Excavations Below St. Peter's Basilica
Has anyone visited the Excavations Below the St. Peter's Basilica? I sent and email asking for tickets. Within a couple of weeks got an email back from the Vatican acknowleging my request and instructing me wait for confirmation in a future email. Looking for more info on how this process works and your impressions on the Excavations. Thanks!
Billy
Burlington, KY USA 11/6/09
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1) Here's a website (one of many) that describes the St Peter's Scavi tour in more detail than we can post here due to text limits on posts:
http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/rome/scavi_tour.htm
2) I can't recall any negative reviews here, from people who have done it. People who have find it a unique and special experience, for those who are motivated to go to the time and effort of arranging it.
Here are reviews of the St Peter's Scavi tours previously posted on this site
click here for links to prior reviews
3) And here's the Vatican website describing the rules and procedures, you may have already found this site
I visited the excavations (scavi) below St. Peter's a couple of years ago and would highly recommend it. It is not something that most tourists experience and was the highlight of our trip. Even if you are not a particularly religious person, it will be a unique experience. You will walk on the very dirt from 60 A.D., see pagan tombs, crypts for rich pagan families, as well as walk up part of Vatican Hill to where St. Peter's bones are kept. (At least they think they are his bones but they cannot be sure, of course.)It is very warm and humid down there. But I did not feel claustrophobic.
As for hearing back from the Vatican, I made my request well in advance and got back the same "we'll let you know" response. I had all but given up hope when I received an email about 2 weeks before my departure date saying that I had gotten the reservations! I was so excited. Hope you get in--you will enjoy it.
I just sent in a request for a visit in mid December. Wondering if there is any chance of getting that since it's only 6 weeks off. Any opinions? Thanks
We also had a bit of difficulty getting Scavi tickets--it took a second try. It is very worthwhile but I guess that may depend on your guide--we had a great guide, a young American priest who was studying Cannon Law at the Vatican. We had twelve people in our group. According to our guide, the bones of St Peter are encased in a container(perhaps not the correct word) that was designed by NASA. The tour ended in the crypt where popes are intombed. Have a great trip to Rome!
Wow!! Talk about lucky. I sent my request to the Vatican for the excavations about 2 am this morning. When I checked my computer this afternoon, we had been approved for tickets. We had two day window December 14 and 15. So if you are headed there in December, don't hesitate to try even though it may seem late. Super excited!!