Roaming Rome

Hi, I plan to be in Rome before cruise for 4 days to roam around. Would I be able to see and understand all I want to see on my own or should I get a tour guide ie limo in rome, angel tours. Which is the best way to taste and "feel" Rome ... myself or using tour guide?? Please share your expertise. I'm also hoping to take train from Rome to Florence..using trenitalia makes it look easy or am I being too adventurous??? First time in Europe. Thanks much.

On your own or tour guide? Well, it depends. A tour of the Vatican museum has the BIG advantage of not having to wait in line. Also, that museum is huge with some remarkable art (as well as a remarkable amount of crap).

A guide for the forum can be useful if you are not a history reader but want to actually leearn something as opposed to just looking around.

Some of the outlying palces (some of the catacombs, for example) can be a bit hard to get to via public transportation if you are not comfortable "faking it."

In general, though, I would neer suggest getting a tour guide for "Rome." The ancient city is easily walkable, compact and easy to get to via public transportation (or taxi if you prefer). Ditto Vatican. The other intersting parts of the city (and there are many) are all easy to get to.

Train Rome/Florence. A few hints, if I may.

1) get your ticket at a travel agency. Same price as waiting in line at the station and much faster and easier.

2) Buy a round trip ticket.

3) Get seat reservations. They are required on some trains but are available on all the fast trains and that is what you want (EuroStar - takes 1 hr 40 minutes. (They might have changed the rules again and require reservations on all ES trains. In any cae, get reservations just to be sure)

Remember, you will be in Italy. Lots of strikes there, but they announce the stgrikes in advance and they usually last for between 4 hours and 24 hours.

Check out the links at http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/planning/strikes.htm

for information on strikes and demonstratiosn that might interfere with your plans.

Spend some time just hanging out in Rome. Piazza Navarone offers some of the best people watching in the world. The Borghese Gardens (one end of it at the top of the Spanish Steps) is a great place for a stroll in the sun.

For Florence, you should get reservations for the major museums. Certainly for the Uffizi, at least. You can do this on-line or have the hotel in Rome do it for you. If you want to do it on-line, there are several services. I've used http://www.weekendafirenze.com/ and have been satisfied.

On a very practical note, look out for McDonold's. Do NOT eat there, but they do have clean restrooms. <grin>

Most importantly, make an intense study of the gelateria. Gelato is the only proof I accept that there is a god. My favorite, by the way, is in Florence not far from Galleria dell'Accademia (where David resides). The name is Carabe.

Enjoy!

Paul

We used a tour company called rome walks. They have a web site at http://www.romewalks.com

They offer both individual and group tours. The group tours were great as they onlh ave about 6 to 10 people per group. My wife took tours on two different days. One was on the Vatican and the other was on the Colosseum and Ancient City. Both were wonderful as we learned so much from the tour guides. I would highly recommend them.

Keith

Hi, I plan to be in Rome before cruise for 4 days to roam around. Would I be able to see and understand all I want to see on my own or should I get a tour guide ie limo in rome, angel tours. Which is the best way to taste and "feel" Rome ... myself or using tour guide?? Please share your expertise. I'm also hoping to take train from Rome to Florence..using trenitalia makes it look easy or am I being too adventurous??? First time in Europe. Thanks much.

You have been given some good replies form the other poster,but to answer your question...yes,you can roam Rome on your own and understand what you see quite well acually IMHO.You can pick up lic'd guides at most sights rather than hire one per se. You can do the HO/HO bus(#110) and get off at sights you want to see or not.Eating is easy,and you will find a lot of Italians speak English.Go for..have some fun.:D

I can't stress enough how much we enjoyed the tours by Rome Walks. On our pre and post cruises we normally will tour areas on our own. But in the case of Rome I can't tell you how beneficial being in on these tours were. Yes, as part of the tours we did learn a good deal of Roman history on the tour and it made what we saw so much meaningful. Rather than just walking around the Colosseum and the Ancient City and the Vatican and just looking around we were able to learn very valuable information which made what we saw that much more meaningful. And, the prices of the tours were quite reasonable and the tour guides were exceptional.

It is well worth the money.

Keith

We just got back a few weeks ago from the Liberty cruise and we spent a night before/after in Rome. The most perplexing thing I found on our walking around was figuring out where we where. I had an excellent map and still could not find street signs or they didn't seem to match the map and I always felt lost. I always prided myself in my navigation skills but in Rome I was never sure. Even asking people to aim us to where we wanted to go I felt we were going in circles sometimes. Maybe it was me and being too tired!!

I saw tour groups but they seemed to be following the leader without appreciation for what was there. Even if you're lost, it still is beautiful.

John L.

We just got back a few weeks ago from the Liberty cruise and we spent a night before/after in Rome. The most perplexing thing I found on our walking around was figuring out where we where. I had an excellent map and still could not find street signs or they didn't seem to match the map and I always felt lost. I always prided myself in my navigation skills but in Rome I was never sure. Even asking people to aim us to where we wanted to go I felt we were going in circles sometimes. Maybe it was me and being too tired!!

I saw tour groups but they seemed to be following the leader without appreciation for what was there. Even if you're lost, it still is beautiful.

 

John L.

There are no street signs per se...only the names on the side of the buildings and one has to look sometimes to find them,but once one gets over the fact they may have wandered down a super small street(alley to wus from the US) it really is pretty easy to find a major street leadingf to a major sight.Sometimes one does go in circles,but I find Rome easier to navigate than Paris for some unknown reason.As you said..even if lost it still is a beautiful city.

We did Rome entirely on our own toting around a three year old and I have to say I wouldn't do it any other way. We walked everywhere and took the metro back to our hotel, and seeing Rome on foot can't be beat. Gives you so much more feel of the city, the people, the streets and buildings. For example, just walking through the streets around Piazza Navona was an adventure in itself with the narrow cobbled streets and turns everywhere. I would not have missed the walk through the Jewish Ghetto either. Just made Rome REAL.

THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO RESEARCH BEFORE YOU GO. I spent hours upon hours researching where to go and what to see in Rome. Then plan each day you're there, where you're going, what you want to see. Make a list of primary and secondary sites to see. And be flexible for those times when you find that quaint cafe where you just want to sit for a few hours. It made all the difference.

ENJOY!

Glenn

One more thing, the guided walking tours are probably nice to take but one of the best things about doing Rome on your own is getting lost. Getting lost in Rome makes for the greatest adventures. Not many cities that you can say that about.

Glenn

We bought a Roma Pass: good for three days transportation on any bus or metro and free admission to your first two museums. Any museums after the 1st two are discounted, but because their "validation machines" weren't working properly (Roma Pass was just introduced this summer), we got free admission to EVERY museum we entered!! A nice bonus. But, for the price of just 18 euro, it would still be an exceptional bargain even if the freebie only got you into the first two museums. I must add that we did extensive research on routes, what to see and do, where to eat, etc. before we left so we felt prepared to do Rome "on our own" with the help of guidebooks, tour reservations, the helpful staff at the Hotel Alimandi Vaticano, and the kindness of English-speaking Italians

Keith1010 --

Thanks for the recommendation on www.romewalks.com. Do they purchase admission tickets, i.e., to the Colisseum, for us, or do we purchase them and then meet up with the tour? How long is a typical tour? We are certainly able to walk Rome and keep up with any group, but I was just wondering if taking the tour would still leave us plenty of time to roam around on our own and "get lost?" We love to explore, and we are only in Rome one day pre-cruise. Thanks for the help.

MalibuCA

Malibu CA.

They will tell you precisely where to meet the tour and in each case it was very easy to find. You pay that day and you pay in Euros. The web site shows the price and also any additional price for the entrance fees. In the case of the Colliseum Tour you pay an additional 11 Euros per person for the entrace fee. After everyone is together and walks over to the Entrance Way the guide will purchase the tickets for the group. For the Vatican the entrance fee was 12 Euros.

If I remember correctly the tours were about 4 hours each You are not walking the entire time as you are standing in place looking at items and there is time for a break and a few times the tour would sit for a little bit. The walking is very easy.

The two tour guides we had were exceptional. For the Colliseum our tour guides expertise was Roman History and for the Vatican our tour guides expertise was Art. Each one was perfect for the tour. While the tours were each four hours they were not rushed and if you wanted to stay a little longer the tour guide seemed willing to do that.

I can't tell you how often on the Vatican tour that people would try to listen in on our tours. After a few seconds our tour guide would stop talking so the people got the message not to listen on our tour. But, my point is that the tour guides were so good that those doing it on their own wanted to listen in. Yes, you can do this on your own by reading up on it but honestly these tour guides are exceptional and I can't tell you how informative and interesting they were. The price of each tour is reasonable and the tours do not have too many people so it is so easy to ask questions.

My suggestion would be to book one tour since you are there for the day. Each tour is in the morning so you would have the rest of the day to see Rome on your own. The Vatican really takes time so you might want to consider that and then see the other sites on your own where you can just breeze through some of them.

Keith

Keith --

Thank you for the information. You have been so helpful. Should I book the tour online (I gather this is possible?) before my visit to Rome, or can I just wait until I arrive? Is there any problem getting on tours? We are not going to the Vatican this trip; we visited the Vatican two years ago. We want to see the Colisseum, the Forum, the Spanish Steps, and, of course, Tivoli Fountain again. (I want to insure that I get back to Rome again some day!) We definitely want to explore and spend some time people-watching. Is there anything else you can recommend as a "must see" that maybe we haven't seen before?

MalibuCA

"...We want to see the Colisseum, the Forum, the Spanish Steps, and, of course, Tivoli Fountain again. (I want to insure that I get back to Rome again some day!) We definitely want to explore and spend some time people-watching. Is there anything else you can recommend as a "must see" that maybe we haven't seen before? "

That's quite a bit to get done for only one day in Rome pre-cruise. Especially since the Spanish Steps are on the other side of Rome from the Coliseum and Trevi is about half way in between. Here's my suggestion BUT YOU HAVE TO START EARLY (7am). Start at metro station Spagna and see the Spanish Steps (should take only 20 min or so if you're not shopping).

Walk down to Trevi Fountain (about 20 min distance) using Via del Corso. Pop your head into the Basilica dei San Ambrogio E Carlo on the west side Via del Corso. Strangely, I haven't seen this church mentioned in any guide books but WOW, it's worth seeing. The ONLY church we saw (including the Sistine Chapel) that I said WOW when I entered.

After you've spent time throwing coins at Trevi Fountain (watch your purse, pick pockets love Trevi) cross Via del Corso and visit the Pantheon. After 45 minutes of the Pantheon, keep going west until you hit Piazza Navona. This was another favorite place of mine. Have lunch in the area. There is a restaurant called Il Corallo on Via del Corallo, EXCELLENT place to eat, best food we had in Rome. Spend some time absorbing the atmosphere as well as the food.

After lunch near Piazza Navona, walking will be a good thing, so walk back to Via del Corso and it will take you to the Roman Forum and Coliseum. The line for the Coliseum should be short by afternoon so you can go inside for something like 9-10 euros each. The entrance to the Roman Forum in the area of the Coliseum and the Arch of Constantine so you can enter the Forum there after you finish the Coliseum.

MOST IMPORTANT, KEEP YOUR CAMERA HANDY AT ALL TIMES! Also get a good map and remember, the streets that look big on your map are VERY narrow in reality. We passed by these little alleys and on the map they looked like wide streets.

End your day with some AWESOME gelato. There's a gelato place on Via di S.Giovanni just east of the Coliseum. BEST mint chocolate chip ice cream/gelato I've EVER had in my life! And eating gelato while the sun sets behind a sillouette of the Coliseum is something you'll never forget. The metro station is very close by in the Coliseum complex so it will be easy to get back to your hotel.

Many might say I've covered WAY too much for one day. I have to say it is an aweful lot to see and you'll walk about 8 miles if you follow my plan. We did almost this exact same walk (in reverse) in ONE DAY with a three year old and stroller.

Our favorite guide books are published by DK. They are great to plan your time in Rome and other cities.

http://www.amazon.com/Rome-Eyewitness-Travel-Guides-Publishing/dp/0789494213

Keith --

 

Thank you for the information. You have been so helpful. Should I book the tour online (I gather this is possible?) before my visit to Rome, or can I just wait until I arrive? Is there any problem getting on tours? We are not going to the Vatican this trip; we visited the Vatican two years ago. We want to see the Colisseum, the Forum, the Spanish Steps, and, of course, Tivoli Fountain again. (I want to insure that I get back to Rome again some day!) We definitely want to explore and spend some time people-watching. Is there anything else you can recommend as a "must see" that maybe we haven't seen before?

 

MalibuCA

MalibuCA, you definitely need to book the tour ahead of time. Their web site is very easy to use. You will get a response back from them confirming your tour and noting what time and where you need to meet the tour. You can also e mail them if you have questions. They are very responsive. We booked ours a few months before our trip.

Keith

Thank you, Everyone, so much for all of the advice. I particularly appreciate the suggestion for gelato, as I am an absolute ice cream-aholic! My experience has told me that the gelato in Italy just doesn't compare to ice cream at home (even Haagen Daz!) If anything is a "must do," it is to eat lots of gelato! Then, to do lots of walking so that our clothes still fit comfortably at the end of our cruise!

Now I need another bit of advice. We are looking for a really top notch luxury hotel to stay our overnight in Rome. I am considering the Westin Excelsior, the Hotel Hassler and the Hotel de Russie. All three are very highly rated in Travel + Leisure Magazine, and the websites for all three support the notion that these are really outstanding hotels. I know I probably can't go wrong with any of them, but I so do want to stay at whichever would be the nicest. Does anyone have experience with any of these hotels? I'm looking for criticisms as well as compliments. I appreciate any help you can offer.

Oh, and oops! I meant the Trevi Fountain, not Tivoli! My mind must have been in Copenhagen!

Best website to check out reviews on hotels is www.tripadviser.com You can find every hotel in Rome there and reviews from people who stayed there. This site was where I made my decision on a Rome hotel.

Enjoy!

Glenn

Thanks, Glenn. I'l check it out. If anyone does have personal experience with any of these hotels, however, I would love to hear from you so that I can ask specific questions. Thanks to everybody for the help.

I just wrote a volume and lost it! I think I'll do it in drips and drabs this time.

We were in Rome for 2 nights prior to our November 3rd Liberty sailing. We'd been in the Genoa area for about 3 weeks visiting family and 'trained' down to Rome early, arriving about 10:30am. We had booked a hotel near Termini station since we were arriving by train and then taking the train to Civitavecchia the day we sailed. So we checked in and were very pleased at first glance..but more later. We were then off to see the sights which, having an Italian husband, should have been easy, right? Wrong! Took the subway to the Colosseum and though we never got lost, we did a lot of needless wandering around looking for where to go. Looking back, we should have just gotten on one of those all day, continually running bus tours with head phones that take you around to something like 9 major attractions...that you can either stay on or get off at. We'd have seen a lot more in the limited time we had. Good ol' hind sight!! To be continued...

So. We took the subway to the Colosseum and the number of tourists for a November Wednesday afternoon was unreal. We walked around, took pictures, ate at an expensive 'terrible' restaurant and finally made out way back to the hotel.

Day 2. I'd booked a tour from Rome to Naples/Pompeii before leaving home and, as promised, we were picked up at our hotel at 7:00am. Naples is quite a drive so this was a 13 hour excursion. The bus was new and comfortable, the sites of Naples were described to us as we drove around, our 2 hour walking tour through Pompeii was very interesting and the provided lunch at a restaurant in Pompeii was very good. We got back to Rome about 8:30. It was a long but nice day. If interested, I can tell you more.

To be continued...

As for Italian trains, the advice to get tickets at a travel agency over there if possible is right on. We bought our tickets to Rome and to Civitavecchia one day in Genoa. We got a better fare, on an express train not even shown on their web-site, from a travel agent! And quickly, let me say that your amount of luggage allowing, getting to the port via train from Rome is a breeze! We walked from the Civitavecchia (I still don't know if I'm spelling that right!!) station to the port entrance where we then caught a free bus to the ship. The walk was maybe 4 blocks and very easy. Even from what I'd read on this board, it was closer than I imagined and if I could do it (a senior couch-potatoe) anyone can!

To be continued...

Back to our hotel. I booked and paid for it on line after much research. The hotel was convenient, clean, a good size room w/comfortable bed, a wonderful buffer breakfast..all at a reasonable price. Plus a sewer odor in the bathroom that would knock you over! We didn't notice it untill we returned from our colloseum outing. I went down to the desk but they, of course, had no other room available. Someone came with stuff to pour down the drains and spray (covers, both) and we just decided to open the BR window and close that door and go in there as little as possibe till we checked out. Our all-day tour was the next day and then we 'd be leaving the following morning. When we got back from Naples/Pompeii the next night, we made one of our bathroom dashes and I had to laugh as it looked like airwick city. The sweet young girl who did our room had them all over in there. The next morning when we were leaving, Johnny thanked her and gave her a tip and she almost knocked him over to help us with our bags!! Unfortunately, the hotel that I cannot recommend is the HOTEL COROT!!

To be continued...

Final installment!!

We met a couple (both retired school teachers who travel a lot!) who were very impressed with where they stayed in Rome, so I wrote it down. It was Best B&B, run by a Mrs. Emmers they said. It was a couple of blocks from Termini station and they gave me the address as 13 Tarati. They said they had a very nice room w/bath for 85E's a night, which for Rome is good. Just thought I'd pass this along because even though I have no first-hand knowledge of this place, I liked the people I heard about it from.

As for the Termini station area, I had no problem with it either. I wasn't afraid to walk around the area after dark and it's convenient for taking trains, subways and buses.

If there's a question, I'll be glad to try to answer.

OMG! I'll make sure not to stay there! Thanks for the tip!

I'm still searching for that fabulous 5-star hotel for our one night in Rome. I still can't decide (after much research on www.tripadvisor.com) between the Hotel de Russie, the Hotel Hassler and the Westin Excelsior. All reviews and forums had pros and cons for each. Now, to complicate my life even more, I just read the Zagat Survey for Top International Hotels, and they rate the St. Regis Grand as the No. 1 hotel in Rome! Anyone have experience there? Travel and Leisure Magazine ranks the St. Regis as very high also. It seems to be not as convenient a location. We can certainly take a cab to the center of most of the attractions, i.e., the Spanish Steps, and walk from there. Does anyone know how far this hotel is from the main attractions? Is it really a problem or not? Thanks for the help!