Vatican & Windsor Castle
Feb 24th, 2006 | 10:14 AM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 4
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Vatican & Windsor Castle
Totally two different topics, but looking for input as I will be in both London and Rome this summer. I will be in London for 3 days and am considering doing a half day trip to see Windsor Castle. Any thoughts or should I just stay in the city.
I will also be in Rome and plan on going to the Vatican and St. Peter's. Would you recommend a tour of the grounds or is it pretty self-explanatory going on our own? Also, how long would you allow to see everything there?
Thanks so much for any input. It's greatly appreciated!
I will also be in Rome and plan on going to the Vatican and St. Peter's. Would you recommend a tour of the grounds or is it pretty self-explanatory going on our own? Also, how long would you allow to see everything there?
Thanks so much for any input. It's greatly appreciated!
Feb 24th, 2006 | 01:24 PM
#2
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 75,053
Likes: 50
"<i>should I just stay in the city.</i>"
No one can say - Windsor is great, but 3 days is not long enough to even scratch the surface in London. Have you been before? What sorts of things do you like?
If you don't like hectic big cities and need to get out for at least a bit, Windsor is a great day trip - but it will take more than 1/2 a day. If you go in the morning don't plan on being back into central London until mid to late afternoon. The castle takes a couple of hours minimum, plus lunch, plus wandering around the town, crossing the river into Eton.
You don't have to decide before hand since you don't need to pre-book the train or entry to the Castle. So just keep it in your plan and decide on the day - don't do it on a rainy/stormy day. You'll get soaked walking from the station up to the Castle gates.
No one can say - Windsor is great, but 3 days is not long enough to even scratch the surface in London. Have you been before? What sorts of things do you like?
If you don't like hectic big cities and need to get out for at least a bit, Windsor is a great day trip - but it will take more than 1/2 a day. If you go in the morning don't plan on being back into central London until mid to late afternoon. The castle takes a couple of hours minimum, plus lunch, plus wandering around the town, crossing the river into Eton.
You don't have to decide before hand since you don't need to pre-book the train or entry to the Castle. So just keep it in your plan and decide on the day - don't do it on a rainy/stormy day. You'll get soaked walking from the station up to the Castle gates.
Feb 24th, 2006 | 01:40 PM
#3
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 4,717
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About St. Peter's and the Vatican: Basically, the only two places that you are allowed to visit are St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums (which include the Sistine Chapel). You cannot "tour the grounds" by yourself; there are tours of the Vatican gardens with guides appointed by the Vatican, but the general view is that they are not particularly interesting.
Most people tend to find it useful to tour the Vatican Museums and St. Peter's Basilica with a guide. There are endless tour companies in Rome that have been suggested here: Icon, Through Eternity, ContextRome (considered very good but very pricey), Three Millenia, etc., etc. Put <Rome +tours> (without the arrows) in the search box and you will find hundreds of threads about tour companies in Rome.
Most people tend to find it useful to tour the Vatican Museums and St. Peter's Basilica with a guide. There are endless tour companies in Rome that have been suggested here: Icon, Through Eternity, ContextRome (considered very good but very pricey), Three Millenia, etc., etc. Put <Rome +tours> (without the arrows) in the search box and you will find hundreds of threads about tour companies in Rome.
