12 things to do in Rome and The Vatican City

Happy Easter! In the spirit of the risen Lord and the sunshiny Bank Holiday weekend, I thought to write about our unforgettable trip to Italy; highlighting 12 things to do in Rome and the Vatican City. We had a fantastic and surreal time and it was difficult narrowing down to just 12 things but here we go!

1. Attend Mass in St Peter’s Basilica

St Peter’s Basilica is located in the Vatican City.

Ok, this was EPIC! I could not even contain my excitement. We were expecting to just go into the Basilica, pray and take some pictures. However, we were lucky enough to have been there at the exact time that the afternoon Mass was starting.

We went into the Basilica through the Holy door, heard the bells ring, then looked closely and saw the Priests assembling at the altar. It took us a minute to understand what we had just walked into. To be honest, I was so excited that I was not even paying attention to the Mass. Mr E and I were just grateful to be there! To this day, still the most surreal experience I have had. Hashtag Blessed!

2. Visit the Vatican Museums

There is an extensive collection of art in the museums and I can assure you that you do not have to be an art lover to enjoy it. Within the Vatican museums, there are so many galleries within each “sub-museum” to visit and there is a lot to see. It houses art by the greats like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael. There are also a ridiculous number of roman sculptures and renaissance art masterpieces. The guide told us it was one of the biggest museums in the world.

3. Tour the Vatican City grounds and visit the Sistine Chapel

The Sistine chapel is actually a museum within the Vatican but it deserves a mention of its own! Why? It is THE Sistine chapel painted by the one and only Micheangelo. Although it is rumoured that he painted the ceiling on his back, we were told he actually painted it standing up! I was definitely awestruck in this room as it is simply iconic. If there is one thing to see in the Vatican City, it is the Sistine Chapel. The art almost feels like it is moving. You are advised to maintain silence and to avoid taking photos in this room as a mark of respect to its significance.

The grounds are just massive. One thing to look out for is the St Peter’s Dome. You can climb up the dome and you get to see the whole of St Peter’s Basilica from a different (most gorgeous) angle. It’s a little claustrophobic to climb and the stairs are tricky but the view is totally worth the climb!

Fun fact – New Popes are elected in the Sistine Chapel. A papal conclave is held in the room and a chimney in its roof broadcasts the conclave’s result. Black smoke – No candidate has emerged; White smoke – we have a new Pope!

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4. Spot the Swiss guards

They serve to protect the Pope. I found out that they are not just called Swiss Guards for nothing. They are Swiss by citizenship and the Swiss have earned a reputation for having the most reliable soldiers in Europe. Swiss Guards also have to meet some criteria – Catholic (obvs), served at least 2 years in the Swiss army, at least 5”9 tall, male and must have a stellar reputation. So it is a VERY big deal!

Fun fact - The Vatican City is actually its own country with its own government and is the smallest country in the world. The Pope is the head. It has its own flag, anthem and even its money! And guess what? Everything you buy in there or pay for is tax free. Although nobody is actually born in the Vatican, citizenship is granted to those who work and/or reside there.

Some tips for the Vatican City

1. Go early! Be prepared to spend a whole day or at least, most of the day there. There is a lot to see and some places close earlier than others and trust me, you want to see everything.
2. Book a tour. This is very essential if you want to know the meanings behind all the art. What is the point of going if you do not understand what you are seeing? Also the tour guides help beat the insane queues and direct you around so you don’t feel overwhelmed by the experience.
3. Have a good breakfast before you go as it may be your only meal of the day.
4. Wear comfortable shoes. You will walk and walk and walk. The best shoes to wear are your typical gym trainers – breathable comfort is key!
5. Avoid going with a backpack. There were a few people in our tour group who had backpacks and were made to check them in at the entrance.

Time to leave the Vatican City and head back into Rome!

5. 2 words – Seafood Pasta!

We had the best seafood pasta I have ever had (IN MY LIFE). It had lobster, prawns, mussels, crab meat, everything you can find in the ocean tbh. Ok, except mermaids but for real, it was so tasty and fresh! Mr E thinks I must have been very hungry to have finished my meal in 5 minutes but I think it was because of how tasty it was!

6. Toss some coins into the Trevi Fountain

We found our way to the Trevi fountain. Although it was quite busy (we went at peak tourist time to be fair), we found a little spot to sit. Just to take it all in and witness the colour display. There was some light shining on it and it changed from yellow to green to blue lights, so pretty to watch. We made our wishes and tossed our coins into the fountain. Even though it was busy, it was almost serene as people just sat around in quiet and took it all in. We took some pictures and left after about an hour of getting there.

7. Have some gelato

We probably had this every single moment we passed by a gelato stall. There are lots of them littered around the city and I remember we had the fancy one the first day we got there. It was so fancy that there was even a queue outside the shop. However, we soon realised that they were sold everywhere and started buying from the street carts instead.

8. Climb up the Spanish steps

A huge part of it was cordoned off as it was undergoing repairs but there was an open section to climb up the 135 steps located at Piazza di Spagna. There is the Fontana della Barcaccia just in front of the steps as well and you can see it much better from the top of the stairs.

9. Light a candle in Trinita dei monti

At the top of the Spanish steps is this beautiful Roman Catholic Church, the Trinita dei monti. The interior is one of the prettiest I’ve seen so we spent some time there, said our prayers and lit some candles.

10. Window-shop on Via Condotti.

To the other side of the Spanish steps is Via Condotti, which houses some of the most luxurious boutiques from Chanel to Valentino to Bvlgari to Gucci. We spent some time just walking in an out of the stores and window-shopping. If we were in Rome to shop, I don’t think I would have enjoyed shopping here very much. Thanks to the Spanish steps, the street is quite busy and does take away from the boujee-ness of luxury shopping.

11. Go to the Colosseum

It was free entry as it was the first Sunday of the month! There was a 20-minute queue to get in which was not bad at all as it moved quite quickly and you could see that you were almost there. For most of the time we were in there, we felt like we were in a scene from Spartacus as gladiators on the battle ground. Trust Mr E and I to act it out.

There is also a museum on the upper floor. The Colosseum is partially ruined due to earthquakes and other natural disasters. However, it still stands tall. Once you arrive at its location, you still have that rush of seeing something that magnificent in reality! Just beside the Colosseum is the Roman Forum which is one of the most famous ruins in Italy as it served as the centre for some of Roman politics.

12. Wander and get lost wandering

On the last full day, we just got lost in the streets! We tend to do this on the last day of every trip. No specific place to go, just hold hands, take walks and reminisce, stop in random places for food and drinks and continue walking.

There is so much more to see and do in Rome as it is such a historic city with a lot of ruins scattered around. There are so many Cathedrals and Basilicas, so many cute little streets, piazzas and fountains. One place we wanted to go to but ended up not going is the Villa Borghese Gardens. For this reason (and to see the Sistine Chapel again), Rome is still on our travel itinerary for the future!

Travel Details

• Hotel – NH Roma da Vinci. Booked via Expedia
• Flights – Alitalia via Skyscanner

To Note

• Currency – Euro.
• Duration Needed – minimum of 3-5 nights
• Best time to go – We went in April. It was very busy due to the Easter break (& school mid term break).
• Level of Expense – Rome is a typical big city so, quite pricey. The good news is that, a lot of things to do and see are free.

Hope this is a helpful guide!

Have you been to Rome? The Vatican City? Please share your thoughts!

Bisous, ‘Bugo x