


During summer, Rome can be very, very hot too. The museum is closed most Sundays, so Saturdays and Mondays are especially busy.Īgain, if you can try and come off season when the crowds are less. If you can it's well worth setting your alarm and getting to the Vatican Museums early or leaving it until later afternoon (last entry is at 4pm - you will need at the very least two hours to get round). If you turn up on the day and have to join the back of the queue for tickets you may not be popular with your travelling companions and be tempted by the many touts that will approach you. If you are organising the trip, book tickets in advance either from the museum direct for which there is a delivery charge or from an agent for Vatican Museums tickets. The queues for the Vatican Museums are legendary. The Vatican is a must see for every visitor to Rome, so expect crowds and queues whenever you come. You can also buy bundle tickets that combine the travel on the bus with entrance to St Peter's Basilica and the Vatican. If you are exploring using Rome hop-on hop-off buses then this is a great way to make your journey to the Vatican. Each bus has a different route but the Vatican and Termini Station are considered the two main stops where offices are located. Rome has a collection of different providers all offering hop-on hop-off bus services. There are a range of tours available that focus on the Vatican or combine it with other Rome attractions. One of the best ways to take the hassle out of getting to the Vatican is to book yourself onto a tour. Unfortunately there is no central bus stop or station that every bus route goes through.Ĥ0 (Limited stop express) - Termini - Piazza Venezia - Argentina - Piazza Pia (for St Peter's/Vatican)Ħ4 - Termini - Piazza Venezia - Argentina - VaticanĦ2 - Repubblica - Spanish Steps - Piazza Venezia - Argentina - VaticanĨ1 - Vatican Museums - Piazza Imperatore (Spanish Steps) - Piazza Colonna (Trevi Fountain) - Piazza Venezia - Circo Massimo - Colosseumġ9 (Tram) - Piazza Risorgimento (Vatican) - Villa Borghese Vatican Tours The number 40 and 64 bus shuttle very frequently between Termini and the Vatican via the City Centre including the Piazza Venezia for the Roman Forum/Colosseum. There are many Rome city buses that pass or terminate next to the Vatican. However, it is a 10-minute walk to St Peter's Square from the station. Commuter style trains loop around Rome to Termini Station, but the station is of most practical use to those travelling from Civitavecchia, the cruise port for Rome. St Peter's also has a train station, St Pietro. On Line A between the Vatican and Termini is Spagna Metro Station, next to the Spanish Steps. You can also use the Metro to quickly travel to the Colosseum changing trains to Line B at Termini Station. As such the Basilica contains the papal throne, although the pope rarely visits and lives over at the Vatican. The Basilica of St John Lateran (Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano) is the cathedral church of Rome and the official seat of the Bishop of Rome, who is the Pope. You can use Line A of the Metro to go to the Basilica of St John Lateran on the other side of the city situated close by San Giovanni Metro Station. It's a 5 minute walk from the Metro to both St Peter's Square and the Vatican Museums. Line A of the Metro runs through with trains every few minutes. The crowded Rome Metro has a station just outside the Vatican walls at Ottaviano-S.
Metro station tours full#
The main area that tourists visit within the Vatican beyond the main Vatican attractions is the area to the north of Via della Conciliazion, full of restaurants and tourist shops.īest ways to visit the Vatican Rome Metro The area to the west of St Peter's Square has no public right of way. The Metro station is just to the north of the Vatican and the railway station to the south, each about 10 minutes' walk from St Peter's Square. This is the main and by far the widest road into the Vatican from Central Rome and is where all the hop on, hop off open top sightseeing buses stop. The long straight avenue leading from Saint Angelo Castle (id 5) by the River Tiber up to St Peter's Square is called Via della Conciliazione. To the casual visitor Vatican City could be thought of as a district of Central Rome.įor the first time visitor, the vast majority will be making for St Peter's Square (id 4 on the map below) or the Vatican Museums (id 1). Vatican City is just to the north of the city centre of Rome, Italy and is easily reached independently by public transport.Īlthough Vatican City is a separate state to Italy and Rome there are no barriers or checks and Rome long ago has expanded all around the Vatican and far beyond.
