Reaching Rome on May day

The hotel should be willing to hold your luggage for a few hours after checkout, just ask. Or, you can take it to Termini and leave it at the Deposito Bagagli, but make sure you leave enough time to retrieve it.

As for what's open, check the websites of the places you are interested in seeing (expect most to be closed). May 2 is a Saturday so everything should be open. On May 1, you can enjoy just walking around the city, many gelaterie and restaurants will be open.

Thanks Zoe. Next day if i can utilise my time till 1 pm in the afternoon it will be great. Which one will be viable a visit to the Vatican City or the Colosseum and the Pantheon?

Vatican City could be an early morning stop (St. Peter's Basilica opens at 7:00am.) You'll be able to view the church and St. Peter's Square and perhaps the Sistine Chapel? The museum really deserves more time than you can dedicate to it, so I would leave that for another trip. The museum is closed on May 1st. I don't see any indication that the church or the chapel will be closed however so you might look into visiting those on your day of arrival? Edit - looks like the Sistine is considered part of the museum so it will also be closed on May 1st.

Colosseum opens at 8.30am. You might consider getting a Roma Pass or booking a tour with a specific entry time to maximize your sightseeing time and reduce the time you spend standing in line.

Pantheon - Open Weekdays 9:00am. Closed May 1st. - You could have dinner or Gelato nearby though and admire the Pantheon from the exterior during an evening stroll.

so if i plan to reach vatican by 7:30 in the morning and stay there 12:30...den cum bk collect my luggage and set for airport for the evening flight.. is that an ok plan?

Is the Colloseum closed on May 1st? We'll be on the 21 day tour and April 30 and May 1 are our Rome days.......I wonder what we'll be able to squeeze in on April 30 and what we will do on May 1?

Kathy,

Yes the Colosseum is closed May 1st as are many other sights.
http://archeoroma.beniculturali.it/en/archaeological-site/colosseum

May 1 is tough. It is a BIG holiday for workers. Even buses take a few hours off in the afternoon.

The Colosseo and Forum will be closed. The Vatican Museums are closed, but St. Peter's Basilica should be open. I say "should be" because sometimes you get there and it is not. Expect the unexpected. But Rome is a feast for the eyes even when many things are "closed." Walk Via Fori Imperiali, see the piazzas and fountains, drop into the churches. Plenty to fill a day or two!

Well it looks like the BOE 21 day trip will have to see all the sights on the afternoon of the 30th. We arrive on the 30th then leave early on the 2nd. I hope this has been considered through RS for the planning of our tour. I saw that we were going to be in Rome on the 1st before making the reservation and questioned the opening of the Vatican on the 1st. They said we would move that visit to the 30th then go to the rest on the 1st. Waiting for the itinerary as we speak so maybe this has been thought out. Will just have to go with the flow.

Guys so on 2nd May if i got 5 hours in the morning like from 7:30 to 12:30 can i mk a trip to vatican?

Guys any update for the above question?

I am making my first trip to Italy and have booked a tour with City Wonders for early access to Sistine Chapel. They have a tour that meets at 7:15, goes directly to the Sistine Chapel walking through but not actually seeing the museum. Then time with no crowds to see the chapel and then short cut to St. Peter's. The tour take 2 hours so you are done by 9:30 and can then see the Parthenon before goring to the airport. On May day among things to walk by is the Colosseum. We are taking the early tour that then allows us the rest of the day to visit the museum and we will do St. Peter's on our own as we have several days in Rome. Hope this is helpful. I have not taken the tour yet but the reviews are very good.

Yes, five hours is enough for the Vatican Museums and Saint Peter's, but be sure the tour company you book will end by the time you need to be done, or you may have to wait in line at Saint Peter's if you leave the tour group. My tour started at 7:30 and ended at 2pm (was scheduled to end at 1pm).

deacongerri, I think you mean the Pantheon.

Thank u guys. that was really helpful.. But i am still willing to drop the idea of tour group and do it by ourselves. The only advantage i will be missing out on is waiting less time in the queues.

You can still buy a timed entry ticket without a tour, but I don't think you can enter the Museums before 9am with those tickets.