When you enter the castle, you're in the oldest part, Hadrian's mausoleum. Before you start up the spiral ramp, there's a cool model of the mausoleum, the exterior bristles with tons of statues, greenery, and a bronze statue of the emperor in a chariot. (Alternatively, you could go up explore the four bastions and Marcia Ronda wall walk before going into the castle).

The spiral ramp goes round and round inside, by a reconstruced guardroom, over a bridge, up to the Angel Courtyard , which has a marble >angel. In the Alexander VI Courtyard is a big wooden catapault and lots of cannon balls. Also, the Arms Museum has a super collection of elegant 16th - 19th century century rifles, pistols, swords, crossbows, shields, chain mail, and armor.

Keep on going up and you'll pass through the papal apartments, including the pope's bathtub, beautifully decorated with frescoes (the bathtub looks very short), and look for unicorns. Go up to the treasury room , where treasures were kept in all the wooden cupboards and chests (metal chest in the middle is quite big).

At the top of the castle, the Terrace of the Angel is a wide open space, with panoramic views of Rome in all directions (this is our favorite view of Rome). Rome looks like a city in miniature, thousands of red roofs, hundreds of domed churches, the milky green Tiber River winding through the city. And the crowning glory, a spectacular bronze angel (namesake of the castle) that represents the Archangel Michael.

The interior of the basilica is a tapestry of amazing textures and colors. On the floor, the marble patterns in shades of cream, brown and green are dazzling. Check out all the columns decorated with chubby cherubs. Not to be missed, Michelangelo's exquisite Pieta. In the center of the cathedral is the awe-inspiring Bernini Baldacchino, the big Baroque black and gold canopy that marks a special spot - underneath is the tomb of St. Peter. Kitty corner to the Baldacchino is the 13th century bronze statue of St. Peter . Kids can feel free to touch and rub St. Peter's foot.

For the top-down view of St. Peter's, take the elevator up to the cupola , and then climb to the top of the dome.

Tip : A dress code for St. Peter's is enforced. No bare shoulders, no shorts above the knees (this includes guys). Kids may be allowed in wearing shorts, but not bare shoulders (bring a T-shirt along to cover them up).

The jewel in the crown of the Vatican Museums is the Sistine Chapel, but there's great stuff to see as you wend your way through the passages and galleries to the chapel. Even in summer season, the Vatican Museums are well organized and you can go through the museums at your own pace. Audio tours are available where you buy your tickets.

Poke your head into the Egyptian museum to see mummies, sarcophagi, canopic jars and statues. The Museo Pio Clementino is chock full of fabulous Greek (copies) and Roman sculptures.

To get to and from the Sistine Chapel, you'll pass through long galleries and private apartments. Stop at the Gallery of Maps , very cool Renaissance wall maps of different regions of Italy (those pointy mountains and blue ocean are reminiscent of relief maps at school.)

The highlight of the Stanza di Raffaello (Raphael Rooms) is the painting, The School of Athens , with portraits of Michelangelo (dark haired guy, looks like he's thinking hard, in the foreground) and Leonardo da Vinci (silver haired guy pointing his finger straight up).

Sistine Chapel - The Sistine Chapel is amazing, and it's just not Michelangelo's glowing frescoes - every inch of the chapel is incredibly decorated, the floors, walls, ceiling. Try to find a space on the marble benches, then you can sit down and look up easily. The ceiling is high up, so bring your binoculars so you can see the details of Michelangelo's incredible frescoes, recently restored in bright living colors. The Biblical stories painted in the Sistine Chapel are familiar ones - the Creation, the Garden of Eden, Noah and the flood.

After the Sistine Chapel, you'll pass through the Library Gallery , lined with beautifully painted cabinets for books in the Vatican library. The bookcases have different designs with animals, heraldic shields, landscapes.

Museo Gregorian-Etrusco This museum has all the good stuff taken from the Etruscan Regolini-Glassi Tomb in Ceveteri. Highlights of the museum are all the gold jewelry, and Etruscan specialties such as a bronze statue the Mars of Todi, or terra cotta portrait heads. The collection also includes exquisite Greek vases.

Once you've seen at the goodies in the museums, mail a postcard from the Vatican post office, something special for your friends and relatives back home. In the museums area, there's an air-conditioned cafeteria for snacks, pizza and pasta, and a place to relax.