Courtyard of the Pinecone and Chiaramonti Museum, Vatican City

The Vatican Museums! Modesty aside, I think they’re one of the greatest tributes to art in the world. I visited this vast complex in October 2025; it’s located in Vatican City, which we’ve dubbed the smallest country in the world, and here you’ll find thousands upon thousands of ancient and modern works of art, including some that are widely recognized as part of humanity’s shared cultural heritage. The entire Vatican made a strong impression on me, but touring this place was truly special because it was more than I had imagined—the Vatican Museums are not just the famous Sistine Chapel.

The Vatican Museums' Helical Staircase:

Given the sheer scale of the Vatican Museums—both in terms of space and the artworks on display—I’ll be sharing my experience in more than one post. So, if you enjoy this content, you can look forward to a follow-up post in the future. In the meantime, I’ll tell you that for ordinary people like my wife and me, visiting the Vatican Museums is something that has to be planned well in advance. We bought our tickets on the official website: https://tickets.museivaticani.va, exactly one month in advance, and even then we were able to get only the last four tickets available for that time slot; the rest of the day was already sold out.

Our tickets cost 40 euros, but it was a guided tour in Spanish, and we don’t regret choosing this option, And while I don’t want to downplay the importance of the Roman Colosseum—which is better known for its worldwide fame—the Vatican Museums are rich in history and details that can go unnoticed by first-time visitors. Furthermore, I’d venture to say that many people might miss out on numerous rooms or areas if they aren’t properly guided, so it seems like the best option for beginners like us.

Cortile della Pigna:

Those of us who aren’t familiar with this place might think it’s just one big museum on the Vatican grounds in Rome, but in reality, it consists of several museums and various buildings and halls located in closely clustered spaces, separated by large courtyards—though none larger than the Courtyard of the Pineapple. I swear, that place really impressed me. It was practically at the start of our tour, and it was something I hadn’t expected. We entered through a corner right next to the Terraza del Hemiciclo or Nicchione building, with the large pineapple sculpture in front of us, but it’s one of those spacious places full of beauty, since at the end of the courtyard stood another imposing facade of these museums with an inscription in Latin honoring Pope Pius XII. In the middle of the courtyard stands the Sfera con Sfera, a modern work by Arnaldo Pomodoro that represents the complexity of the world and its fragility. It is worth noting that this artist had passed away just a few months earlier, right when I was able to appreciate the beauty of his art at the Vatican.

Chiaramonti Museum:

I wanted to start this first post by talking a little about the Chiaramonti Museum, because I had such a wonderful time there. Those of you who read my posts regularly know that I love marble sculptures and art based on the human body. Here I found legendary works like the Giustiniani Athena, and I’d even go so far as to say that I discovered over 1,000 works I hadn’t seen before, including Roman busts and portraits. Everything is very ancient—works that are easily 2,000 years old. In these photos, I’m sharing what was my favorite corridor, just before exiting into the second courtyard, so you can enjoy a glimpse of the sheer quantity and quality of so many works that have stood the test of time and rest in this sacred place for the delight of so many generations.

For now, I’ll sign off by sharing all the joy and energy from that day at the Vatican Museums. I’ll try to delve a little deeper into what I learned and appreciated during that trip and that one-day experience. I spent hours and hours and hours at the Vatican Museums, and there were still galleries I couldn’t visit—I’ve saved plenty for a future visit. For now, I recommend that if you’re planning to visit Rome in the future, don’t hesitate to make your reservations—you won’t regret it. You can usually book at least a month in advance, though there are always people who manage to get in by waiting in a long line on the same day—I’d say that’s beginner’s luck... Until the next installment!...