The Vatican museums are placed on the territory of the Vatican City and you can find the papal art collections there. These collections are one of the biggest and most important ones worldwide and include oriental antiquities (Egypt and Assyrian), classic antiquity (Greek-Roman art), Etruscan-Italian antiquities (Italy today and before the Roman age), medieval art (3rd- 14th century), art of the renaissance (15th century) until the 19th century and contemporary art. The circuit through these different museums is 7 kilometres long. The most famous part of the Vatican museums is the Sistine chapel. The paintings on the roof of the chapel were made by Michelangelo and it goes without saying that they are amongs the most famour art creations in the world.

You can find the opening hours at www.vatican.ca but the museums are opened every day except Sundays and public holidays. Every last Sunday of the month the museums are opened and you can get in for free (only if this Sunday is not a public holiday). Otherwise the entrance is 14 euros, concession is 8 euros.

The museums can be easily reached by public transport since they are located in the Vatican City which is an important point in the city where all public transport stops at. You can get a tour of the area in 8 different languages, so perfect no matter where you come from.
Guided tours through the museums and the Sistine chapel cost 29.50 euros and 23.50 euros for discounted rate, and they take 2 hours. Furthermore, there is a guided tour through the Vatican gardens for around 18 to14 euros. This tour takes 2 hours as well and you’re sure to learn a lot.

In order to protect the museums there is a security check at the entrance. Furthermore, make sure that you are dressed properly, since they will not let you in otherwise. (no low tops or shorts).

When you come and visit the Italian capital you should take the opportunity and have a look at the Vatican museums. It has a big importance and you will get a lot of interesting information about the papal art collections as well. A lot of people come to visit the museums every day because as it is so famous worldwide. For that reason there might be a long queue in front of the entrance and you might have to wait a bit.

Would you like to see Rome in a totally different light?
If you decide to participate in a sightseeing tour of Rome, you should think about doing it in the evening. There are several sightseeing tours that take place in the early evening. This way you can discover the city in a different way and see all the monuments that get illuminated when the sun goes down.

The tours tend to start around at 8.15 pm every evening at Piazza San Bernardo. While sitting in a comfortable luxury tour bus you will get a lot of information about the city in 5 languages (English, German, Spanish, Italian and French). You will then pass the Piazza della Republicca, down through the Pinciana Gate and go on to the city wall where you will have a beautiful view over the Villa Borghese. Afterwards, the bus will take you to Piazza Barberini, the Via delle Quattro Fontane and Via Nazionale. From there on you will have a short walk to the Trevi fountain where you have some free time to spend. Then you take the bus again which will take you to Piazza Venezia where the memorial of King Viktor Emanuels II and the tomb of the Unknown Soldier stand. At the end you will also see the Zirkus Maximus, the capitol and of course the Coliseum. So you will see the most important and most interesting monuments of the city. Don’t forget to bring your camera as the lit up monuments offer something extra special to remember your trip by.

The price for an adult is 75 euros and 60 euros for children over 3 years of age. Children between 0 and 2 years can ride the tour bus fro free. The price includes dinner in a traditional Roman restaurant. Here you can enjoy the evening by experience great Roman food and tradition.

When you are in Rome you should really do this sightseeing tour. You see the city from its most beautiful perspective and it is even more enjoyable since the city is not as busy as it is during the day.

Book your accommodation (Unterkünfte Rom) in advance in order to find a good deal. You might also want to have a look for an apartment (Ferienwohnung Rom)! These are cheaper than Hotel Rom and most of them are right in the centre, which is a good starting point to discover the city. Enjoy your trip in the Eternal city.

The question that I would like to ask is: aren’t we all tired of visiting museum upon museum? It can be argued that apart from changing locations, you are in reality just seeing and admiring art in the form of paintings or sculptures, dealing with the same themes. Wouldn’t you like to break this mold and truly visit and experience a museum completely out of the ordinary? If you do, then you need to read on….

If you want to enjoy some of the weirdest locations that Rome has to offer then you definitely need to come and pay the Crime Museum a visit. The Crime Museum is actually run by the Roman Ministry of Justice! The Museum is housed in what used to be a prison so there isn’t any doubt to the museum’s authenticity.

Originally built in the 1800´s, today the Crime Museum is home to several offices owned by the Roman police department. It couldn’t possibly be more of a suitable location for the Crime Museum; you even have to go through a security check! This goes a long way in adding a new dimension to your overall experience in witnessing crimes that have been caught in time.

The museum is made up of three sections, each one of them dedicated to the main categories of crime. Subject matter such as dealing with investigation techniques, police search methods and the involvement of serving a criminal sentence are all covered. Each section is appropriately named with the nature and theme of the material that it covers, one such section is known as ¨Punishment & Crimes.¨

The ¨Punishment & Crimes¨ section is undoubtedly the most famous one out of all the sections; this is mainly due to its gory and gruesome nature which has fascinated tourists from every corner of the world. It therefore comes as no surprise that this is the section that is most heavily visited by tourists. Due to being such a bizarre and interesting attraction, you have to make sure to book your accommodation in advance as Rome accommodation (accommodatie in Rome) gets booked up quite quickly. There’s a wide range of Rome apartments (Rome appartement) in the city centre which are definitely worth consideration. This is ideal as it allows you to mainly focus and direct your energy in experiencing the numerous attractions that the city has to offer.

To view this amazing attraction and to maximize your overall experience of your stay, then book your hotel (hotels in Rome) now!

If you want to see as much as possible of the Italian capital but want to save money at the same time, the Roma Pass is definitely the best option for you!

With this pass you can use the public transport throughout Rome without paying anything. This makes it incredibly easy to get to wherever you want, whenever you want.

The first two museums or excavations you want to visit are totally free of charge if you have the Roma Pass. For all other museums or sights you will get a discount of up to 50%. This isn’t the only advantage either. The coliseum for example has a separate entrance for visitors owning the Roma Pass. So you don’t need to wait in the long queue. Just pass it to one of the staff and swan past the other visitors just like a VIP. This will then give you more time to visit the other million attractions that you can find in Italy’s capital.

The pass costs 20 Euro and you can buy it at almost every tourist information point. However, some sights and museums working in cooperation with the pass give you the chance to buy it there. If you buy the pass you will also get a small map of Rome along with an overview of all events, museums and sight that you can get discounts for.

The pass is very good if you really want to make the most of your trip to Rome and see as much as possible. The pass is only valid for three days so you should make the most of it and take advantage of any attraction offering benefits from it; you’re sure to save a lot of money and time by doing this. However, do take into consideration that Rome does have an awful lot to see and that it’s pretty much impossible to do everything in three days. It is perfect however if you’re just visiting for the weekend.

If you don’t want to stay within the city centre and want to see the surrounding areas, you can buy the Roma & Piú Pass. For 25 Euros it gives you the same as the Roma Pass but also including advantages for the Lazio region.

To make the planning of your trip as easy as possible, you should have a look at the Roma Pass website in advance. You should do the same with your Rome accommodation decision (Unterkunft in Rom). If you are travelling with a large group of people, an apartment (Ferienwohnungen Rom) is highly recommended. You will all have more space and it’s much cheaper than a Hotels Rom.

One of the most popular trips to take once you’ve arrived in Rome is what is known as the “Classic Route,” which takes you from the capital city of Rome. through Florence and on to the beautiful canals of Venice. You should plan for at least a week to make the journey, but it could easily take up more time.

The journey starts in historical Rome. You’ll have to choose from a long list of attractions including the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Vatican, The Spanish Steps, the Pantheon, multiple museums, and all of the small shops and restaurants throughout the city. You could spend a month in Rome and still not do everything you want, so you will need to prioritise so you can make it to Venice in time!

After Rome, the Classic Route heads into Florence, located in the heart of Italy’s famously beautiful region of Tuscany. Once again, time will be an issue, so a bit of prioritising will have to be done when deciding between so many great attractions like the Piazza della Signoria and Palazzon Vecchio, the Duomo, the Baptistry, the Bell Tower, and the Ponte Vecchio (the old bridge). The one thing you will not want to miss out on is the Uffizi Gallery, home of the most important collection of Renaissance art in the world. Even if you are not a big fan of museums, you should still make it a point to visit the Uffizi. Day trips can be planned to a number of close locations, including Siena and Pisa, home of the famous leaning tower.

The Route concludes among the canalled streets of Venice. Just like the other stops on the trip, the list of things to do in Venice is long. In Venice, though, half the fun is getting there! Take a gondola to see the Lido, Rialto Bridge, Peggy Guggenheim Museum, St. Mark’s Square, and the Naval History Museum. Take a break from this list and enjoy the fine food and spirits at famous destinations like Harry’s Bar, Caffe Florian, and Gran Caffe Lavena – a perfect way to end your trip to Italy.

Even for late May, the air was crisp and the late morning light was sharp.  The golden reflection of Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise was only one of many moments of illumination to be found in this city.  Yesterday it was the afternoon magnificence of San Miniato al Monte and its golden relief tossing sparkling sun over the city below.  I walked down to the Ponte Vecchio as the golden baton passed to the Arno itself, where the sun and sky reflected perfectly between arches and up each side of the river.  The buildings seemed to whisper to one another about what shades of ochre and cool bruised shadows the other structures were wearing for the evening.

Earlier, as only can be done in Florence, I started my day at San Marco in the presence of Fra Angelico’s Annunciation. It also glows, a fresco masterpiece with the subtle luminescence of skill and faith, an artist’s prayer.  The previous morning was spent at the mercy of Masaccio in the Brancacci Chapel. It was biblical stories told in the frescoed flesh of stonemasons and figures of every day craftsmen. It would be after this, and after a meal of lasagna and sparkling water, that I would get lost at the intersection of Via Dell Inferno and Purgatorio! I took refuge in the Uffizi Gallery, letting Botticelli protect me in the lyricism of Primavera. It feels like paradise now in the shadow of the magnificent Duomo as the afternoon approaches.

Two blocks or so to the south of Florence’s mother church, I find the Duomo’s workshop. Perhaps today is a holiday because it’s closed, but I can still peek in. Stone carving tools, stoutly timbered workbenches, partially carved columns, statues, and a dusting of marble are a powerful tableaux to a way of life. It is prelude to my walk, which takes me by the Institute and Museum of the History of Science. Inside is Galileo’s thumb, like some holy relic, and the lens, framed in ivory, through which he would first spy and identify the moons of Jupiter. I turn to the east to face the the Basilica of Santa Croce, just a short distance away.

Dante’s likeness holds the entire courtyard in front of the church – a massive and cloaked figure with a great and mighty scowl.  It makes me smile to see children furiously licking gelato cones at his feet. I enter the side of the church and work my way around the perimeter. A casuallu dressed symphony is practicing in the area before the altar. Here are the tombs of Galileo, Machiavelli and Dante. At last, in front of me, is the tomb of the great Michelangelo. As evening approaches, I light a prayer candle then aim once again for the Arno. I can see the vignettes of outdoor cafes and reflections strolling on the water like the people flowing down stone streets, and I can feel the presence and power of the centuries walking shoulder to shoulder with me as I make my way home.

Welcome to the most insightful and interesting holiday blog on the bloggosphere.

The Team.