Visiting the Vatican Museums is a truly unique experience. It is such an amazing place with such an abundance of artwork. Some of the most famous pieces of art in the world can be found there. Be amazed by the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo and enjoy the beautiful frescos of Raphael. There are statues from Roman times, paintings from artists as different as Giotto, Leonardo and Caravaggio and so much more. In fact, the museums are enormous. It can be quite overwhelming. What's worse, the museums were never built as museums. The artworks are displayed in the rooms and halls that were once used by the Pope and his court. This is why most of the museum is one direction only. Moreover, mass tourism has caused the amount of visitors to the museums to spike in recent years. Many people stand in line for hours outside, just to be able to visit the museums. In this guidebook, I will try to show you the best way to visit the museums and I will tell you all the stories and details about the most important works in the museums. In addition, I'll give you essential tips for visiting the museums. I've worked for many years as a guide inside the museums. This is truly a special place. I have put all that I have learned in these years in this book. I hope it will help to make your visit to the museums an unforgettable experience.

Nearly three hundred illustrations and a text reveal the entire range of the Vatican's artistic holdings, replete with priceless masterworks from all periods.

Discover the artistic wonders of the Vatican, from the Sistine Chapel to Raphael's frescoes, with the New York Times bestselling book The Vatican: All the Paintings; now in a practical and elegant paperback format. The Vatican is one of the most visited sites in the world. It encompasses numerous museums and palaces, and houses one of the finest art collections known to man. Amassed by popes throughout the centuries, including several of the most renowned Roman sculptures and important masterpieces of Renaissance art in the world, the Vatican is a perennial source of awe and fascination. From Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel and his Pieta, to the Raphael frescoes, to the works of Giotto, Fra Angelica, Titian, and Caravaggio, The Vatican: All the Paintings is an unprecedented celebration of this great collection. The book is organized into 22 sections representing the museums and areas of the Vatican, including the Pinacotea, the Sistine Chapel, the Raphael Rooms, the Borgia Apartments, the Vatican Palaces, and St. Peter's Basilica. Each one of the 976 works of art represented in this book -- including the 661 classical paintings on display in the permanent painting collection and 315 other masterpieces -- is annotated with the name of the painting and artists, the date of the work, the birth and death of the artist, the medium that was used, the size of the work, and the catalog number (if applicable). In addition, 180 of the most iconic paintings, sculptures, and other pieces of art are highlights with 300-word essays by art historian Anja Grebe and bestselling author Ross King. Here you will find information such as the key attributes of the work, what to look for when viewing it, the artist's inspirations and techniques, biographical information on the artist, and the artist's impact on history.

This book will help you if you plan on visiting the Vatican or want to know more about it. The Vatican is an enormous place, full of artwork and history. It can even be a bit overwhelming when you visit it. Saint Peter's Basilica is filled with baroque sculptures, the Vatican Museums have art from all time periods and the Sistine Chapel and the Raphael Rooms have the most beautiful Fresco's in the world. Visiting such a place can be an amazing, once in a lifetime experience. You can make the most out of your visit by preparing it a bit. Believe me, the Vatican will make so much more sense to you if you know some of the best stories about the art and the people that created it. If you don't know what to look at, it can be really too much. In my Vatican guide book, I will show you exactly what to pay attention to. You will know exactly which artworks are considered the most important and you will know the often amazing stories behind their creation. I also included a lot of must-know tips for visitors, which will make your stay a pleasant one. Maybe you have heard of the long lines and the hours people have to wait before entering Saint Peter's or the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel? I will give you some tips on how to avoid these lines, and much more. I wrote this book as a complete guide to the Vatican. It describes the most important artworks you can find inside the Vatican. I am a tour guide in the Vatican Museums and the city of Rome itself. Besides this I also work all over Italy as a tour guide. I found that most guidebooks people have only provide very general information. Just a few hotel and restaurant recommendations and descriptions of the monuments with lots of pictures. This guidebook is completely different. It is for those people that want to have a much more profound knowledge about the Vatican and its monuments. In it, you will find detailed descriptions and maps of the Vatican museums, Saint Peter's Basilica and Vatican City. I use this book as a reference for my work as a tour guide. I hope it will give you a deep understanding of all the beautiful statues, fresco's, tapestries and paintings in this amazing place.

Swim in the sparkling Mediterranean, marvel at the peak of Mount Etna, and get to know this region's timeless charm: with Rick Steves on your side, Sicily can be yours! Inside Rick Steves Sicily you'll find: Comprehensive coverage for spending a week or more exploring Sicily Rick's strategic advice on how to get the most out of your time and money, with rankings of his must-see favorites Top sights and hidden gems, from Mount Etna and the Byzantine mosaics of Monreale to the Ballarò street market and Siracusa's puppet museum How to connect with culture: Savor seafood-centric cuisine made from ancient recipes, catch an opera performance at the Teatro Massimo, or sample authentic Marsala wine Beat the crowds, skip the lines, and avoid tourist traps with Rick's candid, humorous insight The best places to eat, sleep, and relax with a glass of local Nero d'Avola Self-guided walking tours of lively neighborhoods and incredible museums Detailed maps for exploring on the go Useful resources including a packing list, a historical overview, and useful Italian phrases Over 350 bible-thin pages include everything worth seeing without weighing you down Complete, up-to-date information on Palermo, Cefalù, Trapani and the West Coast, Agrigento and the Valley of the Temples, Ragusa and the Southeast, Catania, Taormina, and more Make the most of every day and every dollar with Rick Steves Sicily.

Discover the rich history and culture of some of the world¿s most influential historical places with these highly illustrated books, packed with informative and enlightening descriptions and information