We are taking our 14-year-old grandson to Rome and Venice the only week he is available all year. With that in mind, I am looking for specific advice about tours of the Colosseum and Vatican. My husband and I are not fans of group tours, but I’m thinking we might all get more out of being in these places with someone knowledgeable. I think our grandson is much more interested in the Colosseum than the Vatican. I’d appreciate anyone’s thoughts and advice!
Posted by
Atlanta
5141 posts
Two quick thoughts.
Get the grandson involved in the planning. He'll enjoy the trip much more if he helped pick out places to see and things to do.
Secondly, be sure you have all the necessary paperwork from the parents giving permission to take him from the country, and to make medical decisions if needed. Not being a lawyer, I'm not sure exactly what is needed, but I'm sure others on the forum can fill you in.
Posted by
San Franciso Bay Area, USA
1011 posts
I have visited the Colosseum and Vatican twice on tours only. In retrospect, I could have done the Colosseum without a tour, however, a good tour guide can bring the Colosseum to life. Check on the Colosseum website to ensure that what you want to see in the Colosseum is available without a tour and I would recommend that you get an early entry ticket if possible. I would also recommend that you do not try to do the Vatican and the Colosseum in the same day unless you are really pressed for time. We did this the first time around and it was not a great experience.
For me, the Vatican really requires a tour. The museum itself is huge and is a zoo, especially if you are not there early in the morning or late in the afternoon. It is impossible to locate the key works of art without having someone point it out. Even if you know where it is, you need to navigate amongst the crowds. Having taken two tours in the Vatican, the first one a private tour with just 6 of our group, the second with Walks of Italy, I can highly recommend the Walks of Italy tour with the early entry (not breakfast) https://www.walksofitaly.com/vatican-tours/pristine-sistine-chapel-tour/.
The first tour in 2018, we were in the afternoon and it was a very disappointing experience. Everyone in our group hated the crowds and our tour guide was not the most accomodating. In fact, when we went back this past May with my husband and I, he did not want to go back to the Vatican as the first experience was so miserable. I can say after the tour we took with Walks of Italy, he was much more satisfied with the experience. Our guide was an historian and going early we avoid the majority of the crowds and gained a better understanding of the art and history.
The only drawback of doing a tour is that it is 4 hours and if you do early entry, you need to get up early.