Please help me get my schedule right in Rome please!
 

Hi

I have got great help from Fodorites so far so thank you all!

I just find as I am getting into planning all my sighseeing trips I am not 100% sure about timings at sites etc

I arrive in Rome airport (FCO) at 10.40am on Fri 25th of May.

I have a booking for the Scavi tour of St Peters at 11.15am the following morning ( Sat) which I think lasts 1.5 hours. This leaves me too late to catch the last Vatican Tour which starts at 1.30pm...
I do not want to do the Vatican on the Sunday as its the last Sunday in the month and its free so the lines will be crazy...

I see from the website that on the Friday we arrive the entrance times are 10am to 3.30pm. Would it be advisable to try do the tour of the Vatican / Sistine on this day / If our plane lands at 10.40am ( on time) how long should I leave to get to our Hotel??( Hotel Giardino is just off the Via Nationale)
How long then to get to the Vatican?
I really do not want to miss the Vatican Tour.

We leave Rome on Monday to go to Florence ( I just realised the Accademia is closed on Monday's - just my luck!) for 2 nights and then on to Venice for 2 nights ..

So i have a half day Fri, all day Sat & Sunday & leave on Monday probaly about 9am to get the train to Florence..

I was going to do the Forum/Colosseum and Borghese on Sunday?

Phew - I'm confused ....

ttt

As I have not paid for a tour of the Vatican I can't give you advise about Scavi.

I can tell you that the line for the Sistine Chapel can be horrible and I would get there first thing in the morning. We waited for almost 2 hours in line last September on a rainy (make that soaking wet) Monday just to get inside the Sistine Chapel. We were told that was lucky as the lines were short that day!

With such a short amount of time in Rome and so many other (and much better) things to see, I'd skip the Vatican this trip altogether. Or just do St Peters since you've booked it already. You will get to see the Vatican from there anyway.

I'm curious, what mode of transport are you using from Florence to Venice? Thx

We are getting the train from Florence to Venice.

We drive on the other side here in Ireland so think its better to go by train. Think its about 2 hrs from Flo to Venice......

Hi Indecisive, Are you planning to take an actual tour of the Vatican museum, or just pay admission to see it? Maybe someone has already suggested this, but have you tried to book a tour of the Vatican museum from their website? With that tour, you get to go in the exit, and avoid the line. Maybe you could schedule a 1:30 tour? I was unable to get a tour myself, so had to wait in line. If your Scavi tour starts at 11:15, I would think you would be done by 1:00. I have heard that the afternoon lines are much shorter than the morning, but don't know this from firsthand experience. Maybe someone else has done this? In the end, if you decide to try to get there on your arrival day, and you are worried about time constraints, consider a taxi. I thought they were pretty cheap, especially if you are traveling with others. We would often cab to a destination, and then walk back. I don't think we ever spent more than 6E for a cab. As far as your Sunday plans. I think they are doable. I don't know what time your Borgese reservation is,(make sure you have a reservation), but unless you are really taking your time, I would think Colloseum/Forum can be done in half a day, leaving the other half for Borgese. Getting tickets for the Colloseum on Paletine hill saves time--no line there, vs, huge line at the Colloseum. Also, at the Borghese, you must check all bags, including purses. Have a great time on your trip!

Hi

Thanks so much.
I think we would like to do atour of the Vatican if possible.
I faxed the vatican re the tour and then read a thread that suggests that they only get back to you the day before.... so I guess I should just pray I get the 1.30 admission on the Sat after the Scavi and then do the Forum/Collesseum & borgh on Sunday....

I am just finding it hard to structure my time

Can you buy tickets online to avoid the lines at the Collesseum? ( sorry for the spelling)

If your goal at the Vatican Museums is to see the Sistine Chapel, I'd simply be there about an hour before opening on Saturday morning. (Less might suffice, but your group can enjoy coffee etc while waiting. And in the morning it will be a cool wait.)
You'll be right at the front of the line. When you enter, don't stand around but go STRAIGHT to the chapel (it's not near the door - if you go directly there, you'll be among the first, and will see it in a quiet and calm that is far preferable to the crowd that develops soon after and continues through the day. And the hour you've spent waiting in the fresh morning air outside is nothing compared to shuffling along later in the day inside as you slowly make your way through.) You could see the chapel and then make your way out in time for your St. Peter's tour, then return to the Vatican museums later to view some of the other things (I think your entry is for the day, allowing you to come back - you might want to confirm that.)

OR, go ahead and do the free Sunday visit but be early before opening so you can get in reasonably quickly.

OR, take the Vatican tour as suggested. Note that posters here have said on other threads that the Vatican does not confirm resevations until the day before: so you will need to have them send the confirmation fax to your hotel.

I would add that truly, if I were you with your tight schedule, I'd either skip the Vatican Museums (and I'm an artist who really loves those galleries) or just be sure to be at the front of the line Sunday. (Do they actually open as early on Sunday?)

My first trip I was in line outside for an hour anyway, on a Sat afternoon, and by the time I got inside there was no chance of seeing the chapel, as it would take another hour waiting inside. So I viewed the pinocotecca (paintings galleries, very near to the entrance actually) an incredible collection including da Vinci, Raphael altarpieces, etc. And I also took in the "best-in-the-world" ancient sculpture galleries.

Seeing the Sistine Chapel in the mob that is usually there tends to disappoint ... It is hard for me to recommend it under those circumstances. A lot of effort for a not pleasant experience. On the other hand, to view it in relative quiet before the room is packed can be transcendant.

Indecisive:

Just to emphasize a point: You must have a reservation for The Borghese Gallery. It is a must, not a recommendation. No reservation means no entry. This website is packed with comments on how to get a reservation by gallery website. If your window of opportunity is that Sunday, it would be wise to secure your reservation ASAP.

Hi Indecisive, I don't know about tickets online for the COlloseum, have never heard of that, but that doesn't mean it aint so! But, it is quite easy, and close to get them at the Palatine hill, which is right next to the forum. Many here, including me, have just walked right up, and bought the ticket, no wait, you then bypass the ticket line at the Colloseum. I don't know if you'll be returning to Rome,(be sure to toss that coin into the Trevi Fountain!), but I wouldn't miss the Sistine chapel if it was me! Sounds like it's pretty important to you, and I would imagine for the rest of your life you'll kick yourself everytime you see a reference to it! Sure the wait stinks, but I've waited that long to get on a crummy rollar coaster ride that lasts 60secs! If you don't get confirmation for the 1:30 entrance time on Sat,you could always grab a cab over Friday, and ask the driver to find the end of the line for you,(ours did), if it seems too long for you,and you change you mind, you've only lost the time it took you to get there. Whatever you decide, I wish you a wonderful trip filled with happy moments you will recall fondly forever! pp

Hi Patti, "have you tried to book a tour of the Vatican museum from their website? "

Do you have the link to the site where I would book the tour? Thanks very much!

Hi Mary, It's www.vatican.va. Click on "the holy see" then "vatican museums" then "info Museums" then "visiter services" then "guided tours"
And to Indecisive, When I did this I discovered that the last quided tour on a Saturday is 11:30 am.--bummer. Mon- Fri the last guided tour is 2pm.
Hope this info helps. Have a great trip both of you! pp

We purchased tickets at Palentine Hill for the Colliseum and we did avoid a line later. The ticket was actually good for both & of course you can't miss Palentine Hill so why not go that route.

From the "learn from my mistakes" category: If you want to do the Forum/Colliseum and Borghese on Sunday and are using public transport, the buses (at least last year) ran a lighter schedule on Sundays. Not sure about the metro, but look into this if it applies.

I'm not sure that the advice to get to the Vatican Museums first thing in the morning is valid any more. The new policy, I believe, is to allow only tour groups in for the first several hours of the day, and individuals have to enter later.

Nikki
I was about to write the same thing after I read that advice.
Indecisive could go straight from the airport and would probably arrive at the best time for lines (except the early morning tours.
I'm not sure, but I bet that even on the free Sundays the tour guides get in 2 hours early. If so, get hooked up with a tour. If you're two hours into the museum,you'll be ahead of the heavy crowds.

Hi Indecisive,
the Scavi tour is FABULOUS!!--your guide is an archaeologist---fabulous. and they will absollutely be on time, as they monitor the CO-2 in the excavated site at all times--so no ONE can stay longer than the planned time. they might even cut it short if the levels get too high, and they consider it a danger to the ruins down there.
Now, are you wanting to go on the PAID tour of the Vatican and museum, or the FREE tour, lead by local volunteers?
the Volunteers take you through the church,and are a wealth of info.
You can buy the tour from the vatican, and go straight to the front of the long long--did i say long?---lines. you must have it paid/reserved in advance.
FYI
surfingmomma

I had heard about the change allowing only groups in the front of the line in the morning. It's a crying shame, from my point of view.

Now if they would decide to let "only individuals" for another block of time, that would be dandy - or at least equitable. A tour can be great the first time, but for someone whose major interest is art and architecture, who knows what they wish to see and is not interested in the "overview" of the museums, or just the popular rooms, a tour makes no sense.

But did they ask me? No!

Thanks so much everyone

I have faxed the Vatican Tours as per thje vatican website to see if I can get in on the 1.30 tour on the Sat - if not I think we might try pop out there on the Friday we arrive and hope for the best

Then do teh Forum/ Collesseum & Borghese on the Sunday ( I can't book the Borgh until the middle of May online)

I had intended on heading to Flornece on the Monday for 2 nights and spending teh Monday sightseeing/ see The David and take a day trip to Sienna on the Tue but the Accademia is closed on Mondays!!
We are not majorily into art etc so I was thinking should I just spend one night in Florence and add anotehr one onto Rome???

After Florence we go to Venice for 2 nights and fly back home from there

I don't think you paid attention to the above post that stated the last Vatican provided tour on Saturdays is at 11:30 so there is no 1:30 tour. They close at 2:45 most Saturdays. I would send an e-mail changing the request to 2:00 on Friday. You should have time to drop your luggage at your hotel and taxi to the museum.

You can reserve a limo service to pick you up at the airport for 35-45E. That should save some time.