Is the Scavi tour worth the price?
 

Is the scavi tour worth the price for non-christians who are not huge history buffs. We are a bit worried now, as we already booked and found that its nonrefundable, and it seems overrated- we are two teens and two adults, and we don't know much about the history of Rome. Is this a bad idea? any way to sell the tickets?

see the responses on your other thread

https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...r-worth-it.cfm

Wouldn't taking the tour that you've payed for be a good way to learn about a large part of the history of Rome?

Rome is history. Why go to Rome at all if you want to avoid its story? I kind of don't get it.

"Is it worth the price" questions are impossible for strangers to answer.

FWIW, the Scavi tour remains one of the more interesting things we've done in Rome.

Am I alone in wondering why queries about Scavi tours keep popping up, especially by new OPs?

I’m not a Christian but I found it fascinating. If you’ve already paid, why not go?

May I recommended SPQR by Mary Beard. It’s very informative and readable.

<i> Am I alone in wondering why queries about Scavi tours keep popping up, especially by new OPs? </i>

It's one of those things that often gets mentioned in guidebooks and travel forums. Since it's not terribly to get a spot on one of their tours, a lot of people think it must be a very special tour.

If I were making a list of things to see on a first trip to Rome, this tour wouldn't be on it, although I certainly found it interesting enough to return a second time when I read that they had opened up a new area of the necropolis. I'm both a Christian and very interested in Roman history, and meghana1 and family are neither.

Meghan, your family will probably enjoy the tour, although it may not be the highlight of the trip. However, if there's something else in Rome you'd much rather do, and if you are having trouble squeezing it all in, and don't mind eating the cost of the tickets, don't go. If you decide not to go, you should let them know you've decided against it, so that they can give your places to some of the people who were very disappointed they couldn't get places on the tour.

I meant "since it's not terribly <b> easy </b> to get a spot on one of their tours..."

By the way, the term "Scavi tour" is nonsensical to an Italian. "Scavi" simply means "excavation", including the excavation for a new metro line, for the foundation of an apartment building, or for an archaeological site. The real name of the tour is "Tour of the Vatican necropolis". On the Vatican website, that used to be the only name used. However, now, since everyone calls it the "Scavi tour", the Vatican has started using the term as well.

We were unimpressed with the Scavi Tour when we participated several years ago, but that is our opinion. We felt thought it was just another excavation only at the Vatican. You may like and find it interesting.

If you paid for it go and then make your own decision.

Buon viaggio,

It's really the truth that Rome is a totally historical city. And this tour is good, in my opinion, one of the best we had during our trips in Europe. I think it deserves to try at leat, besides you've already paid the money for it.

We enjoyed it a lot and I was a bit disappointed not to be able to get tickets on my second trip to Rome.

You should exit the tour via the Papal Grotto, directly into St Peter's which is magnificent. And then why not take the opportunity to climb the dome for the great views over Rome - I think that is only €8pp