My mom & I will be arriving in Rome with our cruise ship on May 1, and I understand so much is closed on that holiday.
We will be going on a ship excusion that takes us to the Trevi fountain, the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, and St Peter's square.
Does anyone know if St Peter's Basilica will be open that day?
Unfortunately we only have that 1 day there, and because the Vatican and Sistine Chapel is closed on that day this is our second tour choice.
Hi Kathy,
See you are from Wilmington, DE too! We were in Rome last September for 4 nights. Check out this web site and see if it answers your question. To me it looks like St. Peter's is openned every day. It is a church and so they have masses scheduled every day. - the web site is - http://www.saintpetersbasilica.org/touristinfo.htm - Be sure to throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain. At the Panteon be careful for pickpockets, at last that was what I was told. My sister and her husband took a cruise on the Queen Mary 2 last May and had a one day excursion in Rome similar to what you and your mom are planning. FYI -The lobby of the Ritz Carlton on Broad Street in Philadelphia is modeled after the Panteon. It was orginally the old Girard Bank headquaters.
Yup, St Peter's Basilica is open every day but the Vatican Museum will be closed on May 1 for the Feast of St Joseph the Worker. IF the Pope gives a mass at St Peter's the basilica will be closed to the public while the mass takes place. Only those with tickets will be allowed to enter. I don't know if the Pope usually presides over mass on this feast.
