Saint Peter’s Basilica – Vatican City

When in Rome…

You absolutely have to visit The Vatican. It’s a rule.

Now the thing that might not be immediate obvious is that visiting the Vatican is free. You can just walk right in. What isn’t free is the museum tour, and the only way you can see the Sistine Chapel is to take a tour, otherwise they won’t let you in.

Saint Peter's Basilica — Saint Peter’s Basilica

But here’s the thing. It’s a complete racket. It’s actually a completely disgraceful, ridiculous, depressing racket.

Because once you get inside you will be packed to the gills, barely able to breathe, and you’ll be herded through like cattle in a feedlot, shoulder to shoulder with hundreds of other foolish tourists (and God help you if it’s raining because the humidity will make you want to die) never able to really see anything along the way until you finally reach the chapel where you’ll be allowed to look at it with five hundred other people for about thirty seconds. And don’t get caught trying to sneak a picture…

Trust me, you’ll be grateful to get out of there. And once you are, you can go to St. Peter’s Basilica which is free to enter and every bit as impressive.

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