Vatican City or the former Papal State is mostly known for being the home of the Pope and the most important place in the Catholic faith. Apart from that, Vatican city is known for many incredible buildings and monuments such as St. Peter’s Basilica completed in the 17th century or the over 3 thousand years old obelisk known as Caligula’s obelisk brought over from Egypt by the order of Caligula himself. There is much more than just this all waiting to be explored.

Travelling info

Getting to Vatican city is only possible through Italy. Despite Vatican city not being a member of the EU, it is part of the Schengen area. This means that anyone traveling to Vatican who is not a citizen of one of the EU member states or states of the Schengen area must apply for a Schengen visa which will allow them to enter any Schengen state. Tourists are not allowed to drive in Vatican city. Only residents and special guests may drive a vehicle into the Vatican city.

Traveling hazards

Vatican city does not cover a single km2 meaning that walking anywhere on foot will not take more than 20 minutes. There is no public transport. Most visitors walk to the Vatican on foot from the nearest bus stop in Rome.

Environmental hazards

There are no dangerous animals of any sort in the Vatican. Vatican city is exposed to the same natural hazards as Rome. Although no natural hazard has affected the Vatican yet.

Health hazards

The Vatican is exposed to the same health risks as Italy. There is currently a risk of being infected with measles in Italy, therefore, anyone traveling to the country is strongly advised to get the routine vaccines also known as MMR vaccines (measles, mumps, rubella). There are other vaccines which are also recommended. These are hepatitis A and B, typhoid and rabies vaccines. When it comes to healthcare anyone in need will most likely get treated in Italy, therefore, it is vital to purchase medical insurance in Italy. EU citizens may apply for a European Health Insurance Card which will entitle them to medical services for free or at a reduced cost.
In case of an emergency dial 112.

Crime

Crime is almost non-existent in the Vatican. Despite that, there are instances of pickpocketing especially when the crowds peak in numbers. Apart from such instances, there is almost no crime. There is no terrorism risk in the Vatican however the famous event of Pope John Paul the II proves such instances are possible anywhere. Any sort of narcotics are illegal in the Vatican however due to the lack of prisons, such instances would either be fined or referred to the Italian police force.

Summary

Apart from the religious background of the Vatican, there are numerous museums, landmarks, and incredible sights. Remember that planning your trip with Travset.com will give you the quickest information about nearest emergency services and will also help you purchase indispensable travel insurance for the trip of your lifetime. Please feel free to comment and share the experiences of your travels with Travset.com.

Sources

(Visa)
https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/schengen-visa-countries-list/
(Vaccinations)
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/italy
(EHIC)
http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=559