evcass

Hi All,

We had planned to go a couple of years ago and it fell through and I'm making another attempt for next summer. At this time it appears it will only be myself and my daughter, who will be 14 during the proposed dates. We live on the east coast of the U.S. so there will be some jet lag.

I plan to book a 6/1-6/8 W. Mediterranean cruise, but fly into Rome early to see the sites. I've read we should schedule some recovery for the time change, and then see what we can before our cruise departs. Assuming we fly back the same day the cruise ends, the earliest my work schedule would allow me to leave would be 5/24.

I've read other articles that it doesn't take more than a day or two to see Rome. So I'm wondering what else may be practical during that time window. I had thoughts of day trips from Rome to other areas of Italy via train, or perhaps stopping in London or Paris for a couple of days and then flying on to Rome. The only cruise other cruise port we would stop at in Italy would be Genoa.

Or perhaps that would be too hectic for us. The last time I looked at lodging in London or Paris I couldn't find anything reasonable for the short time we'd be in the area.

Any suggestions are appreciated!

Thanks,

Jim

caldarroste

How long it takes to see Rome depends on what you and your daughter want to see there and how you want to see it. There are tour coaches that "show" people the famous sights -- St Peter's, the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, the famed piazze (there must be 30 famous sights in Rome) in a single day. If you would like to go inside any of these places, then obviously you need more than a day.

It is really hard to give it advice without knowing what interests you and your daugther, and how much of a "vacation" you need. Whose idea was it to go before, and has your daughter said anything about what she'd like to do?

You and your daughter don't have to see the things other people see if you'd enjoy doing other things more. Rome is a fantastically diverse city -- you can bike ride down the ancient Appian Way, you can take a pasta-making class together, you can go to catacombs or you can go to flea markets. What do the two of you want to get out this postponed trip?

Surfergirl

Wow I can't imagine what articles would state with any factual basis that it would only take a day or two to "see" Rome, but I guess if that means just see, and not actually visit, you can do a fly-over in a heliocopter!

When I was just 14, I could probably tell you everything that I would want to see just from the books I'd read and the movies I'd seen that would take maybe a week! I had read the Agony & the Ecstasy, a popular novel at the time by Irving Stone; had seen Roman Holiday with Audrey Hepburn and 3 Coins in the Fountain, and read a couple of Frederick Kohner novels that took place in Rome.

So . . . at the top of my list of things to see back then (and remained so until I actually went there) were:
1. St. Peter's Cathedral and the Vatican, along with the Sistine Chapel -- everything Michelangelo!

2. The Colosseum

3. The Mouth of Truth

3. The Roman Forum

4. Spanish Steps

5. Trevi Fountain

6. Pantheon

Of course, my world at 14 was a lot less than my world at 21 or 40 or even now, but even with my list at 14, above, I can't imagine visiting those sights taking less than 2 days, even without jet lag, without eating, or sleeping.

denisea

Having just returned from Rome a week ago, you can't really see Rome ina day or two. We ere there for 9 nights and still didn't see everything.

There are many worthwhile sites and the art and history in Rome is massive:

St Peters and the Vatican Museums (sistine Chapel and Raphael Rooms)
The Colsieum and the Forum
Trevi Fountain
Spanish Steps
The Fountain of the Four Rivers/piazza Navona
Borghese Gallery
Castel sant' Angelo
Appian Way
A myriad of churces that are breathtaking

You could see a few sites in 2 days but it would be a sprint through a city that deserves more time.

caldarroste

I can understand that everybody here want to go to Rome for weeks at a time, but this OP is taking his daughter, possibly for six days before the cruise leaves. Maybe she's got a long list of things she'd like to see in London that she read about in Harry Potter books, or in Paris that she read about in magazines.

Maybe the OP needs a vacation and wants his daughter to have fun. Maybe she wants to see things in Rome like Castel Sant'Angelo. I think it is incredibly boring, and a myriad of churches might be too much. I knew a young girl who returned from Rome and all she talked about was the cat sanctuary. And the blisters she got from so much walking.

Anyway, I too would wonder if six days in Rome was more than enough with a 14 year old in tow and if maybe fitting in something else would be fun.

Venice? How about flying into Venice and sailing out of Rome?

nytraveler

First - before booking a return flight on the day your cruise arrive in port - do you really have time to do this? You need to arrive at the airport 3 hours before flight time - so you should be off the ship (not pulling into port - but disembarked) by at least 4 hours before your flight is scheduled. And disembarking can take several hours - based on how large th eship is and how efficient the crew.

As for Rome - for a first trip you need at minimum of 3 full days (4 nights) to see anything. I would think 4 or 5 days is better. You obviously haven;t done much research yet - or you would have seen how many must sees there are in Rome.

As for a 14 year old not being interested - our tween/teen daughters loved Rome as much as London and Paris. You know your own daughter best - but presumably she has had at least the basics of world history - and may well already have an interest in Rome. And I would definitely get her involved in the planning - so she knows what SHE wants to see.

If you want to do something else I would consider a couple of days in Florence but it really depends on what the stops on the cruise are - and what interests both of you have.

Jean

Where does the cruise end?

jscarbary

We had our 18 year old son with us in Rome. He had a great time. We were in the city for 7 days and missed a ton of things. The way that we like to travel though is rather relaxed. We saw a couple of the "big" sites each day and then just enjoyed the walks to each location, we sat and enjoyed long lunches and dinners and then gelato during our passegiattas.

indy_dad

Perhaps some ideas and tips here:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...log-photos.cfm

kybourbon

>>>I've read other articles that it doesn't take more than a day or two to see Rome. <<<

I think a lot of articles associated with cruising assume cities can be seen in just a few hours (port stops are not long at all). I spend a few days (usually 3-5) in Rome every time I go to Italy and have still only scratched the surface.

If you get bored, take a early morning train to Orvieto (about 1 hour)and spend a day. Florence is also an easy train trip (90 minutes).