Vatican City Travel Forum

Hi!

I'll be in Rome from this Saturday (10th March) to next Thursday. Which is the best day (and time) to visit the Vatican/attend a mass service? Are any prior arrangements needed for this?

Thanks!

Hello, this is the schedule from Santa Susanna, the American Church in Rome, regarding masses.

http://www.santasusanna.org/popeVatican/basilicas.html

The Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament (where the 8:30 mass is held) is spectacular, if small. (Well, actually ALL of St. Peter's is spectacular.) For one thing, it contains the only oil painting in the church (all the rest of the "paintings" are mosaics). And it houses the guilded bronze tabernacle on the altar, sculpted by Bernini, a copy of Bramante's lifesize Tempietto at San Pietro in Montorio. A real masterpiece. However, remember that the Pope won't be saying these masses.

Early morning (between 7-9), lunch time, and late in the day (after 5) are the best times to visit St. Peter. I prefer early morning. There will be very few people and your experience of the place will be profoundly different from that at 10 when thousands are roaming the church.

Other parts of the Vatican require different strategies. See my tip on the Vatican Museums here: (third tip down) http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/67a55/23513/4/?o=3

Click on the link provided for more info from the Vatican itself.

Prior arrangement are needed for visiting either of the Vatican Scavi Tours or the Vatican Gardens. There are guidelines for making reservations (some require email, some require fax) on the Vatican Website.

Cristina

Regarding a best day - that depends on what you mean by best. Some people are thrilled to be in the crowd of thousands on Sunday when the Pope gives his blessing. But most early mornings are fine for St. Peter's unless some special event is taking place. Remember that no matter when you go, you have to pass through security and later in the day, the lines get very, very long.

For the Vatican Museums, Mondays are usually crowded, because all the state run museums are closed. Saturday and the one Sunday a month that it is open (last Sunday) are crowded due to more locals.

I'd go on Tuesday.

If the Pope is appearing in Vatican Square on Sunday morning to bless the crowd, I would definately go. We did this about 5 years ago. John Paul spoke from an open window in the Papal apartments. It was a wonderful experience.

David

Thanks to everyone who replied, for the really useful information!

Chris

Hi David,

Do you know what time (roughly!) the Pope appears at the window on a Sunday? I realise I'll have to be there quite early in the morning anyway, but would I have to wait for a long time to see the Pope (even from far away!!)?

Thanks

Chris

Chris:
The Sunday appearance is known as the "Angelus." (I am not Catholic so this means little to me.) I have looked online and found recent photos and transcripts of the Pope's speech (so appartently this is still being done.) I checked the Vatican website and emailed a friend and can't find the schedule. I found informaiton on this in a guide book when we went 5 years ago. I have read that you may need to clear a metal detector to get into the square, so allow time for this. We arrived about half an hour before the scheduled time and watched the square go from nearly empty to over flowing in about 20 minutes. (Someone should have a tip on this here on VT, I haven't looked.)

Wish I was there,

David

Chris:
The Sunday appearance is known as the "Angelus." (I am not Catholic so this means little to me.) I have looked online and found recent photos and transcripts of the Pope's speech (so appartently this is still being done.) I checked the Vatican website and emailed a friend and can't find the schedule. I found informaiton on this in a guide book when we went 5 years ago. I have read that you may need to clear a metal detector to get into the square, so allow time for this. We arrived about half an hour before the scheduled time and watched the square go from nearly empty to over flowing in about 20 minutes. (Someone should have a tip on this here on VT, I haven't looked.)

Wish I was there,

David

Hi David!

Thanks for the information! "Angelus" in Greek means "angels" (quite obvious, isn't it?!!). I think may it will be better to go to the Vatican on Sunday and hope to see the Pope from far away (despite the museum being closed). If there's time, we can always go back just to visit the museum....

Thanks again. I'm off in 2 days--can't wait!!


Chris

You don't need to go through security to get into St. Peter's Square. You only need to go through security to get into St. Peter's basilica. The Sunday Angelus and blessing is indeed a very special atmosphere. Even if you are not religious, it is worth seeing.

The Angelus is a Latin prayer said three times a day - traditionally 6 a.m., noon and 6 p.m. It is called that because it's the first word of the prayer that begins "Angelus Domini" or "angel of the Lord."

Sometimes Angelus refers to the bells rung at the same times. For example, someone could say "He's ringing the Angelus this morning."

And yes, Angelus comes from the word angel which is derived from the Greek for "messenger" or so says my on-line dictionary.

By the way, I can confirm that Tuesday at 11:45 (on March 6) is a great time to get into the Vatican Musuems. There was no line at all, and very few people in the galleries or in the Sistine Chapel.

Thanks for the extra information, Lacristina!!

I've actually read your pages on Italy, and they are REALLY helpful!
I have one last question: I need a ticket for transport, that will cover the metro and buses, and may be allow entry to museums, etc. Preferably, I need this to last at least 5 days. Do you know which ticket I should get (e.g. do they have a tourist pass?), and where I can buy it from (Fiumicino airport or Termini station would be very convenient!).

Thanks again!

Chris

Thanks for the extra information, Lacristina!!

I've actually read your pages on Italy, and they are REALLY helpful!
I have one last question: I need a ticket for transport, that will cover the metro and buses, and may be allow entry to museums, etc. Preferably, I need this to last at least 5 days. Do you know which ticket I should get (e.g. do they have a tourist pass?), and where I can buy it from (Fiumicino airport or Termini station would be very convenient!).

Thanks again!

Chris

Thanks for the extra information, Lacristina!!

I've actually read your pages on Italy, and they are REALLY helpful!
I have one last question: I need a ticket for transport, that will cover the metro and buses, and may be allow entry to museums, etc. Preferably, I need this to last at least 5 days. Do you know which ticket I should get (e.g. do they have a tourist pass?), and where I can buy it from (Fiumicino airport or Termini station would be very convenient!).

Thanks again!

Chris

Thanks for the extra information, Lacristina!!

I've actually read your pages on Italy, and they are REALLY helpful!
I have one last question: I need a ticket for transport, that will cover the metro and buses, and may be allow entry to museums, etc. Preferably, I need this to last at least 5 days. Do you know which ticket I should get (e.g. do they have a tourist pass?), and where I can buy it from (Fiumicino airport or Termini station would be very convenient!).

Thanks again!

Chris

Chris, I had a long answer written but it has gotten lost....grrrr.

Don't have time to recreate it but...here's the short version. No one card will get you into everything. There's an Archeological Card for now 22 euros (I think - it used to be 20 euros), but unless you want to see these specific sites, it might not pay. It includes the Colisseum, but the other sites often aren't on a first time visitor's list.

There's a Rome Pass: see http://www.noteinviaggio.it/roma_di_note_eng.asp#romapass

I've never used it because I don't take public transport that often. Frankly, in Rome, walking is usually faster. I've been here a week and only used public transit 3 times.

Rome public transit has several types of tickets - all good for buses and the Metro. I find it most convenient to buy 4-5 single use tickets - they are good for 75 minutes. You can pick these up at any tobacco (tabacchi) store.

A daily ticket costs 4 euros. There's a tourist pass for 3 days for 11 euros. And other longer passes. A month is 30 euros.

Sorry I don't have more time to respond in depth. Maybe someone else has experience using the passes.