Vatican City travel guide

Getting there

Vatican City lies within Rome, so travellers arrive via Rome's Fiumicino or Ciampino airports and then take the metro, a bus or walk to the Vatican. There are no border controls when entering from Rome.

Best time to visit: Oct–Nov and Feb–Mar – mild weather and shorter queues.

Flights: see the cheapest month to fly from your nearest airport.

Tougher months: July and August – heat combined with huge crowds can make museum visits exhausting; major religious holidays are also extremely busy.

Weather by month in Vatican City (Rome)

• 12°J●
• 13°F●
• 16°M●
• 19°A●
• 23°M●
• 28°J
• 31°J
• 31°A
• 27°S●
• 22°O●●
• 16°N●●
• 13°D●

Average daytime highs in °C; dots show how rainy the month is (one dot dry, three dots wet).

Time zone: Europe/Vatican. Compare with your local time.

Visas: in our passport dataset, 93 of 198 other passports can enter Vatican City without arranging a visa first (visa-free or visa on arrival), 0 need an e-visa or electronic authorisation, and 105 need a visa in advance. Check your passport.

Stay

Most trips to Vatican City are based around St Peter's Basilica, Sistine Chapel or Vatican Museums. Pick a base for your main interest, then add day trips rather than moving hotels every night.

Typical daily budget: about US$70–110 for a backpacker and US$150–280 mid-range, per person.

Connect

Plug types: C, F, L. Voltage: 230 V. Check your own devices on the plug and currency checker.

Calling code: +379.

Mobile data: set up a travel eSIM or check your roaming plan before you fly, so data works as soon as you land.

Do

• St Peter's Basilica (Vatican City · basilica): A masterpiece of Renaissance and Baroque architecture and one of Christianity's most important churches.
• Sistine Chapel (Vatican Museums · frescoes): Home to Michelangelo's world-famous frescoes and the site of papal elections.
• Vatican Museums (Vatican City · art collections): One of the world's greatest art collections, from ancient sculpture to modern religious art.
• St Peter's Square (Vatican City · piazza): Bernini's grand oval square where crowds gather for papal blessings.
• Vatican Gardens (Vatican City · gardens): Beautifully landscaped grounds covering a large part of the state, open on guided tours.
• Vatican Necropolis (Beneath St Peter's · archaeology): An ancient Roman burial ground beneath the basilica, visited on small, pre-booked tours.

Things to do

• Gaze up at the Sistine Chapel. Stand in silent awe beneath Michelangelo's ceiling frescoes and his dramatic Last Judgement.
• Explore the Vatican Museums. Walk miles of galleries filled with classical sculpture, Renaissance paintings and the Raphael Rooms.
• Enter St Peter's Basilica. Marvel at Michelangelo's Pietà and Bernini's towering bronze canopy inside one of the world's largest churches.
• Climb the dome. Ascend the narrow stairs to the top of St Peter's dome for sweeping views over Rome.
• Attend a papal audience. Join pilgrims from around the world for the pope's general audience, usually held on Wednesdays.
• Stroll St Peter's Square. Take in Bernini's embracing colonnade, the Egyptian obelisk and the twin fountains.
• Tour the Vatican Gardens. Discover peaceful lawns, fountains and grottoes on a guided visit to the papal gardens.
• See the Swiss Guard. Spot the guards in their striking striped uniforms at the gates of the world's smallest state.

Eat and drink

• Carbonara – Roman pasta with egg, cheese and cured pork, eaten nearby
• Cacio e pepe – pasta with pecorino cheese and black pepper
• Supplì – fried rice balls with melted mozzarella inside
• Gelato – Italian ice cream from shops around the Vatican

Money and safety

Currency: Euro (EUR). Currency and plug checker.

Tipping: Not expected; round up in nearby cafés if you like.

Emergency numbers: 112 police, fire & ambulance.

• Vatican City uses the euro and also issues its own euro coins, which are popular with collectors.
• Cards are accepted for museum tickets and at gift shops, but have a little cash for small purchases.
• Watch for pickpockets in crowds around St Peter's Square and on buses and metros to the Vatican.
• Ignore unofficial touts offering skip-the-line tickets outside the museums.