Vatican city, steps and icecream

Off to Vatican City on my non stop tourism quest. Vatican City is the smallest independent state in the world by area, and also the world's least populated. (Cheers Wikipedia, as always)

First up St Peter's Square and Basilica. St Peter's is a late Renaissance church with the largest interior of any Christian church in the world.

Here's the square. The giant TV screens, as we later discovered, were for broadcasting the Pope to the crowds as he made an appearance! As a result I have been accidently blessed by the Pope. Cool.

The dome of St. Peter's rises to a total height of 136.57 metres (448.1 ft) from the floor of the basilica to the top of the external cross. It is the tallest dome in the world and by god did I feel it after climbing to the top.

Here's the iconic view from the top looking out over the square.

After nearly going blind climbing the hundreds of steps to the top I deserved ice cream, and the Italians do it rather well with Gelatto, a creamy creamy dollop of loveliness, here we are being typically restrained . . .

And here is Mr Caffine Addict himself with one of the million coffees of the holiday.

Vatican Museum, Gallery of Maps and the Sistine Chapel next up folks!!!