I will be in Rome for 2 days and want to know the best way to see the Vatican. Should we book a tour ahead of time to avoid waiting on line? Are the vatican tours good? Are there others that are better? Should we should just get an audio and do it on our own? Thank you

There are several Fodor's threads on this. Type "vatican" into the "Search the Forums" engine above on your right and that might give you a head start.

Are you looking for a private guide or a group guide?

It depends on the price for a private guide. A group guide that is not too big.
Thank you

It depends on the price for a private guide. A group guide that is not too big.
Thank you

Definitely sign up for a group tour of the Vatican - and an afternoon time (after the cruise line tourists have been through) should be less crowded. Check out SelectItaly.com

I personally hate group tours - I dont like be guided around like Cattle with someone on a headset and me on a headphone trying to folow some guy/girl with a paddle for the group. I also can't stand listening to others ask the most unbelievable questions. For me, the extra money for a private tour of a place like the vatican will make all the difference.

I used "When in Rome Tours". The guide came to my hotel, we chose to walk to the vatican, stopped had a nice cappaccino, talked, she got to know what I was interested in. When we went into the museums, we skiped the lines, walked in and had such an amazing time. She would point out all the important pieces, knew about the history of the items, and when she saw me looking at something that I found interesting, I was given the time to look at it, and she provided some insight and knowledge. With a private guide, I wasn't rushed, and we took the entire day. If there was a group ahead of us, we just took our time and waited for them to move. She came to my hotel at 9:30 and we finshed with our journey to the top of the basillica and I was back at my hotel at 5pm. I honestly couldn't have asked for a better tour.

Some things a group tour is fine for, but something that is so large like the Vatican Museums, I wanted something more private and intimate. The extra money is well worth the splurge!

Thanks for your help, I did do a search, but most replies were over a year old.

ejs, we used Katie Parla for our Vatican tour in September and she was fantastic - she also took us through the Pantheon. She has a website - www.katieparla.com

Search the NYTimes for an article on the private night tours of the vatican museum...we did it..it's expensive but so worth the money....you and 28 people are the only ones in the museums....30 people in the Sistine Chapel with only the guards there....amazing...especially if you are short on time and don't want to wait in lines

Thank you for your suggestions.

evening tour through sistine chapel sounds awesome!

The audio guides are pretty good. With such a short stay, I'd go with them. Also, very short lines in afternoon (after 1:30)