Skipping the Vatican

When you reference 'the Vatican', do you mean the museum or St Peters , or both?

I was referring to all, but we will be going to St. Peter’s square, just weren’t planning on entry there or touring the Vatican museums and Sistine Chapel.

Crazy? Not with just 2 nights in Rome. You’ve got to leave something off your brief itinerary, to see on a future visit. Unless you’re on a Catholic pilgrimage, or the Sistine Chapel is your non-negotiable reason for going to Rome, stick with the several things you’ve already got on the agenda (including St. Peter’s Square), and don’t stress. Just make sure you get at least a gelato a day, and it doesn’t have to be at the Vatican.

P.S. Is someone going to be caring for your cats? I’ve got a tabby and a Himalayan, and ensuring they’re taken care of is my first travel priority.

Thank you! I just need people telling me I’m making the right choice for this time so I don’t get caught up in all the things we should do.
And yes - cats are taken care of! :)

To me, the #1 priority when I travel is to know I'm in a foreign place. That means time to be outdoors, seeing different-looking architecture, smelling different food, etc. I love art and spend a lot of time in art museums, but inside an art museum, you could be in any city.

Since you really don't have time to go to St. Peter's, I'd suggest popping into the occasional small church as you walk around Rome--the sort of church that doesn't have a line out the door. Look around for a few minutes. Many of the churches are fabulous, and you may be the only people inside.

Only reason why you might prioritize the Vatican museums is if your teens happen to be big fans of museums; elsewise, stick with your day tour and some additional wandering around. To the gelato you should add some carryout focaccia (pizza square slices) and arancini.

Even with an early tour time it can easily suck up an entire day, with 2 days I wouldn’t go imo.

Hopefully you'll have time to visit the cat sanctuary at Largo Argentina:

https://www.gattidiroma.net/web/en/

Makes sense to skip.

Personally I would NOT go see St Peter’s square if I was not going inside. It is not an impressive sight from the square and it is a time suck to get over there just to see an unimpressive square.

Catmom,
What Shawna said about St. Peter's square. Save it for when you can see St. Peter's Basilica. Other fantastic churches to visit if you have time and are nearbto them are St. John Latern and Sta. Maria Maggiore (St. Mary Major). St. Peter in Chains Basilica is near the Roman Forum. There is a great Michaelangelo sculpture of Moses within. If your tour takes you to that area, it's worth a half hour.

I cheer you on with your decision to miss the Vatican! It was one of the bigger disappointments I have ever had traveling. Everyone has different priorities and I know it is a highlight for some, but it certainly wasn't for me.

DO NOT miss St. Peter's Basilica and the amazing Sistine Chapel.

Thank you all for your input! I feel much more confident with my initial decision:). Judy - thank you for the suggested churches. I have them pinned, and the one with Michaelangelo’s Moses is a 2 minute walk from our apartment! Couldn’t be more perfect for our arrival day.

I would skip the Vatican but consider doing the National Museum instead. We were able to buy tickets at the door. For lovely art, the Borghese, but you would need timed tickets in advance.

Our private tour will include the Capitoline, which they recommended for our museum experience based on the kids’ interests.

the kids will love the Capitoline museum-- like a sci-fi / fantasy videogame in real life!

Have the teens looked at books/videos to prioritize what they want to see?

I'm 73 now, and I've been to Rome at least five times, sometimes a few days early for a cruise. This is not your only chance in your life to visit the Vatican. Relax.

If you had told me when I was 17, and refused to visit Europe by backpack like my siblings, that I would have made 50 trips to Europe by the time I died, I would certainly not have believed you! But that's an extreme case, which also involves work, both for me and for my wife, who I sometimes accompanied at our own expense. (We had very different jobs, at very different companies.)

Thank you- I am excited about the Capitoline, I’ve never been. My son went through a Percy Jackson phase, so I think it will be perfect.

I’ve tried to get them involved and get some input, but they mostly like to be surprised and pull the “you know what we’ll like” card. They’re great travelers and typically up for anything as long as they have short breaks and snacks along the way (gelato will work!) - similar to when they were toddlers, really lol.

That’s what I keep reminding myself - they can come back again.

I've spent multiple days in Rome on four different trips and also a single day during a cruise. On my very first visit in 2013, I visited the Vatican, including St. Peter's and the museum. For me, it was a one and done thing. I've never had the desire to go back. I feel like Rome has so many other things to see. Unless the Vatican is a top priority for anyone in your group, you can definitely skip it.

Hopefully you'll have time to visit the cat sanctuary at Largo Argentina:

I'll be sure to make a note of this one.

I have to disagree with those who said St. Peter's Basilica isn't impressive from the outside. I found it very impressive and worth seeing. Imagine the people who have stood in that square over the centuries. I would at least see the outside, even if you don't have time to go in.

Thanks, MaryC - I agree. I remember it from my last time there 30 years ago. Plus I think the kids think the whole being in a country inside of a city is cool.:)

Catmom, So glad your tour includes the Capitoline Museum. It is terrific!

Rome will be the second European city that I will return to (Paris is the first and I will keep going back there).
I was pretty miserable the whole time I was at the Vatican EXCEPT I did enjoy the Sistine Chapel even with the crowds and the shushing attendants. I was able to find a spot to sit down and that helped. St Peter's is beautiful but so are so many others. Seeing three of Michelangelo's Pietas was one of my missions for that trip, but I was disappointed with the presentation behind fiberglass.

It sounds very reasonable, you're only in Rome 2 days! So why bite off another PACKED large museum & huge church if it sounds like too much for you?? The Capitoline Museum is gorgeous, and frankly I doubt you will even see it all. (Ask your guide if there's time to stroll over behind the Capitoline and look out over the Roman Forum, it's a great view. Just past between the 2 buildings as you arrive at top of staircase, walk slightly downhill.)

Museum burn out is REAL!! December 2024 on day-3 I had dopamine-exhaustion after 2 days in excellent museums, (Palazzo Massimo and the Capitoline Museum), we could have skipped the third day entirely and just vegged! I've been to Rome a lot over the decades & there are so many great sites, fun places to eat, have a bit of a wander without having to rush constantly, and yep, please remember to eat gelato. You will be back if you love it.

I just need people telling me I’m making the right choice for this time so I don’t get caught up in all the things we should do. You made the right decision.

Thank you all for continuing to make me feel better about my decision:! Every so often, I start looking again at trying to squeeze it in our arrival day, even though the logical side of me KNOWS that’s a terrible idea and there are far better options for that day.

In case you’re checking responses again — you’re fine skipping it! You could also skip the colosseum and go to the baths of Caracalla.

Does this help? Ten years ago, a visit to the Vatican was the #1 worst travel experience we had ever had and remains #1 to this day. The bumper-to-bumper crowd stampeding to the Sistine Chapel was actually frightening. And we had the earliest reserved tickets. It was possibly worse than usual because the museums (which were what we wanted to see, not the Sistine) were closed that day.

I did the Vatican museum and the Colosseum in one day...it was my first full day in Rome and I know that I can be up ridiculously early that day, so booked an early entry tour of the Vatican museum (I don't think it's still offered, this was April 2022), got out around 10 am when the crowds converged and explored the area near the Spanish Steps, had lunch, and then rested for a couple of hours before my 5 pm entry to the Colosseum--the only time I could get to suit my itinerary. Plenty of daylight to see everything included in my ticket, and I did the Forum and Palatine Hill part of it the next day. I enjoyed these 3 sites immensely, along with the Pantheon and the Borghese Gallery. I enjoyed the Vatican Museum but would prioritize the Colosseum over it, personally.

It’s funny that you’re going to the Capitoline Museum because a couple of weeks ago my wife, who was born in Lecco, sent me an article about the Capitoline from one of the Italian publications and said “you’d love this place”. It looks awesome.

The Forum is much more manageable than inside the Colosseum which with limited time isn’t worth it. Capitoline Museum is a yes. Vatican Museums are a no. St Peter’s is a maybe depending on your group’s interests. Not far from the Colosseum is Basilica Saint Clement. Inside it keep going down then down and then down!!!

Thanks for the continued input! My memory of it when I was a teen is similar to what you describe, Nancy. And I’m glad to hear more positive feedback on the Capitoline museum - I’m excited for it! We are sticking the Colosseum for sure based on the group’s interests. Hoping to snag underground tickets, but at least arena floor/gladiator entrance access.

With teens I’d totally skip Vatican Museums and St Peter’s. They’re going to like the Capitoline museum and the Colosseum a lot. It’s fascinating to see the Forum and the nearby Baths of Caracalla. Arrival day just enjoy the city. Find some gelato maybe several gelatos, pizza and don’t forget about the arancini. It’s a waste of valuable time and energy to go to St Peter’s Square just to see it as there’s not much to see.

I must be way older than you, Catmom, because I also visited the Vatican as a teenager, and in those days we just walked right into the Sistine Chapel and hardly anybody else was there!

For all travel, it's your trip, your time, your money. You do what YOU want to do. It doesn't matter what other people think. If you do what other people think you should do, then you are taking their trip and not yours.

And we all like different things.

I would consider the horrible mobs of people lined up for hours to enter the Vatican Museums & Sistine. Also, the Basilica is gargantuan; so you could spend most of the day walking! Consider the great sight of the Pantheon. Also timed entry but far easier access and much less time wasted. Incredible structure!