Blessed are those who follow a guide

The moment was hardly spiritual, not with 200 people crowded inside, the drone of hushed conversations and the incessant bellows of "no pictures" and "shush" from the security guards.

Yet my chest tightened as I stepped inside the Sistine Chapel for the first time.

The scene stretched above me with the brilliance and awe-inspiring intensity of a fireworks display, but also with an emotional wonder that is more subdued.

Since taking a college art class nine years earlier, I had hoped to see the Sistine Chapel for myself.

A love of religion or art or history or just plain curiosity have drawn visitors to the Vatican City for more than a century.

I came partly because of my Catholic upbringing but mostly because I wanted to see Michelangelo's masterpieces - the vault, or ceiling, and Last Judgement, which combined took almost a decade of the artist's life to complete.

Usually, I visit places on my own, preferring to set my own pace and follow my own itinerary.

That's a bad idea when visiting the Vatican during high season, when a cruise ship is in port or the Pope is making an appearance.

In any of these situations, your best bet is to join a tour or hire a guide.

We encountered the nightmare trifecta on our visit in May.

Not only were three ships worth of passengers visiting the Vatican, but its museums and St Peter's Basilica had closed that morning while the Pope held his weekly general address at St Peter's Square.

That afternoon, about 40 of us arrived with our guide, Stefania Andreani, and breezed through security in less than 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, outside, the general public waited in line for more than three hours to access St Peter's Basilica.

Front-of-the-line privileges go to visitors accompanied by official guides.

Plus, Andreani was like a walking Vatican encyclopedia.

Her little tidbits of knowledge really enhanced what I already knew from my own research, such as how Michelangelo depicted himself as skin in purgatory in the Last Judgement and how the Tapestry Room ceilings looked like carvings but were actually frescoes.

Who knew 3-D art had its roots in the 14th century?The Vatican may be the world's smallest recognised country, but at 44ha, it is a massive undertaking for any visitor trying to see the sights.

You would need several days to see everything.

Because I was on a Royal Caribbean cruise, I had only one day

Highlight:

Here are a few of the highlights worth seeing for single-day visitors:

St Peter's Basilica: The 25,550sq m basilica with 44 altars took 18 centuries to build.

It is said that St Peter was crucified and buried between 64 and 67AD. A chapel was built on his tomb, later replaced by the basilica.

Inside, beneath the canopy of the Cattedra Altar, is the "Tomb of St Peter". Recent archaeological findings support the belief that the apostle was buried here.

Above the altar is the cupola, designed by Michelangelo and finished by his student Giacomo Della Porta. The cupola inspired future domes, including London's St Paul's in 1675 and Washington DC's Capitol building in 1794.

Equally grand is the nave by Donato Bramante, continued by Michelangelo and finished by Carlo Maderno.

The massive space is decorated with mosaics, 39 statues of saints and Baroque stuccowork. It also features large fluted pilasters.

One of the most famous works of art sits in the first chapel. Michelangelo's Pieta is one of his earliest sculptures, showing a resigned Mary holding the limp body of her son, Jesus.