OMG/so confused-Rome Tours

Holly, I can't offer advice regarding the time slot that would be best but I can say that I've done both Context and Through Eternity (different locations). Both are good, but the Through Eternity tours we took were, without doubt, the best tours we've ever done. We had Gabriel for the Vatican Museum and Justin for the Colosseum and the Forum. I don't know if they are still with the company but if you can, request them. Gabriel especially -- that young man is the most talented, educated, interesting person I could have hoped to meet. The Through Eternity Vatican tour included a refreshment stop at the Vatican café, so the time didn't seem too long. I can't speak highly enough of our experience with Through Eternity; worth every penny and every minute.

Holly, no comment about which tour company, but I would definitely go early to the Vatican. I was there mid-May, entered about 9AM and it was so very hot once we got thru some of the halls toward the Sistine Chapel. It would have been miserable later in the day.

Holly, I would just book tours through the official sites. The underground/third tier tour lasts about 90 minutes. After that if you want tours of the forum and palatine hill you can book them at the ticket office for 5 euros each. For the Vatican there are 3 tours offered by the official guides. These guides are great and give very interesting information. The tours last from 2-3 hours and cost 30-41 euros depending on the tour you take. The dates for September and beyond have not been released yet. Historically they are not released until mid-august so any company booking beyond the end of August is just guessing. It will depend on the weather and the state of the reconstruction as to whether they will continue the tours this fall. Last fall there were no problems and they never stopped having the tours. The year before last the ended the tours in November because of the amount of rain. It's hard to say what will happen. Personally, I would wait and book the official tour. There is no way I could spend over 5 hours on a tour. donna

I sent you an email on this site.

I highly recommend going to the Vatican Museums at night through Dark Rome Tours. It is a little pricey (almost $100 each), but it is beyond magical at night, and they have wonderful tour guides. I could not imagine fighting the crowds and the heat that I have heard about with the day tours. It is a special place and it is worth the extra money to really see and enjoy it!

There is no way I'd pay 100 euros each for a tour you can easily book on the official website for 31 euros. The night tours of the Vatican have only a few people on them and cover many different areas of the museums Just check the official Vatican website: http://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/musei/tickets/do?action=booking Donna

It seems you are going in September, Rome can be very hot (I'm going in 10 days). Earlier the better for the Vatican, tours enter earlier than the general public. We have booked a Vatican tour with Presto Tours that starts at 8:00am. On our last trip to Rome we hired a private guide for 3 hours for the Forum, Colosseum and Pantheon. Got more out of it than if we were on our own, normally we don't hire private guides.