The Heart of the Vatican

The Vatican is the smallest sovereign state in the world and is regarded as the true heart of Catholicism. Together with your local guide, discover the beauty and majesty of masterpieces including St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museums and the Vatican Gardens. Enclosing in a loving embrace, Bernini’s colonnade welcomes both tourists and faithful alike to St. Peter’s Basilica. Built on the site of the tomb of the Apostle Peter, the Basilica was enlarged over the centuries with the contribution from artists such as Michelangelo, Baldassare Peruzzi, Bernini, and Raffaello. The Vatican Museums are home to treasures from ancient Egypt and Rome, medieval tapestries, maps and manuscripts, the Pinacoteca, the Sala dell’Immacolata and the Borgia apartment with frescoes by Perugino. The Sistine Chapel is the main chapel of the Vatican and is also the ‘meeting room’ of Conclave during which all the Popes in history have been chosen. This discovery tour will give you an excellent introduction to the Vatican and the important part it has played in history.