Rome/Vatican Tours

[Ash]

Anyone here ever done a guided tour of the Vatican and can recommend
a decent one?

Im heading to Rome on hols in 2 weeks and I heard about a guided tour that
takes people to the tombs under the Basicialla etc. so I wouldnt mind doing
a tour that take in all that.

Any info appreciated, Cheers

[Bluebeard]

Went there August 2004, so things were very much in Summer season - huge amounts of sunburnt tourists . Went around the Vatican Art Museums one day (full day, near enough), queue early (45m to an hour in advance of opening) or leave it until about 14h to go, or it will feel like all day queuing (there was a 2 km queue when we were intending to go first - we decided to go the next day, but earlier to the Museums, and instead spent nearly full day to see St. Peter's, etc. That included a tomb trip from within St. Peter's, if I recall correctly. They are fairly flash, marble and papally glamorous, so almost a disappointment, though pretty stunning all the same.

Don't know if the current pontiff is into all this kind of thing, but you could get tickets on a Tuesday for an Audience with the Pope on the Wednesday, where up to 3000 people or so (could be 5000) are blessed and addressed - majorly weird buzz - brass bands from Colombia, choirs from Croatia, flags from hundreds of nations, and loads of about to be married couples in full regalia. Well worth the trip if Catholic, and a look if not. That said John Paul II did have that charisma and attraction, that B16 doesn't seem to have as much of.

You should try to get out to the Catacombs off the Via Appia South of the city where you get a fascinating view of the old Christianity, near enough to an old ruined Circus (it's a field, but the old track is there still - bloody huge), and the rustic pleasure of the Via Appia itself - bring your own water, they rip you off major time and there aren't exactly a lot of shops there to do it anyway. The Catacombs close at lunch, and I'd check in advance to see what their times are because it is a long way out by public transport, and you don't want to be waiting around for ages to get in (like we were). Have a great time either way.

[finlma]

I went there a few years back with the ex. Its a pretty amazing place - I'm only Catholic in name so it wasn't the spiritual side that I was impressed with - the buildings are great.

We didn't do a tour - just walked around ourselves and payed to go up to the Bascillica.

Be careful if you go to confession. My girlfriend went and came out crying. The priest gave out to her for being in Rome ans staying in a hotel with her boyfriend when we weren't married. Why she told him I don't know but just goes to show how silly and outdated Catholicism is. We went home and had sex to cheer her up - take that priest.

[Rover 2 U]

Have a read of Dan Browns - Angels and Demons before you head out and when you get there you'll feel like you have been there before.

[The Good Son]

Have a read of Dan Browns - Angels and Demons before you head out and when you get there you'll feel like you have been there before.

Very true, was over there in September. I had read Angels And Demons beforehand, it was enjoyable going to the various locations in the book.

[Ash]

Cheers for all the info, much appreciated.

Yep, I read Angels and Demons a while back and want to see all the places
mentioned in that cos they sounded cool enough.

Im atheist so I wouldnt be into the spiritual/religous thing at all but just want
to get to see it all anyways. Girlfriend is a religon teacher (ironic!) so she'd be
more into the spiritual side of things.

Thanks again