Tours, sightseeing tours, activities & things to do | Viator.comAudience with Pope Benedict XVI at Vatican City
based on 99 reviews of Audience with Pope Benedict XVI at Vatican City
Read what other Viator.com travelers think about the Audience with Pope Benedict XVI at Vatican City. What they loved, what they liked and what they think could be improved, it's all here to help you make the most of your next trip.
Our visit to the Vatican for a Papal audience was a wonderful experience. Our trip coincided with thousands of German school / college / Christian groups who greeted the Pope with ecstatic enthusiasm, singing, chanting and clapping, which all added to the wonderful atmosphere.
On the downside we arrived at about 8:30am to find no seats available, and since the Pope does not appear until 11:00am, it was a very long wait in exhausting heat. The Pope enters in his Popemobile and drives around St Peter's Square before going up the the podium. So, if you are prepared to stand for a few hours, don't sit down. Instead stand by the wooden railings and then, as he drives past, you will have a brilliant view of him instead of a glance of him over the people's heads.
It was worthwhile booking the Papal Audience in advance. Since we were arriving and departing on a Sunday, we could only guarantee seeing the Pope on the Wednesday. The only downside: the service 'ran late' by 20 minutes and then it took another 20 minutes to find our way out of the square. Obviously the tour bus left on time! But we had to stay until the end to appreciate everything about the experience. Making our own way back was a price we were willing to pay. We are going back to Rome in two months and would use this operator again. Thank You.
Reviewed by: Pamela M, United Kingdom, August 2006
This tour was great in that you didn't have to worry about getting the ticket to get in. However, I didn't need to visit the official Vatican shop to buy crosses, crucifixes, rosaries etc. And the guide should have explained that the best seats were around the edge, because the Pope arrives in the Popemobile and drives around, and what happens is that everybody stands on the chairs and you don't get a good view.
Reviewed by: Anonymous, Australia,
The actual audience was too brief for my expectations.
Reviewed by: Anonymous, United States, June 2008
I enjoyed the bus drive and the tour guide's information, but we made several stops to pick up people. Therefore it took a long time to get to St. Peter's Square. I don't think our seats were any better than if we had gotten the free tickets.
Reviewed by: Karen R, United States, May 2008
OK way to see the Pope. Easier to catch a glimpse of him at this 'Pope window' on Sunday at noon.
Reviewed by: Raymond C, United States, March 2008
The day could have commenced with so much MORE organisation. We were kept waiting at our hotel and then they couldn't decide what bus we were to use. A previous experience 2 years ago was much more organised and fulfilling.
Reviewed by: Larissa P, Australia, February 2008
Not impressed with our tour guide, he took us to the most expensive souvenir shop in the Vatican and he left before the audience with the Pope was finished.
Reviewed by: Anonymous, Canada, November 2007
Random seating, little guidance, no prior explanations about the audience ceremony. But we enjoyed it nevertheless.
Reviewed by: Irene S, Switzerland, November 2007
The guide on the bus pointed out some places of interest along the way which was fine, then stopped near a store a few paces from the Vatican so that we could purchase high priced items that could have been bought around the area cheaper. The audience with the Pope lasted after the time they said to return to the bus and they left without the passengers. We left the Vatican before the Pope was finished and were three of the five persons on board the bus when it left.
Reviewed by: Jacqueline C, United States, October 2007
This tour was not long enough. The coach was leaving almost as soon as the Pope had given his blessing. It could have been better with more time.
Reviewed by: Anonymous, United Kingdom, October 2007
The tour organizers were a little bit disorganized.
Reviewed by: Excel L, United Kingdom, October 2007
This would have been the tour of a lifetime had it not been for all of the rude people around us. You would think they would have been on their best behaviour, but no!
Reviewed by: Mary S, United States, September 2007
The bus was prompt and the tour guide was excellent, he was very fluent in English, unlike those of another tour company we went with to the Vatican. I only wish we had gotten there earlier so we could have gotten better seats. For this one, if you can get yourself to the Vatican, it may be better to skip the tour and just show up at 7 a.m. and wait to get in.
Reviewed by: Anonymous, United States, August 2007
We were picked up at our hotel 35 minutes late. When we we arrived at the tour operator's office, it was very chaotic. We arrived at the auditorium where the Pope would appear far enough in advance. However, our seats were toward the back of the auditorium. A lot of Viator's reviewers stated that their seats were right up front. The tour of the city was not that great. We had a better tour from our taxi driver on our way to the airport. We made a stop at a tourist shop to use the bathroom. This did not meet my expectations.
Reviewed by: Anonymous, United States, August 2007
