Vatican City

Firstly, the vatican is amazing. So make sure you go.

Secondly, the line for the museum will quite possibly be the longest queue of people you have ever seen in your entire life (it certainly was for me). So get there early, early, early!! Seriously!

It is well worth going to the top of St. Peters too, but the line for this will also be massive. Unfortunately you can't be early for both queues, so basically just resign yourself to having to spend a couple of hours in line at some point during the day.

Thirdly, they can be pretty pedantic about the rules. Some of it is quite ridiculous but do try to respect it. The Sistine Chapel has a bunch of people just constantly saying SHHHHH! It is a bit silly. I mean it's not like a bit of talking is going to ruin the paintings, but it still pissed me off that so many people insisted on chatting. Just shut up and leave your cameras in your bags for a while. It's not that hard.

I think one of the things I enjoyed most was finding bizzare unexpected paintings inside the museum. One small painting I found was of a preist about to crack someone's skull open!

St. Peter’s basilica as well as the cupola and tombs are must-sees in Rome. The lines look intimidating but going at certain hours can alleviate that distress. I went to St. Peter’s at 7 o’clock in the morning on a Sunday. You would expect more people to be there but surprisingly it was empty!
St. Peter’s opens at 7, the cupola at 8, and the tombs at 9. This gave us the perfect time frame to see each section of the Vatican. We were one of the only people in the basilica. There was not the usual mob that constantly surrounds the Pieta. Although the treasury was not open we got to see the basilica that was even more impressive without people bumping into you every time you turn around.
The cupola has a 5 euro entrance fee for walking and 7 euro for elevator. It is worth it to save 2 euro, the elevator doesn’t even take you half way up. As you near the top the stairs get trickier and trickier as the walls slant in setting you off balance and the stairs are smaller and winding. It is all worth it to see the top and the spectacular view of Rome and Bernini’s square.
The catacombs don’t require too much time, most people are through in 10 minutes. It is difficult to stay and see any particular thing because of the general current towards the exit.
The Vatican has some of the most memorable sights and art works in Rome. To see both the basilica and the museums I would recommend an entire day.

A truly religous experience. From the tombs to the top of St. Peters it is amazing. The walk to the top can be tough for some, but it is worth it. The view is amazing even if it is very crowded. The inside is ornamentally awesome. It is the most decorated building ever. When you go to the Vatican museum take your time and don't rush to the Sistine Chapel, it's not going anywhere.
Many books say that there is a strict dress code, but I didn't see it enforced.

We arrived at Saint Peter's Square around 10 am on a Sunday morning after a nice gondola ride - which give us an opportunity to see the entire city and gave us a great time to take pictures, with the early morning sun hitting the dome of the Basilica at a nice angle, and not too many people milling about to walk through the photograph that you are about to take!

We went up the stairs up to the top of the dome -- 7 Euros for the 3 storey elevator ride plus the climb up 320 stairs. As the previous reviewer states, do NOT try this climb if you have ANY problems at all with claustrophobia or general cardiovascular fitness. Pace yourself on the stairs (they're very narrow and winding) and you'll manage okay. Remember that once you start up, you can't turn back! Many people get dizzy for lack of air and the slightly claustrophobic atmosphere of the staircase and so caution is recommended when climbing up, particularly for elderly people.

With those warnings in mind, the view of the city that rewards you at the end of your climb is worth every step and every Euro. You have to visit to get the full scale of everything; it is definitely worth the trip.

Visiting Saint Peters on a Sunday morning, we were lucky enough to be in the Basilica for one of the masses. It is impossible to describe the sensation of being there in the centre of the Roman Catholic faith, hearing the priest chant, the choir sing, seeing the morning sun streaming in through the windows, smelling the incense, being there in the presence of such an enormous collection of works of art ... it was an experience that left both of us (non-Catholics) profoundly moved. Definitely the highlight of our Roman holiday.

I really enjoyed the Vatican City and spent an entire day at/in the Vatican City. I suggest taking a small tour. We went with about 10-12 people on a tour given by an american girl who studied history in Rome. I don't remember the company because we kinda just found it by the church store outside St. Peters Square. It was about $50.00 which included the entrance fee. It was a 6 hour tour of the Vatican City and then St. Peters Basillica which was optional. Check out my Travel Journal for more information. It made the waiting in line to enter the vatican interesting as well since our tour guide provided a lot of information before we entered and answered questions we had about other sites in Rome. I also agree with going to the top of the dome!

If you decide not to take the tour... there is a outside portion within the vatican that has pictures of the sistene chapel with information you can read before entering, so you know what to look for.

A couple of pieces of advice.

They are VERY serious about having your knees and shoulders covered in St. Peters. Don't argue, don't get offended, just do it. A long-enough skirt and a scarf over your shoulders work well.

The Sistine Chapel will be packed. You can't sit down. You can't lean on anything. You're not even supposed to talk. If you really want to appreciate the ceiling and paintings, take (1) a friend you can lean against :) and (2) a pair of binoculars. We found the binoculars very helpful in Vatican City.

St. Peters also has the "no sitting, no leaning" rule (though you can talk). The binoculars were very helpful here since it can be tricky to get close to things like the Pieta and the altar.

If you are going to be there in summer, take a hat because it is sunny and HOT and you may have to stand in line outside before getting into the museum or St. Peters. There is ZERO shade in the plaza. I saw people standing in the shadow of the obelisk just to have some shade.

There is a fee to get into the Vatican Museum (sooooooo worth it!) but St. Peters is free.

We really shouldn't link this with Rome, although it's right there. In reality, it's a whole separate country! Plan for a whole day in the Vatican, even though it's quite small there's a lot to see. Your first stop will be the Vatican museum. For one, the hours are very strange and it's not something you want to miss. Two, the lines get really long really fast, so you want to get there first! The museum is great, and it will take you a couple hours to see it all. The museum ends at the Sistine Chapel, where you can take a look at the ceiling that Michelangelo painted so long ago. The exit to the museum puts you right at the heart of Vatican City. You can quickly jump in line to go into St. Peter's Basilica. Make sure you have pants on or at least something that covers your knees and your shoulders. St. Peter's is incredible on the inside, and there are often free tours. Be sure to check out the Pieta near the entrance. Make sure you head up to the top of the dome for great views over all of Rome. Finally, wander out into St. Peter's Square and check out the statues, columns, see the Pope's apartment, and other architecture.