Saints and martyrs line the towering colonnades that circle St Peter’s square, welcoming us with open arms. As the tallest structure in Rome, St Peter’s Basilica rises high above the skyline, keeping an ever watchful eye on its subjects. We approach the towering double doors as they swing open, letting us into a lofty, open nave lavishly decorated in marble. Michelangelo and Bernini statues adorn the ever expanding walls, looking up in reverence at the marvel of their creators. Voices bounce around the grand halls, carrying praises of awe and wonder. A magnificent stain glass window cast long, painted shadows over the ornate tiled floor. Sunlight trickles down from the top of St Peter’s dome, casting beams of light onto a crowd of tourists as they circle the Papal Altar. Guarded by larger than life statues of the first ever saints, the alter stands as the centrepiece to this wonder and marks the final resting place of St Peter. 

The Vatican in itself justifies a trip to Rome.