denisea

It is with great anticipation that we start the countdown toward our first trip to Rome!

As always, we are doing lots of planning and are hoping we get most of it right.

We are in our 40s, in good shape and want to see lots but we also want to eat and drink lots!
We are staying on points at the Hilton Cavalieri (don't bother chastising me for not staying in central Rome, free is the point this time...next time we will stay closer in). Between the shuttle and cabs, we will get into central Rome.

We have been given lots of help by many Fodorites and thank you, thank you, thank you for all of it. (Especiallly LowCountryIslander-who is my own Rome expert and has shared tons of info....Eat Rome and Rome Foodie food apps, in particular).

So, here is the plan as it stands for now. Any thoughts on this....any huge mistakes? We want a mix of planned days and free time to do whatever comes to mind. Here goes:

Arrive Friday AM early....hope to get through customs, etc...unscathed and at hotel late AM.
Clean up, have a snack overlooking Rome (great view from Hitlon), unpack if possible.
Late day, head into Rome for the Pantheon and a look around, apertivo and then dinner later on at Costanza ( I am planning on carbonara ). Trevi Fountain later....

Saturday....still being planned but for now we will acquaint ourselves with Rome, a little cornetti, espresso for Chaz (a diet coke/ coke light for me, as you know). Take a look at a few churches, etc...lunch....Roscioli for pizza maybe. Late afternoon, Head to Hadrian's Villa and then enjoy the evening hours at Villa d'Este...maybe a apertivo/snacks in between. Probably through a private tour with Context, so we will let them handle the details. Or we will just go to Villa d'Este on our own for the evening.

Sunday...AM tour with Walks of Italy for Coliseum VIP tour (top tier and underground), with the rest of the day free. Dinner at Glass.

Monday....we have a Scavi tour (1pm) booked at the Vatican and then a late afternoon/early evening food tour with Elizabeth Minchilli.

Tuesday...day trip by train to Orivieto. Wine tasting and lunch at the regional enoteca, shop for pottery and see the cathedral...St Patrick's well maybe; dinner at La Pergola at our hotel

Wednesday...open, no plans currently...L'Asino d'Oro for dinner

Thursday....day trip to Ostia Antica for the ruins/excavations...La Gensola for dinner

Friday....pristine Sistine with Walks of Italy 8am ; climb tower afterwards (??) Spanish steps and shopping dinner at Flavio de Velavevedetto

Saturday...Borghese Gallery late morning, Sparkling wine tasting at VinoRoma early evening, dinner Perilli

Sunday...fly home, vow to lose the weight gained, hope the credit card bills are not as bad as we think, swear to write T/R promptly

Sure, something will go wrong, something usually does. Overall, we think this is a good itinerary to see Rome and a bit of the surrounding area...if we are missing something MAGIC, let me know!

johnnyomalley

Sounds fabulous, You will have a blast with Elizabeth,I did a tour with her in June. It felt like she was a old friend showing us the town. What tour are you doing?

kybourbon

I posted some Rome links for you on the Scavi thread a little while ago.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...m#last-comment

>>>Or we will just go to Villa d'Este on our own for the evening.<<<

You better check return transport. It might not run very late.

>>>Tuesday...day trip by train to Orivieto. Wine tasting and lunch at the regional enoteca, shop for pottery and see the cathedral...St Patrick's well maybe<<<

Regional enoteca? I would skip the well and try to do the underground tour instead. I would plan to spend the day in Orvieto and not try to make it back in time for dinner reservations.

http://www.orvietounderground.it/index.php/en/

Dayle

Orvieto has some excellent restaurants and the evening passagiata is wonderful. Stay the evening! Anothervote here for the underground tour.

jgg

Sounds wonderful with plenty of time to just relax and enjoy Rome. One thing that you didn't list which I think you should definitely see with the amount of time you have are the Catacombs. There is an archeobus that stops regularly at Piazza Emmanuelle that will take you there, or take a taxi. We have been to both the San Callisto Catacombs and Catacombs of St. Domitilla and enjoyed both very much.

denisea

kybourbon...the last train from Tivoli is a concern of ours, which is one reason we are leaning toward a private tour with Context, so that transportation isn't a concern at all; feeling OK with the Scavi tour and I did download your map-thanks

apparently the enoteca does have caves so I was thinking we could skip the evcavations/underground, but we apparently need to re-think that and the return to Rome time. Thanks for your insight kybourbon and Dayle. Will check the other thread on Orvieto for restaurants.

jgg...catacombs are on the backs of our mind...will give this some more consideration...I think my husband would like this but I have to walk a fine line when planning, as he likes to not schedule too much

johnnyomalley...we are really looking forward to the tour with Elizabeth and had originally wanted to do the Campo Di Fiori tour with her. Then the Scavi time we were assigned didn't work with that, so it is a food tour (private) in the same general area. I am guessing markets will be gone by that time of day. I know we are getting pizza, tasting mozzarella and charcuterie (Italian word for that??)

This is exactly the type of info I was hoping for! You can always fine tune the plan. Grazie...more thoughts?

kybourbon

>>>Tuesday...day trip by train to Orivieto. Wine tasting and lunch at the regional enoteca,<<<

Perhaps I'm missing something, but I don't see where this place even serves lunch. It seems to be more an automated wine tasting (load your card with money and put it in the machine) like the Cantine in Greve. They seem to be about promoting the wines of the regions and scheduling classes for groups/conventions (there are lots of conventions/classes in Orvieto). It's at the far side of Orvieto from the funicular and is near where the escalators go down from Piazza Ranieri to the big parking lot. I can't imagine it will have any interesting cave access or views. All places in Orvieto have underground space of some kind, but some of it is just storage areas (like a basement).

The funicular only runs until 8:30 and there is only a train or two back to Rome after that time. The bus from the top probably runs later.

My links on the Scavi thread are for three different Rome trip reports I thought you would find interesting(last post on the thread).

I don't see the Capitolini on your list. You didn't mention when your trip is, but if you will be there before 9/9, the Lux in Arcana exhibit is supposed to excellent.
http://en.museicapitolini.org/

Leely2

With this much free time, you should be able to do lots more depending on where you happen to be wandering. Galleria Doria Pamphilj, Palazzo Barberini, Santa Maria del Popolo (easily visited after Borghese, for example, by walking down through the gardens and to the Pincio), Santa Maria in Trastevere, Santa Prassede...etc., etc., are all beautiful, well worth seeing, and perhaps conveniently located to other places you plan to visit. But that's Rome for you--treasures everywhere.

Have a great trip. You will enjoy Asino d'Oro.

Caenis

I am so impressed with this itinerary for your first visit.
The only thing I would add (just because it is our 'thing'!)is to go sit on the Spanish Steps on your first night & just take it all in. It would be lovely if you could report on your trip to Orvieto as we are hoping to visit for the day on our next trip to Rome (our 7th!)Enjoy!

denisea

Thanks again everyone.

Kybourbon, the tasting was arranged through Discovering Umbria. The Wine Centre is serving local bakery items, meats and cheeses and will arrange a wine and olive oil tasting for us with Graziella Gasparri, who is a sommelier. Discovering Umbria comes highly recommended and the cost is very reasonable. It is not an automated wine tasting. Will definitely report on our experience there

Here is the center: http://www.ilpalazzodelgusto.it/it/e...regionale.html
The photos are at the bottom of the page

Will take a closer look at the threads on the Scavi tour and the Capitolini is on the "free time" list , thanks again for your interest.

Leely2...definitely that's the plan to fit in more sites as we go. Very excited about L'Asino d'Oro!

Caenis, we will likely hit the Spanish Steps that night...Trevi and Spanish Steps always sound great and then you see so many posts about how they are both so packed....I have had lots of help and I am a relentless researcher for our trips. Thanks for the compliment and I will definitely report on Orvieto, as well as the whole trip!

kybourbon

I had already looked at their website which only listed meals for groups. I didn't know you had booked with a group. I thought you were just visiting on your own. Be sure and try the Montefalco Sagrantinos. I had also seen this about their automated wine system.

**The guided tour of the Enoteca gives visitors a chance to discover the secret history of Orvieto as narrated in the culture of its wine and typical products and taste excellent Umbrian wines by a wine-card system (Enomatic patent).

Services offered to the public
Wine dispensers serving 16 Umbrian wines with a wine-card system (Enomatic patent).

Guided visit to the Palazzo del Gusto and the Regional Enoteca of Umbria for single visitors and groups; alternatively, Italian/English audio-guides can be provided.**

It sounds similar to Le Cantine's system.
http://www.lecantine.it/cantineUtente/index.php

Jean

Do you have an arrangement with the Hilton that you'll get access to your room on arrival? Otherwise, I wouldn't assume that you could freshen up or unpack until mid-afternoon.

denisea

We are just visiting the Enoteca on our own, but pre-arranged through Discover Umbria. it seems that you can set up private tastings, if you ask. I don't think the food we are sampling would qualify as a meal, for many people, but it works as lunch for us. Will definitely check out the Sagrentino

I realize the room will likely not be ready (that's why it says unpack if possible). However, we will have access to the Imperial Club, which will have restrooms, food and a place to relax until the tool is ready or until we decide to head into Rome.

Vttraveler

You are very wise to plan this amount of time for your first trip to Rome. It is a wonderful city but can be overwhelming if you only have a few days there.

A few things I would recommend that I didn't see on your list:
The Palatine and the Forum
Go to the top of the Janiculum (Giancolo) with its fantastic view of room, then a walk downhill and into Trastevere and across the Tiber into the Jewish ghetto neighborhood
The Appian Way

ekc

I second the recommendation for Galleria Doria Pamphilj - I am trying to book tickets right now!

I would never leave Rome without having dinner at Roscioli and pizza at Pizzarium - but I really love food!

If you have time, we had a wonderful lunch in Tivoli at Sibilla. I would highly recommend it. The food was fantastic and the setting was great. But we had a driver take us to/from Hadrian's Villa so we didn't need to worry about catching the bus, etc.

denisea

Thanks all for the continued suggestions. This is exactly the info we need to round out the trip. Thanks especially for the restaurant suggestion in Tivoli. And fear not, Pizzarium and Roscioli are on the list for lunch and snacks.

More please!

ggreen

Looks like a great trip - but I would expect nothing less, denisea!

We were in Rome two years ago but prior to that, I hadn't been for decades(!). One thing to keep in mind is that central Rome is smaller/more compact than Paris - something that might not register by just looking at a map. For example, we stayed near Piazza del Popolo and found ourselves almost daily walking past or close to the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Aurelius column and the Pantheon. So, doing the jet-laggy, touristy wander on your first night from Trevi to the Steps would be easy - and you know you'll want a stroll after that first glorious dinner!!

Another suggestion for spotting the Spanish Steps would be to walk that way after the Galleria Borghese - maybe even do a loop...
- Depending on your morning, you could start in Piazza del Popolo (do pop into Santa Maria del Popolo if you have time, but otherwise not much there), walk up to the Terrazza del Pincio and turn around for the views of St. Paul's and Rome spread out below. The walk from there to the Galleria is about 15-20 minutes. (We were running late and had to hoof it!) After your visit to the museum, head to Via di Porta Pinciana to approach the Spanish Steps from the top - IMO the best thing about them! Do note that the Academie Nationale de France is right there near the top of the steps.
- Another option would be to start your morning at the Galleria, then walk through the gardens to the Terrazza del Pincio. From there, walk either the picturesque Viale Gabriele D'Annunzio or go down to Piazza del Popolo and follow Via del Babuino to the Steps - the latter is full of boutiques.

You might need sustenance after two hours in the galleries. There's not much to speak of in the Villa Borghese gardens - but Harry's Bar *is* located at the top of Via di Porta Pinciana.

// Oh and I should say that, while touristy, there's no harm done in spending a few minutes squeezing past the crowds at the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain. It's sort of the anti-High Line Park! We amused ourselves watching all the photo-takers jeopardizing life and limb (well at least risking wet clothes and bruised ego) angling over the fountain's nymphs...

ggreen

As if I didn't write enough already(!), I meant to add that I too had noticed you didn't include the Forum or Palatine Hill in your itinerary. The former is impressive for the iconic columns and building stones scattered about as if strewn from a giant hand. If I had to choose just one, though, I'd visit the latter: even though visually not as large a scale, I find it pretty awe-inspiring that much of the structures of the residences there still stand. And the grassy hill dotted with trees is a nice respite from the crowds around the Coliseum. IMO, either or both locations don't require a lot of background info unless you're so inclined - it's enough just to wander around and soak it all in.

When I was in Rome as a college student, I remember we exited from the Palatine Hill and just hung out on the grass of the Circus Maximus for a while. It'd be the perfect place for a picnic snack. (As you can imagine, the immediate area of Coliseum-Forum-Palatine is absolutely bereft of anything one would consider edible!)

// One more thing I'll throw in here is a recommendation for a wander in the Protestant Cemetery of Rome (Cimitero Acattolico). I loved it all those years ago, and was sad our brief time in Rome this past trip prevented me from revisiting it! However, it's a little farther out (one Metro stop past the Circus Maximus, not far from the Ostiense train station), so you might not venture that far...

HappyTrvlr

Include Forum, and Church of San Clemente.

denisea

We will definitely go to the Forum, we were thinking we would do so after the Coliseum!!

GGreen thanks for all the advice and detail. We definitely want to fill in between the big sites, so this is good info for us.