Best Way to Visit the Vatican

Beating the Massive Crowds is the Best Strategy

Author: The Traveling Professor/Monday, December 15, 2014/Categories: Italy

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Here are The Traveling Professor's tips for visiting Rome and the Vatican:

Friday Night Visits:  For a limited number of Friday nights, usually in the Fall, the Vatican is open at night.   Don't miss this opportunity to visit where crowds are about 90% less than what they are during the day.

Guided Tours with Appointments:  On The Traveling Professor's small group tours to Italy, this is usually what we do.   Tickets are available up to two months in advance on the Vatican website:  http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/MV_Home.html.   I suggest booking tickets as soon as they become available.   The two basic tours are for the Vatican Museum (including the Sistine Chapel) and the same tour along with the Basilica.  I recommend doing both the Basilica and museum on the same tour.  The inside of the museum will still be crowded, but there is no waiting in line to get in.

Go in the Afternoon:  If they don't have pre-reserved tickets, most people take the strategy of "I'll get there early to beat the lines".  Guess what?   Everyone else has that strategy too.   My advice is to go later in the afternoon to minimize the lines.

For more information on my small group tours to Italy, see www.travelingprofessor.com.

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