Travel Company Travel Plan "DSBW Travel Collection" offers sightseeing tours and holidays in Italy. Among the reasons for the popularity of sightseeing tours and holidays in Italy in 2020, the main role is played by the excellent climate, richness of culture and the presence of a huge number of flights to Italy to Rome, Venice, Milan, Verona, Catania, Rimini and other cities, as well as a generally affordable price level .
In the summer of 2020, as always, our combined tours around Italy will be extremely popular - a week of excursion program plus a vacation on one of the coasts of Italy.
Our tours to Italy are designed for tourists from different cities Russia. In each tour, in the "Transport" section, there is information on flights and transfers: from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Tyumen, Kazan, Samara, Rostov-on-Don, Krasnodar, Novosibirsk, Vladivostok. We also welcome tourists from other cities.
The cost of a trip to Italy is affordable for almost any tourist, and prices in the off-season are more similar to the cost of a simple air flight.
As one of the leading specialists in Italy, we would like to invite you in 2020 to the beaches of the Adriatic, Tyrrhenian and Mediterranean coasts. Shopping lovers will be able to visit the boutiques of Milan and Rimini.
For supporters of Classic Tours in Italy, we can offer a variety of excursion tours visiting Rome, Venice, Florence, Milan, Verona and other cities.
And those who are used to taking care of their health will be pleased low prices our tours to thermal spas Apennine Peninsula, including the island of Ischia.
The Vatican has a common transport system with Rome, but all this is only theoretical, there are no airports or highways, there are no buses or trolleybuses, there are no metro stations, the entire city or state of the Vatican can be walked around in just 20 minutes at a leisurely pace. The Vatican consists of St. Peter's Square, as well as passages between the surrounding houses that lead to the basilica; Mussolini in his years ordered the demolition of a strip of medieval buildings to provide a view of Peter's Basilica, which created a small street leading to the square. You can enter the Vatican through security checkpoints on foot.
The Vatican has Helipad, as you understand, ordinary tourists will not be able to use it for any money, so they will have to use the Roman airports of Ciampino and Fiumicino.
The Vatican's railway transport is considered the shortest in the world and consists of a 300-meter line of tracks.
The Vatican train station, Stazione Vaticana, is used for freight purposes, sometimes for symbolic or ceremonial purposes, so it is not possible to travel to the Vatican by train.
There is no airport in the Vatican, but this does not prevent tourists from Ukraine and Russia from landing at Rome's Ciampino and Fiumicino international airports.
For example, from Kyiv you can fly non-stop with Alitalia and Ukrainian Airlines for 370 euros in economy class round trip, travel time is two hours and fifty-five minutes.
From Moscow you can fly non-stop with Aeroflot and Alitalia in three hours and fifty-five minutes, spending 570 euros on round-trip economy class air tickets; other options with transfers are also available, but cheaper.
To the Vatican by train
The Roma San Pietro train station is located in Piazza della Stazione di San Pietro and is so named because of its proximity to St. Peter's Basilica, the station is only three hundred meters from the basilica, however, the station is located outside the Vatican. The station can be reached by regional train from Bracciano, Cesano di Roma, Civitavecchia, Grosseto, Pisa Centrale, Roma Termini and Viterbo Porta Fiorentina, trains run at intervals of fifteen minutes to one hour.
To the Vatican by bus
From Stazione Termini you can take buses 40 and 64 or walk along Via Nazionale. Both on public transport in general in Rome and on routes leading to the Vatican, it is recommended to watch your wallet and others valuables, some locals consider it an honor to deprive foreign tourists of their wallet. Take metro line A and get off at Ottavio - San Pietro station. The cost of travel on public transport in Rome is 1 euro.
To the Vatican on foot
On foot to the Vatican you can walk from Piazza Venezia along Via Plebescita, Corso Vittorio Emanuele and Via della Concigliazione.
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Where to go for one day from Rome?
First of all, all guidebooks and guides recommend Tivoli. Nature itself has created all the prerequisites for this small town to become a real treasure trove with magnificent landscapes, luxurious villas and parks. If we add to this the well-preserved typical Italian center of the old city, it becomes clear: if there is nothing else to see and do in Rome, then you need to go to Tivoli.
Surprisingly, even though Tivoli is in first place in almost all guidebooks in the lists of the series “where to go from Rome for one day,” there is very little information about the city itself. The scant information is limited to the following:
- Tivoli was formerly called Tibur, it is older than Rome - founded in the 13th century. BC.
- In Latin times, Tibur competed with Rome for influence in the region, but still in the 1st century BC. was captured by the Romans, and subsequently came under the rule of the Popes.
- The breathtaking landscapes and mild climate have always attracted nobility and bohemians: Horace, Maecenas, Catullus lived here, the Roman Emperor Augustus turned the city into a fashionable vacation spot for the Roman aristocracy, and Emperor Hadrian built a huge villa, the largest surviving today, which Unesco calls the best example of an imperial country villa from the Roman era.
- Over time, the name Tibur was transformed into Tibori, Tiboli and, finally, Tivoli, but the inhabitants of the city are more often called Tiburtines.
Tivoli railway station.
The list of Tivoli attractions also wanders from one guidebook to another: Hadrian’s Villa, the castle of Pope Pius II (1458-1461), Villa d’Este (XVI century) and the Gregorian Villa (XIX century). To explore the 3 villas and the historical center of Tivoli, it is recommended to spend 2 full days: all the villas are quite large, and they are also scattered far from each other. We had to get from Nettuno to Tivoli for a total of about 3 hours one way, it was physically impossible to see everything, so we came to Tivoli solely for the Villa d'Este, as the most spectacular city site, a masterpiece of Renaissance landscape architecture, forerunner and prototype Versailles, Peterhof and many other European gardens.
Villa d'Este. Neptune Fountain. Organ Fountain.
However, already at the approaches to the city, when the train carried us past an absolutely unexpected and, perhaps, why so surprising waterfall for us, it became clear that not only the Villa d’Este is worthy of attention. This waterfall is located in Villa Gregorian, which we did not plan to visit.
Tivoli stands on the Aniene River (Aniene or Anio, in Italian Aniene). This mountain river with banks overgrown with greenery forms waterfalls that can be seen a 5-minute drive from the railway station.
And there are many waterfalls here. Today the river has been tamed, its course has been changed, the river is quite calm within the city, and the waterfalls that once destroyed the banks and grottoes have now been moved outside the city. But back in the 19th century, many Tiburtines died in a devastating flood due to the nature of a stormy mountain river.
View of the railway station from the city across the Aniene River.
Why Tivoli has so attracted eminent people at all times becomes clear even at the entrance to the city: such picturesque landscapes, clean air and so close to the center of the political life of Italy of all times, perhaps there is no longer anything nearby. These magnificent landscapes can be seen almost everywhere from the city. Probably the best view of campagna di Roma is from the terrace in Piazza Garibaldi.
Panoramic. Observation point at Piazza Garibaldi in Tivoli.
How to get from Rome to Tivoli on your own
Tivoli is a small town 24 km northeast of Rome, with a population of about 60 thousand people. The road connecting it to Rome is still called Via Tiburtina. The second most important train station in Rome bears the same name: it is from Roma Tiburtina that most trains to Tivoli depart.
From Rome to Tivoli by train
The train, or treno regionale, is the most comfortable way to get to Tivoli and back. It runs approximately once an hour, most flights depart from Roma Tiburtina, but the carriages are comfortable, spacious, and there is absolutely no risk of getting stuck in a traffic jam. There are several departures a day from Roma Termini station, but the number is constantly changing, and on the day of our trip the morning train left too early for us.
Therefore, first we got to Roma Termini, and from there we took the metro to Roma Tiburtina. We did not complete the quest very successfully: we only had 20 minutes to get from one station to another and find the right platform, and we did not have time. Electric trains to Tivoli depart from the outermost platforms: Est 1 - Est 3, the signs leading to them are not clear enough, and we were only 5 minutes late for our train. We whiled away the hour before the next flight in the station coffee shop, but of course, it would have been much more pleasant to spend this hour in some small cafe already in Tivoli.
Train tickets can be purchased from Trenitalia vending machines at the station. Please note the train number indicated in the schedule: Tivoli is not the final station for all flights; some trains go to Pescara, and they depart from a nearby platform.
The ticket costs 2.6 euros, but we again used the single regional tickets BIRG 4, which give the right to travel within zone C, which includes both Nettuno and Tivoli.
- Timetables and ticket prices for Trenitalia regional trains
- Train ticket price: 2.6 euros. Don't forget to validate your ticket at the station before boarding the train.
- Travel time: 50-70 minutes
The train arrives at the station, which is located on the outskirts of the city. It takes about 20 minutes to walk to the historical center. Don’t confuse the stations: along the route there will be Bagni Di Tivoli station a little earlier. You should go there only if your goal is thermal springs Tivoli and the SPA hotels located on them. There are no attractions here.
From Rome to Tivoli by bus
Another option to get to Tivoli is by bus. It leaves every 20 minutes from Ponte Mammolo station, which can be reached by metro: blue line towards Rebibbia, get off at Ponte Mammolo station. Ask for bus tickets at the nearest pizzeria, as well as at newspaper and tobacco kiosks. The journey takes from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours depending on the day of the week and time of day. According to reviews, taking the bus can lead to traffic jams on the busy Via Tiburtina highway, and besides, locals use the buses, so there is a chance of traveling while standing and bumping your elbows.
- Check the schedule on the Cotral website
- The ticket must be validated on the bus next to the driver.
The bus will take you directly to Piazza Garibaldi. This is not the final stop, but it is closest to both the castle of Pope Pius II and the Villa d'Este.
What to see in Tivoli, besides villas?
September Tivoli greeted us with a heavy cloudy sky.
Arriving at the train station, we turned left and immediately found ourselves in the city. Judging by the map, we could turn right, walk a little further to the bridge, but then pass close to the Villa Gregoriana and the Temple of Vesta - there should probably be more inspiring views there, but we only reached the city around 15 o'clock, and we didn't have there was time for experiments.
The historical center of the city is typical Italian: old houses, flowers at the doors and on the walls, cobbled narrow streets. Even unkempt walls do not spoil the impression of the “toy-like” nature of the town. Incredibly cozy, quiet, peaceful. Even if you only have a half hour walk.
Tivoli was heavily damaged during the Second World War, and now the city bears the marks of many different times. Here, antique columns are built into houses of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, and superstructures of the 18th-19th centuries rise above them; there is a perfectly preserved Gothic house, a dozen Catholic churches from different periods and a cute toy historical center.
All this is mixed with modern art. Just opposite the exit from the Villa d'Este stands an ugly bust in a puddle that should have been a fountain, and the Arco dei Padri Costituenti (Arch of the Founding Fathers) was erected in Piazza Garibaldi in 2007. Its author is the famous Italian sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro, the author of the ball in the Vatican Gardens. Behind the arch one can see the massive towers of the castle of Pope Pius II, which is more often called Rocca Pia.
The back side of the square offers a panoramic view of the surrounding area and the park of Villa d’Este. See for yourself.
Is Tivoli worth a full day's trip? Yes, it's worth it.
To prepare for your trip to Tivoli:
Main tourist website of Tivoli: http://www.visittivoli.eu/index.php?lang=EN
Commune website: http://www.comune.tivoli.rm.it/intro/
Villa Gregoriana: http://www.visitfai.it/parcovillagregoriana/
Villa d'Este: http://www.villadestetivoli.info/
Villa Adriana: http://www.villa-adriana.net/
Trenitalia regional train schedule and ticket prices: http://www.trenitalia.com/
Cotral bus schedule: http://servizi.cotralspa.it/PercorsiTariffe
Tivoli Map:
The dark blue line on the map indicates the most optimal route between the cities of Rome and the Vatican, simulated by a special computer program.
Flag marks with the letters “A” and “B” (green) show the starting and ending points of the route.
Regardless of your driving experience, you should always carefully study the upcoming path along its entire length, try to remember the most difficult sections and sections. It would also be a good idea to study the forks and turns shown on our map in advance.
This route between cities, perhaps, cannot be classified as overly complex and confusing. You will have to move mostly straight, there will be few sharp turns and sharp changes in direction.
Although the program algorithm is designed in such a way as to offer the driver the fastest route (for example, a route that goes around cities and large towns), however, this is not always possible.
That is why it is important to take note and take into account the time of day when traveling vehicle through large populated areas, so as not to find yourself stuck in a rush hour traffic jam in an unfamiliar city.
On the other hand, nothing prevents you from turning the route between the cities of Rome and the Vatican into a real adventure, since the path will run close scenic spots and beautiful cities that can once again remind the driver of the beauty and immensity of his native land.
Many sights can be seen on the road from Kazan to Moscow, if you take care in advance to plan a route through given points.
The finished map can be saved on the local drive of any digital device such as a laptop, tablet or smartphone, or printed to always have at hand while following a specific route. We wish you only pleasant trips, and our service will be happy to help you with this!
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The Vatican in Rome is a unique “state within a state”, the residence of the Pope and the center of the entire Catholic world. In addition, it is also a real cultural treasury, full of architectural, sculptural and pictorial values, an amazing historical monument, and for Christians - the center of the most important Christian relics. And although all this is located on a piece of land with an area of only 44 hectares, sometimes you need to visit Rome and the Vatican several times to see all the beauties of this tiny state.
What's the best way to plan a visit to the Vatican? Given the incredible wealth of the museum's collections, the sheer size of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, and the variety of attractions, it makes sense to plan a visit to the Vatican yourself. This will give you a wonderful opportunity to proceed from your own interests and capabilities. Standard excursions, as a rule, allow you to walk “over the top” and “run through” the most Famous places in the Vatican. But only an independent trip allows you to consider what is interesting to you, to explore places at your own pace and in accordance with your preferences. Let's figure out how to visit the Vatican on your own and get the most out of it.
How to choose a time to visit
Despite the modest size of the Vatican, huge queues of tourists and believers from all over the world flock to it every day. To save energy, have time to see more and avoid crowds, it is best to go to the Vatican in the morning, while you are full of energy and before it is filled with tourist groups. St. Peter's Cathedral is open from 7 am, the Vatican Museums - from 9.00.
According to the observations of many travelers, the days freest from crowds are Tuesday and Thursday. The busiest day is Wednesday, as the Pope speaks in St. Peter's Square on Wednesdays. On Sunday the Vatican is quite free, but only because all the museums are closed.
The time of year also affects the number of visitors to the Vatican. January and February are the most best months for those who appreciate art and want to enjoy it to the fullest, at a relatively relaxed pace and without ending up in the incredibly dense crowd that gathers in the Sistine Chapel.
On the last Sunday of the month, admission to the Vatican Museums is free. Many tourists are tempted by this, however, the incredible overload of the Vatican with the number of visitors these days can spoil the impression and bring nothing but fatigue.
It should also be remembered that in some cases the Vatican is completely closed to tourists - this is due to events and visits of high-ranking guests.
Opening hours of St. Peter's Basilica: from October 1 to March 31 – 7.00-18.30 (closed January 1 and 6); from April 1 to September 30 – 7.00-19.00.
Opening hours of the Vatican Museums: from Monday to Saturday – 9.00-18.00 (entrance and ticket office – until 16.00). From May 6 to July 29 and from September 2 to October 28, the museums are also open on Friday nights (19.00-23.00, entry until 21.30). Closed on Sundays, except the last Sunday of the month (from 9.00 to 12.30 admission is free!)
How to best plan a visit to the Vatican
Two places in the Vatican attract especially many tourists. And each of them is distinguished by its gigantic size and abundance of attractions. This Saint Paul's Cathedral And . Each of these places has a separate entrance (to the Museums - paid, to the Cathedral - free). When planning your visit, keep in mind that exploring the museum's collections alone can take a whole day! And this despite the fact that only a small part of the treasury of world art is on display for tourists in museums - some rooms are closed to the public. As, incidentally, the part of the Vatican where the Pope and the administrative bodies of the Catholic Church live and conduct their business is also closed.
Is it worth visiting both the cathedral and the Vatican Museums on the same day? It depends on your interests and physical capabilities. If you plan to carefully study the rich collection of Museums, we recommend planning a visit to them on a separate day. Even a simple walk through the vast Vatican Museum complex can be tiring, and if you linger in each of the halls to look at the exhibits, the visit will definitely be lengthy. Will you still have the strength to explore the cathedral after this? It's very individual. And St. Peter's Cathedral deserves a separate careful study.
You only have to pay for admission to the Vatican Museums. There is no charge to visit St. Peter's Basilica, and it is accessible to visitors throughout the day (except when the entire Vatican is completely closed). Thus, you can save energy by dividing your visit to the Vatican into two parts, one of which will be entirely devoted to exploring the museum complex, and the second to visiting St. Peter’s Basilica and the adjacent square.
If you have little time in Rome, and you want to do as much as possible in a short time, then you can easily visit both the Vatican Museums and St. Peter's Basilica in one go. But in this case, determine in advance what exactly you want to see in the Museums so that you can immediately rush to the halls that interest you. Otherwise, you risk staying there for a long time.
If the standard program is not enough for you, and time allows, you can also order an additional excursion to Vatican Gardens (Giardini Vaticani)- the “green heart” of the tiny state. Beautiful sculptures, historical fountains, rare plants, and magnificent landscape design make this park area, which occupies more than 20 hectares, a pleasant island of nature and art. Visiting the Vatican Gardens is only possible with an organized tour, which must be booked in advance.
One of the most difficult to reach, but interesting places Vatican - ancient necropolis, located under St. Peter's Basilica, under the Vatican Grottoes, at the floor level of the oldest basilica, built in the 4th century. Ancient frescoes from the early Christian period have been preserved in the necropolis. And the main shrine and value of these “Vatican dungeons” is tomb of St. Apostle Peter. It was above it that the basilica was once built, it is the resting place of the apostle that is the spiritual center of the Vatican, it is above this tomb that the main altar of the cathedral is installed. Access to St. Peter's Tomb and the ancient Roman necropolis requires special advance reservations.
How to get to the Vatican on your own
As an enclave state, the Vatican is located on the territory of Rome, the Italian capital. And despite the formal status of a city-state, the border between Italy and the Vatican is very arbitrary and is crossed freely.
It is convenient to get to the Vatican by metro. If you plan to start your visit to the Vatican from St. Peter's Basilica, the nearest station is Ottaviano – San Pietro. From the metro exit to the Vatican is a 7-10 minute walk. If you are visiting the Vatican Museums first, then go to the metro station Cipro. From here you will quickly reach the entrance to the museum complex. To avoid getting lost, use the offline map in our.
Tickets to the Vatican
For entry to Saint Paul's Cathedral There is no charge, nor is there a fee to visit the magnificent square in front of it. But to climb the dome of the cathedral you need to purchase a ticket (if it includes an elevator ride, it costs a little more than usual).
Visit Vatican Museums paid. You can pay only the entrance and explore the museum treasures on your own, or you can book a tour or take a museum audio guide (in the Vatican Museums it is issued with special equipment, which is handed over upon exit). The official audio guide in the Vatican Museums is available in Russian.
ADVICE. The official audio guide will “guide” you through all the halls, telling you in detail about the exhibits, but this can also lead to the fact that by the end of the route you will be left completely exhausted. But the famous Sistine Chapel is located right at the end of the route! Therefore, consider the size of the museum, your interests and time frame. Perhaps it makes sense to skip certain rooms so as not to miss the main thing. After all, if you linger in each of the halls, even a day may not be enough to explore the museum!
As a rule, there is a long queue before entering the Vatican Museums. Depending on the season, day of the week and time of day, it can be simply long or incredibly long. Wasting valuable time in Rome waiting in line is simply a crime. And it’s very easy to avoid long waits - book tickets to the Vatican Museums online. The entrance to the museum is divided into two streams - a huge queue stands at the museum ticket office and consists of tourists who do not have tickets. And for those who have a printout of an online reservation, there is a special queue, which is never large (and sometimes there is none at all) and moves very quickly. If you speak English, the most economical and convenient option is to book tickets on the official Vatican website.
The Vatican on your own: what to consider when visiting
When visiting St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, you should remember that this is a temple that is a shrine for millions of people. Therefore, here, as in other basilicas, it operates dress code– knees and shoulders must be covered. You shouldn't go to the Vatican Museums in shorts and miniskirts either.
It is important to choose a light and comfortable one shoes, because you will spend the whole day on your feet. And if you decide to climb the dome, you will also have to climb the spiral staircase.
The Vatican takes issues seriously security. You should not take large bags, backpacks, cane umbrellas or long tripods with you to the Vatican Museums - all this will have to be left in the storage room. It is better to go to the Vatican lightly - this will not only simplify the verification procedure, but will save energy, which will require a lot.
Bring a bottle with you water. You will probably spend a lot of time in the Vatican, and you will need it. Especially in the vast area of St. Peter's Basilica, where there are no shops. There is a cafe in the Vatican Museums, but take into account the incredible flow of people - it is rare to find a free place there.
The Vatican accepts payment Euro. Moreover, those coins minted by the Vatican (each Eurozone country produces coins with its own symbols on one side) are themselves souvenirs and are valued by collectors.
In the Vatican cards don't workRoma Pass.
Vatican Museums: what to look for
Numerous exhibits in the halls of the Vatican Museums cover a huge historical period. Antiquity, Renaissance, Baroque and even modern religious art are presented here in all their fullness and splendor. Collections of outstanding works of art have been collected over the centuries. Even if you choose the best time to visit the Vatican and prepare well, it is likely that you will not have time to fully explore all 54 rooms open to the general public.
The halls in the Vatican Museums are arranged in such a way that visitors go sequentially all the way through numerous collections of the most valuable works of art to one of the most coveted places - the Sistine Chapel. You won’t be able to get into the most famous chapel in the world right away - you must go through many other museum halls to get to it.
So, what should you pay special attention to? Everyone has their own tastes and interests, we will highlight only the most famous and popular halls.
Pinacoteca Vaticana
The Vatican Pinacoteca is definitely worth paying special attention to. The Pinakothek was founded in the second half of the 18th century. Amazing paintings on religious themes are collected here. These are mainly works by Italian masters: Giotto, Beato Angelico, Melozzo da Forli, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Caravaggio, Guido Reni, Titian. Among the pearls of the Pinakothek collection are the Stefaneschi triptych by Giotto; "Madonna and Child and Saints" and "Resurrection" by Perugino; “Madonna di Foligno”, “Transfiguration”, “Coronation of Mary” by Raphael; "Saint Jerome" by Leonardo da Vinci; "Entombment" by Caravaggio; “The Wedding of Our Lady” by Lippi and other masterpieces.
Ancient art (ancient, Egyptian, Etruscan)
Among the halls dedicated to ancient art, it is worth highlighting Pius-Clementino Museum, which houses the famous sculptural group “Laocoon and Sons” and huge variety other works of Greek and Roman classical art. Antique works of art can also be seen in Gallery of candelabra (Galleria delle Candelabri), Chiaramonti Museum.
If you are interested in history and culture ancient egypt, a large collection of Egyptian antiquities, including mummies, you will find in Gregorian Egyptian Museum). A Gregorian Etruscan Museum (Museo Gregoriano Etrusco) will introduce you to the ancient culture of the Etruscans, which had a huge influence on the culture of Ancient Rome.
Early Christian art is represented in Museum Pio-Cristiano– here you will see works of art from the Roman catacombs, sarcophagi, reliefs, tombstones.
Tapestries and antique maps
In the luxurious upper galleries you can see many rare works of art. For example, in Galleria degli Arazzi there are magnificent ancient tapestries made according to sketches by Raphael Santi by his students. A Gallery of geographical maps (Galleria delle Carte Geografiche) stores almost fifty old maps of various areas.
Paintings by Pinturichio in the Borgia apartments
Apartment Borgia (Appartamento Borgia), formerly the personal residence of Pope Alexander VI Borgia at the end of the 15th century, they are distinguished by their lavish interior. The famous painter Bernardino Pinturicchio also worked on it.
Raphael's Stanze di Raffaello
Among the most “tasty” things that the Vatican Museums can show, it is also worth noting the famous “Raphael’s dances”. Stanzas are the living rooms of Pope Julius II, the painting of which was once entrusted to the young Raphael. It's hard to believe that once upon a time a great genius was essentially involved in residential interior design. Raphael himself painted 3 stanzas, and the fourth was designed by his students based on his sketches after the artist’s death.
The Sistine Chapel (Capella Sistina)
The Sistine Chapel is perhaps the most famous landmark of the Vatican, rivaled only by St. Peter's Cathedral. The name of the chapel is associated with the name of Pope Sixtus V, who ordered the construction of the chapel, which served as a house church. The chapel is famous, first of all, for its paintings, in which the genius of Michelangelo was so clearly demonstrated. Visitors are especially impressed by the ceiling painting, which is a whole cycle of frescoes depicting biblical scenes, as well as the painting of the altar wall, illustrating the “Last Judgment.” In addition, such Renaissance masters as Botticelli, Ghirlandaio and Perugino worked on the design of the chapel.
The Sistine Chapel is not only a monument of the Renaissance, but also religious building. It is here that conclaves are held - meetings of cardinals to elect the Pope.
ADVICE. The Sistine Chapel is located almost at the very end of the path through the numerous halls of the museum complex. For this reason, many visitors enter the chapel already very tired. Add to this the incredible density of the crowd in the chapel (especially in the summer season) and we get what many tourists call disappointment. After all, being exhausted, it is very difficult to appreciate the brilliant paintings. Therefore, we recommend setting priorities and calculating your strength in order to perceive art, and not think about tired legs.
Please be aware that taking photographs in the Sistine Chapel is strictly prohibited, as is talking loudly.
Exit from the museum complex
There are two ways to leave the Sistine Chapel - through the general exit, which leads to Michelangelo's famous spiral staircase, and through the side door, which is intended for the exit of tour groups and guides. Using the general exit, you will find yourself in several more museum halls, and after that a dressing room and the official exit from the museum will await you.
If you realize that you have absolutely no strength left, or you want to quickly and without waiting in line to get into St. Peter’s Cathedral, then you can use a trick and try to use a small “cheat” by leaving the chapel through the side door on the right, which is almost always open. This is not entirely according to the rules, but usually no one prevents this - participants in group excursions come through the door, and you may well pass for one of them. Once out the door, you can quickly and without queues enter St. Peter's Basilica.
ATTENTION. You should use the “service” door only if you did not leave things in the cloakroom and did not pick up an audio guide at the entrance to the museum. Keep in mind that if you cross the passage to St. Peter's Cathedral, then you will no longer have a way back to the museum complex.
Since the Vatican State is located in the city of Rome, the easiest way to get to it is through the capital of Italy.
Airplane
In addition, since May 2010, you can fly directly from Yekaterinburg to Rome on board the airline " Ural Airlines" However, despite the regular status of this flight, it is still seasonal.
With a transfer to Rome from Moscow and St. Petersburg, you can fly with Austrian Airlines (via Vienna), Air France (via Paris), Lufthansa (via Munich or Frankfurt), Malev (via Budapest), Swiss (via Zurich), Czech Airlines (via Prague) and Finnair (via Helsinki). From Moscow this list goes on - Berlin, Riga and so on. Travel time for connecting flights will increase, but the cost of tickets will often be noticeably lower than for direct flights.
As for other Russian cities, you can get to Rome by air with a connection not only through Moscow, but also with European airlines flying to some Russian cities:
- Czech Airlines (Prague): Ekaterinburg, Barnaul, Irkutsk, Kemerovo, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Rostov-on-Don, Samara, Moscow, St. Petersburg.
- Lufthansa (Frankfurt am Main): Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Perm, Rostov-on-Don, Samara, Moscow, St. Petersburg.
- Austrian Airlines (Vienna): Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov-on-Don, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk, Sochi, Moscow, St. Petersburg.
- Finnair (Helsinki): Ekaterinburg, Moscow, St. Petersburg.
If these airlines do not fly from your city, you can always fly to Rome via Moscow on a connecting Aeroflot flight. If Aeroflot does not fly to your city, then either there is another carrier to the capital, or get to Moscow by any available means. As already mentioned, further to Rome - by Aeroflot or AlItalia.
Rome's main airport is international Airport Fiumicino, or Leonardo da Vinci Airport, is located 30 km southwest of the city center. The airport has 3 terminals: Terminal A, serving local lines, Terminal B - local and international lines, and Terminal C - only international lines. Terminal C, through which everyone basically enters Italy Foreign tourists, consists of two parts, between which a mini-train runs. In the building of Terminal C there is a border checkpoint, customs services, a VAT refund point for Tax Free checks, Duty Free shops, cafes and restaurants.
You can get from the airport to Rome and back by a special electric train, Leonardo Express, which departs from the airport station (Stazione Aeroporto), or by train, which departs from Fiumicino from the same platforms as the Leonardo Express. Fiumicino Airport can also be reached by a special Cotral bus. , or by taxi.
Another airport in the vicinity of Rome is Ciampino, it is located 20 kilometers from the city and specializes mainly in servicing flights of European low-cost airlines (Ryanair, Easyjet, Blue Air, etc.). You can read more about this airport terminal and how to get from it to Rome.
Train
There is no direct train connection between Moscow and Rome, but with transfers it is quite possible to get to the capital of Italy by train. Trains from many European capitals and from all major cities Italy come on Termini train station, which is also the largest transport hub of the city - there is a Termini metro station (transfer between lines A and B), and stops for many city buses.
Besides Termini, there are eight more in Rome railway stations, scattered throughout the city, including Stazione Ostiense and Stazione Tiburtina. To find out the train schedule and book tickets online, you need to go to the website www.ferroviedellostato.it.
The information service number for all train stations in Rome is 848 88 80 88 (in Italian), open from 7.00 to 21.00.
Bus
Traveling by bus is the least easy, but sufficient cheap way get from Moscow or St. Petersburg to Rome. For this you can use company routes Intercars. However, we would recommend using an airplane even for economic reasons - firstly, in Lately airlines offer many promotions and special offers, and secondly, during the bus journey you will eat and drink at least the difference in price.
Perhaps this type of transport is more or less relevant in Ukraine, from where Eurolines buses operate. In Rome they stop in the square in front of Tiburtina Station (Stazione Tiburtina). Ticket prices and bus schedules can be found at Eurolines website .
Within Italy, transportation is carried out by various bus companies, whose buses depart from the same site, ticket offices and agencies are located next to the bus station.
Automobile
Russian tourists can also get to Rome by car. Such a trip will be very interesting, but quite difficult, since it will be 3047 km from Moscow, crossing the territories of many countries. Typically, to travel from Moscow to Rome, the following route option is used: Moscow - Belarus - Poland - Czech Republic / Slovakia - Austria - Italy (Rome). The Polish border is characterized by hours-long queues and careful searches.
To enter Italy by car, in addition to your international passport with a Schengen visa, you will have to present an international driving license, a registration document, and an insurance policy for the car. A visa for motorists is issued in the same manner as for other tourists.
Italy’s capital has long been a stalwart on the travel circuit. The Eternal City celebrates its long and rich history with monuments that take you back in time to the powerful Roman Empire. Immerse yourself in history by revelling in the magnificence of the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Pantheon and other ancient ruins. Make a wish at the Trevi Fountain and marvel at the breathtaking panoramic view from the top of the Spanish Steps, before indulging in some of the best gelato, pasta, pizza and prosecco in the world!
Things to do in Rome
Vatican City
Vatican City, officially Vatican City State or the State of Vatican City (Italian: Stato della Città del Vaticano; Latin: Status Civitatis Vaticanae), is a country located within the city of Rome. With an area of approximately 44 hectares (110 acres), and a population of 1,000, it is the smallest country in the world by both area and population. However, formally it is not sovereign, with sovereignty being held by the Holy See.
St. Peter's Basilica
The Papal Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican (Italian: Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano), or simply St. Peter's Basilica (Latin: Basilica Sancti Petri), is an Italian Renaissance church in Vatican City, the papal enclave within the city of Rome.
Colosseum
The Colosseum or Coliseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, is an oval amphitheater in the center of the city of Rome, Italy. Built of concrete and sand, it is the largest amphitheater ever built. The Colosseum is located just east of the Roman Forum. Construction began under the emperor Vespasian in AD 72, and was completed in AD 80 under his successor and heir Titus. Further modifications were made during the reign of Domitian (81–96). These three emperors are known as the Flavian dynasty, and the amphitheater was named in Latin for its association with their family name (Flavius).
Pantheon
The Pantheon is a former Roman temple, now a church, in Rome, Italy, on the site of an earlier temple commissioned by Marcus Agrippa during the reign of Augustus (27 BC – 14 AD). The present building was completed by the emperor Hadrian and probably dedicated about 126 AD. He retained Agrippa's original description, which has confused its date of construction as the original Pantheon burnt down so it is not certain when the present one was built.
