Piazza San Pietro
Town square · Città del Vaticano ·
Iconic Roman piazza with Bernini colonnades framing Renaissance basilica
Information
00120 Get directions
Iconic Roman piazza with Bernini colonnades framing Renaissance basilica
00120 Get directions
"This iconic Roman piazza takes on a serene, photogenic character in winter when a light sprinkling of snow softens its grand architecture; with far fewer tourists than in peak season, it becomes an especially peaceful place to wander, photograph, and soak up the atmosphere during an Italian winter trip alongside quieter canals and nearby mountain scenery." - Nneya Richards Nneya Richards Nneya Richards is a New York City-based fashion and travel writer and public speaker. She is a frequent contributor to publications including Condé Nast Traveler, Vogue, and PopSugar, and has been featured on CBS News and more. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"During the rare snow, the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Square became a playful scene of snowball fights." - Elise Taylor
"Visiting St. Peter’s Square and Basilica is an overwhelming Renaissance-and-Baroque spectacle: Bernini’s embracing colonnades frame the piazza, Bramante and Michelangelo shaped the basilica (consecrated in 1626) and Michelangelo’s dome dominates the skyline; it sits above the spot where St. Peter was crucified and his bones remain below in an ancient necropolis, and I recommend climbing the dome — 551 steps for 8 EUR (or pay 2 EUR more for an elevator)." - Matthew Kepnes
Packed with an enormous crowd, this vast plaza in front of St Peter’s Basilica reportedly held around 250,000 people for Pope Francis’s funeral Mass, giving a sense of how it can transform into a dramatic, emotionally charged gathering place for major Vatican events. - Liv Kelly