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Vatican Tour

R

Rancher

TUG Member
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Jun 13, 2005
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Location
Irricana Alberta
We will be in Rome for a week in the middle of September. We plan on visiting the Vatican for a day and was wondering if there are any tours you might recommend and should we purchase tickets in advance.

Thanks
 
We have used these folks both in Florence and at the Vatican. In both cases, a day just is not enough, but these tours will at least get you in and close to the most important pieces along with entertaining narrative. http://www.italy.artviva.com/location/9/Rome_%26_Vatican-45 As you see there are several tours to choose from depending on time, interests, and price. I'd suggest booking well in advance.

To give you an idea of the vastness of the Vatican's collection, if you spend just 5 minutes in front of each exhibited piece, it would take 24 hours a day for 3 years to see it all. Use a guide.

Jim
 
You might want to try Context Tours - they offer a Vatican art and history as well as many other tours lead by knowledgeable professional docents -
 
vatican

You can do the underground tour of the vatican for free. You will see things no one else will. It is called the Scavi tour-just contact the archeological office at the vatican. Do a search here for more info.
 
When we did the Vatican Tour, we went to the end of the line, thinking that the line was just up the block. I walked up the block, and saw that the line extended around the corner and ANOTHER block to the entrance! It was HUGE.

The "trick" is to join a tour group. There are always hawkers selling tickets to join an official tour. You pay double the price of entry, so around 30 euro instead of 15 euro, but well worth it not to stand in a queue for hours. Once inside, you can choose whether to stick with your guide, and we had a really knowledgeable one so we did say with her, or go on your own.

Some absolutely astounding sculptures in the Vatican garden. Well worth it (but not worth the loooooong wait...).
 
Scavi

Jimster said:
You can do the underground tour of the vatican for free. You will see things no one else will. It is called the Scavi tour-just contact the archeological office at the vatican. Do a search here for more info.
Click to expand...

This tour was the highlight of our visit to Vatican City. There are only around 10-15 people permitted for each group and English-language tours are limited to a few daily. You will be taken to the site where St. Peter's bones were found in the 30's and exit into a huge hall where many Popes are entombed.
 
beejaybeeohio said:
This tour was the highlight of our visit to Vatican City. There are only around 10-15 people permitted for each group and English-language tours are limited to a few daily. You will be taken to the site where St. Peter's bones were found in the 30's and exit into a huge hall where many Popes are entombed.
Click to expand...

We were at the Vatician City in November 2012 and this is a tour not to be miss.
 
We went on the Scavi underground tour this past May. Unreal. I'm pretty sure that it is indeed the grave of St. Peter toward the end of the tour. On the way, the Rome Necropolis is awesome. You step back 2000 years after descending a few flights of stairs.We booked months in advance since it sells out way ahead of tour date. If you go, be sure to read up on the discovery and archeological work as the story is quite interesting. I bot a book online and read well onto the night. Also, the official Vatican Scavi site has a video that walks you through the underground tour.
 
We used romeinlimo for a private tour guide of the Vatican Museum & St. Peters. Had a driver & a guide with them for a full day Rome tour. Worth every penny. Saw more things than were on our list! No waiting in lines, special parking, EXCELLENT guide. I highly recommend them. We tried to arrange the Scavi tour ahead of our trip but did not receive any confirmation. We were able to walk in and get onto the next tour. Another trip highlight.
 
I imagine you are referring to St. Peter's basilica and the Vatican museum. As others have mentioned, there is also the tour of the excavations below the St. Peter's, however if this is your first time to Rome, I would probably save it for another time. Its just too long of a day, and there is so much to see in Rome!

We did a tour of both the basilica and the museum and enjoyed it immensely. The museum is huge, is difficult to navigate, and a tour will bring you to the highlights while preventing you from waiting in a potential long line to get your tickets.

many guide books (like Rick Steves) can recommend outfits. I don't remember who we used, but our guide was a british art historian who worked for an outfit. It was well worth it!
 
Either one would be wonderful in my book. Great weather and low (or at least not Summer peak) crowds.

Jim
 
I think September would have fewer crowds. But I could be wrong.
 
GaryDouglas said:
Is September a good month? We are hoping to have good weather and less crowds. Would May also be good?
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September should be a great month. DW and I went last Oct for 2 weeks (Tuscany 1 week and Rome the next) and it was actually very warm (high 70's and just glorious weather).
 
We were there in September and it was wonderful - low 70's and less congested (although it is a big city and congested anyway) than during the peak foreign tourist season. I vote for private tours as well. In Italy the private tour people go to the head of the line - no waiting - and drive right up to the sites. For instance, we went to the Trevi Fountain, parked above it to the side and walked down a slope and there it was. Talked to someone there and they had to park in a car park quite a distance away and then take a long walk. Or long walk from public transport. Not saying walking is a problem but it sure cuts down the time you have to see things. Same thing in other parts of Italy. We were in Venice going to the Doge's Palace and encountered a VERY long line. Guide took us to the front of the line.
 
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