Holy See (Vatican City) · Local picks
100+ Places to Visit in Holy See (Vatican City)
These are the places worth your time in and around Vatican City, from St Peter's and the museums to the trattorias of Borgo, Prati and Trastevere, central Rome and the papal villas of Castel Gandolfo. Classics sit beside quiet corners many visitors miss, so every kind of traveller finds something to love.
Places to Visit in Vatican City
Arts and Culture
- St Peter's Basilica (St Peter's Square)
The largest church in Christendom, home to Michelangelo's Pietà and Bernini's bronze canopy. - Vatican Museums (Viale Vaticano entrance)
One of the world's great art collections, ending in the Sistine Chapel. - Sistine Chapel (Vatican Museums)
Michelangelo's ceiling and Last Judgment, seen at the end of the museum route. - Raphael Rooms (Vatican Museums)
Four frescoed rooms including The School of Athens, painted for the popes by Raphael and his workshop. - Gallery of Maps (Vatican Museums)
A long gilded corridor lined with painted maps of sixteenth century Italy. - Pio Clementino Museum (Vatican Museums)
Classical masterpieces such as the Laocoön and the Apollo Belvedere in their original setting. - Vatican Pinacoteca (Vatican Museums)
A calmer picture gallery with Raphael's Transfiguration, Leonardo's Saint Jerome and Caravaggio's Entombment. - Gregorian Egyptian Museum (Vatican Museums)
Mummies, statues and papyri gathered by the popes, often quiet even on busy days. - Carriage Pavilion (Vatican Museums)
Papal carriages, early cars and popemobiles in a hall many visitors walk straight past. - Anima Mundi Ethnological Museum (Vatican Museums)
Art and objects from cultures across the world, a surprising and peaceful corner of the museums. - Collection of Modern Religious Art (Vatican Museums)
Works by Matisse, Chagall, Dalí and Van Gogh tucked along the route to the Sistine Chapel. - Bramante Staircase (Vatican Museums)
The famous double spiral staircase, a favourite photo stop on the way out of the museums. - Vatican Grottoes (Under St Peter's Basilica)
Tombs of many popes beneath the basilica floor, usually included with your basilica visit. - St Peter's Treasury Museum (St Peter's Basilica)
Chalices, reliquaries and papal vestments in a small museum inside the basilica. - Baldacchino (St Peter's Basilica)
Bernini's towering bronze canopy above the papal altar, a breathtaking piece of Baroque theatre.
Things to Do
- St Peter's Dome climb (St Peter's Basilica)
Climb inside Michelangelo's dome for a sweeping view over the square and the rooftops of Rome. - St Peter's Square (Piazza San Pietro)
Bernini's vast embracing colonnade, the obelisk and the Swiss Guard at the gates. - Vatican Necropolis Scavi tour (Under St Peter's Basilica)
A small group tour of the Roman cemetery beneath the basilica, believed to hold the tomb of Saint Peter. - Swiss Guard at the Arch of the Bells (St Peter's Square)
The guards in Renaissance striped uniforms are a favourite sight for children and photographers. - Pietà (St Peter's Basilica)
Michelangelo carved this tender marble when he was in his twenties, and it is the only work he signed. - Morning Mass in St Peter's (St Peter's Basilica)
Early weekday Masses in side chapels are a quiet, moving way to experience the basilica.
Nature and Outdoors
- Vatican Gardens (Vatican Museums)
Fountains, woodland and lawns that cover much of the country, visited only by guided tour. - Dome terrace at sunset (St Peter's Basilica)
Late afternoon light over the square and the Tiber makes the climb unforgettable.
Events
- Papal General Audience (St Peter's Square)
The Pope's Wednesday morning address, free with tickets from the Papal Household. - Sunday Angelus (St Peter's Square)
At noon most Sundays the Pope prays the Angelus from a window above the square, with no ticket needed. - Christmas Mass at St Peter's (St Peter's Basilica)
The Pope's Christmas celebrations, one of the great events of the Catholic year, with free tickets requested well ahead. - Easter at the Vatican (St Peter's Square)
Holy Week liturgies and the Urbi et Orbi blessing draw huge crowds to the square. - Vatican Museums Friday nights (Vatican Museums)
Seasonal evening openings let you see the galleries in a softer, quieter light. - Christmas Nativity scene (St Peter's Square)
A large nativity and a tall Christmas tree fill the square through December and early January.
Shopping and Markets
- Vatican Post Office (St Peter's Square)
Send a postcard with Vatican stamps and a Vatican postmark, a classic small souvenir. - Vatican Museums shops (Vatican Museums)
Prints, books and replicas from the collections, with proceeds supporting the museums.
Cafés
- Vatican Museums cafeteria (Vatican Museums)
A handy place to rest and refuel midway through a long museum visit.
Places to Visit in Borgo
Arts and Culture
- Castel Sant'Angelo (Lungotevere Castello)
Hadrian's tomb turned papal fortress, with a rooftop terrace looking straight at St Peter's. - Santo Spirito in Sassia (Borgo Santo Spirito)
A quiet Renaissance church beside the old hospital, dedicated to Divine Mercy. - Santa Maria in Traspontina (Via della Conciliazione)
A Carmelite church on the avenue to St Peter's that most visitors walk past.
Things to Do
- Passetto di Borgo (Borgo)
The raised corridor popes used to flee to Castel Sant'Angelo, sometimes open on special tours. - Via della Conciliazione (Borgo)
The grand avenue to St Peter's, with the classic view of the dome straight ahead. - Ponte Sant'Angelo (Lungotevere)
Bernini's angels line the bridge, magical at dusk with the castle lit behind. - Borgo Pio (Borgo)
A pedestrian lane of trattorias, pilgrim shops and cafés just behind the colonnade. - Borgo Santo Spirito river walk (Lungotevere)
Steps down to the Tiber banks for a quiet walk and summer stalls.
Shopping and Markets
- Religious goods shops of Borgo Pio (Borgo Pio)
Rosaries, icons and medals, many of which can be blessed at a papal audience.
Stays
- Hotel Columbus (Via della Conciliazione)
A fifteenth century palazzo with frescoed halls just steps from St Peter's.
Nature and Outdoors
- Parco Adriano (Castel Sant'Angelo)
Gardens around the castle walls, good for a picnic and a playground break.
Places to Visit in Prati
Restaurants
- Pizzarium Bonci (Via della Meloria)
Gabriele Bonci's famous pizza by the slice, with creative toppings that change daily. - Il Sorpasso (Via Properzio)
A lively wine bar and kitchen loved by locals for cured meats and Roman dishes. - Dal Toscano (Via Germanico)
A long-running Tuscan restaurant known for grilled steak and handmade pasta.
Shopping and Markets
- Mercato Trionfale (Via Andrea Doria)
One of Rome's biggest covered food markets, full of locals and fresh produce. - Via Cola di Rienzo (Prati)
Prati's long shopping street of department stores, shoe shops and delis. - Castroni (Via Cola di Rienzo)
A historic coffee roaster and international food store packed with treats. - Franchi (Via Cola di Rienzo)
A classic gastronomia famous for its fried bites and cured meats.
Cafés
- Sciascia Caffè (Via Fabio Massimo)
An old Roman coffee bar famous for espresso poured over melted chocolate. - Gelateria dei Gracchi (Via dei Gracchi)
Natural, seasonal gelato made the traditional way. - Old Bridge Gelateria (Viale dei Bastioni di Michelangelo)
A tiny gelato counter beside the Vatican walls, perfect after the museums.
Arts and Culture
- Palace of Justice (Piazza Cavour)
The vast, ornate law courts locals nicknamed the Palazzaccio. - Museum of the Souls of Purgatory (Lungotevere Prati)
A strange little museum of scorched handprints inside the Gothic church of Sacro Cuore del Suffragio.
Nature and Outdoors
- Piazza Cavour gardens (Piazza Cavour)
A shady square with benches and a playground between Prati and the river.
Things to Do
- Lungotevere plane trees walk (Lungotevere Prati)
A shaded riverside stroll between Ponte Cavour and Ponte Umberto.
Places to Visit in Trastevere
Arts and Culture
- Santa Maria in Trastevere (Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere)
One of Rome's oldest churches, with glowing medieval mosaics. - Santa Cecilia in Trastevere (Piazza di Santa Cecilia)
A peaceful church with Maderno's moving statue of the saint and a Cavallini fresco. - Villa Farnesina (Via della Lungara)
A Renaissance villa with Raphael's Galatea and frescoed loggias. - Tempietto del Bramante (San Pietro in Montorio)
Bramante's tiny perfect Renaissance temple in a quiet courtyard.
Nature and Outdoors
- Gianicolo terrace (Piazzale Giuseppe Garibaldi)
A hilltop view across all of Rome, with the noon cannon firing daily. - Orto Botanico di Roma (Largo Cristina di Svezia)
Rome's botanical garden, a green escape at the foot of the Gianicolo.
Shopping and Markets
- Porta Portese market (Porta Portese)
Rome's famous Sunday flea market for clothes, antiques and bargains.
Restaurants
- Da Enzo al 29 (Via dei Vascellari)
A tiny trattoria serving some of Rome's most loved carbonara and artichokes. - Tonnarello (Via della Paglia)
A busy, cheerful trattoria known for pasta served straight from the pan. - Roma Sparita (Piazza di Santa Cecilia)
Famous for cacio e pepe served in a crisp cheese bowl. - Seu Pizza Illuminati (Via Angelo Bargoni)
Inventive Neapolitan style pizza that has become a Rome destination.
Bars and Nightlife
- Bar San Calisto (Piazza di San Calisto)
A gritty, much loved bar where students and locals spill into the piazza. - Freni e Frizioni (Via del Politeama)
An aperitivo bar in an old garage, full of young Romans at sunset. - Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fà (Via di Benedetta)
A tiny pub pouring a big range of Italian craft beer.
Things to Do
- Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere at night (Trastevere)
Street musicians and crowds on the fountain steps make an easy evening. - Fontana dell'Acqua Paola (Via Garibaldi)
The grand fountain locals call il Fontanone, with a view over the city.
Events
- Festa de' Noantri (Trastevere)
Trastevere's July street festival with a procession of the Madonna and food stalls.
Places to Visit in Rome Historic Centre
Arts and Culture
- Pantheon (Piazza della Rotonda)
The best preserved building of ancient Rome, with its open oculus to the sky. - San Luigi dei Francesi (Navona)
Three Caravaggio paintings of Saint Matthew in a free to enter church. - Sant'Ignazio di Loyola (Piazza di Sant'Ignazio)
A painted ceiling and false dome that trick the eye. - Galleria Doria Pamphilj (Via del Corso)
A private palace collection with Velázquez's portrait of Innocent X. - Chiostro del Bramante (Arco della Pace)
A Renaissance cloister with exhibitions and a café overlooking the arches.
Things to Do
- Piazza Navona (Navona)
Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers in a Baroque oval square. - Trevi Fountain (Trevi)
Rome's most famous fountain, best seen early in the morning. - Largo di Torre Argentina (Largo Argentina)
Temple ruins where Caesar was killed, now also a cat sanctuary. - Spanish Steps (Piazza di Spagna)
The grand staircase between the boutiques of Via Condotti and Trinità dei Monti.
Shopping and Markets
- Campo de' Fiori market (Campo de' Fiori)
A morning market square that turns into a lively meeting place by night. - Via dei Coronari (Navona)
A quiet street of antique shops and galleries.
Restaurants
- Roscioli (Via dei Giubbonari)
A deli and restaurant famous for carbonara, burrata and cured meats. - Armando al Pantheon (Salita de' Crescenzi)
A family trattoria by the Pantheon serving Roman classics since the sixties. - Forno Campo de' Fiori (Campo de' Fiori)
Pizza bianca and slices straight from a busy bakery. - Da Francesco (Piazza del Fico)
A lively pizzeria and trattoria near Piazza Navona.
Cafés
- Sant'Eustachio Il Caffè (Piazza di Sant'Eustachio)
A legendary coffee bar roasting over wood since the thirties. - La Casa del Caffè Tazza d'Oro (Via degli Orfani)
Strong espresso and granita di caffè with cream next to the Pantheon. - Giolitti (Via degli Uffici del Vicario)
Rome's old school gelato parlour, a favourite of families.
Bars and Nightlife
- Jerry Thomas Speakeasy (Vicolo Cellini)
A hidden cocktail bar with a password door. - Bar del Fico (Piazza del Fico)
An aperitivo spot under a fig tree where locals play chess.
Stays
- Hotel Raphael (Largo Febo)
An ivy covered hotel near Piazza Navona with a rooftop terrace.
Places to Visit in Castel Gandolfo
Arts and Culture
- Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo (Piazza della Libertà)
The former papal summer residence, opened as a museum of papal life. - San Tommaso da Villanova (Piazza della Libertà)
A church designed by Bernini on the main square.
Nature and Outdoors
- Barberini Gardens (Pontifical Villas)
Formal gardens and Roman ruins of Domitian's villa, visited on guided tours. - Lake Albano (Lungolago)
A volcanic lake below the town, with summer beach clubs and paddle boats. - Parco Regionale dei Castelli Romani (Castelli Romani)
Woodland walks around the volcanic lakes south of Rome.
Things to Do
- Piazza della Libertà (Centro)
The little main square with Bernini's fountain and cafés facing the palace. - Nemi (Castelli Romani)
A neighbouring lake village known for wild strawberries and Roman ship remains. - Frascati (Castelli Romani)
A hill town of villas and wine bars an easy train ride from Rome.
Restaurants
- Antico Ristorante Pagnanelli (Via Antonio Gramsci)
A family restaurant with a terrace hanging over the lake and a deep wine cellar. - Fraschette of Ariccia (Ariccia)
Rustic taverns serving porchetta, local wine and cheese on long tables.
More to Explore
We are still checking these with fresh sources, so confirm opening times before you go.
- Vatican Museums pizzeria (Vatican Museums, Vatican City)
Simple pizza and pasta inside the museums so you do not lose your place in the day. - Vatican Railway Station (Vatican Gardens, Vatican City)
The tiny Vatican station, seen on garden tours and on the seasonal train to Castel Gandolfo. - Complesso Monumentale Santo Spirito in Sassia (Borgo Santo Spirito, Borgo)
Rome's ancient papal hospital, with frescoed wards opened for guided visits. - Hostaria Dino e Tony (Via Leone IV, Borgo)
A loud, friendly family trattoria near the museums serving Roman classics. - Borghiciana Pastificio Artigianale (Borgo Pio, Borgo)
Fresh handmade pasta to eat in or take away on Borgo Pio. - Ristorante dei Musei (Via Germanico, Borgo)
Traditional cooking with a garden feel, a pleasant dinner after a museum day. - Caffè San Pietro (Via della Conciliazione, Borgo)
A classic stand-up espresso stop before the basilica. - Palazzo Cardinal Cesi (Via della Conciliazione, Borgo)
A Renaissance palace hotel with a garden in the shadow of the colonnade. - Casa per Ferie Santa Maria alle Fornaci (Piazza Santa Maria alle Fornaci, Borgo)
A simple religious guesthouse close to the square, popular with pilgrims. - Castel Sant'Angelo terrace café (Castel Sant'Angelo, Borgo)
A drink on the castle with one of the best views of St Peter's dome. - L'Arcangelo (Via Giuseppe Gioachino Belli, Prati)
Refined Roman cooking with a serious wine list in a quiet Prati street. - Del Frate (Via degli Scipioni, Prati)
A historic wine shop with an attached wine bar for a relaxed evening. - Settembrini (Via Luigi Settembrini, Prati)
Modern Roman cooking near the RAI headquarters, with a café next door. - Romeo Chef and Baker (Via Silla, Prati)
A bakery and kitchen by chef Cristina Bowerman with sandwiches, pizza and modern Roman dishes. - Hotel Isa (Via Cicerone, Prati)
A smart small hotel with a rooftop terrace in quiet Prati. - Hotel Dei Mellini (Via Muzio Clementi, Prati)
A comfortable hotel with a roof terrace between the Vatican and Piazza del Popolo. - Atlante Star rooftop (Via Giovanni Vitelleschi, Prati)
A rooftop restaurant and bar with a close view of St Peter's dome. - Cinema Giulio Cesare (Viale Giulio Cesare, Prati)
A classic neighbourhood cinema for an easy evening off your feet. - Glass Hostaria (Vicolo del Cinque, Trastevere)
Creative modern Italian dining in a striking glass and steel room. - Biscottificio Innocenti (Via della Luce, Trastevere)
A family biscuit bakery with an old oven and trays of fresh cookies. - Otaleg (Via di San Cosimato, Trastevere)
Inventive artisan gelato with unusual flavours. - Hotel Santa Maria (Vicolo del Piede, Trastevere)
A peaceful hotel around an orange tree courtyard in the heart of Trastevere. - Donna Camilla Savelli (Via Garibaldi, Trastevere)
A converted Borromini convent with gardens on the slope of the Gianicolo. - Sagra delle Pesche (Castel Gandolfo, Castel Gandolfo)
The town's summer peach festival with stalls and a parade.