Best time/day to visit the Vatican and Colosseum
May 21st, 2001, 11:39 AM
#1
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Best time/day to visit the Vatican and Colosseum
We will be in Rome and Florence during the last week of May. What is the best day and time to visit the Vatican Museum, Colosseum and The Uffizi Gallery? I would like to avoid the lines as much as possible. I havent come across a way to buy tickets or make a reservation from before for the Vatican and Colosseum. Does any one know if that is possible? <BR> <BR>Thanks alot for your help <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>
May 21st, 2001, 12:37 PM
#5
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I was at the Vatican museum on May 10; the bas dropped us off there at 8:40 (it opens at 8:45). The line was 100-150 yards long, by my best guess. It started moving exactly at 8:45, and we were inside by about 8:50. I never thought that the number of people we encountered in any given spot were oppressive or excessive to the point of intolerable. <BR> <BR>We did not use audioguides, and I did not remember from previous trips there how many items (for example, individual sculptures) are identified by a single identification number. Those with audio guides went more slowly through certain parts of sculpture galleries (long corridors) where we chose not to stop and read the (small amount of) literature we had with us that might have explained certain highlighted pieces. <BR> <BR>I did not think that it diminished the experience at all, to have skipped by so many hundreds of treasures that I didn't know much about. I am not kidding when I say that you will likely not absorb one one-hundredth or maybe even one-thousandth of what there is there to see - - and that's even if you make the "express trip" - - Hall of Maps, Raphael Stanze, Sistine Chapel, etc - - the major highlights. <BR> <BR>I hope this information is of some use to you. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex <BR>
May 21st, 2001, 01:20 PM
#6
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You can make reservations at the Uffizi beforehand on www.weekendafirenze.com, or you can check with your hotel when you arrive. If you don't make reservations, then get there by 8-8:15 a.m. <BR>This latter advice also goes for the Vatican Museum. As for the Colosseum, probably the earlier the day you get there (not sure what time opens), the less crowded it will be. <BR>I'll have to disagree with Rex about the audio CD. I strongly urge you to get it. It's perhaps the best audio guide I've ever had at any museum. I'll agree with Rex that not using the audio guide doesn't diminish your experience, but having it sure does enhance your experience.
May 21st, 2001, 05:25 PM
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Hi Huma, for the Vatican Museums get there as early as possible. I rented the audioguide, and my husband did not. I primarily got it for the Sistine Chapel explanation,, which was superb BTW! I agree that it could take days do the VM justice, it was a fabulous experience! Colosseum had a line, but it was not too awful. No advance tkts, as far as I know. <BR>Judy ;-)
May 21st, 2001, 05:50 PM
#9
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Howard, <BR> <BR>I re-read what I wrote - - I did NOT mean to sound so positive about NOT getting the audio-guide. For who I was with (mother-in-law, uncle and aunt - - and not inclined to spend more than 90 minutes, including gift shop time) - - we did "okay" without it. <BR> <BR>But I was also trying to indicate that there was a lot of stuff we didn't know what we were looking at, by not having it. <BR>
May 21st, 2001, 05:57 PM
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Also just returned from Italy a few days ago. We hit the Colisseum at around 3 PM on Sat. afternoon, and while there was a line, it moved rather quickly and only took 10 or 15 minutes to get in. We went to the Vatican Museum on Monday morning, got there at 8 AM and already a line about 100 feet long. Other posters were correct, the line starts moving at exactly 8:45 and it takes only several minutes to get in and get your tickets. In Florence, we had reservations for the Uffizi and it still took about 30-40 minutes to get in, not very well organized. Don't even think about it if you don't have reservations - we talked to people who had waited 3 hours in line! Definitely not worth it, especially if you've seen the Louvre!!!! We're not art afficionados, which may explain why we were somewhat disappointed in the Uffizi. Some of the rooms seemed poorly lit, and the audio guide didn't always correspond to what we were seeing. But we LOVED the Accademia. Again, we had reservations, but didn't need to use them as there wasn't a line at 4 PM on a Sunday. Hope this helps. Joyce
May 22nd, 2001, 06:29 AM
#13
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You can always go later of course. Just be aware that 8 or 9 months out of the year admission at the museums is halted at stop selling tickets at 1230 and heave the stragglers out at (or earlier than) 1:45. <BR> <BR>While you can see the museums in 45 minutes if your main interest is the Sistine and you know what you're doing, many will consider it strange if you don't spend two or three days there, just for a quick "skim"! <BR> <BR>It's called the Vatican MuseumS for a reason ... there are lots of collections there, about 22. You may not be interested in all, but whatever your interests you'll find more than a few collections that catch your fancy. If you've not been before it's wise to give yourself more time rather than less.
May 22nd, 2001, 08:49 AM
#14
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I just arrived back from Rome today, May 22nd 2001. We went to St Peter's at 10:15am on Friday, no lines at all. After St Peter's, we walked around the streets around the Vatican, and had a nice leisurely lunch. Arrived at the Vatican Museum at around 1:45pm, a bit of a line, but it took about 5 minutes to get in. We went to the Colosseum on the Sunday morning, arriving at around 10:30am. About 50 people in line ahead of us, and it took about 10 to 15 minutes to get in.
