Day Trip to Vatican City from Rome – The Ultimate Guide

Vatican City, the smallest country in the world, is a must-visit destination. The perfect day trip to Vatican City can be planned from Rome. So, if you’re already in Rome, spend one day of your trip seeing the heart of the Roman Catholic Church.

Vatican City is extremely historically significant, and may be particularly interesting to anyone who has an interest in religion. But don’t worry, it is also perfect for anyone who just wants to view beautiful art, architecture, and historical artifacts.

In this post, you’ll find a detailed guide on how to plan a day trip to Vatican City from Rome, including how to get there, where to go, and general tips.

How to get there

There are various ways to get from Rome to Vatican City. Depending on where you’re staying, you can take the bus, metro, tram, or even walk.

If your accommodation is in central Rome, the walk will take about 30 to 45 minutes. I’d highly recommend getting breakfast in Rome before making your way to Vatican City.

Of course, not everyone likes walking. But don’t worry, there are other options. You can take the metro line A to Ottaviano-S. Pietro, which is only 5 minutes away from St Peter’s Square on foot. Alternatively, take one of the buses 40, 62, 64, or 81. Lastly, tram line 19 to Piazza del Risorgimento also goes to Vatican City.

Tickets can be used on the metro, tram, and the bus. They can be bought on the bus, at the metro station, at a news kiosk, or at a Tabbacchi (a small shop that sells cigarettes, souvenirs, etc.). Remember to validate your ticket after buying it. Singular tickets are valid for 100 minutes from validation, but for a day trip to Vatican City you could also get a 24-hour ticket.

What can I see on a day trip to Vatican City?

St Peter’s Basilica and Square

One of the main attractions is St Peter’s Basilica, one of the largest and most important churches worldwide. Here, you’ll find beautiful, famous art and architecture. You can also climb up the dome to get a fantastic view of both Vatican City and Rome.

The basilica itself is free, so you’ll only have to pay 8€ for the dome climb. If you prefer taking the elevator over the stairs, it’ll cost 10€. You can buy the tickets on site once you arrive.

In front of the basilica is St Peter’s Square. Here, you can admire the grand obelisk and fountains. On certain days (usually Wednesday mornings), the pope holds a papal audience, which you can attend for free. Even though the event itself is free, you will need a ticket. Due to popular demand, you might need to book beforehand, especially if you are traveling in a larger group.

Vatican Museums

After visiting the basilica, move on to the Vatican Museums. The museums are the fifth-largest and eight-most-visited in the world, so you’ll probably spend the majority of your day here. The museums feature a huge collection of sculptures, artifacts, and paintings.

The infamous Sistine Chapel is also here. One of the most famous paintings in the world, Michelangelo’s ceiling, is here, including The Creation of Adam and The Last Judgment. You’ll also find the Raphael Rooms, which boasts some of the artist’s most iconic works.

It’ll take 3-4 hours to get through all the museums and galleries. Tickets can be bought at the entrance of the museums and cost 17€. If you want to avoid long queues, though, I recommend booking ahead of time on the official website.

Vatican Gardens

Outside of the museums, you’ll find the lush green gardens of Vatican City. They are massive, covering about half of the entire territory.

You’ll have to book a tour to visit the gardens, and the tickets combine a visit with entrance to the Vatican Museums. Prices start at 32€.

Apostolic Palace

The Apostolic Palace is the home of the Pope, so access is limited to just a few daily tours. The palace has more than 1000 rooms, including Catholic offices, Papal Apartments, and the Vatican Library. About 20 of these rooms are accessible to the public.

Vatican Necropolis

Beneath St Peter’s Basilica is an ancient Roman cemetery, where you’ll find St Peter’s tomb. Visits are only possible with official tours, which can be booked right at the basilica. Tickets cost 15€, and audio guides are available for languages other than Italian, English, Spanish, and French.

Dining Options

Restaurants are very limited, so it might be best to have breakfast before your day trip to Vatican City and have a late lunch when you are back in Rome. However, if you insist on eating in Vatican City, there are a handful of good options.

I would recommend leaving the district of Borgo Pio (where the museums and churches are) to eat, as the few restaurants here tend to be packed with tourists.

The best areas for finding good restaurants close to the Vatican attractions is the Prati district. Some great options in this area include:

• La Zanzara: Serves a variety of pastries, cocktails, coffee, and meals.
• Ristorante Arlù: Specialises in Italian dishes and seafood.
• Pizzarium Bonci: The best gourmet pizza by the slice.
• Trattoria Da Cesare: Known for its traditional Roman food, like saltimbocca alla Romana and cacio e pepe.
• Papo Gusto: Serves traditional Neapolitan dishes. There is one near the Vatican in Borgo Pio, and another one in Prati.

If you’d rather stay very close to the Vatican, here are some good restaurants in Borgo Pio:

• Borgo 139: Perfect for lunch, offering great sandwiches, salads, and light meals.
• Il Pozzetto Ristorante: An authentic Italian restaurant that serves pasta, meat, and seafood dishes.
• L’Isola della Pizza: A trendy spot focusing on pizza and other Italian dishes.
• Trattoria Vaticano Giggi: Specialises in Roman favourites like carbonara and saltimbocca.
• Al Vecchio Forno Old Bakery: A great spot to try local baked goods, pastries, and light meals.

If you want to try some gelato, check out Hedera. It is a traditional gelateria with a wide variety of flavours that is nearby the Vatican.

There is also café in the courtyard of the Vatican Museums. Towards the end of the tour, you’ll also come across a cafeteria which has limited food options. But of course, these are overpriced and don’t have the best food available, so check out a decent restaurant nearby instead.

What To Wear

Due to its religious nature, Vatican City has a strict dress code. Some of the general rules are:

• Wear clothes that cover your knees and your shoulders.
• Cover up any tattoos that could possibly be offensive.
• Hats and caps are not allowed.
• Ripped jeans, T-shirts, and see-through clothes are technically allowed, but are frowned upon.
• If you’re attending a papal audience outside, men are allowed to wear hats.
• Men can wear shorts if is it hot, as long as they are level with the knees.
• Women are not allowed to wear low cut items or cropped tops.
• These rules also apply for children.
• Heels are not forbidden, but it is recommended that you wear comfortable flat shoes.
• Try to avoid overly casual clothes like sweatpants and T-shirts and opt for linen trousers, collared shirts, or long, modest dresses instead.

If you forget to follow these rules, you can buy a poncho or robe in the city to cover up. There are vendors right outside the Vatican Museums that sell them.

When is the Best Time to Visit?

A day trip to Vatican City is a great idea year-round. I personally prefer going in off-peak seasons (everything except summer), because there are far less tourists. Shoulder months are always a great time (March to May or September to November) – these are the less busy seasons.

If you want to further avoid crowd, I’d recommend getting an early start. If you get to Vatican City between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m., you’ll be able to avoid the massive crowds.

Due to the Papal Audience, Wednesday is always the busiest day of the week. If you don’t plan on joining it, avoid going on Wednesdays.

Remember that this is one of the most visited museums in the entire world, so it WILL be busy all year long. Try to do as much as possible to avoid peak seasons and times. Even when we visited in December, there were tons of people visiting Vatican City.

General Tips

• Photos are allowed everywhere except in the Sistine Chapel. Flash photography is strongly discouraged in the museums and galleries.
• I would highly recommend buying tickets ahead of time to guarantee entrance. If you have the option, try to get a ticket that lets you skip the line.
• Bring a reusable water bottle. The day can be long, and it’s important to stay hydrated. The water at shops and cafés is expensive, and there are fountains all over where you can refill your bottle.
• Wear comfortable shoes. You will be walking a lot, both in- and outside, and the streets aren’t always super even.