Rome/Florence/Venice in late November
Sep 12th, 2016, 07:01 AM
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Rome/Florence/Venice in late November
First trip to Italy coming up in November. Fingers crossed for good weather & smaller crowds. Family of 3 (including 13 yr. old daughter) & looking forward to every second of it (well, except for the flight)! My question has to do with "skip the lines" & "guided tours" at the Vatican Museums & St. Peter's. We would love to be part of a small group tour with a knowledgable (English-speaking) guide. I realize that even with a "small group" tour we'll still be amongst huge crowds of other "small group tours." I've looked at so many different companies, rating websites, & tour books that I've scared myself! Tour books say stay away from rating websites because the reviews are mostly "bought," rating websites have a dizzying array of what looks like the same tour listed at up to six different prices. We just want to be able to see & appreciate as much as we can with no hidden costs or other surprises or waiting all day in line. If anyone has any REAL experience with a REAL company they're willing to share, I'd REALLY appreciate it!
Thank you!
Thank you!
Sep 12th, 2016, 09:56 AM
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Over several trips to Rome I've used three small group guides.
Context Rome - I was enthusiastic about this company and have recommended it over the years. I was disappointed with a tour in 2014 and when I voiced my displeasure I was fully refunded. Their guides are generally excellent and they nicely give lots of good general Rome info once you book with them.
https://www.contexttravel.com/cities/rome
Through Eternity Tours - GREAT. And will be my only tour company in the future. Their Colosseum Underground Tour was a highlight and your daughter would love it. The Vatican Museum tour was excellent and eliminated "overload". http://www.througheternity.com/
Anno Domini Foundation - a Jesuit group with a Roman Catholic emphasis. Excellent tour of Saints John Lateran and San Clementi. Highly recommended.
http://www.anno-domini.us/index.htm
Rome is fabulous - have a great time!
Context Rome - I was enthusiastic about this company and have recommended it over the years. I was disappointed with a tour in 2014 and when I voiced my displeasure I was fully refunded. Their guides are generally excellent and they nicely give lots of good general Rome info once you book with them.
https://www.contexttravel.com/cities/rome
Through Eternity Tours - GREAT. And will be my only tour company in the future. Their Colosseum Underground Tour was a highlight and your daughter would love it. The Vatican Museum tour was excellent and eliminated "overload". http://www.througheternity.com/
Anno Domini Foundation - a Jesuit group with a Roman Catholic emphasis. Excellent tour of Saints John Lateran and San Clementi. Highly recommended.
http://www.anno-domini.us/index.htm
Rome is fabulous - have a great time!
Sep 12th, 2016, 10:23 AM
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You can also check out https://selectitaly.com
Sep 12th, 2016, 03:57 PM
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Just FYI, if your time in Venice includes Nov. 28-29-30 and there is rain, you have a chance of acqua alta from late morning to mid-afternoon on those dates. New Moon is at 1:18p on Nov. 29th.
You said your trip is in "late November," but for anyone who's interested there will be a Super Full Moon on Nov. 14th at 2:52p.
You said your trip is in "late November," but for anyone who's interested there will be a Super Full Moon on Nov. 14th at 2:52p.
Sep 13th, 2016, 06:25 PM
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If you intend to visit the Uffizi in Florence, do advance reservations online. While you will have smaller crowds in November than I just experienced in September, it would avoid any worries about a queue.
Sep 14th, 2016, 07:34 AM
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First of all, you don't need any tour at all to skip the lines. Just buying entry tickets at mv.vatican.va allows you to skip the only significant line there is.
Second, the size of the group doesn't matter much, because virtually all of the tour groups now use headsets. (I think it may even be required at the Vatican Museums.) No one, including tour guides, is allowed to speak at all in the Sistine Chapel, so the tour guide will explain what there is to see inside before you enter, and then you'll be on your own. At that point, an audio tour might be the best solution. The Vatican rents their own audio tours, but you can also find plenty on the internet, including some free ones. You could download a few and use the one you like best.
One advantage to being part of a tour group is that it allows you to use the short-cut exit from the Sistine Chapel to St. Peter's Basilica. Sometimes they let one and all use this exit, but if you've rented the Vatican's audio tour, you have to go back to the entrance anyway to turn in the headset.
I've never used any sort of tour at the Vatican Museums. I've been there four times, and I've always been satisfied with the use of a good guide book. With a family group, this may not be practical, though. The Vatican has its own tours, which are supposed to be very good. They certainly cost a lot less than the private tours, and, as I said above, the size of the groups isn't terribly important.
The best times to go to avoid crowds are Wednesday morning, or Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday afternoons.
Second, the size of the group doesn't matter much, because virtually all of the tour groups now use headsets. (I think it may even be required at the Vatican Museums.) No one, including tour guides, is allowed to speak at all in the Sistine Chapel, so the tour guide will explain what there is to see inside before you enter, and then you'll be on your own. At that point, an audio tour might be the best solution. The Vatican rents their own audio tours, but you can also find plenty on the internet, including some free ones. You could download a few and use the one you like best.
One advantage to being part of a tour group is that it allows you to use the short-cut exit from the Sistine Chapel to St. Peter's Basilica. Sometimes they let one and all use this exit, but if you've rented the Vatican's audio tour, you have to go back to the entrance anyway to turn in the headset.
I've never used any sort of tour at the Vatican Museums. I've been there four times, and I've always been satisfied with the use of a good guide book. With a family group, this may not be practical, though. The Vatican has its own tours, which are supposed to be very good. They certainly cost a lot less than the private tours, and, as I said above, the size of the groups isn't terribly important.
The best times to go to avoid crowds are Wednesday morning, or Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday afternoons.
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