Vatican Gardens

Casey and I got a tour of the Vatican Gardens Saturday. For those of you who have never seen them, next time you are in Rome, we highly suggest going on this tour. You must make a reservation for this through the Vatican's website. We tried to go to the Vatican Information/Tourist office, and the only thing they offered was one of those "Rome Cristian tours" on those tacky yellow buses. Do not do that. Here is why: 

1) People on those tours listen to a recording through headphones.
2) They are not allowed to get off the bus.
3) It is also really short (30 mins).
4) It costs at least 40 euro.

What we did was a walking tour, and here is why it is better:
1) It is given by an official, authorized Vatican tour-guide.
2) It is a walking tour where you see all the main points in Vatican City.
3) It lasts for 2 hours.
4) It is 31 euro, and that also includes admission to the Vatican museums afterward.

So please- go to the Vatican's website for booking reservations online. Then follow these steps: click on Guided tours for Individuals>Vatican Gardens>then fill in the following pages as directed. It is a long day, but you can take a break between to tour of the gardens for some lunch, and then go see the museums in the afternoon. Casey and I both highly recommend it to anyone. Let us know if you have questions!

The Pinacoteca

Villa D'Este

Fountain with dragon and eagle motifs- both symbols of the papacy

Flowers

Statue of St. Peter blessing his basilica

Convent inside Vatican City. See the nun in white?

Copy of the Lourdes Grotto

Vatican Hellipad- or the Vatipad as we nicknamed it

Vines growing along the Vatican walls

Italian garden. Lots of green parrots live here.

The French Garden

Shrine of Mary

Fountain that unfortunately was not working in the English Garden

Ciao Y'all!

Visit to St. Peters Basilica

Here are some photos from mine and Casey's visit to St. Peters earlier this week.

At the base of the Cupola looking down into the alter area of St. Peters.

The inside of the dome of St. Peters 

No the camera is not tilted. When you climb to the top of the dome, the walls are actually slanted like this!

Train moving through the city

View of the Vatican Gardens from the top of the dome. 

pretty fountain in the gardens

Piazza di San Pietro

View of the Vatican museums from the top

Sarah and Casey at the top

statues of Christ and the Saints from the roof of the Basilica 

Sarah and Casey on the roof of the Basilica

Michelangelo's Pieta inside St. Peters

near St. Peters tomb

Bernini's famous twisting Baldacchino, which sits over the papal alter. 

Inside St. Peters looking back towards the entrance

Swiss Guards

St. Peters Basilica

Monks

Ciao Y'all!