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Where is the country of Vatican City located? As a sovereign state within the city of Rome in Italy, Vatican City has a distinct position within the European Union. Although this smallest independent country in the world does not officially belong to the EU, it does have the euro as its currency and Vatican City mints its own euro coins. The country is led by the Holy See and is effectively an ecclesiastical state.

In terms of weather, Vatican City has a Mediterranean climate, with warm summers and mild winters. Precipitation can fall throughout the year, but the chance of this is much smaller in the relatively dry summers than during the winter months. When the Pope addresses the many faithful on St. Peter’s Square during Christmas, there is a good chance of gray weather with possibly some precipitation. The Catholics do not have to face freezing cold, because the chance of frost during the day is also nil in winter and only occasionally does it come to light frost at night. Those who want to visit the Vatican City should take into account fairly high temperatures in the summer months, which can rise to well above thirty degrees. Temperatures lower than 25 degrees are virtually non-existent during the hottest months of July and August. Spring and autumn are fairly short-lived and the late autumn month of November in particular can provide the necessary precipitation.

Climate figures

The figures below are based on long-term average climate statistics. The temperatures are displayed in degrees Celsius (°C).

Best time to visit Vatican City

Do you want to know when is the best time to travel to Vatican City? You can determine the best time to travel to a destination based on the weather and climate. In addition, there are other factors that are not directly related to the weather and that can influence the best travel periods for a travel destination. Think, for example, of holidays or festive periods, which makes traveling more interesting or not, because daily life comes to a standstill as a result. With an area of ​​only 0.44 square kilometers, Vatican City is the smallest independent country in the world. Vatican City is surrounded by Rome and is therefore an enclave within Italy. Anyone who visits Vatican City will almost always do so in combination with a city trip in Rome. The Mediterranean climate means that summers in Vatican City are warm and sunny and winters are mild but cloudier and wetter. For many, the weather is an important factor for a trip to Rome, but good weather is less important for a visit to Vatican City. With the exception of the time you spend in the queues or on St. Peter’s Square, you will spend most of your time indoors in Vatican City.

Most pleasant months

Based on the weather, spring and autumn are the best time to visit the Vatican City. It is not too hot or too cold. If you take into account the chance of precipitation, May, June and September are the best months to visit the Vatican City. April and October are fine in terms of temperature, but there is a greater chance of rain. In the summer it gets hot in Vatican City. Count on maximum temperatures of 28 to 34 degrees Celsius on average. Can also be warmer. It is really no fun in the summer months to stand in queues at such temperatures, especially if you are also in the full sun.

Avoid the crowds

Vatican City is very crowded. There are daily queues for St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums. Now, a destination like Vatican City doesn’t really have a quieter period. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter at all when you travel to Vatican City. The months of April, May, June, September and October are the busiest periods. Especially around Easter it can be extremely busy in Vatican City. The same goes for the days around Christmas. If you want to avoid the crowds somewhat, travel to Vatican City in January, February or November.