Hi all
I got my Scavi / St Peters tour confirmed for 11.15am on the 26th of May.

What is the best way to structure my day around this?
I also want to visit St Peters Bascilica, The Vatican, The Sistine Chapel and maybe a trip up Janiculum Hill for the view?

Is this possible all in one day?

Also what is the best way to avoid big Q's at the Vatican ? Is their a tour I can book that will elinmate the Q's?

Thank you

Congratulations on the confirmation. I had had a different result. In December, I wrote for a tour date in April. I wrote back last week because I was still waiting. Now, they replied that there had been amix up in their server and that tours were filled with booked tours that did not want seperate people joining them. Then they suggested that I call when I'm in Rome in case of last minute cancellations.
Frabkly, I'm fed up with their double talk. I wonder if the fact that my last name is clearly not Catholic had anything to do with it.

Dear Sir,
Here's a copy of their letter:

Thank you for sending us again your request. Unfortunately during the time of your first sending we had some problems with our server and a few emails got lost...Anyway during your stay in Rome all tours of the necropolis you requested are all booked (by university and cultural assocition with their own guide)so we cannot help cause we cannot add anyone to any of their tour.If you wish to try to call us(tel 06.69884947) while in Rome please do and if there's any cancellation we 'll be happy to help you.
Most sincerely,
Ufficio Visite Speciali
Musei Vaticani

Indecisive,

Just wondering when you sent in your tour request? We will be in Rome a few days before you and haven't heard anything back yet.

Thanks.

Hi

I sent my initial request about 4 weeks ago tops. I got a bit concerned with no reply - I didn't realise that it can take months so i sent another request last week and got 2 replies this morning - I cancelled one cause the time didn't suit and confirmed the other. Perhaps you might try again ??- although I guess this clogs up the system and shouldn't really be enouraged. Although I did cancel one booking straight away .


I am Irish and I guess I have a Catholic surname but I am not sure that this would matter??

ttt

Hi Indecisive, Noone is answering your question! So, I will give you an answer from my limited experience, and at least you will go to the top, and someone else might give better information. The Scavi tour, if memory serves, takes no longer than 1.5 hours, so I think you will have plenty of time to do the other things you mention. Of course this also depends on who is with you, and how long you take to look at things. The Scavi tour lets you out right near Pope John Paul's grave, so you will already be in the Basillica. As far as The Vatican museum, I have heard many people say the lines are much lighter in the afternoon. Unfortunately for me, I have only gone in the mornings, so have always waited. You could spend a lot of time in the museum, but if you are only interested in the Sistine Chapel, you can go right to it. Have fun! I really enjoyed the Scavi Tour! pp

You need to be at the Scavi office by 11:00 am. The Museums/Sistine doesn't open until 10:00 am so you would need to be at the top of the line and go directly to the Sistine Chapel in order to see it before the Scavi Tour. It takes a good 20 minutes at a brisk walk to get from the entrance to the Museums to the Sistine. If that's all you want to see and you can get into line early, that's one option. Leave the chapel by the tour group exit which will put you back near the Basilica. Then you won't waste time walking back to the entrance and then have to walk around the walls of Vatican City to St. Peter's. Your Scavi Tour will probably be over between 12:45 and 1:00 pm. The last entrance time into the Museum is at 1:30 so if you choose to see the Museum after the Scavi Tour, you are going to have to run to the Museum entrance and hope there is no line. In short, I probably would not do the Sistine/Museum the same day as the Scavi Tour. I would see the Basilica before the tour, and afterwards head over to Trastevere for lunch and then maybe walk up to the Janiculum after that.

Stuart2611,

Your request was not for the Scavi tour (the excavations under St. Peter's Basilica) but for the other necropolis that has only recently been opened to the public.

The email address for the Scavi tour is
[email protected]

Well now I am totally confused. I had read about the "scavi" tour on this website last year and sent the E-mail to the suggested website. I now wonder how this could be so botched. I don't think I will give the vatican another chance to refuse me, so they need not worry about further requests. I have no idea which scavi I am missing.

I have tried that e-mail address many times. I faxed something and never heard. I started trying in Sept.

Sorry, correction:

The correct email address (which opens in Outlook when you click on the address as given above on the Scavi page) is:

[email protected]

Here is the thread that got me started in the wrong direction:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34904304

Stuart, I wouldn't give up just yet. The Scavi tour under St. Peter's is fascinating, even for non-Catholics. Ask your hotel if they would call for a reservation on your behalf. Give as many date/time options as you can.