I Lost My Daughter Here!
Written: Sep 22 '03 (Updated Sep 22 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Beautiful artwork, historical
Cons: Don't try taking a stroller into St. Peter's Basilica
The Bottom Line: Definitely a good stop when you're in Rome.
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| brookelorren's Full Review: Holy See (Vatican City) |
I've had the chance to visit the Vatican twice. During both times, I was able to see things from a different point of view. During my first trip, I went with a tour... on my second trip, I went as a tour guide to my parents.
When to Go
When you want to go depends on various factors. It gets very hot in the late summer, and cools off right after Labor Day. This is a location that gets a lot of tourists, another thing to keep in mind. I have never been there in the middle of the summer (although I live nearby), but I would imagine that it is busier with the kids out of school. Keep in mind that in August, the Italians all have time off from work, and that may affect what is open and may increase the amount of people here.
If you choose a day of the week to go, decide ahead of time on whether you would like to see the Pope or not. The Pope appears on Wednesday mornings when he is in town. Crowds are greater as a result. If you don't wish to see the Pope, go on a different day. However, if it is your wish to see the Pope, it can not be guaranteed that you will see him just because you come on a Wednesday.
The Pope's Weekly Address
This place really gets crowded when the Pope is in town. You don't have to pay, but you will have to pass by metal detectors in order to get into St. Peter's Square when he is around. There are short lines to get in. Bring binoculars, because if you want to see him in person, you will need them. The proceedings are broadcast on a big screen television, so you don't have to go out and buy them if a TV viewing is good enough for you.
The crowds are going to bolt right after he is done with his address, so if you want to avoid the cattle call, get out as soon as it seems like it is almost done.
The Vatican and Kids
Even though I've been to St. Peter's Basilica twice, I only got to enjoy it once. My parents never set foot inside, even though we waited in line to get in. Before you decide to take a trip to the Basilica, if you have a kid, there is some very important info to know.
While we were entering the Basilica, they took my husband (who was pushing my daughter in her stroller) aside. Prior to this, they had been very nice and had offered to let us go up elevators because we had the stroller. The rest of us wanted to come along, but they would not let us.
We waited in line in order to get upstairs to go into the Basilica (note: I have been to the Basilica before on a non-Pope day and did not have to wait in a long line). When we got to the top we saw elevators and decided to wait for my husband and daughter. We thought it was odd that they were not there yet. We waited, and waited and waited. Still they were not there.
I tried asking the staff there if they had seen my husband and daughter, and even though I know a little Italian, they were not able to help. It was at least an hour and we had not seen them. They let me and one of my family members in the Basilica (bypassing the lines) to look for them. We could not find them, which was not surprising considering the crowds that were around.
Eventually, when we did find them (an hour or two later) they were sitting at the exit, and my husband was calmly reading a book. It turns out that strollers are not allowed in the Basilica. My husband went to drop off the stroller when they pulled him aside, and that was where we got lost. Had they just informed us of this or let us go with him to drop off the stroller, we would not have had all this trouble and would not have had such a stressful time.
The Basilica
The Basilica is very beautiful, and you can appreciate it if you have not lost your child on the way in. There are gorgeous paintings throughout... wall-to-wall even. You don't have to be Catholic to appreciate it. During my first trip here, I used an entire roll of film taking pictures inside, and I could certainly have taken more. Pictures are not forbidden inside the Basilica, so it is okay.
There are a lot of side chapels here, and some people will be praying. It is best to be respectful and quiet, especially in these little side chapels. The side chapels, like the rest of the building, is covered in paintings.
The main building is cavernous... very beautiful and impressive. There are some underground places to explore, and if you want to shell out a few Euro, you can get into the place where St. Peter himself is supposedly buried.
The Vatican Museums
The Vatican Museums are extensive and you can spend a lot of time here. One of my favorite parts is the Egyptian museum. Not all collections are open all of the time, so check for availability. We were hurried out of the Egyptian museum, as they were about to close that section.
One thing to keep in mind, is if you are going to the Vatican Museums, they don't stamp your hand and allow you to come back. Make sure that you will not have to leave for a while, unless you want to pay full price for entrance (about 9 Euro) again. Strollers are allowed in the Vatican museums.
The highlight of the Vatican museums is the Sistine Chapel. It is what everyone goes to see, it seems. The Sistine Chapel is lovely, but after seeing all of the other wonderful paintings on your way to the Sistine Chapel, it loses some of its glory in the process.
For more information about the Vatican museums, you can see my review on that here.
St. Peter's Square
St. Peter's Square is very lovely. This is where all the chairs are set up for the Pope's address, so if you come on a Wednesday, it is not prime viewing in the morning due to the Pope's address, and in the afternoon they are taking down chairs.
Surrounding the square are several columns with statues of Saints and apostles at the top. They are detailed and beautiful, just like much of the rest of the places at the Vatican.
Shopping
The Vatican itself is quite small, and most of your shopping experience is going to have to take place outside of the Vatican. There are plenty of souvenirs to get just outside the Vatican, on the Roman streets surrounding the very small country.
Food is also available in little cafés and restaurants surrounding the country. If you are in the Vatican Museums, there is a cafeteria that you can eat at as well. The food is typical southern Italian fare, so if that is not your favorite plan accordingly.
Where to go and Stay
You're not going to be able to stay inside the Vatican, so you may want to consider staying in Rome. Be advised that finding your hotel may not be a picnic. We spent four hours trying to find our hotel. It is best if you don't try to do this in the dark.
Roman streets are sometimes confusing and in places will make you go one way when you want to go the other way. Maps do not help much when driving.
If you're going with a tour group, that will help with the transportation/getting lost situation. If you stay at a centrally located hotel, I would advise that you get a good map and walk everywhere (maps are helpful for walking around the city).
There are plenty of hotels in the area to stay in. I have only stayed at one hotel, and wasn't particularly impressed. Epinions has some great reviews on hotels if you are interested.
Conclusion and other things to note
If you are going to Rome, you should devote an entire day to the Vatican. There is enough to do here to keep you occupied. If you like to spend hours looking at paintings and sculptures, you might want to spend more time here.
On the day you visit the Vatican, make sure that you wear a shirt with sleeves, and pants. Many of the places here have a dress code, and dressing immodestly will keep you out of some of the places here.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Mar - May
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Epinions.com ID:
brookelorren
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 - Top 1000 |
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Location: Phoenix, AZ
Reviews written: 214
Trusted by: 37 members
About Me:
Homeschooling mom of two cute kids.
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