SEPT 15-22, 2024 VENICE, FLORENCE, ROME GROUP!!! ANYONE INTERESTED IN PRIVATE VATICAN VISIT???
Hi Everyone! My adult daughter and I are scheduled for the classic group A Week in Venice, Florence, Rome tour Sept 15-22, 2024. Unfortunately, Tauck is no longer offering the before or after hours private tour of the Vatican. Their tour takes place during the typical crowded hours. BUT, at the hotel where we are all staying, they DO OFFER A PRIVATE BEFORE HOURS TOUR of the Vatican, where a group up to 10 people go in the morning (leaving at 5:30am on Sat Sept 21) and OPEN THE DOORS to the Vatican privately for a 2 hour tour. The cost is 10,500 Euros for 2 to 10 people (fixed cost.) Although this amount is prohibitive for only 2 people, if we gathered a group of 10 from our tour, the price would be closer to $1000 each. Would anyone be interested in this? This exclusive experience is listed on the website of our hotel, Palazzo Ripetta (under exclusive), so I emailed the concierge, who provided the specific info about this tour. I would love to share the cost on this, as it sounds absolutely amazing! Please reply if you're interested! We could do this through the hotel concierge! I tried to post a pic of the tour description here:
Comments
That’s the cost of another Tauck tour! I would not even consider it.
But divided by 10 people, it’s only 1050 euros each!
Outrageous!
I appreciate this may be an outrageous cost for you, but this was part of the original tour with Tauck, and it was something we were looking forward to. For those people who may still want this experience, the cost may not be outrageous. Was really just asking if anyone ON THIS TOUR was interested.
Appreciate that. We went to Italy with Tauck on our first tour with them twenty years ago and the Vatican was included but there was no such thing as a private tour back then. Our tour group could skip the line and I think it was early in the day. It was busy but ‘shushers’ were employed by the Vatican there to keep it quiet. It looks as if you are just there for the door openings as the time is too short to go round. I think you could find much cheaper options so I hope someone else will chip in here.
Thanks for that feedback!
How about this. https://www.lovelyitaly.tours/event/vip-early-access-vatican-museum-sistine-chapel-saint-peters-basilica/
That’s certainly more affordable! 😂
Your post is a bit misleading. Unless you know something no one else does. Tauck is still doing after-hours visits to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel on Venice, Florence & Rome tours as well as Classic Italy (regular and small group) and possibly other Italy tours as well. Unfortunately not on your date.
Along with a bunch of other notes about lodging etc. the notes for your 15 Sep departure say: "Note: The Vatican may be unavailable for the after-hours visit on select departures. Instead, we will arrange priority early morning entry (ahead of regular visitors). Ask at booking." Since the 16 Sept Classic Italy tour also will not provide the after-hours visit, I suspect there is something going on at the Vatican that prevents such visits during that time period.
Did you call Tauck to verify you won't have a "before-hours" visit?
The tour at British's link provides only "Earliest Access:" which I interpret as first regular time slot, not "before" or "after hours" visit. It also says, "During high season the wait may be up to 30 minutes".
Also, I don't know if this applies to after hours visits, this tour states the current Vatican regulation- "Photography is not allowed in the interior of the Sistine Chapel and some parts."
What a bummer. We had no such restriction when we went after-hours in 2016.
I was on Classic Italy in May and AlanS is correct about the after-hours tours.
Photography was not "officially" permitted when I was there after-hours with Tauck in 2015, but we were still allowed to take photos. I had not expected to be particularly impressed by the experience, but I was "wowed." I doubt that I would have been had I been with a crowd of other tourists. (My photos are not so good as Alan's, but I'm very happy to have them.)
We are going in October to the Tauck Tuscany and Umbria tour - we are staying in Rome a few days post tour and we've hired a private guide for 2 days (recommended by Rick Steves) - she is taking us to many places over 2 days, incl the Vatican. Her price is extremely fair (I think 80 Euros an hour, but will need to check as we've hired guides for Venice and Florence too as we are doing 10 days on our own before the Tauck Tour -- we are going with another couple). You can certainly find much cheaper private guide options IF you want to.
AlanS, unfortunately, our tour group's plans were changed. I received an email stating the following:
"We do want to let you know that we have made the following change to your tour:
Our partners in Rome have informed us that due to institutional events at the Vatican, we will be unable to provide our after-hours visits to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel as planned. Please rest assured, however, that you will enjoy a guided visit to both the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel during regular visiting hours. In consideration of this and in thanks for your understanding and flexibility, we will be providing a refund in the amount $100 USD per traveler, which will be sent to you in the mail following the conclusion of your tour."
So, they are refunding $100, but we are missing one of the most appealing parts of being with Tauck on the tour. This is certainly a bummer for us, and this is why I thought perhaps we could organize an early morning "door opening" tour through the hotel.
And yes, British's tour is definitely not a "before hours" or "after hours" as I had hoped, but it was kind of him to provide the option. I was just responding politely.
I'M STILL INTERESTED IN PUTTING 10 PEOPLE TOGETHER FOR THIS VATICAN OPENING TOUR!!! lol
If anyone else is interested, please let me know, and we can arrange with the concierge of our hotel. He said the morning of Sat, Sept 21 was available.
Please report back on this, it may be of interest to others.
Maybe not an after-hours visit, but at least Tauck is taking you there and is providing a guide (hopefully with Voxes.) As to the $100 refund, in my humble opinion it doesn't make up for the loss of the after-hours (or early) visit. But it is what it is.
Also, if Tauck is unable to provide after-hours access due to "institutional events," I doubt tours by other providers like the one you posted, will get in after hours or early. From similar experiences on other tours, I think it is VERY, VERY likely that Tauck will get first access during regular hours if they go in the morning, or even slightly earlier, just like the expensive tour. When we climbed Brunnelschi's dome in Florence on our own, we had timed tickets. We showed up 15 min. early as suggested and were let in (early) at that time.
This is a prime example why many of us do not recommend booking any outside tours during your days in Rome. Both time and day of the Vatican visit can change with little notice. We were informed just two days before reaching Rome that our schedule had changed due to the Vatican. At this point in time, the visit to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel day and time may not be firm. I would be careful booking a private visit, you might pick the wrong day and miss other parts of your Rome visit.
And lastly, though the chances may be slim, things could change, again, e.g. the institutional events could be cancelled and you might actually have an after-hours visit.
I did some digging and it appears the Pope will be traveling a lot during September, but should be in the Vatican from 14 - 25 Sept. I could not find any other Vatican activities on or around 21 Sep.
We rarely book anything within a tour because there have been too many incidents when the agenda gets changed around because of unforeseen circumstances or the Tauck director has better in the field knowledge to know it’s better another way.
But Corker, you do seem set on doing this.
Alan gives a good example, just today, we were at a major tourist site and arrived at opening and virtually had the place to ourselves for at least the first hour. I’m sure Tauck might do this, we always get out early to major attractions on any of their tours to miss the crowds.
I really appreciate the advice! And you are right, we wouldn't want to miss a scheduled part of the Tauck tour. I had really just thrown this out to see if anyone else would be interested but doubting I could organize 10 people on this forum for it! lol We will likely just stick with the Tauck schedule and be happy with whatever they provide. We are thrilled to travel to Italy for the first time, so we will be happy no matter what!
Best of luck. I hope it all works out!