Vatican City Vacations

Overview

Vatican City is a sovereign city-state located in Rome, Italy. It houses several Catholic and non-Catholic architectures. St. Peters Basillica, the Pope's Apartment, and the Vatican Museum are the landmarks in the city. With an area of approximately 110 acres and a population of around 1000 people, the city-state is the smallest in the world in terms of size as well as population.

Vatican City came into existence in 1929. It is distinct from the authority of the Roman Catholic Church, also known as Holy Sea. The ordinances that establish laws for Vatican City are published in Italian. Vatican City is the official entity of the Roman Catholic Church. The official documents are published in Latin.

Vatican City is ruled by the bishop of Rome, the Pope. The location of the Pope's residence is referred to as the Apostolic Palace and the Pope is the sovereign of the state. Only around 800 people are citizens of the Vatican city-state, although over 3,000 people work there.

Activities & Attractions

Vatican City can be easily traversed by foot, as the total area is less than half a square kilometer. A major part of the city is not accessible to the tourists. You can only visit the permitted area with tour guides. The major attractions are the Basilica of St. Peter and the museum of the Vatican.

You will find the vigilant Swiss Guards spread throughout the city to safeguard the Vatican property and the Pope. Their uniforms are very colorful, almost like those of court jesters. As the smallest and oldest standing army, they were founded in 1506. They were originally brought from Switzerland by mercenaries to protect the European rulers. Some major attractions in the city that are a must-visit include the Vatican Museums of Appartamento Borgia, Etruscan Museum (Museo Gregoriano Etrusco), Musei Vaticani Museo Chiaramonti, and Museo Pio Clementino.

Lodging

There is no lodging facility for tourists within Vatican City. All the luxury accommodations are outside the city. The northwestern part of Rome is close to Vatican City, where you can opt for an accommodation, but they are quite expensive.

Transportation

There are no airports or highways within the city, though Rome has two airports to serve the travelers to the Vatican City. You can walk from one end of Vatican City to the other in about 20 minutes and easily reach the places of your interest.