Using Omnia Vatican Rome card to visit the Vatican Museums

First, congratulations to your daughter and her family.

But now for the bad news, I'm afraid. You may get some convenience from those Omnia cards, but I doesn't look like it at the moment based on your comments. I see that you have already purchased them so our job is to help you make lemonade. Generally they are considered to be really bad value for money and it is hard to do enough to make it worth its money.

The Vatican Museums always attract a lot of visitors and the inside, once you get in, gets very very crowded.

To help you visualise your problem, think of the Vatican Museums as like a kettle with some water in it.

If you are there midweek, especially later in the afternoon, the people getting in is smaller, and the kettle never boils. It gets hot but never boils.

Now every day many many people want to see the VM. If it is closed, like on a Sunday (or even if it is open entry like on the last Sunday, when many people won't want to go - although many do) you turn up the fire under the kettle and block the steam. Then if it is closed the next day too you have added even more heat, and when the spout is uncovered on Tuesday everybody and his brother's camel wants to get in and the queues and crowding become exceedingly unpleasant.

So, if there is anything you can do to lessen the impact on that Tuesday I'd do it. The Museums offer guided tours including breakfast before others are admitted and may be worth the effort.

I don't know what the Omnia can do for you. Please let us know. Because the card is such bad value overall I have never researched what benefit it offers in Vatican City.

Good luck, and have a magic trip with your daughter.

I don't find the Omnia Card mentioned in Rick's book and I never heard of it before this year, so perhaps it is new. Looking at http://www.omniavaticanrome.org/en/how-it-works/entrances-itineraries.html, it seems to me that the 15-minute rule only applies to people taking "a tour on board a Roma Cristiana mini open bus."

Otherwise, if you're just showing up at the Vatican museum, you skip to the front of any ticket line by showing the pass. http://www.romeandvaticanpass.com/what-you-get/save-time.html

Yes, to the front of the ticket line. Not to the front of the security line. Skipping the ticket line is easy with tickets bought on line.

I purchased the Omnia Card based on the promises describe in the website and a recommendation for the Roma Pass I read in a Rick Steves Italy 2014, pgs. 846-847. The only difference in Steves guide was a note to purchase the pass upon arrival, but I knew I needed to arrange Vatican visit time ahead, so I purchased the card online. I have since read it is challenging to fine the 1 pickup location open Sunday's and Vatican entry is dictated by Omnia. Now I realize the is NOT the card/pass recommended by Rick Steves and I feel like I made a costly mistake. I am considering purchasing our Vatican entrance and using the card or other venues, again a costly adjustment, but I this trip is a celebration of life with our daughters family including our two grandchildren ages 4 and 6. She is a cancer survivor. I am determined to assure a smooth experience for our family. I will follow up with commentary regarding use of the pass when all is said and done.

Hello zagfam, and best wishes for your upcoming meaningful visit to Italy and the Vatican, no doubt with added challenges related to traveling with your small children. I am not familiar with this Omnia Card. Also don't know if you are early morning people or not, maybe you are forced to be with small kids. Also don't know where you will be staying in Rome, or how close to the Vatican that may be. All that said, I will mention a possibility, offered with the priority being a wonderful visit to the Vatican on a very busy day in a very busy and hot season. I visited the Vatican with the Pristine Sistine Tour offered by the excellent tour company Walks of Italy, many others on this forum have also lauded this tour. The tour group gathers at 7:30 am, then enters the Vatican Museum at 8:00 before the public, moves quickly through the Vatican Museum to visit the Sistine Chapel with only a few handfuls of other visitors, very quiet and easy to sit and enjoy, even seeing the beautiful floors, none of which is possible when mobbed later in the day. Then more time in the Vatican Museum, then directly into St. Peter's Basilica through the special tour group door, saving a long walk, and ending at around noon, leaving the rest of the day for other things, I see that Pristine Sistine is offered on Tuesday June 30. I have dealt with Walks of Italy and their U.S. toll-free number, and their US staff are very helpful and accommodating. Go to www.walksofitaly.com. They offer a 10% RS discount, and in addition child and senior discounts. Also, as I remember, on another tour they reduced their fee for people who already had paid an admission through the Roma Pass. I suggest you call them, ask to speak with whoever is there at the time who knows their Vatican tours the best, explain your situation, and see what they might be able to suggest. I know that the Vatican facilities can get terribly crowded at its busiest times, very difficult to navigate or enjoy, especially with young children, and as you explain your situation I hope you can make a positive and meaningful experience your priority, if possible more than the euros spent! Good luck, and please do let us know how you work this out.

What good advice. If I had it to do all over again, I would contact WalkSoftly Italy to consider our options for exploring the Vatican. I called the phone number provided in their "contact us" section on the web site. The service representative patiently and respectfully listened to my tale of woe, and then offered two options with consideration of specific family needs. I recommend their service to anyone, first timers or those returning for a closer look. Thank you to the wise, kind person who directed their tour company to my attention.
Best regards to all travelers

You need to go to the omnia pass information booth in St. Peters square to arrange your visit to the vatican museums or you can visit the omnia website to get the link in order to book the garden tour online. I believe the visit to the museum is combined with the garden tour so you'll need to go to their booth to book that tour. Once the tour is over you can visit the museums. The omnia pass doesn't include a tour of the museums, just entry. The tour is of the gardens with an audio guide for the basillica.

Personally, I would try to cancel the cards. You will be much better off without them. You'll be able to book entry tickets or a tour at the offiial site at the time and date of your choosing.

Donna