Vatican Gardens -- worth visiting?
 

Fodorites,

Any thoughts on whether the Vatican Gardens worth touring? Does anyone have info on what exactly there is to see on the tour (other than beautiful landscaping, trees, etc.)?

Thanks!!

Anyone?? :)

Yes, we did this and had a good time, although got horribly lost. I believe you have to write your local parish for permission, or maybe your bishop? I know we needed something.

You have to get tickets in advance from the Uffico Scavi. they do only a couple of tours per day and the # is limited to those tht fit in a tiny school bus.

The bus takes you to the top of the hill and you walk back down, the guide showing you various sights on the way (fountain of St?), special shrubbery of sone sort, view of Vatican buildings from above.

The only thing I found really interesting was a very small old (about 400 bc) chapel in the grounds that far predates St Peters and all the other buildings.

We saw a wedding party (of some Italian Pincipessa) emerging and went over to investigte. It turned out to be the actual chapel in which, in 800, Cahrlegmagne ripped the crown out of the Pope's hands and crowned himself First Holy Roman Emperor - thus gaining the title without promising fealty to the Pope.