willowjane

sorry to ask a stupid question. I just googled it.

Rostra

<<For instant access to credit card and passport info I keep a photocopied sheet with all of it in a pocket I pin under my clothes. Both sides of the cc's so I have the bank phone numbers.>>

I have to get myself into the 21 Century <smile>.

I didn't realize that they had an International phone # on the back of the cards also.

Is that something that has always been there or recent in the last decade of so?

My 'Ingenius Master Plan' was hatched because I thought in the mid-90's there was only a US-only 1-800 # on the cards?


MmePerdu, Yours is now my new method and I can finally dump Joe plus he sold his boat last year and I have to upgrade anyway <smile>.

<<You have to walk the last couple of blocks as the buses don't run on Via Salaria.>>

Well kybourbon I guess that explains why I couldn't find a bus stop sign on that street after I left the Catacombs <smile>.

I ended-up walking 90deg away from the street thru a nice residential neighborhood until I found a bus back to Termini.

JJ127

I had to get Euros from the ATM at FCO last year to pay for my apartment and one transaction was not enough. So I simply stood at the same machine and made 3 transactions. I don't know if this will work at every machine (plus, you have to have a higher daily limit set with your bank), but I had no problems at all. I noticed other people doing the same thing.

Cindywho

Thank you for such good information! I still have one question-doI have to reserve a tour with a Roma pass for the Colosseum, or do we just show up and join one? We plan to do the tour offered by the Colosseum and not a third part company.

ParisAmsterdam

>>>
So I simply stood at the same machine and made 3 transactions.
<<<

This has worked for me in both Greece and France. But be sure to notify your bank in advance. I also increase my daily limit on my card in case I need extra cash.

I can do all this with a teller at my branch. They enter the info
right there with their terminal. So I know it's done.

kybourbon

You would still need to reserve the tour(s), especially if you want the one that includes underground and third level. Pierreci was/is the official booking for the Colosseum, but now rolls over to Coopculture. You did have to call Pierreci to book the underground tour with the Roma Pass. That may still be the case(for booking it rolls over to Omnitcket/ticketclic)although it appears you might be able to book the underground tour online if you scroll down to guided tour, select collect ticket onsite, pick a date, select the underground tour and then choose the free/gratis tour (when you select it, you will see it's not free, but 10.50€ each). I would search and make sure this is accurate first because the entire website has changed.
http://www.ticketclic.it/Gb/HTML/musei/colosseo.cfm

Another example. Select your date, select confirm, select underground tour at the time of day you want (don't select guided tour as that is the regular Colosseum tour, not the underground tour). On the next screen, enter the number of people under gratis/free and click confirm.
http://www.ticketclic.it/database/B2...?SiteDefId=171

Cindywho

Thank you Kybourbon! That is just what I wanted to know.

I can"t imagine people who don't have the benefit of knowing all of these things before going.

I am lucky!

Rostra

Do you still want to do the Colosseum on your arrival day?

If so, what time do you anticipate arriving at the Colosseum?

Do you also plan on visiting the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill on that same day?

I ask because if not and although the Pass will still be valid for a later visit to the Forum and Palatine and not count as another site, Do you really want to validate and make your arrival day Day 1 of 3?

Also I would follow kybourbon's advice and book the underground and 3rd level tour.
This is a fairly recent (~2yrs?) opening and a great opportunity to visit these normally closed-off areas.

But if you book it on your arrival day and some unexpected event delays you, you would lose that chance and 42e (I assume there are no refunds if missed?).

Myself I would book it for Day 2 or later and combine it with the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.

I would keep the outside visits walking distance from the apartment (Campo de Fiori, Largo Argentina ruins & cat santuary, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, etc).

Just some thoughts?

shaizme

I went in October. Went to Colosseum in the morning when it first opened. There was already a line if you needed to purchase tickets. Separate line for Roma Pass holders had no one waiting. We walked right in and were the first ones inside. Great pictures to get right away with no one else inside.