Rome in May

[dmk]

We will be in Rome next May 4th for 3 days. I am wondering what kind of line ups we will encounter at the many tourist sights especially the Vatican.

I have read so much about long lines. Has anybody been to Rome at the beginning of May? Would the line ups be less?

Thanks.

[dsfischer]

We were in Rome a few weeks ago (mid-May) and the Vatican lines were quite long that afternoon. It was a Wednesday and there had been a General Audience with the Pope that morning. Our driver had already made arrangements for our tickets and guide, so we walked right in. Friends had made the trip in May several years ago and they stood in line for two hours at the Vatican. It probably depends on the day of the week and time of day in May, but we saw crowds everywhere (and it rained hard)!

 

Enjoy your trip! Rome was fascinating!

[lambs2]

We were in Rome mid-May 2007. We waited until after 2 PM to visit the Vatican. Hardly any line at all! We did everything on our own with lots of advance research and a good guidebook and it was fabulous. We took the back door out of the Sistene Chapel (followed a tour group) and so no line to see St. Peters at all! We are going back in Jan 09 and this time want to climb the dome and take the Scavi tour.

[dmk]

We were in Rome mid-May 2007. We waited until after 2 PM to visit the Vatican. Hardly any line at all! We did everything on our own with lots of advance research and a good guidebook and it was fabulous. We took the back door out of the Sistene Chapel (followed a tour group) and so no line to see St. Peters at all! We are going back in Jan 09 and this time want to climb the dome and take the Scavi tour.

 

Thanks for a great suggestion. We will also try to go around 2:00p.m. We hate lines.

[pvmkmyer]

We will be in Rome next May 4th for 3 days. I am wondering what kind of line ups we will encounter at the many tourist sights especially the Vatican.

I have read so much about long lines. Has anybody been to Rome at the beginning of May? Would the line ups be less?

Thanks.

 

May is the perfect time of year to visit. Beautiful weather before it gets hot in the summer. The Spanish Steps are decorated with blooming azaleas.

 

May 4th is a Sunday in 2009. The Vatican Museums will be closed. St. Peter's Basilica will be open. Normally you will have fewer visitors at the Vatican Museums in the afternoon, except on Wednesdays after the papal audience. All the tour buses come in the morning for their 2 hours at the museums and 1 hour at St. Peter's, so they're gone in the afternoon. I highly recommend a tour guide of the Vatican. There is a lot to see and the signage describing what is on display is not very good. Also, the museums themselves are enormous and historical. You'll get the history of the vatican itself, as well as art you're seeing, if you have a guide. For more information go to the vatican's website, http://www.vatican.va. There's a tab for the museums.

[Katy P.]

Does anyone know if you still have to line up past the metal detectors if you only plan to go at St Peter's Basilica and visit inside? There's probably long lineups at the metal detectors too? Thanks for the info.

[tcocktail]

Yes you have to go through security but it was only about a 10 minute wait. I was there on 28 May 2008