I saw a post about this earlier..but can't find it anymore...so here I am asking.
Please excuse me, as I'm not too familiar with Catholicism, so please pardon my lack of knowledge.
We'll be in Rome..and I am a little confused as the differences between The Vatican, Vatican museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peters Basilica.
I think the Sistine Chapel is inside the Vatican, and I have already requested a Scavi tour.
Can someone pleae explain to me what is inside/near what...and which of these do we need tours for?

Thanks in advance,

Samantha

"The Vatican" otherwise known as Vatican City, is a separate country entirely within the city of Rome. It is surrounded by walls, except for St. Peter's Square which is the big piazza in front of St. Peter's Basilica. Within the walls of Vatican City are the Vatican Museums which lead to the Sistine Chapel. The only way to get to the chapel for ordinary people is to go through the Museum. There are many other buildings, churches, palaces, offices etc. in Vatican city, including the Vatican Gardens (you can tour them with a special reservation) and train station. You don't need tours for anything except the Scavi, which incidently, is under St. Peter's Basilica. Many people sign up for tours of the Vatican Museums/Sistine because they are so vast and filled with so much precious art that can really come to life with a good tour guide. You can take a private tour with a company like Context Rome or join a tour conducted by the Museum staff. Context Rome also does tours of St. Peter's Basilica but you can see that on your own very well with a good guidebook.

I think Grinisa answered your question very well.

Thanks for the reply! I think I understand...lol
To avoid lines, we should probably book a tour for the Vatican museum and Sistine Chapel? Does that sound good?
And should we do the Gardens as well..sounds like they're seperate?
Thanks again!

You don't need a tour for any of the above.
You can by a ticket for the Museum and SC, and walk into the Basilica when you wish.

The Vatican Gardens are lovely but I would save them for another visit. Yes, you can avoid the line for the Museum/Sistine by booking a tour.

The gardens are a real problem. We wanted to do them last year, but you could only make a reservation (which is required) something like two weeks ahead and they will only send you the confirmation by fax. Traveling for over a month before Rome and being in apartments I'm not sure where to even have the fax sent.

Here's a map from the Vatican website that might give you a better idea of where everything is.
http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/z-In...sporti_02.html

The 2 large, brown rectangles are the museum which is several stories tall. The smaller rectangle angled at the end of the other two is the Sistine Chapel which is essentially a room of the museum.