Help! Which way to see the Vatican?

[DrivesLikeMario]

We're hoping to spend the least amount of time in line and still see the major sites at the Vatican. Which would you chose?

 

1. http://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/musei/tickets/do?action=booking&codiceTipoVisita=10&step=2 This way, we would buy our tickets online before leaving the US and pay 31E for a guided group tour through the Vatican.

 

Description: The tour follows an itinerary which includes: the Pio Clementino Museum, the Gallery of the Candelabras, the Gallery of the Geographical Maps, and the Gallery of the Tapestries (Renaissance art), the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel. Duration of the tour is about 2 hours.

 

 

2. http://www.romanodyssey.com/tours_vatican_privelege.htm

This way, we would meet outside the Vatican with a private tour group and enter together. This cost is 55E. Average group size is 18-25 people.

 

Description - rooms toured: Vatican Museum, Gallery of Tapestries, Gallery of Maps, Belvedere Court, Raphael Stanza, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica. Total time is 3 hrs. 30 mins.

 

Any help or advice would be really appreciated. Thanks so much! :)

[Keith1010]

I am going to throw out yet another option.

 

We took a nice tour through Rome Walks. The tour will range from around 8 to 12 people.

 

The tour guide was wonderful.

 

Their web site is http://www.romewalks.com

 

I highly recommend some type of tour rather than just doing it on your own.

 

Keith

[CathyCruises]

I would do the first, then exit the Sistine Chapel by the back RIGHT "tour groups only" door and walk right in to the basilica and see that on my own. Best of both.

[DrivesLikeMario]

I am going to throw out yet another option.

 

We took a nice tour through Rome Walks. The tour will range from around 8 to 12 people.

 

The tour guide was wonderful.

 

Their web site is http://www.romewalks.com

 

I highly recommend some type of tour rather than just doing it on your own.

 

Keith

 

Great idea, but this company does offer their tour on Tuesday. We don't want to go on Monday, because it's free (World Day of Tourism) and it'll be packed. Thanks for the idea though.

 

I would do the first, then exit the Sistine Chapel by the back RIGHT "tour groups only" door and walk right in to the basilica and see that on my own. Best of both.

 

Thanks, Cathy!

[cruisemom42]

Well, I'd choose neither, but that's not what you meant! :D

 

I guess it depends whether you feel you want/need a guided tour of St Peter's basilica. If so, take the second tour. If not, take the first.

 

BTW, Rick Steves has a podcast for St Peters. (And probably there are other podcasts as well....)

[euro cruiser]

I have a wonderful little book all about the basilica and its art that I bought from the nuns at the little gift shop near the bathrooms on the left side of the piazza in front of the church (as you are facing it). It was only about two or three Euro, and it covers an awful lot.

 

So I think I'd go with a good guidebook or podcast and do the basilica on my own. Of course, I'd probably "lose" the guide pretty quickly on the museums tour also, just using them to get in ahead of the crowd and then going off on my own.

 

There is a lot of information about the basilica here: http://www.stpetersbasilica.org/

[D4]

You can also buy your tickets to the Vatican museum online in advance (19 euros per person.) You choose your entry time and avoid the long line. If you go early, you can avoid crowds.

 

DH can't walk fast and has to stop and rest often so a tour group isn't a good fit for us.

[nordski]

Well, I'd choose neither, but that's not what you meant! :D

 

I guess it depends whether you feel you want/need a guided tour of St Peter's basilica. If so, take the second tour. If not, take the first.

 

BTW, Rick Steves has a podcast for St Peters. (And probably there are other podcasts as well....)

He also has an Ipod tour for the Sistine Chapel, as well as for the Forum, Pantheon and Colosseum. All are free and I found them all, including the Chapel, superb.

 

There are related photos included that help you orient yourself and, for me, just the right amount of information.

 

I also found the St. Peter's and Sistine tours useful to preview what we were going to see.

[daryleann]

Nordski: I have been looking into the podcasts by R Steves. We have never had an MP3 player, so I was wondering about what you meant when you said 'they also had photos'.

Thanks.

[nordski]

Nordski: I have been looking into the podcasts by R Steves. We have never had an MP3 player, so I was wondering about what you meant when you said 'they also had photos'.

Thanks.

Hopefully you don't want a technical explanation which would be way beyond my competence :)

 

I have an Ipod nano which has a screen. As you follow the audio tour a picture is displayed on the screen of the particular sight or art object that is being described. My wife complains about the brevity of the display but the image can be recalled. (I curtail the length of display to protrct the battery).

 

As I stated, paying the tour prior to the visit allows one to focus on aspects of particular interest. Replaying back at the hotel, ship or even at home provides an excellent review.

 

From another source, I also purchased audio tours of Corfu and Dubrovnik. They were more detailed in their contents, a feature which is both blessing and curse.

 

One final suggestion, we had a splitter that allowed both of us to listen to the same Ipod. For several reasons, that didn't work so well.

 

Love my Ipod

[DrivesLikeMario]

Thanks for the help, everyone. I'm still vascillating between the two options - DIY or through a group tour. Have to do a little more research. Thanks again.

[hbe]

You can also buy your tickets to the Vatican museum online in advance (19 euros per person.) You choose your entry time and avoid the long line. If you go early, you can avoid crowds.

 

DH can't walk fast and has to stop and rest often so a tour group isn't a good fit for us.

 

Thanks for the info, can you tell me where we can buy Vatican museum tickets for 19 euros, thanks

[broberts]

Official Vatican museum web page here. Be sure to check out the virtual Sistine Chapel tour at this site.

 

There is a stunning amount to see. Far too much to cover in a just a few hours. Some of it may not hold any interest.

 

Consider touring on your own. This will let you spend time in areas that interest you and skip areas that hold no interest. I'd advise some preliminary research before going. That way you'll be sure to get to most of what you really want to see. But you can actually just wander through enjoying what you come across.

[D4]

Thanks for the info, can you tell me where we can buy Vatican museum tickets for 19 euros, thanks

 

We bought our tickets from this website when we were in Rome last month: http://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/musei/tickets/do?weblang=it&do

 

You print out the voucher and show up at your chosen time. When you are facing the entrance to the Vatican museums, the long line is on the left and it wraps around the Vatican wall. There is a short line (or none at all) to the right of the entrance which is for people that have already purchased tickets and that's where you show up with your printed voucher.