We arrive in Rome on 7/30 at 7:15 a.m. We leave Rome on Monday, 8/1 around 2:00 p.m. During our visit, we want to see the Vatican via tour and Forum/Colisseum along with what ever else we can fit in during our short stay. I understand that the Vatican does tours the last Sunday of the month, but it is very crowded. Does anyone think we would be wise/able to tour Vatican on Monday morning, or try to rush to it on Saturday morning after we arrive at our hotel? I felt we could do the Forum area on Sunday or Saturday afternoon. Also, does anyone know anything about the Jewish Ghetto. Would you recommend trying to see it?Any suggestions/help would be greatly appreciated.

The Vatican Museums are open the last Sunday of the month and are very crowded because they are free that day. I assume you are already in Europe and are visiting Rome as a quick weekend trip and no transatlantic flights are involved. If so, I would visit the Vatican museum on Monday morning before leaving Rome. On Saturday, you can visit the Forum and Colosseum. On Sunday morning, go to St. Peter's Basilica and visit that and you can also see the Pope bless the crowd at noon, unless he is at Castel Gandolfo. On Sunday afternoon, visit the Ghetto. I wouldn't visit the Ghetto on Saturday as most places will be closed for the Sabbath. The Ghetto doesn't take long to visit. See the Tortoise fountain, the exterior of Palazzo Cenci, the church of Santa Maria in Campitelli and the ruins around the Teatro Marcello. There are several good restaurants including Piperno and Giggetto.

Thank you so much, Grinisa, you have been so helpful. We are leaving on a cruise at 7:00 p.m. on Monday evening; that is why I want to leave Rome about 2:00 p.m. latest. Do you feel it is necessary to have a tour guide (as a group) to do the things you suggested for the Vatican or Forum area? Do we cab to the Ghetto area. Obviously, this is our first trip to Rome and Europe. Again, thanks so much.

We did have a tour guide for the Vatican Museum we got through "Enjoy Rome". While the group was larger than I would have wanted, I felt it maximized our time in the Museum. There is so much there it can be quite overwhelming. We had a private tour guide for the Forum; someone we learned about on this site. That was helpful as well. I just think that when your time is so limited, you get more out of the experience with a guide.

I agree that to maximize your enjoyment of sights that can be overwhelming like the Vatican Museums and Forum, you should use a guide. Scala Reale has great guides for both areas and the groups are small (under 10) in size. If you are going to the Ghetto from St. Peter's, you could walk or take a taxi, it' not too far.

Again, I appreciate your responses. If you know of any specific guides, especially the private tour guides, please let me know. Do you also know if I can purchase "blessed" small crosses while at the Vatican?