Dec. 19, 2024

146. Italy - Rome - Vatican City - The Scavi Tour

Show Notes
Transcript

Discover the Vatican most tourists miss! From the ancient necropolis beneath St. Peter's to the world's most reliable post office (seriously!), Journey Joe shares Vatican City's secret spots. Learn how to book hard-to-get Scavi tours, find out why locals use the Vatican Pharmacy, and explore peaceful gardens away from the crowds

Tour Suggestions: vi.me/TEl9v

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Calaruga Shark Media. Hey there, fellow travelers, this is Journey

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Joe Mitchell, and you're listening to Travel is back your

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guide to amazing destinations for regular folks like you and me. Today,

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I want to tell you about one of Rome's most

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incredible hidden treasures, and I mean that literally because it's

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completely underground. I'm talking about the Vatican Necropolis Tour, also

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called the Scavvy Tour, which takes you deep beneath Saint

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Peter's Basilica to an ancient Roman cemetery. Now this isn't

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your typical tourist experience. First off, you can't just show

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up and be a ticket. You need to request permission

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from the Scavy office. Well in advance, We've got the

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details in our show notes about how to do this.

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They only allow about two hundred and fifty people per

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day in small groups, so book as far ahead as

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you can. I requested my spot three months in advance,

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and I'm so glad I did. Let me set the

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scene for what you're about to experience. You're going to

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descend about thirty two feet below the current level of

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Saint Peter's Basilica into an actual ancient Roman cemetery. This

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isn't a dark, cramped catacomb. It's a street of Roman mausoleums,

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basically a neighborhood of elaborate family tombs that were once

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under the open sky. When Constantine decided to build the

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first Saint Peter's Basilica in the fourth century, instead of

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destroying these tombs, they carefully filled them with dirt to

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create a foundation. That's why everything is so perfectly preserved.

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Before I get into the details, I need to mention

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something important. This tour isn't for everyone. If you're claustrophobic

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or have mobility issues, you might want to skip it.

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The space is climate controlled to protect the ancient structures,

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which means it's warm and humid. The passages can be narrow,

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and there are lots of stairs. They're serious about these restrictions.

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They even ask for your height and weight when you

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apply for tickets because the space is so confined. The

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tour itself is absolutely fascinating. You start by descending a

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narrow staircase and suddenly you're walking on an ancient Roman street.

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The mausoleums on either side are decorated with incredible mosaics

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and frescoes. Remember, these were basically show pieces for wealthy

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Roman families. Our guide explained how these families were a

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mix of Pagans and early Christians, which you can see

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in the decorations. Some tombs have traditional Roman imagery, while

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others have Early Christian symbols. The most amazing part is

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that this was built on a hillside, so you're actually

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walking uphill. As you move through the Necropolis, you're following

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the path up the Vatican Hill, which is crucial to

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understanding why this site is so important. See, according to

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ancient tradition, Saint Peter was buried here after his crucifixion,

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and all of this, the ancient Basilica, the current Basilica,

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everything was built around that spot. Near the end of

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the tour, you reach what they believe is the actual

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tomb of Saint Peter. I'm not going to spoil all

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the archaeological evidence they show you, but it's absolutely fascinating

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how they've pieced together the historical record. Whether you're religious

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or not, the archaeological story alone is incredible. One of

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the most striking things is seeing the different levels of

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history all at once. You can actuly see the foundations

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of the original basilica built by Constantine, and then above

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that the current basilica. It's like a layer cake of history,

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each level telling a different part of the story. The

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guides here are incredibly knowledgeable. They have to be because

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this isn't just a tourist site. It's an active archaeological zone.

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Our guide showed us recent discoveries they've made and explained

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how they're constantly learning new things about the site. Here's

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a tip. Bring something to fan yourself with. Like I

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mentioned earlier, it's warm and humid down there. They maintain

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these conditions to preserve the ancient structures, but it can

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be uncomfortable if you're not prepared. Also, wear good shoes.

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The floor can be uneven in places. Photography isn't allowed

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during the tour, which is actually great because it lets

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you focus on what you're seeing. Trust me, you'll want

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to pay attention to everything the guide is telling you.

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There are so many fascinating details that help you understand

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not just the religious significance of the site, but how

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Romans lived, died, and memorialized their loved ones. The tour

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ends near the papal grottos, where many popes are buried.

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From there, you can go up into the Basilica itself.

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Remember to check the links in our show notes for

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information about requesting tickets through the Scavy Office. The Swiss

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Guards aren't just guys in colorful uniforms. They're an elite

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military corps with an incredible history. You'll see them standing

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guard around the Vatican in their famous blue, red and

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yellow striped uniforms, which legend says were designed by Michelangelo himself,

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though that's probably not true. But here's what most people

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don't know. These guys are serious business. To even be

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considered they must be Catholic Swiss men between nineteen and

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thirty years old, at least five feet eight inches tall,

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and have completed basic military training in Switzerland. And those

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ceremonial looking halbirds they carry they're not just for show.

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The Swiss Guards are highly trained in modern security techniques

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and are basically the Pope's secret service. Here's something quirky.

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The Vatican post Office is actually more reliable than the

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regular Italian post I know it sounds strange, but sending

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postcards from Vatican City is a really cool experience. They've

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got their own stamps, which make great souvenirs, and there's

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something special about sending mail from the world's smallest country.

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The post office is modern and efficient, and lots of

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Romans actually prefer to send their important mail from here.

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The gift shop nearby is worth checking out too, They've

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got unique items you can't find anywhere else, including special

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papal blessing certificates and official Vatican commemorative coins. Saint Peter's

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Square is an architectural marvel that plays tricks with your eyes.

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Bernini designed those massive colonnades the arms of the church

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to create an optical illusion. Stand on either of the

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two marked spots in the square, and the four rows

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of columns line up perfectly to look like just one row.

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The obelisk in the center isn't just decorative. It's an

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ancient Egyptian piece brought to Rome by Caligula, and it

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serves as a giant sun dial. The square is especially

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magical early in the morning before the crowds arrive, or

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at night when it's all lit up. If you're here

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on a Sunday at noon, you might catch the Pope

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giving his blessing from that famous window. Even if you're

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not religious, it's a powerful moment. The Vatican Library is

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the stuff of legends. Literally, while you can't wander through

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the actual library stacks, believe me, I wish you could.

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Knowing what's in there is mind blowing. We're talking about

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over seventy five thousand historical manuscripts, one point one million

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printed books, and some of the world's most important historical documents.

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They've got letters from Michelangelo, Henry the Eighth's love notes

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to Anne Boleyn, and ancient texts that scholars are still

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working to understand. The Vatican has been digitizing a lot

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of these materials, which you can actually view online, but

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there's something special about just being in the building where

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all this history is stored. The Treasury Museum in Saint

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Peter's is like the Vatican's crown jewels, but most people

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walk right past it. Hidden behind an unassuming door in

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the basil Illica. It's packed with incredible pieces, ancient chalices

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encrusted with jewels, papal tiaras, and some truly amazing religious artifacts.

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My favorite piece is the Mandelian, what some believe to

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be one of the earliest images of Christ's face. The

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lighting in here is perfect for really seeing the intricate

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details of these treasures, and because most tourists skip it,

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you can actually take your time looking at everything. Visiting

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the Vatican museums after hours is a completely different experience.

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Imagine seeing the Sistine Chapel with only twenty other people

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instead of two thousand. These special evening tours usually run

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on Fridays during the warmer months, and while they're more

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expensive than regular tickets, they're absolutely worth it. The lighting

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is different, the atmosphere is more relaxed, and you can

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actually hear your footsteps echoing through those incredi galleries. Plus

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Rome is beautiful at sunset, and the views from the

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museum windows are spectacular. Seeing Saint Peter's during Christmas or

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Easter is like stepping into another world. At Christmas, there's

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a massive Nativity scene in the square and the Basilica

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is decorated with red and gold. The midnight Mass on

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Christmas Eve is incredible, even if you're watching from the

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square on the big screens. Easter is even more spectacular.

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On Good Friday, the Pope leads the stations of the

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Cross at the Colisseum, and Easter Sunday fills the square

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with flowers, from the Netherlands. Even if you can't get

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tickets to the actual services, just being in the square

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during these celebrations is unforgettable. The hidden corners of the

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Vatican are fascinating. The Mosaic Studio is where artists still

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use centuries old techniques to create and restore the Basilica's

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amazing mosaics. The Vatican gardens are a peaceful oasis that

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most visitors never see, with fountains, sculptures, and paths where

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popes have walked for centuries. The Tower of the Winds

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was actually built as an astronomical observatory, and the Casina

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po R four is like a secret Renaissance villa hidden

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in the gardens. And here's something most people don't know.

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The Vatican Pharmacy is one of the world's oldest and

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is still operating today. It's actually the only pharmacy in

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the world that writes prescriptions in Latin. Next time, we'll

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hop on the train and make our way to Florence.

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I'm Joe Mitchell and travel is back.

146. Italy - Rome - Vatican City - The Scavi Tour

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