1. St. Peter’s Square

This vast space is famous for being the home of Papal Addresses (and for being integral to the plot of Dan Brown’s “Angels and Demons“). It can accommodate up to 300,000 people, a number that puts the World Series Final crowd to shame.

Designed by Borromini so that the maximum number of people could see the Pope at any one time (before the days of plasma screens), its elliptical shape is dominated by the Basilica. Stand on the stone discs between the fountains and the Egyptian obelisk to see the rows of columns magically line up.

2. The Basilica

It is hard to put into words the immense size of this building. Look out for the dimensions of the world’s other large churches marked on the floor to give you a sense of its scale. The Basilica is free to enter, and highlights include Michelangelo’s Pieta (now sadly behind glass after it was attacked and damaged), Borromini’s vast altar canopy (the Baldacchino) made using bronze taken from the Pantheon roof, and the 13th-century statue of St. Peter Enthroned. Join the queue to kiss his foot for luck.

3. St. Peter’s Dome

For the best views of Rome, pick a clear day, get there early to avoid the queues, and prepare to make the climb up the 320 steps to the top of St. Peter’s Dome. You can take the lift for the first part, but a long climb still awaits you with a mix of spiral, steep, and strange slopes, taking you up to the viewing point where staggering views stretch out before you on every side.

It will cost you €4 to make the climb (or €7 if you use the lift at the start). Get your tickets at the office just next to the Basilica entrance, clearly marked after you have passed through security checks.

4. The Vatican Museums

The endless rooms filled with Vatican treasures are a great way to spend a few hours. The highlight has to be the Sistine Chapel (which, contrary to popular belief, is not in the Basilica), which you have to pay to see. While everyone knows about the famous ceiling by Michelangelo, look out also for his huge mural depicting the “Last Judgment” and Botticelli’s “Story of Moses“.

Also make time to see the Raphael Rooms, Caravaggio’s “Deposition,” and the Borgia Apartments. The entrance fee is usually €15, though if you visit the last Sunday of the month, it’s free (though you need to get there at around 7 AM to avoid the queue which extends to many hundreds of people).

5. The Necropolis

A little-known tour of the Necropolis takes you under the Basilica to the hidden city below. Excavated in the 1930s, the ancient streets are lined with tombs that are almost untouched by time. The highlight has to be seeing the alleged site of St. Peter’s tomb and looking up to see the dome towering about you through the floor grates. You need to book the tour around four weeks in advance by emailing the excavations office. Tours cost €12.

Top tips for visiting the Vatican

· Whether you are visiting the Basilica, the Dome, or the Museums, get there early to avoid long lines.

· In the Vatican Museums, head for the Sistine Chapel first, as the tour groups head there last.

· Cover shoulders and do not wear shorts.

· The queue in the piazza is for the security checks. Once through, keep left for the Basilica. The queue is for the Dome.

· Unless you want a plastic model of the Vatican that lights up and plays “Ava Maria,” or even a “Pope on a Rope” soap, avoid the tacky souvenir sellers.

· Do not buy a coffee or lunch within 1,000 meters of the Vatican unless you want to pay prices that will bring you to your knees.

The post Rome: Top 5 Vatican attractions appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

During his time in Rome, Michelangelo charged the ancient city with works of incredible beauty. His sculptures, frescoes, and architecture still inspire a city-wide love affair.

And, his priceless work is on view at no cost to modern admirers. Angela K. Nickerson, author of A Journey into Michelangelo’s Rome, takes us on a very cheapo-friendly tour of Michelangelo’s Rome.

The Sistine Chapel: (Viale del Vaticano, at the Vatican Museums)

The Sistine Chapel, the ceiling of which is known as Michelangelo’s lifetime achievement, is free and open to the public on the last Sunday of each month. As Goethe once wrote, “Until you have seen the Sistine Chapel, you have no adequate conception of what man is capable of accomplishing.”

St. Peter’s Basilica: (Vatican City)

Michelangelo’s Rome ‘Pieta’, the piece that cemented the 24-year-old’s reputation as a gifted sculptor, occupies a chapel just inside the church’s entrance. Soaring over the central altar, Michelangelo’s dome marks his last great work. Late in Michelangelo’s life, he was charged with reorganizing the architectural design of St. Peter’s. For a small fee (€7; €4 if you just take the stairs), take an elevator to the roof and enjoy a spectacular view of the city. From the roof, take the 300-some steps up the dome and bask in a vision of Rome that Michelangelo himself did not live to see.

Basilica Di San Pietro in Vincoli: (Piazza di San Pietro in Vincoli 4a, Vatican City)

Just up the hill from the Colosseum sits a small, non-descript church called San Pietro in Vincoli. Inside is one of Michelangelo’s most controversial works, a sculpture that depicts Moses with full beard and horns. The statue, and two others (Leah and Rachel) are part of Pope Julius II’s tomb, a project that took Michelangelo 40 years to finish.

Farnese Palace: (250 Via Giulia)

Via Giulia is a renowned street in Rome, and here sits Michelangelo’s Farnese Palace (now the French Embassy), was never bulldozed despite Pope Julius II’s best efforts. Stop here for an afternoon cup of coffee or glass of vino. The piazza and fountains in front are some of the best, and most inspired, in all of Rome.

Santa Maria sopra Minerva: (around the corner from the Pantheon )

Santa Maria sopra Minerva hosts Michelangelo’s statue of a ‘Risen Christ’. Beloved and highly acclaimed in his day, Michelangelo’s depiction of Jesus—as regal, muscular and triumphant—is often overlooked.

Piazza del Campidoglio: (on Capitoline Hill)

When Rome granted Michelangelo citizenship in 1537, the ceremony was held in the mud at the top of the Capitoline Hill. A year later, Pope Paul III asked Michelangelo to redesign the hilltop. Michelangelo transformed its summit into a lovely piazza and redesigned the buildings there as well.

Basilica dei Santi Apostoli: (at Piazza dei Santissimi Apostoli)

When the elderly artist died, at 89-years of age, his funeral was held at Santi Apostoli church and was attended by the entire city including the pope himself. Then, under cover of night, his body was whisked away in a wagon of straw, to be buried in his beloved Florence. However, a plaque was erected at the church in his memory. (Cheapo tip: Knock at the monastery next door and ask about Michelangelo. The plaque with a portrait of the artist is in the monastery’s courtyard.)

The post Rome tip: Michelangelo for free! appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.