Vatican Museum at night? Please help with pros/cons
Sep 8th, 2010, 10:57 AM
#22
Join Date: Sep 2010
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Thinking of booking the Vatican at Night Tickets in Sept but want to also consider doing a Tour that night. Has anyone done this? Which company? pros/cons?
Also since it does not include St Peters I am thinking that we would arrive at 5ish to St Peters and see if before the night tour. Does this sound like a good idea with regards to lines and crowds?
My last question is that I have tickets for the Papal Audience so we could see St Peters if we attend that. Would I have to wait in long lines then to get into St Peters if this is done alone.
I have been before on my own and with a tour a long time ago. Enjoyed it a lot. Taking my sister this time and want her to have a very enjoyable time as well.
Thanks!
Also since it does not include St Peters I am thinking that we would arrive at 5ish to St Peters and see if before the night tour. Does this sound like a good idea with regards to lines and crowds?
My last question is that I have tickets for the Papal Audience so we could see St Peters if we attend that. Would I have to wait in long lines then to get into St Peters if this is done alone.
I have been before on my own and with a tour a long time ago. Enjoyed it a lot. Taking my sister this time and want her to have a very enjoyable time as well.
Thanks!
Sep 9th, 2010, 05:37 AM
#23
The lines to get in St. Peter's are just security lines to go through the metal detectors. Sometimes they move fast, but depends on how many metal detectors are open. I wouldn't imagine you would have to wait in line more than 15 minutes, if that.
Last week there were dozens of people trying to sell tours as you were walking from the subway towards the Vatican (many more than I remember on previous trips). They were all touting avoiding the long lines and saying how long the waits were. They were all lying. I wasn't going to the museum, but as I passed the area I could see there was NO LINE for the museum at all. Sometimes the lines are all the way to the corner or to the piazza at St. Peter's. The security line at St. Peter's looks long, but only took a few minutes.
If you plan to visit St. Peter's before your night tour, allow enough time to walk between the two.
devilduckie - While St. Peter's is open until 7pm, most places will have an entrance cut-off time of 30-60 minutes earlier.
FWIW - I popped into the Scavi office Monday to see if they had any tours available. I had e-mailed before I left and they were booked, but I wanted to see if anyone had canceled. The guy said they were fully booked until mid-Oct., but I could come back in a couple of hours to see if someone didn't show up. I've been on the tour before, but my friend hadn't. We decided not to hang around and wait. The Scavi office said only 250 people are allowed in each day(group size is limited to 12-15 people) and only a few of the tours are in English.
Last week there were dozens of people trying to sell tours as you were walking from the subway towards the Vatican (many more than I remember on previous trips). They were all touting avoiding the long lines and saying how long the waits were. They were all lying. I wasn't going to the museum, but as I passed the area I could see there was NO LINE for the museum at all. Sometimes the lines are all the way to the corner or to the piazza at St. Peter's. The security line at St. Peter's looks long, but only took a few minutes.
If you plan to visit St. Peter's before your night tour, allow enough time to walk between the two.
devilduckie - While St. Peter's is open until 7pm, most places will have an entrance cut-off time of 30-60 minutes earlier.
FWIW - I popped into the Scavi office Monday to see if they had any tours available. I had e-mailed before I left and they were booked, but I wanted to see if anyone had canceled. The guy said they were fully booked until mid-Oct., but I could come back in a couple of hours to see if someone didn't show up. I've been on the tour before, but my friend hadn't. We decided not to hang around and wait. The Scavi office said only 250 people are allowed in each day(group size is limited to 12-15 people) and only a few of the tours are in English.
