Archive for 'Latium'

The Vatican is an incredible treasure trove of culture and art, in particular. As it was a source of immense wealth and the Church was one of the most important patrons in the world for centuries, the body of artworks that has been built up within its walls is pretty much without parallel. Great works, such as Michelangelo's impossibly famous painted ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, are very well known but there are many other works beyond it that are worth taking the time out to see and learn more about. In fact, there is an endless list of other works that we could mention but, in this new series, we'll be choosing some of our best picks to help you narrow it down to some truly excellent works of art. Just find a vacation rental in Rome, head to the Vatican and begin getting stuck into this endless well of cultural and artistic gems.

We've been talking a lot about the Christmas traditions, events and celebrations that take place in Italy over the festive period in Winter but, while Italy is traditionally an overwhelmingly Catholic country, there are other celebrations to be had for people of different faiths in the country. Rome may seem like an unexpected destination for such things but, even though it is home to the Vatican, there is a strong and historic Jewish community in the city that will be celebrating Hanukkah from the 12th to the 20th of December this year.

Hanukkah is an annual Jewish celebration that lasts seven nights and eight days and celebrates the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem in the 2nd century BC. There are different variations on the tale of the origin of the holiday but the basic story was that King Antiochus IV Epiphanes outlawed Judaism, ordered an altar to Zeus be built in the Temple, banned brit milah (circumcision) and ordered pigs to be sacrificed at the altar of the temple.

The Vatican Museums in are located in Vatican City, a state within the city of Rome and are made up of 100 galleries and over 1400 rooms dedicated to Renaissance arts, Catholic Church history, as well as some interesting Etruscan, Ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman collections. It is the largest exhibition space in the world, home to the Sistine Chapel, the Belvedere Apollo and the frescoed “Stanze” by Raphael and you could spend years visiting and still find more to see each and every time.

If you have found a vacation rental in Rome and are only able to dedicate a day or two to the museums, rather than years, this series of guides will help you get started and plan your visit! In this post we will discuss some more of the highlights of the museums so that you can pick the ones you are most interested in and focus on those during your visit but be sure to also read to earlier posts in this series for more information about tickets, tours and more!

The Vatican Museums in Rome are one of the world's most visited museums in the world and the most visited museum in Italy and attracts over seven million visitors each year; for good reason, as well.

It is a truly exceptional and awe-inspiring place with endless incredible worlds of art (such as the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel), Ancient Egyptian, Roman and Greek masterpieces, architectural gems and much more besides.

With enough to see and do for lifetimes, the museums truly are a must-see for those who have found vacation rentals in Rome. Just read through our series of guides on how to visit and what to see and stop by. Here are some more of the highlights.

As mentioned in the previous post, the Vatican Museums of Vatican City in Rome are one of the most incredible museums in the world. The largest dedicated floor space of a museum in the world, it is home to a varied collection that encompasses Renaissance masterpieces (such as the Sistine Chapel), architectural gems, Egyptian artifacts, Ancient Greek and Roman statuary and much more besides. There is a reason that it is the most visited museum in Italy, one of the most visited museums in the world and garners over seven million visitors a year: it is a truly astounding place. Just find a vacation rental in Rome and check out our guide to helping you plan a visit.

There is so much to see that you cannot possible do it all in one visit (or even many). Instead, narrow down your list to a few key attractions and sections by browsing some of the most important parts of the museums below!