Rome shore excursion with toddlers?

[jellybeana123]

Hello,

 

I am new here. Having last minute panic regarding the shore excursion for Rome. We will be traveling with 2 children ages 2 and 3. Since the shore excursion seems expensive, I was wondering if we should save money by taking port shuttle to the train station and taking the train into the city. I feel like touring the city on our own might be a nice option but i know that complications are bound to come up. Do you think this is a bad idea?

 

Has anyone here taken the Civitavecchia port shuttle to the train station and the train into the city? Any recommendations or tips will be appreciated. We will be strolling the kids in sit and stroll strollers and also backpacking them if we need to.

 

Thanks so much!

 

Kim

Carnival Freedom

March 26, 2007 - April 7, 2007

[lexxity]

Take the ship transfer, the port is absolute miles out of Rome, it is the one destination I would say definitely do the ship excursion. Rome is beautiful, gorgeous, fabulous. I LOVED it. It is going to be a really long day for you all, so you will need your strollers. Head upto the Borghese Gardens, just opposite the top end of Pizza del Popolo and let the little ones run free for a little while.

 

There is so much to see that you are going to have to really prioritise what you want to se the most. Also IIRC there was no port shuttle as Civitavecchia is so far from Rome and fairly isolated. This could have changed though.

 

Will you be calling into Livorno on this trip? If you are I would reccomend that you take the port shuttle to the train station and catch the train to Pisa. I found our tickets the other day and it was EUR3 each! The train ride is about 20mins (IIRC) and then a short walk. Just watch the ladies toilets at Pisa station, the locks jam.

[jellybeana123]

Thank you lexxity for the advice. I will try to book a Rome shore excursion then... I suppose things would just be easier and we won't regret having seen as much as we can. The other ports for our trip are Naples, Rhodes, Izmir, Istanbul, Athens, Katakolon, and Livorno. I have signed up for shore excursions for all of these stops except for Rhodes and Katakolon. We'll keep what you said in mind for Livorno when we return at a later time.

 

Thanks again. :)

[rebeccalouise]

They have an excursion from the ship called "Rome on Your Own". Do that one. It drops you off in Rome but then you can do your own thing. With toddlers, I highly recommend the Colluseum and the Forum. Plenty of room for them to run around.

The Vatican is a must see for adults but I doubt your tots are going to patiently stand in line and will be bored by the experience.

 

After visiting the Colloseum and the Forum, flag down a taxi. As them to stop at the Trevi Fountain. From there you can walk to the Spanish step, up the Via Veneto to the Borghese Park- where the kids can run and play.

UMBRELLA STROLLER ARE THE BEST. Don't bring the large double stroller, won't be as convenient.

 

There are some sidewalk cafes on the Via Veneto. This area is very pretty and tree-lined and a nice retreat from the hustle bustle that is Rome.

 

Have a wonderful time!

[mpb43]

We were in Rome last summer on a land based trip and our youngest was 3 years old. His favorite places were Piazza Navona and the Pantheon area. This was great for us because we could enjoy the ambiance of being in Rome, and our little guy loved the fountains and the activities. Most of the major piazzas of Rome do not allow automobile traffic. We felt very comfortable having him run around and meet a few little friends.

[jellybeana123]

I know that it probably depends with on each individual family, but how many hours did you spend in the city with the kids? i like the idea of being dropped off at a fountain and walking around in a pedestrian friendly area. Thank you for the suggestions mpb43 and rebeccalouise.

[rebeccalouise]

You are only going to be in Rome for one day. It takes an hour to get to Rome from the port. There is a train that you can take, which might be more enjoyable for your kids. They can walk around.

 

I think if you pace the day with some sightseeing, then some lunch. Then going to the park- you will have a nice time and the park is a nice relief from the crowds in Rome.

 

It will be up to you. If you have had enough, head back to the train station and go back to the ship. Chances are the kids will get worn out if you let them run around quite a bit. And maybe you can dine at one of the sidewalk cafes with two sleeping kids in strollers.

 

P.S: Take plenty of bottled water.

[I&MsMom]

Since you are on the Freedom, and overnighting in Civitavecchia, I would definitely consider the train. The children won't be stuck in car seats (although, if by sit and stroll you mean the stroller that converts to a carseat - we had one and they are wonderful!)

 

You can get an idea of how often the trains run at www.trenitalia.com (English button on upper right hand corner.)

 

The Forum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona can all be enjoyed free. You can go to the Colisseum, just to see it, and decide then (depending on the kid's moods/fatigue level and your interest) whether or not to actually go inside (tickets are 10 euros; not sure what the policy is for children).

 

You can leave as early, or stay as late, as you feel that day. My view is (and it's only MHO), whether you have days or hours in a city with as much to offer as Rome, you can never "see it all" in one visit. For us, a lot is just "being" there.

 

Italians are very friendly with young children, and welcome them into restaurants in a warm manner. I hope all of you enjoy your day in Rome!

 

Let us know how it works out, as we'll be on the Freedom with a 4 and 8 year old, sailing 4/19!

[mpb43]

I know that it probably depends with on each individual family, but how many hours did you spend in the city with the kids? i like the idea of being dropped off at a fountain and walking around in a pedestrian friendly area. Thank you for the suggestions mpb43 and rebeccalouise.

 

I agree it depends on your kids. My kids really enjoyed the city for many hours at a time. We stayed in Rome for 7 days and only wents to the park once. Just build in some down time where you are not actively sight-seeing. Hanging out near a fountain, eating a gelato was our favorite "down-time" activity. The Borghese gardens are beautiful, though. My kids loved the surrey ride.

[CruiseKidz]

Another option is taking the train to Rome and at the termini station there is a hop on hop off bus, it stops at 9 stops for the popular attractions and you can get off and back on at any stop these leave every 15 to 20mins ,children under 5 free. I plan to use this bus when we are in Rome for a few days pre cruise in August with two girls 7 & 9 years. I found it through www.viator.com

 

CruiseKidz