Vatican's Museums to Limit Number of Visitors as of May

The deserted entrance of the closed Vatican Museums during a
lockdown aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19, March 24, 2020,
Vatican City (AFP Photo)
The deserted entrance of the closed Vatican Museums during a lockdown aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19, March 24, 2020, Vatican City (AFP Photo)
TT
20

Vatican's Museums to Limit Number of Visitors as of May

The deserted entrance of the closed Vatican Museums during a
lockdown aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19, March 24, 2020,
Vatican City (AFP Photo)
The deserted entrance of the closed Vatican Museums during a lockdown aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19, March 24, 2020, Vatican City (AFP Photo)

The Vatican Museums and Gardens will be reopening to visitors on May 3 following a temporary opening, museum organizers have announced. While visitors will have a chance to see the fine craftsmanship on the ceiling of the renowned Sistine Chapel, Italy's tourism remains hobbled by the coronavirus pandemic.

Currently, there are hardly any tourists in Rome because of the travel restrictions in Italy.

In pre-pandemic times, a visit to the Vatican Museums often meant queues, overcrowding and guards telling you to move along.

Announcing the plans on March 8, the museums' organizers in the Vatican City said that for public health reasons, visits will still need to be booked in advance on the museums' website.

In addition, only a limited number of guests will be admitted. The opening date is also provisional and will ultimately depend on COVID-19 infection rates at the time.

Recently, the infection curve in Italy had dropped slightly, but the figures are still generally higher than in other parts of Europe.

The museums in the Vatican had been closed again after a temporary opening after the third wave in March. Their visitor numbers have risen steadily in recent years, to 6.7 million in 2019. Ticket sales are an important source of revenue for the Vatican City State.



Coffee Overtaking Tea Culture in the UK

“Fancy a brew?” is no longer as familiar as it once were as coffee has overtaken tea in the UK (Getty)
“Fancy a brew?” is no longer as familiar as it once were as coffee has overtaken tea in the UK (Getty)
TT
20

Coffee Overtaking Tea Culture in the UK

“Fancy a brew?” is no longer as familiar as it once were as coffee has overtaken tea in the UK (Getty)
“Fancy a brew?” is no longer as familiar as it once were as coffee has overtaken tea in the UK (Getty)

Discover the hidden gem of the UK's coffee culture, where vibrant independent cafes outshine the chains, offering a unique blend of flavors and atmospheres.

“Fancy a brew?” “I'll put the kettle on then.” Hearing those words are no longer as familiar as it once were as coffee has overtaken tea in the UK, The Daily Express newspaper reported on Monday.

It said grabbing a coffee either on the go or at a café is as part of British culture these days as it is in Italy.

But while every person has its favorite chain, be it Pret, Starbucks, Costa or Cafe Nero, nothing beats finding a decent independent coffee shop one can call home especially when it can seem high streets are dominated by the same chains.

So with the demand for coffee only growing, where is the best spot in the UK to find an independent coffee shop?

A study by Reviva Coffee reveals the UK city that is the hidden gem when it comes to thriving coffee culture.

And it probably isn't where you'd expect. In fact this county is synonymous with tea. Yorkshire Tea, to be precise.

However the study discovered the best UK city to find independent coffee shops is in the Yorkshire city of Leeds. It has a staggering 584 coffee shops, of which 86.3% are independent, and just under 14% are chains.

Placing second is Edinburgh. Whether you’re a coffee connoisseur or just needing a cosy pit stop, Edinburgh has you covered with its outstanding coffee scene with 560 shops, 85% of which are independents.

In third for best UK cities for independent coffee shops is Bristol which has 347 coffee shops, 86.3% of which are independent.