The Vatican City
Half-day private car excursion
This fascinating tour reveals the splendours of the Vatican City. Sprawling over a hill west of the River Tiber and separated from the rest of Rome by a wall, it covers a total area of only slightly more than 40 hectares. Although it is the world’s smallest independent sovereign state, the wealth of treasures and history it contains would be the envy of many large countries.
St Peter’s Basilica, believed to be the largest church building in Christianity, covers an area of 2.3 hectares and has a capacity to accommodate over 60,000 people. The magnificent façade and the huge dome provide just a hint of the spectacular interior. St Peter’s Square, the open space in front of the Basilica lined by four-deep rows of Tuscan colonnades can accommodate 300,000 people.
The Vatican Palace, the official residence of the Pope, is a complex of buildings, comprising of the Papal Apartment, several chapels and the Vatican Museum and Library. In all there are over 1,000 rooms of which the most famous include the Raphael’s Rooms and the Sistine Chapel with its renowned ceiling frescoes painted by Michelangelo.
This is a private car excursion which includes pick-up and drop-off to the hotel with an English-speaking guide. The excursion can be organised in the morning or in the afternoon.