royaldd

Please let me know what you think about my itinerary.

Friday, June 8 - arrive Rome airport 3:30 pm
Taxi to apartment in Campo de Fiori
Rest of the day, relax and enjoy the area.

Saturday - Husband, daughter and I take a day trip outside of Rome (waiting on son to join us on Sunday) - need suggestions

Sunday - Son arrives around 10 am (at apartment) - Private tour of major highlights of the city. 4- 5 hours.

Sunday evening - possibly do the free tour of the Pantheon given by Angel tours

Monday - 9 am - Angel tours - Colosseum, Ancient Rome

2 pm - Vatican tour arranged through the Vatican (after reading posts here, it sounds like this is the most likely way to miss the lines)

Tuesday - Train to Florence - spending one night in Florence. Trying to decide whether to do a tour or just do our own thing. Need suggestions.

Wednesday - Train to Venice - will be here until Friday - plan to just do our own thing and enjoy the city.

Suggestions very much needed. Thanks.

missypie

I'd skip the day tour out of Rome. You have so few days in Rome as it is. I'd get reservations at the Galleria Borghese and then plan your day around those. In the same general neighborhool you will find Piazza del Popolo and the churches there, Santa Maria della Vittoria, the church decorated with bones, the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain.

Your day with the ancient Rome tour and the Vatican tour will be tiring. Everyone needs to start doing stomach crunches if you aren't in tip top shape already.

MaureenB

I, too, would skip the day trip for your first full day in Rome. The Borghese is one place we missed and wish we'd had time for it. So much to see in Rome itself, I wouldn't leave it on such a short visit.

For instance, there are Michelangelo statues in churches where you wouldn't expect to find them. Get a book to locate them, and go on a treasure hunt for wonderful art and architecture in Rome. Have fun!

In case you're interested, here are my trip reports from last May:
Florence-- http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34813784

Rome-- http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34813272

Venice-- http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34814606
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Dayle

Hi Royal,

I agree with the other posters. You have enough tours planned in the places where you really get the most benefit, without doing a highlight tour of Rome. Half the fun is wandering and discovering on your own!

Definitely see the Borghese. It is a true highlight!

Are you only spending 1 day in Venice? If so, limit your trip to either Rome & Florence or Rome and Venice. Add the day to either!

Buon viaggio!

Vttraveler

I definitely agree you should stay in Rome on the Saturday rather than taking a day trip out when you have just arrived.
If you want to see some sights outside the central city area, the archeobus which goes down the Appian Way to the catacombs and out to aqueducts leading into the city is very interesting.

I am not sure what your private tour of city highlights would include but in 4 to 5 hours you will see only a tiny fraction of what Rome has to offer. The Borghese tour is a good suggestion. You could happily fill many, many other days with walking and museum visits and exploring churches other than St. Peter's. I would suggest searching in this forum for ideas and getting a good guidebook

You are in a great central location in Rome. The Campo de Fiori/Piazza Navonna/Pantheon area is fascinating. My DK Eyewitness Rome guide has three separate chapters on this area. You are also ideally located for walking along the Tiber or into the ghetto area and over the Isola Tiberina into Trastevere.

ira

Hi R,

Here's my suggestion for A DAY IN FLORENCE:

From Piazza d' Stazione, walk up via Nazionale to via d'Ariento and the Mercato Centrale, wander through.

Take any street going NE to Via Degli Alfani and go right to the Accademia for The David.

Take via Ricasoli SE to the Duomo, the Baptistry and the Opera Museum (Originals of the bronzes on the doors)

From the Campanile, take via Calzaiuoli S (do some window shopping) to the Piazza d' Signoria. Look around, take a break.

Continue S to the Uffizi. Visit.

From the Uffizi, walk W along the Arno River to the Ponte Vecchio.

(You can walk up to the Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens if there is time. Great views of Florence from the top of the Gardens)

If you have time, walk E along the S bank of the river to Ponte alle grazie and cross over to visit Santa Croce.

If not, go W along the Arno from Ponte Vecchio to Ponte S. Trinita and go right. Go left on Via d'Spada to via d'Fossi and go right to Santa Maria Novella. Look around.

SMN is across the square from the train station.

Be sure to have lots of gelato (in a cup, not a cone), take some wine breaks and a light lunch.

Train schedules, prices and tickets are at www.trenitalia.com

Bus routes are at http://www.ataf.net/
Buy your ticket before you get on the bus. Stamp it in the yellow box on the bus.

Uffizi and Academia Museum Reservations
The easiest and cheapest way is to call Florence 1016868 (dial around number), 011 (U.S. international access code) 39 (Italy's country code) then 055-294-883 8:30-18:30 M-F and 8:30-12:00 Sat. Florence time. You will get an English speaking operator and in 2-3 minutes YOU CAN RESERVE FOR BOTH. This is through the reservation service at the Uffizi and costs beyond the normal entry fee only about 3 euro for the service. This is MUCH cheaper than the commercial booking services.

You will not be charged for the reservations unless you use them.

Have a nice visit.

ira

PS

>a day trip outside of Rome

Train to Orvieto.

See www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html