Disappointed by the tourist experience around Vatican Museums

Vatican Museums in Italy is extraordinary — the scale and history hit you immediately. But the experience around it has been thoroughly commercialised. Getting there, navigating the crowds, and dealing with persistent sellers around Venice centre made it more stressful than it should be.

Away from the main sites the country improves dramatically. The food (osso buco especially) is excellent and world-famous cuisine was genuinely memorable. But I'd wish for a smoother experience at the headline attractions. It's still worth the trip — just lower your expectations around the big sights.