Vatican day schedule - please help me plan it!
 

Hi all,

Now that I have received my Scavi tour reservation (9AM on Monday, May 28) I am trying to figure out how to proceed with the rest of the day.

As I understand it, the Scavi tour will last approximatel 1.5 hrs. That puts us at 10:30 AM. I am not clear on this, but I think we will be able to see St. Peter's after the Scavi tour? Is this correct?

The Vatican run tours of the Museum/Sistine Chapel start at 12:00 and 2:00. The last entrance to the Museum is 3:30. Should I request the 12:00 Museum tour and try to grab a quick bite between the Scavi tour and Museum entrance? Is this even possible? Or should we go and have a fairly leisurely lunch and request the 2:00 tour. I guess the final option would be to play it by ear and just stand in line.

By the way, I am traveling with DH (definately NOT a museum person) and DD aged 18 (not really a museum person). I would definitely like to see at least the Sistine Chapel.

Thanks for any guidance you can bestow!
And thanks for all prior help on this trip. I could never do it without you guys.
I especially love it when people ask me how I know so much about a particular travel-related subject. I just smile and give you guys the credit - most of it anyway!
H

If your traveling partners are not museum folk, better not subject them to 2 tours in one day. Better to have a nice lunch after your scavi tour and perhaps just tour yourselves thru ST. Peter's. Or, after lunch, go to the Vatican museums, but do not join a tour. Wander around the exhibits and end up at the Sistine Chapel.
By the way, the BEST GELATO in Rome (maybe in Italy!) is right across the street from where you wait in line for the Vatican Museums.

hi, phieaglefan,

given the mass aversion to museums, I think that the OP's advice is sound.

After the Scavi tour, you could go round the castel san angelo, and follow that up with lunch and a wander around Trastevere. [you can catch the boat down the river to the island in the middle of the Tiber and get off there for T'tevere] or look around the jewish quarter and around there. Plenty to see in the centro storico, IMO.

We found that it was a mistake to book two things in one day - it's so difficult to gauge how long the tour wil take, how tired you'll be, how hungry, etc.

Leave the Vatican and SS for another day - and do read the other threads about the new changes to obtaining tickets. there are fewer than before for people who just turn up!

regards, ann

I think Castel Sant'Angelo is closed Mondays.

Our Scavi tour took a little less than 1.5 hours. Closer to an hour. The tour ends at the crypt where you can view the tombs of many of the popes. We may have taken a wrong turn, but I think you have to exit the crypt and re-enter the basilica.

I wrote about this in a recent trip report you can find by clicking my screen name. I agree with the previous posters that you might not want to cram in the Vatican Museums if you're with non-museum lovers. It's kind of an ordeal these days, with all the crowds.

My advice to the Vatican would be to offer direct access to the Sistine Chapel for those who'd just as soon skip the rest of the collection (I suspect a very large number, to which I do not belong).

Just curious how long ago you requested the Scavi tour. I sent an email over a week ago and haven't heard back yet and we are in Rome in less than a month. We also sent a fax to the Vatican tour and gave them our home fax for a response. Were we supposed to give them our hotel's fax? I seem to remember folks saying they are very late in responding.

After the Scavi Tour you will be able to see St Peter's. You will end up in St. Peter's (you'll will be under St. Peter's and come up the stairs). So, you'll want to spend some time there. You may want to consider getting the 2:00 Tour and having a nice lunch. It can be a long day. The entrance to the Museum is about a 10 minute walk from St Peter's. I wouldn't stand in the line if you have an option not to.

Thanks for everyone's prompt replies. It sounds as if we should either try to do it a different day, or at least wait til the 2:00. I may hold off and just decide to play it by ear.

Deb, I am not sure of the exact dates, but if you click on my screen name, there's a whole thread I started because I was afraid I would not get a reservation. I want to say it took about 5 or 6 weeks to hear back.

Thanks again!
H

My Scavi tour is on May 29 at 10:30 AM, and it took about two months before I got a confirmation. Now I'm waiting for Vatican museum/Sistine chapel and Borghese gallery tours confirmation. My fingers are crossed.

After the Scavi tour is the perfect time to visit St Peter's, you don't have to go through the security line. You end up in the grottoes, so at least visit the tomb of John Paul II. After the grottoes there are three possible way to enter the basilica. In the morning the stairs leading up behind the St Andrew statue are often open. You can exit the grottoes (south side of St Peter's) and re-enter the basilica just past the Swiss Guard. You can also exit out of the entrance to the grottoes (north side of St Peter's), and this put you in a good position to go up to the dome, or re-enter the basilica from the Portico.
For more info see: http://www.saintpetersbasilica.org/index.htm

Agree that byou should tour St Peters right after your Scabvi tour. You can get a "free" tour that takes about 45 minutes.
Get a quick bite close by and go in at 12:00.
Enjoy!