Scavi Tours

[Gritsgal]

Can anyone tell me how to purchase tickets for the Scavi tour at the Vatican and also please tell me a good way to do that and the Sistine Chapel...that is all we can see on this trip doing ROme in a day.

 

Thanks,

Grits

[Margarita Jane]

Hi Grits -

 

You can book the Scavi tour by sending an email to: scavi@fsp.va The cost is 10 Euros per person, paid upfront when you get confirmation of a reservation. You need to tell them the number of people in your tour, your language, the date you are interested in touring, your name, address and phone number. Sometimes it takes awhile for them to respond - I have read of it taking weeks - I booked for September and it took about 10 days. They will tell you if you have a reservation or not. If you do have a reservation, you need to send them payment within 30 days.

 

~ Jane

[Gritsgal]

Thanks, Jane. We will also be there in Sept. so I guess I'd better get a move on getting the tickets.

 

Grits

[Chesie]

Can anyone tell me how to purchase tickets for the Scavi tour at the Vatican and also please tell me a good way to do that and the Sistine Chapel...that is all we can see on this trip doing ROme in a day.

 

Thanks,

Grits

 

 

You can also fax them. I had a problem with their email so I faxed request. From original request to payment about 2 weeks. I just did this about a month ago. You can go to the Vatican website for the number. Be sure to add the 011 international code.

 

I have been on this before but DH and DS haven't. You will be amazed on what you will see.It was a very spiritual and moving 1 1/2 hrs for me.

 

If you haven't already, be sure to go to the Adornation Chapel in St. Peter's. As you walk down to the right will be very tall velvet drapes with a guard in the front of the roped off area. You can make the prayer sign with your hands,or ask him, and he will let you in. This is only for silent prayer but the Monstrance in the chapel is absolutely breathtaking. Tour guides won't take you in, some won't even tell you of this. I happend by chance and then my return visits made sure I went in. If your on a tour, ask your guide if you can meet up in 10 minutes and go in.

 

Enjoy!

 

Chesie

[MarkJeffery]

I highly recommend the Scavi tour - perhaps the most amazing thing I've ever see in Europe.

 

Don't take it for granted - not 1 in 1000 people know about it or have done it.

 

Be sure to apply immediately for the exact day and time you want, and remain flexible. They are space and language constrained - that is, they might only have an English tour once or twice a day, and you have to be able to hook up with them at the time they give you.

 

As a warning - don't bother considering this tour if you're the kind of person that might be 5 or 10 minutes late. They won't be able to re-schedule you.

[klauer]

Just to add a tip about the Scavi tour -- for some reason I thought that because it was underground it would be chilly. It is actually kind of warm and stuffy, so I didn't need to bring a sweater.

[eh2zed]

The Scavi tour really is special and only a small number of people are allowed in each day. The key to getting tickets is apply early and be flexible. We were fortunate and got our first choice. Only mistake we made is we knew you couldn't take any knapsacks in but assumed there was a place to check the bags at the Scavi office. Wrong! Had to go clear across St. Peters Square to the opposite side for the bag check. For a hand drawn map of where the Scavi entrance go to www.stuardtclarkesrome.com/ Click on Vatican and Environs and then find link to Vatican City map /COLOR]

[Sparky333]

Do you think this tour is amazing to even the not-very-religious? It seems it would be fascinating from an archeological perspective as well.

We'll have only 4 days in Rome so we want to cram in as much as possible. To those who have taken the tour -- would this be at the top of your list for a short visit?

 

Thanks.

[bunnyette]

Do you think this tour is amazing to even the not-very-religious? It seems it would be fascinating from an archeological perspective as well.

We'll have only 4 days in Rome so we want to cram in as much as possible. To those who have taken the tour -- would this be at the top of your list for a short visit?

 

Thanks.

 

YES! My agnostic DH was blown away by this tour...it is an amazing archeological wonder. It would be at the top of any list. Bear in mind that the tour guides are mainly nuns and priests. We had a nun who was the best tour guide we had on the whole trip. Even assisted DH with looking at the bones of St. Peter...

[mes531]

This tour seems like a real must for us, but I can't seem to find much info on it...any suggestions? Also, if you were booking this tour, what other tours would you suggest to book on the same day in the same area? How long does this tour take? Thanks:) :)

[Sparky333]

Mes531 -- This is a nice review of the Scavi tour & description plus info on getting reservations.

 

I don't know if I'm allowed to put a link in -- don't they get deleted? Let me try it this way: it's on slowtrav dot com -- followed by forward slash italy forward slash rome forward slash scavi_tour

 

Or you could google scavi slowtrav -- it's the first site listed.

 

Bunneyette - thanks, I'm now convinced! Sounds like a great opportunity to see something off the beaten path. I'll be writing for a time slot when it gets a little closer (to May 2009).

[readboat]

That was a great review. I emailed for my reservation. We depart in 50 days.

[Chesie]

Do you think this tour is amazing to even the not-very-religious? It seems it would be fascinating from an archeological perspective as well.

We'll have only 4 days in Rome so we want to cram in as much as possible. To those who have taken the tour -- would this be at the top of your list for a short visit?

 

Thanks.

 

Top of my list! We will be going over this fall and booked Scavi as DH has not been down. This was one of the most amazing tours we took.

 

Chesie

[Chesie]

This tour seems like a real must for us, but I can't seem to find much info on it...any suggestions? Also, if you were booking this tour, what other tours would you suggest to book on the same day in the same area? How long does this tour take? Thanks:) :)

 

It takes about 1 1/2 hours. Go to the Vatican website and you will find the directions on how to book. Until you get a time from them, you really won't be able to plan the rest of your day.

 

We are only in Rome 1 day precruise and gave them that date without a time. I would have taken ANY time to see it again. We got a 3 pm which is perfect. We can have lunch, do the tour, have an espresso, walk and dinner.

 

As soon as your able to book, do it. You'll have a better chance getting the date/time you truly want.

 

Good luck!

 

Chesie

[Gritsgal]

Thanks everyone for your comments! I emailed them last week and got the auto reply that my request had been recieved--and I guess (based on what I have read on the boards here) it takes a couple of weeks before they get back to you with the confirmation. Has that been most of your experiences?

 

Thanks in advance,

Grits

[Luvmy2dogs]

Hello All,

 

I emailed the excavations office on Sunday, and this morning, Wednesday, I had my tour confirmation for Sept. 2008. It was much faster and easier than anticipated. Good luck to everyone else getting tickets!

 

Belle

[readboat]

I emailed 50 days ahead and was not able to get a tour for May 21.

Everyone said 30 days before but that isnot soon enough.

[Capsu78]

I just got my confirmation Monday for a date in early July. I submitted about 3-4 weeks ago.

My guess is they must let them stack up a bit and then process by the batch.

 

FYI, We are in Rome for 5 days and I gave them the entire date range, figuring we could schedule around this event.

 

Here is a detailed discussion of what you will be seeing:

 

http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0735.html

[wifey_ali]

i've book this tour months before just to pass time in Rome pre-cruise while in Vatican area. I never thought it will be hard to book. Now Im glad I book this ahead. Hopefully, hubby and I would love it.

[Gritsgal]

Dear Friends,

Thanks to the great info that I got here...I applied for and recieved our Scavi confirmation today--entire process took about 7 days....so they must be on the ball over there!

 

Thanks again for all your great advice! We will be there on Sept. 12, 2008!

 

Grits

[mes531]

Dear Friends,

Thanks to the great info that I got here...I applied for and recieved our Scavi confirmation today--entire process took about 7 days....so they must be on the ball over there!

 

Thanks again for all your great advice! We will be there on Sept. 12, 2008!

 

Grits

 

I also wrote about a week ago, hopefully mine also comes through soon! Does any one know if they are harder to get as there are 8 in our group?? Thanks for all the great info!:) :)

[cathydev]

I requested a scavi tour for our family of 6 in mid-March and just received an email confirming the tour and the time with instructions on how to pay etc. Our tour is Tues June 24th.

 

I am so excited!

[sun&sea]

What are the time frames these tours are offered? Do you get to choose a time frame, say after 3pm for instance? Or do you just choose a day? I am interested, but our time is rather limited.

 

Janet

[cathydev]

In my email request, I said what days we were available. In our case it was Mon and Tues all day and Wed after 1 pm. I kept my fingers crossed that something would work out. I was nervous when I didn't hear back for so long.

 

Their reply said 6 people at 1:30 pm on Tuesday. And it gave directions on how to confirm and pay. I had already booked a vatican tour at noon that day and it complicated things, but I've been in touch with the company and am changing to another time.

[Sparky333]

I emailed my request last month and thought that since our trip was over a year out I either wouldn't hear back until spring 2009 or it would fall through the cracks and I wouldn't hear anything at all. I'm so excited to have gotten word so early and for our first choice of date and time. Yay!!