Vatican City, the State of Vatican City, in the center of Rome, is the smallest state in Europe, both in population and expanse. It’s the head of the Catholic Church and also one of the main tourist sites of interest in the whole of Rome.

Vatican City (Città del Vaticano in Italian) is an independent city-state located in the heart of Rome, ruled by the Pope (Bishop of Rome). It is the center of authority over the Roman Catholic Church. The Vatican is the smallest state in Europe. It has a total area of 0,44 km² and inside its wall live approximately 1000 people. In this small state lives the Pope, in the Apostolic palace surrounded by beautiful gardens. The palace is open to the public, but visitors have to book in advance. The Vatican City was declared independent from the rest of Italy on 11 February 1929, with the signing of the Lateran Treaty between Pope Pius XI and Mussolini.

There are three main attractions in Vatican City: St. Peter’s Square (Piazza San Pietro), St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums, where the Sistine Chapel is located.

St. Peter’s Square (Piazza San Pietro in Italian) is located in the Vatican at the feet of the Basilica. One of the most famous squares in the world.

One of the largest churches in the world, St Peter’s Basilica, built in the Renaissance style is, part of the Vatican. Many Popes have been buried here.

The Vatican Museums are the Vatican city’s museums and includes admissions to Sistine Chapel, Chapel of Beato Angelico and Raphael Rooms Sistine Chapel. The Sistine Chapel is one of the greatest treasures of the Vatican City. Designed by the brilliant Michelangelo, it is a must-see tourist attraction.

If you want to visit the Vatican and enjoy everything it has to offer, you need to spend at least a full morning. To avoid wasting time queuing, it is best to buy your Vatican tickets in advance. If you want to visit the Vatican without missing any details, discover amazing stories and also skip the endless queues (up to 4 hours for the Vatican Museums), it’s best to buy your Vatican tickets in advance. If you want to book a skip-the-line Vatican tour in English, we recommend our guided tour of the Vatican. It includes an English-speaking guided tour and skip-the-line entry to the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica.

The Catacombs of Rome are former underground burial grounds that date from the second to the fifth century and were principally used by Christians and Jews. St Peter’s Square or Piazza San Pietro is one of the world’s most famous squares and one of the most breath-taking. Designed by Bernini during the seventeenth century, it houses over 300,000 people.