All Things Rome- Easter Weekend

Am I the only one walking around singing in true Broadway style "Do you want to build a snowman?" I have even sang a new Maren version to my dog "Do you want to eat some dinner?" If all of our future kids are just like me, I fear for Husband's patience.

When Husband and I were planning our trip to Rome, most people had the same reaction when we mentioned we were going over Easter, "Hsss". We thought two things:
1. There will be a TON of tourists over Easter weekend and we are insane
-OR-
2. Most people will think there will be a lot of people, so they won't go, and there won't be a lot of people.

The Vatican

Yeah. It was definitely Number One. Rome was filled with thousands of tourists the weekend before Easter. Every single place had lines wrapping around the block, the restaurants were fully booked, and flight prices were outrageous.

He is Risen!

If you are going to venture over to Rome during Easter weekend, you must follow this one tip:
BOOK YOUR TOUR TICKETS AHEAD OF TIME!

Even among the other thousands of tourists, Husband and I NEVER once had to stand in a line. We planned ahead and booked online a tour of The Vatican and a time slot for the Colosseum. In both locations, the lines wrapped around the city block. It was raining, the wait times were several hours, and people looked down right miserable. How in the year 2014 are people still not booking online ahead of time?!?

I wish I had taken pictures, but a little part of me felt bad when we passed a line snaked halfway around the Colosseum and walked straight inside after approaching an employee guarding a roped off entrance. Who wants to waste precious vacation time standing in these lines? Even if you do not visit Rome over Easter weekend, do yourself a favor and book your sights before you even before you step foot into Italy.

You might think guided tours are over priced....but consider this: a 3.5 hour guided art history tour of The Vatican and Sistine Chapel is $85. No lines, no waiting, and a personal guide to explain some of our world's most precious art masterpieces. A regular priced ticket for The Vatican and Sistine Chapel runs for $16. This does not include a tour guide, requires an unknown amount of time standing in line, and you are left to figure out the unknown. By the time you purchase the additional audio guides or guidebooks to understand what it is you are viewing inside the museums, the guided tour prices start seeming not so high.

In the end you have to decide how precious is your time, what is your time worth, and what do you want to take away from the day? So far, I am averaging a Rome trip once every 30 years. Whether or not you are visiting Rome over Easter, booking tickets ahead of time is just an absolute easy way to make the most of these rare opportunities.

When in Rome,