Hi Folks,
Which is better here for the overall experience and learning? Both tours are approximately 3 hours or so. Does the Vatican guided tours take breaks? Should we go for the earliest tour. We'll take out baby. I've read some not so good experiences with vatican tours like with their earphones etc and the tour guide practically making everyone go fast. Anybody took their toddler to the Vatican and can share the experience and time we should choose?
Posted by
Calgary
2297 posts
Sonia,
your information is confusing, do you have a baby or a walking toddler? You could probably take a baby along in a sling or something like that. I doubt a backpack type carrier would be allowed (you could hit artifacts with it and not notice) and I'm not sure about a stroller. Definitely ask before you go.
Posted by
OP
Seattle
127 posts
Sorry guys! I realized after typing the message that I have used baby and toddler. My son is 19 months and is walking but is sure not going to be walking for 3 hours. We are investing in an backpack types carrier since there will be many steps all over Rome. Stroller is just not going to cut. But will be useful for Paris I suppose after Rome.
Posted by
Pa and Italy
4152 posts
I would not take a baby to the Vatican museums. It will be crowded and hot. The vatican tour is only 2 hours long unless you take the one that includes the bacilica. They do not take breaks. I have done the vatican tour a few times. I have never felt rushed through them museums. The vatican tour does use the headphones so everyone can hear the guides without them having to scream. I believe other tour guides are required to use them also. I am not aware of any tour that will take a break in the middle of the tour especially when the tour is only two to three hours long.
Donna
Posted by
OP
Seattle
127 posts
Thank you Donna. Unfotunatey, I can't leave the baby behind. I am trying to see perhaps we can go in the afternoon when he is napping. If anyone can share their experience their with toddlers, please let me know.
Thank you.
Posted by
Pa and Italy
4152 posts
Unfortunately, you won't be able to push a stroller through the museums. They are too crowded.
Posted by
Hartford, CT, United States
89 posts
We took our daughter to the Vatican Museum when she was roughly the same age. I won't say it was easy, but it was easier to have her in a stroller than it would have been carrying her. If I remember correctly, she fell asleep in the stroller after an hour or so, so we ended up carrying the stroller up and down stairs 'til we finally made it to the Sistine Chapel. Again, not easy, but much easier when she was asleep than when she was awake, tired, and squirming. It's a long trip through the museums, and it's going to take a long time to snake through the halls to the Sistine Chapel. It was beautiful, but quite frankly, we were exhausted by the time we got to the end. We didn't take a guided tour-- just used Rick's guide. I'm very conscious of our children disrupting groups or otherwise being annoying to others, so I think if we added the group dynamic to the trip it would have been more stressful. I wouldn't have tried a group tour around my daughter's nap time, but you know your child best and you have the best idea of what would be suited to his/her personality. If it's nap time and my daughter's not sleeping, she's not terribly pleasant to be around. Will your child nap reliably at nap time? Or is it likely she'll fight it and make you and everyone around you cranky?
It's still a great museum with or without a baby-- a baby just makes things a bit more unpredictable.