How much and what to do first day in Rome?

[cruisemom42]

I can understand the urge to have everything planned. I am a planner myself. But in Rome (well, in all of Italy), you should make yourself "plan" some unscripted time. Consider it time spent experiencing the Italian "Dolce Vita".

 

Have an honest talk with your husband -- what is it that he's afraid of? The Centro Storico is a small-ish area, truthfully. You are unlikely to wander into any unsavory area. And because Rome is such a tourist destination, most people will speak some English. Everyone knows where the Spanish Steps are, so you should be able to get back to your hotel easily enough. Carry a card with you, with the hotel name and address. Any taxi will get you back.

 

Even if it is your first time to Europe, it's not that different than any other "new" place. When my sister and BIL took their first Med cruise, they did their research and with some advice from me were able to have a great time doing it all on their own (including several days in Rome).

 

I didn't want to answer on your thread about the foodie tour, because I didn't want to sound like a grump. But I honestly think you are better off just looking for an appealing restaurant for dinner, rather than a tour that includes dinner. I am invariably disappointed in tours that include meals -- and Rome has SUCH good food!

 

You appear very savvy and able to do your research on tours. Put that energy to work locating a couple of good restaurants near your hotel (there should be plenty in that area) and to spending at least part of a day doing a walk on your own.

 

....just my two cents, for what it's worth! :o

[cruisegal415]

Thanks to all of you!! I am an "over-planner." DH does not plan, isn't interested in planning, doesn't want to hear about my in depth grappling with "do we want to do this or that." But he is an anxious traveler and maybe that's why he doesn't want to pre-plan because it stresses him. So I get stressed worrying that I've planned it properly!

 

All the advice I get on CC is so helpful! I appreciate you all!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[love2cruisegal]

Thanks to all of you!! I am an "over-planner." DH does not plan, isn't interested in planning, doesn't want to hear about my in depth grappling with "do we want to do this or that." But he is an anxious traveler and maybe that's why he doesn't want to pre-plan because it stresses him. So I get stressed worrying that I've planned it properly!

 

All the advice I get on CC is so helpful! I appreciate you all!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

Sorry but I'm going to add my 2¢! We are leaving for Venice 3 weeks from today and will also be going to Florence and Rome before our cruise starts on May 14. We have never been to Europe so all is new to us too. My husband likes to plan also but knows I like doing all the research, so he lets me. We discuss what we want to see and do but let's me make the reservations if necessary. We are in Rome for 4 nights before the cruise and the only tour we have reserved is the Vatican. Everything else we are doing just walking around and following the suggestions we have read here and on Rick Steves website. We have his tour books for all 3 cities and have downloaded his Europe app and will be doing sites by listening to tours. He also has a couple Rome walking tours we will be doing. Don't think we would want to waste so much time and $ having someone drive us everywhere, but that's just us.

 

We arrive from the US in Venice and plan to just walk around and not do any tours, just fresh air as many others have said.

 

Have a wonderful time no matter what you decide!

[Tommy3putts]

Sorry but I'm going to add my 2¢! We are leaving for Venice 3 weeks from today and will also be going to Florence and Rome before our cruise starts on May 14. We have never been to Europe so all is new to us too. My husband likes to plan also but knows I like doing all the research, so he lets me. We discuss what we want to see and do but let's me make the reservations if necessary. We are in Rome for 4 nights before the cruise and the only tour we have reserved is the Vatican. Everything else we are doing just walking around and following the suggestions we have read here and on Rick Steves website. We have his tour books for all 3 cities and have downloaded his Europe app and will be doing sites by listening to tours. He also has a couple Rome walking tours we will be doing. Don't think we would want to waste so much time and $ having someone drive us everywhere, but that's just us.

 

 

 

We arrive from the US in Venice and plan to just walk around and not do any tours, just fresh air as many others have said.

 

 

 

Have a wonderful time no matter what you decide!

 

 

That's kind of the way we travel. We use Rick Steve's a lot. As stated above I hate having every minute of every faction planned. I like to just let stuff happen. With that said it does make sense to have a general idea of what you want to do. So for example if you want to go to the Coliseum and Forum in Rome, it's best to buy tickets ahead of time to avoid hours of standing in line.

[love2cruisegal]

That's kind of the way we travel. We use Rick Steve's a lot. As stated above I hate having every minute of every faction planned. I like to just let stuff happen. With that said it does make sense to have a general idea of what you want to do. So for example if you want to go to the Coliseum and Forum in Rome, it's best to buy tickets ahead of time to avoid hours of standing in line.

 

Yes, we have a general idea of what we want to do and when, but are not planning to rush; only to get to the Vatican early for our Walks of Italy tour one morning. We are planning on the Coliseum and Forum and already have purchased our tickets; didn't want to stand in that long line.

[cruisegal415]

I wonder if most of the "DIY-ers" did it themselves the first time they went to Europe? Or having done it once with guides, do it themselves the next time? Or are we just the insecure exception?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Turtles06]

I wonder if most of the "DIY-ers" did it themselves the first time they went to Europe? Or having done it once with guides, do it themselves the next time? Or are we just the insecure exception?

 

 

I can't speak for anyone else, but for me perhaps it's having grown up in a big city and been fairly independent (in terms of getting around there) since my early teens, and having traveled a good bit on my own outside the country starting when I was in college.

 

At any rate, all I can say about Rome is that there's really nothing to be worried about. It is incredibly easy to get around the Centro Storico, and the Romans are friendly and many of them speak English.

 

All that said, we'll use guides and guided tours sometimes depending on where we are, typically when time is limited, so we can make the best use of our time. We mix it up, DIY, guides, private tours, ship tours, it totally depends on where we are.

 

You can only do what you are comfortable doing, so go with it and be happy. Rome is wonderful; have a great time!

[slidergirl]

I did Rome solo from the get-go. No tours, no excursions - just me and my feet. When my now-ex and I went to Europe for the first time waaay back, we totally were DIY. Well, when he was in his convention, there were "spouse" activities and 2 of them were tours - one of the Roman ruins in Maastricht and the other one out to a castle in the countryside. The rest of the time, I just wandered around the town. I wandered Florence, Venice, Barcelona, Paris, Munich, Salzburg, Prague, and other smaller places in Europe.

[cruisemom42]

I wonder if most of the "DIY-ers" did it themselves the first time they went to Europe? Or having done it once with guides, do it themselves the next time? Or are we just the insecure exception?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

Well, since the first time I went to Europe was with my parents, I can't say I did it DIY. However, the second time I was in Rome, I was there for 10 days and except for one Vatican tour (guilted into it), we just walked everywhere and saw whatever interested us that day...

 

I did go to Japan for two weeks with my son (his choice, he was in High School at the time), and planned the whole thing myself with help from Tripadvisor regulars. :D

[tel2]

I agree that being outdoors in the fresh air helps that first day. But I am often too tired to walk long-distances. I'm not that athletic to begin with. But driving around in a car to get oriented is not appealing to us. The last time we were in rome we did a 4 hour golf cart tour. It was great. He stopped wherever we wanted to take photos, get a gelato etc. We are leaving in two weeks to go back to Rome and this time we're doing a evening golf cart tour. Just thought I'd throw it out there is possibility – –

[Pavovsky]

Generally a DIYer but sometimes a tour can be great. I had been to Paris many times and then decided to do a few walking tours on a trip and learned so much more. A mix of both is the answer. But I find the most important thing in any city is to ensure that you pick a hotel in a decent area and then get your bearings.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 7 using Tapatalk