It was a country that surged into the news this week after Pope Francis' death, and I had the opportunity to visit the Vatican City just a few years ago.
According to Britannica, the Vatican city is the smallest country in the world. The measurements, which are only 0.17 square miles, are even smaller than the next Sumar rivals, Tax Haven Monaco (0.8 square miles) and the remote Pacific Island Nauru (8 square miles).
Vatican cities are not independent, sovereign states, which are members of the United Nations themselves, but the city-state microstates have their own flags and, according to the complex ways in which the Vatican is administered, “sovereignty and jurisdiction of the sacred sea” is itself a sovereign existence under international law.
So, it was cleaned up, so I had the opportunity to visit the Vatican a few years ago. In the middle of Rome, Italy's capital, the Vatican attracts tourists from all over the world who are looking for the opportunity to see this famous and sacred building firsthand and technically leave Italian soil at the same time.
Do I need a passport to enter the Vatican City?
To get there, you need to book a ticket – you can't simply waltz – queued nearby. But no, you don't need a passport or visa – the Vatican has an open border policy with Italy, so if you have a legal right to be in Italy (how else did you enter?), you also have a legal right to be in the Vatican. However, you may be prompted to create a valid form ID and confirm the ticket name against the name. So you will have to use your passport anyway.
Several parts of the Vatican, namely St. Peter's Basilica and St. Peter's Square – are free to enter, but both the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel require a paid ticket to enter.
Some tourist companies offer packages to explore all parts of the Vatican. This includes a cathedral paid cue jump ticket and entrance to other buildings all burned into one ticket, as well as a walking guide.
Just before the Sistine Chapel, there is a velvet red rope across the edge of the cue zone, and visiting this sacred place and country makes you feel like you're waiting for a ride at Alton Towers. We sourced tourist field trips online, so it finds our meet-up points, join the right queue and “cross the border” and enter the right line for the various buildings themselves, and see thousands of people lying ahead of this week.
After about an hour of queuing (and this was normal time of year, not this week), the crowd was shuffled into the Sistine Chapel. Of course, it includes the famous frescoes painted by Michelangelo. The enormous scale inside the chapel and the wonderful artwork are worth seeing first hand.
Vatican Visitor Rules
The only rule given to us was strictly without photos and was surprising, with security staff nearby telling several people to clean up their phones and cameras. In fact, the use of mobile phones is strictly forbidden within the Sistine Chapel and is strongly discouraged in all other parts of the Vatican.
According to the Vatican Tourism website, there are several other rules. You need to “dress properly.” Sleeveless, low-cut tops, or shorts that end “on the lap” are prohibited.
Jewelry and tattoos are also prohibited, “may anger Catholic religion,” but I have to admit that I am not seeking tattoos or clothes when I was in line.
