Have you visited Vatican City?

My first visit was in 1975, during my first holiday job. I was working for a tour operator, and I traveled with several groups in Italy. One of these groups visited Rome and the Vatican City ; the program was even including a Papal audience, and I saw the Pope (Paul VI at this time). I went there 2 or 3 times since. Vatican is very small. Once you have visited St. Peter's Basilica, Sistine Chapel and the Museum, you know it all. This said, you can spend days in the Museum, and each time I came in Vatican I visited again the Sistine Chapel, which is a beautiful place.

I've been there several times. The Vatican is *in* Rome. When you go there, you don't realise that it is a city of its own. In fact it's a state of its own. What people do there is something a tourist doesn't find out. A tourist goes there to see St.Peter's Cathedral and the Vatican museum. If you want to see the museum, you should book a ticket online. If you don't, you'll have to wait for hours until you can get in. Besides the Cathedral and the museum there isn't anything of interest for the tourist.

My Europe package tour included Italy and a visit to the Vatican. What I missed most was the scene at that window where the Pope is normally seen waving at the public below. Whatever I could see was worth that visit.

I was there in 1979 and 1986. It is like a city of its own. It's a fascinating place to visit even if you're not Catholic.