Rome Trip Report

[cruisemom42]

I just got back from a week in Rome and thought it might be helpful to give a few impressions of my trip. I traveled from Nov 26 thru Dec 3. I love this time of year in Rome because the tourists are few (we had Palatine Hill all to ourselves for about an hour and a half after opening, for example). However, the weather can be rainy this time of year, and I was definitely dodging showers much of the week.

 

The express train from FCO to Termini (central station in Rome) remains an easy way to get into the city. The cost is now 11 euros, and you can buy a ticket from one of the wall machines using your credit card or buy through a manned ticket window. Even with a cab to my hotel, the total cost was 19 euro, versus the 40 I would've paid for a cab. However, if you are a party of two or more with several pieces of luggage, a cab is not that expensive. (The mandated cost from FCO to anywhere in central Rome is 40 euro plus additional charge for bags. This increases a bit if you are leaving very early in the morning or very late at night.)

 

I purchased a Roma Pass at my first museum and used it for free entrance to 2 museums and discounts on others. You also get a 3-day transportation pass good for use on any buses or Metro within Rome. The Roma Pass is 20 euro, and I figure I got about 42 euro worth of value from it, making it a very good deal for me. I have read elsewhere that the cost of the pass is going up in 2009, but I don't know what the new price will be.

 

I'm not a big fan of the Metro, as I like to walk everywhere and see things. However, on this trip the metro pass did come in handy due to the rainy weather. I did not use any cabs at all during the week, except to and from my hotel. The Metro is very easy to use but can get very crowded during peak hours. I did not see any pickpockets, but you should always be vigilant. In fact, I saw fewer gypsies than previously in the city overall -- maybe they migrate to warmer climes in the winter?

 

There are Internet points throughout the city. I used at least 3 different ones near Termini, the Pantheon, and up the street from the Forum/Colosseum. The prices vary but at most I got about 20 minutes for 1.50 euro. Some require you to leave ID at the desk. For those paranoid about letting their passports out of their hands, a driver's license will work just as well.

 

I walked right in to the Vatican Museum on Tuesday morning at about 9:30 am -- no line at all. Using notes from several guidebooks and the Rick Steves audio tour I was able to see everything (except one room that was closed :() on my own and with very few crowds. I spent about 3.5 hours in the Museum, took the short cut from the Sistine chapel into St. Peters then nipped across for my Scavi Tour at 1:45. This was a real trip highlight for me and I would highly recommend it to anyone. By the way, the Vatican has announced that for 2009 there will be no Scavi tours on the following dates: 1 and 6 January, 11 February, 19 March, 9-14 April (Easter), 1 and 21 May, 11 June, 14-16 August, 1-2 November, 8 and 24-27 and 31 December. After the Scavi tour, we ended up back in St. Peters, so I had my chance to look around the Basilica then.

 

I took a wonderful walking tour of Palatine Hill, the Forum, and the Colosseum with Context Rome. If you want to get beyond the same old info you can read in the guidebooks, I very highly recommend this group. This is the third tour I've taken with them and I have not been disappointed. In contrast, the walking tour of the Appian Way that I booked with Enjoy Rome was handled very poorly. It was cancelled (I was not notified until I turned up in their office 15 minutes before the scheduled start, even though I'd given them my email and cell phone numbers), then was fobbed off with what they said was an "equivalent" tour but missed a lot of the points I most wanted to see.

 

I'm not going to go into details on the other sites I visited, as most are not things someone would do with only a day or two in Rome, but I'll list them in case anyone wants more details: Capitoline Museum, National Museum (2 of the 4 branches), Ara Pacis museum and tomb of Augustus, San Clemente, San Giovanni in Laterano, Appian Way catacombs (St. Domitilla), Jewish Ghetto (mainly to see the Portico of Octavia and to eat!), Largo Argentina area, the Imperial Forums and Trajan's Market, and of course the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain to toss in my coin.

 

All in all I had a wonderful time as always in Rome, and still didn't see everything I wanted to see......guess I'll have to start planning my next trip back.

[mountainmare]

Your trip sounds wonderful and I want to thank you for posting the details here. We are returning to Rome for the third time and want to go out to the Appian Way and then to the aqueduct park this time so I'm glad you included some of the off the beaten track places. How did you get out to the Appian Way? At one of the gates there is supposed to be a place where you can climb up onto the walls--did you do this? Were you at the Appian Way on a Sunday--or another day?

Last visit we were there in Feb---and I agree that off season is wonderful, this time it will be April 1 and I know it will be crowded.

We'll probably get the Roma Pass again, for some readon I know we'll go back to the forum and colloseum but for the second free entry would you pick the Capitoline Museum, did you see the she-wolf statue?

 

Thank you again

[cruisemom42]

Your trip sounds wonderful and I want to thank you for posting the details here. We are returning to Rome for the third time and want to go out to the Appian Way and then to the aqueduct park this time so I'm glad you included some of the off the beaten track places. How did you get out to the Appian Way? At one of the gates there is supposed to be a place where you can climb up onto the walls--did you do this? Were you at the Appian Way on a Sunday--or another day?

Last visit we were there in Feb---and I agree that off season is wonderful, this time it will be April 1 and I know it will be crowded.

We'll probably get the Roma Pass again, for some readon I know we'll go back to the forum and colloseum but for the second free entry would you pick the Capitoline Museum, did you see the she-wolf statue?

 

Thank you again

 

The Appian Way is, for some reason, one of the harder places to get to, which is why I originally booked the walking tour with Enjoy Rome. If that tour does run, it would cover everything I had wanted to see including aqueduct park. Here is a link: http://www.enjoyrome.com/walking/catacombs.html

 

Two years ago I did the Appian Way on the Archeobus and very much enjoyed seeing the aqueducts (great photo op), but I understand the Archeobus does not go out that far anymore. To make a long story short, I did the inferior Vastours tour and I wouldn't recommend it. I think the best option is probably what Rick Steves recommends, e.g., taking a cab to the tomb of Caecilia Metella and then walking the road. If you are most interested in the aqueducts, the Agricola station (Metro line A) is closest with a 10-minute walk from there. Doing it on your own I'd definitely recommend a Sunday. I was hoping to go back on Sunday this time and make it to the Aqueduct park via metro -- but it was alternating heavy showers and gloomy weather so I had to make it a museum day instead.

 

The place where you can walk on the walls (I think it also has a museum attached) at the beginning of the Appian Way at San Sebastiano is closed for the time being -- has been for a while now. I understand they are doing work to maintain and restore the walls, but who knows when they will reopen? I'd ask on Tripadvisor closer to your visit to see if it has reopened.

 

If the walls and aqueducts are things that interest you, I would also recommend that you consider a visit to the museum of the Imperial forums and Trajans Market (beside Trajan's column & near the Roman Forum and Capitoline Hill). It is very well done and you can walk around down at ground level through the forum of Trajan and up and around the multi-level markets. I found it fascinating. You can get a discount on that one too with your Roma Pass!

 

As for the Capitoline museum, I would HIGHLY recommend it. The she-wolf statue is just beautiful in person, but what really blew me away was the restored large bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius on horseback (the replica of which is on the Campidoglio outside). The original is so much more beautiful and the face of Marcus Aurelius is so expressive -- it was one of those "moments" for me. Here's a good pic but still doesn't do it justice: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/183/441969351_be79b60889.jpg?v=0

 

Another must see in the Capitoline were the busts of all the emperors. The Romans were so great about sculpting them as they really looked, wrinkles, long noses, bull necks, and all... And finally, seeing the Tabularium, (basement of the museum, where the ancient stone tablets containing the written laws of Rome were once kept) with the gorgeous view across the forum, was the icing on the cake.

 

Have a great trip. I think I'm going to try to make my November trip a biennial event!

[CintiPam]

Thank you for your excellent and helpful review. It's been two years since I visited Rome, and I concur with your recommendation of the Capitoline Museum. Guess it's time to plan another trip to Italy!

[CoralReef]

Thank you for an informative review! I loved the portrait busts and inscriptions at the Capitoline Museum, too.

 

Any tips on the best ways to see the Ara Pacis and Augustus' Mausoleum, and the Fori Imperiali? We are hoping to see them this May. Also, any suggestions on what to do on Monday, when many sites and restaurants are closed?

 

We are also thinking about the Appian way and we like to walk, so thank you very much for your recommendations on that.

[cruisemom42]

Thank you for an informative review! I loved the portrait busts and inscriptions at the Capitoline Museum, too.

 

Any tips on the best ways to see the Ara Pacis and Augustus' Mausoleum, and the Fori Imperiali? We are hoping to see them this May. Also, any suggestions on what to do on Monday, when many sites and restaurants are closed?

 

We are also thinking about the Appian way and we like to walk, so thank you very much for your recommendations on that.

 

Thanks; I've gotten a wealth of info from your postings on DIY in various ports too.

 

The Ara Pacis museum is quite nice and allows you to walk completely around and inside the altar, as well as having good information on identifying the various members of the imperial family depicted on it. (Whether or not it fits in with other nearby architecture is, of course, hotly debated.) If you have a Roma Pass I believe the reduced entry fee is 4.50 euro. It's easy to get to from the Spagna Metro station by a quick walk down the via Condotti until it ends, then continue on via Tomacelli to the river bank where you will see the museum.

 

The Ara Pacis museum is right next to Augustus' mausoleum and there are excellent views from inside the museum over to the mausoleum itself. Unfortunately when I was there the glass of the windows was so dirty that getting a good photo was hard. Currently the mausoleum is closed for (much needed) restoration and refurbishment, so there is no way you can access the interior. However, with a little perseverence you can find a way to see the main entrance and snap some shots. I took some information with me including some representations of what the Mausoleum might have looked like when it was built, as well as a list with me of all the notables that were buried inside -- a real "Who's Who" of Augustan Rome. Don't miss Augustus' "Res Gestae" which are inscribed on the outside wall of the Ara Pacis museum.

 

The Musei dei Fori Imperiali (as I described earlier, along with Trajan's market) was much better than I anticipated and I think you would enjoy it. It is really the only way to get to the "ground floor" so to speak and walk around at least one of the Imperial fora. The others can all be viewed from above (current street level), but the Museum gives you an excellent perspective (including a film) on how they would have originally looked and functioned. Made it MUCH easier to mentally reconstruct the remaining ruins when walking by them later. They offer an audioguide but I found plenty of written information in English there and the audioguide really isn't needed.

 

If you're interested in a meal with a view, the Taverna Ulpia is right next to Trajan's column/forum and if you sit on the terrace you get an excellent view. I had lunch there and much enjoyed it.

 

Monday in Rome -- Since the Colosseum/Forum/Palatine Hill complex is open on Monday morning, I did a walking tour with Context Rome. There was literally no one on Palatine Hill except us at 9:00 am. Another option would have been to see some of the churches on my list (San Clemente was fascinating for me......and San Giovanni in Laterano is just down the street). Monday afternoon all the shops reopen, so I used that time to do a bit of shopping.

[Terpnut]

As for the Capitoline museum, I would HIGHLY recommend it. The she-wolf statue is just beautiful in person, but what really blew me away was the restored large bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius on horseback (the replica of which is on the Campidoglio outside). The original is so much more beautiful and the face of Marcus Aurelius is so expressive -- it was one of those "moments" for me. Here's a good pic but still doesn't do it justice: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/183/441969351_be79b60889.jpg?v=0

 

Another must see in the Capitoline were the busts of all the emperors. The Romans were so great about sculpting them as they really looked, wrinkles, long noses, bull necks, and all... And finally, seeing the Tabularium, (basement of the museum, where the ancient stone tablets containing the written laws of Rome were once kept) with the gorgeous view across the forum, was the icing on the cake.

 

Have a great trip. I think I'm going to try to make my November trip a biennial event!

 

Thank you for your excellent and helpful review. It's been two years since I visited Rome, and I concur with your recommendation of the Capitoline Museum. Guess it's time to plan another trip to Italy!

Thanks for the great review and tips! My wife and I were married in Roma--in fact right in the Palazzo dei Conservatori right across the Piazza del Campigdolio from the Capitoline Museum! We're taking the kids with us on a return visit next summer, and after showing them where mommy and daddy got married, I was thinking about visiting the Capitoline Museum. Do any of you recall what the admission was, and if it was part of the Roma Pass (I'm going to check their web site separately later)? Obviously my 8 and 10 year old kids have relatively limited attention spans and unfortunately we will likely have to keep our museum visits relatively short. And we can't afford to spend 30-60 Euros in every museum for just 30 minutes either so I need to pick my spots wisely! Thanks in advance for any advice!

[cruisemom42]

Thanks for the great review and tips! My wife and I were married in Roma--in fact right in the Palazzo dei Conservatori right across the Piazza del Campigdolio from the Capitoline Museum! We're taking the kids with us on a return visit next summer, and after showing them where mommy and daddy got married, I was thinking about visiting the Capitoline Museum. Do any of you recall what the admission was, and if it was part of the Roma Pass (I'm going to check their web site separately later)? Obviously my 8 and 10 year old kids have relatively limited attention spans and unfortunately we will likely have to keep our museum visits relatively short. And we can't afford to spend 30-60 Euros in every museum for just 30 minutes either so I need to pick my spots wisely! Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

Wow, Terpnut, what a beautiful spot for a wedding! If I'm not mistaken the Palazzo dei Conservatori is actually a part of the museum (spans 2 buildings and the "Tabularium" in between....)

 

The admission price is 6.50 euro. If you have a Roma Pass you can use it as one of your free entries (but I probably wouldn't, as other places like the Colosseum/Forum/Palatine Hill are a better "free" entry at 10 euros...). However, if you use it as one of your discounted entries (unlimited within 3 days) the price is 4.50 euro.

[CoralReef]

Thanks for the great info! Much appreciated :)

[cruisemom42]

To add to my report, I just confirmed that the Roma Pass price will increase from 20 to 23 euro as of January 1.

[floridafolks]

To add to my report, I just confirmed that the Roma Pass price will increase from 20 to 23 euro as of January 1.

Do you know anything about the Roma Pui pass- it only costs a little more and I think it is good for sights further out and supposedly on three zones of trains/busses. Can you use the roma pui pass to get from FCO to town or from town to civitavecchia? I know it is not good on the Leonardo Express, but I am getting conflicting info on using it on the local trains/busses. Thanks

[Terpnut]

I'm not going to go into details on the other sites I visited, as most are not things someone would do with only a day or two in Rome, but I'll list them in case anyone wants more details: Capitoline Museum, National Museum (2 of the 4 branches), Ara Pacis museum and tomb of Augustus, San Clemente, San Giovanni in Laterano, Appian Way catacombs (St. Domitilla), Jewish Ghetto (mainly to see the Portico of Octavia and to eat!), Largo Argentina area, the Imperial Forums and Trajan's Market, and of course the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain to toss in my coin.

 

All in all I had a wonderful time as always in Rome, and still didn't see everything I wanted to see......guess I'll have to start planning my next trip back.

Cynthia,

 

I hope you can help me. I'm thinking about using our Civitavecchia/Rome turnaround day to do one or more of the following: San Giovanni in Laterano, San Clemente, San Pietro in Vincoli and/or Santa Maria Maggiore. My plan was to Metro to San Giovanni and walk these churches in the above order in a small "loop" ending back at Termini. Allowing for the long roundtrips on the train, I think we will have less than 5 hours total. Can you please tell me how you would recommend spending time in one or more of these churches? I realize that we likely won't have sufficient time for all four but would appreciate your recommendations. Please keep in mind that we will have my two kids with us so they will have short attention spans anyhow. Thanks.

[cruisemom42]

Cynthia,

 

I hope you can help me. I'm thinking about using our Civitavecchia/Rome turnaround day to do one or more of the following: San Giovanni in Laterano, San Clemente, San Pietro in Vincoli and/or Santa Maria Maggiore. My plan was to Metro to San Giovanni and walk these churches in the above order in a small "loop" ending back at Termini. Allowing for the long roundtrips on the train, I think we will have less than 5 hours total. Can you please tell me how you would recommend spending time in one or more of these churches? I realize that we likely won't have sufficient time for all four but would appreciate your recommendations. Please keep in mind that we will have my two kids with us so they will have short attention spans anyhow. Thanks.

 

 

Of the churches you mention, San Clemente is my favorite and the one you should spend the most time seeing IMO.....not sure how old your kids are, but they will probably like it best also as the lower two levels are definitely atmospheric (maybe even a little spooky on the bottom level -- but in a good way). I spent about 2.5 hours there, but I like to linger. You can do it in 90 minutes or even less if you are relatively quick sightseers.

 

As for the other churches, San Giovanni would probably be the next longest stop. Don't miss the bronze doors (originally belonged to the Roman Senate building) and the wonderful gilded pillars (pirated from the pagan temple to Jupiter).

 

San Pietro in Vincoli -- to me the real reason to stop there is to see Moses, and it doesn't take too long.

 

If I had to cut out one of the 4 churches on your list, it would probably be Santa Maria Maggiore.....but of course, that's just my opinion. It's a very beautiful church, but I just didn't really come away with any big "wow" moments after seeing it.

[Terpnut]

Of the churches you mention, San Clemente is my favorite and the one you should spend the most time seeing IMO.....not sure how old your kids are, but they will probably like it best also as the lower two levels are definitely atmospheric (maybe even a little spooky on the bottom level -- but in a good way). I spent about 2.5 hours there, but I like to linger. You can do it in 90 minutes or even less if you are relatively quick sightseers.

 

As for the other churches, San Giovanni would probably be the next longest stop. Don't miss the bronze doors (originally belonged to the Roman Senate building) and the wonderful gilded pillars (pirated from the pagan temple to Jupiter).

 

San Pietro in Vincoli -- to me the real reason to stop there is to see Moses, and it doesn't take too long.

 

If I had to cut out one of the 4 churches on your list, it would probably be Santa Maria Maggiore.....but of course, that's just my opinion. It's a very beautiful church, but I just didn't really come away with any big "wow" moments after seeing it.

Great--you've just confirmed my priorities!

San Giovanni in Laterano-90 minutes

San Clemente- 90 minutes

San Pietro in Vincoli: 0 to 15 minutes

Santa Maggiore: 0 to 30 minutes

lunch somewhere: 30-45 minutes

walking time: 45 minutes

Total: Approx 5 hrs :)