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seawitches
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Posted: Wed Aug 16th, 2006 01:29 am | 1st Post |
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When visiting the Vatican, do you have to go on a tour, or can you do a self guided?
Can you buy Vatican tickets online? I've been to the Vatican site, it's clear, but the tour part isn't.
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seawitches
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Posted: Thu Aug 17th, 2006 02:09 am | 2nd Post |
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| Ok, I see everyone ordering tickets online or by fax. Has anyone here done so?
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pcur
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Posted: Thu Aug 17th, 2006 04:56 am | 3rd Post |
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You should be able to order tickets online, but I didn't, so I can't help you there. We went through by ourselves, and you can rent the audio headphones.
Check out this url with the map of the Vatican:
http://www.stpetersbasilica.org/vaticancity-map.htm
You go in at #22 on the map to get into the museum. You will walk FOREVER through this museum, which is like long halls (see the map). The museum has lots of historical maps and artifacts.
St. Peter's square is where the entrance to the Basilica (church) and the entrance to the Sistine Chapel are (#9 on the map).
Your entrance fee at the museum gets you into the Basilica and the Sistien Chapel. The Basilica is where Michaelangelo's Pieta is located. It's off to the right as you come in the main entrance to the church.
Wednesday is when they have mass out in the square, so if you're there on a Wednesday, you won't be able to get into the Basilica or the Sistine Chapel until after noon.
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Catnip
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Posted: Thu Aug 17th, 2006 01:37 pm | 4th Post |
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When will you be in Rome, Sheila? I'll be in Rome the latter part of Sept!
Peggy, those are great tips. I need to get in gear & check the Rome info out, too.
Last edited on Thu Aug 17th, 2006 01:37 pm by Catnip
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seawitches
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Posted: Sat Aug 19th, 2006 02:17 am | 5th Post |
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not til June
that map and site is way better than the others, and your quick info is great. I'll be there on a Wed, but not until about 2pm
thanks peggy. Denise, bring home info to share!!!!
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Catnip
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Posted: Sat Aug 19th, 2006 02:30 am | 6th Post |
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We'll be at a meeting in a town called Fiuggi, which is aa spa town about an hour outside of Rome. I know we'll be going into Rome for one day at least. Don't know how much you can really see in only one day, especially with a broken foot and a partially torn tendon. :out of it:
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Next up: Last Atlantic crossing on QE 2 10-08/Celebrity Solstice 1-09/Jewel of the Seas 3/09
**Triangles Are For Losers!**
When only cops have guns, it's called a "police state". - Claire Wolfe
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pcur
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Posted: Tue Nov 14th, 2006 01:35 am | 7th Post |
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Just found this posted on CC. I would look into advance tickets, or finding one of the Italian travel agencies. This sounds pretty weird to me:
In trying to deal with constant lines & overcrowding, the Vatican Museum has announced a new admission policy and price increases. Here's a summary of the new policies and prices, effective from the beginning of January 2007:
Access to the museum at 8am and 9am will be limited to groups booked by or through tour agencies registered at Italian chambers of commerce. Such agencies will have deposited a large sum of money with Vatican Museum authorities (6000 euro) and will have made reservations for entrance at least 30 days in advance.
Most foreign tour agencies and even Rome's authorized guides will be excluded form this scheme
Those wishing to enter the Vatican Museums independently (without a tour agency) will have access only from 10am onwards.
The price of tickets will rise from 12 euor to 13 euro & those booked through tour agencies will pay another 2 euro reservation fee atop the 13 euro entrance.
The cost of private, after-hours visits will also rise. For groups of up to 30 people, the cost will be €2,500 for a two hour visit, plus a €15 ticket for each member of the party (as against the present €1,800 plus €12)
Very large groups (several hundred) making a private visit will pay 20,000 euro (rather than the present 7000 euro) plus the individual ticket price.
I'm sure there will be more news about this as the policy is implemented. As mentioned in the Wanted in Rome article, it's hard to understand how this policy can possibly improve things for the independent visitor, who will be able to enter in winter hours only from 10am to 12:20pm.
http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=442100
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seawitches
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Posted: Tue Nov 14th, 2006 01:45 am | 8th Post |
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Hmmm interesting.
We're hiring a private driver from airport, and are now discussing having him arrange a guide to take us to Vatican for the afternoon (so we don't cave and die once we hit the hotel). They say the crowds are better in the afternoon.
I know I can't see much, but I really need to see the Sistine Chapel, Pope J burial, and I really need to stand in the center of St Pete's square. I would love to do the Angels & Demons or the Davinci Code tour, but hopefully there will be a "next time". (my retirement treat to myself)
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pcur
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Posted: Tue Nov 14th, 2006 01:48 am | 9th Post |
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What you are listing is exactly what is best to see at the Vatican. However, add going into the Basilica, seeing the Pieta and the altar.
Hope you don't have any problems.
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pearl
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Posted: Tue Nov 14th, 2006 02:32 am | 10th Post |
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Have heard it's best to book trips through The Catacombs. It takes you through all the underground areas of the Vatican and then directly up into the main parts Haven't done my research yet re. process to book...Anyone else done this tour??
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BAMA X 2
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Posted: Tue Nov 14th, 2006 02:39 am | 11th Post |
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Not being Catholic I would not normally check in on a Vatican thread but when I saw Shelia was the one who started it, I thought I'd look to see these two worlds colide!
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BAMA X 2
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Posted: Tue Nov 14th, 2006 02:46 am | 12th Post |
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I almost forgot.................
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Catnip
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Posted: Tue Nov 14th, 2006 01:16 pm | 13th Post |
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BAMA X 2 wrote: Not being Catholic I would not normally check in on a Vatican thread but when I saw Shelia was the one who started it, I thought I'd look to see these two worlds colide!
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32 previous cruises..
Next up: Last Atlantic crossing on QE 2 10-08/Celebrity Solstice 1-09/Jewel of the Seas 3/09
**Triangles Are For Losers!**
When only cops have guns, it's called a "police state". - Claire Wolfe
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seawitches
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Posted: Wed Nov 15th, 2006 01:28 am | 14th Post |
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no worlds colliding, but fire brimstone,colliding of geological plates... and of course, there's the "fall of the Roman Empire" to consider..... OR I may come home and start receiting ....
Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
Amen!
Always wanted to be a nun...
Attachment: sinfulnuns_md.jpg (Downloaded 84 times)
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seawitches
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Posted: Wed Nov 15th, 2006 02:02 am | 15th Post |
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Peggy's got the goods on the Vatican. I think we're going to try and get a guide to do it on the afternoon that we arrive. I need to see the Sistine chapel, StPeter's Basicillca, but would to work in the catacombs.
Prepurchase your tickets, or get the guide to do for you. There has been erradict response from the Vatican with the reservations tho, some aren't receiving til really late, and don't forget to read pcur's post on what's happening with tours vs regular folks wanting to get tickets.
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pcur
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Posted: Wed Nov 15th, 2006 03:24 pm | 16th Post |
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This is a very good web site for DETAILED information on visiting the Vatican. Good stuff!
http://www.santasusanna.org/visitorInfo/tips.html
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seawitches
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Posted: Wed Nov 22nd, 2006 02:31 am | 17th Post |
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Holy Mackeral.. I don't think we'll even manage a whiff of the Vatican.
Flight arrive 1110, to hotel~~ ?? be there by 1300???drop bags, and head to Vatican........... can we do it?? Sistine Chapel closes at 1645, 
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xpcdoojk
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Posted: Wed Nov 22nd, 2006 12:58 pm | 18th Post |
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| If you don't loiter and if there isn't too long a line yes you can do it. Otherwise you can still walk around St Peters. There is no lost time in Roma. So much historical stuff everywhere.
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Catnip
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Posted: Wed Nov 22nd, 2006 01:16 pm | 19th Post |
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When we were there, we arrived with our bus load around 10:30-11:00. Waited to a HUGE, LONG line for about an hour and then started the trek thru the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's. It took maybe 2 hours totalafter we finally got in to the Museum.
You didn't have time to loiter and look at anything, you just got pushed thru by the masses of humanity, like a jellyfish on the ocean.............:out of it:
We couldn't even get close to the Pieta, and the pictures didn't come out, because it was so dark in the church.
I can't even imagine what it would have been like in the summer, when it was high season!
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32 previous cruises..
Next up: Last Atlantic crossing on QE 2 10-08/Celebrity Solstice 1-09/Jewel of the Seas 3/09
**Triangles Are For Losers!**
When only cops have guns, it's called a "police state". - Claire Wolfe
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pcur
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Posted: Fri Dec 29th, 2006 10:07 pm | 20th Post |
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Yes, but when you get inside the Vatican Museum, just beat-feet through it, go outside and get in the line for the Sistine Chapel (if there is one). Then, I'd recommend going through the basilica of St. Peter's so you can see the Pieta.
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Geneslamp
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Posted: Thu Jun 19th, 2008 03:40 pm | 21st Post |
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The Vatican - Mar 08 (we were in Europe for 3 weeks after our Jade TA)
First warning - stay away from the Ara Pacis hotel - we fell for the internet pictures (and yes, we do research) What a dump ! Didn't stay and are still fighting with the credit card company to drop that charge.
When we arrived at St Peters square (Saturday before Palm Sunday) we found a tourguide (student) selling guided tours for the Vatican Museum, Sistine and St. Peters. 25E each - for the first two thirds of the tour - and well worth it not to have to stand in line. For the Basillica tour they wanted another 25E each - which we declined - just did that on our own. Glad we did as it took us about 2 hours in the Basilica alone. A must is the bronze statue of St. Peter - for years people have been allowed to touch his right foot - to the point where the toes of the statue are now worn smooth - amazing just thinking about the amount of people it would take for that to occur. Well, I was amazed.
Note: Between the exit for the Sistine and the entrance for St. Peters there is an alcove with a fountain - I never could find out what it was called - not on our map - anyway, we sat had a cigarette and watched people drinking from the fountain - so, I went a scooped a mouthful and then filled my bottle to take home with me. Wanted to pour the water on my mom's grave - So I get home and find out that the water was Holy Water! So, that's great for mom but after drinking it my friend tells me it's a sacrelidge and I'm going to Hell.  So I told her that there are better reasons I'm on that list. LOL
Sunday (Palm Sunday) we headed for the Colloseum and other sites. Just happened that the Rome Marathon was running that day - so most of the buses were not running - and we did some major walking. I'm still tired from that. LOL
No segueys running on Sunday either - awwww
Rome was beautiful and we did enjoy everything we could fit in for the three days we were there - just took a bit of time to locate another hotel that was habitable.
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goodml
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Posted: Thu Jun 19th, 2008 06:43 pm | 22nd Post |
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Great info. Thanks Geneslamp. Very funny about the going to hell thing. Stick with us on this board and you'll likely get there faster I'm sorry to say .
Brief hijack: What part of Ontario are you in? We're down near Windsor.
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Geneslamp
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Posted: Thu Jun 19th, 2008 09:05 pm | 23rd Post |
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Oh, I think I was headed there before I signed in. I wondered why the water tasted so dusty!! 
Just North of Trenton (about 1 and a half hours east of the big smoke)
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goodml
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Posted: Thu Jun 19th, 2008 10:27 pm | 24th Post |
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| Ah yes, as in CFB. I've driven by(ish) on our way to Ottawa. Have fun getting to know these boards.
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Geneslamp
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Posted: Fri Jun 20th, 2008 02:56 am | 25th Post |
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Yes definately CFB Trenton. We're just north of there. Can't say I've been down to Windsor of late. Hope you made it through the big wind a few weeks ago.
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