I'll be doing the Best of Italy in early June. I can arrive in Rome 2 full days before the tour begins. . Would like to see Vatican City and Sistine Chapel, which is not on our tour. Is this advisable for someone travel solo ? Any other suggestions ?
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
13943 posts
Doesn't Best of Italy start on Lake Como in the north? It ends in Rome so staying a couple of days at the end would be great. And yes as a solo traveler on Rick's tours I often stay a few more days.
Posted by
RIchmond, BC,Canada
855 posts
I stayed a couple of extra days in Rome on my own at the end of the Venice/Florence/Rome tour. Our tour did include the Vatican and Sistine Chapel so on my extra two days I spent one day out on the Appian Way just wandering up and down the ancient Roman road, visited the catacombs and the ruins of a circus. On the other day I went out to Ostia Antica. Great site. Directions to get there are in Rick Steves guide book (or just ask your tour guide), but it's quite easy (two trains and a short walk). I also visited one last museum before calling it quits. The Vatican will probably take up half a day, but then several of us walked from there back towards the area of our hotel, stopping to shop, eat, and popping into churches along the way. You will find Rome no more challenging as a solo traveller than you would your own city.
Posted by
Placentia, CA
1059 posts
Be sure to go to the top of the Victor Emanuele Monument. The view of Rome is amazing from there. My wife and I took the same tour last September and just loved it. We flew into Milan 2 days early. We spent one night in Milan and the next night in Varenna before the tour started. Milan was a big surprise for me. I was glad we spent a day there. If you have any questions about the tour, you can send me a private message and I will try and answer it. You will love the tour!
Posted by
east haven, ct
365 posts
Yes you can do the Vatican and Sistine Chapel in a day. Get there early and purchase a tour for both. If you are traveling by rail stay at the Hotel Aberdeen within walking distance to Termini Station. Great mid level hotel recommended by Rick Steves. On day 2, if you are able to walk well, you can walk from the Aberdeen to Quattro Fountains, then down to the Spanish Steps and then by Trevi fountain.
Have a great trip,
Lorieann
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
If you want to see Vatican sights, you can certainly do this on your own. The only potential problem is you won't be "alone" - these sights get MOBBED.
So, what I'd do is, the day after arrival, take early morning tour of the Vatican Museums (the Sistine Chapel is inside these). The "Pristine Sistine" tour from Walks of Italy is one, but there are others. Yes, this tour starts at 7:30 AM (meaning you wake up even earlier), but it's worth it to be able to appreciate the Sistine Chapel without several thousand others, all on their worst behavior (unfortunately, not an exaggeration). After seeing the Vatican Museums, you can then go to St. Peter's.
These tours need to be prebooked, and even if you're not taking an early tour, it's a good idea to have a pre-booked entry time for the Vatican Museums to skip some of the lines. That's why I wouldn't do it on the day of arrival - too risky.