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St. Peter's Square, Vatican City

4.7
#4 of 49 in Things to do in Vatican City
Historic Site · Hidden Gem · Landmark
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Experience the reverence of the Pope--and the heart of Catholicism--in the historic St. Peter's Square, the area in front of St. Peter's Basilica. During the Pope's weekly blessing, the plaza is filled with thousands of spectators. During the rest of the week, you can admire 17th-century Baroque architecture and the massive stone colonnades that frame the entrance to the basilica. A 25.5 m (84 ft) tall red-granite Egyptian obelisk marks the center of the plaza. For St. Peter's Square and beyond, use our Vatican City trip planning website to get the most from your Vatican City vacation.
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St. Peter's Square reviews

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TripAdvisor traveler rating 4.5
8,934 reviews
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4.8
TripAdvisor
  • The square is massive with a lot to see. Even if you do not visit St. Peter’s Basilica, I would suggest strolling around the square to take it all in. Really spectacular walking down Via della... 
    The square is massive with a lot to see. Even if you do not visit St. Peter’s Basilica, I would suggest strolling around the square to take it all in. Really spectacular walking down Via della...  more »
  • The Square is located to the east of St. Peter's Basilica and there is plenty to see in this area like the Egyptian Obelisk, columns, fountains, statues, a post office and the Basilica itself. We... 
    The Square is located to the east of St. Peter's Basilica and there is plenty to see in this area like the Egyptian Obelisk, columns, fountains, statues, a post office and the Basilica itself. We...  more »
Google
  • Even if you’re not planning on joining any of the guided tours inside the buildings it’s still worth having a walk around the square. Plenty of spots to sit and watch the world go by, and a number of difference fountains to admire with great photo opportunities. It’s an iconic location so not checking it out if you’re nearby would be a big miss, especially given that it’s free to enter and roam around.
  • The Vatican just have something different. If you are a Christian or not, I'm sure you can feel the vibe here is different. You have people from all over the World and their own faith and religion, but they all come together to pay respect to each other. The Piazza of San Pietro (The first Pope) is beautiful. And being that the Vatican is pretty much in the Heart of London, you can definitely walk here from many of the other touristic spots in the city. One warning I do have it over here, is that you'll see many non locals trying to sell you schemes. For example, it is free to go to the Basilica, you just have to go through the queue like everyone else. But you will hear people selling you a faster route and "tickets included" to go in, so my suggestion is, please don't motivate these people, ignore them and enjoy your moment on the Vatican. I've been here during the day, and during the light, and both times were life events. With the crowd, and without it, they were amazing experiences. Anyway, hope you enjoy it and have your own experience and good vibe moment.

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