Rome and Vatican

Christine_Janet

I am off to Rome before Easter. We have booked independently. Can anyone give me some advice about getting tickets for the Vatican and the Cistine chapel? I understand there are always long queues but tickets can be bought in advance to save time. Any other advice on Rome would be great, particularly the train or bus from the airport, cost, etc.
Thanks

franklally

This is definately worth arranging beforehand.

Strangely you can only book it by fax - it took about 3 attempts but it eventually went through for us and we got faxed confirmation back. There are loads of tours but booking it directly with the vatican means you go to the front of the queue and the tour guide we had was brilliant.

I'm pretty sure this link will get you on your way - don't give up though - it's not straightforward!
http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/z-Info/MV_Info_Servizi_Visite.html

Diamond_Olly

Also - there's a strict dress code for any church in Italy. Women need to have shoulders covered. Can't remember about shorts for either men or women. men also - avoid vest type t-shirts.

You can book vatican tours including Sistine Chapel through various companies who do tours (eg Attraction World and keith Prowse)

Altarf

Christine_Janet wrote: »

I understand there are always long queues

Long queue is the understatement of the century. 6 to 8 people wide, and a quarter of a mile long when I was last there.

The Vatican allows tours in without queueing about 30 minutes before the 'normal' customers. However if you want to avoid the queue, but don't want a guided tour there is a way to do it. When I went there last year, I used these people - http://www.viator.com/tours/Rome/Skip-the-Line-Vatican-Museums-Entrance-Tickets/d511-3731SKIP

What happens with these tickets is a tour guide takes you into the Vatican on a 'tour', but then immediately leaves you to your own devices. i.e. you get in without queueing, but you don't get a tour guide. So you end up paying around €15 per person on top of the normal entrance fee not to queue, but is still cheaper than a guide if you don't want one.

The Vatican is a series of linked museums with the Cistine chapel is at the very end of it. Some people run straight through to try to see the Cistine chapel before it fills up, but frankly you are wasting your time. Far better just to make your way there and see it at the end.

If you go to the Colosseum in Rome and want to avoid the queues, the entrance ticket is valid for both the Colosseum and the Palantine. The Palantine is a couple of hundred yards away and never has a queue. So get a ticket from there, go back to the Colosseum and ignore the big queue (which is for tickets) and go down the left hand side of it (ignoring people glaring at you). At the end are ticket barriers that you put you tickets into, and there you go, straight in.

mystic_trev

I did it in September a couple of years ago. The queues weren't so bad in the afternoons. It took us about half an hour to get in.

sallysaver

Diamond_Olly wrote: »

Also - there's a strict dress code for any church in Italy. Women need to have shoulders covered. Can't remember about shorts for either men or women. men also - avoid vest type t-shirts.

You can book vatican tours including Sistine Chapel through various companies who do tours (eg Attraction World and keith Prowse)

Hi,
I have been to St. Peters 3 times. Whilst I have joined the queue on each occasion, it always seems to move quite fast. I have never paid to go into St.Peters but there is a charge for the Cistine Chapel. Security is very tight and everything is scanned (similar to airport security). Under no circumstances will you be allowed in in 'holiday mode' attire. Same rules for both men and women. No shorts, covered shoulders always. no croppers, no vest type T shirts for men. Believe me, the men in suits will be watching you. Don't be put off by the queues, this place is simply amazing. Sally

moonrakerz

Before you go make sure the Pope isn't holding a service/audience or anything else in St Peters.
If he is, it is absolute chaos when everything re-opens !

Engadine

You can pre-book a Vatican City Tour with Octopustravel.com

They have a few different ones, one that gets you to the front of the queue ones that don't, there are different options at different prices

Christine_Janet

Just to say thanks to all for your advice, particularly Franklally's details of the Vatican website. We did fax them and received a reply next day with confirmation. All seemed quite easy really.

hammy_the_hammer

Christine_Janet wrote: »

Just to say thanks to all for your advice, particularly Franklally's details of the Vatican website. We did fax them and received a reply next day with confirmation. All seemed quite easy really.

they confirmed you by fax ????? i remember the old days when you'd have to visit a church

franklally

Christine_Janet wrote: »

Just to say thanks to all for your advice, particularly Franklally's details of the Vatican website. We did fax them and received a reply next day with confirmation. All seemed quite easy really.

Just go straight to the front of the queue with your fax and hand it over - it's not very clear once you're there but at the front they will wave you through.:beer: