We will arrive on March 9th, Ash Wed, in Rome by plane. We have tickets to the Scavi tour at the St. Peter's at 3:30 that afternoon. Should we go to Ostia Antica before heading in to town? What could we do with our luggage during our visit? What will the crowds be like at the Vatican that day? I would like to spend one day with a private or semi private guide to help us maximize our time. We will be there for 3 days. I'm thinking we'll save Friday for a cooking class. Travel by train to Florence on Saturday. What do we need to be sure and do on Sat. afternoon & Sunday, since some sites are closed on Monday? Travel by train to Venice on Tuesday. I'm most worried about getting around in Rome. Do you agree this is the most complicated town in terms of transportation? This is my second trip to Italy, but my husband's first. We want to see the major sites, but also not get wrapped up into all things touristy. Thoughts, suggestions? Tour guide companies to use or avoid?

Skip OA. With jet lag you will be lucky to be awake for the tour. Go to your hotel and checkin. If the room is not available the hotel will have a storage area for your luggage. Rome is always crowded. Don't know how much more it will be that day. Should reserve museum tickets in advance. Ask your Florence hotel to do that for you. Rome is very complicated to get around any more than any other major city. The metro is marginally useful so stick with the buses. We have used Angel Tours for Rome and City Walks arranged through the TI in Florence. Rome and Florence ara two huge tourist cities. Don't know how you are going to avoid touristy things 'cause that is what your are.

The concept of "seeing the major sights" in Rome is bizarre. If you wanted to see "the major sights" of Rome, i.e. the sights that are really world-class, you'd need perhaps two or three months of continuous and infatigable sightseeing. (No, I'm not kidding - I mean what I say.) So in an infinitesimal period like three days, you'll see just an infinitesimal fraction of Rome's major sights. Period.
Now it's up to you which ones to choose. And it's of course not only possible but actually easier than anything to spend three days in Rome with major sights only without seeing a single other tourist.
Ostia Antica is great, but having zilch time for Rome anyway, I, too, would skip it.

Stick with fmpden's advice. I would also buy my train tickets for the rest of your travel as soon as possible. It is a busy travel time for Italians-students come home and Italians swarm to the sights as well. There is a train station at the airport, btw.

Consider taking a tour-you won't have to schlep for tickets or stand in lines. 3 days is tight so I'd let others do the "heavy lifting" for you. Cooking class will be on Good Friday-be sure to book ahead.

For Florence, do check online for closing days. Easter Monday may have special hours and people may close up early on Saturday. Reserve ahead for David if possible. I loved the Bargello museum but you may have to choose between it and Uffizi (get reservations for that also). Many things are closed on Tuesdays so it will be a good day to travel. My hub and I were in Bellagio one Easter and were amazed at all of the folks walking about and the stores open for shopping.

Good travels!

hi madock,

you've had good advice above, if a little harsh! Sadly some of us do not have a lifetime to devote to Rome - which surely it warrants. so to make the most of YOUR time, I suggest the following:

Day 1 - arrive and dump luggage at hotel [where?] if jetlag is not too bad, go on a familiarisation walking tour, taking in campo die fiori, the pantheon, piazza navona, gradually working your way towards the Vatican city, which will be VERY crowded. you however are lucky, because with your Scavi tour reservation, you can just walk through the barrier manned by the Swiss guard to the left of the Basilica [as you look at it] - get there at least 15 mins to go to the loo ,etc, beforehand as there are none inside. [on the left, before you get to the post-office].

afterwards, you can go straight into St. Peters' and either tour the Basilica, and/or go up the Dome - half way up [at the top of the lift] you get a terrific view of the roofs of St. Peter's, plus the backs of the statues that overlook the piazza below - very interesting.

Day 2 - were you thinking of your private guide being of the forum and colosseum? -if so, good choice! I've twice now tried to make sense of the forum with the help of a guide book and failed miserably both times. the colosseum is easier to understand, but still a guide would be good. after lunch, you could see either the capitoline museums, or tour a few churches - there are some threads about this on this forum.

Day 3 - do you really want to spend a day in Rome cooking, when you only have 3 of them? so be it. alternatively, you might book a tour of the Borghese Gallery [must be booked in advance], then a walking tour of Trastevere to get a change of atmosphere, and/ or of the Ghetto. or go to my current favourite gallery - the doria pamphilji - with its walls crowded with art treasures, but its corridors more or less deserted.

Have a great trip !

I agree with Annhig. I think you might be sorry if you spend an entire day in Rome in a cooking class. There are so many things you could see that day that you will miss. Alternatively, you might try for a cooking class in Florence if closings affect your sightseeing schedule.

annhig and delaine are right. DON'T waste time in Rome on a cooking class!!

Strongly agree about cancelling your cooking class plans. We loved the Borghese Gallery...a highlight (get the audio guide) and also dining very inexpensively and deliciously in Trastevere.

Got some good advice regarding jet lag that has worked well for my wife and I (late fifties) don't eat on the plane, drink plenty of water though, sleep as long as you can, get off the plane, go the whole day until your normal bedtime (Italy time). Take a tylenol pm or something and you should awaken the next day, refreshed and ready to for you adventures.

Glad to hear you're taking the Scavi tour. Assuming that your arrival at Fumincino is in the AM, you'd be very pressured to stash your bags, see OA, get your bags, check in hotel/apt and then on to Vatican. You'll want to use your other days seeing other things and since you're committed to the Vatican, for best use of time, get to your hotel, stash your bags, get a good breakfast, and grab a taxi to the Vatican (no confusion about bus line etc) I don't think Rome is confusing for transportation, but for value, you have a time factor.

If you've been there, you understand that the Vatican could eat up a whole day easily. It might not be, but expect it to be crowded. Before you go..figure out where you could grab a light lunch before the Scavi tour. Tour the museum first. You'll have a little time after the tour to spend in St Peter's. By this time, you'll be feeling a little punchy so............ Catch the bus back to your hotel/apt area, have a light meal and crash at a normal bedtime for you.

BTW...I'd skip the Colloseum tour (just view from the street) a good picture book will let you see what's inside. Its a pretty awesome structure, but crowed inside and boring.

TDudette,
Good advice about Easter travel concerns, but the OP is arriving on Ash Wednesday, which puts Easter 40 days away in April. I can't imagine that Rome will be much affected by Ash Wednesday.

madcock,
Where is your hotel? If we knew, perhaps we could ease your concerns with info about how to get around Rome and suggest some options.

Hi I have been to Rome three years ago between Christmas and New Year. Seeing major sites in Rome in my opinion was not that hard at all. If you find a hotel very close to the centre (Piazza Navona, Vatican or Veneto area) you are close to all major sites. There are open buses that cater for tourists that are extemely efficient and frequent, and they take you to any major site you want, you can stop and then ascend another one, and also many sites in central Rome can easily be done by foot as they are close to each other, for other sites that are furter away you can make use of the underground, which is very efficient, or as I said use the open buses, you can buy a day ticket. I would not do a cooking class in Rome, I would do it from Florence, there are quite a few Agriturismos that do it, and they are exceptional. I would leave the three days in Rome just for sightseeing. Unless you are a real fanatic on ancient excavation sites, I would skip Ostia, and concentrate more on the centre of Rome, since you are going there only for three days, and I would take the suggestion of one of the reviewers and check into the hotel first before doing any site seeing, that way you would be freer and would not have to drag luggage around in buses or undergrounds etc, unless you intend to use taxis, but still it will bring inconvenience on where to leave bagages. If you want to save a bit of time at the Vatican, you can buy tickets, there would be vendors near queues trying to sell them, that help you skip queues, as some immigrant would be queuing up for you and they make money that way. I do not think Rome would be that crowdy in March, worst times are during Holy Week in Easter and Summertime, and for the New Year - not even Christmas was crowdy three years ago. If there is not too much queue to go in the Coleseum go for it, but otherwise, especially if you have visited other ancient amphitheatres in Italy like that of Verona, you can skip going inside as they are all pretty much the same. If you spend three whole days in Rome and schedule your days well, you will be able to see most major sites for sure as Rome centre is not that large.

PS Contrary to what a reviewer mentioned, Ash Wednesday is not during Easter Week, but 40 days before Easter

Context Rome is a highly recommended (though a bit pricy) tour company that offers small group tours led by very knowledgeable guides. I would recommend a tour of the Roman Forum and the Colosseum. Like Annhig, I find the forum very confusing: all those broken columns, pieces of friezes, etc.

Here's the link for Context Travel for Rome: www.contexttravel.com/city/Rome

Rome is a beautiful city and I agre with some of the other post about not spending time in a cooking class. We used Rome Guide Services for a 1/2 day tour of the Vatacian Muesum. Here is thier website: http://www.romeguideservice.com/ ask for Carlo. He attended the University of Texas and speaks flawless English. I learned a ton and i am catholic so probably stuff I should have know. The Scavi tour is very interesting. Be sure to go into the Basillica afterwards to see the Michelangleo's Pieta (very moving).
Be sure to go to Trastevere for one meal. We almost missed this area and it turned out being our favorite meal of our time in Rome.
I know a private guide in Florence if you are interested.

Rome is a beautiful city and I agre with some of the other post about not spending time in a cooking class. We used Rome Guide Services for a 1/2 day tour of the Vatacian Muesum. Here is thier website: http://www.romeguideservice.com/ ask for Carlo. He attended the University of Texas and speaks flawless English. I learned a ton and i am catholic so probably stuff I should have know. The Scavi tour is very interesting. Be sure to go into the Basillica afterwards to see the Michelangleo's Pieta (very moving).
Be sure to go to Trastevere for one meal. We almost missed this area and it turned out being our favorite meal of our time in Rome.
I know a private guide in Florence if you are interested.