Anyone done this tour? Did you have time to see everything? Thinking about doing the one that starts with an appertivo in the Pine Cone Courtyard. I did a search but the threads I saw were old and didn't have much info. We'll be in Rome in Oct.
Posted by
Pa and Italy
4152 posts
Lots of people have done this. It's a great way to see the museums without the normal crowd or heat. Not all of the galleries are open but there is enough to see to keep you busy the entire time.
Donna
Posted by
Dartmouth, NS, Canada
213 posts
The Friday night access is one of the best ways to visit the Vatican Museums. I had been to the museum 4 times before - early morning, mid day, late afternoon - in May and October and always was immersed in huge crowds . When traveling with my older sister last October I decided to try the evening visit - WOW - the difference is unbelievable . My sister kept laughing because I kept mentioning that there was "nobody" in the museum - not true but for the first time I could actually see the art in a relaxed atmosphere and I even got a sense of the sacred in the Sistine Chapel.
Some galleries are closed - such as the Pinoteca ( one of the finest art galleries in Europe that is often overlooked)
however there is still too much for one visit. If you go try to look into what it is you want to see, see if the gallery is open and plan your time accordingly. Remember that if you rush to the Sistine Chapel you cannot go back to galleries you missed - it is a one way trip even on Friday night. We got tickets for the first entry time and did not feel rushed. We did not partake of an appertivo - but it sounds like fun!