I just received an email from the Vatican office confirming a reservation for 2 at 1:45 on April 26th.

The only problem is I'm arriving in Rome that day (taking an early train from FLorence that morning). According to the train schedule, we'll get in around 9 and then we'll have to drop our stuff off at our hotel (near Termini)

Is this too rushed? Would you recommend doing a Vatican tour that day too?

Thanks for your help

It might be too much to go through the Vatican Museum on that day, but I would certainly walk through St. Peter's before and after the Scavi. Whatever you do, don't miss your reservation. I'm currently working on a website for the Scavi at: http://www.stpetersbasilica.org/Necr.../Scavi-map.htm

Regards, Alan

Alan...
thanks for the quick response.

If the tour ends around 3, will I have time to walk around the Vatican before it gets dark? Also, do you recommend pre-purchasing entrance tickets (if this is possible), since this the 26th is a Wednesday.

The tour ends in the grottoes underneath St Peter's, so you'll have time for a quick look around there (John Paul II's tomb) and then see the basilica above. You should even have time to climb the dome if you're ambitious.

Hi eurogirl2006,

How did you make the tour reservation with the Vatican office? I sent a fax requesting a reservation for a tour according to the Vatican Museum website but haven't heard from them yet.

Do you have their email address? Thanks.

[email protected]

And here is a link to the Vatican's Scavi tour site that tells you what you need to include in your request:

http://tinyurl.com/2yb63

I sent my request off to them March 19 and just got my reservation confirmation this past Friday for a tour on May 12.

Alan -- What a wonderful, informative website. Thank you!

Oh, and one other thing. My reservation confirmation said in no uncertain terms that no one under the age of 15 will be allowed on the tour, no exceptions. This is contrary to what the website says. Who knows?

Hi Allison K. I am wondering about this too. I thought I read on the website that children 11-15, could accompany parents, but the automated reply I got to my original request said noone under 15, no exceptions. Anyone know what the real answer is?

Thanks for this information. I also faxed as they requested at the Sta. Susanna Church.

I hope this email will produce positive results on such short notice (20 May).

Can you tell me do they only pass out reservations 30 days in advance - is that the best time to contact them? Or is it sheer luck?

They do NOT only give out the confirmations 30 days ahead. I had mine 5 months ahead, and there have been many other people who had theirs more than 30 days ahead. It's best to request the reservation as early as possible.

We are going in October and I requested a week ago and have heard nothing other than the computer generated blah, blah, mayybe i should e-mail again? Thanks!1
I know they do not do the tour on Sunday but from what i could gather they do do it on Monday am i correct?

If you only sent the request a week ago, give them some time. It took ten weeks for me to get my reservation.

I wrote for reservations in January for
the end of June reservation. I have heard nothing except the automated response. Any ideas?

>>I have heard nothing except the automated response. Any ideas?<<

Patience. Or in this case, maybe Faith.

Vera

As mentioned in another thread, it doesn't seem to matter how early you send your request. The majority seem to get the confirmation about 5-6 weeks from the requested date (myself included). Good luck, don't stress

I just returned from Rome and there were three kids with their parents on the scavi tour and I doubt even one of them was 15. I think they ranged in age from 10 to 14. They were thoroughly bored with the tour and their mother had to keep shushing them.

I'll probably incur the wrath of a lot of people on this board but I must say that my husband and I were very disappointed with this tour. We liked the catacombs 100% better.