Any advice on getting advance reservation for visiting Vatican, museums etc. We will be in Rome, Florence and Venice for 9 days over Thanksgiving. We have two kids (14 and 10) but they are game for anything. Any advice (attire, food or whatever) is appreciated. :)

One of the most amazing tours in Rome is Underneath St. Peters. Your kids--and you-will never forget this one. Here is the information. You need to be persistant with this office and it may be too late. They are very small tours and usually booked well ahead. But well worth trying to get in!

Visit of the Excavations below St. Peter's Basilica.


Given the unique location of the Vatican necropolis, a visit to these excavations is a privilege accorded to visitors by the Excavations Office and depends entirely on the space available and the preservation needs of the necropolis.

Due to the need to give careful attention to the conservation of this irreplaceable historical-archaeological site, wherein is preserved the original Grave of St. Peter, only about 200 visitors per day are permitted in the necropolis.

Groups are arranged by language and are composed of about 12 participants. Only those who are 15 years or age or older are permitted to make the visit. No exceptions whatsoever can be made.

On account of the significant and repeated difficulties that the Excavations Office has had with third-party requests for tickets (i.e. through travel agents, etc.), the Office will only make reservations directly for those individuals who will actually be visiting the necropolis.

No third-party applications will be processed.

Confirmations for visits will only be sent to those who will actually be visiting the excavations.

While purses and small handbags are permitted in the excavations, visitors are reminded that large bags and backpacks are not permitted in the excavations at all. St. Peter’s Basilica offers a free bag check service located in the lower right façade of Basilica. Large bags and backpacks must be deposited there prior to coming to the Excavations Office.

Photography, with or without flash, is not permitted in the excavations.

Visitors should dress in a way befitting a holy place.

Those who do not observe these norms will not be permitted to visit the necropolis.

Reservations

Reservations are only accepted in writing (by e-mail: scavi@fsp.va, by fax: (39-06) 6987-3017, or directly in the Excavations Office.)

With your request to visit the excavations, please provide the following information:

The exact number of visitors

Their names (in case of groups, the composition and provenance of the group is also needed [e.g. university, parish, etc.])

Language desired for the visit

The dates available during which the Office can arrange the visit (The precise time of the visit will be determined by the Excavations Office).

Contact information (an e-mail address, fax number, or full postal address) so that the Excavations Office may advise you about your visit.

When a visit is possible, the Office will send a proposed date and time. If the proposed date and time are acceptable, the visitors must so inform the Excavations Office, which will then definitively confirm the visit.

When a visit is not possible:

Given the limited number of group possible, not all requests can be answered positively.

On occasion, due to the vast number of requests received and the time needed to process them, it may not be possible for the Office to even respond to an application prior to one’s arrival in Rome. In such cases, the Excavation Office regrets that a visit will not be possible.

Office hours

The Excavations Office is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, except Sundays and holidays.

Orario Ufficio: dalle ore 9.00 alle 17.00: tutti i giorni escluso DOMENICA e FESTIVI vaticani

Excavations Office Hours: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, Closed Sunday and Holidays

Bureau des fouilles: 9.00 - 17.00 (Ouverte tous les jours sauf le dimanche et les jours ferés)

Geöffnet: Werktags von 9.00 Uhr bis 17.00 Uhr: Geschlossen: Sonntags und an Feiertagen

Abierta desde las 9:00 a las 17:00: Cerrado los domingos y festivos

On the following dates the Excavations will be closed during 2006:

June 15th
June 29th
August 13-16th
November 1-2nd
December 8th
December 24-27th
December 31st

Usually the last tour each day begins at 3:30 pm

Tickets and Reaching the Excavations Office

The visitor must always confirm his reservation in the way and during the time period given by the Excavations Office in positive responses to requests.

Visitors ought to be at the Excavations Office [without large bags and backpacks] at least five minutes prior to the beginning of their tour.

The Excavations Office may be reached through the Holy Office Gate to the Vatican (through the colonnade to the left, on Via Paolo VI). The Swiss Guard will direct the visitors to the Office.

The visit to the necropolis ends back at the Excavations Office.

On occasion, the basilica and the excavations may be closed for unforeseen reasons. In such cases, the Scavi Office will attempt to reschedule those groups affected by the closing. When this is not possible, any reservation deposit will be refunded.

Excavations Office
Fabbrica di San Pietro
00120 Vatican City

Tel. +39 06 6988.5318
Fax +39 06 6987.3017 - 6988.5518

E-Mail: scavi@fsp.va

Thanks!, That sounds great.
Anyone else have any ideas?

Do not be startled if you see Tacchino alla Parmigiana on the menu. (It's actually there all year 'round.)

The scavi tour is really great but kids (under 15) are NOT allowed. We just did the tour on Sept 11, this year.

:D We visited Rome last year and this year......visit the Travelocity web site and check out advance purchase for tours to the Vatican and museums. You pay ahead of time and get the advantage of paying in US dollars rather than euros and getting surcharges on your credit card. ^ Please try to find this family restaurant called Ristorante Barberini close to the Plaza de Barberini really nice people and good food(tell them Peter sent you). I had to have the oxtail stew both times, the address is Via della Purificazione, 21 in Rome. The kids will love the city buy tickets for the hop on hop off tour in the front of the main Termini (train station)don't buy the one on Travelocity. It takes you around the whole city and stops at all the main points of interest. Walking is very safe with the kids too just be alert when crossing the streets and keep valuables close to you. Florence also has a hop on hop off tour bus that you can purchase on Travelocity. Venice has the Venice card that you can purchase at the web site for transportation from and to the airport as well as the boat system within the city and it's many islands. The water taxi is expensive however you may want to use it to and from the airport depending on your flights. At the Venice airport you also can't check in earlier than 2 hours for flights. In Venice you can wait in the queue for entrance to museums/attractions. Walking is the best way to really see the city and get to know it. Looks like u are a Starwood member......try to ge the Europa/Regina hotel if you can......we used points and ended up with the penthouse so beautiful :-: ^ Hope this helps.

Thanks for the great ideas.