Vatican - Vatican Museums

According to online travel guides, it's highly recommended to book tickets in advance. However, we didn't do that 🤣. When we arrived, there were many people with lanyards around their necks offering tickets. They might sound like official staff, but they are not. They were selling tickets for €40, which is way overpriced. We almost fell for it! Official tickets cost €20 for adults, and online reservations add a €5 handling fee per ticket, allowing you to skip the line. On the day we visited, the crowd wasn't too bad, so we decided to try queuing. It took us about an hour to get in, which is much shorter than the two to three hours mentioned online. We noticed that every 15 minutes, staff let in about 6-8 people. In conclusion, I think it's worth spending a bit more to book tickets in advance and save time 🤣. Inside the Vatican Museums, there are many Renaissance artworks. The halls and frescoes are stunning ⚜️, with harmonious and subdued colors. Some famous areas include the Raphael Rooms 🖼️, the Gallery of Tapestries, the Round Hall, and the Gallery of Maps 🗺️. I love paintings, but I felt there weren't as many paintings as I expected. Instead, the museum showcases a variety of artistic elements, and I found myself admiring the intricate decorations on the walls and ceilings. When I first saw Raphael's famous "The School of Athens" (a classic from school textbooks 😂), I didn't even recognize it 🙈. I hadn't realized it was a massive wall fresco, and I hadn't done my homework 🙈. Overall, the Vatican Museums are quite enjoyable to explore and definitely worth visiting 🙌🏻. Unfortunately, the Sistine Chapel was closed for the election of a new Pope 🗳️, so we couldn't see Michelangelo's "The Creation of Adam" and "The Last Judgment." Such a pity 🥹.