Hello all,
I am looking to visit the Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica this Saturday (before Palm Sunday). Does anyone have any recommendations as to what time to get there / what passes to buy? We are trying to avoid crowds considering this will be a popular weekend.
Thanks!!
It is open at 7:00AM and it is quite wonderful to visit that early before the crowds get crazy. There are no tickets: it is free to enter. You do have to go through security and later int he morning that is where the congestion is. Get there at 7, get through security, enjoy your time self touring (Rick's book has an excellent self-guide), then get over to the Borgo for a nice Italian breakfast of cornetto e cappuccino.
To add to Laurel’s recommendation of the RS Vatican tour in his guide books, I’d like to also mention that that same Tours is also present on the Rick Steves Audio Europe app. It would seem easier to use the app with your phone than to have your nose in the book. The app is free and it does not require Wi-Fi to use, although you must download it while you have Wi-Fi.
We got there at 10am last Thursday and was at least 1000 in line maybe more go as soon as it opens or pay for skip the line and a tour it was crazy busy I’ve never seen it this bad
I'd really like to hear from somebody who had a first-hand experience. Somebody who actually paid for a tour of the Basilica and entered Saint Peter's after waiting in a dedicated security line.
Not a tour of the Necropolis that ends in the Basilica, or a tour of the Vatican Museums that grants a direct access to the Basilica, I mean a third-party tour of Saint Peter's only that lets you skip the security line because they have their own line.
Dario, I'm inclined to be curious about that as well except that Vox Mundi (the official tourist service agency for the basilica) advertises an audio tour which states that it provides fast-track entry. See under "Do I have to queue up to enter the Basilica?":
https://www.voxmundi.eu/faq-frequently-asked-question/
This is the tour:
https://globol.com/en/rome-italy/exp/reserved-entrance-st-peters-basilica-audioguided-tour-1
Avoiding the queue is mentioned in a couple of the reviews. As well, RS poster Jay from Chicago (Hi Jay! Where have you been??!!)) bought this tour back in 2017 - only through a different vendor - as said while the audioguide didn't work, they did enjoy fast-track entry. He mentioned it in this thread:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/3-days-in-rome-should-i-goto-vatican-museum
Off top of my head, he's the only poster I recall having done it, though. Then again, my head can be sort of foggy.
Has anyone heard if the passage way between the museums and St. Peters will be reopening anytime soon?
I booked the Walks of Italy Sistine Pristine tour at the end of May and I understand previously at the end of the museum tour they could take you through a passage way that connects to SPB but I think it was closed when Covid restrictions were put in place?
Nope, no word on that:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/does-anyone-know-if-the-tour-entrance-for-st-peter-s-basilica-from-the-sistine-chapel-has-reopened
Editing to add: just re-checked the Roman Guy's site, and the statement about the passageway being closed still stands.
"* As of June 23rd, 2021, the Vatican has closed the "licensed guide entrance" to St Peter’s Basilica for all tour companies and tour guides. Therefore a guided visit to the Basilica won’t be possible due to the distance between sites. Not to worry! Your awesome guide give you a detailed introduction of the church and will explain how to visit on your own at the conclusion of the tour.. Hopefully, this changes very soon!"
