When the pope alights in the Big Apple on Thursday for a whirlwind tour of the city, he’ll be riding a wave of Francis Fever.
Since his election in 2013, the number of annual visitors to the Vatican has nearly tripled. It’s time for New Yorkers to book a flight, join the crowds and return the favor.
And with his recent announcement of a surprise Jubilee Holy Year beginning this December (it wasn’t expected to happen until 2025), during which forgiveness can be found by crossing through the holy doors of four basilicas in Rome, there may be no better time for your own Roman holiday — Pope Francis-style.
Here are a few tips and tricks for staying ahead of the papal pack.
The Sistine Chapel — all to yourself
As soon as you arrive in Italy, you’ll want to leave the country. To see the Vatican, of course — the smallest country in the world, with its own post office, fire department, coins and zero percent birth rate. Be warned: Lines for the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica can stretch for hours — and with 20,000 visitors per day, your view of Michelangelo’s and Raphael’s masterworks will be a sweaty, cheek-by-jowl exercise in nun-like patience (try not to glower as you’re pushed and jostled for the 100th time while gazing up at God’s finger stretching to Adam). To lessen the stress, try one of three strategies:
• Visit the museums when the pope is celebrating Mass (free tickets at papalaudience.org) and crowds are focused on him.
• Sneak in via the Vatican Express early-morning tour from the excellent City Wonders ($77/ticket). The company has an exclusive deal that lets you skip ahead of other groups and spend a few surreal and glorious moments in an empty and silent Sistine Chapel. A seasoned art history expert offers context on the sublime frescoes, then it’s on to St. Peter’s, whose tremendous dome (the largest in the world), 98-foot-tall altar pavilion by Bernini, and radiant Pietà sculpture by Michelangelo will leave in you awe. Finally, you’ll creep down to the Vatican crypts to see where past popes are buried.
• Stay up late with the Vatican Museums’ new Night Openings ($23/ticket through Oct. 30), offering access to the Sistine Chapel, resplendent Raphael rooms and corridors of magnificent art — from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Pro pope tip: Save your souvenir hunting for the two-story shop at the entrance to St. Peter’s — it’s run by nuns who’ve blessed all the inventory.
Spooky crypts & catacombs
Rome is known as the Eternal City for many reasons — not least of which is the millennia of dearly departed buried below, whose stories help illuminate the political and religious history of civilization. One of the most fascinating secret spots to pay your respects is in the Capuchin crypts, a series of underground chapels elaborately decorated with the skeletons of 3,700 friars.
Not for the faint of heart, these bone sculptures evoke an otherworldly beauty (think angel wings made from human shoulder blades, a clock of finger bones, an entire crypt of pelvises) that’s truly spine-tingling. A Crypts and Catacombs tour ($77/ticket) combines the Capuchin chapels with a bus trip to the St. Domitilla Catacombs outside the city walls, where you can climb deep into the cool, damp earth and roam through the warren of final resting caves for 150,000 souls. A guide is required — not to mention imperative for finding your way out!
Then steel your nerves for the wildly popular Dark Rome ($28/ticket) ghost tour of the city. Don’t worry, there’s a gelato stop if you need a break from all the spooky.
Pro pope tip: The Capuchin Crypts is where cappuccino was invented, courtesy of friars trying to camouflage their verboten coffee with frothy milk on top. Pope Francis would surely approve — he’s an espresso man himself. For the best in Rome, brave the lines at Sant’Eustachio Caffé — it’s worth the wait.
Francis the foodie
Pope Francis may have spent years cooking humble meals for himself, but he’s still got the heart of an Italian gourmand, telling Argentine newspaper La voz del Pueblo this spring that he misses “going to a pizzeria to eat a good pizza.”
For just such delicious pizza and pasta (cacio e pepe for days — rejoice!) without the turistas, venture to the quaint Al 384 Ristorante. Or book a gourmet wine and food pairing class with an expert sommelier from Roscioli restaurant, offering generous pours of impressive Italian wines and plates of cheese, tuna, salsiccia, pasta and fresh pesto so good, you’ll buy a jar for everyone you’ve ever met ($77/person including wine and dinner).
Pro pope tip: After decades in Argentina, Francis reportedly loves a good empanada and grilled beef. It may sound like foodie sacrilege, but to truly eat like the pope, try dinner at Argentine joint Baires.
Rome’s divine sights
Rome’s other must-see attractions also all lead back to the papacy, in one way or another. Guess where the Vatican got all that marble for St. Peter’s Basilica? By tearing down huge chunks of the Colosseum, of course! Give yourself at least half a day to tour those magnificent ruins, along with the Forum and Palatine Hill. Request expert guide Sev from City Wonders if you can get him — a deeply knowledgeable professor of ancient topography at the University of Rome who will bring the gory spectacle of the Colosseum alive before your eyes ($59).
As for Rome’s other not-to-miss treasures, as long as you don’t mind getting lost a few dozen times, you can easily wander on your own around the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain (undergoing repairs through late fall, but still visible through Plexiglas barriers) and the Pantheon (be sure to read up on this ancient architectural marvel before you go — and note that this pagan temple with its wondrous dome was only spared from ravage because it was consecrated as … you guessed it … a church).
Sleep like an angel
The grand Rome Cavalieri hotel sprawls like an empyrean villa on the highest hill in the city, offering stunning skyline views. It’s blessed with an impressive private art collection; La Pergola, a three-star Michelin restaurant helmed by chef Heinz Beck; a majestic, 27,000-square-foot spa; and three outdoor pools, along with a “winter pool” covered by an elegant glass canopy. The hotel’s luxurious rooms and suites are done up in Baroque splendor, boasting rococo furnishings and marble for days (from $330/night in October).
Heavenly flight
When Pope Francis isn’t riding around in his Ford Focus or the ubiquitous popemobile, he travels on Alitalia. And because Etihad bailed out the airline last summer, Italy’s national carrier is undergoing a spiffy makeover, sending most of its staff to Abu Dhabi for updated training, introducing dine-anytime menus and upgrading cabin interiors with luxurious blankets and seats. Ferragamo toiletry products, tasty Italian dishes and impeccable service make its Magnifica business class a newly exceptional experience ($869 sample round-trip fare from New York to Rome).
Pro pope tip: Always, always carry your own luggage — just like Pope Francis, a true man of the people.