Things to Do in Vatican City

From St. Peter's Basilica to Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling - the essential sights, and how to keep your own record of them.

Travel guide - last updated September 2026

Vatican City is the smallest sovereign state in the world by both area and population, and nearly the entire country is walkable in an afternoon - though the sheer density of art and history inside St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums means most visitors need considerably longer than the geography alone would suggest. Here are 4 places worth building a trip around.

Top attractions

The sights most first-time visitors build an itinerary around.

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St. Peter's Basilica

The largest church in the world by interior area, built over what's traditionally held to be the burial site of St. Peter, with Michelangelo's Pieta sculpture inside near the entrance.

📍 Vatican City

🚉 Nearest station: Ottaviano-San Pietro on Rome's Metro A, a 10-minute walk to the colonnade; Roma San Pietro rail station is a similar distance on the south side.

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Sistine Chapel

Home to Michelangelo's ceiling frescoes, including The Creation of Adam, painted over four years in the early 16th century - photography is not permitted inside, and the chapel can get extremely crowded by midday.

📍 Vatican City

🚉 The chapel is entered only through the Vatican Museums - Ottaviano or Cipro on Metro A, then a walk along the wall to the museum entrance on Viale Vaticano.

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Vatican Museums

One of the largest and most significant art collections in the world, spanning ancient Egyptian and Roman artifacts through Renaissance masterpieces, ending at the Sistine Chapel itself.

📍 Vatican City

🚉 Nearest station: Cipro on Metro A, five minutes from the entrance, or Ottaviano, ten; booking a timed ticket online is what actually saves the queue.

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St. Peter's Square

Designed by Bernini with colonnades meant to embrace visitors 'like the maternal arms of the Church,' and the site of the Pope's public addresses on Sundays and special occasions.

📍 Vatican City

🚉 Nearest station: Ottaviano-San Pietro on Metro A, then straight down Via Ottaviano - bus 40 and 64 from Termini stop at Piazza Pia, a few minutes east.

Mark Vatican City, get the stamp

🇻🇦VATICAN CITYVISITED

🇻🇦VATICAN CITYLIVED

🇻🇦VATICAN CITYWISHLIST

In MyPassportStory, every country you mark - visited, lived in, or still on the list - becomes a stamp like these in your own travel passport. Add the cities you stopped in, draw the route between them, and turn the whole trip into a shareable passport-style image.

Open MyPassportStory

Planning questions

How many days do you need in Vatican City?

A single day covers the main sights, though allow at least half a day for the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel alone given their scale - most visitors combine it with a broader Rome trip rather than staying overnight.

What's the best time to visit Vatican City?

April-June and September-October have comfortable weather and slightly thinner crowds than peak summer. Book Vatican Museum tickets online in advance regardless of season - lines can run over two hours without one.

Is Vatican City good for a first-time visit?

Yes - it's small, walkable, and almost always visited as a day trip from Rome rather than requiring separate travel arrangements.

Do I need a visa to visit Vatican City?

Vatican City has no independent border control - visitors enter through Italy, so Italian (Schengen) visa rules apply. Check the official Schengen visa information for your nationality: vatican.va.

What are some things to do in Vatican City on a tight budget?

St. Peter's Basilica and Square are free to enter, and the Vatican Museums offer free entry on the last Sunday of every month, though this draws considerably larger crowds than a paid weekday visit.

Can I rent a car in Vatican City, and what licence do I need?

There is nothing here to rent a car for: the Vatican is 0.49 square kilometres, entirely walkable, and closed to ordinary traffic - vehicles inside belong to the state. Visitors arrive on Rome's Metro A, on foot or by bus, and the practical question is not driving but booking timed entry to the Museums, which sell out days ahead in season. If you are driving in Rome more widely, Italian rules apply: an International Driving Permit is required for non-EU licences, and the ZTL limited-traffic zones around the historic centre are camera-enforced. Official visitor information is published by the Holy See at vaticanstate.va.