2) the possibility of finding tickets available here when tickets are not available on the Vatican Museums' website.
• You can purchase an Omnia Pass  or Turbo Pass .  These will also get you a tour with a guide from the Vatican Museums, as above. It’s not as simple as it sounds and you will need to be careful to understand what you are getting into. Click here to go to my page about the Roma Pass and Omnia Pass  or to this page about other Rome City Passes for more details about these passes.
• You can  book a tour of the Vatican Museums , either with a tour company or with the Vatican Museums themselves.  Your entry tickets are included in the tour, so you only have to go through the security line.
• If you book a visit to the Vatican Gardens , skip-the-line tickets to the Vatican Museums are included!
• I do not recommend this at all, but if you have not booked tickets, and they are sold out online, and you find yourself arriving at the Vatican Museums, you will ALWAYS find touts selling you a skip-the-line ticket or tour. I don't recommend it because you cannot be sure they are legit, and if they are, you have no idea what kind of tour you are getting. I also just can't stand, in principle, to be so bombarded by these guys every time I am within a mile of Vatican City. But it can be a good option if it's your last recourse and the lines are crazy long. Just be aware that  only licensed tour guides may give tours inside Vatican City .

Visiting the Vatican Museums with a Guide

Most Vatican City tourism consists primarily of a visit inside the Vatican Museums, which always includes  the Sistine Chapel .

Some tours also include a visit or even a tour inside Saint Peter's Basilica.

You may expect a guided tour of the Vatican Museums and Basilica to last roughly three hours total.

To find out about the many different kinds of tours you can book, visit my page about Vatican Museum Tours , which breaks down your options between group tours, early access tours, semi-private tours and more.

Can you just see the Sistine Chapel?

No, you cannot just see the Sistine Chapel .

To see the Sistine Chapel , you must go through the entire Vatican Museums, which can take at least 2 hours if you tour it and see the highlights .

The Sistine Chapel is at the very end. 

That said, if you are interested in an "Express Tour" of the Sistine Chapel, you can book this tour that skips the line then beelines to the Sistine Chapel and finishes in Saint Peter's Basilica .

This tour is only 1 hour and 45 minutes and does not include a tour of the rest of the Vatican Museums.

You do still have to walk through them, but the focus of the tour will be the Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter's Basilica.

(If you are really pressed for time, you could peel off once you get to the basilica and just not finish the tour.)

is it worth taking the time to explore the museums?

I really do believe that visiting the Vatican museums  is absolutely worth doing in its entirety, even if you really only wanted to see the Sistine Chapel.

The  rest of the museums   are truly wonderful.

You have the Raphael rooms, the maps gallery, the floor-to-ceiling tapestries, papal apartments, Etruscan art, and  so much more.

Click here to visit my page about the top 10 Vatican Museums must-sees.

I highly suggest  taking a tour  to visit the museums. 

They will take care of getting your tickets.

But if you go your own without a tour, you could get the audio guide, or follow my instructions here for the best way to visit the Vatican Museums .

And you will have to book your tickets on your own .

If you are heading to the Vatican in the morning, as I said above, I suggest you visit Saint Peter’s Basilica first, and the museums later, because the queues for Saint Peter's Basilica have gotten so long (sometimes it's a 1-2 hour wait to get in!)

If you decide to go to the Vatican Museums first, just make sure to leave enough time to stand in line to visit Saint Peter's so that you get inside while there is still some daylight, so you can enjoy the sun coming through all the stained glass.

Here's a great Vatican Highlights Tour with St. Peter’s Dome Climb

Can you see the Sistine Chapel without the crowds?

Perhaps the easiest way to see the Sistine Chapel with fewer crowds is to come in really low season .

But we hardly have a low season anymore in Rome, and even when we do, somehow the Vatican is always still crowded.

So how can you see the Sistine Chapel without the crowds?

It is possible!

With the below tours, you will have a VIP, exclusive experience, and you'll get to enjoy the Sistine Chapel almost alone :

Open the Vatican Museums with the Key Master

On this exclusive tour with Walks of Italy , you will have true VIP access to the Vatican museums - literally accompanying the guard who opens all the doors to get the museums ready for visits.

You will accompany the Vatican Museums Key Master as you walk through the museums, turning on the lights, even inside the Sistine Chapel!

Watch my video to see what it's like:

How to plan all your Vatican trips during your stay

The typical way of visiting the Vatican is to spend half a day seeing the  Vatican Museums  and  Saint Peter's Basilica .

These are both easy to fit into a typical  3-day visit to Rome .

The perfect 3-day itinerary in Rome

Trying to figure out how to organize your visit to Rome? I've got the perfect 3-day itinerary for first-time visitors (or those who have not been here in a while.) It works for a 2.5 day visit as well.

In my 3-day itinerary, you'll see all the major must-see Rome attractions like the Vatican , Colosseum , Trevi Fountain , Pantheon , Piazza Navona , Spanish Steps , Castel Sant'Angelo , and much more.

And if you have more time, or want suggestions for extra/other things to do, you'll find that there too.

Visit my page with the best 3-day itinerary in Rome for first-timers .

I have found that often when people can get tickets to special things at the Vatican, like St Peters tomb (the Vatican Necropolis, or scavi ), the Papal Audience , or the Vatican Gardens , they often want to also visit the Vatican Museums on the same day.

Here's my advice for visiting Vatican City when you want to see more than just the Vatican Museums:

Including the Papal Audience

How to visit the vatican museums and attend the papal audience.

Papal Audience tickets  are not difficult to come by, and since it's "in the morning", many visitors assume it would be a good idea to go to the Vatican Museums right after the audience.

I don't agree.

If you are really short on time, then, you CAN go to the Vatican Museums after the Papal Audience.

It's just that this is going to make for a pretty exhausting day.

To go to the Papal audience, you need to get there by 8am to get a decent spot, let alone a seat.

The audience begins around 9:30 AM and finishes around noon.

You'll probably want to grab at least a snack or lunch somewhere in there .

This means going inside the museums from about 2 PM once you have made your way to the Vatican Museum entrance.

If you also visit St. Peter's Basilica after the museums (which is typical), that is a 3-4 hour visit.

And a very long day. (Also, if you want to climb the dome , you likely won't get there in time.)

My suggestion?

If you can break these visits up over two days, I would.

Attend the Papal Audience and then go inside Saint Peter's Basilica (and climb the dome if you want.)

Then on a separate day, visit the Vatican Museums and see the Sistine Chapel.

Including a visit to the Scavi (St Peter's tomb)

How to visit the vatican museums and also take a scavi tour.

At the end of the  scavi  tour (St. Peter's tomb), you wind up inside  Saint Peter's basilica .

So you will already see that.

You could also  climb St. Peter's dome  if you have time and energy.

Visiting the Vatican Museums takes easily 2.5 - 3 hours, and that does not include the time it takes GETTING there once you leave the basilica.

If you are coming to the museums from St. Peter's basilica, you need to factor in about 15-20 minutes' walk to the Vatican museums entrance.

This is after you've already done a 1.5 hour scavi tour, and spent time walking around one of the largest churches in the world.

So as you can see, adding the Vatican Museums makes it a pretty exhausting day.

If you need to do it all in one day, make sure to book your scavi tour first, then book your museums visit with at least 4 hours between visits.

Break this up over two days.

Book the scavi tour.

You have no control over when they will grant you tickets, so if you are lucky enough to get them, you can then book other things around that. 

Plan to see St. Peter's basilica (and climb the dome) on this day.

Then, book your Vatican Museums visit for another day. 

HOW TO VISIT ST PETERS TOMB, THE VATICAN MUSEUMS (SISTINE CHAPEL), AND ATTEND THE PAPAL AUDIENCE

You are definitely going to need two days.

First book the scavi visit  which is never on a Wednesday mornings anyway (the Papal Audience is on Wednesdays.)

Plan to  visit St Peter's Basilica  after that, since you will come out into the basilica after the tour anyway.

If you want to  climb St Peter's dome , you will do it on this day.

This is a pretty long and full day by itself.

Then, once you get your  Papal Audience tickets , book your tickets or tour of the Vatican Museums for after the audience (even if I said above I discourage doing all this in one day, at least if you don't include the basilica it's a little less tiring).

This will be a very full and long day also.

Ready to plan your trip?

Including a visit to the Vatican Gardens

If you want to visit the vatican gardens and visit the scavi (st. peter's tomb).

TWO Vatican Gardens

On this page, I'm referring to the gardens inside Vatican City , i.e. directly behind Saint Peter's Basilica.

There are ALSO papal gardens at the Pope's summer residence, the Apostolic palace at Castel Gandolfo.

To learn more about the gardens at Castel Gandolfo and how to visit them (it's easy!), visit my dedicated page here.

If you are able to get tickets to St. Peter's tomb ( scavi ) and also the Vatican Gardens , congratulations!

Here's how to include visiting the Vatican Museums and St. Peter's basilica as well.

First book the scavi visit .

Then book the Vatican Gardens tour on a different day, and plan to visit the Vatican Museums right after the gardens, as it's included in your ticket price with the gardens.

Visit St. Peter's Basilica after the scavi, again, on a different day from the Gardens/Museums.

If you want to do it all - visit the Vatican Museums, vatican gardens, papal audience, scavi tour and st peter's basilica and dome

How you plan your days fitting in these visits will depend on two things  - the Papal audience , which is always Wednesday morning 10am - 12pm (although you need to get there by no later than 8am); and the time of your scavi booking (which depends on the scavi office - you cannot control this).

Once you get those two bookings, the next difficult booking to get is for the Vatican Gardens . 

So book that one around the Papal Audience and scavi tour.

Note that tours of the Vatican Gardens are at 9am or 11am.

They are also not held on the morning of the Papal Audience.

I'd suggest you spread this over 3 days.

Or, to fit this into two (intense) days, try to do the scavi tour after the Papal audience, if you can get scavi tickets for the afternoon.

Then book the Vatican Gardens, Vatican Museums , and St. Peter's Basilica on a separate day.

(And climb St. Peter's dome once you are inside St. Peter's basilica if you like.)

How to Get to Vatican City

You have several options for how to get to the Vatican.

But the most important factor to consider is what you are visiting first.

Click here to see a Google map showing where the different entrances are for the Vatican Museums, Saint Peter's Square, and the scavi entrance . It will open in a new window.

How to get to the Vatican Museums

The Vatican Museums entrance is on Viale Vaticano .

If you plan to take a taxi , just tell the driver "Vatican Museums".

Visiting the Vatican Museums and arriving by Metro

Otherwise, the most common way to get there is by Metro.

Rome's metro red line A has two stops, equidistant from the entrance to the museums (about a 10-12 minute walk): Ottaviano and Cipro .

The Ottaviano metro stop is the first one you will come to if you are coming from Rome's center.

When you emerge from the metro station, you just need to follow the crowd towards Vatican City.

Once you see Michelangelo's bastions (walls), follow them to the right and you will come to the entrance of the Vatican Museums.

If you are visiting the Vatican museums from the opposite direction, or if you forget to get off at Ottaviano, or, better yet, if you want to get off at the next stop to get some fabulous pizza by the slice from Bonci's Pizzarium, then you will get off at Cipro stop. 

However, from this stop, you cannot see the same stream of people, nor can you immediately see the Vatican City walls, so you will need to navigate a little bit to find the walls.

Once you see the walls, follow them until you come to the entrance.

Visiting the Vatican Museums and Arriving by Bus

Another option for arriving at the entrance of the Vatican museums is to take a bus or buses.

Many buses will get you pretty close to the entrance of the Vatican museums.

These include the 492, 49, 23, and the 81.

How to Get to Saint Peter's Basilica and Square

The entrance to St. Peter's Basilica is on Saint Peter's Square .

This is about a 15-20 minute walk from the Vatican Museums, so if you are not visiting the Vatican Museums (or not visiting them first), and want to go directly to the basilica, you can still take the metro, but make sure to get off at Ottaviano, not Cipro.

From Ottaviano metro stop, St. Peter's Square is about a 10-15 minute walk .

Follow the crowds, but at the walls, do not make a right towards the museums, just keep going straight. 

Buses that arrive closest to St. Peter's Square include the 40 and the 64.

How to get to the Scavi/St Peter's Tomb

If you are visiting the Vatican for an appointment to see St. Peter's tomb, the fastest and easiest way to arrive is by taxi .

They can drop you right in front of the entrance where you need to go, which is at the Swiss Guard, to the left of the basilica as you face it.

If you take a bus, get the 64, as it drops you about a block away.

To take the metro , make sure to get off at Ottaviano, and give yourself about 20 minutes' walking time from there to get the the entrance of St. Peter's tomb.

Where to Eat Near the Vatican

There is no place to eat inside St Peter's Basilica or in St Peter's Square (there is a tiny snack bar on the roof of the basilica, which you can only access if you climb the dome .)

There are some cafés and fast-food options inside the Vatican Museums.

There are also fun dining options you can book, and combine with your visit to the Museums.

Otherwise, visit my page about lots of options for eating breakfast, lunch, dinner and aperitivo near the Vatican . 

Want to  share this page on Pinterest ? Pin it here!

Get your 100%  free  Rome trip planner now!

Simply sign-up today for our free newsletter and get the Romewise Quick Start guide to Rome:

We are committed to respecting your data. Click for our Privacy Policy .

Comments? Questions? Suggestions?

Please come over to the private Romewise Facebook group and join in the conversation.

You will often find me there, happy to answer your questions / comments!

You will also meet other Rome lovers and experts, too.

What are you waiting for?

Come join in the fun !

Read here about our sponsorship policy

Top attractions and tours

• Colosseum - Don't miss visiting Rome's most iconic monument
• Vatican Museums - This is where the Sistine Chapel is
• Pantheon - Book ahead and skip the line
• Galleria Borghese - You'll need to book ahead for one of Rome's best museums
• Castel Sant'Angelo - See Rome's history through its architecture
• Rome City Pass - A great way to make your Rome visits easier

Disclosure : If you make a purchase through a link on this page, I may receive a small commission - at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my site!

New to Romewise? Start Here

Get the most out of Romewise

Coming To Rome?

Weather in Rome

Accommodation

Already in Rome?

Things to Do

Home    |    About Me    |    Privacy Policy    |    Legal Disclaimer    |    Affiliate Disclosure    |   Contact Me

Copyright © 2009-2024 by Elyssa Bernard, Romewise.com | All Rights Reserved.

How to Request an Audience With the Pope in Rome

See the Pope on your trip to the Vatican

Whether you're religious or not, a trip to the Vatican in Rome is a great addition to your European vacation, and if you'd like to meet the Pope himself, you can make a formal request for a papal audience with relative ease.

While receiving a papal audience may not be as hard as one may think, there are still several things you should know before getting a ticket or putting in a formal request. The easiest way to get an audience is to book  papal audience tickets and presentation in English , though the Pope also delivers his speeches in several other languages.

You'll need to reserve tickets well ahead of time, but tickets to the audience are always free. Audiences with the Pope are held just about every Wednesday morning when the Pope is in Rome, but keep in mind when you visit that the Vatican dress code prohibits shorts and tank tops and requires that women's shoulders must be covered.

How to Experience a Papal Audience

When traveling from Rome, Italy , to the Vatican, you'll be crossing into an independent country, and although the Vatican is not part of the European Union, rules for inter-country travel within the EU still apply when visiting this holy city so you won't need your passport.

The Pope is an early riser, so staying close to the Vatican  can help when planning to arrive early enough for a good view of an audience with the Pope, which typically starts at 10 am though people begin lining up three hours beforehand.

In the summer, the Papal Audience is held in St. Peter's Square to accommodate larger crowds, but the square fills up quickly almost every visit. While you will need a ticket in advance to get closer to the Pope, Pope Francis has made it very clear that everyone is welcome to attend, whether or not you have a ticket, and there is plenty of standing room around the perimeter of the square.

What to Expect at the Audience With the Pope

Once the ceremony begins, His Holiness Pope Francis will do a greeting in each language from the visiting groups who've reserved advanced tickets, then lead the audience through small teachings and readings, which will mainly be orated in Italian.

The Pope will then conclude by leading those attending in a recitation of the Father Prayer in Latin, which will be printed on the back of your Papal Audience Ticket. Next, the Pope will impart his Apostolic Blessing on the crowd when people near His Holiness can approach to ask that He bless their religious articles like rosary beads.

The entire event lasts less than two hours, but many will linger in the Square afterward singing sacred hymns, praying, or taking a special tour of the Vatican.

Getting an Official Papal Blessing

Receiving an official papal blessing is a different story. It can be very difficult to acquire an official papal blessing if you live outside of Rome, and there are limited occasions that warrant a parchment papal blessing including that you must be a baptized Catholic.

You can try contacting the Papal Office directly for a blessing via the Apostolic Blessings Office of Papal Charities or by using the request form downloaded from the Office of Papal Charities. However, be sure that your occasion is one that officially calls for a blessing before you submit.

Baptism, first Communion, and Confirmation all qualify for an Apostolic Blessing from the Pope, as does marriage, priestly ordination, religious profession acquisition, secular consecration, and special anniversaries and birthdays.

Vatican City Travel Guide

Visiting Saint Peter's Square in Vatican City

8 Best Things to Do in Vatican City

Rome Festivals & Events in April

Guide to Easter in Rome & Vatican City: Festivals, Events, Things to Do

Buying Tickets for the Colosseum in Rome

How to Visit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel in Rome

The 25 Top Attractions in Rome, Italy

The Top 23 Things to Do in Italy

The Gardens of Vatican City: The Complete Guide

The 14 Best Day Trips from Rome

10 Unique Guided Tours in Rome

Your Trip to Rome: The Complete Guide

Saint Paul Basilica in Rome

How to Visit Saint Peter's Basilica in Vatican City

The Best Time to Visit Rome

NOTICE Vatican Museums and Castel Gandolfo Museum Complex

We inform you that from 1 July 2024 , new conditions for free admission, concessions and reductions will come into force for the following types of visitors ( group visits ): pilgrims, university students, primary and secondary (I and II grade) school students.

[email protected]

Vatican Museums

Where we are.

General information +39 06 69883145 [email protected] Office of the Directorate +39 06 69883332 [email protected]

Publications and Merchandising

Sculptures >

Publications >

Gift ideas >

Prints and Posters >

Accessories >

Home decor >

Follow us Menu

Social media

Support menu, patrons of the arts.

Prices and Tickets

Discover the many types of ticket and check prices, reductions or special free entry reserved to different visitors. The entry ticket for the Vatican Museums entitles the visit to the Museums and Sistine Chapel solely on the day on which the ticket is issued. Tickets cannot be refunded. See also:

Full entry ticket

€ 20.00 (without online booking)

Reduced entry ticket

€ 8.00 (without online booking) € 8.00 + 5.00 (with “Skip the Line” booking on the official Vatican Museums website)

Reduced ticket Schools

€ 4.00 (without online booking) € 4.00 + 2.00 (with “Skip the Line” booking on the official Vatican Museums website)

Reduced ticket Students

€ 8.00 (without online booking) € 13.00 (with “Skip the Line” booking on the official Vatican Museums website)

Papal Palace and Secret Garden of Castel Gandolfo

Full entry ticket € 12.00 Discover and check the reductions reserved to different visitors:

Free entry Vatican Museums

• Last Sunday of the month (subject to the Calendar of museum openings/closures ).
• Children below the age of 7.
• Directors of museum institutions, managing boards and other bodies engaged in the protection of archaeological, historic and artistic heritage.
• All disabled visitors with certified invalidity of more than 74% . In the case of visitors who are not self-sufficient, free entry is extended also to a companion. Free tickets for disabled visitors and their companions cannot be booked online but are instead issued, upon presentation of certification of invalidity, directly at the “Special Permits” and/or “Reception” desks situated in the entrance hall of the Vatican Museums. The disabled visitor and an eventual companion are guaranteed priority Skip the line entry (without queuing in line). See Services for visitors with disabilities .
• Holders of the valid cards issued by the following institutions: Icom ( International Council of Museums ); Icomos ( International Council on Monuments and Sites ).
• University teachers in the fields of Archaeology, Art History, Architecture and Ethnology, as well as those from academies based in Rome, for holding occasional specialist lessons in the museum sectors related to their areas of teaching, upon written request to the Directorate of the Museums and Cultural Heritage. Should permission be granted, this does not authorise access to all the remaining display areas, which may be visited only upon purchase of a regular entry ticket for the Museums.

N.B. : If you wish to combine the free entrance to the Museums with the purchase of a guided tour or a restaurant service (Breakfast/Happy Hour/Lunch), please write in advance to [email protected] .

Full entry ticket “Skip the Line”

€ 20.00 + 5.00 (with booking on the official Vatican Museums website)

Reduced ticket Pilgrimages

€ 8.00 (without online booking) € 13.00 (with “Skip the Line” booking on the official Vatican Museums website)  

Reduced ticket University Institutes

€  8.00 (without online booking) € 13.00 (with “Skip the Line” booking on the official Vatican Museums website)

Reduced ticket Seminaries and Religious Colleges

Family tariff.

For the tours of the  Papal Palace and Secret Garden of Castel Gandolfo , parents with children can take advantage of the  Family  Tariff . The special reduced tariff is reserved to  families composed of a mother, father and at least two children (aged between 7 and 18 years and/or students up to and including 25 years of age with valid documentation) . The ticket is free for second and subsequent children, and children aged between 0 and 6 years enter free.

Free entry Papal Palace and Secret Garden of Castel Gandolfo

• For second and subsequent children, families composed of a mother, father and at least two children (aged between 7 and 18 years and/or students up to and including 25 years of age with valid documentation).
• All disabled visitors with  certified invalidity of more than 74% . In the case of visitors who are not self-sufficient, free entry is extended also to a companion. Free tickets for disabled visitors and their companions cannot be booked online but are instead issued, upon presentation of certification of invalidity, directly at the Ticket Office.
• Holders of the valid cards issued by the following institutions: Icom ( International Council of Museums);  Icomos ( International Council on Monuments and Sites ).  

Search Menu

Advanced search.

Watch CBS News

Pope Francis visits Venice in first trip outside of Rome in seven months

April 28, 2024 / 3:18 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Pope Francis made his first trip out of Rome in seven months on Sunday with a visit to Venice that included an art exhibition, a stop at a prison and a Mass.

Venice has always been a place of contrasts, of breathtaking beauty and devastating fragility, where history, religion, art and nature have collided over the centuries to produce an otherworldly gem of a city. But even for a place that prides itself on its culture of unusual encounters, Francis' visit on Sunday stood out.

Francis traveled to the lagoon city to visit the Holy See's pavilion at the Biennale contemporary art show and meet with the people who created it. But because the Vatican decided to mount its exhibit in Venice's women's prison, and invited inmates to collaborate with the artists, the whole project assumed a far more complex meaning, touching on Francis' belief in the power of art to uplift and unite, and of the need to give hope and solidarity to society's most marginalized.

His trip began at the courtyard of the Giudecca prison, where he met with women inmates one by one.

"Paradoxically, a stay in prison can mark the beginning of something new, through the rediscovery of the unsuspected beauty in us and in others, as symbolized by the artistic event you are hosting and the project to which you actively contribute," Francis told them.

The 87-year-old pontiff then met with Biennale artists in the prison chapel, decorated with an installation by Brazilian visual artist Sonia Gomes of objects dangling from the ceiling, meant to draw the viewer's gaze upward.

The Vatican exhibit has turned the Giudecca prison, a former convent for reformed prostitutes, into one of the must-see attractions of this year's Biennale, even though to see it visitors must reserve in advance and go through a security check. It has become an unusual art world darling that greets visitors at the entrance with Maurizio Cattelan's wall mural of  two giant filthy feet , a work that recalls Caravaggio's dirty feet or the feet that Francis washes each year in a Holy Thursday ritual that he routinely performs on prisoners.

The exhibit also includes a short film starring the inmates and Zoe Saldana, and prints in the prison coffee shop by onetime Catholic nun and American social activist Corita Kent.

Francis' dizzying morning visit, which ended with Mass in St. Mark's Square, represented an increasingly rare outing for the 87-year-old pontiff, who has been hobbled by health and mobility problems that have ruled out any foreign trips so far this year.

"Venice, which has always been a place of encounter and cultural exchange, is called to be a sign of beauty available to all," Francis said. "Starting with the least, a sign of fraternity and care for our common home."

During an encounter with young people at the iconic Santa Maria della Salute basilica, Francis acknowledged the miracle that is Venice, admiring its "enchanting beauty" and tradition as a place of East-West encounter, but warning that it is increasingly vulnerable to climate change and depopulation.

"Venice is at one with the waters upon which it sits," Francis said. "Without the care and safeguarding of this natural environment, it might even cease to exist."

in the exhibit as tour guides and as protagonists in some of the artworks.

Ahead of his trip, Francis sat down with "CBS Evening News" anchor and managing editor Norah O'Donnell during an hourlong interview at the guest house where he lives in Rome. 

During the interview, Francis pleaded for peace worldwide amid the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza .

"Please. Countries at war, all of them, stop the war. Look to negotiate. Look for peace," said the pope, speaking through a translator.

He also had a message for those who do not see a place for themselves in the Catholic Church anymore. 

"I would say that there is always a place, always. If in this parish the priest doesn't seem welcoming, I understand, but go and look elsewhere, there is always a place," he said. "Do not run away from the Church. The Church is very big. It's more than a temple ... you shouldn't run away from her."

The pope's Venice trip was the first of four planned inside Italy in the next three months, Reuters reported. He is scheduled to visit Verona in May and Trieste in July, and is expected to attend the June summit of Group of Seven (G7) leaders in Bari.

In September, he is also set to embark on the longest foreign trip of his papacy, traveling to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Singapore.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

An extended version of O'Donnell's interview with Pope Francis will air on "60 Minutes" on Sunday, May 19 at 7 p.m. ET. On Monday, May 20, CBS will broadcast an hourlong primetime special dedicated to the papal interview at 10 p.m. ET on the CBS Television Network and streaming on  Paramount+ . Additionally, CBS News and Stations will carry O'Donnell's interview across platforms. 

• Pope Francis
• Catholic Church

More from CBS News

On Netanyahu's orders, Israeli troops seize Gaza side of Rafah border

Crews race to save construction workers trapped by building collapse

Rafah assault looks imminent as hope fades for Israel-Hamas cease-fire

Woman accused of killing 3 with poisonous mushrooms pleads not guilty

Advertisement

Free Newsletters

Sign up now

Help us raise $225,000 for NCR!

We have raised $70,710 from 519 supporters. We are 31.4% of the way to our goal!

Vatican announces papal visit to Verona, Italy

Pope Francis greets people from a golf cart as he rides around St. Mark's Square before his Mass in Venice April 28, 2024. (CNS/Lola Gomez)

by Catholic News Service

View Author Profile

Join the Conversation

Pope Francis will celebrate the vigil of Pentecost in Verona, Italy, the setting for Shakespeare's play, "Romeo and Juliet."

The Diocese of Verona has chosen "Justice and Peace will Kiss" from Psalm 85 as the theme for the pope's visit May 18.

Publishing the schedule for the trip April 29, the day after Francis visited Venice, the Vatican said he would arrive by helicopter at 8 a.m. and proceed to the Basilica of San Zeno for a meeting with priests and religious before meeting children and young people in the square outside the basilica.

In Verona's famed arena, a Roman amphitheater dating to the year 30 and still used today, mainly for opera performances in the summer, Francis will meet members of popular movements for an encounter titled, "Arena of Peace."

Afterward, the pope will visit staff and detainees at the Montorio prison on the outskirts of town. The facility houses more than 500 prisoners, men and women. Francis is scheduled to have lunch with the inmates.

His visit is scheduled to conclude with a Pentecost vigil Mass in the city's Bentegodi soccer stadium.

Most Read Stories

#1 Catholic students, theologians, ministers write an open letter to Pope Francis

#2 Pope responds with 'open heart' to Vatican document criticism from parents of LGBTQ children

#3 Pope asks lay Catholics to prepare for synod's 'prophetic' stage

#4 'It's a different time': Relations between US sisters, Vatican have changed radically

Latest news.

How ‘apocalypse’ became a secular as well as religious idea

Shevchuk: Russian rededication of Catholic church for Orthodox faith a 'sacrilege'

MLK speechwriter Clarence B. Jones awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom

Mexican church leaders denounce political persecution in case of abducted bishop

Subscribe to ncr's free newsletters.

Select any of the newsletters below, then enter your email address and click "subscribe"

• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

Italy Travel Experts Tours and Vacations

How To Visit the Vatican City: Tickets, Hours, Tours, and More

Sean Finelli Last Updated: August 28, 2023

Did you know that approximately 19,000 people visit the Vatican every day? It can get hectic inside these museums, but there are some ways to get around the crowds. We’ll explain everything you need to know to visit Vatican City from how to get tickets to when to go, the best Vatican tours to take, and more .

Pro Tip:  Planning can be tough, but it’s easier to organize your trip when you have all your resources in one place. Create a browser folder and bookmark this post along with our dedicated guide to planning your visit to the Vatican , where you’ll find everything you need. Also, check out our article on the  best Vatican tours .

Visiting the Vatican City: What We’ll Cover

Vatican City is the seat of the Roman Catholic Church and the smallest independent country in the world. No matter your religious affiliation, it welcomes all who want to visit—around 19,000 people per day! It is home to some of the greatest works of art in the world.

Visiting the Vatican is an unforgettable experience not only for lovers of art but also of history, culture, and architecture. In this guide, you’ll find information on how to visit Vatican City, the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, and more. Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Facts and History of the Vatican City
• Opening hours and tickets
• How long to budget for your visit
• How to get to Vatican City
• What to see at Vatican City
• Guided tour options
• Visiting the Vatican with kids
• Where To Eat Nearby and Inside

Facts and History of Vatican City

Constantine’s Vatican 

The early establishment of the Vatican began with Constantine’s St. Peter’s Basilica, which stood where the current Basilica stands today. Jesus gave Simon the name Peter when he first met him and said, “You’re the stone upon which I will build my church.” After Constantine legalized Christianity in A.D. 313 with the Edict of Milan, he quickly began building that church. For Constantine, Jesus would have been as old as George Washington is in relative history to us.

The Vatican’s Name

I have read many versions of how the Vatican got its name. The most likely is that the Etruscan society living in this area referred to it as Vatica   prior to Roman settlement. It was a marshy area called Ager Vaticanus. There are a lot of other theories which may well be correct. It is an old word with many possible roots.

The Leonine City

In A.D. 846, Pope Leo IV commissioned a 39-foot wall to be constructed around the old St. Peter’s Basilica and other areas used by the clergy as a protective measure. The Saracens attacked Rome and caused significant damage to St. Peter’s Basilica, which motivated the pope to build out defenses. The area, which was larger than the current Vatican City, was proclaimed the Leonine City and stayed that way for some time.

Sottopassaggio

In 1277, there was a half-mile-long underground passageway and wall that connected the papal residence adjacent to St. Peter’s Basilica to the Castel Sant’Angelo. This was a major fortification for the pope in case of attack.

Vatican Museums

The Vatican Museums have residents. You won’t see the pope walking around as you visit, but he’s there. The collection of art is a mix of ancient and Renaissance or Baroque. There is even a modern religious art section.

St. Peter’s Basilica and Tomb

The Basilica of St. Peter is basically the largest and most beautiful gravestone ever built. According to Vatican dogma, it was built on the grave of St. Peter, which you can visit with special Scavi tickets. The Basilica, built during the 16th and 17th centuries, was completed in 1615 with contributions by almost every great Italian artist.

Sovereignty

In 1870, Italy was unified under the leadership of Italian-American Giuseppe Garibaldi. The government of the newly-defined Italy allowed the pope to keep a small area under sovereignty. Pope Pius IX would not agree to the terms until 1929, when the Lateran Treaty was signed under Benito Mussolini, which granted the Vatican sovereignty. This sovereignty extends beyond the Vatican City to other churches, including the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome.

Not ready to book a tour? Find out if a Vatican tour is worth it .

Vatican Opening Hours and Tickets

Vatican Museum Ticket Prices:

• Adult (18+): €17
• Children (ages 6 – 18): €8
• Students (ages 19 – 26): €8
• Members of the clergy: €8

Be prepared to show proof of eligibility at the door. Without that, they’ll either make you pay more or disallow entrance without a refund. Tickets include access to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel. If you are looking for solo-visit Vatican tickets , you can check our website for all types of entrance times to suit your preferences.

The Vatican Museum Hours:

• Monday to Saturday: 9 am to 6 pm (last entry at 4 pm).
• Extended Opening Hours: April 14th to 30th, Friday and Saturday, open until 10:30 pm (last entry 8:30 pm); May 5th to October 28th, Fridays open until 10:30 pm (last entry 8:30 pm), Saturdays open until 8 pm(last entry 6 pm).
• Closed: Sundays except for the last Sunday of every month, Jan 1st and 6th, Feb 11th, Apr 10th, May 1st, June 29th, Aug 15th and 16th, Nov 1st, Dec 8th, 25th, 26th, and 31st.
• Free the last Sunday of every month: 9 am – 2 pm (last entry 12:30 pm). Not recommended if you don’t like crowds.
• Most tour companies can enter at 8 am, an hour before it opens.
• The Tour Guy/The Roman Guy can enter as early as 7:30 am, before most tour companies.

St. Peter’s Basilica Ticket Prices:

• Free for all.
• Climbing the dome costs €8 if you take the stairs or €10 if you take the elevator. I recommend the elevator. Find out more about climbing St. Peter’s Dome .
• The Basilica of St. Peter is free to enter but does not include entry to the Sistine Chapel.

St. Peter’s Basilica Hours: 

• From April to September: 7 am – 7 pm
• From October to March: 7 am – 6:30 pm
• Closed Wednesday mornings for the papal audience

St. Peter’s Dome Climb Hours:

• From April to September: 7:30 am – 5 pm
• From October to March: 7:30 am – 5 pm

Tours: 

We sell top-rated Vatican tours  enjoyed by thousands of customers. The Vatican Museums is a bucket-list place you absolutely should visit at least once with a tour guide.

Vatican Dress Code:

To gain access, you’ll have to abide by the Vatican dress code. Cover your shoulders and avoid shorts and short dresses and skirts. We know that Rome gets hot in the summer, we suggest bringing a light scarf to wrap around yourself when you need to. Hats, food, and metal tools like knives and scissors are also not allowed.

How Long To Spend at Vatican City

Short Answer:  3 to 5 hours

This is a great question! The Vatican is an immense complex of artwork. You could spend a few hours inside and see a lot of art or you could spend 3 – 5 hours and really learn the history. It depends on your level of interest.

Most people visiting the Vatican for the first time, without an art-history background, will follow the signs for the Capella Sistina or Sistine Chapel until they get there, snap their photo, and leave. Our goal is to help you have a more enriching experience. Here is a proposed Itinerary:

• Spiral Staircase
• Pinecone Courtyard
• Pio Clementino Gallery
• Gallery of Candelabra, Tapestries, and Maps
• Raphael Rooms
• Sistine Chapel
• St. Peter’s Basilica

If you’re an art aficionado, also visit the Pinacoteca. Further on in this article, you’ll see a more comprehensive list of Vatican must-see artwork . If you’re going to go it alone, be well prepared. Check out our top things to see at the Vatican .

How To Get To Vatican City

Luckily, getting to Vatican City is really easy. Depending on your preferences, you can take the metro, a bus, catch a cab, or just walk.

Metro (about 20 minutes):

There are two metro stops located near the Vatican Museums entrance: Ottaviano and Cipro. These stops are located on the A-line (orange line). So, if you jump on near the Spanish Steps (Spagna) or Termini train station, make sure you catch the A-line going towards Battistini and get off at either Ottaviano or Cipro.

The entrance to the Vatican Museums is a 5-minute walk from either of these stops. Of course, you can also catch the A-line from many other stops, just check the Rome Metro schedule. You can buy tickets at the metro station or a corner store, but not from the driver.

Pro Tip:  Always budget an extra 10 to 20 minutes if you have a scheduled event like a Vatican Tour . This way you don’t have to rush and it’ll give you time for that quintessential morning espresso.  

Bus (about 20 minutes):

From the Termini train station, head outside and get on bus number 64. The bus ride will take about 20 minutes and your stop is the last one on the route: P.za Stazione S. Pietro. Getting to the Vatican Museums’ entrance is about a 15-minute walk from the bus station.

You can also take the number 81 bus from the Colosseum area (the bus stop is located right outside of the metro station—B-line). The 81 bus route ends in Piazza Risorgimento, which is a five-minute walk to the Vatican Museums’ entrance.

Taxi (depends on the departure point):

 A taxi ride should cost no more than €20 if you’re staying in the historic center of Rome. When you get in the taxi, tell the driver to take you to the Vatican Museums’ entrance, otherwise, they’ll probably take you to St. Peter’s Basilica.

The most typical way to get a taxi in Rome is to go to a taxi stand. These are located near every major tourist attraction. If you aren’t located near one, you can always order a coffee and pastry at a café and ask the people working there to call you one.

Walking (about 20 minutes):

You can easily walk to the Vatican Museums if you’re staying near Piazza Navona or in Campo de’ Fiori. Prati is also within walking distance. Technically, you can walk to the Vatican from basically anywhere in Rome, depending on your level of fitness.

It’s important to take into consideration that you’ll be on your feet for 3 hours or more as you visit the Vatican. I would recommend taking public transport because you’ll be on your feet plenty in Rome.

Pro Tip:  A neat trick for using your map app on your phone is to set your course while you’re on wifi on airplane mode. GPS will still show your location while you’re on airplane mode—it won’t reroute you if you go off the route but it will show you where you are.

Popular Vatican Tours

Best Selling Tour

Privileged Entrance Vatican Tour with Sistine Chapel

This our most popular and longest-running Vatican tour to date. It enters the Vatican Museums an hour before the general public and visits the Sistine Chapel before heading to St. Peter’s Basilica. Our English-speaking guides will amaze you with how they bring the museums to life!

Exclusive Value

Vatican Night Tour with Sistine Chapel

You’ve heard about the crowds at the Vatican, but did you know that the museums are almost empty in the evening? This night tour of the Vatican is perfect for those who prefer to explore Rome later at night. You’ll have 2 hours of a guided tour to key areas in the Vatican, plus the Sistine Chapel. And you’re welcome to stay on your own until the museums close at 10 pm!

What To See at Vatican City

This is a list of the top things to see at the Vatican—an excerpt from our much more elaborate mega-guide on the top things to see at the Vatican Museums written by a Vatican guide. Check it out for more in-depth descriptions, history, and images.

1. Spiral Staircase 

The staircase was built by the famous architect Giuseppe Momo in 1932. It was commissioned by Pope Pius XI and was to be created for the new entrance to the Vatican Museums.

2. The Terrace with a view of the Basilica and Vatican Gardens

3. the pinacoteca (for art lovers).

Pinacoteca means “painting gallery” in Italian and, considering that all the popes have historically been the main patron of the arts for centuries, they don’t disappoint. Be sure to see:

• Transfiguration (Raphael)
• The Annunciation (Raphael)
• Crowning of the Virgin (Raphael)
• St. Jerome (Da Vinci)
• St Matthew (Guido Reni)
• Deposition (Caravaggio)
• The Crucifixion of Saint Peter (Guido Reni)
• Martyrdom of St. Erasmus (Nicolas Poussin)
• Astronomical Observations (Donato Creti)
• Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Wenzel Peter)

4. The Pinecone Courtyard 

The pinecone courtyard is a massive courtyard that connects the main galleries leading to the Sistine Chapel with the Pio Clementino and Braccio Nuovo Galleries. Reports have been written of jousting tournaments and bullfights taking place under the Borgia Pope AlexanderVI in the 15th century and supposedly Pope Leo X housed his pet elephant, Hanno, here in the 16th century. Be sure to see:

• Colossal Statue of Augustus
• Sphere within a Sphere
• The Pinecone

5. The Pio Clementino Gallery 

The collection of classical statues you will see in these galleries was started at the beginning of the 16th century by Pope Julius II. The gallery is named, however, for popes from a much later date: Clement XIV(1769-1774) and Pius VI (1775-1799), who created the current galleries you’ll walk through. Much of the artwork here was taken by Napoleon and returned to the Museum after his defeat. Be sure to see:

• Apoxyomenos
• Apollo Belvedere
• Laocoön Group
• The Belvedere Torso
• The Bath of Nero
• Statue of Hercules in Bronze
• Sarcophagus of Saint Helena

6. The Candelabra Gallery 

As the name suggests, this gallery owes its name to the enormous marble candlesticks that you’ll find in each section as you walk down the hallway. The gallery was completely renovated during the pontificate of Pope Leo XIII Pecci (1878-1903), which is what you see today. It was meant to be built so that each piece is like a furnishing for the house. Be sure to see:

• Artemis of Ephesus
• Lapus Lazuli Mosaic
• The Persian Warrior

7. The Gallery of Tapestries

As you walk through the gallery, you will see tapestries on the right-hand side dedicated to stories of the life of the Barberini Pope Urban VIII (17th century). On the left-hand side, are stories from the Bible whose original drawings were executed by the school of Raphael, then woven in Flanders.

• Resurrection of Christ

8. The Gallery of the Maps 

By far one of the most over-the-top galleries as far as decor goes, this room is literally a gigantic mural with frescoes on both sides of maps depicting Italy. Pope Gregory XIII, also known as the calendar pope, commissioned this room to be painted so he could accurately study the lands in which he lived and the surrounding areas.

• The Grotesques
• The Ceiling
• Map of Sicily
• Map of Lazio
• Vatican Radio Station (Out of the window to your right)

9. Raphael Rooms

The four rooms known as the Raphael rooms were painted by Raphael and his students between 1508 and 1524. They were commissioned first by Pope Julius II (1503 to 1513), supposedly because he refused to live in the Borgia apartments on the floor below due to his hatred for the man. These rooms were also used by his successors, specifically Leo X the Medici Pope (1512-1521). Be sure to see:

• Room of Constantine
• Vision of the Cross
• Battle of Constantine against Maxentius
• The Victory of Christianity over Paganism (Ceiling)
• Room of Heliodorus
• Liberation of St.Peter
• Encounter of Leo the Great with Attila
• Room of the Segnatura
• The School of Athens
• Room of the Fire in the Borgo
• Fire in the Borgo

10. The Sistine Chapel

This chapel needs no introduction. Originally named Capella Magna (Great Chapel), it was restored by Pope Sixtus IV (pontiff from 1471 to 1484) in 1480. Sixtus IV had famous early Renaissance artists, who lived a generation before Michelangelo and Raphael, paint the fake draperies, the life of Moses and Christ (side walls), and the Pope (above the windows) Sixtus’ nephew. Julius II had Michelangelo paint the ceiling in 1508. Be sure to see:

• The Central Panels
• The Side Panels
• The Stories of Moses
• The Stories of Jesus
• The Last Judgment

11. St. Peter’s Basilica

For me personally, there is no church that compares in beauty. It is the ultimate expression of space, beauty, and monumental grandeur. It also happens to have an amazing history to it as well. When you’re there, be sure to see:

• La Baldacchino
• St. Peter’s Square

Vatican Tour Options

Not sure if a Vatican tour is worth it ? Beyond the explanations and local insight, a major advantage of a tour is that it provides you special access to many sites like St. Peter’s Basilica.

Without a tour guide, you will have to exit the Vatican Museums from the entrance where you came in, which means about a mile of additional walking. Many of our tours provide direct access from the Sistine Chapel to St. Peter’s Basilica. Here are our best Vatican tours:

Colosseum, Roman Forum & Vatican Highlights Combo Tour (8 hours)

This tour is for the art-history buff, visiting the majority of the Vatican Museums including the Pinacoteca, Sistine Chapel, and more. You’ll even have time in the Cabinet of Masks which is an area reserved specifically for guided tours. Your guide will share plenty of stories and information to engage and inspire even novice art lovers.

See tour itinerary, price, and description

Privileged Entrance Vatican Tour with Sistine Chapel (3.5 hours) 

This is our most popular Vatican tour. It covers all the must-see sights for visitors including the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. It’s good for art lovers and anyone that wants to see a ton but doesn’t want to be too mentally exhausted by the end of the visit. A major benefit of this tour is that we have an 8 am entrance time, which is an hour prior to general admission and gets you in when it’s less crowded.

Skip the Line Vatican Tour with Sistine Chapel (3 hours)  

This is a great low-price Vatican tour that covers most of the main attractions including the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. It features a large selection of start times throughout the day, so you can fit your visit into the rest of your plans. The price is also hard to beat from a top-quality tour company.

Exclusive After Hours Sistine Chapel Tour with Aperitivo (3.5 hours)

If you want to see the main sites and understand them but don’t want to get caught up in every detail, this is for you. We have an 8 am option that beats the crowds, along with other start times. It’s a small group tour and great value that’s also our fastest way to see the best of the Vatican Museums.

Not ready to book a tour? Check out our  best Vatican tours to take and why.

Visiting the Vatican With Kids

If you want to visit the Vatican Museums with your kids, you’re in luck. The museums are happy to welcome families with children and strollers in tow.

As you explore the collections, there are also plenty of restrooms with changing tables and places to sit and rest. There’s even a private room for mothers to nurse in complete privacy. For a more private experience truly geared toward a younger audience, consider our family-friendly Vatican tour .

Popular Rome Tours

Best-Selling Tour

Rome in a Day Tour with Colosseum and Vatican Museums

Our “in a day” tour is best way to get your bearings all in one day. Visit the Sistine Chapel, Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, and more with a licensed, fun English-speaking tour guide. They’ll add tons of insights and make the entire experience so much more memorable. Also, you’ll get a feel for the city, so it’s a great option on one of your first days in Rome. Bring your walking shoes and water bottle!

Best Price!

Skip the Line Vatican Tour with Sistine Chapel

One of our most popular Vatican tours since it is such an amazing value. Skip the line to get inside with a super-knowledgeable, English-speaking guide who will bring the museum to life with stories of the artists, popes, conspiracy, love, and even tragedy! This tour has start times throughout the day so you can choose when to visit based on your schedule!

Not ready to book a tour? Check out our  best Rome tours to take and why .

Places To Eat Inside and Nearby

Like all great Italian museums, you can get coffee and food inside the Vatican Museums. Here are a few recommendations for getting a bite to eat and some refreshments inside and nearby the Vatican.

Inside the Vatican

Caffetteria Centrale : €€ | Coffee Shop —With sub-par reviews that you would expect in a cafeteria-style eatery, this coffee shop and light eatery will get the job done if you want to spend more than 4 or 5 hours inside the Vatican Museums. To find it, look for signs near the Pinacoteca.

Bar: €€ | Quick Snacks —There is a small bar for coffee and pastries located near the Sistine Chapel. Look for the signs as you get close.

St. Peter’s Dome Bar: €€ | Coffee Shop —Yep, you can get coffee on top of St. Peter’s Dome. There is a little bar open basically whenever they want to be open. But if it’s open, stop for a coffee and enjoy the view.

Near the Vatican

Hostaria Dino e Toni : € | Roman Restaurant —Somehow this owner-operated and authentic Roman restaurant has yet to get touristy. They make good food with relatively friendly service, and they may just order for you. Come here for pizza, pasta, and apps.

200 Gradi : €€ | Sandwich Shop —Have a big day of sightseeing planned after your Vatican visit? This sandwich shop is perfect. You can get really tasty to-go sandwiches or sit down inside. Super reasonably priced.

La Zanzara : €€ | Bistro —A bit more cool and trendy with a modern spin on Italian classics, this place feels like a French bistro but the food is definitely Italian. It’s great for a cocktail and sit-down lunch.

Where To Stay in Rome

Rome has a rich cultural history and many iconic landmarks to explore. Plan where to stay in the magnificent Eternal City in the best neighborhoods.

Reader Interactions

Comments (16).

March 6, 2019

It’s best to visit this enthralling withing the country charm

March 8, 2019

Hey Eric! Thanks for reading our blog. We’re so glad you enjoyed reading!

June 5, 2019

It was great reading your blog, very nicely executed. You obviously put a lot of effort into it. Keep it up!

June 6, 2019

Grazie! We’re so glad to hear that you enjoy the blog. Come to Rome soon and join us on tour !

July 11, 2019

I, being a native of Italy, wasn’t aware of these facts and the way it has been stated is interesting as well as hugely informative. Thanks for the post man… Would be waiting in for more.

July 12, 2019

Ciao Daniel! We’re thrilled to hear that you enjoyed reading this post. We offer tons of useful content on travel in Italy! Check out another one of our useful Vatican blogs here, about our best Vatican tours .

September 19, 2019

Thank you for this informative post! With regards to your Vatican tours, which tour will be the one to get the most out of Vatican City? Solo traveler by the way. Looking forward to hearing from you soon!

September 20, 2019

Ciao Darryl! Thanks for checking out our blog. For the most in-depth Vatican City experience, I recommend our Complete Vatican Combo Tour with Sistine Chapel & Dome Climb . This climbs St. Peter’s Dome and provides an excellent skip the line Vatican tour. Hope this helps!

September 29, 2019

Thank your these tips Tawny. Very helpful and detailed. I will definitely look up in your travel guide and tours next time I come in Rome.

October 1, 2019

Ciao Sophia! Thanks for reading our blog! Happy to supply helpful information to you. We’d love to welcome you on tour when you come to Rome!

October 6, 2019

Hello, We have planned a day visit to Rome on 25th Dec. Please suggest if all attractions will be open that day especially the St. Peter’s basilica and the Vatican museum.

October 11, 2019

Ciao Anu! The Vatican Museums are closed on Christmas. We recommend visiting the Vatican a different day during your stay.

December 10, 2019

Hello! It was great reading your blog, very nicely executed. You obviously put a lot of effort into it. Keep it up! Thanks

January 13, 2020

My daughter and I are going to our first trip to the Vatican this summer. I wanted to find out if there is a mandatory dress code when visiting. In our country, for example, women in trousers and bare-headed cannot go to Orthodox churches. Thanks for such detailed details.

January 21, 2020

Hi Tori! Thanks for reading. Yes, there is a dress code – knees and shoulders must be covered.

April 19, 2020

The Tour Guy always does a great job. Had a trip planned for the Vatican this week but of course it was cancelled due to COVID-19. Anyways, this made it feel like I still went.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• In The Press

POLICY & TERMS

• Cancellation Policy
• Terms & Conditions
• Privacy Policy

• Rome Attractions
• Vatican Museums

St. Peter's Basilica

• Castel Gandolfo Papal Palace
• Vatican Gardens
• Apostolic Palace
• Papal Audience
• Vatican Grottoes
• Vatican City
• Castle Gondolfo

Vatican Necropolis

• Vatican Archives
• Vatican Library
• Villa Barberini
• Vatican Easter Mass
• Christmas Tree
• Nativity Scene
• Secrets of Vatican
• Plan Your Visit
• Skip the Line Tours
• Guided Tours
• Night Tours
• Vatican Mass
• Things to do in Vatican
• Castel Sant Angelo
• Rome Pantheon
• Borghese Gallery
• Roman Catacombs Tour
• Bioparco Rome
• Big Bus Rome Hop-On Hop-Off Tickets
• Palazzo Barberini
• Musei Capitolini
• Leonardo da Vinci Museum
• Trevi Fountain Tours
• Roman Baths of Caracalla
• Palazzo Merulana
• Altare della Patria
• Rome Underground Tours
• Mamertine Prison
• Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica
• Walking Tours
• Hop-On Hop-Off Tours
• Bikes & Segway
• Sightseeing Cruises
• Travel Guide
• Things to do
• Trip Planner
• Travel Tips

Visiting Vatican Grottoes | What to expect, Tickets, Timings, Location

St. Peter’s Basilica, Square, and Papal Tombs Guided Tour

• You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.
• Immerse in an enlightening guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica, the world's largest Basilica, and Vatican City's captivating Papal Grottoes.
• Marvel at the breathtaking interiors of the Basilica, a spectacular showcase of art by Michelangelo and Bernini. Choose between an English or Italian-speaking guide.
• Experience the convergence of art, history, and religion at the Basilica, and walk the hallowed ground where numerous popes rest in the Papal Grottoes.
• This tour also includes a visit to the iconic St. Peter’s Square, ending on a high note with directions to the mesmerizing St. Peter's Dome.
• Tour of St. Peter's Basilica, Square and Grottoes
• Expert English or Italian-speaking guide
• Entrance to the St. Peter's Basilica
• Assistance from a local staff
• Entry to St. Peter's Dome
• Tip: Keep an eye out for Bernini's Baldachin - it's a massive bronze canopy made from bronze stripped from the Pantheon!
• Shoulders and knees must be covered. No low-cut, sleeveless tops or shorts will be permitted. You may risk being denied entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements.
• Note that the following items are not allowed inside the venue: tripods and flash photography.

Top things to do in Rome

What is Vatican Grottoes?

Vatican Grottoes is a massive spread of papal tombs situated right below St. Peter’s Basilica . Aside from the many artifacts, this area is the final resting place of over 90 popes, royalty, and other dignitaries. 

Every year millions of tourists make their way to the tombs to pay their respects and get a close look at the papal tombs. We’ve put together a detailed guide to help you plan your visit to the Vatican Grottoes including its history, what’s inside, visitor tips, & more. 

Why Visit the Vatican Grottoes?

Inside the Grottoes are the tombs of over 90 popes, a few monarchs, and other church dignitaries, which date back to the 10th century. Other than the tombs, the Grottoes also contain rooms, chapels, and structures, including the marble statue of St. Peter Enthroned, the funerary monument of Calixtus III, the sepulcher of St. Peter, remains of the Old St. Peter’s Basilica, and more. Vatican Grottoes is the most visited place in Vatican City and should absolutely be on your must-see list!

Note: Your ticket to St.Peter’s Basilica/Vatican Museums includes access to Vatican Grottoes.

Plan Your Visit to Vatican Grottoes

Where is Vatican Grottoes Located?

The Vatican Grottoes under the St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. The Vatican Grottoes can be accessed through the main church of St. Peter’s Basilica. Make your way through the doorway near the statues of St. Helen and St. Andrew and head down towards the papal tombs.

Vatican Grottoes Timings

The  opening hours  of the Vatican Grottoes are the same as St. Peter’s Basilica, which is open between 7 AM to 7 PM from April to September and 7 AM to 6 PM from October to March. 

Make sure to complete your visit at least half an hour before closing time.

Origin of Vatican Grottoes

The origin of the Vatican Grottoes dates back to the construction of the current St. Peter’s Basilica in the 17th century. This cathedral is built on the same site as the Old St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Necropolis, and Saint Peter’s tomb. 

It took about 120 years to complete the construction of St. Peter’s Basilica, which included the papal tombs and necropolis below the structure. There are over 100 tombs inside the cathedral, most of which can be found inside the Vatican Grottoes. 

What’s Inside Vatican Grottoes?

Clementine Chapel (Chapel of St. Peter)

Clementine Chapel is the precious gem of the Vatican Grottoes, holding the chest that protects the sepulcher of Peter the Apostle. It makes up the center of the peribolos and is the only part of the cathedral to maintain its original purpose and function. Just like back in the day, people of faith make their way to the chapel to pay their respects. It is believed that the head of St. Peter lay above the tomb towards the back of the monument. The chapel gets its name from Clement VIII, who modified the ancient chapel in 1592.

Tomb of John Paul II (previous)

After the funeral of Pope John Paul II on April 8, 2005, his first tomb was placed towards the north end of the Grottoes, less than 100 feet from the tomb of St. Peter. He was placed in the spot where Pope John XXII previously lay, until he was moved to the St. Jerome Altar on June 3, 2001. A few years later in 2011, John Paul II was declared blessed and moved under the Altar of St. Sebastian. His body was placed in a cypress coffin as part of three traditional coffins that lay together. The outermost zinc casket was encrypted with three bronze plaques and a cross and placed in a larger casket which was shut using nails made of pure gold.

Chapel of the Madonna of Bocciata

The Chapel of Madonna of Bocciata is the oldest in the area around St. Peter’s sepulcher, commissioned by Gregory XIII in 1580. Inside the chapel is an elegant fresco painted by Pietro Cavallini, a renowned 14th-century artist. He called it the “Madonna della Bocciata” because Mary’s face is swollen in the painting. It is believed that a drunken soldier once threw a bowl at the image after losing a game, which made her face bleed. 

Icon of the Madonna Dolorosa & Reliefs of the Doctors of the Church

A massive depiction of the Holy Madonna is present in one corner of the Vatican Grottoes towards the south end. Here you can see Madonna painted in red and black clothes, slightly raising her arms, with an orange halo above her head. This image is surrounded by reliefs of the Doctors of the Church, preserved for many centuries.

Archaeological Rooms of Vatican Grottoes

Although the Old St. Peter’s Basilica was gravely destroyed, some parts of it remain buried below the new cathedral. Paul V extended the Vatican Grottoes in the 16th century with parts of the old basilica placed on its walls. There are six Archeological Rooms in total containing tombs, frescoes, and other structures from the old cathedral.

Funerary Monument of Calixtus III

A funerary monument of Pope Calixtus III lies at the south end of the grottoes, before the exit. Calixtus was the head of the Church and Papal States in the 14th century until his death. Although his remains were kept at Santa Maria in Monserrato, a funerary monument was built in his honor at St. Peter’s Basilica.

Marble Statue of St. Peter Enthroned

The marble statue of St. Peter is a famous image throughout the world. Located right before the exit of the grottoes, the statue shows the apostle sitting with his arms crossed and his feet adorned with sandals. Almost everyone who visits the Vatican Grottoes is known to perform the gesture of kissing feet of the Apostle.

Clementinian Peribolos

In between the Chapel with the Tomb of Pius XII and the Chapel of St. Veronica is the beautiful Clementinian Peribolos. The roof of the area is adorned with bright and colorful holy images that stretch along the corridor.

Georgian Peribolos

The Georgian Peribolos, unlike the Clementinian one, is worn down with many parts of its walls having fallen off. However, the structure still holds strong even centuries later.

Who is Buried in the Vatican Grottoes? 

Although not all popes are buried at the Vatican Grottoes, there are over 90 papal tombs inside. Some of them include Pius VI Braschi, who was captured by the French and died a prisoner in 1799, John Paul I Luciani, whose reign lasted for just 33 days, Adrian IV, the only English pope, and many more. 

Other than the papal tombs, the Grottoes are also home to people of historical significance such as the Stuarts, who were pretenders to the English throne and remained in exile since 1717, and the famous emperor Otto II, who passed in Rome at an early age of 28. 

Another noteworthy burial is that of the Czech Cardinal Josef Beran, who was arrested in Prague after having worked at the Dachau concentration camp. He went on to become the archbishop of Prague until he was imprisoned once again for being an opposer of communism. After his final release, he became a cardinal in 1965. 

Many more significant tombs lie within the Grottoes, each with a unique history.

Map of the Vatican Grottoes

1. Chapel with Tomb of Pius XII

2. Chapel of St Veronica

3. Clementinian Peribolos

4. Chapel of St Helen

5. Clementine Chapel (Chapel of St Peter)

6. Gregorian Peribolos

7. Chapel of the Madonna of Bocciata

8. Opening onto the Archeological Remains of the Confessio (ex Chapel of Salvatorello)

9. Irish Chapel of St Columbanus

10. Chapel of the Madonna of Partorienti

11. Southern Corridor of the Confessio

12. The Confessio - Pallium Niche

13. Northern Corridor of the Confessio

14. Polish Chapel of Our Lady of Czestochowa

15. Lithuanian Chapel of Mater Misericordiae

16. Peribolos - Last Section

17. Mexican Chapel of Our Lady of Guadeloupe

18. Tomb of Pius VI

19. Chapel of the Madonna between Peter and Paul

20. Peribolos - First Section

21. Chapel of the Patron Saints of Europe

22. Chapel of St. Andrew (Grottoes Entrance)

23. Opening in front of the Confessio

24. Chapel of St Longinus

25. Tomb of Pius XI

26. Central Altar

27. Tomb of John Paul II (previous)

28. Tomb of Cardinal Merry del Val

29. Tomb of Queen Charlotte of Cyprus

30. Queen Christina of Sweden

31. Tomb of the Stuarts

32. Tomb of Cardinal Francesco Tedeschini

33. Tomb of Benedict XV

34. Tomb of Innocent IX

35. Archeological Room VI

36. Archeological Room V

37. Archeological Room IV

38. Tomb of Innocent XIII

39. Tomb of John Paul I

40. Tomb of Marcellus II

41. Tomb of Urban VI

42. Tomb of Paul VI

43. Chapel of Our Lady, Queen of the Hungarians

44. Entrance to Scavi from Piazza Braschi

45. Archeological Room I

46. Archeological Room II

47. Archeological Room III

48. Early Christian Sarcophagus

49. Mosaic of John VII

50. Gallery of Clement VIII

51. Sarcophagus of Pius III

52. Sarcophagus of Paul II

53. Polyandrium under the floor

54. Tomb of Hadrian IV

55. Tomb of Innocent VII

56. Tomb of Nicholas V

57. Tomb of Monsignor Ludvig Kaas

58. Tomb of Gregory V

59. Tomb of Emperor Otto II

60. Tomb of Julius III

61. Statue of Pius VI

62. Tomb of Nicholas III

63. Tomb of Boniface VIII

64. Icon of the Madonna Dolorosa and Reliefs of the Doctors of the Church

65. Dividing wall of Paul III and the Remains of two Columns from the Old Basilica

66. Funerary Monument of Calixtus III

67. Marble Statue of St Peter Enthroned

68. Exit from the Grottoes to the Patio

Visitor Tips

• The Vatican Grottoes is not the same as the Vatican Necropolis. It is a separate section with several papal tombs. Don’t miss out on visiting either.
• The area around the tombs is actually quite spacious and light, so you don’t have to worry about being claustrophobic. 
• Read up about the grottoes before you head there for a more insightful experience. 
• Keep in mind that photography is strictly prohibited at the Vatican Grottoes and all guests are required to maintain silence in the area.
• Finish your tour of St. Peter’s Basilica before you head to the Vatican Grottoes otherwise you’ll have to wait in line all over again.  

All Your Questions About Vatican Grottoes Answered

Under St. Peter’s Basilica is a massive papal burial ground (separate from the Vatican Necropolis) referred to as the Vatican Grottoes.

Yes. The papal tombs are free to visit during the opening hours of St. Peter’s Basilica.

You can plan your visit to the Vatican Grottoes as part of your visit to St. Peter’s Basilica. It is located below the cathedral, so make sure you head there towards the end of your tour.

No. You do not need separate tickets to enter the Vatican Grottoes. Once you enter St. Peter’s Basilica, you can make your way below towards the papal tombs.

No. Photography is strictly prohibited at the Vatican Grottoes.

History of Vatican

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Investigations
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election Results
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• Auto Racing
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Personal finance
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

Pope visits Venice to speak to the artists and inmates behind the Biennale’s must-see prison show

Pope Francis began his visit to Venice on Sunday with a meeting with women prisoners at the Giudecca Women’s Prison. The prisoners and their guards gathered in the prison courtyard where the Pope, pushed in a wheelchair, greeted all 80 detainees. (Production by Trisha Thomas)

Pope Francis met with thousands of young people along a canal in Venice Sunday morning and told them to “leave the cell phone and meet people.” The 87-year-old Pope was making a whirlwind visit to Venice where he started off his day meeting women prisoners and visiting the Vatican’s art exhibit at a women’s prison. (Production by Trisha Thomas and Luigi Navarra)

More than 10,000 people crowded into St. Mark’s Square in Venice to take part in a Mass with Pope Francis. (AP video by Paolo Santalucia) (Production by Trisha Thomas and Gigi Navarra)

Pope Francis travelled to the lagoon city of Venice on Sunday for a series of public appearances. The morning visit, which ended with Mass in St. Mark’s Square, represented an increasingly rare outing for the 87-year-old pontiff, who has been hobbled by health and mobility problems that have ruled out any foreign trips so far this year. (AP video by Paolo Santalucia and Helena Alves)

Pope Francis waves to faithful at the end of a mass in St. Mark’s Square, Venice, Italy, Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Pontiff arrived for his first-ever visit to the lagoon town including the Vatican pavilion at the 60th Biennal of Arts. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

• Copy Link copied

Pope Francis is greeted by Gondoliers upon his arrival in Venice, Italy, Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Pontiff arrived for his first-ever visit to the lagoon town including the Vatican pavilion at the 60th Biennal of Arts. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope Francis delivers his message as he meets with young people in front of the Church of the Salute in Venice, Italy, Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Pontiff arrived for his first-ever visit to the lagoon town including the Vatican pavilion at the 60th Biennal of Arts. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Gondoliers wait for the arrival of Pope Francis in front of the Santissimo Redentore church in Venice, Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Pontiff arrived for his first-ever visit to the lagoon town including the Vatican pavilion at the 60th Biennal of Arts. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope Francis arrives in St. Mark’s Square to celebrate a mass in Venice, Italy, Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Pontiff arrived for his first-ever visit to the lagoon town including the Vatican pavilion at the 60th Biennal of Arts. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Pope Francis, foreground, is greeted by Gondoliers upon his arrival in Venice, Italy, Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Pontiff arrived for his first-ever visit to the lagoon town including the Vatican pavilion at the 60th Biennal of Arts. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope Francis arrives in front of the Church of the Salute to meet with youths in Venice, Italy, Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Pontiff arrived for his first-ever visit to the lagoon town including the Vatican pavilion at the 60th Biennal of Arts. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope Francis is greeted by gondoliers upon his arrival in Venice, Italy, Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Pontiff arrived for his first-ever visit to the lagoon town including the Vatican pavilion at the 60th Biennal of Arts. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope Francis, aboard of a speedboat foreground, is greeted by Gondoliers upon his arrival in Venice, Italy, Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Pontiff arrived for his first-ever visit to the lagoon town including the Vatican pavilion at the 60th Biennal of Arts. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope Francis is flanked by Cardinal Francesco Moraglia, left, at the end of a mass in St. Mark’s Square, Venice, Italy, Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Pontiff arrived for his first-ever visit to the lagoon town including the Vatican pavilion at the 60th Biennal of Arts. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

ALTERNATIVE CROP OF ALT105 - Pope Francis, foreground, is greeted by Gondoliers upon his arrival in Venice, Italy, Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Pontiff arrived for his first-ever visit to the lagoon town including the Vatican pavilion at the 60th Biennal of Arts. In background is the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope Francis arrives in St. Mark’s Square to celebrate a mass in Venice, Italy, Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Pontiff arrived for his first-ever visit to the lagoon town including the Vatican pavilion at the 60th Biennal of Arts. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope Francis, background center, delivers his message in front of the Church of the Salute during his meeting with youths in Venice, Italy, Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Pontiff arrived for his first-ever visit to the lagoon town including the Vatican pavilion at the 60th Biennal of Arts. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope Francis delivers his message as he meets with youths in Venice, Italy, Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Pontiff arrived for his first-ever visit to the lagoon town including the Vatican pavilion at the 60th Biennal of Arts. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope Francis, aboard a motorboat foreground, passes past the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore upon his arrival in Venice, Italy, Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Pontiff arrived for his first-ever visit to the lagoon town including the Vatican pavilion at the 60th Biennal of Arts. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope Francis prays in front of an icon of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus at the end of a mass in St. Mark’s Square, Venice, Italy, Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Pontiff arrived for his first-ever visit to the lagoon town including the Vatican pavilion at the 60th Biennal of Arts. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Pope Francis celebrates a mass in St. Mark’s Square, Venice, Italy, Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Pontiff arrived for his first-ever visit to the lagoon town including the Vatican pavilion at the 60th Biennal of Arts. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Pope Francis, background center, celebrates a mass in St. Mark’s Square, Venice, Italy, Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Pontiff arrived for his first-ever visit to the lagoon town including the Vatican pavilion at the 60th Biennal of Arts. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Faithful gather in St. Mark’s Square, during a mass celebrated by Pope Francis in Venice, Italy, Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Pontiff arrived for his first-ever visit to the lagoon town including the Vatican pavilion at the 60th Biennal of Arts. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Pope Francis prays inside St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, Italy, Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Pontiff arrived for his first-ever visit to the lagoon town including the Vatican pavilion at the 60th Biennal of Arts. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope Francis leaves St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, Italy, Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Pontiff arrived for his first-ever visit to the lagoon town including the Vatican pavilion at the 60th Biennal of Arts. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

VENICE, Italy (AP) — Venice has always been a place of contrasts, of breathtaking beauty and devastating fragility, where history, religion, art and nature have collided over the centuries to produce an otherworldly gem of a city. But even for a place that prides itself on its culture of unusual encounters, Pope Francis’ visit Sunday stood out.

Francis traveled to the lagoon city to visit the Holy See’s pavilion at the Biennale contemporary art show and meet with the people who created it. But because the Vatican decided to mount its exhibit in Venice’s women’s prison, and invited inmates to collaborate with the artists , the whole project assumed a far more complex meaning, touching on Francis’ belief in the power of art to uplift and unite, and of the need to give hope and solidarity to society’s most marginalized.

Francis hit on both messages during his visit, which began in the courtyard of the Giudecca prison where he met with the women inmates one by one. As some of them wept, Francis urged them to use their time in prison as a chance for “moral and material rebirth.”

“Paradoxically, a stay in prison can mark the beginning of something new, through the rediscovery of the unsuspected beauty in us and in others, as symbolized by the artistic event you are hosting and the project to which you actively contribute,” Francis said.

Francis then met with Biennale artists in the prison chapel, decorated with an installation by Brazilian visual artist Sonia Gomes of objects dangling from the ceiling, meant to draw the viewer’s gaze upward. He urged the artists to embrace the Biennale’s theme this year “Strangers Everywhere,” to show solidarity with all those on the margins.

The Vatican exhibit has turned the Giudecca prison, a former convent for reformed prostitutes, into one of the must-see attractions of this year’s Biennale, even though to see it visitors must reserve in advance and go through a security check. It has become an unusual art world darling that greets visitors at the entrance with Maurizio Cattelan’s wall mural of two giant filthy feet , a work that recalls Caravaggio’s dirty feet or the feet that Francis washes each year in a Holy Thursday ritual that he routinely performs on prisoners.

The exhibit also includes a short film starring the inmates and Zoe Saldana, and prints in the prison coffee shop by onetime Catholic nun and American social activist Corita Kent.

Francis’ dizzying morning visit, which ended with Mass in St. Mark’s Square, represented an increasingly rare outing for the 87-year-old pontiff, who has been hobbled by health and mobility problems that have ruled out any foreign trips so far this year.

And Venice, with its 121 islands and 436 bridges, isn’t an easy place to negotiate. But Francis pulled it off, arriving by helicopter from Rome, crossing the Giudecca Canal in a water taxi and then arriving in St. Mark’s Square in a mini popemobile that traversed the Grand Canal via a pontoon bridge erected for the occasion.

During an encounter with young people at the iconic Santa Maria della Salute basilica, Francis acknowledged the miracle that is Venice, admiring its “enchanting beaty” and tradition as a place of East-West encounter, but warning that it is increasingly vulnerable to climate change and depopulation.

“Venice is at one with the waters upon which it sits,” Francis said. “Without the care and safeguarding of this natural environment, it might even cease to exist.”

Venice, sinking under rising sea levels and weighed down by the impact of overtourism, is in the opening days of an experiment to try to limit the sort of day trips that Francis undertook Sunday.

Venetian authorities last week launched a pilot program to charge day-trippers 5 euros ($5.35) apiece on peak travel days. The aim is to encourage them to stay longer or come at off-peak times, to cut down on crowds and make the city more livable for its dwindling number of residents.

For Venice’s Catholic patriarch, Archbishop Francesco Moraglia, the new tax program is a worthwhile experiment, a potential necessary evil to try to preserve Venice as a livable city for visitors and residents alike.

Moraglia said Francis’ visit — the first by a pope to the Biennale — was a welcome boost, especially for the women of the Giudecca prison who participated in the exhibit as tour guides and as protagonists in some of the artworks.

He acknowledged that Venice over the centuries has had a long, complicated, love-hate relationship with the papacy, despite its central importance to Christianity.

The relics of St. Mark — the top aide to St. Peter, the first pope — are held here in the basilica, which is one of the most important and spectacular in all of Christendom. Several popes have hailed from Venice — in the past century alone three pontiffs were elected after being Venice patriarchs. And Venice hosted the last conclave held outside the Vatican: the 1799-1800 vote that elected Pope Paul VII.

But for centuries before that, relations between the independent Venetian Republic and the Papal States were anything but cordial as the two sides dueled over control of the church. Popes in Rome issued interdicts against Venice that essentially excommunicated the entire territory. Venice flexed its muscles back by expelling entire religious orders, including Francis’ own Jesuits.

“It’s a history of contrasts because they were two competitors for so many centuries,” said Giovanni Maria Vian, a church historian and retired editor of the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano whose family hails from Venice. “The papacy wanted to control everything, and Venice jealously guarded its independence.”

Moraglia said that troubled history is long past and that Venice was welcoming Francis with open arms and gratitude, in keeping with its history as a bridge between cultures.

“The history of Venice, the DNA of Venice — beyond the language of beauty and culture that unifies — there’s this historic character that says that Venice has always been a place of encounter,” he said.

Francis said as much as he closed out Mass in St. Mark’s before an estimated 10,500 people.

“Venice, which has always been a place of encounter and cultural exchange, is called to be a sign of beauty available to all,” Francis said. “Starting with the least, a sign of fraternity and care for our common home.”

Winfield reported from Rome. Associated Press writer Colleen Barry contributed.

PAPAL AUDIENCE

With pope francis, papal audience.

• Tickets FREE
• Easter/Christmas Tickets
• Information & Tips
• Dress Codes
• Vatican Tours
• Vatican Tour S Priv €55
• Private Vatican Tour
• Colosseum Tour
• La Dolce Vita Tour
• Private Rome Tours

Private Italy Tours

• Florence Tours
• Venice Tours
• Pompeii Tours
• Accommodation in Rome
• Tips & Facts in Rome
• Restaurants in Rome

◊ Masses with the Pope at the Vatican ◊

Papal masses:.

Masses with the Pope at the Vatican can be celebrated in St. Peter's Basilica, in St Peter's Square or both together depending on the celebration and the expected number of people attending.

Masses with the Pope at St Peter's Basilica:

Most of the masses from the Pontifical liturgical calendar at are celebrated at St Peters Basilica. St Peter's Basilica has a huge capacity and can easily host more than 15.000 people which seems big enough for most of the Papal Masses. However there are some Masses when the Holy See is expecting a larger number of people and for those Masses they will use St Peters Square. For more details please see below " Masses at St Peters Square". Normally the Holy see issues different kind of tickets for St Peters Basilica Masses. Tickets for Cardinals, Governors and Diplomats ,Bishops, Priests, special guests and public tickets. For most of the Masses with the Pope you will need to have a ticket. Tickets are always free. If you have a regular ticket to participate in a Papal Mass and you are looking for a good close up picture of the Pope or a location close to the Altar you will need to arrive early to the Mass. Don't forget that to attend these celebrations you will need to pass through security scanners (like the airport) and long lines are to be expected. We recommend you if you have a regular public ticket and you are looking for a good place to arrive 1- 3 hours before the scheduled start time.

Tickets for Masses at St. Peter's Basilica with the Pope:

If you need between 1 - 6 tickets you can get tickets directly from the Swiss Guards usually from 3 days before the Mass: You can collect your tickets directly from the Swiss Guards in St. Peter's Square at the "Bronze Door" from 8am till 8pm Summer Time - 8am till 7pm Winter Time

However if it's a Popular Mass such as Christmas Eve or Easter Mass you will need to reserve tickets in advance to guarantee availability. If you will need more than 10 tickets for any of the Masses you will definitely need to reserve in advance, and then collect your tickets usually 1-3 days before the event from the Prefecture of the Papal Household for more details:

Click on the Right Icon to Download a .PDF Ticket Request Form :

Masses with the Pope at St. Peter's Square:

If the mass is celebrated in St Peter's Square, the number accommodated is much larger than the Church. St Peter's Square can host up to 80 000 people. So normally for the seated area you will need a ticket but mostly you can attend standing without a ticket. However there are big Masses such as important canonizations or the Urbi et Orbi blessing than attract huge numbers and St Peter's Square is not big enough. Again, places will only be be guaranteed according your arrival time .

The tickets will be asked for at the entrance of the Mass. Remember: Tickets DOES NOT necessarily guarantee entrance or a seat. When the St. Peter's Basilica or St. Peter's Square is full, access will be denied even if you have a ticket. Only your arrival time will guarantee your access so it is best come early for large events.

Tickets for special guests: (or reparto speciale):

These tickets giving you a special location at the event or Mass with the Pope. Normally these tickets are reserved only for religious guest, government authorities through a reservation applied though the church or any other religious institution.

◊ Easter Sunday and Christmas Eve Mass Tickets at the Vatican ◊

Easter Sunday Mass & Christmas Eve Mass are traditionally celebrated at St Peter's Basilica. Capacity is limited and it can be very hard sometimes to get tickets for these events so you must book far in advance, no less than 2 months usually. Reservation Procedure: The best way to get your ticket for Easter/Christmas Masses is to send your request directly to the Vatican between 6 to 2 months in advance. If the number of your request is not very large, lets say a family numbering 2-6 tickets you will have a bigger chance of getting your tickets. Normally the Vatican will reply to your home address with a letter notifying you that they have received your request and where to take the letter at the Vatican to collect tickets. They will not confirm tickets have been issued until you go to the prefecture office for collection. There you will either receive your tickets or a letter to say there was not enough availability. Again, the sooner you make you reservation the more chance there is of availability. The smaller the number of tickets requested the higher the chance of having your request granted so we suggest don't book extra tickets unnecessarily. If you order a large number of tickets such a group or more than 10 tickets we recommend you to send the request together with a letter of your parish or some authority of the church. Tickets are collected at the Preffetura Vaticana located just after the "Bronze Doors" at St Peter's Basilica normally from 5-4 days days before the event from 8am till 6 or 7pm depending if it's winter or summer

Post : Prefecture of the Papal Household 00120 Vatican City State e-mail : [email protected] Fax : +39 06 6988 5863

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser .

• General informations
• Papal audience

Papal audience schedule: All you need to know to see the Pope

• In General informations Papal audience

You are wondering what is Papal Audience Schedule ?

The Papal Audience is held weekly on a Wednesday and draws in tens of thousands of people who flock to the Vatican City to hear the pontiff address the crowds and receive his blessing. From the devout to the slightly curious, the crowd is delighted with the appearance of the Pope, which due to the number of people in attendance in the summer months needs to take place in the vast Saint Peter’s Square .

Visitors from all over Europe will be delighted when the Pope addresses the crowd in a variety of European languages, and the pontiff often gives a shout out to special religious or school groups in attendance.

Our guide will help you navigate the planning process and include some interesting hints and tips to ensure you get the best out of the experience!

• 1 About the Papal Audience
• 2.1 Where can you see the Pope ?
• 2.2 Things you need to know to attend a Papal Audience Schedule
• 2.3 Get Papal audience tickets
• 3 Conclusion

About the Papal Audience

The Papal Audience is a “ must-see ” attraction for many who visit Rome. For the devout, it’s one of the most important moments of their life. And even those who do not follow the catholic faith cannot help but be overwhelmed by the experience.

A formal sermon is preceded by the Pope wandering along the barriers near the crowd, greeting people who have come from all over the world to see him and blessing the sick and any children in the crowd.

If you can face the crowds it is surely a wonderful trip experience to write home about!

Papal Audience Schedule 2024

The Papal Audience takes place every Wednesday at 9.00am , although this is moved to 10am during the hot summer month s as temperatures soar. There will be no Papal General Audiences held during the month of July.

The schedule is confirmed annually according to the Pope’s calendar ( check on this website ) – he sometimes takes a summer vacation for example – and allows for you to plan your trip and reserve tickets online.

If you cannot work your trip to get to the Vatican on a Wednesday, never fear – you can still see the Pope at the Angelus Prayer . At midday on Sundays and on other special religious holidays, the pontiff will address the crowd from the window of this study. After leading the Angelus prayer the Pope will then bless the crowd from above. The Angelus Schedule, like the Papal Audience Schedule, is published in advance.

Where can you see the Pope ?

Due to the popularity of the Papal Audience in the warmer months, the event is held every Wednesday in the vast Saint Peter’s Square which can cater for 300,000 people at any one time!

The good weather that generally blesses Rome from spring until autumn means that an outdoor audience with the Pope is possible for most of the year. However in the winter months or extreme weather conditions the event moves indoors to the Pope Paul VI hall .

This hall doesn’t accommodate nearly as many people as the grand Saint Peter’s Square. As a result you will need to ensure you have tickets and get there extremely early – at least 2 hours before – to ensure a seat in the hall.

Things you need to know to attend a Papal Audience Schedule

Check out our tips to ensure your visit to the Papal audience goes smoothly!

General information

• Security opens at around 7am for a 9am start time depending on the season. Get there around 7.30am to join the queues for security to give you the best chance at getting a prime position.
• Dresscode – don’t risk getting turned away at the gates of the Vatican! Ladies will need to have their shoulders covered and any shorts or skirts must be below the knee. Gents must not wear sleeveless shirt .
• Baggage – travel light. Security is tight and you will be going through metal detectors . Large crowds too are not an ideal place for a lot of luggage – a small zippable bag is all you need.
• Summer visitors – be prepared for heat. Water, sunscreen and caps are a must, we also think those little tins of cooling face spray are a great accessory for the Roman heat!

Tickets information

• Tickets – to get right in the middle in the seated portion you will need to reserve a ticket in advance. Save trouble and time picking up tickets when booking this online ticket . Just show up to the meeting point on time !
• No tickets ? Don’t worry if you didn’t get tickets either. You can still access the papal audience and get a position on the side of the crowd.  You may even be able to get right up to the fence if you are early and get super close to the pope!
• Don’t buy a ticket off-line ! If approached by a ticket tout selling you a “package” including access to the Papal audience run for the hills – the tickets are free !

Get Papal audience tickets

• Tickets can be reserved and collected in advance . If you didn’t reserve you can head to the Porta Sant’Anna and request your tickets beforehand. The tickets are freely distributed on a Tuesday afternoon without charge here by one of the Swiss Guards on the gate.
• You don’t need tickets to access the audience with the Pope. However it is nice to keep one as a souvenir of your time in the Vatican. It also helps the authorities plan for the number of people who anticipate attending
• A word of warning – even if you have a ticket you are not guaranteed entry . In fact, those without tickets who arrive earlier have a better chance of getting in than those who do. If the place is full (this is a risk in winter time when the audience is held indoors) you won’t be granted access. Period.

We hope this guide serves you well and you enjoy the fantastic experience of an Audience with the Pope. Those who attend often tout it as the highlight of the trip, and even if you can’t make the Wednesday session the smaller Angelus Prayer on a Sunday is just as magical for many. Learn more on how to attend a Papal Audience with our article on this topic.

Any special seating for handicap and/or wedding anniversaries? My husband and I will be celebrating our 25th anniversary and I have MS and have to use a scooter.

Hi Cori! The St Peter’s Basilica is accessible through wheelchair ramps and elevators. If you’ll attend a Papal Mass, I’ll recommend you to call the Prefecture of the Papal Household and explain your situation. I’m sure they will do their best to take care of you both.

Here are the contacts : Prefecture of the Papal Household 00120 Vatican City State Fax: +39 06 6988 5863 From the US & Canada: 011 39 06 6988 5863 From the UK and Europe : 0039 06 6988 5863 From Agentina: 0039 06 6988 5863

You can also see this page to contact them.

It is a beautiful way to celebrate your silver anniversary!!

Way cool! Some very valid points! I appreciate you penning this article and also the rest of the site is really good.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. All fields are required.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

© Visit Vatican Info I 2020

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Pope’s Visit to Art Exhibition in Prison Is a First for Venice Biennale

Incarcerated women serve as guides to the show, which reflects Pope Francis’ longtime commitment to society’s marginalized people.

By Elisabetta Povoledo

Reporting from Venice and Vatican City

Landing by helicopter at a women’s prison where the Vatican has mounted its pavilion for the Venice Biennale international art exhibition, Pope Francis on Sunday told the women incarcerated there that they had a “special place in my heart.”

“Grazie,” one woman called out. Others applauded.

Many of the women had participated with artists in creating works that hang throughout the prison for the exhibition, titled “With My Eyes.” Francis, the first pope ever to visit — if briefly — a Venice Biennale, said that it was “fundamental” for the prison system “to offer detainees the tools and room for human, spiritual, cultural and professional growth, creating the conditions for their healthy reintegration.”

“Not to isolate dignity, but to give new possibilities,” Francis said to applause.

Over the decades, countries participating in the Biennale — the world’s principal showcase for new art — have used deconsecrated churches, former beer factories, water buses and various other sites to display their art, but this was the first time a prison was selected.

That made the project “more complex and more difficult to implement,” Bruno Racine, the director of two venues of the Pinault Collection in Venice and a co-curator of the Vatican Pavilion, said in an interview. But the setting is consistent with Francis’ message of inclusivity toward marginalized people, he added.

The Vatican project has received an overwhelmingly positive public reception, but it has not been without controversy. Some critics raised ethical concerns about the intersection of powerful institutions like the Vatican and the Biennale with the limited autonomy of imprisoned women. Others suggested that the Vatican, in mounting the show, was complicit in a penal system in which overcrowding remains a serious issue .

Still others demanded that the pope request pardons or at least reduced sentences for any women who were incarcerated because they had responded violently to domestic abuse.

“I don’t think the Vatican has the power to have any influence over Italian justice,” Mr. Racine said of that idea.

While the Vatican has not publicly responded to the critiques, Francis has been consistently outspoken about domestic abuse, saying in 2021 that there was something “almost satanic” about the high number of cases of domestic violence against women.

He has also been a vocal advocate of prison reform, denouncing overcrowding and often meeting with inmates during his travels.

On Sunday, Francis said that prison was “a harsh reality, and problems such as overcrowding, the lack of facilities and resources, and episodes of violence give rise to a great deal of suffering there.” But he said prison could also be a place where people’s dignity could be “promoted through mutual respect and the nurturing of talents and abilities, perhaps dormant or imprisoned by the vicissitudes of life.”

The pope described his artistic vision to artists he called to the Sistine Chapel last year , telling them to “think of the poor and to ensure that art went into the peripheries,” the Vatican’s culture chief, Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, said earlier this year. On Sunday, Francis told artists involved with the Vatican project that “the world needs artists.”

The curators, Mr. Racine and Chiara Parisi, of Centre Pompidou-Metz, the French museum, selected a handful of artists to work with the incarcerated women to create works that are scattered through the prison.

One, a 1965 serigraph featuring the word Hope backward, was hung over the door of the prison canteen, where about a quarter of the 80-odd inmates who agreed to serve as guides to the show first meet visitors. The serigraph was created by the artist Corita Kent, a former nun and an activist for social justice who died in 1986.

The Lebanese artist Simone Fattal transcribed poems and reflections by the incarcerated women on lava slabs that line a brick corridor: “I thought I was suffocating.” “I often think of my family.” “I am so sad.”

In another room were small stylized paintings by the French artist Claire Tabouret that were based on family photos the women had given her.

Visitors get only a brief glimpse of penitentiary life, but during the tour a short film, directed by Marco Perego and starring his wife, the actor Zoe Saldaña, shows the conditions inside in bleak black and white: shared rooms, shared showers, little privacy. Both inmates and professional actresses acted in the film, Mr. Racine said.

This is the third time the Vatican has participated in the Biennale: In 2013 and 2015, it was among many participants at the Arsenale, one of the fair’s main venues. And for the 2018 Architecture Biennale, the Vatican built a series of chapels, “for believers and nonbelievers alike,” that can still be visited .

On Sunday, the pope greeted the inmates of the Giudecca prison individually in an inner courtyard. Some gave him flowers, and others pressed envelopes and notes into his hands.

Giovanni Russo, the head of the Department of Penitentiary Administration in the Italian Ministry of Justice, told reporters at a Vatican news conference last month that the women who participated in the project were entitled to unspecified benefits. While the Vatican Pavilion was unique, he said, nearly all of Italy’s 190 penitentiaries had “artistic projects” of some kind or another, involving more than 20,000 volunteers.

It’s not the first time that the inmates at the prison have participated in major art projects. Two years ago, the French artist Pauline Curnier Jardin worked with inmates to make a film and paint a large common room where the women meet visitors twice a week. The walls are now a soft purple, decorated with stylized leaves and figures designed by the inmates during a series of workshops with the artist.

After the Biennale closes in November, the artworks in “With My Eyes” will be removed, Mr. Racine said. But Ms. Curnier Jardin’s soothing additions, which are unrelated to the Biennale, will remain.

After the prison, Pope Francis celebrated Mass in St. Mark’s Square.

Praising Venice’s “enchanting beauty” during the homily, he added that the city was also threatened by issues like climate change, overtourism and the “the fragility of constructions, of cultural heritage, but also of people,” which risk fraying the city’s social fabric. City officials this past week began charging an access fee to the city, hoping to deter day visitors from coming on especially busy days.

Many tourists hoping to visit St. Mark’s Square on Sunday were stymied by dozens of blockades around the area, part of the increased security for the pontiff’s visit.

“I’m not upset,” Julia Suh, visiting from Augusta, Ga., said at one of the blockades while watching the Mass on her cellphone. “I’m very honored — it’s what they’re supposed to do because of heightened security.”

Elisabetta Povoledo is a reporter based in Rome, covering Italy, the Vatican and the culture of the region. She has been a journalist for 35 years. More about Elisabetta Povoledo

Pope Francis to visit Trieste for Italian Catholic Social Week

By Adriana Masotti

Bishop Enrico Trevisi announced several details of Pope Francis’ scheduled visit to the northern Italian city on July 7, as he presented the 50th Italian Catholic Social Week on Friday.

The event is set for July 3-7, 2024, and takes place under the title: "At the heart of democracy: Participation between history and future."

Pope Francis in Trieste on July 7

As reported by the Bishop of Trieste, Pope Francis will arrive by helicopter at the Generali Convention Center in Trieste, located at the Old Port, at around 8:00 AM.

He will be welcomed by civil and religious authorities, including the president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi.

His welcome will be followed by a meeting with participants in the Catholic Social Week and then with representatives of other Christian Churches and religions present in the city and from academia, as well as with a group of migrants and people with disabilities.

The Pope will then board a car and head to Unity Square for the celebration of Mass and the recitation of the Angelus. He will depart from Trieste to return to the Vatican at around 12:30 PM.

President Mattarella to open event

The annual congress of Catholics in Italy will thus conclude with the Pope’s visit, and will have opened with the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, on July 3.

The central theme of the Week, which expects over a thousand delegates, seeks to promote the participation of citizens in democratic life. It will include the presentation of "good practices,” as well as discussions and workshops in various parts of the city.

According to the general secretary of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Giuseppe Baturi, who had announced the Pope's visit in January, the presence of Pope Francis and President Mattarella "highlights the importance that the Trieste event has for the life of the entire country."

It aims to "offer the contribution of Catholics to respond to the challenges that Italy, Europe, and the world are called to face."

Migration flow from the Balkans

"We cannot talk about participation, democracy, the common good, and then forget about vulnerable people," said Bishop Trevisi on Friday morning at the press conference. "The maturity of a democracy also depends on how vulnerable people are welcomed and integrated."

Referring to his local reality, the Bishop explained that Trieste is on the Balkan route and that immigration "is a theme we know to be challenging and complex and the Pope calls us to be capable of worthy reception."

He mentioned a dilapidated structure lacking sanitary facilities, water, and electricity, located near the city's railway station where many migrants have long found refuge.

Bishop Trevisi said the building represents "an unworthy situation" for which, he said, "we hope for a resolution."

Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here

More upcoming events:

The Pope's Agenda

Listen to our podcasts

Subscribe to our newsletters

To get the latest news

Papal audiences

Daily readings

Saint of the day

Saying the stakes could not be higher, Newsom to speak at Vatican climate summit

• Show more sharing options
• Copy Link URL Copied!

Gov. Gavin Newsom is taking his climate change advocacy overseas next month to the epicenter of Catholicism, where he was invited to speak at a summit of mayors and governors hosted by Pope Francis at the Vatican.

State and local leaders will gather at the summit from May 15 to 17 to discuss the effects of rising temperatures in their communities, with the goal of broadening the conversation from combating climate change to include strategies to adapt to the reality of a warming planet.

Newsom, who aides said will talk about the impact of fire, flood and drought on California, is expected to be one of a few speakers to address the pope and more than two dozen leaders from around the world.

“This year holds unprecedented significance for democracy and the climate, two intertwined issues which will define our future,” Newsom said. “With half the world’s population poised to elect their leaders amidst a backdrop of escalating political extremism, and global temperatures hurtling towards alarming new heights, the stakes could not be higher. There is no greater authority than moral authority — and the Pope’s leadership on the climate crisis inspires us all to push further and faster. “

Francis is the first pope to make climate change a top priority of his papacy, seeking to marry scientific facts about greenhouse gas emissions with a moral call to the 1.3 billion Catholics worldwide and leaders across the globe to protect the planet for future generations. Critical of the lack of urgent action, the Pope called climate deniers “foolish” in his first interview on U.S. television last week .

For Newsom, a Catholic, the invitation from the Vatican provides an opportunity to show that he’s aligned with Francis and appeal to the 50 million Americans who follow the religion. The trip also gives the Democratic governor an international stage to stress the importance of 2024 elections — and the choice between President Biden and former President Trump — on the climate crisis.

Biden is considered a friend of the climate movement and his Inflation Reduction Act, a 2022 law to increase renewable energy production and decrease greenhouse gas emissions, is one of the nation’s largest climate investments. The president has sought to reduce the country’s reliance on coal and gas plants, which Trump has said he would reverse.

Climate & Environment

California battery storage increasing rapidly, but not enough to end blackouts, Gov. Newsom says

Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday that California continued to rapidly add the battery storage that is critical to the transition to cleaner energy, but admitted it was not enough to avoid blackouts during heat waves.

April 25, 2024

Former Gov. Jerry Brown used his visit to the Vatican in 2017 to deliver a scathing critique of Trump’s climate policies. The visit came months after Trump withdrew from the Paris climate accord .

Lauren Sanchez, Newsom’s climate advisor, also pointed to elections in India, Mexico and other nations as critical to climate change efforts this year.

Veerabhadran Ramanathan, a professor at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, serves in Pope Francis’ Council for the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and helped organize the event. He said invitations were limited to international mayors and governors, including Govs. Maura Healey of Massachusetts and Kathy Hochul of New York. President Biden and other world leaders were not invited to attend, but representatives of his administration will be present, Ramanathan said.

Ramanathan said pressure is on international heads of state to cut emissions, but adaptation starts “bottom up.”

“The key thing is to ask yourself, if there’s drought, and then there’s a fire in our backyard, who is fighting it?” Ramanathan said. “Not presidents of the nation. It’s the mayors and governors. We want to give them sort of a blueprint of how to deal with it.”

California wants to harness more than half its land to combat climate change by 2045. Here’s how

State officials unveiled 81 targets to transform millions of acres in the Golden State into landscapes that can absorb more carbon than they release by 2045.

April 22, 2024

Ramanathan said California is a leader on climate change and the council felt it was important to hear from the state at the summit.

Newsom is expected to repeat the message that the “ climate crisis is a fossil-fuels crisis ” and call out the role of oil companies.

“We think the governor stands alone among elected officials around the world who are really willing to say that this crisis is created by the burning of coal and oil and gas, and that we need to move away from those fossil fuels as quickly as possible,” Sanchez said.

In honor of Earth Week, Newsom announced a plan last week to transform more than half of the state’s 100 million acres of land into multi-benefit landscapes that absorb more carbon than they release . The plan is part of Newsom’s strategy to curtail emissions and reach carbon neutrality in California by 2045 . The challenge includes other ambitious targets, such as requiring all new vehicles sold in California to be hybrid or electric by 2035 .

Newsom’s visit to the Vatican is expected to be brief, with the governor touching down Wednesday, speaking at the conference the following day and wrapping up his engagements on Friday. His delegation includes a few members of his staff. Wade Crowfoot, California’s natural resources secretary, is also expected to speak.

Newsom’s travels have drawn criticism from his GOP critics, who contend he should be focusing exclusively on problems in California such as the state’s massive budget deficit .

The governor went to China in October to promote climate cooperation with a short stop in Israel in the early stages of the war with Hamas. He left the state again the following month to debate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in Georgia and has campaigned in other states in support of Biden’s bid for reelection.

More to Read

Newsom cuts $2.9 billion from California climate programs, delays an additional $1.9 billion

Jan. 11, 2024

Backed by pope, poorer nations use COP28 summit to press rich countries on climate

Dec. 2, 2023

Top world leaders talk of climate crisis at U.N. summit. They say they must act on fossil fuels, war

Dec. 1, 2023

Start your day right

Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.

Taryn Luna covers Gov. Gavin Newsom and California politics in Sacramento for the Los Angeles Times.

More From the Los Angeles Times

Trump VP selection will be like ‘The Apprentice,’ McCarthy says

May 7, 2024

Science & Medicine

Bill could end holdup for California research on psychedelics and addiction treatment

Lawmakers grill Newsom officials on homelessness spending after audit causes bipartisan frustration

Opinion: This tough-on-crime proposal won’t solve California retail theft, but it would crowd our prisons

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Meet the Vatican Swiss Guards ready to sacrifice their lives for the pope

World’s smallest army, which is preparing to swear in its latest recruits, has in the past engaged in ferocious battles

W ith their feathered helmets, ruffled collars and coloured, puffed-sleeve uniforms, the Vatican Swiss Guards are often likened by curious visitors to medieval court jesters. But while they willingly pose for photographs, the watchmen are not there to entertain.

Since the early 16th century, when Swiss mercenaries, revered for their bravery and loyalty, marched to Rome to serve Pope Julius II, the world’s smallest army has been enlisted at the Vatican to protect the pope, his residence and the city’s borders.

Last week journalists were given a rare glimpse of the guards’ barracks in the easternpart of Vatican City, and an insight into the background and daily lives of the troops as they rehearsed for the swearing-in of new recruits.

Dressed in their traditional red, yellow and blue garb complete with armour and halberds, the men practised an impeccably choreographed march in the barracks’ courtyard, each raising three fingers of their right hand to the sky to evoke the Holy Trinity while shouting the pontifical oath.

Among the 34 who will pledge to “sacrifice his life” to defend the pope at a ceremony on Monday is Renato Peter, 22, who was recruited from a village close to Sant Gallo, one of several in Switzerland that has provided young men for the elite corps for centuries.

He has dreamed of becoming a Swiss Guard since first seeing one at a Wednesday morning papal audience at St Peter’s Square at the age of 12.

“Then in the afternoon we went to see the barracks,” added Peter, who at the time was in Rome with his diocese. “I thought to myself: ‘Wow, what a cool job!’ I told my mum that ‘one day I will be a Swiss Guard … This dream never left me.’”

The guards may look quaint, but the men behind the Renaissance-style uniforms, designed by Col Jules Repond in 1914 and not Michelangelo, as many believe, have undergone a competitive application process and rigorous training to get this far.

Recruits must be male, Swiss, aged between 19 and 30, over 5ft 8in (1.74 metres), unmarried and devoutly Catholic with “an unblemished character”. They must undergo Swiss military service and commit to serving the pope for at least two years. They can get married after five years of service.

The halberd is their traditional weapon, but the troops are trained to use small modern-day arms, including the more recently introduced stun guns. Since 1981, when a plainclothes Swiss Guard rushed to the aid of a wounded Pope John Paul II after an assassination attempt on the pontiff, there has been a stronger emphasis on self-defence and anti-terrorism techniques.

In 2018 Pope Francis boosted the army’s number from 110 to 135, after a series of terrorist attacks in France and elsewhere in Europe, and in preparation of next year’s jubilee, when 35 million people are expected to visit the Vatican.

“Like all armies, we have to be prepared to face all situations,” said Cpl Eliah Cinotti, a spokesperson for the force.

On top of the military training, the recruits are put through intense psychological tests to ensure they have the mental capacity to adapt to life as a Swiss Guard. “Many fail at that point, or perhaps they get hired and only last a few months when they realise the career is not for them,” added Cinotti.

Although the role of the Swiss Guard today is partly ceremonial and partly serving as a security service to the pope, over history it has been engaged in ferocious battles.

The swearing-in ceremony is held each year on 6 May, which commemorates the anniversary of the army’s darkest hour in 1527, when all but 42 of 189 guards died while defending Pope Clement VII during the sack of Rome by the mutinous troops of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.

A vastly outnumbered army also prepared to die for the pontiff when Adolf Hitler’s forces entered Rome during the second world war, although in the end the Germans did not attack the Vatican.

after newsletter promotion

Pope Francis refers to the guards as “his messengers” because a big part of the job today involves providing comfort to the people who come to the Vatican seeking help, according to Cinotti.

“They are desperate as maybe they have lost their job or their homes and the Vatican is their last hope,” he added. “Some people want to end their lives, and we have to try and prevent them from doing this. These situations can be very tough, but we have to help find solutions … even just listening can help.”

Although the army remains exclusively for men, a new barracks is being planned with the possibility of accommodating women. “It is up to the pope to decide whether women can join, and we will enact whatever he wants,” said Cinotti.

The guards work in six-hour shifts, sometimes 12 on busy days. They earn about €1,200 (£1,026) a month and on their time off are free to venture beyond the Vatican. They live together in shared dorms.

“Your life is pretty much 24 hours a day together,” said Peter. “But there is good camaraderie and you make really good friendships.”

He is feeling nervous about the swearing-in ceremony, especially as he has to play a small trumpet at the beginning, and so “all eyes are on you”.

But he is ready to serve the pope. “This is the best part of the job – he is among the most important people in the world and only 135 guys have the opportunity to do this.”

• Pope Francis
• Catholicism
• Christianity

Most viewed