If you have been to the Vatican you can say you have been to another country. Yes that’s right the Vatican is not classed as being Italy. With its own laws, citizens, even license plates. We had a booked a tour and made our way on the metro to stop Cipro. It comes out not far from the entrance to the Vatican museums. Our tour group meeting up on the staircase on the street below. Whilst we were waiting, as we were early. We people watched. There was three queues, the first queue was heading round the block of the Vatican city walls, this is the ‘ I don’t have a ticket queue ‘. Facing the opposite way was a big queue, these being skip the line tickets. Next to that is the tour group madness. What i mean by this is probably at any given time slot 20x tours going through. All jostling for a space in the entry line. Each tour guide asking each other what number they were in the group. Organised chaos. But to be honest it works and next thing you are in. They have a system and it seems to work. Our guide Adriano was great. we went through to checks of our tickets and were given headsets, so he could talk to us. The day we went there was about 25, 000 people due in as it was a monday and no other museums are open. The day before being the last sunday of the month. Entry is free. But, this is where you have more chance of being targeted by pickpockets due to the sheer volume and free entry. In we went making our way through a maze of crazy busy rooms. It really is a stunning place with so much history. But really hard to see everything due to its size. The sistine chapel is mind blowing but you do feel like you are herded in and out like cattle. Some people taking photos which are strictly prohibited. Idiots, what photo are you really going to get holding your phone by your waist pointing up. The room of maps is really cool and vibrant and the Raphael rooms look like they aren’t real. You even pass down a corridor, that you can’t take photos in as the Pope’s private chambers are through a side door off to the side of it. As we finished we were left in St Peters Square and with free entry into the Basilica we went in. Making our way around we finished off with a visit to the Tombs of the Popes down stairs. Feeling surreal that you are passing by 30 of the over 200 popes, all in different layout tombs. It makes you think how special this is for you to visit. Outside you pass the Vatican post office, just in case you wanted to send a postcard home. Looking back we once again see the queue to get into the Basilica. Thank goodness we booked a tour, 3 days would otherwise be consumed with queuing.