Spain Tour; Side Trip to Vatican Museum and St. Peter's Basilica

8 Days Self-Guided Budget Summer Europe Trip with My Mother

August 18 to 25, 2018

Spain Tour; Side Trip to Lisbon, Portugal

This was my 2nd visit in Vatican City following the 2013 Solo Europe Trip but I only visited St. Peter's Basilica. From Ottaviano metro station around 0800H, we walked to St. Peter's Basilica first (free admission). The highlight of the sight-seeing inside the Basilica are the huge size statues of the Saint, Pieta sculpture and the Dome by Michelangelo and St. Peter's Tomb at the basement. Then, around 0930H, we went to Vatican Museum, it is advisable to booked your tickets online. Admission fee costs 17 Euro + 4 Euro if bought online. The highlight of the sightseeing inside (can take 3-4 hours) Vatican Museum is the Sistine Chapel's ceiling by Michelangelo and the spiral exit.  Photography and video taking is allowed inside both buildings.

Spain Tour; Side Trip to Vatican Museum and St. Peter's Basilica

8 Days Self-Guided Budget Summer Europe Trip with My Mother

Spain - Andorra - Portugal (Lisbon) - Vatican - Italy (Rome)
August 18 to 25, 2018

23 Days Solo Autumn Experience in Central Europe (Oct. 2013)
23 Days Solo Summer Adventures in Central, Southern and Northern Europe (Jun. 2015)

"Those who look for the laws of Nature as a support for their new works collaborate with the creator." - Antoni Gaudi

My 5th time to visit the European continent following the 12 Days Solo Backpacking in Summer Russia (Trans-Siberia Train Ride) last August 2017 and 3rd time for Schengen Adventure following the Germany-applied visa for Summer Solo Trip last June 2015, 2nd trip with my mother abroad following the Winter Japan last Feb. 2015, total of 71 countries visited so far (total of 29 in Europe) and of course, usual budget do-it-yourself itinerary from arrival to departure.

Schengen Area guarantees free movement within territory of 26 countries. As of 19th of December 2011, Schengen Area consist of 26 countries (of which 22 are EU states): Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland and Sweden along with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Being part of the area without controls at internal borders means that these countries no longer carry-out border checks at their internal borders and have stepped-up controls at the external borders. 

SPAIN
timezone - UTC +0200H    capital - Madrid    language - Spanish    currency - Euro (EUR)

visa - Philippine passport holders need to apply first before travel

8 Days Self-Guided Budget Summer Europe Trip with My Mother

The Viewing Deck Collections; Dan Brown's "Angels & Demons" Tour

sightseeing the intriguing places in Rome and Vatican mentioned in the Novel 

“Faith is universal. Our specific methods for understanding it are arbitrary. Some of us pray to Jesus, some of us go to Mecca, some of us study subatomic particles. In the end we are all just searching for truth, that which is greater than ourselves.” - Chapter 31, pp. 86-87

I made this post due to curiousness and fascination on Dan Brown's famous novels, on how he played my imagination while reading his book and incorporating my backpacking passion to wander them around. The adventure started in Rome, Italy last November 2013 where I walked first to The Pantheon, then to Piazza Navona and all the way to Castel Sant' Angelo. Then, continuing in the morning next day to State of Vatican  by visiting the St. Peter's Square and St. Peter's Basilica.

Angels & Demons (also known as The Da Vinci Code 2: Angels & Demons) is a 2009 American mystery thriller film directed by Ron Howard and based on Dan Brown's novel by the same name. It is the sequel to the 2006 film, The Da Vinci Code, also directed by Ron Howard. Filming of Angels & Demons took place in Rome, Italy, and features Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor and Ayelet Zurer.

The Viewing Deck Collections; Dan Brown's "Angels & Demons" Tour

Vatican City last part; 551 Steps up to St. Peter's Basilica Dome

Central Europe last part; 5-days solo wandering in Italy

October 28 to November 02, 2013

Vatican city 2nd part; inside St. Peter's Basilica 

Welcome to the dome of St. Peter's Basilica. Here the impressive majesty to Michelangelo's architecture where the sky seems so close, the view of the Vatican hill, sanctified by the blood of the Apostle Peter and numerous other martyrs, offer an occasion for profound meditation. May the history of the place, its art and nature evoke in your heart the desire of pure beauty and a humble invocation of God. Be respectful of this place to be worthy of walking through the splendor of its artistic genius and heroism of sainthood.

Entrance to the dome is on the left side of the Basilica. Admission fee costs 7 Euro with the use of elevator but still has 320 steps to go while 5 Euro for on foot stairway with 551 steps. Opens daily from 0800H-1700H. Please keep in mind for the old, the suffering and the cardiopatic people: as to go up to the dome there are 320 steps, beside the lift.

Vatican city last part; 551 steps up to St. Peter's Basilica Dome

Vatican City 2nd part; Inside St. Peter's Basilica

Central Europe last part; 5-days solo wandering in Italy

October 28 to November 02, 2013

Vatican city 1st part; An independent state within a country

According to the one of the civilian guards, Basilica will be open at 0730H. In this regard, I planned to visit it at that time to take the opportunity of fun shots with almost absolutely no crowd around. Free admission. Photography and video is allowed inside.

St. Peter's Basilica (Italian: Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano) is a Late Renaissance church located within Vatican City. Designed principally by Donato Bramante, Michelangelo, Carlo Maderno and Gian Lorenzo Bernini, St. Peter's is the most renowned work of Renaissance architecture and remains one of the largest churches in the world. It has been described as "holding a unique position in the Christian world" and as "the greatest of all churches of Christendom".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Peter%27s_Basilica

The Pietà (1498–1499) is a masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture by Michelangelo Buonarroti, housed in St. Peter's Basilica. It is the first of a number of works of the same theme by the artist. This famous work of art depicts the body of Jesus on the lap of his mother Mary after the Crucifixion. Thn. Michelangelo's interpretation of the Pietà is unique to the precedents.
 

Vatican city 2nd part; inside St. Peter's Basilica (La Pieta)

Vatican City 1st part; An Independent State within a Country

Central Europe last part; 5-days solo wandering in Italy

October 28 to November 02, 2013

Rome city last part; photowalk at night

My 27th country state to visit where 1st of only 2 observer state recognized by United Nations, 25th solo backpacking trip, 5th visa application for tourism on entire single page, and of course, usual budget do-it-yourself itinerary from arrival to departure.

Vatican City State (IStato della Città del Vaticano), is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome. It has an area of approximately 44 hectares, and a population of around 840. This makes Vatican City the smallest internationally recognized independent state in the world by both area and population. Vatican independent city-state was established in 1929 by the Lateran Treaty, signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Gasparr. Vatican City State is distinct from the Holy See. The two entities have distinct passports: the Holy See, not being a country, issues only diplomatic and service passports, whereas Vatican City State issues normal passports for its citizens.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vatican_City

Vatican City, independent state within a country (at night)

Rome City last part; Photowalk at Night

Central Europe last part; 5-days solo wandering in Italy

October 28 to November 02, 2013

Rome city tour 3rd part; other tourist spots

Intentionally walked at night to see how the lights illuminated on major tourist spots. Started around 1900H from Castel Sant' Angelo going back to Roma Termini. Tripod is allowed to use and no fees collected as everything pictured outside.

Rome city last part; photowalk at night (Castel Sant' Angelo)

4th OFW vacation; Ultimate Solo Trip from Central Europe to Promised Land

an autumn to winter self-guided overwhelming solo backpacking escapade

October 10 to November 16, 2013
36-days longest vacation ever as an OFW

1st OFW vacation; Come back to my homeland
2nd OFW vacation; Pinoy backpacker China invasion
3rd OFW vacation; summer solo trip from Malaysia to Japan 

"A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you've been taking." - Earl Wilson

"A study published in the Applied Research in Quality of Life journal, showed that the highest spike in happiness came during the planning stage of a vacation as employees enjoyed the sense of anticipation.."

4th vacation as an Overseas Filipino worker for almost 21 months of stay in State of Kuwait. The image below shows the converted jpeg from pdf of calendar of events on my entire 36-days vacation journey. Most of this were in Central Europe and Israel with Philippines, my hometown, as my last airport to depart.

my 36-days vacation plan mostly in Central Europe

sightseeing the global wonders... 30 days...27 cities... 10 countries...