Self-Guided Tours in Vatican City

Left to yourself in St Peter's Basilica, the order of the visit is simple, because its high points sit close to the door and in a line. Michelangelo's Pietà, carved in 1498 and 1499, stands in the first chapel on the right, behind glass since a hammer attack in 1972. Then comes Bernini's bronze canopy, nearly 30 metres high, over the high altar. In the nave, bronze lines in the floor mark where other great churches would end, and the bronze statue of St Peter has a foot worn smooth by touch.

Two formats cover it without a person beside you. One is a basilica entry for a fixed time slot with priority access and an audio guide in English or Spanish, about an hour; since entry itself is free, the ticket buys the slot, the shorter line and the commentary. It is not a live tour and does not include the dome climb. The other is a recording: audio files and a map to download beforehand, a two-hour walk with your own headphones and device, and nobody meeting you. The Vatican Museums, which end in the Sistine Chapel, are a separate visit with their own ticket.

Practical. Both are final sale, though the basilica ticket is refunded if the basilica closes for a papal or liturgical event. On Wednesday mornings the papal audience usually closes the basilica until around midday, so book a Wednesday slot for the afternoon. Shoulders and knees must be covered, and tripods, selfie sticks, food and large bags are refused. July and August afternoons reach 32C or more with little shade in the square, so go early or late.