karynr

Heading to Rome for 3 days - any recommendations for must see tours? Taking a girls trip and leaving the hubbies behind for a few days...We love to walk and explore on our own and already have some restaurants picked out but there are too many tours to choose from!
Staying in Piazza Navona/Pantheon area arriving early on a Wednesday and departing early on Saturday...
Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

bvlenci

If you love to walk and explore on your own, there's no need to take any tours. I've been to Rome dozens of times, and the only tour I've ever taken was of the Roman Forum, which is a bit hard to understand even with a good guide book. If you only have three days, I'd probably skip the big famous attractions, which are always very crowded, and just relax and enjoy yourselves. There are lots of hidden gems in the city. What sorts of things interest you?(Art, ancient history, musica, etc.?) Maybe a cooking class or a wine tasting would be fun?

denisea

Head to Campo dei Fiori for pizza from Forno and also Roscioli.
Glass was also a favorite for us, as well as, La Gensola.

I will say that if you want to see the Vatican museums, Walks of Italy's tour is really great. We also used them for the Colisseum to visit the underground area and the very top tier. Their tours are with about 10 people and we really enjoyed both of them. One important feature is skipping ticket lines, since your visit is short, you might want to do one for sites that you are very interested in.

Don't miss Borghese Gallery. Those tickets are timed and you can only stay 2 hours. Beautiful Bernini sculpture and reserving online will help you avoid waiting in line, so you get the most out of your trip.

Blueeyedcod

Just a comment on denisea's post above - you can't wait in line at the Borghese Gallery as tickets are all pre-sold and you must purchase in advance with a timeslot allocated. If Renaissance art interests you then by all means, go otherwise give it a miss. There is no such thing as a 'must see' IMHO.

http://www.tosc.it/tickets.htm?affil...78&language=en

There are many museums and art galleries in Rome - not just the well known ones. I love the Galleria Doria Pamphilj which is right beside Piazza Venezia. It comes with an audio guide narrated by the family who owns the palace and is one of the most engaging audio guides I've ever used.

http://www.doriapamphilj.it/roma/en/

If you'd like a look at the oldest museum in Italy then visit the Capitoline which has unimaginable treasures and a great rooftop cafe with superb views.

http://en.museicapitolini.org/

Have a wonderful time.

Roscioli - mentioned by denisea above - is hugely popular with international tourists. It is hideously expensive and somewhat snooty. You can get great Roman food without having to pay through the nose for it. Da Tonino is near Piazza Navona - cheap and full of locals.

https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Resta...ome_Lazio.html

You don't have a lot of time so maybe just one museum and the rest - a self guided walking tour. Take a small guide book like 'Rome Top Ten' by DK Eyewitness - they are compact and really helpful.

karynr

Thank you all so much for your advice! I have a reservation at Rasciola, but now may cancel if it overpriced and snooty!
Love art & history and feel that I can't miss the Sistine Chapel and Colosseum....

Blueeyedcod

If you want to visit the Sistine Chapel, to maximise your time I would suggest a tour like Walks of Italy's 'Pristine Sistine' - it's a very early start and quite expensive but you'll be in the Chapel before the museums open to the public.

https://www.walksofitaly.com/vatican...ne-chapel-tour

The Colosseum is a ridiculous wait no matter what you do. A skip the line ticket doesn't make for faster entry as you still have to go through security screening which can mean an hour's wait in the hot sun. They limit numbers so once 3000 people are inside, you have to wait as well. Personally, I find it more spectacular from the outside, particularly if you grab a spot at one of the little cafes up the hill behind the metro station. The restoration works have removed the soot and grime from the outside and it is looking spectacular.

kybourbon

>>>you can't wait in line at the Borghese Gallery as tickets are all pre-sold and you must purchase in advance with a timeslot allocated.<<<

I've bought walk-up tickets before. It's a gamble though of whether any are available, but not impossible. I've also used a Roma Pass walk-up. YMMV.

Blueeyedcod

It's a bit out of the way for a 'gamble' - a huge waste of time if nothing is available when it's simple enough to book a timeslot online. You are required to phone ahead with a Roma Pass. I think you just got lucky.

What on earth is 'YMMV' - these jokey abbreviations are confusing to anyone whose first language is not English. My pet hate is the DD, DH, DS ad nauseum.

jubilada

Your mileage may vary.
I'm American and I have to google these things all the time .

denisea

<"Roscioli - mentioned by denisea above - is hugely popular with international tourists. It is hideously expensive and somewhat snooty. You can get great Roman food without having to pay through the nose for it. Da Tonino is near Piazza Navona - cheap and full of locals.">

Not the restaurant Roscioli, the bakery where they serve pizza. The pizza pomodoro is loaded with fresh cherry tomatoes and so good. Not expensive or snooty. To clarify, Antico Forno Roscioli. VIA DEI CHIAVARI 3

And, I do know that you reserve tickets online wait at Borghese Gallery, which is why I suggested it so you don't have to wait in line.

We did the Walks of Italy Pristine Sistine with Stuart, who will walk you all the way through the museums to see the Sistine Chapel when it is virtually empty, Then he takes some shortcuts back to the front of the museum to guide you through it and you will finish in a much more crowded Sistine chapel. Sometimes the extra expense is worth it if it is something you really want to do. We were glad we went on that tour.

The same goes for the Walks of Italy Colosseum tour. No waiting in line at all with that tour and the info was very interesting to us, especially about the underground part of the Colosseum. It was quite an experience to us to walk out on the arena floor of the Colosseum.

What works for one might not work for others, which is the great thing about getting suggestions from others.... take the suggestions that resonate with you. Have a wonderful time in Rome.

Janetd5

I was in Rome in May, and a friend and I went on the Eating Italy tour 'Twilight Trastevere Food Tour.' The group size is small - about 10-11 people, great fun, delicious small portions at 7 or 8 stops with wine. Go hungry! Also, a great museum near the Pza Navona is the Museum Altemps - Roman statues in an elaborate 15thC palazzo with original frescos and ceilings. Around the corner towards the river is the Napoleonic Museum (free!). Both highly recommended, and off most tourist's radar, so no lines. And to see Bernini sculpture, take a walk around the historic area looking for his fountains - in the center of Pza Navona, the Turtle Fountain near the Jewish Ghetto, the 'useless boat' by the Spanish Steps, elephant with obelisk by the Pantheon, etc. Great way to wander the historic area, and not spend time (with only three days) in lines! Enjoy your time in Rome, my favorite destination.

Janetd5

Yikes, I forgot to list the most famous Bernini fountain ... the Trevi Fountain! I'm sure there are more, but you get the idea!

karynr

Thanks all -Just booked a scooter tour for day 1 to get overview of the city & Pristine Sistine with Walks of Italy...

Flame123

Recently returned from a quick 4 day trip to Roma. All the suggestions above are excellent, although no one has asked whether this is your first, second, or 20th time in Rome. That makes a difference in what your replies should be. In any case, I just want to say that we did eat in the Roscioli restaurant at Via Gubbonari and it was THE BEST food experience I have ever had in Rome. There was NO snootiness whatsoever and yes it was crazy expensive but it was a special occasion and worth every single penny. We took a Walks of Italy tour of the Colosseum which was excellent and also worth the expense. And I hope you have a marvelous time!! Make sure your accommodations have a/c it is brutally hot and humid in the summer months !!

karynr

Thanks Flame123... 1st trip to Rome! Apartment rented has a/c. Just hope it's working!

johnnyomalley

I also have had a couple of great meals at Roscoli's. IME - Stick to the appetizers, pastas and the desserts.

In piazza Caroili - Roscoli's has opened a bar/cafe. Very good coffee and pastries/snacks up front and at the back is appetivo and snacks

Lamorna

If you love art and history, definitely Borghese and you can combine the gallery with a lovely walk in the park before dropping down the winding steps from the park into Piazza del Popolo or Piazza di Spagna.

Terme di Caracalla, towering, vast ruins of an ancient bath-house complex are just as stunning as Colloseum but less crowded and commercial.

A trip across the Tiber to Trastevere district, a lovely (if busy) medieval district of Rome, or wandering about the streets of the Trinent, my favourite is Via del Baubino. Campo de Fiori in the morning for the market, pay a visit to Roscioli.

J x