Vatican City Travel Forum

WHAT TIME DO THE SHOPS IN VATICAN CITY CLOSE IN JULY?

Hello :My wife and I are planning to visit the Vatican next month and we'd like to know at what time are held the Audiences and if cameras are allowed.Thanks
for your help.

Hi everyone,
Our small group of 8 people will visit Rome August 21-22, 2009. I have found several online tour companies that offer the so called "skip the line" tours or just "skip the line" museum ticket vouchers to the Vatican museums. From visitors' reviews, it appears, though, that because so many people get scared by the long queues at the Vatican box office that this "skip the line" line often is as long or longer than the regular line to get the tickets without prior reservation. Do any of you have a knowledge if it is really necessary to book the tickets in advance in order to avoid the long queues? Some visitors indicate that in the afternoons there is little waiting in the general ticket queue. We will be in Rome on Friday and Saturday. Is it harder to get into the Vatican museums on those days than on week-days? Any insight and advice for visiting the Vatican museums on Friday/Saturday in late Augugst would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Tuzik

More of a notice than a question...from the Vatican Museums website (http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/MV_Home.html)

"NOTICE TO VISITORS:
On Wednesday, January 7, 2009, the Sistine Chapel will be closed from 10.30 a.m. to 12.00 o’clock a.m.
On Saturday, January 10, 2009, the access to the Sistine Chapel will be possible till 12:00 p.m. (exit within 12:30 p.m.).
On Friday, January 16, 2009, the access to the Sistine Chapel will be possible till 1:30 p.m. (exit within 2:00 p.m.).
On Saturday, January 17, 2009, the access to the Sistine Chapel will be possible till 12:30 p.m. (exit within 1:00 p.m.)."

No info on why the Chapel will be offlimits at these times. This means that if you are going to the Museums on these days, that the strategy of coming after lunch to avoid the lines may backfire on you...

Bill

I am looking for webistes where I may order from actual stores selling Vatican City Stamped jewelry charms, crosses, medals and etc. Like I purchased at the Basilica. I have found a few stores, but not actually blessed or stamped. Many of my family would like to have one like I purchased at the basilica gift shop. I didn't anticipate the amount of family wanting one! EEEK! But, they seem impossible to find. Unfortunately, I won't be able to travel back for probably another 2-3 years. Anyone, have links??? Thanks a million!!!!!! God Bless you in your travels!!!

Hi,

I'm planning to visit Vatican City on 27 Dec, which is a Saturday. What is the best time to go there and to beat the crowd?

Cheers,

Justin

We are planning on visiting the Vatican City on Sunday October 12th. the pope will be holding mass that day. I have read on some sites that the museums are not open on Sundays. Is this true? Also, my understanding that there are not private tours on Sundays...could this be because the museums are closed?????

I purchased a rosary at the gift shop in the Vatican and it has broken. I have the sack and case but not the receipt with the address. Do you have a website or email address for them? It is the one that the nuns operate.

I WILL BE GOING TO THE VATICAN WITH MY HANDICAPPED MOM; WHO CAN WALK ONLY SHORT DISTANCES. I HEARD THERE'S A PLACE WHERE I CAN RENT A WHEELCHAIR WHILE WE'RE IN ITALY -- IT'S NOT THROUGH THE VATICAN, IT IS THROUGH ACCESSIBLEITALY.COM, BUT I WAS WONDERING IF ANYONE HAS TRIED THEIR SERVICES, AND WHETHER IT IS WORTH THE INVESTMENT. ALSO WANTED TO KNOW IF THE STREETS ARE MAINLY COBBLE-STONE, AND WHETHER WHEELCHAIR THEFT IS COMMON AT THE VATICAN?

Hi everyone. I'd like to go to the Vatican Museum while I'm there, but I would rather not get there at 6am and wait in line all day! I had found a place that offered 2-hour tours (which is all I would really need. I'd like to see the Museum but don't feel like I need to be there all day), but I can't seem to find it again. Does anyone know of anything like this that I can book in advance? Thanks.

From what I've read you need to have a reservation in advance if you want to see the Vatican Gardens . . . that that true for the rest of Vatican City (museums etc)? How do I make these reservations? What if I'm not sure what day I will be there, I can narrow it down to a week but that area of Italy is the last leg of my trip and I don't want to feel like I'm on a time crunch.

Any info provided is a great help, thanks!

-Sarah

What is the capacity of St. Peter's Square?

Can I purchase Vatican City from Gift Shop in line
or do you know of any Vatican City Stamp outlet in Vatican City?

I have tried several search engines trying to find out where I can get tickets for the Christmas Eve service in the Vatican, not outside in the square? This has been to no avail and I would appreciate any and all help and information on this subject. Another question I have is...when standing in line waiting to
enter the church is it basically a first come first serve seating arrangement deal? I have read that one should get there by nine o'clock to start lining up. One more question, if one were to arrive two or three hours before the service and needs to releave ones self, where does one go if everything is closed, do they have facilities there?

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. ML

We will be in Rome the last Sunday of October. I understand that the Vatican City museums are open the last Sunday of every month. To be specific, are the Vatican City Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peters Basilica all open on the last Sunday of the month? Do you know the hours? How early would you suggest that we get there to minimize the wait in line (and how long do you think that would be)?

Note: We are arriving on Saturday and could go on Saturday, but will likely be exhausted from a sleepless night on the plane from NYC.

Also, does anyone know a good Vatican City tour guide for a couple of hours? We don't need to see everything. Just an overview.

Thanks for your help!

-Aliza

can we buy tickets on friday for saturday AM???

we will be in rome on friday sept.21st and sat.22nd and would are thinking we will do a vatican city tour/sisten chapel on saturday morning. so we need to book now??? or can we just show up in line on saturday?
also....is a tour really neccessary?

If I want to see the Pope is there an email I can inquire?

Hi

I wish to purchase a picture of a greek icon (christ} from the vatican gift shop.

Please where is the gift shop & if any one has bought any greek icons what are the costs? My friend told me about these pictures.

Also do you have to pay to get into the city itself or do you have to pay to go to a museum?

Thanks in advance

Dorrise

Hello, my family is traveling to Rome in October and would like to attend the general papal audience on Wednesday. I just wanted to see if anyone could confirm that this is still taking place every Wednesday.
Thanks for the help

Dear Sir or Madam,

I would like to know the dimensions of St Peter's Dome in Vatican City. For example; the hight from ground to the base of the dome, from the base of the dome to its top, the diameter of the dome, how many steps are there in the dome from ground to top and who designed the dome.

I was at 'St Mary of the Flower' (Santa Maria del Fiore) Duomo Florence recently and once again was taken back by its beauty, design, and construction. What I am attempting to do is compare both domes regards size and structure, which is the largest and how they compare with other buildings throughout the world.

I appreciate your time in answering these questions.

Kind regards,

Alan O'Brien.

What exactly is the meaning behind the sphere in the courtyard of the Vatican Museum ? Thank You......EEK

I want to know if there is a website or someone knows the name of the religious store in the Vatican City of Rome that sells copies or reproductions of ancient pottery vases etc. I bought a couple about five years ago and of course cannot find my original receipt to even know what the shops was called. All I remember is that it sold religious items as well and it was in the Vatican City.

Is there a way to reserve through the official vatican.va website, when I don't have access to a fax (especially a long distance one)? Is there a email I could email, I don't know?

My husband and I are planning a trip to Rome this year. we would like to obtain
two tickets for midnight mass at the Vatican, December 24th 2007. I have had difficulty finding
an email address or a number to call on the Vatican website. I obtained ane email address from the Santa Susannah website, but my message did not go through. I would be grateful for any help in this matter,

Thanks, Ann McGarity

Hello everybody.

I have 3 questions.

1) May we use a camera during the papal audience?
2) Is it absolutely necessary to make a reservation in advance (tour) to visit the Vatican gardens? Is it possible to buy or get tickets from the Vatican itself?
3) Is it possible to arrive early, visit the Museums, then go to the papal audience, then visit St-Peters Basilica, sixtine chapel the same day?

thanks!!!

I have viewded a few sites relating to Vatican City, and many say that they have their own post office, but none of the information gives a diagram, or states where exactly the post office is located. Has anyone done a tranaction,, or ever been into the post office.???

We want to book tickets in advance for the Vatican museum but we don't want to join a guided tour - we just want to go round by ourselves (as we've visited many times before). So far as I can tell, the fax process for booking through the Vatican is for guided tours only. Does anyone know how or if this can be done?

On another forum I noticed a comment that you can join a guided tour but slip away and the guides don't pay that much attention to keeping their group together. Is that right?

Thanks to anyone who replies - I'll appreciate it.

Anyone managed to successfully fax the office for Vatican Museum & Sistine Chapel Individual Guided tour, advertised on their website as 06 6988 5100
Am I putting in wrong code from uk ie 00 39 06 6988 5100. Help! time's running out before cruise starts.

Hi. Have booked an entrance on a Wednesday at 9 30 for the Vatican Museum, but want to go to audience. Is the museum opened the same day as the papal audience. For ex can I do the audience and then go to museum with my ticket? What time does it close? Hope I didn't make a big mistake by buying for a Wed? help, I need info!

MBJ