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.
Courtyard: Before entering the museums, visit the courtyard of the "Pigna", featuring a giant bronze pine cone that once stood near the Pantheon.
Also here are the 1990 concentric spheres by sculptor Amaldo Pomodoro.
Galleries: To reach the Sistine Chapel, visitors pass through a series of galleries.
Arguably the most impressive is the Gallery of Maps.
The walls are covered by 40 maps painted between 1580 and 1585 to highlight the major Italian cities and the papal properties at the time of Pope Gregory XIII.
Even more stunning is the barrel-vaulted ceiling, covered entirely in brightly detailed frescoes.
Sistine Chapel: Seeing himself as a sculptor, Michelangelo initially declined the commission to paint the ceiling but later relented when Pope Julius II gave him free reign to highlight any biblical scenes.
The end result has 300 scenes, including the Creation and the Great Flood.
Michelangelo may be the star, but the chapel is also a showcase for many great Renaissance artists, including Raphael, Bernini and Botticelli.
The chapel is best known as the site where each pope is elected.
Egyptian Museum: A sandstone head of Mentuhotep II is the oldest portrait in the Vatican Museums and located here.
Historians also will enjoy the Egyptian mummies, sarcophagi, hieroglyphics and statues.
One of the most notable statues is of Queen Tuaa, who was the mother of Ramses II.
Etruscan Museum: Here you will find one of the world's largest collections of Etruscan art, including the Regolini-Galassi tomb.
Also on display is an impressive chariot, as well as bronzes, urns and jewellery.
These six stops provide only a small glimpse into all that the Vatican has to offer, but each is awe-inspiring in its own right.
If you go:
Vatican museums: Cost is 15 ($NZ27) for adults and 8 ($NZ14.50) for children.
Two-hour guided tours, which include the Sistine Chapel, are available for an additional 31 ($NZ56) for adults and 25 ($NZ45) for children.
Guide: Our guide for the Vatican was Stefania Andreani.
Contact her at steffy782001yahoo.it
Dress code: Visitors must adhere to a strict dress code for admittance to St Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel.
Not allowed are shorts, skirts above the knee and sleeveless shirts.
Security will turn you away.
To see the Pope: General audiences with the Pope are usually held at 10.30am on Wednesdays.
Locations vary and include St Peter's Square, the Paul VI Hall (Aula Nervi) and St Peter's Basilica.
Free tickets are available from the Pontifical Household: Prefettura della Casa Pontificia, Palazzo Apostolico, 00120 Vatican City State.
