nickitapalmer78

My 18 year old son and I will be flying to Rome, Italy This March 2017. I have only flown once and this will be our first time going to Europe. I wasn't planning on going until the Fall of 2017 but circumstance arose and we will need to go in two months! I just found out today so I obviously haven't got plane tickets, a hotel, or anything! Our main reason for the trip is to see the usual sights, the collosseum etc. we just want to explore and eat lol. We r a little flexible on dates but it has to fall between March 16-25th. I need all the advice I can get on booking last minute flights to get the best rate, what hotels to avoid, which ones are most convenient for sightseeing, which airport in Rome we should fly in to, how to go about getting tickets for the sights that cost money, etc etc. Literally I need all the help I can get! I am freaking out, a little nervous about this, but excited too and I don't want to stress myself out so bad that I talk myself out of going. Thanks for any info!

michelhuebeli

Start with http://matrix.itasoftware.com, get to know the website, and input your "to" and "from" and dates (are you flexible? Then use the +/-1 one or +/-2 days feature) and see what comes up.

This website does not sell. It shows what its computers know about, so you are under no pressure or obligation.

The international airport in Rome is abbreviated FCO (called Leonardo da Vinci Airport Fiumicino). Another airport near Rome, Ciampino, won't be of interest to you (no flights from the US - assuming that this is where you are?).

Realize the time difference from your home to Rome. You will invariably arrive in Rome a calendar day after you leave home, meaning you spend a very much shortened night in the air.

Time telescopes when you fly East, and you will certainly have a lack of sleep and therefore a bit of wooziness on arrival.

So make sure that once you have booked everything, you have it all written down, and handy, because you can't trust your memory when you're tired - you know that from home, don't you? No different when you're traveling.

Then again, you may be a natural for sleeping on planes, some people are. Others have to first learn how to do that, and a few people never manage it.

Do you have a good guidebook on Rome yet, or better three? Go see what your local library has, and study the lay of the land, what is where, and make a list of the sights that you both want to see absolutely, which you might squeeze in if there is time and energy, and also what day trips from Rome you might want to make.

Once you see flights that seem to be right in all respects - times, connections (allowing enough time in a connecting airport to walk to different terminals etc.), and - of course - price, go to the airline's own website and make your booking with the airline.

If you tell us which your home airport is we may be able to make suggestions. Just come back here and add a new post to the end of this thread.

michelhuebeli

Oh - silly question so forgive me, but are both your passports in order?

marvelousmouse

Of the tourist sights- Borghese Gallery- you definitely need to schedule tickets for that, if you want to see it. For the Vatican, I took a skip the line early tour, and I really recommend spending the money because the lines are mind boggling for the museum and the basilica. Favorite museum was capitolini museum. Definitely go there- it's all about Rome's history and architecture.

Street food is awesome in Rome. Not exactly street food by our standards, just holes in the wall places. Every neighborhood has those. I ate at sit down restaurants as well, but appreciated the street food just as much if not more.

If you do want sit down restaurants, you really need to reserve a table. Romans are enthusiastic about eating out, and they eat fairly late, and the restaurants are usually small. So unless you want to eat at the touristy places, come prepared with a reservation for your first night and a list, so you can make the rounds the next day or have your hotel call all the places for you. Wish I would have done that- it would have removed a lot of stress!

If you want to take taxis, read up on set prices. Drivers commonly scam people.

I stayed in a hostel so can't help with specific hotels. However- stay as close to the forums area as possible, preferably. 2 reasons- 1. Rome transit isn't great, and you want a central location to walk around. 2- the forums, Trevor fountain, etc. are neat in the daylight but awesome when lit up at night.

If you have any interest in archaeology, take a tour from context tours. Rome is a city of multiple layers, and I got a lot more out my visit because of tours with Context. Got to see stuff that I would have known was there.

I'd buy your plane ticket NOW. Can't really help you on airlines because I don't know your home airport. I got a cheap ticket through Iceland air- don't know if they fly to Rome- but they offer a stopover in Iceland which was a lot of fun.

Wouldn't plan much for first two days- if you're not on the east coast, the jet lag is brutal. I can do a few hours time difference, but 8-9 was not fun. I ws zombified for about 3 days.

Have fun!!

nickitapalmer78

Yes we have our passports already I have a few options on airport to depart from, the two major ones being DFW Dallas, tx or Little Rock Arkansas.

nickitapalmer78

Also, cash? Credit card? Will things be in American dollars? Or Euros? I know I am forgetting to ask tons of questions, so any tips or need to know things are appreciated.

marvelousmouse

Rome will take visa practically everywhere. Only place I needed cash was small museums. And sometimes street vendors or small food purchases. Everything is in euros, of course. And I didn't see it in Rome but if they offer it to in dollars ask for euros. If it's in dollars it's dynamic conversion and basically a scam. They're not doing t for your benefit!

The really big thing is the restaurant reservations. And it helps to know a few words in Italian, like hello, thank you. They appreciate the attempt and it's less disorienting if you at least understand how things are pronounced.


Public toilets are pretty much nonexistent in Rome, so if you find one, use it.

Water is really good- to drink, there are these little black faucets all over. Plug up the "downspout" and water comes out of the top hole like a drinking fountain.

Ice is pretty much nonexistent. If smoothie is on the menu, it's blended fruit, like pulpy juice. Odd. On the plus side you can pretty much live off gelato if you're inclined to do so.

The lowest I saw in my air app was Dallas to Rome, 800-900. After that average seems to be about 1200.

Buy a Rick Steves guide book. I think it would help you. He has really good basic information. I think I'm going to look at one when I get home, in fact, to see if there is any "Rome transit for dummies" stuff.

DaveJJ

Most overseas flight arrive early the following morning. Unless you are able to sleep on the plane you will obviously be tired. Do NOT take a nap when you arrive at your hotel no matter how tempting. It will only compound jet lag. My wife and I always take melotonin when going to Europe. We start taking it at 2:00 pm 2 days before we leave Canada. We continue taking it when we arrive. You take it at the 2:00 pm equivalent...so 7:00 pm Rome time. Normally after 2days in Rome we have pretty much overcome jet lag. Melotonin can be purchased over the counter.

Quite a few countries require your passport to be valid at least 6 months beyond your travel dates. Double check your passport.

There are a number of ways to transfer from the FCO airport to your hotel. We always book a driver for the transfer. This has served us well. The driver has always been there with a sign indicating your name.

Hotels....we always try to stay just behind the Castel Sant'Angelo. We have stayed at the NH Guistianio, the Hotel Cicerone and the Hotel Metropolis. The first 2 often have tour groups staying there. This can present a problem if everyone is trying to eat and get going by 8:00.

From this location it is quite easy to walk to a number of optimal sites.

The Castel Sant'Angelo is 5-10 minutes away. If you have the time pay to go in.
The view from the roof is fantastic.

From here you can cross the Bridge of Saints and take a little side street to Piazza Navona. Great place for lunch while watching the crowds,

A little zigzag and you are at the Pantheon. Wonderful. Don't forget to look up at the oculus. Down the left side of the Pantheon is a small church. In the plaza out front is an obolisk mounted on the back of an elephant. Makes for an interesting picture.

Rather then crossing over from the Castel you could wonder up to St. Peter's Square and the Vatican. However if you are going to take a guided tour here and the Sistine Chapel then you may want to skip.

Definitely arrange for a guided tour. Skipping the line is a bonus. We have arrange such tours with Viatour. Same goes for the Forum and the Coloseum. Our tour here included a very informative walk through the Forum, up on to Palantine Hill and then to the Coloseum. At the Coloseum we toured the underground spaces and the 3rd tier.

From here it is easy to go up to the Capitoline Museum....very worthwhile.

If not then walk along Trajans Market towards Trajans Column. Behind the Column is. The Domus Romane....a Roman Villa....only opened to the public in recent years. You must get advance tickets. They only permit 12 people per tour. The English tours are in the afternoon. I believe I got our tickets on the website.

Another interesting venture starts from the Piazza de Popolo.....a short distance from the aforementioned hotels. Cross through the Piazza and take via Corsa which will lead you the Monument to Vittorio Emanuelle (basically your look towards the Forum, Coloseum, etc. However along the way you can sidestep to visit the Arca Paris (Peace Altar) and Augustine's .Mausolem. You will pass Hadrians Column.

We have also explored the via Veneto area. The Capuchin Crypt is amazing and disturbing. The Piazza Barberini and the Quatro Fontana (Four Fountains are all nearby.

Now if your in to churches there are many many. The 4 High churches are St. Peter's Bascilica (High church of Catholicism), St. John Latern (seat of the Bishop of Rome, the Pope)' St Peters in Chains and St Paul Outside the Wall.

If you go to St John be sure to venture over to the Sacred Stairs believed to be the stairs Christ climbed for his sentencing.

If you go to St Peters in Chains take the time to venture over to the Bascilica de St Clemente. You can descend through centuries of various churches built upon the same site.

We will be returning to Rome next Fall. So far we plan to see the Crypta Barbi and spend more time exploring around the Campo di Fiori. We'll also head out to Trivoli and spend 2-3 days exploring Ostica Antica ( a site just below the airport, supposed to be as grand as Pompeii).

bvlenci

Dave has given you a lot of helpful information, but I just want to correct a few things.

There's no need to take a tour to skip the lines at the Vatican Museums or the Colosseum. You can skip the ticket line at the Vatican Museums by simply buying your ticket online at mv.vatican.va . There will almost always be enormous crowds inside on the route that leads to the Sistine Chapel. There are several possible ways to visit with less crowding.

First, in March, you might find the Vatican Museums relatively uncrowded on a midweek afternoon. 3 PM on any weekday except Monday is the best time. If you go earlier, I would suggest first visiting the wonderful Egyptian and Etruscan collections, which are hardly ever crowded, and then getting on the overly-beaten path to the Sistine Chapel near closing time.

The second way to beat the worst of the crowds is to get an early entrance. This can be done either by taking a tour or by getting the early entrance with breakfast offered on the Vatican web site. This includes an audio tour. If you do this, head to the Sistine Chapel at the first possible chance, even if you have to cut out early on the breakfast (which is supposed to be mediocre, although I have no personal experience.) You will have a very short time at the Sistine Chapel before the hordes descend.

The third way to avoid crowds isn't available in March. In the warmer months, except for August, the Vatican Musuems usually have a Friday night opening. It hasn't been announced yet for 2017, but probably will be offered.

The ticket line at the Colosseum can be skipped by buying your tickets online at http://www.coopculture.it/en/colosseo-e-shop.cfm . Another way to skip the ticket line is to buy the tickets at the Palatine Hill entrance, on Via di San Gregorio; or at the Roman Forum entrance, on Via dei Fori Imperiali. Tickets can also be bought at the Museum of the Baths of Diocletian, part of the National Museum of Rome, near Termini station. <b> However </b>, even if you have tickets, you could still have a long wait to get into the Colosseum. Only 3000 people are allowed inside at one time, and there are often more people than that trying to get in. You can reduce your chances of a long wait by arriving about half an hour before it opens, or by going in the late afternoon. No guarantees, though!

Another thing I wanted to correct is that St. Peter in Chains (San Pietro in Vincoli) isn't one of the four major (papal) basilicas. The fourth one is Santa Maria Maggiore.

Crypta Balbi (not Barbi) is another part of the National Roman Museum, along with the Museum of the Baths of Diocletian, and with Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, and Palazzo Altemps. The one ticket gives you entrance to all four museums, over a period of three consecutive days. It's one of the great bargains of Rome. My favorite is Palazzo Massimo, also near Termini station. It has one of the world's greatest collections of ancient Roman art and artifacts.

michelhuebeli

About fares: I see no nonstop flights from DFW to FCO, at any fare.

I see a Delta flight #1710, leaving DFW on 3/16 at 12:15PM, arr. Atlanta at 2:34, Then Delta flight 64 lvg Atl at 6:10PM going nonstop to FCO, arr. 8:45AM. Roundtrip for $836 - pretty darn good! Anything under $1,000 roundtrip to Europe at fairly short notice is good these days. I’d hurry and book that if I were you.

About money: Have a decent balance in your checking (not savings) account and - if not already - get a debit card linked to that checking account. In Italy there are ATMs (called, mostly, bancomat) all over the place.

You will withdraw Euros just like you withdraw dollars back home. The banks will deal with the exchange rate,it will show up on your statement, and the banks behind the scenes use better rates than any walk-up exchange counters give you.

Best to use those ATMs in the lobby of a bank or hotel; your son turns his back on you while you operate the machine so he can scan the vicinity just in case somebody has funny ideas (not trying to scare you).

Don’t take out small amounts of Euros all the time, that might make the small ATM transaction fees add up - take a good chunk at a time, keep it in a safe place, away from well-trained fingers that get into places where you don’t even know they’ve been until something is missing.

Again, not to scare you, but wise up to the need for precaution - read, for example, https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-ti...ng-pickpockets. Stuff happens, but not if you and your son get your act together.

topeater

Check out Walks of Italy and see their tours in Rome. On our first trip to Rome, we only had 4 days and there is so much to see! We booked them for 3 tours (and normally we just figure things out for ourselves, but there's just too much history in Rome) which got us a discount.

Their Sistine Chapel tour is incredible. Not only do you get to skip the lines, you get to enter before the Chapel is open! Your tour is limited at 10 people, so you can imagine how wonderful it is to be in the SC with just a few other people. They use headphones for each person, so you can linger at different spots and still hear the commentary.

Yes, everything is in Euros. I always go by our bank here in the US and get about $300.00 of Euros before leaving so that when I get to Europe, I have money available without having to find an ATM when I'm sluggish from jet lag.

As far as flying, I always take something on the plane to help me sleep, otherwise, I wouldn't sleep at all! I also wear my sunglasses to cut down on lights stimulating my brain to slow down. Be sure and drink plenty of water on the trip.

michelhuebeli

I might add that you don't need to pay cash for everything, credit cards are the norm, except for small trifles. Also there is no tipping - no tipping - no tipping - it will take you a while to get used to it. Also no tax added - the price you see is the price you pay. How refreshing!

Before you leave home, call (or see if you can do it online) the card-issuers and tell them when and where you're going so they won't deny your transactions as "suspicious overseas blah-blah".

Brenkjtravel

We bought the Roma pass and felt it to be worthwhile. The pass also helps with lines, as the lines for pass holders are shorter. We booked our Vatican tickets ahead of time and had about a 10 min wait, not bad.

We mostly just ate on a whim because seeing the sites was more important to us than planning our schedules around reservations. Found pretty good food with minimal wait times. One place that we stumbled upon that was fun, was directly across from the Colosseum. If the Forum is South?? (help me out people) I think if it is, then this place was across the street west. We were hungry after seeing the sites and there were the people out on the street trying to lure tourists in. We figured the food would be sub par for this reason, (kind of like most of the places in Times Square you know) but we were pretty hungry. It ended up to being one of the best meals we had in Rome. There was a lower inside portion, and then a rooftop portion with a view of the Colosseum. That was a cool experience.

We stayed here http://exedra-roma.boscolohotels.com
and felt it was a great location, in walking distance to the train station. When you come in from the airport no taxi needed, and there is a subway station right out in front. It was also within walking distance to many of the sites.

I would highly recommend downloading the Rick Steve's Free audio tours that are available for many of these sites. The ones of the Sistine Chapel as well as the Colosseum were really great to have while visiting the sites! You can download which ever guides to the sites you might visit ahead of time, then just use them at your leisure.

Sometimes booking a package on a site like Expedia that is flight and hotel will give you a break in price. There is an option when doing this on Expedia's site to mark the box that says "I do not need hotel for entire stay". We did this and were able to befit from the package discount on flights, but were still able to take some time staying away from the city. You are in for a real treat, Rome is amazing!

DaveJJ

Bvlenci is quite correct...it should have been Santa Marie Maggiori.

If you go to St. Peter's Bascilica on your own take the time to go down to the Grottoes where some of Europe's nobility and many Popes are buried. You could also consider the Scavi tour underground.

dwdvagamundo

Lots of good advice. I'll just add a few thoughts:

1. See if the bank that issued your ATM card has a correspondent bank in Italy. If so, use its ATMs to withdraw Euro. Take out as many as you can, as the fee is based on the transaction, not on the amount. You can always spend Euro in lieu of using your credit card if you have withdrawn too many.

2. At that time of the year, I'd try to stay near the Piazza Navona or thereabouts rather than near Castel St. Angelo. Although there is public transportation, I think you're better off being near the places you are going to want to see. Start with Tripadvisor.com to see what hotels are near where you want to be. I'd narrow it down to "City Center" and then see what's available for your dates with the amenities you want. I generally book with Booking.com, however, as their rates are good.

3. For restaurants, we generally just walk around until we see one we like in terms of menu and price. We usually eat a big breakfast at the hotel and then a late lunch. That usually means we can just walk in around 2 or so, when the lunch crowd has finished. If there are specific places you want to eat, then make a reservation, but food in Rome is expensive, so the high end restaurants are out of our price range. If you do see a restaurant you want to dine in, drop in at lunchtime and make the reservation in person.