Carrying Backpacks in Vatican City

[ShopperfiendTO]

Hello everyone,

 

Sorry to bring up an old topic, but the most relevant thread has been archived and so can't be bumped: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=348051&highlight=backpack+vatican

 

I was wondering if anyone can enlighten me on the topic of carrying normal-sized backpacks (not those hiker-sized types) in the Vatican.

 

I would like to tour, in this order (unless another order is better?) and carrying my backpack with me the entire way, the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel (guided, if this makes any difference), followed by a visit to St. Peter''s Basilica (which I understand can be visited directly from the Sistine Chapel (by the group exit) and therefore bypass another security line-up?). Can this be accomplished?

 

Putting the posts in the above thread together suggests that it can be, but I wanted to make sure that is the case and still is the case. Has any cruiser done this very thing recently?

 

I was thinking of checking the backpack in the baggage check-in area in St. Peter's and then doing the tours, but that means more walking which I'd rather do touring and not dropping off or retrieving (i.e., backtracking).

 

I know that there's a lot of suggestions to not carry a backpack (thieves, load, etc.), but in my situation I will be carrying one and unfortunately can't "leave it at home".

 

Thanks!

[carlmm]

Sorry, no final answer, just some indication:

 

On the official web page of the Vatican museum http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/z-Info/MV_Info_Servizi.html

it says "(visitors are asked to check-in bags, backpacks or bulky luggage)"

 

How do you define "normal size"?

I have seen people with small backpacks in St. Peter's.

[ShopperfiendTO]

Hi carlmm,

 

Thanks for your reply. I read that information, but post #10 in the thread I quoted suggests otherwise:

 

"Whoops! I need to clarify that the backpack check-in is for St. Peter's Basilica, not the Vatican Museum. I don't believe there is a backpack restriction at the museum. I remember having a picture of me standing in the middle of one of the museum exhibits with my backpack sitting on the floor in front of me."

 

This sounds like you can have a backpack in the Museum but not in St. Peter's, so did he have to check his backpack after using the group exit to enter the Basilica (this doesn't make sense to me, and my point seems taken in Post #9 of that thread)?

 

Also, other posters wrote:

 

"We both had backpacks when we entered St. Peter's as well as the Vatican Museums. We did not have to check them. I believe we did carry them over one shoulder so as make them look as small as possible." (Post #5)

 

"We had a backpack with us everywhere we went in Europe, including St. Peter's Basilica. No one ever said a word to us." (Post #12)

 

The backpack is similar to this (I think mine is a little smaller, but it's basically the same design, one larger zippered space in the back and a small zippered front pouch):

 

 

link to similar backpack: http://www.ebags.com/columbia_sportswear/p_cubed_pack/product_detail/index.cfm?modelid=96262

[DonLou]

I also believe there is no backpack restrictions at the Vatican museums.

 

But at St. Peter's, all backpacks are challengeable. How it's worn or how big it is might not be as much a determining factor as WHO checks you when you start to go inside. Some guards are more accommodating than others.

 

By the way, I wore a similar backpack to the one in the picture and they did not let me wear it inside St. Peter's. I think a fanny pack is about as safe a bet as you can get for taking a "backpack" inside the church.

[ShopperfiendTO]

I also believe there is no backpack restrictions at the Vatican museums.

 

But at St. Peter's, all backpacks are challengeable. How it's worn or how big it is might not be as much a determining factor as WHO checks you when you start to go inside. Some guards are more accommodating than others.

 

By the way, I wore a similar backpack to the one in the picture and they did not let me wear it inside St. Peter's. I think a fanny pack is about as safe a bet as you can get for taking a "backpack" inside the church.

 

Thanks for your post, DonLou. So how did it work for you? My understanding:

 

1. Visiting Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel with backpack is fine;

 

2. Taking "group exit" door at Sistine Chapel leads you to St. Peter's, so you bypass the security line-up to enter St. Peter's;

 

3. However, when you try to enter, guards will very likely tell you to check your backpack;

 

4. Where do you check your backpack at this point?

 

5. To check your backpack, do you have to exit the secured area which means you have to go through the security line-up you had avoided by using the Sistine Chapel's "group exit" anyway (rendering the "shortcut" useless unless you're not carrying anything)?

[DonLou]

ShopperfiendTO,

 

I think you have the layout a little wrong.

 

Once past the security check-in you approach St. Peters. At the lower right of the church building is a door to the place that has the baggage check-in and restrooms. From there you continue outside the front of the building up some stairs to the middle where the church entrances are. It's about 50 yards distance. This is all inside the security check-in.

 

There's no problem if you take a chance on a backpack. If the guard turns you away, just go down to the luggage place, check in your backpack and return to the front entrance. I hope this makes it a little clearer.

[kruzin']

:) the only restriction about back packs according to what I have read and experienced is the Scavi Tour

[ShopperfiendTO]

Thank you for the clarification, DonLou!

 

Going back to my understanding above, I take it that everything's correct then except for Point 5, where the baggage check-in place is past (i.e., beyond) the security line-up area so that if a guard were to turn me away, I'd just make a short detour to the baggage check-in place and come back (without having to go through another security line-up)?

 

Hi Kruzin', if only it were the same for everyone else! :(

[DonLou]

Thank you for the clarification, DonLou!

 

Going back to my understanding above, I take it that everything's correct then except for Point 5, where the baggage check-in place is past (i.e., beyond) the security line-up area so that if a guard were to turn me away, I'd just make a short detour to the baggage check-in place and come back (without having to go through another security line-up)?

 

Hi Kruzin', if only it were the same for everyone else! :(

 

That is correct. The baggage check-in and entrance to St. Peter's is well beyond the security line-up.

[ShopperfiendTO]

Thank you for the information, DonLou!:)

[DavidandPaula]

I carried a daypack through the Vatican Museums and then via the exit from the Sistine Chapel into St Peters and was not challenged about it at any point. I get the feeling many of the rules are applied on a see how the guards feel basis. I got that impression from the flash cameras and movie cameras in the Sistine Chapel plus the girl in the bikini in St Peters (not that I objected but Paula was in a bit of a panic as her blouse covered most of her shoulders but not fully but she was not stopped as the bikini may have distracted the guards)

 

Water bottles also seemed to get variable treatment in Rome museums and galleries we visited.

 

David