One of the top places to visit while we were living abroad was Rome. And Vatican City. I’m so glad we were able to squeeze in a trip before we move back to Cali.
Vatican City is such a mind boggling place.. A city that is actually a country, within a city in a separate country.. Women are not allowed to live in Vatican City, and very select few are given passports. The Swiss guards are wearing brightly coloured pajamas, and are more ceremonial than anything else.
We got there early and walked around St. Peter’s Basilica before the massive crowds. Next was a guided tour of the gardens and the Necropolis of the Via Triumphalis (not to be mistaken with the Vatican Necropolis where you see the tomb of St Peter).
After lunch, we braved the crowds and headed toward the Sistine Chapel, by way of the museums. This was an utter nightmare and really ruined the museums for me. By the time we made it to the Sistine Chapel, I was just so underwhelmed by the whole thing.
But there were definitely other aspects of the Vatican Museums that were really cool and worth visiting.
Think Tran 