Overview
Vatican City is a country in Europe according to a2zgov. Vatican City is the smallest recognized state in the world and is an enclave of the city of Rome. The city-state, which stretches across Vatican Hill west of the Tiber, is famous for St. Peter’s Square, the Vatican itself, the Vatican Gardens and of course the magnificent St. Peter’s Basilica. Near St. Peter’s Basilica is the Apostolic Palace, the Pope’s residence. The palace includes the Stanze (the papal apartments), the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museum with valuable works of art and paintings.
Getting there
Arriving by plane
Information on flights to Rome see Italy.
Arrival by car
How to get to Rome see Italy.
Arrival by train
Traveling by train to Vatican City’s own train station is not possible for tourists. Train connections to Rome see under Italy.
Passport and visa regulations
Note on the endorsement in the passport
There are no particular formalities to enter Vatican City, it can only be reached from Rome; the Italian entry regulations must be observed (see passport/visa in the Italy chapter). Only certain places can be visited within Vatican City: St. Peter’s Basilica, St. Peter’s Square, the Vatican Museum and the Vatican Gardens. Special permission is required to enter other sites and buildings.
Entry with children
Since June 27, 2012, children need their own travel document (passport / children’s passport) for trips abroad (also within the EU). Entries of children in the parental passport are no longer possible.
Health care
Notes vaccinations
- Italy.
Money
Currency
For more information: see Money in the Italy chapter.
ATMs
Girocard With the Girocard (formerly EC card) such as the Maestro card, V Pay or Sparcard and PIN number, cash can be withdrawn from ATMs in the national currency throughout Europe. In many European countries it is also possible to pay with a debit card in shops. Cards with the Cirrus, V-Pay or Maestro symbol are accepted throughout Europe. Further information from banks and credit institutes. The same applies to the German savings card. Cash can be withdrawn from European ATMs with the Plus logo using a savings card and pin number. More details from all Postbank branches. Attention: Travelers who want to pay with their bank customer card abroad and withdraw money,
Travelers cheques
Travelers checks are no longer accepted in Vatican City.
Currencies
| Code | Symbol | Exchange rates (no guarantee) |
| EUR | € | 1 EUR = 1.00 € 1 CHF = 1.19 € 1 USD = 0.96 € |
Language
Overview
The official languages are Italian and Latin.
Public Holidays
annotation
The holidays are the same as in Italy.
Duty free shopping
Overview
There are neither tax nor customs regulations. For more information, see the dedicated section in the Italy chapter.
Contact addresses
Apostolic Nunciature
Theresianumgasse 31
Vienna
Austria
+43 (0)1 505 13 27.
http://www.nuntiatur.at
http://www.nuntiatur.at
Mon-Fri 10am-12.30pm and 3pm-5pm (public service by appointment only).
Apostolic Nunciature
Lilienthalstrasse 3A
Berlin
Germany
+49 (0)30 61 62 40.
http://www.nuntiatur.de
http://www.nuntiatur.de
Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. (public service by appointment only).
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The Italian Tourist Offices provide all the information you need to visit Vatican City (contact addresses: see Italy).
Press Office of the Holy See
Via della Conciliazione 54
Rome
Vatican
+39 (0)6 69 82.
http://www.vatican.va
http://www.vatican.va Apostolic Nunciature
Thunstrasse 60, PO Box 259
Bern
Switzerland
+41 (0)31 350 19 09.
http://nunziatura.ch
http://nunziatura.ch
Business
Business contacts
Commercial Prefecture of the Holy SeePalazzo delle Congregazioni, Largo del Colonnato 3, I-00193 RomeTel: (06) 69 88 42 63. Istituto per le Opere di Religione (IOR)V-00120 Città del VaticanoTel: (06) 69 88 33 54.
Communication
Phone
Autodial Long Distance Service.
Post office
Own postage stamps are issued, which are also valid in Rome.
Attractions
Visitors are allowed to tour the magnificent St. Peter’s Basilica between 4:15 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. The museum and treasury are open 09:00-12:00 and 15:00-17:00. The Piazza San Pietro
(St. Peter’s Square) is a creation of the architect Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini (built 1656-1667). The Egyptian obelisk in the center of the square was erected in the time of Caligula.
The Necropoli Precostantiniana below St. Peter’s Basilica are particularly worth seeing. Visiting these excavations requires a special permit, which must be requested in advance and is normally only open to students and teachers with a professional interest granted for excavations. Inquiries to the information office in St. Peter’s Square. The Giardini Vaticani (Vatican Gardens) can only be visited with a guide or as part of a city tour. Tickets are available from the information office at St. Peter’s Square and are best ordered two days in advance. To the right of St. Peter’s Basilica are the Palazzi Vaticani, the Pope’s official residence. The most important cultural treasures of the palace are the stanze (rooms) di Raffaello, with murals by Raphael and his pupils; the Garden House or Belvedere; the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana (Vatican Library); the Vatican Art and Paintings Collection and the Cappella Sistina (Sistine Chapel) with ceiling paintings by Michelangelo. The Musei del Vaticano include an antiquities collection, the Museo Pio-Clementino, the Museo Gregoriano Egizio (Egyptian Museum), the Museo Gregoriano Etrusco (Etruscan Museum); the Collezione d’Arte Religiosa Moderna (Museum of Modern Religious Art) and the Pinacoteca with paintings from the Middle Ages to the present day. There is a restaurant in the museum and a bar and cafeteria on the roof of St. Peter’s Basilica.
Culture
Religion
Roman Catholic.
Climate
Best travel time
p.Italy. _
Country data
Phone prefix
+379
Area (sq km)
0
Population
800
Population density (per square km)
1818
Population statistics year
2020
Member of the EU
No
Main emergency number
112
