Rome Trip Overview
The State of Vatican draws millions of pilgrims and art lovers to St. Peter Basilica, the Vatican Museums, and the Sistine Chapel. In addition to Michelangelo’s famous frescoes “The Last Judgement” and the “Creation of Adam” within the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican has a notable treasure-chest of splendid masterpieces.Castel Sant’Angelo was originally built to be a tomb for Emperor Hadrian and his family and it was finished in 139 AD. Despite its original purpose, Castel Sant’Angelo was almost immediately converted into a military building. In addition to serving that purpose, this is also the location where Pope Gregory I saw a vision of St. Michael the Archangel in 590, announcing the end of a great epidemic in Rome. To this day, a statue of St. Michael still adorns the top of the Castel.
Additional Info
Duration: 5 to 6 hours
Starts: Rome, Italy
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Historical & Heritage Tours
Explore Rome Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Rome, Lazio, Italy
The State of Vatican draws millions of pilgrims and art lovers to St. Peter Basilica, the Vatican Museums, and the Sistine Chapel. In addition to Michelangelo’s famous frescoes “The Last Judgement” and the “Creation of Adam” within the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican has a notable treasure-chest of splendid masterpieces.Castel Sant’Angelo was originally built to be a tomb for Emperor Hadrian and his family and it was finished in 139 AD. Despite its original purpose, Castel Sant’Angelo was almost immediately converted into a military building. In addition to serving that purpose, this is also the location where Pope Gregory I saw a vision of St. Michael the Archangel in 590, announcing the end of a great epidemic in Rome. To this day, a statue of St. Michael still adorns the top of the Castel.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Vatican Museums, Viale Vaticano, 00120 Vatican City Italy
Experience a personal tour of the Vatican’s collection with your own private, licensed guide at your side. Described as one of the best experiences in Rome, this tour takes you on a journey of discovery. Revere priceless masterpieces of the Renaissance together with sculptures and mosaics from antiquity. All in the papal collection. All waiting for you to discover them. Taking a private tour means you can customize your time in the Eternal City’s epicenter to include exactly what you want. The Sistine Chapel, Saint Peter’s Basilica, and the Vatican Museums’ mind-blowing collection await you, but so too do Bernini’s stunning sculptures, the Raphael Rooms’ unforgettable frescoes, the stirringly beautiful Flemish artworks of the Gallery of Tapestries, and the hauntingly lifelike statues of the Gallery of the Candelabra
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Sistine Chapel, Viale Vaticano, 00165 Vatican City Italy
Regarded as Michelangelo’s masterpiece, the Sistine Chapel is a jaw-dropping attraction you must see at least once in your lifetime.The Sistine Chapel is one of the greatest treasures of the Vatican City, of Rome and of the world in general. It is known as much for its decoration, as for being the temple in which popes are chosen and crowned.The construction of the building was between 1473 and 1481 during the mandate of Pope Sixtus IV, to whom it owes its current name. What grabs the attention in the Sistine are the frescoes that completely cover the walls and the ceiling. Some of the most important artists who worked in the chapel are Botticelli, Perugino, Luca and Michelangelo.Without any doubt, The Creation of Adam is the best-known image from the Sistine Chapel. It is located in the central part of the vault and represents the story from Genesis in which God gives life to Adam.Located over the high altar Michelangelo’s other masterpiece, The Final Judgment.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: St. Peter’s Basilica, Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Vatican City Italy
Thousands of people come every year in the Vatican to admire the gorgeous Saint Peter’s basilica and square. This is, without doubt, one of the most beautiful cathedrals in the world
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Museo Nazionale di Castel Sant’Angelo, Lungotevere Castello 50, 00193 Rome Italy
Known as Hadrian’s Tomb, the Castel Sant’Angelo is a fortress located on the right bank of the Tiber, a short distance from the Vatican City. Construction of the building began in the year 135 under the direction of the Emperor Hadrian, who intended to use it as mausoleum for himself and his family. In the year 590, while a great epidemic of plague devastated the city, the Pope Gregory I had a vision of Saint Michael the Archangel on top of the castle, announcing the end of the epidemic. In memory of the apparition the building is crowned with a statue of an angel.
In the year 1277 an 800 metre fortified corridor was built that connected the castle with the Vatican City so that the Pope could escape in the event that he were in danger. During the sieges that occurred in Rome during 1527, the Pope Clement VII used the fortress as a refuge.
Duration: 2 hours
