Half day in Rome

[Albert_Park]

We’re in Rome on the 14th July. I think I’ve sussed out my plan, get the express train at 9.07am to S. Pietro then walk up to the Vatican. We then want to go to the Spanish steps, Trevi fountain, Pantheon then walk back to S. Pietro for the 4.30pm return.

 

Google maps suggests it’s around 5 mile walk. Given the heat what would be the easiest way to the Spanish steps from the Vatican. It looks like there’s a metro from Ottiviano to Spagna but that’s still a 20 minute walk. Are there taxis near the Vatican that we could jump to Spanish steps? Or would it be better doing it in reverse i.e. Vatican, Pantheon, Trevi, Spanish steps then metro back to S. Pietro.

 

Thanks.

[mapleleaves]

We had a similar plan but walked from the Vatican to Piazza Navone first.  After that we caught a couple of cabs ( weren't hard to find and reasonably priced).  Final cab was from the Colosseum to Ostiense station where we caught the train back to Civi.

When you're getting tired and grumpy in the heat, taking cabs seemed like a better option that standing around bus stops.

 

p.s.  we bought RT Express tickets for Ostiense but in the morning we hopped off early at SPietro.   

Edited June 29, 2022 by mapleleaves
p.s.

[carlmm]

Taking taxis would be my first choice, too, yet you can also use public transportation easily if you change the order a little bit:

From San Pietro to roughly the Pantheon area take the bus.

Walk from there via Trevi to the Spanish steps.

Take the Metro to Termini.

Take the train back from there. This also has the advantage that you have the Chance to get a seat.

[cruisemom42]

Are you tied to a specific train that leaves from San Pietro? Otherwise carlmm's suggestion makes good sense.  It's just not clear to me whether you're planning to take a "special train" offered through your ship's excursions or the express train offered by Trenitalia.

 

Also, what is it that you're planning to do in the Vatican? If you're only planning to visit St. Peter's basilica, then it would make sense to afterwards walk to the end of the portico around the square, where there is a taxi stand, and take a taxi to the Spanish Steps, then walk to Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and Piazza Navona before getting a taxi back to the San Pietro station (I wouldn't walk it at the end of the long hot day...)

 

Piazza Navona is worth a look, with two beautiful fountains ....

 

and is only a couple of blocks west of the Pantheon, on the path back to the Vatican. There is not a taxi stand in the actual Piazza, but at the north end if you walk to the street immediately behind, there is a small taxi stand there.

[euro cruiser]

I agree with a taxi from Piazza San Pietro (the basilica) to the Spanish Steps, there isn't a great way to make that span by public transit without a bit of walking.

 

From the Spanish Steps to Trevi is an easy walk, from there to the Pantheon is all on pedestrian walkways and it's not far.

 

If you have time, I would continue on the pedestrian walkways from the Pantheon toward Piazza Navona (stop into San Luigi dei Francesi if you have time to see the Caravaggios, they are amazing).

 

I wouldn't walk any further toward the San Pietro train station from this point, you can take a taxi or a bus from here directly to the station.

 

There is a taxi stand just north of Piazza Navona in Piazza delle Cinque Lune, or just past the south end of the piazza on Corso Vittorio Emanuele II you can get the #64 bus, which ends at the S. Pietro train station.

 

I can't find an easy way to show you the bus route map on the updated ATAC web site but the moovit app has a good one:  64 Route: Schedules, Stops & Maps - P.za Stazione S. Pietro (Fl) (Updated) (moovitapp.com)

[Albert_Park]

Thanks for the replies quite a lot of good suggestions.

 

We’re not tied to a train. I was just to book the Trenitalia express on our own (€15 each as opposed to €72 from cruise line). I didn’t want to be queuing at station so was buying the tickets in advance. However I don’t want the two ladies moaning if we couldn’t get seats hence the express one as they are guaranteed.

 

Yes, just the Basilica at the Vatican as only a short visit so want to maximise time. I think from suggestions we’ll go Vatican, then Spanish steps via taxi. Then walk back and taxi the final leg. I never considered Piazza Navone so that’s a welcome bonus.

 

Hopefully we’ll get to do a short break land visit next year and do the Coloseum, Forum and circus maximus. I’m a bit of a Roman fan so really want to do these. But I’m still getting to see Pompeii when in Naples so that will suffice for this trip 😀😀

[mapleleaves]

When we got to Civi train station there were 12-15 people in line to buy tickets at the machine.

The little shop next door had a sign, Tickets for Sale,  RoundTrip Only.  So we popped in there and bought tickets for the Express train, same price.  We bought Ostiense RT, but as I said earlier, we got off at SPietro and ret'd from Ostiense.   BTW, there were very few people on the train. I don't remember the inbound trip but on the return at 4;30p there were only 3 or 4 people sharing our train car.

 

When we took the taxi from the Colosseum to Ostiense we passed Circus Maximus which was a nice little bonus.  Have a great trip !

 

 

 

 

[Albert_Park]

Just got home today off Wonder and some of the information in this thread was invaluable. Due to the taxi drivers strike on Thursday we had to walk from the Vatican to Spanish Steps. Only took 25 minutes walk but had to stop at H&M for new sandals for daughter as her feet were killing her. There was also a mass police presence due to, what we were told, a taxi driver protest including flares been let off. Also the Italian prime minister decided to resign that day meaning the media were out in force and streets were blocked off.

 

We did, however, still manage to visit the Vatican, Spanish steps, Trevi fountain, Pantheon and Piazza Navone.

 

A big thanks to @euro cruiser with the bus info. Not fancying a 30 minute walk back to San Pietro from Piazza Navone, and with no taxis available I looked up this thread to see what bus we could get and where from. With the help of Google maps I easily found the bus stop and jumped the 64 back to S. Pietro with 45 minutes to spare before getting the Civitavecchia Express back.

 

So thanks again everyone it helped us to have a good day plus I also got some brownie points off the family 👍🏻😀

 

 

 

Edited July 17, 2022 by Albert_Park
Spelling error.