We are planning a trip for December and will be in Rome for 1.5 days (sacrilege, I know) but you get what you get.....
What is the best way to see all of the Vatican sights plus the Coliseum in one day? We will use Rick's walking tour of the Coliseum so no need for a formal tour, but would like an early morning, skip the line Vatican attractions tour.
Thank you and Go!
Ellen
If someone was visiting Washington DC and said they wanted to do the entire Smithsonian and the Capitol and the Whitehouse in one day, what would you tell them? Do you think they realize how many buildings the Smithsonian occupies?
You can hit highlights of both places in one day without difficulty. I have to admit I am a bit soured on the Vatican after my visit there last fall. I would substitute Borghese gallery for the Vatican, but that is just my opinion.
OK, you know that you have asked for the nearly impossible. How about trying this: check the opening hours for both places so you have a time frame to work with. Then read the guide books to help with itinerary. Honestly, I usually add almost double to what RS recommends. I believe you need timed entry to the Coliseum and they don't give you much leeway as I remember. The Vatican (I guess you mean the basilica and the museum but not the gardens) isn't going to be much easier. An organized tour of the museum would help, but check schedules. You should be able to go straight from the museum into the basilica but I'd check that. Getting just into the basilica can mean waiting in very long lines. Did you see the lines for Pope Benedict's viewing? I've seen it just about that bad on a normal day. December might be easier. Hope you can use your time to your best interests! Wear comfortable shoes.
you should probably hire private guides who know how to jump the line and maximize your visit time
If your Vatican attractions include the Vatican Museums, the largest collection of art in the world, you’ll need to plan on a quickie “highlights” breeze through the huge, long collection. You’ll also need a hired tour or private guide for the museums, if you’re planning on also stopping inside St. Peter’s Basilica, as that lets you exit the Sistine Chapel via its back door, down stairs and a short-cut hallway to get to the Basilica. Otherwise, you have a long, long walk back to the entrance of the Museums, which is also the exit for those without a guide or tour. From that entrance/exit, it’s another long route to reach the security lines for Basilica visitors who didn’t go the route of the guided shortcut, and a possibly long wait to get through Security.
So start with the Vatican Museums with your tour or private guide, and you’ll then be shown the Basilica, then see any of the rest ofVatican before dashing to the Colosseum. Have a good breakfast to get through the day.
We did a City Wonders tour of the Vatican (museum, chapel and basilica) that started at 8:00 am and we were done before noon. You can stay longer if you wish, but can also shorten the time a bit as well. We did a self guided tour of the Coliseum without buying advance tickets (early October before covid). You can likely find a place to buy advance tickets online, which would help avoid the ticket line. It was long, but moved quickly as I remember.
Don't let people scare you into thinking you can't accomplish what you want to do because of time constraints. You know you're going for a short visit and will not be able to spend all day in either location, but it can be done!
I would do the Vatican early in the morning and the coliseum later in the evening, and for the half a day just walk around and see the trevi fountain, spanish steps and plaza navona.
No-- we did both on the same day and it was a disaster.
We had to rush out of the Vatican to get to the Coliseum. I still kick myself for being so dumb to do this. We had a private guide, too. It was rush rush rush. There is so much to see and do in the Vatican. We entirely missed Vatican City. This was a last minute decision to try do both. They are not close in proximity, so cabbing is a must.
To be honest with you--the Coliseum was not that great. Of course you have to see it. But it is not worth taking time away from the Vatican. The Coliseum can be done in early in the day, and then enjoy the forum stuff around it. Very nice walk.
As Avirosemail asked "would you do the Smithsonian and Capital building in the same day?"
Do you believe this will be your one and only trip to Rome?
Is that 1/2 day usable or is that a jet lagged arrival day?
Visiting both major sites in 1 day (a short day in December) will be brutal.
Visiting the Vatican is brutal no matter when!
I agree with Carol- we've been to Vatican and did an early entry to Sistine Chapel which was fine, but we will probably never return to the museums because it was a nightmare. Your only saving grace is that December will probably be less crowded, still crowded though!
I would also suggest Borghese and Colosseum.
The Borghese is so lovely with jaw dropping sculpture, a timed 2 hour limit entry so very easy to manage/fit in.
Leave some time for just wandering thru the piazzas, past the fountains, etc...assuming you have not been to Rome.
We did a self guided tour of the Coliseum without buying advance
tickets (early October before covid). You can likely find a place to
buy advance tickets online, which would help avoid the ticket line.
You can't buy tickets to the Colosseum AT the Colosseum. They currently ONLY sell them online, and by pre-reserved timed entry. CoopCulture is the official ticket seller, and you purchase by specific day and open time slots.
https://www.coopculture.it/en/tickets/
This is the general-entry ticket (does not include tours or access to the arena floor or underground):
https://www.coopculture.it/en/products/ticket-colosseum-roman-forum-palatine_24h/
That said, I'll throw my vote in with not trying to do both the Vatican Museums/St Peter's and the Colosseum/Forum/Palatine in a day. Note my inclusion of the Forum + Palatine as your Colosseum ticket covers them as well (within a 24 hour period of your Colosseum reservation time) and they're well worth doing. Trying to do ALL of this in a day would definitely be overload,
As mentioned above, you would need to book a tour of the Vatican Museums + basilica that specifically mentions the ability to access the church via the time-saving interior passage, as it's reserved for tours. The Vatican itself doesn't sell one of those but Walks of Italy, The Roman Guy and some other companies recommended by RS posters do.
We also much preferred Galleria Borghese to the Vatican for its crowd control (a limited amount of tickets sold for each 2-hour time slot) and smaller size. Great collection.
In my opinion, the Colosseum is much more interesting on the outside than the inside, and the inside can be visited in an hour, maybe two hours if you're more engaged than I was. Does your half day allow you time to see the Colosseum? If it was me, I'd prioritize the Vatican and squeeze the Colosseum in if you can. Honestly, I found the Forum and Palatine Hill significantly more interesting than the Colosseum. If I had to choose between the Vatican or a tour of the Forum/Palatine Hill and Colosseum, than I'd skip the Vatican.
Hi Ellen, My feet hurt just thinking about your 1.5 day plans! But if you want to get an early start, there's a Vatican tour directly through the Vatican that will get you into the Sistine Chapel before general admission. I recall seeing somewhere on the Travel forum that they do allow direct access to get you into St Peters by a side door. (Hey it's their house after all) but can't find the reference. https://tickets.museivaticani.va/home/fromtag/2/1674514800000/VG-Musei
I'm with other posters that the Galleria Borghese is a much more manageable museum, packed with incredible art.
I think the Coliseum is best viewed at night, from outside. Had you considered skipping the interior and instead do an evening guided walk through downtown Rome? If not, I would take a Coliseum skip the line tour.
Aside from ideas already expressed, you have to reckon with crowding, and the fact that you are not in control of your movement through the Vatican attractions. Much of the Vatican Museums is like the New York subway at rush-hour on Friday. You may not be willing to pay enough (partly because you mention using a Rick-book tour) for a guided tour-product that includes direct access to the Sistine Chapel, if such a thing is currently available. And the Coliseum is, unfortunately, not right next door.
Consider the Pristine Sistine Walks of Italy Tour. Entrance is an hour early. You may have to whittle down your "all Vatican attractions" to "the best of".
Tell us more about the trip. Will this be before or after a tour?
We were in Rome in December a few years ago. Navigation has gotten hard with all the cruise ship day trippers. The favorite sites are choked. The good thing about the early Vatican tour is it starts before the day tripper hoards descend.
Thank you all for your comments.
We have been to Rome before and seen much of what has been suggested, but always saved the Vatican and the Coliseum for another time.
We now plan to spend the 1/2 day visiting the Coliseum and the sights around it and use the full day for the Vatican. I f there is time left over we will fit in whatever else we have time for.
Again, thank you for your advice.
We now plan to spend the 1/2 day visiting the Coliseum and the sights
around it
Ellen, is that 1/2 day your arrival day by air from the U.S. (or Canada)?
