Do you really need a guide for the Vatican?

[wlbox]

Do you really need a guide for the Vatican?

 

We are planning on visiting in the afternoon, so skipping the entrance line will not be a reason to go with a guide.

[cberge]

Do you really need a guide for the Vatican?

 

We are planning on visiting in the afternoon, so skipping the entrance line will not be a reason to go with a guide.

If you want my personal opinion...no.Just to walk into St.Peter's etc to look around a guide book will answer questions etc.If you want the museum,and Sistine Chapel I am not sure how that works.

[Nonna and Papa]

We almost always tour on our own. When we visited St. Peter's and the Vatican museum, we carried a copy of Rick Steves "Mona Winks", and found it to be a great resource. His discriptions are informative and his directions were very good, too.

 

Mary

[Cruise Junky]

I'd say no to St. Peters, but yes if you want the Sistine Chapel. They keep changing the rules on visiting the Vatican Museums... now before 10:00 you can only go in with a tour groups..as the line gets longer and longer for individuals. Last week when we were there we spoke with a couple at dinner who had waited 4 hours in line and simply gave up. If you just want to visit St. Peters which is stunning, just walk in and walk around by yourself, it's amazing.

[romeyvanb]

I would definetly say yes to a guide. On out Med. cruise last year the vatican was our highlight. We used Rome Walks and our guide was from the US, spoke English, and knew so much about the museum itself. Learning what we did from our guide about the different pieces of art and the history of the vatican made the experience unforgettable. After our tour was over my husband thanked me for setting up this incredible experience. We have friends that went and did it on their own and after hearing about our experience there they regret not having a guide. It was worth every penny.

[cruisemom42]

You don't need a guide. You can rent an audioguide upon entry if you are interested -- you don't have to listen to everything, but you can get more information on a particular piece if you want it. Also, most Rome guidebooks include some info. I know Rick Steves has a Vatican self-tour.

 

My first two times through the museum were on a guided tour and I ended up very frustrated at not being able to linger in some areas and speed through others in which I had little interest. Last time I did it on my own and enjoyed it much more. Of course, the more you know going in, the more you'll get out of it.

[Hlitner]

We have toured the Vatican on a formal tour (with guide) and several times on our own. If you are the kind of person that needs a guide to tour museums than certainly make arrangements for a guide. However, if you are comfortable on your own just buy a decent guide book. You can also rent the audio tours once you get into the Vatican.

 

Hank

[mochuck]

I personally hate being shunted around in groups. As mentioned earlier, simply hire an audioguide. You can then do it at your own pace.

 

There is a building just down the road from the Vatican called Castel Santangelo that I think is just as good as the Vatican. Some of the rooms are breathtaking - but it doesn't have a Sistine Chapel:(

[whattodo]

You don't need a guide. You can rent an audioguide upon entry if you are interested -- you don't have to listen to everything, but you can get more information on a particular piece if you want it. Also, most Rome guidebooks include some info. I know Rick Steves has a Vatican self-tour.

 

My first two times through the museum were on a guided tour and I ended up very frustrated at not being able to linger in some areas and speed through others in which I had little interest. Last time I did it on my own and enjoyed it much more. Of course, the more you know going in, the more you'll get out of it.

 

I experienced frustration too with a guided tour sometimes. Works better when we're on our own to see what's interesting to us. What's the rental fee for the audioguide? Is Rick Steves' Vatican self-tour an audio guide? Thanks.

[eh2zed]

IMO not necessary. Don't like being tied to a group if at all possible.

[cruisemom42]

I experienced frustration too with a guided tour sometimes. Works better when we're on our own to see what's interesting to us. What's the rental fee for the audioguide? Is Rick Steves' Vatican self-tour an audio guide? Thanks.

 

 

The Rick Steve's Vatican walk-through can be found in his Rome guide book. It's good for general direction, but a little short on detail, which is why I liked having the audioguide to supplement.

 

I couldn't remember exactly how much the audioguide cost, so I did a quick search online. The prices I saw quoted by others seem to be 5-6 euros. (That sounds about right to me.)

[whattodo]

Thanks cruisemom42.

 

I just found the Vatican's website. Wow, full of info, looks like they offer only 1 tour of the museums and Sistene at 10:30am on the day of our visit. Is this the guided tour that bypasses the long lines that others have talked about?

[Kbears]

How far in advance should I fax in my reservations? Do you need reservations if you are doing a self guided tour?

[Dbedros]

Thanks cruisemom42.

 

I just found the Vatican's website. Wow, full of info, looks like they offer only 1 tour of the museums and Sistene at 10:30am on the day of our visit. Is this the guided tour that bypasses the long lines that others have talked about?

This is one guided tour that by passes the lines. You purchase this tour in advance. You have a specific time to meet and can go in a side door that has a guard that will let you in after seeing your confirmation. You will be placed in a group that speaks your language, usually no more than 15. You get headsets that let you hear everthing that your guide says. They leave you at the Sistine Chapel. You have to go to St. Peters on your own. The cost is posted on the web site.

 

You can book the private guide that waits in the line for you and will give you a specific time to meet them. They will show you what you want to see to include St. Peters. From reading the boards this usually cost about 150Eu for approximately 2 hours. Do a search and you will get an idea of these tours and guides.

[Dbedros]

Thanks cruisemom42.

 

I just found the Vatican's website. Wow, full of info, looks like they offer only 1 tour of the museums and Sistene at 10:30am on the day of our visit. Is this the guided tour that bypasses the long lines that others have talked about?

This is one type of guided tour. You are given a confirmation that lets you in a side door about 15 minutes to your scheduled time. You will be given a headset to better hear your guide. You will be placed in a group of approximately 15 that speak your language. The guide will leave you at the Sistine Chapel and you will have to do St. Peters on your own. You know the cost from the web site.

 

The Private guide can cost up to 150 Euros. They stand in line for you and give you a time to meet them. They show you what you want to see to include St. Peters. The only ones in your group are those that you invite or include. Do a search and you will find threads that discuss the various private guides and the various Vatican tours.

 

I hope this makes it a little clearer for you.

[vbmom87]

If you want to get the most out of your time there, definitely be part of a guided tour. If you don't care about what you are seeing then I guess you can stoll around aimlessly. It is all what you want to get out of it. We had a guide and if I went again, I would do it again that way.

[Cruise Junky]

If you don't care about what you are seeing then I guess you can stoll around aimlessly.

 

Little harsh isn't it? I care greatly about what I see, which is why I usually decide what I see and not let someone else drag me around to what they want to show me. You're assuming that anyone that goes on their own hasn't done their homework, which I assure you is incorrect.

[DavidandPaula]

We got our tickets through

 

http://www.rome-museum.com/

 

for entry at 8:15am.

 

The "guide" just gets you through the door and then leaves you to your own devices.

 

We had a reasonable guide book which helped a lot but next time we go back we will

- allow the whole day for the visit

- get a Vatican Museums or Sistine Chapel specific guide book as there is so much to see

- go through the guide book and plan our visit

 

If you get an audio guide you have to return to the entry point to return it so it cuts you out of the shortcut through to St Peters.

 

Have a great visit, it is a real highlite of any Rome tour. I am still looking at the pictures we took and reading the guide book and we will not be getting abck for at least 2 years I think.

 

David

[tomko2]

We have been to the Vatican/Sistine Chapel/St. Peter's Basilica twice; once on our own with a good guide book and last month we took a guided tour booked through Tickitaly. Hands down the guided tour was the best choice for us. Our lovely guide has a degree in Art History and her Mother worked on the restoration of the Sistine Chapel. There is so much to see that if you were to look at each piece for 5 minutes it would take 12 years to see it all. With a good guide you learn something about the pieces you are looking at and develop some appreciation for the works.

Definitely worth the cost - 78 Euros for two people.

 

We used the same firm to book our tickets to the Colosseum - (39 Euros for two); we walked past all the people lined up for tickets as well as those in groups. Probably saved two hours in the process.

 

At Galleria Borghese we hired a guide for 10Euros and had an incredible tour. We also reserved our time on-line through the Galleria website before we left on our trip.

 

Hope this helps.

Kathy

[cruisemom42]

If you want to get the most out of your time there, definitely be part of a guided tour. If you don't care about what you are seeing then I guess you can stoll around aimlessly. It is all what you want to get out of it. We had a guide and if I went again, I would do it again that way.

 

Perhaps more of a comment on your own level of preparation than on others'???

:rolleyes:

 

Here are some of the books I read (or re-read) when preparing for last year's Med cruise:

 

Egypt, Greece, and Rome: Civilizations of the Ancient Mediterranean

 

Plutarch's Lives (translated) -- written 1st century AD, covers famous Greeks and Romans

 

Travel Guides by DK Eyewitness, Rick Steves, and Fodors

 

Colleen McCullough's "Rome" series

 

Istanbul: Memories and the City by Orhan Pamuk

 

The Complete Pompeii

 

Etruscan Art

 

D. H. Lawrence and Italy

 

The Pillars of Hercules (Paul Theroux)

 

The Cairo Trilogy (Naguib Mahfouz)

 

 

And here's what I have read since then (heading to Rome for 3 days in October):

 

Augustus: The Life of Rome's First Emperor

 

Rome: An Oxford Archeological Guide

 

Blue Guide: Rome

 

Inside the Vatican

 

 

In the past I have found it both exasperating and amusing when I know more than the guide, or the guide repeats information that is not accurate!!!

 

Certainly, if your objective is just to go for 2 hours without prior exposure and/or interest, then by all means use a guide.