We got Scavi Tickets

Just as a follow-up, I did the tour (after emailing in mid-April) and a couple were waiting at the SCAVI office on the off-chance of being able to join the tour. They were allowed on at the last minute so there's always hope. YMMV though

HTH

dedec,

Out of curiosity, when did you send the email requesting the Oct 4, 2007 tour?

I sent a request in February for dates during the Christmas week and have not heard back yet, I know this in not unusual.

I know I sent my request in very early, but I did that because the tour is only open 2 days the week I will be there and I wanted to try and have the best possible chance of getting one of those 2 days.

Thanks!

I am curious about this too. I sent in my request for end of October in March, and am really hoping to get tickets. Did you email more than one time to get your tickets because I thought you are only supposed to request one time?

Lowcountryislander and Akila

I hve just looked up all the dates of my emails...first sent on 11/07/06, next 2/13/07, 4/27/07 and 6/11/07. I had read at this site and others that many were emailing more than once so I wnet with the flow. I always mentioned "I have tried on several other trips" without success and hoping to make this a highlight of our trip. I also was able to give only two days we were available for the tour. Hope this helps.

Thanks dedec.

Like akila, I was under the impression it was best to send just one request. I may have to give it another go.

Enjoy the tour and please post back with your experience!

I sent my request on March 17, 2007 for a July 2007 tour and received the confirmation at the beginning of May.

I only sent one email. I guess I picked the right day and I was going alone so I guess they could fit me in to make the twelve.

I got mine as well. Originally requested on March 16 for September 18,19 or 20. Received a confirmation for September 18 on June 18. Replied asking for a change since that was the day we actually arrive in Rome (my mistake) and they replied Saturday, June 23 confirming our tour for September 20. I sent in payment right away but have not been charged yet. I expect to get a confirm later this week! Good luck!

Dana

I only sent one email. I was anxious too, but multiple emails are probably nothing more than a nuisance. I sent my email on December 29, 2006 for a tour in early August 2007. I got my confirmation on May 28, 2007. So the response took 5 months, but we are all set and looking forward to the tour!

Just rec'd my email confirmation also for October 4, 11AM. I emailed twice, once in late February and once in early April. DEDEC, see you there.

Wonderful that you got tickets also. I sent in my credit information within minutes of getting the ticktes and got the confirmation receipt just the other day. You will be going in as we are leaving I assume. We will visit St. Peters at 7 AM before the tour as our friends have never been to Rome before. Maybe we will meet up....we are staying in an apartment near Piazza Navona.

I will file a trip report soon, but I just returned from my trip. I loved the Scavi tour. A wonderful woman named Laura led our group. She spoke English with a wonderful Italian accent and a nice sense of humor. This tour was one of the highlights of my trip.

YAY!

Just got my SCAVI reservation email! I'm scheduled for December 28th!

After reading all the great comments here on Fodors about the Scavi tour I can't wait!

We just got our Scavi reservations for mid-November. It took three email requests to get an answer. Be sure to follow the exact format that they request to give your information. They may ignore those that are not worded in an easy and quick to read format.

I just got a response yesterday confirming a time in late November 07. I sent my only request in late August.

Yes, we have Scavi tickets for mid October. I sent my original email in February, I believe, but I gave them a full week's window. I received the confirmation in August.

Keep trying, if you haven't gotten your confirmation yet. The tour is wonderful, spiritual, and historical. This will be my second Scavi tour, and I am looking forward to it as much as I did the first one.

Hey LowCountry,

we also have tickets for Dec 28th. Are you in at 11am?

Dave and Regina

I just had good luck myself. I sent a request in last Thursday for Scavi tickets for November 12 (only day we're in Rome). As I have for several prior trips to Rome with no luck, I didn't expect a positive response. Lo and behold, the next morning was the infamous Scavi email "We had tickets"....

Congrats to you all!
It's a great tour.
I'll be taking the "other" scavi tour (Roman Necropolis along Via Triumphalis ) tour Nov.3.
They answered my email the day I sent it.

What a minute - what other scavi tour? Now I wonder if I reserved what I think I reserved...tell me how to find out if I've reserved for the tour under St. Peter's (where Peter was crucifed and the tomb)...

Scavi (which I think just means excavations) tour has come to be synonomous with the wonderful guided exploration of the space under St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. I suspect that is where you are going Dorkforcemom and others..except for Jabez and BTW, my daughter did this "other" one and found it very interesting but wear a sweater!

The email I sent my request to was visitedidattiche.musei@scv.va.
scavi@fsp.va is the one that books the "scavi" tour under St. Peter's.

bb

Call it luck or what - I sent in an email on Monday requesting Scavi tickets and had my answer waiting this morning (Wed) - we got November 13th! It probably helps that I gave them 7 different days we could do the tour.

One question - when confirming and paying with a credit card - did you do that via email - that does not seem particularly safe to me. Is faxing the best option? How expensive is an overseas fax? Thanks.

illnative, I had the same dilemma last week and I just risked it and sent it an email. I'd read that others have done so, but I am keeping an eye on that card for other activity (the Vatican charged it a week after I sent it and I got a confirmation of the charge 2 days after that).

Last year I sent my request about 6 months ahead, just after we set our dates. But I forgot that soon after we began planning we switched two weeks of our trip. So when the Scavi reservation came, I realized it was now for the wrong week for us. I emailed them back immediately with an explanation and within a couple days they had changed our date to the right week.

Wow...I emailed my first request for SCAVI Tickets on Monday-9/24 and recieved confirmation today - 9/26 for November 19th. Got the date and the time I requested. There are 6 of us and wasn't sure if that would help or hurt our chances?!

I think I will also take the risk and email my cc for payment.

Does anyone have any suggestions for what time we should plan on getting there for a 10:30 am tour. I know we only need to be there 10 minute prior...but should we plan something before?

Thanks everyone for all the great info.
Yeah!

Don't bother going more than 10 minutes before. The Swiss Guards won't let you in, and there's nowhere to sit.

M-mm, but don't be late either...the guide (generally a priest) usually arrives exactly on time, with his list and, as he must follow another group speaking another language and is followed by same speaking yet another, he wants to keep to the schedule. Our group (English speaking) had three no-shows on the dot of take-off time. They ended up tagging on to a German group that came 15 minutes after us!

I started this "We got Scavi Tickets" in June and thought I would let everyone know that when we took our tour last week it truely was one of the highlights of our Italian vacation. We arrived at St Peter's shortly after 7:30 and went in with no lines....our scavi tour as at 9:15 and one needs to be there only the 10 minutes in advance. The Swiss guards check your confirmation and tell you where to go for your entrance tickets....again your name is checked....we then waited about another 10 minutes for our guide. The tour is amazing and our guide was very knowledgable. Thoughout our tour we heard overhead the choirs and music from the Church as 25 American priests were being ordained. Our timing could not have been more special.

ChanB- we'll also be there on the 19th, but at 1:30. Felt really fortunate as well. Similarly to you I contacted them by fax on the 26th and heard back via email the very next day! Thanks to all for the links, contact numbers and suggestions. It worked like a champ!

Without question, the Scavi tour should be a must-see on everyone's trip to Rome. I've been in and out of Rome, working, traveling, visiting, etc., for over 25 years, but last year was the first year I did the Scavi tour-I have many friends who lived in Rome and go to Rome frequently who have never done it-it is awesome-and I mean that literally-and one should not miss it.

Phyllish...I would love to know what you have planned while in Italy...what is your itinerary and where are you staying? If you want to share please email me at Chan@callpms.com.

Thanks all for the info and stories about how special the tour is. We can't wait.

Daveesl...

Sorry I haven't replied sooner I was in Turkey for the last 3 weeks and now just home checking emails.

I have the 9:15am tour on Dec. 28th...looks like we will miss each other, but sounds like we are in for a great experience!

We are just back from Rome and our Scavi tour was truly wonderful. Here are some tips that might help.

1. If you are facing the Basilica, you need to approach the Swiss guards just to the left of the steps. I was told to the left of the Colonnade, which is not correct. It's between the Colonnade and the church.

2. If you have a backpack or other such article, arrive at least an hour early. You have to wait in the security line before checking your item. It's free but time-consuming, since the line can be very long.

3. Have your confirmation with you to show the guards. These gentlemen are extremely polite and professional, but they expect to be treated with respect. Don't disappoint them.

Many thanks to the travel gods for looking out for me...I sent an email yesterday afternoon requesting a ticket for the 1st week of December and received a confirmation first thing this morning for 3 Dec @ 9:15!

After reading all the challenges of others, I feel very fortunate to have received a response so quickly.

I am so excited about my up coming trip to Italy! I leave for Venice Thanksgiving day for a couple days, then to Florence for 4 days and Pisa for 2 before heading to Rome for a week. It has been 20 years since I've been to Italy and I look forward to my return and celebrating my 40th while there!

"3 Dec @ 9:15!"

GET OUT. I will be there on 3 December at 9:30. I also received a response within a day. I couldn't believe it. I really thought they would be booked.

I know...I couldn't believe my luck!

If you want to grab an espresso while in Rome, let me know. I'll be there 1 Dec - 7 Dec (early flight out).

I booked in September, for November, and never heard back. When I got to Vatican City, I was going to take the free tour of Saint Peters with a priest from the American Bishop's Office,(meets each day I believe under the yellow I sign to the left of the basilica in giftshop and near bathrooms) but asked for directions to the Scavi office instead. The Swiss guards let me go by, even though I had no paperwork. I asked at the office why I had never heard back. The gentleman asked my name, and e-mail. He told me he e-mailed me and my appointment was the day before. I couldn't believe I missed my day, and kicked myself for not checking in earlier. But, he did fit me in one hour later. So, I felt blessed and very happy. If you don't hear back, you must check in when you get there. Because he had a record of my e-mail and I had e-mailed at least 5 times, he managed to fit us in (this was November 23rd). I don't have a spam blocker, so I don't know why I did not receive a confirmation. Did not show passports, it was not humid in November, and it was not clausterphobic for me. Again, I had no paperwork and the guards let me through - standing in front of St. Peters, go to the left side, straight to the guards and ask to go to the Scavi office.

We have Scavi tickets for April 2008...9:15 AM. How would you plan the balance of the morning after completing the Scavi Tour?

Welig, I had a 9:15 tour too. So I spent the time afterwards touring the basilica, climbing the dome, had lunch nearby, then walked to Castel Sant'Angelo and toured that, looked at Bernini's statues on the bridge and then crossed the bridge and walked about 15 min to Ara Pacis (altar of peace, absolutely beautiful). That took me until about 5 p.m. so I went back to the hotel, changed and got ready for dinner. It was a full day but it covered the things I wanted to see in that area in nice order and leisurely time.

Dear Amyb:
Sounds like a plan...
However, what do you think
about us joining a small
group tour to see the Vatican Museum...the tour would be around 1:00 PM...when supposedly, the
CROWDS are not too bad!??

Welig, you certainly could. I did the private tour of the VM, so I can't speak for crowds during the regular business day. You'd just have to pass some time between the Scavi tour and the start of your VM tour.

So, all of you early planners, what do you think the chances of someone getting relatively last minute tickets for 2 people are?

We are planning a last minute trip to Rome immediately after New Year's. Last night I sent out a ticket request. What do you think my chances are? I think the one thing I have in my favor is that we will be there for 10 days (I told them any of these days are fine with me) and thus have a wide range of dates where they could possibly slip 2 people in an available slot.

I went on December 1. I sent the request in late October and got a response within 24 hours. It is a great great tour. Really amazing.

I hope you get the tickets!!

I just requested tickets today for the begining of March.

One thing I haven't seen anywhere is the cost.

Can anyone tell me what the cost was for these?

Thanks!

Ten euro per person. You pay in advance by credit card.

I emailed about a reservation for June on Sunday and got a response TODAY!!! Will pay today and await confirmation. Now I can get my itinerary going.

I sent my request in November and heard back from then in December, 2 days ago I got my confirmation and receipt of payment, my tour is in September 08.

My husband and son are the ones doing the tour, can someone tell me where can I wait for them.

They will come out from the tour near Pope John Paul II's tomb. Pick somewhere in St. Peter's Square or inside the Basilica to meet.

I requested tickets on the 1/17 (Thursday) and received confirmation on 1/22 (Tuesday). I didn't get the exact day I requested (3/5), but close enough!

Also I have a friend who told me the coinceirge at her hotel secured them for her once they arrived in Rome. Knowing my friend it was a very nice hotel so ymmv.

ymmv?