The tiny Principality of Liechtenstein was on our agenda as part of a four-day bus trip through southern Switzerland. Our time was very limited as we had to stick to the bus trip’s timetable. The reasons for the stop seemed to be so that people could say they had been to the tiny country. With only an hour of free time, we walked down the Main Street, looked at the Cathedral, parliament building and took pictures of some sculptures.
Parliament of LiechtensteinLiechtenstein National ArchivesCathedral of St. Florin
There was an opportunity to get your passport stamped, but we gave this a miss as once within the Shengen Zone, there was no need for border checks, so no stamps from most countries we went to.
Vaduz Castle
We did see Vaduz castle from the town centre and took some photos, but it is not open to the public, even if we could have visited it.
While visiting Rome we wanted to go to the Vatican City to see the great artworks there as well as Saint Peter’s Basilica. Research showed that the crowds in the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel could become overwhelming, so we chose to do an early entry tour with limited participants.
St Peter’s BasilicaFontana della Pigna
We met our guide and other tourists at the Vatican Museum Entrance. She provided us with earphones so that we could hear her commentary and followed her inside and past the huge queues already waiting to enter. This was where we discovered that although this tour had limited members and we did indeed enter before the general entrants, there were dozens of other priority groups going in with us.
Vatican Museums
We slowly walked through the Vatican Museums, which are magnificent. If what we did was considered not crowded, general entry must be unbearable. We were able to see everything, from the sculptures to the ornate ceilings and the guide provided a fantastic commentary that we really enjoyed.
Bramante StaircaseVatican Museum CeilingStatue of Artemis, the Fertility Goddess
Raphael Rooms
Our next stop was the Raphael Rooms which were as amazing as we expected them to be and here we were able to take time to contemplate the artworks.
Raphael RoomsRaphael Rooms
Sistine Chapel
The highlight of the tour, as expected was Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. No photographs are permitted here, and silence is expected. There are guards that enforce these rules. We spent 15 minutes admiring this cultural marvel before we had to leave.
Saint Peter’s Basilica
Saint Peter’s Basilica is even larger than we expected. To demonstrate its size, the central aisle has the other great Cathedrals marked out for comparison. Sydney’s St Mary’s is tiny compared to Saint Peter’s. There are artworks, sculptures and tombs on display that would take days to appreciate fully. After showing us the highlights of the Basilica, our guide left us here. We spent hours looking here and down in the crypt where many past popes are interred.
St Peter’s BasilicaSt Peter’s Basilica
As with many places, there is a gift shop and a dedicated post office to send cards from the Vatican City.
Vatican City Crypts
What Did We Think?
The Vatican City is an amazing place to visit, even if you are not religious. The volumes of artworks and the historical significance make it a fascinating place to visit. The guide provided an amazing insight into the history and workings of the Vatican that we would otherwise not have had. A fantastic half day that we really enjoyed.
La Perouse is a Sydney suburb on the shores of Botany Bay and home to some historic locations and scenic views. The suburb takes its name from the French explorer La Perouse who arrived here in 1788 eight days after the first fleet arrived from England. Never seen again after sailing into the Pacific his disappearance remained a mystery for decades. It was not until 1828 that a French expedition determined that the La Pérouse expedition was wrecked at Vanikoro, Santa Cruz, north of the New Hebrides Several memorials to him and his crew are near the museum.
We parked on ANZAC Parade as there was plenty of available spaces. From here we walked around the area taking in the views as we went. There are beautiful views of the coast, Conwong Beach and Bare Island from Anzac Parade.
Congwong Beach
Bare Island
Bare Island was our first stop but was closed to the public when we visited. The foot bridge was open which gave us a good look at one side of the fort as well as back to the headland and beaches. The old fort gives Bare Island a unique appearance making is worth going to. The fort was part of Sydney’s original defences but is now disused. You will need to find opening days and times before visiting if you want to go onto the actual island.
Walkway to Bare IslandWalkway to Bare Island
Memorials and Graves
Walking back to the mainland we stopped to look at Macquarie Watchtower before having a walk around the foreshore and Frenchman’s Beach. A memorial erected by the French to honour La Perouse overlooks Botany Bay, near the Museum. The second European buried in Australia, Father Louis Receveur has his gave not far from the Memorial. The first European buried in Australia was one of Captain Cook’s crew in 1770. His grave is located across the water in Kamay Botany Bay National Park, which we had visited that morning.
Grave of Father Louis ReceveurMacquarie Watch Tower
La Perouse Museum
The museum has items from French explorers which are very interesting. It has a nice little café with nice seating outside looking over the coast and Frenchman’s Beach.
La Perouse Memorial and MuseumLa Perouse Memorial
A great place to visit with a range of things to see and do, from early European history to nice walks and scenery.
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
