Rome Forum: How are the tours at Vatican.va?

Thanks for posting this question AugMomto3. I am also trying to reserve a tour for vatican for my older daughter and sister. WheninRome tour company offers these tours for somewhere between 45 euro to 80 euro. I was wondering if their guides are better than official va tour guides and worth the extra money Sounds like from dbabe's comment that va tours are good enough.

thanks..

Hi AugMomto3,

Yesterday I posted a question under the heading 'Vatican Tour Suggestions'. I will be heading to Italy this summer with a 4 year old. Pelase check that thread out. People have wonderful suggestions on where to take the kids in that thread.

Thanks..

Hi!

I read your question after I posted mine (sorry about that.) After reading the responses, I am thinking I may just buy a general admission ticket and walk through myself. My 9 year old really wants to see the Sistine Chapel - so we may just take a quick walk through to get there.

Still interested in hearing other answers though, if anyone has "been there, done that" with kids around the same age!

Either book for 9 am and race through to the Sistine Chapel using the route described in No. 6 here:

roninrome.com/sites-and-attractions/20-tips-…

Or go at 4 pm and use the same route.

The Vatican Museums now has a treasure hunt audio tour for small children. While I wouldn't dream of taking a four- or five-year-old to the Vatican Museums, several people have reported on these forums that their children enjoyed this tour.

I wouldn't recommend any group tour with small children. It's not easy to stay with the guide in the crowd even when you don't have to attend to a child. Lots of people get separated from their guide and never find their group again. If you don't want to do the audio tour, then just buy tickets and go at your own pace, or hire a private guide, who will be able to adapt to your needs and the child's level of interest.

While I don't know about Vatican.va tours, I would have to highly disagree with this posting. As a child, I was taken to hundreds of museums across Europe. I spent many hours in Churches, indoor and outdoor museums and love art. It is my profession ( I am not an artist but in the art business). Children five years old can certainly spend two hours in the Vatican. They will love it and remember it. This person obviously does not have a 5 year old. I do and I know that two hours in a museum is fine.

While I don't know about Vatican.va tours, I would have to highly disagree with this posting. As a child, I was taken to hundreds of museums across Europe. I spent many hours in Churches, indoor and outdoor museums and love art. It is my profession ( I am not an artist but in the art business). Children five years old can certainly spend two hours in the Vatican. They will love it and remember it. This person obviously does not have a 5 year old. I do and I know that two hours in a museum is fine.

The reason we say not to take a child into the Vatican museums is because people are packed in there like sardines. There are many pictures of galleries packed with people shoulder to shoulder. There is no way a 5 year old will be able to see anything unless their parents carry them on their shoulders or can push their way through the crowds to where the exhibits are.

I, too, have been to many many museums and galleries across Europe and will say that the Vatican museums are by far the most crowded one I've ever been in. I took my daughter there for the first time when she was 10 and she had problems seeing anything through the crowds.

As for commenting: "This person obviously does not have a 5 year old." - you don't know what you're talking about. Also, one doesn't need to have young children to realize that taking them into such a crush of bodies won't be fun or interesting for them.

Donna

You can see some of the crowds in these photos:

bugbog.com/gallery/…rome_pictures_28.html

www.flickr.com/photos/benwerd/3487440876/

temporarilylost.com/2011/…

temporarilylost.com/2011/…

Donna