WHAT IS THE SCAVI TOUR?
The Scavi Tour is a 1.5-hour guided excursion through St Peter’s underground Necropolis, the ancient underground cemetery that houses St Peter’s tomb. It is a truly exclusive experience as visits are reserved for a maximum of 250 people per day to preserve the historical site, only pre-booked guided groups can visit, and no photos are allowed – so you have to go to know what it’s all about! However, as the site is underground, temperatures can be higher than outside, so those with medical conditions or claustrophobia may prefer to skip this trip.
RULES & REQUIREMENTS
- The Necropolis can only be visited on a pre-booked guided tour.
- No children under 15 years old allowed (I.D. will be checked and no exceptions will be made).
- Guests must dress appropriately with shoulders and knees covered.
- No cameras, suitcases, or backpacks allowed (but they can be deposited and supervised by St Peter’s Staff for free)
TOUR DETAILS
- 1.5 hours
- Available in multiple languages
- Groups of approximately 12 people
- Earliest tours begin at 9am, latest tours begin at 3:30pm
COST
- Each guest must pay 13 euro, a fee which covers both the entry ticket and the tour cost.
- There are no reduced ticket prices under any circumstance.
HOW TO BOOK TICKETS
Scavi Tours must be booked in advance with the Excavations Office of the Fabbrica di San Pietro, where the date and time of your visit will be organized for you based on the availability you provide.
Requests should be sent by the interested visitor. If the person submitting the request is not the actual visitor, he or she should send the visitors name and Email address. With this information, the Excavations Office can send specific information about the visit to the person requesting the visit.
There are no deadlines for submitting requests, but they will be handled in the order that they are received and whether they are granted will depend on availability.
Written requests may be submitted by fax +39 06 69873017, or requests may be made by visiting the Excavations Office in person (using the south entrance, just outside of the Colonnade).
All of the following information must be included in the request:
- Precise number of participants
- Full names of participants
- Language requested
- Dates and times that the individual or group is available for the tour. The Excavations Office will try to plan your visit according to your availability, but the date and time is ultimately determined by them. Always write the name of the month in full, for example “from 01 January 2013 to 08 January 2013”.
- Include E-mail address, or fax number, or a complete postal address to which replies and tour details can be sent.
Fabbrica di San Pietro – Excavations Office
Tel.: + 39 06 69 885 318 – Fax: + 39 06 69 873 017
Office Hours
Monday – Friday: 9:00 – 18:00, Saturday: 9:00 – 17:00
For more information, click here.
We hope you’ve found this information helpful!
Contact us at What A Life Tours for any inquiries about your Vatican visit & consider joining one of our Five-Star Vatican Tours!
Author: April Nicole
April is an American writer and photographer who has lived in Rome since 2013. She enjoys exploring the museums of the city, as well as indulging in authentic Italian cuisine!
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