any review of scavi tour?

[cadreamer]

I just read the review of the Vataican Museum tour which was negative and I am wondering if there is anyone out there who has taken the Scavi tour recently and could give us a review.

[Queenk2]

I took the Scavi tour in July. It was awesome. The guide was very informative and answered all the questions thrown at her. She spoke English fluently and was very entertaining. I am NOT a Roman Catholic, but I found the tour to be wonderful. I have been through the vatican before, but never did this tour. I would recommend it highly.If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask.

Karen

[usavvy2]

here's my journal notes from September 2004 - bottom line was that we are so GLAD we took this tour!

 

The number one tourist site in Rome is Basilica di San Pietro, the heart of the church for Catholics around the world! It’s a wonderful architectural sight to behold with its giant scale comprised of colonnades, fountains and façade. It is here that the papal blessings are given to up to 7,000 people on Wednesdays and Sundays. (Tickets are required; we weren’t in town on either of those days.) Like being screened like at an airport, to walk into St. Peters you need to go through a metal detector. After doing so, we dropped off our backpack and cameras in the baggage claim room so we could participate in the excavations tour under St. Peter’s Basilica. Advance instructions advised so to do so or risk losing our tour space; however, other folks on our tour carried fanny packs and cameras without being questioned. (They were not allowed to use the cameras, though.) The archaeological area below St. Peter’s was very damp, humid, and its walls were close together and ceilings low. It would not be recommended for anyone with claustrophobia. I continuously fanned myself to prevent an asthma attack. The Vatican offers a limited number of visits – with advance reservations – due to the reduced space in the excavations area. There were about 15 people on our tour and it was difficult for DH to hear the tour guide so I translated her commentary as we went along each section. We saw many crypts and, at the end of the tour, we saw the tomb of Peter – bones and all! (Well at least someone’s bones, which they believe are Peter’s.) We exited the underground passing by a series of little underground chapels (open in the mornings only) and finally coming upstairs IN the Basilica! One of the first images we saw was Bernini’s great high altar with its spiraling columns – built on top of a previous altar which was built directly on top of Peter’s grave. At Michelangelo’s Pieta, a bronze statue of St. Peter, visitors were caressing Peter’s right foot (with the shine worn down by all those caresses over the years), and the crypts where numerous popes are buried. We actually saw [the likeness of?] a pope in a glass casket which creeped me out a little.

[cadreamer]

Thanks you for all the information. We got our reservation for Scavi and booked it. Now I am having trouble getting one for the vatican tour. I think I want it just to give us options since the tour really does not sound appealing. Is anyone hearing from the Vatican tour office these days? It has been over a week and I faxed a second time but still no answer.

[BuckGuy]

You really shouldnt plan a Vatican tour from the official Vatican Tour office. If you don't want to just buy a good tourbook and take a self-guided of St. Peter's, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican museums, then just use a private company tourguide, there are lots, you don't even really have to reserve one in advance, just ask your hotel concierge to link you up with one.

[jb_yvr]

We did the scavi a few years ago on a trip to Rome. I would definately recommend it to anyone.

 

There is both the religious and archealogical aspects to the tour. Our tour guide at the time - a woman - spoke very good English and she was very informative.

 

 

I found it quite amazing that you could have what looks like an entire city (the Necropolis) underneath the Vatican and very few people above you have any clue that it even exists.

 

It is also very cool to see where St Peter is (possibly) burried - and then see that in relation to what is on top at ground level what most people see in the Basilica.