A visit to Rome is not complete without a trip to Vatican City - center of the Catholic universe and home of the Pope. I'd heard so many things about the vast exhibits in the Vatican Museum and the grandeur of St. Peter's Basilica that I was really psyched to spend a whole day exploring the tiniest country in the world.
Luckily I made a reservation for the Vatican Museum - when I arrived at the entrance very soon after it opened, there was already a giant line-up which I was able to skip! As soon as I stepped into the Museum, I immediately felt as if I was in a royal building - polished marble, immaculate, and brightly lit hallways greeted me even before I approached the ticket booth. In order to control crowds, the (one-way) path through the museum is well-marked and guides you through all exhibits, saving the best for last: the Sistine Chapel.
As I wandered through the various collections - sculptures, tapestries, maps, entire rooms, contemporary art - I was surprised at how many artifacts and works of art are housed in the Vatican. If you really wanted to read every description in all exhibits, you could spend many hours in the museum. The most impressive collections, in my opinion, were the tapestry galleries and the artwork by Raphael. The Stanze di Raffaello were awesome - the life-like quality of his masterpieces made appreciation of art an easy task. Every square inch of each wall and ceiling of the stanze di Raffaello was covered in art.
Of course, the Sistine Chapel was inspiring as well - photos weren't allowed and the crowds were asked to "shush and be silent" every few minutes by the museum security. I spent awhile taking in everything in the Sistine Chapel - from the painted curtains on the walls to the breathtaking art on the famous ceiling.
I followed a tour group through the special exit from the Vatican Museum to St. Peter's Basilica and found my way to the entrance of the Basilica. In hindsight, I could have done a bit more research into the Basilica to gain a better understanding of what to see in the church, but it was still educational walking through. Like the Vatican, I was struck by the numerous art pieces throughout the Basilica, and felt very much like a tourist, trying to take photos of everything (many didn't turn out due to lack of a flash).
I ended my day with a walk across the Sant'Angelo bridge over the Tiber River, to Piazza Navona and Campo dè Fiori. Previously, I commented about the grit in Rome - that was nothing compared to the stench of the Tiber River. I would not recommend crossing the river on a full stomach. Piazza Navona was basically a gathering of street vendors trying to sell their wares (paintings and cheap souvenirs) to tourists. Campo dè Fiori was a market of produce and various Italian specialty goods, surrounded by restaurants - in one of which I enjoyed a meal of Spaghetti alla Carbonara.
Luckily I made a reservation for the Vatican Museum - when I arrived at the entrance very soon after it opened, there was already a giant line-up which I was able to skip! As soon as I stepped into the Museum, I immediately felt as if I was in a royal building - polished marble, immaculate, and brightly lit hallways greeted me even before I approached the ticket booth. In order to control crowds, the (one-way) path through the museum is well-marked and guides you through all exhibits, saving the best for last: the Sistine Chapel.
As I wandered through the various collections - sculptures, tapestries, maps, entire rooms, contemporary art - I was surprised at how many artifacts and works of art are housed in the Vatican. If you really wanted to read every description in all exhibits, you could spend many hours in the museum. The most impressive collections, in my opinion, were the tapestry galleries and the artwork by Raphael. The Stanze di Raffaello were awesome - the life-like quality of his masterpieces made appreciation of art an easy task. Every square inch of each wall and ceiling of the stanze di Raffaello was covered in art.
Of course, the Sistine Chapel was inspiring as well - photos weren't allowed and the crowds were asked to "shush and be silent" every few minutes by the museum security. I spent awhile taking in everything in the Sistine Chapel - from the painted curtains on the walls to the breathtaking art on the famous ceiling.
I followed a tour group through the special exit from the Vatican Museum to St. Peter's Basilica and found my way to the entrance of the Basilica. In hindsight, I could have done a bit more research into the Basilica to gain a better understanding of what to see in the church, but it was still educational walking through. Like the Vatican, I was struck by the numerous art pieces throughout the Basilica, and felt very much like a tourist, trying to take photos of everything (many didn't turn out due to lack of a flash).
I ended my day with a walk across the Sant'Angelo bridge over the Tiber River, to Piazza Navona and Campo dè Fiori. Previously, I commented about the grit in Rome - that was nothing compared to the stench of the Tiber River. I would not recommend crossing the river on a full stomach. Piazza Navona was basically a gathering of street vendors trying to sell their wares (paintings and cheap souvenirs) to tourists. Campo dè Fiori was a market of produce and various Italian specialty goods, surrounded by restaurants - in one of which I enjoyed a meal of Spaghetti alla Carbonara.
Comments