Your first destinationwill be the Vatican Museums, a testament to the power of papal art patronage and curatorial talent, the Vatican Museums contain masterpieces of painting, sculpture and other works of art collected by the popes through the centuries. Walking through select portions of the museums with your knowledgeable guide, you’ll marvel at the astonishingly rich collections and their significance throughout history. You’ll know immediately when you have reached the Sistine Chapel, because all eyes are gazing up at the heavenly ceiling and there is a powerful hush that descends as you enter. The famous Sistine ceiling depicts scenes from Genesis in dramatic and moving detail and Michelangelo’s The Last Judgment on the chapel’s end wall is striking and powerful. In addition to these famous artworks, the sidewalls are covered with important Renaissance frescoes of Moses, Christ and contemporary popes. But the Sistine Chapel is more than the sum of its artistic wonders; it is a symbolic statement of papal authority and the place in which papal elections in conclave are held to this day.

Your tour continues as you walk through the impressive St. Peter’s Square. With its fountains and semicircular colonnades crowned with statues of the saints, the square perfectly frames the Basilica’s entrance. The first church here was built by Constantine on the site where St. Peter was martyred and buried. Michelangelo deserves much of the credit for the massive reconstruction. Enjoy the majesty of the Basilica from outside, as your Guide provides a thorough explanation.