Description: So, not everyone knows that there is an opportunity not only to walk in the Vatican Museums, but also to book in advance to tour the Vatican gardens, where evening strolls the Pope himself.
Keep in mind that the number of seats on a tour of the gardens is limited, better to book tickets in advance.
Website: http://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va
The price in March was 31 euros per person. These additional tickets give the right to go to the Vatican (without waiting in line at the end of the tour) to see the museums.
Gardens occupy more than half the territory of the Vatican. They begin their story in the XIV century, with Pope Nicholas III, when my father returned from the Avignon exile in Rome.
In the Vatican gardens, growing apart from the Mediterranean a great number of rare exotic plants and ancient trees, there are a variety of buildings, including the Chinese pagoda, all kinds of towers, palaces and houses around a fountain, with viewing platforms, offering stunning views. Here you can see many sculptures from the marble statues of ancient to modern creations.
These gardens for centuries constantly changes, every father brought here something to his own. Although among the popes, as well as among ordinary people, there were those who did not particularly interested in landscape art and true lovers of gardening and landscape design.
In the gardens of the Vatican so many evergreens, it is cedar, pine, cypress, boxwood, palm trees, olive trees, magnolias and ivy, and many others. They form the basis of the gardens and allow them to be green all year round. I must say that it employs a team of professional gardeners, who supports all in perfect condition. In the gardens of many of emerald lawns, bright flowers, close-cropped greens.
Bypasses the Vatican side and landscape mode. In different corners of the garden you can see almost all European garden styles. Of the latest innovations can be called a stone wall, planted with succulent plants: cactus, agave, jade, aloe, and others. These southern plants feel well in the Italian climate. In addition, they are protected by the walls of Vatican City from the cold winter winds.
In the most elevated part of the gardens, next to a grove of horse chestnut trees, under which the land is covered in autumn "lacquered" fruits, dad, when he was in Rome, walking every day. Laid special lane, divided into two walls, built at such an angle that Dad was going out with one hand, if the blowing winds of winter, and on the other - in the summer. This is the most heavily guarded place in the Vatican gardens.
About four o'clock the policeman on duty in the courtyard of St. Damasus reserved claps his hands, giving a sign to his companion on the opposite side yard to do the same. And the signal that spreads through the gardens, and every police officer knows that the pope now sit in my car and go for a walk. When approaching vehicles, even the policeman down on one knee and saluted.
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