Does anyone have any suggestions for what to do in Rome on Dec. 25 if one is not interested in Christmas related activities?
We will be in Pompeii on Dec. 24 so we'll use our Christmas Eve travelling back to Rome. Then on Dec. 25 I have a feeling we'll need to rest for a while. But what then? Are any restaurants open? Does anyone know one?

Christmas Eve is the big night in Rome. You won't have a hard time finding open restaurants etc. If I remember, shopping was limited. I would recommend the Papal blessing on Christmas day. Even if you aren't religous it is a thing to behold. It starts at 12:00p. so you can sleep in. You may find a hard time getting reservations on Cr. Eve so plan ahead. We ended getting wine, bread cheese and meats for dinner.

I second the Papal blessing in St. Peter's Square. The feeling of history in the making is palpable.

==Mike

HI--I am sure both of the above posters meant well, but when someone says they are not interested in Christmas activities, suggesting an event w/such a strong religious overtone seems rather insensitive.

I understand from researching for my own trip that December 26, St. Stephen's Day is also a major holiday in Italy and a number of venues are closed that day too.

A point of fact: My brother has attended the papal blessing titled "urbi et orbi," or The City and the World. He described it as a message in Italian with a much shorter message in two or three languages. If you want to see the pope without spending several hours at Midnight Mass or even a Papal Audience, this is it. I do not think it was insensitive by the other posters to mention it.

But to answer your question Sussa, it is my understanding that some of the ruins are simply open to the public and do not require an entrance fee. I read that the Roman Forum does not require a ticket and is open "daily," the same is true of Trajan's Column and Forum. But Trajan's Market and the Palatine require a paid ticket, so I suspect they may be closed. Perhaps other posters could confirm this.

Also, if Mass is not going on at the moment, the churches would all be open that day for viewing. I don't know hours but the Pantheon is technically a church, so maybe it is open. Normally it is closed Sunday afternoons, so I suspect that would stay the same.

For that matter, the main Mass at St. Peter's is Christmas Eve, perhaps you could tour it. The elevator to the roof might be closed.

The Jewish Museum and synagogue should be open normal hours, as would be restaurants in that quarter.

I read that the Sunday Porta Portese flea market in Trastevere is open every Sunday even if Christmas falls on a Sunday. I presume that is still true, but check first....

Closer to my trip, I'll check http://www.whatsoninrome.com for details. However, I also appreciate any tips on Christmas time closures from other posters!

Last Christmas Day (2004), Ristorante La Pilotta, Via di Porta Cavalleggeri, 35 - Tel. (+0039 6/63.26.43)was open for an early dinner (perhaps around 5, but you should call about the closing time). We had a very expensive pranzo at the Fourstars Hotel Michelangelo around the corner on Via Statione di San Pietro; it was fancy and pretty good too. Both of these restaurants are in the very shadow of St. Peter's, to your left as you face the basilica. La Pilotta is not fancy, but the food is good and inexpensive. Does anyone know if Da Lucia in Trastevere stays open on Christmas? It sounds very good. I'm not getting into the debate about whether religion has become unmentionable, but we plan on being at the Urbi et Orbi. Last year there were greetings in about 60 languages, not one or two. It was a grand and very moving occasion.

So is the Urbi et Orbi at noon? About how long does it last?

Even though you might not be Christian, or a particularly devoted one, I suggest you attend at least some of the major Christian activities in Rome on Christmas. After all, it is part of experiencing a country's cultural and spiritual heritage. And this is what travel is all about, isn't it?
As for the restaurant, those near the Ghetto are not the only ones likely to be open, so if as I understand you will be spending sometime in Rome before going to Pompei, I suggest if you see a restaurant you might like, just ask - they might be open too!

In my experience of visiting Italy at Christmas, there are restaurants open on Christmas Day, especially in the evening. Places are most likely to be closed on the evening of the 24th. I was in Napoli once then, and nearly everything closed that evening including bars, restaurants, local buses, trams and the Circumvesuviana railway. Main line trains run much as on a normal Sunday.

Do we need tickets for servies for Christmas services and if so how do we go about getting them. A friend and I will be spending holiday there for both Christmas and New Years and want to go to services. Any other suggestions to for a tight bugdet... we are college students... and this is our first holiday away from family!!!