Rome on Sunday
 

Hello, Can someone tell me if the Vatican Museum, St. Peters Basilica, etc, are open on sunday.

Here is the official website. I assume you mean open for visitors on Sunday re St. Peter's Basilica.

Oops.

http://www.vatican.va/phome_en.htm

By visitors, I meant, not for mass, but just to look.

Vatican Museums:
Closed on Sundays, except for the last Sunday of each month, unless it falls at Easter, on June 29 (St. Peter and Paul), or on December 25 and 26 (Christmas Holiday). Admission is free on the last Sunday of each month, but I doubt that you want to fight the crowds then.

St. Peter's Basilica:
Open on Sundays - as long as the fact that masses are going on doesn't disturb your visit too much.

It's a *church*, for heaven's sake!

Both places you mention are in the Vatican City. The city of Rome surrounds the Vatican.

Thank you very much, what suggestions do you have on things to do in Rome on Sundays.

The Forum and the Colosseum are open; the Via dei Fori Imperiali is closed to traffic, making it much more pleasant to stroll around the area.

Any outdoor sight - Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps - is open.

Most museums are open at least in the morning.

Many churches are open for a few hours in the afternoon; churches smaller than the major basilicas will *not* welcome visitors during the morning when services are held.

Almost all restaurants are open; Sunday lunch is a meal that many families go out for.

Cafes and gelaterie are open.

If you do a minimal amount of planning, you won't lack for things to do on Sunday in Rome.

Most museums other than the Vatican museums are open Sunday, closed Monday so you could choose one of them
the upper section of the Via Appia Antica --usually terrible for walking--is closed to traffic Sunday, so that is a good time to go there.

If you like markets go to the Porta Portese in the morning and then go on to the Colliseum before walking back through The Forum. Quite a lot of the shops are open on a Sunday, so you can also do some shopping if you want.

We were just in Rome this past Sunday. We went to the Spanish steps, Trevi Fountian, the Colesseum, Circos Maximo, and then headed up the Appian Way and visited the San Callisto catacombs (which was very nice). We had a nice dinner at a restaurant called The Wanted...near Via Cavour. It was a great Sunday. Believe it or not...after a quick refresh in the hotel, we still had energy and time to go to St. Angelo's (walking distance from our hotel) where there was live music, markets, and lots of people selling knock-off Prada and Gucci bags. Starting prices were 35-40 E, I paid 10 E for most and one I had to go up to 12. The vendors (?) are set up on the bridge which was just nice walking across the river at night.

We had done the Vatican Museums along with St.Peter's on Saturday.

Can you actually get into a Mass on Sunday?? My Catholic husband and son would really like to...and while I've been to Rome many times...I'm not Catholic and am totally clueless about attending Mass at the Vatican (!)
Thank you!

Do any of you know what is closed on Monday?

It is hard to list everything that is closed. You can check under the destinations section for opening times for museums you are interested in seeing.
Vatican Museums are open Monday.
The Forum, Colosseum, Palatine are open daily.
The outdoor sights (fountains, piazzas) are of course open daily
Most if not all churches will be open Mondays (but on all days many close mid day for several hours)

Tribi, if you don't want to buy a guide book (which would provide the open/closing days/times), go to www.fodors.com or www.frommers.com, "Destinations", Rome.. you can get this info for anything you want.

p.s. it is illegal to buy knockoff designer items and you can be fined if caught.

Thanks Travelnut

p.s. it is illegal to buy knockoff designer items and you can be fined if caught.

Well I personally had fun doing it and do so in Chinatown in NY as well...I am not one for doing illegal activities, but I have always had the impression that people know they are getting cheap imitations and just have fun doing so...if one wants a real bag, they would of course go to the many store selling them. NOt to seem too touchy, but it seems as though ever time I post something on fodors, someone who is more knowledgable about whatever I have said likes to let it be known. I enjoy traveling very much and thought it would be fun to be part of a group that shares that interest, but it seems as though, I end up feeling rather badly after I post. I have been planning to post my travel report, but I am sure I will get negative feedback from the "experts" so....I guess I am overtired and a bit touchy but it really does seem to be a going trend to make negative comments.

Actually after reading the post about knockoffs and doing some research on the computer...I see that it is a much bigger and more complicated issue than I had previously thought. I have now read about the stiff fines for tourists; I honestly had no idea before about the seriousness of this issue. I just assumed as I said...everyone really knew what they were getting just a fake souvenier bag. After being enlightened, I actually would not do this again, and would not advise any one else to. Thanks for the info and my apologies for being a bit touchy. I have learned something valuable and luckily not the hard way :)

I would like to hear suggestions from those of you who just got back from Rome.

thanks

lss1: it is a drag sometimes, isn't it? But the pay off for hanging around here is absolutely HUGE in the knowledge gained. I have had such great tips and leads from Fodors.

I am so glad that you did a little research on the knock off peddlers. It does make a huge difference, knowing, doesn't it? I can't even look at their stuff anymore, and years ago, I brought home such nice things from purse sellers. Well, I didn't know then.

Stick around; we are glad to have you.

OH, Rome on a Sunday: I forgot the topic by the time I got to the bottom of the thread. Visiting the Borghese Gardens is a wonderful Sunday activity. If it is a nice day, there is so much going on.

How about the Terme de Caracalla? A very cool thing to visit. I think it is open on Sunday.

Many special exhibits are open on Sunday. We got to a palazzo with a special sculpture exhibit open to the public, and the building was otherwise never open for visitors.

Well I clicked this on and scrolled down and was thinking..the Borghese Gardens is wonderful on Sunday but I see my friend Tuscan just posted the same thing..so I will just second her recomendation. Have a wonderful time in Rome tribi!