We have a tour of the Necropolis booked at 2:45 on Monday May 25. This cannot be changed. My question is: should we book an early morning tour of the Vatican Museum on that same Monday morning, knowing Mondays are one of the busiest days for the Vatican Museum? Or should we make a second trip to the Vatican Museum for an early morning tour on Wednesday while the Papal audience is happening since the crowds will be down?
Posted by
Reno, Nevada
1025 posts
We booked an early morning Vatican Museum tour and by 11:00 a.m., we were ready to drop. Early, before the crowds are unleashed, there isn't any real difficulty, but at about 9:00 a.m., you are walking shoulder to shoulder next to 500 of your new BFFs. It is horrific. You should be out of there before lunch, and then can come back to the Necropolis after you are refreshed. I could be wrong, but I don't think there are Vatican Museum tours on Wednesdays. Check that out.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16007 posts
Just so that you don't have to backtrack to the same area of Rome, I'd do both on the same day; just have lunch and rest your feet between the two.
There are companies which do early-entrance tours on Wed. mornings BUT they don't include the basilica.I'm curious exactly which tour of the Necropolis you booked and through which provider? Just asking as there's occasional confusion between the "Necropolis of the Via Triumphalis" and the scavi where St. Peter is believed to be buried. They are two different things.
Posted by
OP
Fargo
7 posts
We booked the Necropolis through scavi. If I book our morning tour of the Vatican Museum on Wednesday the tour will spend more time in the VM. We would plan to visit the Basilica after our Necropolis tour. I guess I was trying to decide it backtracking was worth it to avoid crowds.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11455 posts
We did both in one day: Walks of Italy’s Pristine Sistine was our early entry choice and we exited the Basilica about noon. We had lunch then returned for a 3 PM Scavi tour. Had a moment of panic as the security line to check hubby’s backpack was loonnnngggg (in October) and took at least 30 minutes to clear. If you can avoid oversized bags, I believe you can go directly to the Scavi entrance. We were tired after this long day, but satisfied.
Posted by
Indiana
978 posts
I was completely wiped out after early morning Pristine Sistine. My back and feet hurt. After lunch had to go back to the hotel to rest until cocktail hour!
Posted by
OP
Fargo
7 posts
Thank you for your responses. We decided to book a morning tour on Monday and plan to embrace a busy day in Vatican City.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16007 posts
We booked the Necropolis through scavi.
Gotcha! The scavi is what I suspected you'd booked but due to occasional confusion between the two subterranean areas, figured it was worth the check. :O)