Honestly, it’s kinda wild that you can walk across an entire sovereign nation in about twenty minutes. You don’t need a car. You don’t even need a bike. Just a decent pair of walking shoes and a bit of patience for the crowds.
We’re talking about Vatican City.
It’s the world's smallest country, a tiny enclave tucked neatly inside the city of Rome. Most people think of it as just a big church or a museum, but it’s a fully functioning state with its own flag, its own post office, and even its own army—though they look more like they’re headed to a Renaissance fair than a battlefield.
At roughly 109 acres, it is basically one-eighth the size of Central Park in New York. If you were to do a lap around the entire border, you’d only cover about two miles.
Is it actually a "real" country?
Short answer: Yes. Long answer: It’s complicated, but fascinatingly so.
Vatican City became its own thing in 1929. Before that, the Popes ruled over a huge chunk of Italy called the Papal States. When Italy unified in the 1800s, the Pope basically hid inside the Vatican walls for decades, refusing to recognize the new Italian government. This awkward standoff—the "Roman Question"—only ended when Benito Mussolini signed the Lateran Treaty.
That treaty officially created the State of the Vatican City.
It’s an absolute monarchy. The Pope holds all the power—executive, legislative, and judicial. There’s no parliament. No elections (except for when the cardinals choose a new Pope). It’s the last of its kind in Europe.
One thing that trips people up is the difference between "Vatican City" and the "Holy See." Think of it like this: Vatican City is the physical dirt and stone, the 0.44 square kilometers of land. The Holy See is the legal entity that does business with the rest of the world. It’s the Holy See that has a seat at the UN (as an observer) and signs treaties.
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The weirdest citizenship on Earth
You can't be born a Vatican citizen. It's literally impossible because there are no hospitals with delivery rooms inside the walls.
Even if you were born on the floor of St. Peter’s Basilica, you wouldn’t get a passport. Citizenship here isn't based on birth (jus soli) or bloodline (jus sanguinis). It’s based on your job.
If you work for the Holy See in a high-level capacity, or you’re part of the Swiss Guard, you get a Vatican passport. Your spouse and kids can get them too. But the second you stop working there? Poof. The citizenship vanishes. You usually revert to being Italian, or whatever your previous nationality was.
As of early 2026, the population hovers around 764 to 950 people, depending on which registry you look at. It’s a tiny, rotating cast of clergy, guards, and a few laypeople.
Crime, Wine, and Latin ATMs
You’ve probably heard the "fun fact" that Vatican City has the highest crime rate in the world.
It sounds scary. It makes it sound like a den of thieves. But it’s just a math quirk. Because the population is so tiny (under 1,000) and the visitors are so many (millions), a few pickpockets in St. Peter’s Square drive the "per capita" crime rate through the roof.
It’s the same story with the wine.
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Statistically, Vatican residents drink more wine per person than anywhere else—about 74 liters a year. It’s not because the monks are partying 24/7. It’s because wine is used for the Eucharist in every Mass, it's sold tax-free in the only supermarket in the country, and communal dining is the norm.
Oh, and the ATMs? They really do have a Latin option. If you want to see "Dito digitum" instead of "Insert your PIN," the Vatican Bank is the only place on the planet that’s got you covered.
Tips for actually getting inside (without the stress)
If you just show up at noon in the middle of July, you’re going to have a bad time. The line for the Vatican Museums can wrap around the walls for hours.
- Book 60 days out. Tickets for the Museums and the Sistine Chapel are released two months in advance. Set a calendar alert. If you miss the official site tickets, you'll end up paying double to a third-party reseller.
- Respect the dress code. They are strict. No joke. Shoulders and knees must be covered. Even if it's 100 degrees outside, bring a scarf to wrap around yourself. I've seen people get turned away at the door of the Basilica after waiting two hours because their shorts were too short.
- The Wednesday "Trap." Every Wednesday morning, the Pope usually holds a General Audience in St. Peter’s Square. It’s cool to see, but St. Peter’s Basilica stays closed to the public until it's over (usually around 12:30 PM or 1:00 PM). If you aren't there for the Pope, don't go on Wednesday morning.
- The "Secret" Railway. The Vatican has the world's shortest railway—two 300-meter tracks. It was mostly for freight, but occasionally, special trains for tourists run from the Vatican station out to the Pope's summer residence in Castel Gandolfo.
Why it still matters
In a world of massive superpowers, this 109-acre dot on the map still holds immense soft power. It manages one of the largest art collections in human history—over 70,000 works, though they only show about 20,000 at a time.
If you spent one minute looking at every piece of art in the Vatican Museums, it would take you about four years to finish.
Beyond the art, it’s a place of deep layers. Beneath the high altar of St. Peter’s lies a Roman necropolis, and supposedly, the actual bones of St. Peter himself. You’re standing on 2,000 years of history, stacked like a lasagna.
Actionable steps for your visit:
- Download the "Patrons of the Arts" app or a similar guide before you go; the signage in the museums can be surprisingly sparse for such a famous place.
- Check the liturgical calendar. If there’s a major feast day or a funeral, the whole place might shut down with zero notice to tourists.
- Send a postcard. The Vatican Post is famously more reliable than the Italian one. Use the yellow mailboxes inside the city, not the red ones just outside the border.
Basically, treat it like a high-security museum that also happens to be a country. Be quiet in the Sistine Chapel (no photos!), keep your knees covered, and remember that even though you're in Rome, you've technically crossed a border.