The Gardens: a large share of the territory

The Vatican Gardens cover around 22 hectares—about half of the entire territory of Vatican City. This puts their size into perspective: the gardens occupy a significant portion of the small territory. Alongside St. Peter’s Basilica and the museums, they form a distinct focal point when exploring Vatican City. The area is not just a number, but a striking contrast to the individual buildings and collections that are also part of a visit.

The gardens lie behind St. Peter’s Basilica. Visits are possible only with a guided tour, which must be booked in advance through the Vatican Museums. They are therefore not a stop you can simply visit spontaneously and without restrictions. If the gardens are of interest to you, make a guided visit part of your plans from the outset. Check the Vatican Museums’ current booking information before firmly scheduling your visit.

St. Peter’s Basilica, the Dome and the Grottoes

St. Peter’s Basilica is open to pilgrims and visitors; the Dome is also accessible to both groups. Consider the basilica and the Dome as two distinct destinations. A guided tour is a separate planning consideration: it can only be requested at the Tour Desk in the Welcome Area of St. Peter’s Basilica. If a guided tour is important to you, check the current request procedure directly with St. Peter’s Basilica before your trip.

The Vatican Grottoes offer a different historical perspective. They are open to the public and can be visited free of charge. They contain the tombs of many popes, including the tomb of Saint Peter. When choosing between the gardens and the Grottoes, the conditions for visiting also matter: the Grottoes are open to the public and free, while the gardens require a guided tour and advance booking. This allows you to weigh two different historical interests against their respective visiting requirements.

The collections and rooms of the Vatican Museums

The Vatican Museums include the Pio-Clementino Museum and the Gregorian Etruscan Museum, the Gallery of Tapestries and the Gallery of Maps, the Raphael Rooms, the Niccoline Chapel and the Borgia Apartments. They also include the Collection of Modern and Contemporary Art, the Sistine Chapel, the Pinacoteca and the Anima Mundi Ethnological Museum.

These names offer different starting points for making your selection: the Gallery of Maps and the Gallery of Tapestries stand alongside one another as distinct galleries, while the list also includes museums, collections and named rooms. If you would like to choose by theme to start with, you could begin with a gallery, one of the museums listed or an art collection. The Collection of Modern and Contemporary Art is a distinct named area from the Gregorian Etruscan Museum or the Pinacoteca. This way, the variety becomes clear not just as a list of names, but also through the different types of collections and rooms.

One specific historical reference point is the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel: Michelangelo created it, and it was inaugurated during a solemn Mass for All Saints’ Day on November 1, 1512. Here, the artist, the work and the inauguration come together in a clearly defined story within the museums’ offerings. If you are interested in art history, this event, with its specific date, offers a distinct way to explore one of the places listed.

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