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Bag check at St Peter’s Basilica

Will we have to go thru Security?

We have a first entry Sistine Chapel tour with Vatican Museum on our own as well as an 11:30 Scavi Tour

Planning on leaving my small daypack at St Peters bag check prior to heading to the Excavation Office but didn’t know if it requires going thru security to do so. Just trying to figure out our timing

TIA

Posted by
1662 posts

Hi Herf,

No experience with Scavi tour timing If I recall correctly, the 'bag hold boxes' (at St. Peter's) were on the ground floor (same hallway as the restrooms.) There was a guard standing nearby. Of course, take all your valuables.

You may be able to walk straight away (from the Piazza) to the restroom/bag hold area before going to the security check. Sorry I don't recall exactly because I went down to the ladies' room after I exited St. Peter's (and I didn't check a bag.)

edited

Posted by
11880 posts

The early entry tours we took ended at the Basilica. We only had small bags (basically a purse or messenger bag) so did not check anything before going through the museums. You can also take a purse or messenger bag through the Scavi, but not any sort of back pack.

If you have a back pack, you check it to the right of the stairs that lead up to the Basilica (as you face the church). So if your tour ends, like ours, in the Basilica, go down the stairs on the left as you exit and look for the security line and bag check. My recollection is that you have to go through security to have the bag scanned before it is checked.

The line can be long, which concerns me since your Scavi tour is at 11:30. Are you certain the museums tour will end in time for you to get to the Scavi tour, especially if you have to check the day pack? Can you manage with a purse or messenger bag so you do not have to check them before the Scavi tour?

Posted by
238 posts

Thanks for the information

Laurel - with the Scavi tour so difficult to get tix for, 11:30 was the only time we could get so we booked the first entry tour to the Sistine Chapel accordingly. Dark Rome has a first entry to the SC and then we are free to visit the Vatican Museum (no guided tour but have RS audio tours downloaded) on our own so we can leave when we want. My wife is not a big museum fan so We’ll do a whirlwind Griswald tour of what I want to see but trying to plan how much time we have before heading to the Excavation Office

I do have a Maxpedition Versipak tactical crossbody that is no bigger than many purses and has been my travel bag for years until I bought this Pacsafe anti theft travel daypack so I’ll probably bring that to avoid checking a bag