Vatican
candid Vatican City tips
Why
the Vatican
is special
It is not only the world headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church, it has earned four Hillman Wonders medals:
Sistine Chapel
St. Peter's Basilica
St. Peter's Square
Vatican Museums
Best and worst
times to come
Advice
Late spring and early fall are the best times to visit. The weather is pleasant and the Vatican City is not overwhelmed with tour groups.
Avoid crowds by visiting the Vatican City (and especially its Sistine Chapel) when doors first open in the morning.
Expect thick crowds throughout the day during the Easter and Christmas periods - and during pontifical blessings, funerals and elections.
Vatican
tips & insights
The name "Vatican"
The Vatican partially sits on a hill that the Romans called Vaticanus. That's how it derived its name.
Function
The Vatican City (also called the Holy See) is the ecclesiastical and administrative seat of the Roman Catholic Church. It has nearly a billion followers around the world.
Vatican City's
political status
Although it is a relatively small enclave lying inside the city limits of Rome, it's an independent state.
The Vatican City is the smallest independent nation state in the world in area and population. It is also the richest state on a per capita and per square area basis.
It issues its own postal stamps and has a newspaper.
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