Vatican
 

Can someone make some recomendations for us while we tour the vatican, we willb e attending the papal Mass, are there any tours we should sign up for afgterwards. I want to get the most out of it while were there

I'd recommend the Scavi Tour. You need to reserve in advance by sending an email to [email protected]. Send them the dates you'll be in Rome, the language you prefer, and contact information for your hotel. After sending the email, you'll get an auto reply, followed by a confirmation a few days later. The sooner you reserve, the better.

The Scavi Tour takes you to the catacombs underneath the Vatican. Going down there is quite an experience, and you get to see places that very few people see, like the actual location of what's believed to be the tomb of St. Peter. The state of preservation of the catacombs is amazing, and you can still see colorful frescoes and tiles from 2000 yrs ago.

We are actually really interested in doing this, do you have an option of times, since we will be doing the papal mass. After that would we be able to get a tour of the Vatican, Ive heard you can jsut go up and get a guide, with a bt of waiting time that is.

If I remember correctly, they just give you one time/date, and you get no options. When you send the email, make sure to mention any time restrictions that you have.

My husband and I took the Scavi tour in Sept., 2001. It was amazing!! It was the highlight of our trip. (When we visited the "touristy" catacombs, what a letdown they were). Don't miss the Scavi. I recommend it to everyone who is going to Rome!

If you are going to Rome and Vatican City, you'll fing "Angels and Demons", by Dan Brown, fascinating. It's similar to "The Da Vinci Code", but set in Rome. I'm currently reading it, and making notes about my next visit to Rome...

i would also recommend a climb to the top of the dome. very cool. i also agree with angels and demons. i read the davinci code on the flight to paris and it was fun to see the sights mentioned in the book.

Hi, I'll have a full day in the Vatican , and want to tour the museum, the Sistine Chapel and also make the Scavi tour. Could anyone suggest me how to plan my day?

Thank you.....!!!!

<b>AMCHO</b>

Do you have only one day for doing this three things? That makes it complicated, but still doable.

The problem with doing those three things in a day is that you don't select the time for the Scavi Tour, so you'll have to work around the time they give you. Request the latest time possible for the day you'll be there. If you get it, then go to the Museums first.

If you are pressured for time when you're inside the museums, here's a couple of tips:

1. Right after the map room you'll go into a small room that's divided by a rope. The flow of the visit will take you left. If you go UNDER the rope and go RIGHT, you'll be 10 meters away from the entrance to the Sistine Chapel. You'll save maybe 20-30 minutes, but you'll miss the Raphael Rooms.

2. If you are inside the Sistine Chapel, with the Last Judgement behind you, you'll see two doors. The door to the left takes you back to the entrance to the museums. The door to the right says &quot;Tour groups only&quot; or something like that. Wait for a tour and go behind them. You'll exit right next to St. Peter's. This will save maybe 45-60 minutes, but you'll miss the rest of the museums.

I've done both of these things before, and if you are pressured for time, they work great.

Jean_Valjean: thank you so much for your help. I'll be 2 1/2 days in Rome, 1 1/2 day to the ancient Rome and 1 full day in the Vatican.
Do you think that maybe I should be 1 1/2 in the Vatican (should I pay twice the entrance to the Vatican?), instead of the Ancient Rome?
Do you know any tour to the Ancient Rome?

I think that the best way to plan would be to wait until you have the time and date for the Scavi Tour. That would be the only fixed item on your schedule. Are there any other things that you are particularly interested in seeing? Opening times in Rome are very uneven...

Jean_Valjean, we want to see:

- Roman Forum,
- Phanteon,
- Palatine Hill,
- Caracalla Baths,
- Colosseum,
- Circus Maximus,
- Trajan's Market,
- Tour the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain.

I know that maybe it sounds impossible, but we want to try it!!!

It is not impossible by any means. One time we were walking through Rome and went to Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, Santa Maria sopra Minerva, Trevi fountain, Piazza Venezia and the Colosseum in 2 and a half hours.

What I'd do is check the current schedules of these places you want to visit, and make sure to visit those with opening hours early in the morning (e.g. the Forum and the Colosseum). I'd advise against going to the Circus Maximums... I think it requires too much imagination and there isn't really a lot to see. Leave the markets and the baths for after the Colosseum, and then get to Piazza Venezia. From there, it is a 10-15 minute walk to the Spanish Steps. Then go to Trevi Fountain, then to the Pantheon, then to Piazza Navona. I'm sure that this can be done in a (very tiring) day.

Jean_Valjean: Your tour sounds great, I think we'll do it just as you said.
Thank so much for your helpful information!!!!

You're welcome. I forgot to mention... there's this great restaurant very near Piazza Navona called &quot;Jazz Cafe&quot;. Great food, good wines, good prices. They have this thing they call Focaccia Caprese made with homemade Mozarella that's just perfect.

To get there, just walk towards the toy store in P. Navona (away from the rivers fountain, to the north). Cross the street and walk left, then right. The exact address is Via Zanardelli 12.