Rome: Christianity and Ancient Religion

For centuries, people have considered Rome the center of Christianity, and Vatican City, the seat of the Catholic Church, lies within it. At the same time, remnants and evidence of the ancient pagan religion, with its deities and places of worship, survive everywhere. Therefore, visiting Rome offers not just a journey into history, architecture, and art, but also a journey into the spirit, faith, and myth.

How can I get tickets to attend the Papal audience?

For Catholics, attending a papal audience is undoubtedly a unique experience. But even if you are not Catholic, or not particularly religious, it can still be a moment of great intensity.

What is the General Audience?

The Pope’s General Audience is the appointment with the faithful that takes place on Wednesday mornings in St. Peter’s Square. The Pope appears at his apartment window, greets the crowd gathered to listen, delivers a short sermon, and discusses themes close to his heart. He usually directs his thoughts and prayers to those who suffer, the poor and the sick, and victims of wars and natural disasters, sometimes with direct references to current events. Finally, he imparts his blessing to everyone present.

How to Book and Attend

Anyone can attend the papal audience free of charge. However, you need to book through the Prefecture of the Papal Household website, select the date, and complete the online form.

On the website, you can also book other papal appointments and celebrations, like the Sunday Angelus at 12 PM or Holy Masses.

Additionally, throughout 2025, due to the large number of faithful and pilgrims requesting to attend the papal audience for the Jubilee, the Vatican has scheduled some extra Jubilee audiences on Saturday mornings.

For precise dates, you can always consult the Prefecture of the Papal Household website.

This is the most convenient and straightforward way to reserve your place at the papal audience. However, you can also choose to go to the Prefecture in person.

Audiences start at 9:00 AM, and you can enter the square (which only keeps specific controlled gates open for the event) from 7:30 AM. Given the large number of participants, we advise you to arrive at St. Peter’s early.

Practical Information about the Audience

Remember the dress code we have mentioned previously regarding churches and the Vatican Museums applies here too: cover your shoulders, and ensure skirts and pants extend below the knee.

In case of bad weather or other special circumstances preventing an outdoor event, the audience takes place in the Paul VI Audience Hall, also known as the Nervi Hall after its designer, Pier Luigi Nervi.

Are there specific rules for visiting the Vatican Museums with children?

Contrary to what you might assume given that visiting the Vatican Museums is quite demanding with so much to see, it can actually be a very child-friendly and family-oriented experience.

First off, the good news involves tickets: they are free for all children under the age of 6.

Services for Families

The Vatican Museums website has a page specifically dedicated to families with children.

There are special services to help parents with strollers follow easier routes. You will find rest and relaxation areas for when children (and adults) begin to show signs of fatigue, restrooms with changing tables, and even nursing rooms for breastfeeding with privacy.

Organizing the Visit with Children

Clearly, when visiting with children, you should plan the visit appropriately by selecting specific sections of the Museums, as seeing everything will be challenging. For example, children usually really enjoy the wing dedicated to ancient Egypt.

But fear not: among the various available audio guides, there is a specific Family Tour audio guide that leads parents and children on a special path. Exploring the Vatican Museums and discovering their artistic and architectural marvels turns into a fun treasure hunt!

Family Rate for Castel Gandolfo

Finally, we also want to highlight the “Family Rate” option for the visit to the Papal Palace and the Secret Garden at Castel Gandolfo. This rate is available to parents with at least two children aged 7 to 18.

With this rate, the ticket is free starting from the second child. The offer also extends to student children up to age 25, provided they show appropriate documentation.

Additional Tips

One final tip we can offer, depending on your vacation schedule and timing, is to choose off-season periods and weekdays for your visit. This advice benefits everyone, but it particularly helps make the visit with children simpler and more pleasant.

Which Vatican Museums sculptures are considered must-sees?

Making a list of the must-see artworks in the Vatican Museums without omitting anything would be nearly impossible. But since time is always limited and there are countless things to see, let’s try to compile at least an essential list of truly unmissable sculptures.

Laocoön and His Sons

One of the most famous is Laocoön and His Sons, a marble sculptural group dating from between the mid-2nd century BC and the mid-1st century AD.

It is likely a Roman copy of a Hellenistic bronze sculpture, from the artistic period spanning the death of Alexander the Great (323 BC) to the Roman Empire’s conquest of Egypt (30 BC).

The sculpture depicts the Trojan priest Laocoön and his sons as sea serpents attack them, a mythological event recounted in Virgil’s poem, the Aeneid.

Belvedere Apollo

People also consider the so-called Belvedere Apollo, a marble statue portraying the sun god, a Roman copy of a 4th century BC Greek bronze.

It remains an exceptional example of classical art’s beauty, and experts worldwide regard it as a model of aesthetic perfection.

Belvedere Torso

The Belvedere Torso, however, is a Greek original. It shows only a portion of a human figure, the torso, as the rest of the statue is missing.

It dates to the 1st century BC, and the sculptor Apollonius of Athens even signed it.

Although largely damaged, sculptors since the Renaissance have considered this marble work a benchmark for sculpture.

Augustus of Prima Porta

In contrast, the Augustus of Prima Porta is in perfect condition, thanks in part to careful restoration.

This marble statue of Emperor Augustus (the first Roman emperor) likely dates from the last decade BC.

Its name derives from its discovery site, the Villa of Livia, the residence of Livia Drusilla (Augustus’ wife) in the Prima Porta area north of Rome.

Canova’s Perseus Triumphant

Much more recent, but possessing no less artistic value, is Perseus Triumphant, a marble statue the Italian sculptor Antonio Canova created between 1800 and 1801.

A perfect example of neoclassical art, it represents the Greek hero Perseus holding the severed head of Medusa, the monster with serpent hair capable of petrifying people with her gaze.

Arnaldo Pomodoro’s Sphere Within a Sphere

Let’s finish with a recommendation for contemporary art enthusiasts. In the Cortile della Pigna (Pinecone Courtyard), one of the Vatican Museums’ outdoor areas, besides the huge bronze pinecone (possibly 2nd century AD), you can admire a work by the famous Italian sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro.

It is a large bronze sphere, perfectly smooth externally, but a crack allows glimpses of complex mechanisms within. This serves as a metaphor for the complexity that hides beneath the apparent perfection of things.

It also possesses a unique feature: it’s a mobile sculpture that rotates slowly with the wind.

How do you get to the Arch of Constantine from the Colosseum?

Reaching the Arch of Constantine is very easy. It stands just 100 meters (about 330 feet) from the Colosseum exit, on the left.

But you won’t need to look far; its position makes it clearly visible, thanks also to its dimensions.

Indeed, it measures 21 meters high, 26 meters wide, and 7.5 meters deep (approx. 69 x 85 x 25 feet), featuring a main central arch and two smaller side arches.

Historical and Religious Significance

It is an important structure the Senate gifted to Emperor Constantine celebrating his victory over Maxentius—who had also proclaimed himself emperor—at the famous Battle of the Milvian Bridge (312 AD).

This event is famous not only from a military and political perspective but also a religious one. Later tradition holds that just before the battle on this occasion, a vision of a cross in the sky prompted Constantine to convert to Christianity.

However, the depictions on the Arch of Constantine still prominently feature scenes from pagan religious tradition, and the entire structure serves as a true compendium of Roman art from its era.

Beyond the Arch of Constantine and the Colosseum, this entire area of Rome offers a deep dive into the city’s imperial past. Discover it with the Ancient Rome Vespa tours from Sidecar Tour in Rome!

Can you bring food and drinks into archaeological sites?

If everyone brought packed lunches, or “al sacco” as they say in Italy, archaeological sites would turn into open-air picnic spots.

Respect for Historical Sites

Ancient ruins are not merely remnants of old buildings; they are places that hold the memory and soul of a bygone era. It’s as if they safeguard the spirit of the people who once lived in and visited them; often, these were also sites for faith and religious ceremonies.

Therefore, even though they may not be ‘sacred’ sites in the strictest sense today, they remain places that command respect, politeness, and decorum.

Rules on Food and Picnics

So, the answer is no. You cannot visit sites like the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, or the Imperial Fora while eating a sandwich or a slice of pizza. It is certainly inappropriate to sit on ancient ruins for a picnic, just as you should refrain from doing so on monuments or church steps.

What is Allowed: Water

However, you can, and we highly recommend you do, always bring a bottle or flask of water, especially when it’s sunny and particularly during the summer.

Exceptions and Practical Advice

Certainly, no one will arrest you if your blood sugar drops during your visit to an archaeological site and you eat a piece of chocolate or a small snack (provided you don’t leave any trash behind, of course). But try to avoid this as much as possible. Since a visit can take a significant amount of time, remember to eat something beforehand to help you ‘hold on’ until you leave.

Enjoy Your Food… After the Visit!

After that, and only then… enjoy your meal!

At this point, you deserve a delicious Vespa food tour with Sidecar Tour in Rome!