Looking for opinions on "Skip the Line" tickets/tours for Rome

[ElaineMarie]

First trip to Rome here. We are spending 4 days prior to our April cruise in the city and want to see the standard places. We are presently thinking of spending a day in the Vatican area (St. Peter's, Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel) and a day in the sites of Ancient Rome (like Colosseum, Parthenon, etc.). I am overwhelmed with the many tours out there and want to plan wisely.

 

1. Are "Skip the Line" tickets really helpful for these sites? Should they be purchased prior to our trip or when in Rome?

 

2. I'm thinking a guided tour would be very beneficial for Ancient Rome sites and that using an audio tour for the Vatican would be fine. Do you agree?

 

3. We have two days that have nothing planned for the moment. Any advice on things we MUST see while there? It might be nice to have some variety from ancient history since that will be the focus of most stops on the cruise.

 

Thanks again for any and all advice!

Jim

 

We are going in May to Venice, Rome and then a cruise to Greece with our adult children--Hubby and I were there in 2009 for a cruise out of Venice, but we toured Italy by car first.

You should purchase Vatican Museum tickets on line before you leave home. The best price is at the vatican website itself. these get you into the museums and Sistine Chapel

then you can enter the Basilica of St Peter. The Grotto and the Coppola close before everything else so if you are interested, do them right after your tour and then look around the Basilica. You dot need tickets for the piazza or the Baso;oca itself--there are lines for security checks so the less you carry the quicker you get through. The tour companies will charge you a fortune and you still wait for the security check. Download Rick Steves audio tour and use your smart phone--it describes every step through the museums and the Basicila

There is a guided tour underground at the coloseum from March until june you can get directly on their site or through tickets Rome--should be much better than just touring the main floor

[cruisemom42]

There is a guided tour underground at the coloseum from March until june you can get directly on their site or through tickets Rome--should be much better than just touring the main floor

 

Perhaps better to not speculate without having yet experienced....

 

Personally I didn't find the much recommended "Underground Colosseum" tour that great. The underground area of the Colosseum isn't as well preserved as the amphitheatre at Pozzuoli, and the third tier while providing a good overview, didn't add much to what the basic tour offers.

 

I notice some sites seem to be almost fads. A few years ago it was the Galleria Borghese that was the 'hot' ticket. Then the Scavi tour under the Vatican, then the Domus Romane underneath Palazzo Valentini.... Finally it's the Underground Colosseum tour. ;)

 

But some sites are classics for a reason. See the Colosseum, yes definitely. The Underground tour may be a nice extra but doesn't add that much.

[ElaineMarie]

Thanks for the info on the underground tour of the Coloseium. We've been before and are taking our adult children this trip. Spending 4 nights in Rome before the cruise so wanted to do a few things differently.

We prefer tickets direct from the museums not using the tour companies. Might miss some historical facts, but more leisurely on our own.

We couldn't get Scavi tickets, is Bourges worth seeing. We only were outside last trip. Took a day to Appian way and catacombs instead of museums.

[cruisemom42]

Thanks for the info on the underground tour of the Coloseium. We've been before and are taking our adult children this trip. Spending 4 nights in Rome before the cruise so wanted to do a few things differently.

We prefer tickets direct from the museums not using the tour companies. Might miss some historical facts, but more leisurely on our own.

We couldn't get Scavi tickets, is Bourges worth seeing. We only were outside last trip. Took a day to Appian way and catacombs instead of museums.

 

The Appian way is a great thing to do; I'm sure you must've enjoyed it.

 

The Borghese gallery is nice, probably best appreciated by those with a love for Renaissance and Baroque sculpture and painting. I've been twice and enjoyed it, but it wouldn't figure on my list of top 10 things to do in Rome (probably not even my top 20, but then I'm heavily biased toward the ancient sites.

[rdt10]

Thanks for the info on the underground tour of the Colosseum. We've been before and are taking our adult children this trip. Spending 4 nights in Rome before the cruise so wanted to do a few things differently.

We prefer tickets direct from the museums not using the tour companies. Might miss some historical facts, but more leisurely on our own.

We couldn't get Scavi tickets, is Bourges worth seeing. We only were outside last trip. Took a day to Appian way and catacombs instead of museums.

If you like sculptures the Galleria Borghese has some of the best. Entry is limited so not as crowded as many museums. I think it is well worth seeing at least once. Sells out early so book in advance.

 

If you are looking for things beyond the main sites the Capitoline Museum next to the Forum is also nice without the huge crowds.