Rome excursion

Hi

Just wondering whether anyone has done the Rome Highlights with Romeinalimo. This excursion doesn't include entrance to the Vatican museums and we were wondering whether to buy our entrance tickets on line before we go or whether it is just enough to look at the buildings from outside and absorb the atmosphere in the square. Anyone any comments please?

Thanks

Sandie

We did the Rome highlights with RIL, great tour.

NO, seeing just the outside of the Vatican is not enough. In fact if you can afford it you should hire a guide to take you through the museums/Sistene Chapel. The museums are amazing and SO much better with a guide that not only knows the history associated with the art, but also how to get you past the incredible lines of people everywhere.

But as the previous poster said, go to the Italy board, there are all kinds of threads there and one about this company that has nearly 3000 posts, nearly all positive.

The Vatican and Sistine Chapel are must sees in Rome.

We have been to Rome many times. If I only had one day and had not been there before, I would visit the interior of the Basilica but I would skip the Vatican museums to allow more time see other things. It is a long, slow walk from the entrance to the Sistine Chapel which is at the very end of the Tour. It can take two hours to get there, especially with a guide who will stop and lecture at some important pieces along the way. I would hate to be 'locked up' indoors for such a long time when there is so much to see and do in Rome.

If you decide that your visit to Rome would not be complete without seeing the Sistine Chapel, I would definitely preorder the tickets because lines can be extremely long. The basilica is free.

Skip the Vatican museums and see St. Peter's. One day in Rome you can't do it all.

Some confusing terminology here - Vatican refers to the walled city within Rome which contains St. Peter's Basilica as well as the Vatican Museums (which incorporate the Sistine Chapel) among other sites (and sights). Not included in any tour that I'm aware of (tours can be booked direct with the Scavi office) is the Scavi - excavations of a once pagan necropolis beneath St. Peter's - a highlight of our visit to Rome.

If you ask for opinions, everyone will have a different one. For example, I enjoy the Vatican museums much more than St. Peters basilica. But they do take a chunk of time.

If you do some reading (guidebooks, internet) and look at photos, you may be able to get more of an idea of what appeals to YOU.

You need tickets for the Vatican museum (definitely buy in advance if you decide to go through them), but not for St. Peters.

We did the Rome in Highlights Tour this past June. If you want to visit the Museum, I would personally pre-book the tickets online, so you don't need to worry about waiting in line. The line was quite long in June.

The tour can be altered to fit your interests (we modified ours slightly), so be sure to tell Jany/your driver the places that you want to visit. The driver can then suggest a itinerary that works the best for you, changing the order of sights to visit, or modifying the time you spend at each sight to make sure you fit your "must haves" in. Have fun in Rome!

Everyone has different priorities but I highly recommend both the Museum and the interior of the basilica.

From what i understand the only way to see the sistine chapel is to do the museum. Yes you have to brave the long lines, crowds, but it is one of the most amazing pieces of artwork.. to not see it is to miss one of Rome's biggest sites.

And the church interior is also something special IMHO.

Rome is crazy busy, but if this is your first/last trip, a must NOT miss IMHO

I agree with most of these postings - the Vatican and Sistine Chapel are MUST SEES! Our first time in Rome we hired RIL and they found a guide for us (extra of course) who told us stories about the paintings we would not have known with out her. She was an art student and we had a marvelous time. The Sistine Chapel was amazing and magical for me. You can't go to Rome for the first time and not see them.

Hi

 

Just wondering whether anyone has done the Rome Highlights with Romeinalimo. This excursion doesn't include entrance to the Vatican museums and we were wondering whether to buy our entrance tickets on line before we go or whether it is just enough to look at the buildings from outside and absorb the atmosphere in the square. Anyone any comments please?

 

Thanks

Sandie

I would recommend Rome Highlights tour with Rome in Limo. It gives you a little bit of everything and you know you will be taken care of.

I read somewhere that there was an early morning (7:30 am) tour to the Sistine Chapel. Does anyone know about this? Also, if you buy tickets in advance, do you still have to wait hours in line to see it? We are on a very strict time limit on a Monday morning and wanted to know if that was possible to do...and would like to see the Basilica.

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Hi

 

Just wondering whether anyone has done the Rome Highlights with Romeinalimo. This excursion doesn't include entrance to the Vatican museums and we were wondering whether to buy our entrance tickets on line before we go or whether it is just enough to look at the buildings from outside and absorb the atmosphere in the square. Anyone any comments please?

 

Thanks

Sandie

There is nothing to see at the Vatican museums from the outside except a very very long line waiting to buy tickets.

So yes buy timed admission tix ahead if time

And you do not need to do this as part if a romeinlimo tour

R-I-L tours and such are for other Rome venues.

The Vatican museum us on your own. Just cab or subway there with your pre purchased timed admission tix in hand and do the museums on your own or with a group or private guide ( you can purchases this online in advance as well)

We have done private and on our own. But if you are a first timer group will work for you

The tour will get you to the museums and Sistine chapel and will deliver you at the end into the basicilica

Many people confuse the Vatican with St Peters. One if a very large museum with the highlight being the Sistine chapel. Very crowded as well

The other is the largest church in the world. Very crowded but so huge you don't realize it. You will be amazed at its size

The entrances to each venue are about half mile from each other and have security lines

However if you get those timed admission tix to the Vatican museums you avoid basicilica lines and just enter from the museums

Do get a group tour tix that specifically says it drops you in the basicilica.

Don't confuse Sistine chapel with St. Peter's basicilica btw

Very easy to buy tix ahead if time and no lines if you do

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