The guards do not let you pass until the time printed on your ticket, wouldn't even let us in 3 minutes early! I don't think that you can "talk" your way past them.

We did all in one day... due to the heat and crowds it was one of worst days in Rome... despite being some of the best tours.

I'd split it up... or at least leave after the Scavi tour for a relaxing lunch before returning to do the museum, etc

Well, it seems some people can 'talk' their way past them. As kybourbon posted on another thread:

kybourbon on Aug 1, 09 at 12:39 AM
Even if you don't hear from them, it doesn't mean there aren't any spots left on the tour. I e-mailed last year and got the canned response. Never did hear about the tour so e-mailed again, canned response again. I went to the Vatican, talked my way past the Vatican employees, then the Swiss Guards to get to the Scavi office. I'm not sure I would have been able to talk them into it if I hadn't been traveling alone and only need one spot. I got a place for the next day. The tour was only half full (about 6 people) and four of us had just reserved the day before. The other people had called the Scavi office while in Rome to get their tickets.

No need to be rude- I just said that I don't think that they could talk their way past. I didn't say that it had never been done. kyubourbon was one person, riversair has a group of 5.

I was not being rude.

Not all 5 of them need to try to get into the Scavi Office to ask about the tours. That would only require 1 person. Or, a phone call.

Yes, I got past Vatican security and the Swiss Guard, but I also had a copy of my e-mail requesting tickets, was traveling alone, only needed one spot and even then it took some talking to be allowed back. It was Vatican security making the decision (you can't get to the Swiss Guard without getting past security first) and I think they decided I might stand a chance of getting a tour since I was alone. It was a couple of guys in suits that monitor the exit on the right side at the bottom of the front steps of St. Peter's. I did not get a tour that day either. I had to come back the next day for my tour, but I had been to Rome multiple times and was spending five days that trip so my schedule was very flexible.

I am travelling to Rome for 2 days and been lucky to have booked a Scavi tour (Vatican) for early August - 3.00pm tour. Does anyone have an idea how long the lines are for the Vatican in August? I have been told allow 3 hours and I can't imagine my husband being very patient. Do I see the Vatican before the Scavi tour or after? I am trying to minimise my time waiting in line in the heat of Summer. After the tour do I have to wait in line again to enter the Vatican? Any information would be helpful.

susy1--by Vatican do you mean the basilica or the museums?

I posted the original question and we have now returned from our trip. We ended up doing the scavi tour at 10:45 and then the guide showed us how to get into St. Peter's without having to wait in line. We toured St. Peters and did wait in a another line for about 1/2 hour to go to the top of the dome. Really enjoyed the views from the top and the view inside the church. We left after that and had a long lunch on Via Giulia near our apartment. My plan was to reserve for the Sistine chapel and museum (you can do this online) and go back another day, but we ended up doing other things for the rest of the time in Rome. We were there in early June and it was getting hot. Plan on getting out first thing and then taking it easy in the afternoon. The heat and crowds can be exhausting.

macdogmom - welcome home. How was the rest of your trip? [hint]

suzy - once you've done the scavi tour, as mdm indicatges, you can get straight into St. Peter's without queuing. you would have to do the Vatican Museums beforehand - if you started early in the moring you would probably have time, but the real question, especially in the heat of August, is whether you would have the energy.

I will try to write something up. We had a wonderful and busy trip to Paris and through Italy. As I told friends, I felt like we were running "The Amazing Race". And today, less than two weeks later, we moved 300 miles into a new house in Santa Barbara, Calif after 19 years in our previous home in Palo Alto area. Very tired, but will try to write something up in the next few weeks. And Santa Barbara is equal in beauty to lots of the towns I just visited!

how far in advance should one email for tickets for the Scavi tour?

kwren ~ we are going in October and I have already booked our Scavi Tour and been confirmed.

This thread is definitely being bookmarked for future thought. Our Scavi Tour is at 9:15 and I had thought we would do all "Vatican-related" that day. I might re-think that as our tour is on a Saturday (ouch, gave the Scavi office 3 days to choose from, but they gave us Saturday) Hoping it won't be too bad in October.

Oh - I didn't realize that we had to give them a window of 3 days. That's good - that's what we have!

I've been to Rome before so this tour would be great for me. Is it something my husband, who has never been to Rome before, should do his first time there? Would teens enjoy it?

When I saw the Vatican museum I used 4 hours to se it as I like it, if you do your scavi tour in the morning ad use all the afthernoon for the Vatican it can be ok, but if it takes more is not worty.

kwren ~ don't mean to mislead you ~ you don't have to give them a window of 3 days, I did it that way to make sure we would get in. I didn't want to specify a certain day and find out it was full, as I didn't know how many English tours they have a day.

thanks for the clarification. I think we'd rather not do it our first day so I'm glad to hear that.

wrenwood The first we went through the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel was in May and it was not crowded at all - it was great. The second time was in October around the 14 or 15th. It was so crowded we could hardly see anything and the Sistine Chapel was so crowded that we left immediately since we had been there and it was crowded just standing. We went in the morning so perhaps the afternoon will not be so crowded.

The Scavi Tour is great. It is limited to a few people and only a few number of tours a day. It completes the visit to the Vatican.

Also, stop in the post office and buy a post card and get a Vatican Stamp on it. That was fun.

kwren- It sounds as if you are a group of about four (spouse and teens?). The more days that you give them to choose from the best chance you have of getting tickets. There are only 15 persons per group. Your teens would definitely enjoy the tour. Kids must be at least 15 years old to go on the tour (they did check the passport of one boy on our tour).
I would take them, you never know when the Vatican may decide to stop giving the tour!

macdogmom ~ I didn't mean to hijack your thread, this has been really helpful.

Maybe we will hang around, and see what the crowds are like after our Scavi Tour, but plan on Villa Borghese for the afternoon, and go back to the Vatican on Monday morning for tours. Maybe less chance of crowds.