If you have taken the Friday night Vatican tour, please comment on your experience. I would especially enjoying hearing from anyone who has done a tour both during the day and evening, to compare the two. We have been thinking about taking an early entrance tour but the evening tours are also supposed to be much les crowded, and we wouldn't have to get up at the crack of dawn!
Posted by
USA
139 posts
Last summer we made reservations to go to the Vatican on a Friday night. We did not take a tour. I did not think it was very crowded. We had plenty of room in the Sistine chapel. It worked out very well. Be advised that St. Peter's closes in the evening so you need to go there first if you are doing both the same day.
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
6051 posts
I posted same question a while ago and did not get any feedback so I am glad the topic came up again!
We are considering Fri nite tour- Walks of Italy w/RS discount. Plan is to go to St. Peter's about 3- tour on our own then stay for 5:00 Mass. Grab dinner and do the 7:30 Vatican/Sistine tour.
Early entry tour is our other option but not too thrilled about getting up at crack of dawn either and from what I gather there are a lot of early tour groups in Sistine at that time.
Would love more feedback on this plan.
Posted by
roswell, ga, usa
1501 posts
Absolutely do the evening tour. I did two A.M. tours in the past, and they have gotten more and more crowded to the point of being miserable. Last year, I attended a concert at the Vatican and along with that, had the opportunity of touring the Sistine. Skipped St. Peters because I'd seen it a number of times before. Make sure you do go into the Sistine before dark, as there is now only natural light. I am also not a crack of dawn person, but did it to get an early entrance -- along with a few hundred other people!
Posted by
OP
Houston, Texas, USA
231 posts
I wondered about the light, especially as it might affect photography. I checked and sunset will be about 8:30 when we are there should be daylight during the whole tour.
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
6051 posts
Thank you Donna-
I think you have convinced me but your comment about lighting threw me. We will be there in Sept- sunset at 7:25. Tour starts at 7:30.
I know you can't take pics in Sistine anyway and I am not a photographer- but will whatever lighting they have be sufficient to see well enough? I am assuming tour would start in Sistine at that time of year?
Guess I'll email the tour company and see what they say.
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
6051 posts
Here is the answer I got from Walks of Italy:
And I have good news; there is lighting in the Sistine Chapel, so
you'll be able to see the beauty, even at night. Just this February
the lighting was changed to LED lights so that it looks as close to
natural lighting as possible.
Posted by
31 posts
Is the information on a Friday evening tour on the Vatican website? This sounds amazing and less crowded.
Posted by
roswell, ga, usa
1501 posts
Apparently the new LED lighting was installed this year in February, so that should correct the problem I had seeing inside the Chapel after dusk. I felt badly for my friend, as this was her first and probably only visit to the Sistine, and that was September of last year. I'd seen it before always during the daylight hours, and it's gotten more crowded and hot every year. In the future I'll take a night time tour as well, and hope the LED lights provide adequate lighting. Hate the crowds, hate the heat!
Posted by
Pa and Italy
4152 posts
Yes, you can find all the information and book tickets on the vatican website. I've done the friday nights several times, all without a tour, and find them very enjoyable. Less crowds and not nearly as hot.
donna
Posted by
Omaha, ne, united states
26 posts
thank you for posting this question, i had it as well