Vatican tour-Context or ThroughEternity?

Holly, in a crowded place like the Vatican museums, a small group is a huge plus. You can gather at a piece of art without waiting for a big space to open, and you're not wasting lots of time waiting for the group to straggle through and regather. Plus, you're listening to someone talk to you, not trying to make things out via microphone and earpiece... you can hear and you can ask questions, easily. I've never used Through Eternity. However, I've taken many Context tours, in a number of cities, and have always been very pleased. I took their Vatican Museums/St Peter's tour and really enjoyed it. I had been to the museums and the basilica a number of times on my own on several trips, but that tour really enhanced my appreciation/understanding. Compared with the standard that Context sets, I've found myself disappointed with other group tour operators.

Hi Holly. We used Through Eternity for a Colosseum/Forum tour & also a Palatine Hill tour in Rome. We were extremely pleased with the quality of the tour and guide. I would not hesitate to use them again. I believe that both Context and Through Eternity are top notch companies and you can't go wrong with either. We used Presto Tours for our Vatican tour and it started very early in the morning but because we skipped the line, we got inside first thing and it wasn't very crowded. We wore headsets so that we could walk around but still hear the guide and I seem to remember hearing that headsets were required on all group tours of the Vatican (not sure if this is still the case or not). If the tour utilizes headsets, then it really doesn't matter how large or small the group is because you'll be able to hear the guide no matter how far away you are from him/her. When I booked our Vatican tour, I also contemplated a 5-hour tour but in the end I was very pleased with our 3-hour tour. I think if our tour had been longer, my husband & I would have lost interest by the end & would have been on information overload. But, that's just us...everyone is different! I think I would go for the Through Eternity tour because it's significantly cheaper and if the guide uses a microphone and headsets then the group size won't matter. Have a great trip!