Scavi Tour - no one under 15?

Don't know about that rule and that company but have seen it with other companies. There are some people who don't like going on a tour with a bunch of kids. That is not that hard to understand. I would believe that no exceptions means no exceptions. A very mature look 14.4 might make it. But if I have signed up for a tour with the idea that there would be no young children, I think I would be pretty unhappy if an exception had been made.

These rules are set by the vatican itself and I have never heard of an exception being made. The site is very fragile and I am sure they made this rule as they don't want to take the chance of children running around and causing damage to the site. Just touching the brick walls can cause serious damage and I'm sure this has a lot to do with their rationale. I think it also has to do with the fact that the tickets are very hard to come by. They only let 250 people tour the site a day. I'm sure they see the experience as wasted on children and want as many adults to experience it as possible. They won't even give you a reservation if there are kids in your party.

Donna

If it says "no exceptions", it is probably a fact that there are no exceptions.

It is a very small space with limited availability and the tour is geared towards adults. In this case, I doubt this has anything to do with preference of other travelers because the Scavi tour is a free tour offered by the Vatican. My guide was an American studying at the seminary in Rome.

On the tour that I was on, there was one family with their son who was high school age. About 15 minutes into the tour, he complained about feeling sick. Fortunately there was a guide in training who could escort him out. Maybe he had claustrophobia. I was a bit skeptical. He did not look too happy to be on the tour from the beginning so I think he could have just been bored and wanted to get out.

Cindy: The "no one under age 15" rule for the Scavi tours is an official rule of the Vatican, who conducts the tour.

Here's the page from the official Vatican website stating the rule click here--see the 3rd paragraph, where the Vatican has put in boldface the words "15 years of age or older" and "No exceptions whatsoever can be made."

Sounds like they're serious about enforcing the rule. I haven't heard of an exception being made (perhaps someone else has?).

A person might be able to get a 14-year old in, but showing up with a 12-year old would seem to risk having your entire group being turned away on the spot.

You asked about the rationale for the rule. They don't state the rationale, but presumably it has to do with 1) what the website calls the "preservation needs" of the necropolis area, 2) the great holiness with which the Vatican views the grave of St Peter, 3) the confined spaces the tour goes through, and 4) perhaps, the sacred and contemplative experience that the Vatican would like this experience to be.

Thanks everyone for the insight. My brother-in-law got the tickets for us and didn't tell me about the age limit until recently. My 12-year old is a pretty serious kid who really wanted to see this, but I certainly know a lot of kids who wouldn't benefit or appreciate it. I can see where other visitors (including myself) wouldn't appreciate an impatient or ill-behaved youngster in an exhibit like this. Hopefully, we'll be back to Italy when he's older.

Cindy, I really hope you can get back to Rome in a few years so your son can see the scavi. It really is amazing. I hope you contact the scavi office and are able to split up your tour so the rest of you can see this site. If you are able to split up your tour and have to see it on different days maybe the ones who don't see it the second day could take your son to Ostia Antica for a few hours just to give HIM some place special to visit. That way he won't feel left out. It's an easy trip and can be done in a few hours.

Donna