I am trying to arrange for these two tours on the same day (a Wed or a Thurs). I understand that I need to email to request the Scavi tour, and then keep my fingers crossed. Am i correct in that I cannot commit to a Vatican tour time until I hear back on the Scavi request? We are interested in the guided tour for the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel, rather than untimed unguided tickets, and I'd like to book those asap but obviously don't want to risk havinig overlapping time with the Scavi tour. Any suggestions? Once issued, can the dates / times for the Vatican tours be changed?

There used to be a process to change Vatican tours/times listed on their website.

http://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/...ction=modifica

Thanks, Ky. I looked at the link. Do you know if the Vatican guided tours are capped at a certain number? (so I will really have other times to choose from?) I appreciate your help.

Good news - got my Scavi tour for 10:45 am. Can I do the Vatican earlier that day, interrupt it for Scavi, and then return to where I left off at the Vatican? Or should I just plan the Vatican tour for afer Scavi? If so I am thinking that timed admission for the Vatican should be 1 or 1:30pm, allowing time for lunch beforehand? I'd appreciate any suggestions. thank you.

If you plant to book a tour with the Vatican (not another tour company) I believe the earliest tour in English is 10:30. I would do the Scavi tour (you are supposed to head back there 15 minutes prior to your booked time - don't try earlier - the guards won't allow it)first. It's had two exits in the past so I'm not sure what it will be when you are there. If you exit in the tombs/grotto you can go upstairs to St. Peter's from there. If they have it roped off and you are required to exit to the outside, go up the outside steps into St. Peter's (you bypass security by doing that since it's on the other side). Your tour would take at least an hour so I would allow some time to tour St. Peter's before scheduling a Vatican Museums tour (about a 15 minute walk from St. Peter's). You didn't say when you are visiting, but I looked at some random dates in Nov. and it appears the last English tour is at 2pm.

GinnyJo,
When are you going to be there? I have the same question and am waiting to hear about Scavi a little longer before booking the Vatican. I am just interested to know how long before your date you heard favourable about the Scavi tour. Thanks.

PRLCH, it took 2 weeks for their reply to my email. Good luck!

Thanks GinnyJo. For others interested in booking the Scavi, our timing worked as follows:

Requested tickets : 3 October.
Received an automated reply almost straight away confirming my application had been received.
Received notification of tickets being allocated: 22 October
We now have 5 days to arrange payment by credit card. Then we will get confirmation along with a credit card receipt within a few days (according to their email).
We are doing the Scavi tour on December 28th.