the pope in Rome
 

Sitting in an internet cafe next to the Colisseum watching thousands of pilgrims with candles listening to the Pope! Anyway I'm going to the Vatican Museums tomorrow and would like to take a tour with an English speaking guide, any suggestions, I know it's short notice but we just found out they are closed on Monday!!

Hi Craig! Easter is a facinataing time in Rome. Can't help you with the tour thing, but find out now if the Sistine Chapel is open if that's your main objective. It was closed when we were there on Palm Sunday prior to Easter. Note: after the Palm Sunday mass in St. Peter's Square (which we saw from a distance on top of Castello San Angelo), there was a wonderful parade with all the participants in colorful costumes including knights, jesters, ladies, & flag twirlers.<BR><BR>Have fun! I'm jealous...

The Sistine Chapel is open we have been told as the museums are not open on Sunday with Easter being the last Sunday of the month.

We took a tour that met at the right hand fountain as you face st. Peters Basilica at 11.30 I think the company was Roman holidays the guide seemed to know her stuff, I think the tour cost 25 euro try calling 3332719596 first thing tomorrow I think thats the number. good luck

Called them and booked the tour THANX man this board is cool!!

Who is the pope fighting? Is it being televised for celebrity death match?

Craig- American Express has a very good English language Vatican tour which leaves every morning except Sunday at 9:30 a.m. from the American Express office near the Spanish Steps (actually Piazza di Spagna 38). The cost is about 42 Euros. This info is from a brochure I picked up in the AmEx office last month. We didn't take the tour this trip, but we did about three years ago and it was excellent The telephone number for the AmEx city tours desk is 06-67.64.24.13. I know you're having a wonderful time!<BR><BR>Byrd

We used American express for the Forum in Rome and found the guide quite hard to understand, so then after the tour we latched on to a free tour with a Scottish guy and the guide was excellent but I can't remember the name of the company.

&lt;&lt;Is it being televised for celebrity death match?&gt;&gt; <BR><BR>Hasn't there been enough killing for one day?<BR><BR>the father...<BR><BR>

The title of this thread reminded me of a faux paux we made a number of times on our family trip to Italy last year. Whenever a waiter brought us the check my children and I pointed to my husband and said "Il Papa"...meaning "give dad the check." <BR><BR>Finally, a waiter stopped, and explained that "Il Papa" is the Pope in Rome. This is "papa" (accent on the second a)...<BR><BR>We were so horrified to think we had possibly offended many waiters implying they should send the check to the pope! No wonder nobody laughed at our joke!

Il means the, hence Il papa - the father, you should have said tua papa - your father or even better POSSO AVERE SCONTO - can I have discount or che caro - that's expensive

Just like to say a big thanx to the people on this board,I took the tour with Roman holidays and it was great, the guide was a Harvard student of art history. Thanx again!! If anyone has any questions please drop me a line and I'll try to help.