Going to the Vatican!

Rachel1

I'm actually going to Italy at the end of May and will be visiting Vatican City. Has anyone been there? Any recommendations?? I'll be saying prayers for all of us.

God bless,

Rachel 

kaitsmom

Rachel, Just a quick note cause it is late . . .  I loved the Vatican, and I am not Catholic.  It was an incredible experience.  We found out ahead of time about a group called Angel Tours.  Google angeltoursrome.  They are/were a group of young Irish girls.  Well the website tells you all about it.  Anyway, it was a reasonable price and I assure you, absolutely worth it.  I feel like it would have not been nearly as good of an experience to do it without a guide.  We also used Angel Tours for a tour of the Collesium and the Forum.  I would recommend this group to anyone.  

I got pick-pocketed on a public bus in Rome, but I sort of expected that to happen, and so didn't have anything in my pockets or anywhere else that someone could get it.  I felt him trying at the time, but I just kind of chuckled and thought, "You picked the wrong tourist, mister".  Feel free to PM me if I can offer you any more thoughts.  I loved Italy! (Saw the big 3, as my friend calls them - Vence, Florence and Rome).  Magnifico! 

AnnNYC

Rachel, I was in Rome last year at the end of June -- so beautiful.  I was visiting a friend who had been living their for a year, so I had a semi-local (but English-speaking!) tour guide -- so I don't know about actual tours -- but we went through the Sistine Chapel, which has an admission cost -- definitely worth it!  Then, after the Sistine Chapel, we went into St. Peter's in the evening, about 5 PM on a weekday -- not very crowded, very amazing.  Michelangelo's Pieta is in St. Peter's, in a little chapel to the right, a little ways in from the main entrance.  I was so moved to see this statue, which has always meant a lot to me.

There are so many churches in Rome -- everywhere, it seems.  Every church I went into was very beautiful and moving in its own special way.  Some that stand out in my mind are Santa Maria Maggiore, which has a famous Black Madonna painting, the "twin" churches at the start of the Via del Corso, and the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, a very old church of the Greek Byzantine rite (a Roman Catholic rite) with the "Mouth of Truth" built into its outer wall.

I would say -- don't miss the Pantheon.  It is breathtaking to stand inside it (Michelangelo said it was "of angelic and not human design").  It was originally built as a temple to all the Roman gods, but was reconsecrated as a Catholic church in about 600 AD.

And practically next door to the Pantheon is another beautiful church, Santa Maria Sopra Minerva.

Have a wonderful time!  I didn't get pickpocketed -- I did get good advice from my friend about crossing the streets -- once you've looked both ways and started across the street, KEEP GOING!  The cars and Vespas are playing a game of chicken -- they will drive where they expect you NOT to be -- based on their calculation that you'll keep walking!