Plan One Day in Vatican City, Italy’s Spiritual Center

I’ve been to the city-state of Vatican City three times now. The first was on a whirlwind trip to Italy in high school, followed by visits when I was more appreciative of the experience as an adult living in Europe.

While a trip here does require some planning — arrive without a clue and you’ll be standing in lines for hours or, worse yet, turned away — it’s an evocative one.

This guide gives you everything you need to know to plan one day in Vatican City on your next trip to Rome.

What is special about Vatican City?

Vatican City is the world’s smallest independent state, but it’s big on power. It serves as the spiritual and administrative headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope’s residence. 

Tourists flock here for the remarkable Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica, but we’ve found that the neighborhood surrounding those sites is worth the visit, too.

One day is enough to see the highlights of Vatican City.

If you only have half a day, you could still squeeze in the really good stuff. A full day will allow you to do so in a more leisurely way.

We stayed just outside of Vatican City on our last trip and discovered plenty to do outside of the Sistine Chapel. That was on top of a delicious food scene that some may not expect in such a well-touristed area.

How to Spend One Day in Vatican City

You can spend one day in Vatican City like this:

• Grab a morning snack at Mosca Bakery.
• Explore the Vatican Museums.
• Visit the Mercato Trionfale.
• Taste Italian sandwiches at 200 Gradi.
• Tour St. Peter’s Basilica.
• Snap more photos on St. Peter’s Square.
• Shop at Castroni or along the Via Cola di Rienzo.
• Eat dinner at Il Segreto.
• Finish with gelato.

Everything I’ll include in this guide is walkable, as Vatican City itself is quite small. I’ll include things to see in the surrounding neighborhood, but you won’t need to catch public transit unless you’re starting from elsewhere in Rome.

Stop 1: Mosca Bakery

We stopped by this cute bakery for some snacks in case we encountered long lines to start our morning. There was lots of Italian flying around, which made it all feel that much more legitimate.

The sweet snacks got us in the door, but the savory treats got me through the busy morning. Anything savory, like their pizza roll-type bites, are glazed in olive oil, and it’s as good as it sounds.

Stop 2: Vatican Museums

There is no trick to these. Fill in the rest of your day based on when you get your timed ticket to the museums online. This is where you’ll enter for the Sistine Chapel, likely what brought you to Vatican City in the first place.

We’ve gotten the first round of admissions and midday tickets, and both were very crowded. Don’t listen to other bloggers telling you there’s some secret here around beating the crowds with early morning start times.

Honestly, the early morning may have been even busier than the afternoon, but I may have been hallucinating. 

In any case, I like visiting the museums earlier rather than later when my energy is up. Some approach the museums as a march to the Sistine Chapel, but I urge you to take your time in here. 

At the very least, linger in the Raphael Rooms, the Gallery of Maps, the Gallery of Tapestries, and the Pigna Courtyard. If you’re listening to your audio guide, it’ll help you understand more of what you’re looking at.

You’ll follow a general path to the chapel, but there are some side rooms to explore as you go. Go where your curiosities take you. 

The Sistine Chapel itself is at the very end of the museum, and the signs are impossible to miss. You can’t take photos in there, and I wouldn’t try. You’ll get scolded by security staff inside or potentially asked to leave.

That’d be awful. This is what you came here for.

Spend as much time as you like inside. I’ve never been able to get a seat, but there are some of those around the exterior. Imagine what it’s like in here during conclaves or important religious events. Picture yourself painting the ceiling.

The rest of the day won’t be a letdown by any means, but this is the highlight of your Vatican City itinerary.

Note: To visit the Vatican Gardens, you have to book a guided tour in advance through the Vatican Museums website. The tour includes access to the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel.

Stop 3: Mercato Trionfale

This is Vatican City’s market for produce, meats, cheeses, prepared meals, and random household goods. It’s a quick walk through to see what the locals are shopping for, but I’d save yourself for lunch. If you want some fresh fruits, feel free to linger.

Stop 4: Lunch

As we stayed in the Prati neighborhood of Rome during our visit to Vatican City, I have a few suggestions for casual eating while you’re here.

For quick but generous bites, 200 Gradi serves up classic Italian sandwiches at affordable prices. I can’t say the service is warm and fuzzy, but it was fairly efficient. Expect the usual Italian cold cuts and cheeses.

Scialla The Original Street Food was another spot we loved. It’s still fast-casual, but you can have some wine with your pasta, arancini, and flatbreads.

For a sit-down meal, Il Colibri is great for the classics. I was craving spaghetti and meatballs, so that was my pick, but all of the pasta we ate was delicious. The host’s own family was there during our visit, which was pretty cute to watch.

Fun fact: We were turned on by this one by reviews from Poles online. As we were traveling with my mom, I couldn’t ignore endorsements from our people to try this place. They weren’t wrong.

Stop 5: St. Peter’s Basilica

You have some options here. You can time your visit to the basilica for later in the day for magic hour or plan your visit after lunch. While lines will likely be longer at midday, I want to give you the option to get here sooner in case you’re climbing the dome.

Visiting the basilica is free, but there is a charge to climb the dome. You can also ride an elevator to the terrace level for a few extra dollars, but there will be some climbing either way. Stairs toward the top are narrow and steep, so a level of fitness is required.

While I’ve been in the church three times now, I’ve only been up to the dome once. It’s one of those experiences that you should do once if you’re able, but it does require some work.

You can’t buy tickets to climb the dome online. You have to wait to do so once you’re in the basilica itself, and even that requires a decent wait time through security. Find the ticket office first if you’re here for the dome. Credit card payments are available.

For those who aren’t climbing the dome, it’s still worth waiting in the security line to see the basilica. The line often looks intimidating, but we’ve never waited more than a half hour or so on any of our visits. 

Note: Don’t get tricked by guides and sellers of Vatican tours outside telling you they can get you “skip the line” tickets. That’s not a thing. Everyone, even groups with guides, must pass through security to get inside the basilica.

Inside, pay special attention to the main altar. This is the traditional site of Saint Peter’s tomb, the church’s first pope and an apostle of Jesus.

Stop 6: St. Peter’s Square

Now that the big stuff is out of the way, you can take some photos from St. Peter’s Square, the main square in Vatican City.

Fun fact: It’s particularly atmospheric closer to sunset if you’re able to make that happen.

Ignore the guys trying to sell you guided tours of things you already saw courtesy of the tips in this guide. Spend as much time as you like snapping some photos of St. Peter’s Basilica from the outside. Do your best to avoid the pigeons.

Stop 7: Castroni

This gourmet shop is a fun diversion, especially if you’re looking to bring some Italian goodies back home. It’s not cheap inside, but everything is a step above grocery store fare. My mom bought chocolate-covered almonds that she didn’t want to share.

Stop 8: Via Cola di Rienzo

Do a little more window shopping if you’re traveling with backpacks like we were, or stop inside the shops along this main drag near Vatican City if time and luggage space allow. You’ll find all of the major brands here, alongside boutique Italian sellers. 

For a little break, Pompi at the intersection of Via Cola di Rienzo and Via Catone serves up unique flavors of tiramisu in adorable little boats. I ordered the pistachio variety as I am a fiend for the stuff, while Brian went for the classic coffee bomb. 

There are a few of these around Rome if you loved your dessert.

Optional Stop 9: Castel Sant’Angelo

I’m only calling this one optional because you may be feeling fatigued at this point. If you suffer from aggressive FOMO as I do, you’ll want to pack in as much as you can into your near in and around Vatican City with a trip to Castel Sant-Angelo.

READ MORE: FOMO is real. Check out my thoughts on handling it after years of dealing with the fear of missing out.

The castle here is open later than attractions in Vatican City and less than a 15-minute walk from St. Peter’s Square. 

You can spend some time inside learning about the castle’s history as a mausoleum, a castle, and a prison or climb straight to the top for panoramic views from the terrace. You’ll see the Tiber from here and the entirety of the Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II.

Tickets are available online, but I’ve never encountered a line at this one.

Stop 10: Dinner

For how touristy it is, there is lots of good eating just outside of Vatican City. Our favorite dinner spot in the Prati neighborhood was Il Segreto. We made a reservation to celebrate American Thanksgiving here and had a fantastic time.

Our friendly server Charlie had recommendations on the best wine and bites. We overindulged on starters of seafood bruschetta, veggie meatballs, and saucy pastas. My cacio e pepe was heavier on the pecorino, but I polished it off regardless.

Stop 11: Gelato

Old Bridge Gelateria wasn’t our favorite gelato in Rome, but it’s the best option near the Vatican with generous portions and friendly pricing. This one is open late, too, in case you like your nightcaps a little sweeter.

Bonus Tips for Visiting Vatican City

I’ve sprinkled my advice throughout this guide, but here are a few more things to note as you plan your visit to Vatican City:

• There is a dress code for visits to Vatican City. Dress modestly for entry into the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. Shoulders and knees should be covered. A shawl of some sort is an easy way to make that happen if it’s summer.
• Be respectful. These are religious sites. On top of the dress code above, keep noise levels down.
• The Vatican Museums entrance is accessible via Viale Vaticano on the north side of Vatican City. Honestly, you’ll see the crowds well before you get there.
• Watch out for pickpockets, especially in crowded areas like inside the museums. We’ve never had this kind of trouble in Rome, but we’re always very aware of our stuff.
• I don’t love Rome in the summer months, but if that’s when you’re able to visit, wear sunscreen and bring lots of water.
• You don’t need a guided tour for the Vatican Museums. Honestly, you don’t need a Vatican tour at all unless you like the extra info. I’m all about a good tour, but you’ll be more efficient on your one-day itinerary if you go it alone.
• Check the Pope’s schedule online if you want to attend a Papal Audience. I was lucky enough to be in Vatican City on Easter Sunday years ago, and it was quite a moving experience.

READ MORE: Planning more time in Rome? Don’t miss a day trip to Pompeii.

Where to Stay Near Vatican City

We stayed in an apartment in the Prati neighborhood for our visit to Vatican City. We wanted easy access to the Vatican for my mom, and attractions in central Rome were an easy train ride away.

I’d recommend the same if you’re visiting Rome for Vatican City. Use the map below for more options:

Vatican City is always worth the visit.

Vatican City is a must for its rich history, art, and deep spiritual significance. Unfortunately, many travelers only spend a few hours here to tick off the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica.

I get it. There is a lot to do in Rome. If you’re able to linger in Vatican City for the day, though, you’ll leave with more of an appreciation for the place.

Want more Italian adventures? Check out these guides:

• Planning a Visit to the Leaning Tower
• A Guide to the Best Venetian Islands
• A Detailed Guide to Romantic Spots in Verona
• Should You Plan That Trip to Venice, Italy?
• How to Spend Three Very Full Days in Venice

I’m not done yet! Here are a few more guides in and around Italy:

• Guide to the Best of Technicolor Burano, Italy
• Why You Should Never Ignore Bologna
• Plan Three Days in Florence on an Italy Trip
• How to Visit Parma on a Trip to Italy
• A Detailed Guide to Medieval Lucca Trips

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