Raven01

Just realized my Vatican day is set for a Wednesday in September. Seems that that is the Papal Audience day, assuming nothing changes. Planning on the Wednesday to do an 8 am Vatican Museum tour, then St. Peters Basilica, then a 3 pm Scavi tour.

Will we be able to access St. Peter's? I am estimating that we will spend 2-3 hours in the Vatican Museum, which would put us leaving to tour St Peter's at around 11 am, tour it, then lunch before Scavi. Or we could do lunch then, then come back to St. Peters before the Scavi tour. Or do a LONG lunch, then do the Scavi tour and St. Peters after.

Thoughts? Now that I realize that there may be several thousand other people in the area at the same time, I'd like to plan for that. Yes, we could come back another day, however, I'd like to try to fit it all in.

Luhimari

Unless the Pope is away travelling, there is a Papal Audience on Wednesdays. If there is an Audience, I think St. Peter's Basilica will still be closed at the time you finish at the Vatican Museums (I believe the Audience starts about 10 and lasts maybe a couple of hours). If you do a quick lunch, by the time you finish, the Audience should be over and the Basilica should be open but there could still be a lot of people and long lines for security. A long lunch would give you a nice break before the SCAVI Tour and visit the Basilica afterwards.

joannyc

I agree with doing the Basilica after the Scavi tour as it should be a great time for good light in the Basilica. There is a daily 5pm mass at the Altar of St Joseph in the left transept.

Seems that it takes them a while after the Pope's audience to open the Basilica... two guards actually lied to me and told me it would not be open that afternoon, to come back tomorrow!!! Amazing but true!

Hal8999

Wednesday is a great day to visit the museum because so many people are not there, they are in the audience hall. I can't speak for today, but in the past, the church was not closed because the audience hall is a separate facility.

joannyc

The audience that I attendend in October 2009 was held outside in the square. I believe it depends on the weather as to where it is held.