Has anyone taken the Golf Car tour? I was looking for the walking tour while we are in Rome for 2 weeks, and there are none available in English. I'm not sure if it's brand new or I just missed it before - apparently the garden tour options are "eco friendly transport", which is a bus tour, and generally not recommended; a walking tour, hard to reserve; and this golf car tour. I would prefer to wander around on my own, but I don't think that's an option. There are also tour companies that have walking tours, but the cost is about $35 from the Vatican office, and starting at $400 for the tour companies...
Posted by
lexington, il
4105 posts
I have not done this yet, but Laurel has and stated it was a great tour.
https://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/musei/tickets/do?action=booking&codiceTipoVisita=218&step=2
It includes the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, Vatican Gardens and Castel Gandolfo. Plus transportation by train.
Frankly, the price is very reasonable at €41 since the Vatican and Sistine are €32.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11835 posts
the garden tour options are "eco friendly transport", which is a bus tour
We did this tour and the "eco friendly transport" of the Barberini Gardens is a little train. You do a walking tour of the Vatican Gardens before you get on the train to Albano Laziale. We enjoyed it very much. I see you can now add on a tour of the Apostolic Palace bu doing the "Full Day Plus." Personally, I think the Apostolic Palace is skippable. We opted for teh "fee time' and had lots of time for a nice lunch and walking about the town.
Posted by
OP
Central California
20 posts
Thanks! I wasn't clear on whether 'transportation by train' meant getting to Lago Albano and the Castel, or the little train around the gardens. You're right, that is a reasonable price.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11835 posts
To be clear, there is a train (heavy rail) to Albano Laziale. Then you are loaded into the garden train for the tour.
Posted by
OP
Central California
20 posts
Is the Garden tour train what they mean by 'eco friendly transport', or is the golf cart - or are they one and the same? I didn't see the golf cart option until recently, although that could just mean I missed it.
Posted by
lexington, il
4105 posts
The Golf Cart is not €20, that is the cost p/p. They can take at most 6 people. To that figure, you need to add the €250 for the guide, and €75 for the cart. So if you have 6 in your group, the total p/p is around €75 or €35per hour. Tour is 2 hrs long.
Posted by
OP
Central California
20 posts
Has anyone been able to join a walking tour of the gardens without a reservation?
Posted by
lexington, il
4105 posts
Found these tickets, but with an audio guide not a tour.
Train runs hourly from Termini cost is € 2+.
Posted by
OP
Central California
20 posts
gerri, did you find walking tour tickets, as opposed to the little train tickets? I don't need a guide - I'd love to walk around - but I didn't know if they allowed that. Thanks!
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11835 posts
You cannot walk around the Barberini Gardens unless you are the Pope. 😉
Even the Vatican Garden tours are all escorted, I believe.
Posted by
OP
Central California
20 posts
Well, we're Catholic, but female...so...probably not! It's an interesting opportunity to visit, nonetheless!
Posted by
lexington, il
4105 posts
Jennifer,
So sorry, I forgot to post the link.
EDIT. It's not a walking tour, guess it's the eco friendly train.