PlayPlay

I made reservations for a scavi tour a couple of months ago for the date of May 20, which is one of our days in Rome. Since the death of the Pope, I am now wondering a couple of things: 1. Could the ceremonies for the new Pope linger up to this date or further and therefore cause the closing again of the Vatican museums or scavi? 2. If we do get inside the scavi on this date will we be able to view the Popes resting place? I have never been to the scavi so I am assuming that by it being underneath St. Peters basilica, the scavi tour groups get to see the tombs of all the previous Popes?

wanderlust5

He will be buried in the Scavi and you should be able to see his tomb because he is being buried on Friday, so long before your date of the 20th. We'll be in Rome the 14-17th of May. Will you be there then? I have done the scavi - it is awesome. You'll love the tour.

barbmike

I have a reservation for the Scavi tour on May 17th as I feel it should be OK by then. You don't have to be on the tour to view the tombs of the Popes buried below St. Peter's.
There is some stairs very close to where Pope John Paul II is lying in state where you go to view all the tombs.
I read were this Pope maybe buried in Pope John 23rd's tomb in this area. Pope John was moved up to the main floor of the St. Peter's for public viewing a few years ago after he reached the next step to sainthood.
He seems to receive the most crowd attention as his body is in a glass casket. Have nice trip!!! Mike

Underhill

If I remember correctly, the scavi are the excavations beneath St. Peter's Basilica. The popes buried in the area are in a separate series of rooms beneath the baldochino.

wanderlust5

Barbmike and underhill are correct, and I wasn't specific in my post. I tend to use the term "scavi" for the underground area of the Vatican, but they are correct in that the Scavi is a separate area. Once you are through that tour, you end up in the underground tombs under the vatican where many of the popes are buried.

barbmike

Wanderlust5, I'll be in Rome from May 14-19th. I've been to Saint Peter's many times and viewing the tombs of the previous Popes is great. Mike

massagediva

John Paul II will be buried in the Grotto,which is under the baldacchino.

wanderlust5

barbmike: If you and any traveling companions would like to get together for lunch or a drink with me and my husband, you can email me at [email protected] and we'll make arrangements. it would be fun to meet another fodorite(s).

PlayPlay

We fly into Rome on May 19 and depart on the 24th. Thanks to everyone for all the great information. We can't wait to take this tour and also get to see Rome for the first time!

bookchick

Scavi Tours have been suspended at this time, and are scheduled to resume again on April 9th.

BC

RuthMc

we'll be in Rome May 10-16th. I emailed for scavi tickets at the beginning of March, and twice since then (not re-applying but reminding them of my earlier request) but have only received back automatic responses. I figure that there's no point in trying to contact them this week, but will probably get on the telephone next week. Has everyone else had the same problem or did I just fall into the black hole of scavi reservations?

PlayPlay

I requested my scavi reservations for May 20, on January 21. Six days later (January 27)they replied back with a positive confirmation to my request. It seems like hit and miss attempts since some seem to get in quickly while others only get an automated response. Some say that the Vatican will only make reservations three months prior to a requested date, but as you can see from my request above this is not necessarily true. Good luck.

delvino

There are 4 in our party, 2 of us will be doing the Scavi tour on May 17th (My Hub & I have already done this tour). Although I'd requested 4 tickets, I'd been given 2 (great, I'll take it).

My mother & niece will want to see the Pope's resting place in the baldochino area. What I do not recall from our visit of the Scavi back in 2001, is how we got to the Baldochino level after the Scavi tour.

Does anyone recall if the Scavi tour lets folks out at this level?

Will those on this tour have an advantage relative to their ability to see the John Pauls tomb?

From a logistics POView, I'm trying to determine the best place to meet Mom after the tour as well as how much time to provide. Their tour is at 9:15 am.

Thanks.

massagediva

John Paul is entombed in the Grotto,which is just below the main level of the Basilica.There is a small stairway to your left next to a pillar just before you reach the baldacchino. Iäm sure there will be lots of people going there,it will be hard to miss.

RuthMc

Well, my scavi reservations finally came through today for May 11, so we didn't completely get lost. Also, I received a reply to my request for a gardens tour around the same time and got a fax back saying that the gardens are closed through the conclave and to contact them later. I'm sure the conclave will be over by then, so maybe we'll luck out with that tour as well.

liltoni

Can someone post the link to the Scavi reservation site? Mine got lost in the shuffle - I also received an automatic reply but have yet to receive confirmation of my reservation request, thanks!

richardsonsnm

the pope headed up a church of child molesters, period.

delvino

The Scavi Tour docs indicate that the tour group concludes back at the Excavation office.

Can anyone who's recently gone on this tour confirm?

I seem to recall we went wandering into the baldachino area afterwards on our own. Perhaps they have changed their practices since our last visit in '01.

caroline_edinburgh

When I went on the tour it did not conclude back at the Excavations Office but by the tombs of the popes in the crypt (aka grotto), then exiting via the stairs up into the basilica when you were ready - so that would be very handy. But this was about 3 years ago, and even if it has been doing so until recently, I'd guess they might have diverted it since people have been queueing to see JPII's tomb.