Exploring Rome before cruise departs

[naagnel55]

We are landing on a Tuesday at 7:35am in Rome, we will be staying the night in a hotel in Rome before our cruise departs Wednesday evening. We will probably go to a hotel and grab a quick nap before exploring. Ideally we'd like to see the Colosseum, Vatican/Sistine Chapel and a couple other touristy spots but that dont require tours.

 

If you buy tickets online before for the Colosseum and the Vatican and Sistine Chapel will you still have to wait in hours long lines to actually enter even though you have a ticket? Is the best way to get in and bypass lines to do a guided tour?

 

Any suggestions based on our time constraints? I imagine we'd leave Rome to get to the port around 1pm.

[euro cruiser]

The only way I'd try to fit in the Vatican Museums/Sistine Chapel in this tight of a time frame is if you can get the very first slot of the morning on your departure day. Even that will be tight, but if you choose a hotel near to Termini you can leave your luggage there while you go to the Vatican and pick it up on your way to the train.

 

I like the idea of seeing the Colosseum/Forum/Palatine on your arrival day because being outdoors helps to adjust to the time change. You can bypass the longer line by having pre-purchased tickets but there will still be a line to get through security. It will be shorter and will move quickly. The same is true of the Vatican Museums, you go to a different line with pre-reserved tickets.

[euro cruiser]

If you'd be comfortable arriving a bit later, there's a Frecce train (faster, non-stop, assigned seating) train departing Termini at 1:57 PM that arrives to Civitavecchia at 2:37 PM. You can get tickets for this train for 9 Euro in first class if you purchase in advance.

[tel2]

I actually think I would do it the other way around -- The vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel on Tuesday. The whole Vatican area will be mobbed on Wednesday morning because of the Papal Audience (assuming there is one scheduled on the Wednesday of your departure -- but other than some weeks in August, they are pretty much every week.

 

Terry

[Melozone]

My travel advise, don't take a nap after you arrive. Try to push through it and it will help with your jetlag. Start with a tour the first day and then maybe to bed a little early.

[naagnel55]

I actually think I would do it the other way around -- The vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel on Tuesday. The whole Vatican area will be mobbed on Wednesday morning because of the Papal Audience (assuming there is one scheduled on the Wednesday of your departure -- but other than some weeks in August, they are pretty much every week.

 

Terry

 

Thanks for the heads up. We will be going in August, so the 12th is the day our boat leaves. Any idea when the schedule for August will come out? I only see it through July. If there's not a Papal Audience the day we're there will it just be "normal busy"?

Edited April 7, 2015 by naagnel55

[naagnel55]

My travel advise, don't take a nap after you arrive. Try to push through it and it will help with your jetlag. Start with a tour the first day and then maybe to bed a little early.

 

Thanks. We are coming from CA so it will feel like 1:30am to us. We might have to do that anyways though because I doubt the hotel rooms will be available that early. I guess there's always napping on the plane :)

[CathyCruises]

We've made the flight multiple times from California. You can't think about your old time, or it will take you forever to get over your jet lag. As you say, it's unlikely that your hotel room will even be ready, so drop your bags and go out for a stroll and a cappuccino and a cornetto. We only allow ourselves a shower when the rooms become available, then we hit the streets again. Don't drink any alcohol.

 

I would also probably do the Vatican the first day so that you'll be inside for most of the hottest part. August is sweltering. Then you can stroll through Piazza Venezia, the Pantheon, maybe even over to the Spanish Steps in the evening. (Trevi Fountain is covered in scaffolding)

 

In the morning, get an early start and hit the Colosseum and Forum before you take off for the port.

[euro cruiser]

Good catch about Wednesday and the Vatican, I hadn't paid enough attention to the question.

 

That said, unless the Vatican is an absolute must see for this visit, I'd forgo it entirely rather than go on arrival day. Even if you sleep well on the flight over, no one is at their best after a long flight like that, and the Vatican museums require real stamina and focus.

[maryann ns]

Do not take a nap or you will wake up in the middle of the night (Rome time.) I agree that you may have to skip the Vatican this time. Unless you are experienced with long flights, heat and crowds, it will be overwhelming.

 

I would stroll around the Piazza Navona, Pantheon, etc. Then go to bed a bit early and take on the Forum, Colosseum the next day.

[slidergirl]

I'll be the dissenting voice on the "don't take a nap" advice. I always take a little 30 minute "power nap" around 3-4pm. Then, I shower and get ready for the evening. Go out, stroll around a few piazzas, have dinner around 8pm, stroll some more, head back to the hotel around 10-11pm. Next morning, I'm good to go for the rest of the trip. Everyone reacts differently to time changes and how we deal with it is not a "one size fits all" solution.

 

I honestly wouldn't try to go through the Vatican Museums on your first day unless it is to just tick off the "been there, done that" list. It is hot and stuffy in there in the summer and you are packed in there like sardines with the other thousands making their way through the Museums. You won't be truly able to focus and take in the magnificent items in the Museums. I'd do whatever you can outdoors to get that Vitamin D to get your body going.

[CathyCruises]

In lieu of the Vatican Museums, you may want to just tour the Basilica. You will, not see the Sistine Chapel, but on reflection, I don't think I'd do the museums either after a long flight. Although there are a lot of treasures there, it is a very long walk and is not the type of museum that entices me. It would be hard for me to stay attentive if I was half asleep. And once you get in, there's no easy out!!

 

But the basilica is amazing in itself, it's free, and you just have to go through a fast moving security line. You could also climb to the top of the dome and catch The amazing view out over all of Rome. That does have a cost, but worth it IMO.

[cruisemom42]

To answer your question about tickets --

 

If you pre-purchase tickets for the Colosseum (which also includes the Forum and Palatine Hill) and the Vatican museum (which includes the Sistine chapel), you will GREATLY reduce the wait to get inside.

 

With the Vatican, you have to select a time. With the Colosseum, there is not a set time, you can enter whenever you want.

 

Regarding your desires to see both places --

 

What is it that you really want to see at the "Vatican"? Is it the Sistine chapel mainly? If so, what I'd recommend is showing up at the Vatican close to the end of the day on Tuesday and just go like a rocket (well, as fast as crowds will allow) to the chapel, following the signs.

 

Keep in mind it is still a good 30 minutes perhaps to get to it, but the crowds tend to start clearing out at the end of the day. No need for a guide, but take some info with you describing the Sistine (or Rick Steves' podcast).

 

On the other hand, if what you want is a quick overview of the museum "highlights", then I would book one of the official Vatican tours. They are about 2 hours and do a good job of getting you around to see the highlights in a limited time. Buy the tix through the Vatican site. They tours can be large but they use headphones so everyone can hear.

 

If you are lucky, you can use the right-side door in the Sistine chapel and go straight through to St. Peters (skipping the security line) if you want to see it afterwards. IF you want to do this, do NOT rent an audio guide as there will be no way to return it.

[naagnel55]

To answer your question about tickets --

 

If you pre-purchase tickets for the Colosseum (which also includes the Forum and Palatine Hill) and the Vatican museum (which includes the Sistine chapel), you will GREATLY reduce the wait to get inside.

 

With the Vatican, you have to select a time. With the Colosseum, there is not a set time, you can enter whenever you want.

 

Regarding your desires to see both places --

 

What is it that you really want to see at the "Vatican"? Is it the Sistine chapel mainly? If so, what I'd recommend is showing up at the Vatican close to the end of the day on Tuesday and just go like a rocket (well, as fast as crowds will allow) to the chapel, following the signs.

 

Keep in mind it is still a good 30 minutes perhaps to get to it, but the crowds tend to start clearing out at the end of the day. No need for a guide, but take some info with you describing the Sistine (or Rick Steves' podcast).

 

On the other hand, if what you want is a quick overview of the museum "highlights", then I would book one of the official Vatican tours. They are about 2 hours and do a good job of getting you around to see the highlights in a limited time. Buy the tix through the Vatican site. They tours can be large but they use headphones so everyone can hear.

 

If you are lucky, you can use the right-side door in the Sistine chapel and go straight through to St. Peters (skipping the security line) if you want to see it afterwards. IF you want to do this, do NOT rent an audio guide as there will be no way to return it.

 

I dont think any of us are necessarily museum people. I think we just want to see and say we've gone. For the Sistine Chapel, I would love to walk through and see it but also don't need a huge history lesson/tour on it. But from what I understand you can't enter without doing the Vatican? I'll have to talk to my parents and see what's on their "must see" list. I think we're all more sightseeing, non museum people so things like the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, etc would interest us more.

[CathyCruises]

You can only see the Sistine Chapel by going through the entire length of the Vatican Museums. It is, as Cruisemom says, a minimum thirty minute walk at a good clip. If you do Not consider yourselves museum people, I would skip it. I do think it's worth doing St. Peter's though; you can be in and out as quickly as you like.

 

Otherwise, your plan of just meandering about, soaking up the atmosphere and seeing some of the great monuments, will work well for you. Don't miss the Pantheon (also free) and Bernini's Four Rivers Fountain in Piazza Navona. As I mentioned unfortunately the Trevi Fountain is covered in scaffolding but you can still walk by and get somewhat of a sense of it. There is a small bridge you can walk across to get a bit of a view.

[BlueEyesMI]

We have a similar flight situation, and none of us have done an overnight intercontinental flight. We've booked a tour company to pick us up at the airport, give us a four hour tour around Rome and take us to the hotel. Then we'll have an leisurely afternoon on our own. We have the advantage of a full day in Rome the next day, so we'll see the Vatican then. The same tour company will pick us up at the hotel on the third day and give us a scenic tour on the way to the port. Only 84 days to go - but who's counting? :D

[tel2]

Thanks for the heads up. We will be going in August, so the 12th is the day our boat leaves. Any idea when the schedule for August will come out? I only see it through July. If there's not a Papal Audience the day we're there will it just be "normal busy"?

 

Sorry, no idea when August schedule will be released. I see they have "suspended" all audiences in July, which I assume means the Pope is traveling or vacationing.

 

Terry

[euro cruiser]

There usually are no Papal audiences during August as the Pope decamps to Castel Gandolfo for the month.

[tel2]

Hi

 

Not sure how many people are in your party, or what your budget price points are, but we pretty much always do the same thing the first day in Rome (even if we are only going to be there one day...) -- we drop bags and stroll around a bit until our room is ready, then take a SHORT nap - an hour or two. Maybe we are getting old, but without a nap, I am useless and cranky and it doesnt make for a pleasant day. Then we shower, and then do Bruno's Food Tour, which starts at about 6 and lasts about 4 hours. It is a bit pricey - about 80 E per person, but it is a walking tour with about 8 or 9 different food courses -- it starts in the Jewish Ghetto, then winds thru campo defiori, and to piazza navona, and Largo Argentina It is a great orientation to Rome and the tour leaders, especially Bruno, are fantastic. The food is extraordinary. And it isnt a stand-up and sample kind of tour. It includes wines, cheeses, ham, Bread, Jewish street food, pastas, pizzas, pastries, liqueur, coffees, gelatos in various sit-down locations. We've tried a couple of others, but in our view, this one is by far the best. Plus you get to see the Rome monuments all lit up at night and hear about their history. We learn something new every time. Then we are so stuffed and tired we sleep like babies and get up at dawn the next day to see whatever we want to see in the morning.

 

Terry

 

Terry

[tel2]

There usually are no Papal audiences during August as the Pope decamps to Castel Gandolfo for the month.

 

I was wondering though since they have suspended all audiences in July, whether this Pope vacations in July. Last summer, there were none in July, but there were audiences 3 out of 4 Wednesdays in August. The already announced suspension in July makes me think that this year will follow the same pattern.

 

Terry

[euro cruiser]

Could be, I guess we'll have to wait and see.