Help me plan my three days in Rome, per favore
Jul 23rd, 2015, 12:13 PM
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Help me plan my three days in Rome, per favore
Barcelona is sorted out as are the four days in Amalfi. All that's left to figure out is Rome.
We will be there Thursday the 27th of August through late Sunday night the 30th. Four full days, one of which will be spent in Florence for the day. So really three full days. We've been a few times but not in over a decade and will be celebrating my parents' 70th birthdays as well as our 11 year old's first time to Europe. We want to make sure we go to the Vatican ( day or night tour?), the Pope's Angelus address on Sunday, the Colosseum, and hopefully the catacombs (if onlyfor the chilly air!). Initially, I had wanted to book a tour of Antica Osita because my son had read The Thieves of Ostia with his sixth grade class this past Spring, but we ended up changing our minds. Between Pompeii (which we will see from our base in Sorrento) and all the antiquities in Rome and Florence, I think he will have enough history ( at least that's what he said!).
How would you arrange the touring for the days we are there? I am thinking we will go to Florence on Saturday for the day unless someone suggests otherwise.
Grazie Mille.
We will be there Thursday the 27th of August through late Sunday night the 30th. Four full days, one of which will be spent in Florence for the day. So really three full days. We've been a few times but not in over a decade and will be celebrating my parents' 70th birthdays as well as our 11 year old's first time to Europe. We want to make sure we go to the Vatican ( day or night tour?), the Pope's Angelus address on Sunday, the Colosseum, and hopefully the catacombs (if onlyfor the chilly air!). Initially, I had wanted to book a tour of Antica Osita because my son had read The Thieves of Ostia with his sixth grade class this past Spring, but we ended up changing our minds. Between Pompeii (which we will see from our base in Sorrento) and all the antiquities in Rome and Florence, I think he will have enough history ( at least that's what he said!).
How would you arrange the touring for the days we are there? I am thinking we will go to Florence on Saturday for the day unless someone suggests otherwise.
Grazie Mille.
Jul 23rd, 2015, 02:17 PM
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I would definitely go to the Vatican Museums on the Friday evening if possible. There are many fewer people at that time than during the day.
It sounds as though you already have quite a lot on your plate, and a lott of it in places that are insanely hot and crowded in August. I would set aside the rest of your time for simple relaxation, deciding on the spur of the moment what you're up for.
I wouldn't go to a catacomb just for chilly air. There are much easier places to find chilly air. Given your son's interests, you might look into the National Roman Museum, especially the Palazzo Massimo alle Terme site. It has a spectacular collection of ancient statues and other Roman art and artifacts. And it's well air conditioned.
It sounds as though you already have quite a lot on your plate, and a lott of it in places that are insanely hot and crowded in August. I would set aside the rest of your time for simple relaxation, deciding on the spur of the moment what you're up for.
I wouldn't go to a catacomb just for chilly air. There are much easier places to find chilly air. Given your son's interests, you might look into the National Roman Museum, especially the Palazzo Massimo alle Terme site. It has a spectacular collection of ancient statues and other Roman art and artifacts. And it's well air conditioned.
Jul 23rd, 2015, 05:39 PM
#3
I think the Palazzo Massimo alle Terme is one of the great, but overlooked, museums in Rome.
I agree with bvlenci about playing it by ear, but I wouldn't miss the Castello and the Roman Forum.
For great views of the Colosseum and Forum (and Rome generally), take the elevator to the roof of the Vittorio Emanuele Monument.
I agree with bvlenci about playing it by ear, but I wouldn't miss the Castello and the Roman Forum.
For great views of the Colosseum and Forum (and Rome generally), take the elevator to the roof of the Vittorio Emanuele Monument.
Jul 23rd, 2015, 09:41 PM
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With only three nights in Rome heading to Florence for the day makes no sense to me. We spent a month in Rome on our last visit and didn't have time for Florence. I really advise against this as there is plenty to see in the city.
I'd highly recommend Context for a private tour of the Forum and Colosseum, they will help draw the history together for you and they do a good job of catering to all ages. We don't have kids but I recommended them to friends and they were very pleased with their private tour. With the size of your group I think you'd get value for money out of it and I'd even consider using them for the Vatican too.
Have you considered a food tour to Testaccio?
The scavi tour under the Vatican is fascinating, this was my favorite catacomb visit in Rome and my favorite part of the Vatican. It's just fascinating to see the excavations under the altar at ST Peters. Plus it's cool in the summer! However, this is something you need to organize in advance and you may be out of time.
We loved the Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, Livia's dining room is one of my favorite museum rooms anywhere. I also recommend the Palazzo Colonna which is only open on a Saturday morning. It's quite spectacular and is still a family home. We also loved the Villa Gulia, the Etruscan Museum. But the truth is you will have very little time for too much beyond the main sights.
Here are some of my blog posts on Rome, museums, food etc.
http://www.somuchmoretosee.com/search/label/Rome
Hope this helps!
I'd highly recommend Context for a private tour of the Forum and Colosseum, they will help draw the history together for you and they do a good job of catering to all ages. We don't have kids but I recommended them to friends and they were very pleased with their private tour. With the size of your group I think you'd get value for money out of it and I'd even consider using them for the Vatican too.
Have you considered a food tour to Testaccio?
The scavi tour under the Vatican is fascinating, this was my favorite catacomb visit in Rome and my favorite part of the Vatican. It's just fascinating to see the excavations under the altar at ST Peters. Plus it's cool in the summer! However, this is something you need to organize in advance and you may be out of time.
We loved the Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, Livia's dining room is one of my favorite museum rooms anywhere. I also recommend the Palazzo Colonna which is only open on a Saturday morning. It's quite spectacular and is still a family home. We also loved the Villa Gulia, the Etruscan Museum. But the truth is you will have very little time for too much beyond the main sights.
Here are some of my blog posts on Rome, museums, food etc.
http://www.somuchmoretosee.com/search/label/Rome
Hope this helps!
Jul 25th, 2015, 09:13 AM
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<A gelato will cool you off for about 20 minutes at most. I don't think you could eat enough to fend off the current heat wave.>
Wouldn't hurt to try!
No seriously..when we were in Paris for a week during a heat wave we would head out early in the morning and then head back to our apartment around 2 and relax, nap, take a cold shower and then head back out again around 5. It really helped beat that fatigue feeling you get from the heat.
Wouldn't hurt to try!
No seriously..when we were in Paris for a week during a heat wave we would head out early in the morning and then head back to our apartment around 2 and relax, nap, take a cold shower and then head back out again around 5. It really helped beat that fatigue feeling you get from the heat.
Jul 25th, 2015, 09:44 AM
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I cannot imagine taking a day trip to Florence with only 4 days in Rome. If you want a day trip, I'd consider Orvieto with it's Funicular and amazing cathedral and underground caves, village charm, and an easy/short train trip from Roma.
Jul 25th, 2015, 12:43 PM
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I almost never eat gelato, but I did last week. And it was cooling. But the heat wave has broken (at least where I live). August might be pleasant. If you are seriously worried, check out packing some of those cooling towels or wraps that you dip in water and wear around your neck or head.
I have encountered many people in my life who cannot for the life of them imagine doing 99 percent of the things I do, and I tend to think it has more to do with their utter lack of imagination than the fun of doing what I like to do. I see absolutely no advantage to taking a day trip from Rome to Orvieto instead of a day trip from Rome to Florence -- in particular if you want to see sights in Florence. Orvieto is a worthy town with a beautiful cathedral, but it is only a shade less time on the train than going to Florence.
If you can afford it, don't buy any day trip tickets in advance so you can go with the mood of the moment. If you do decide to travel on a Saturday, there are often 2-for-1 discounts available from Trenitalia for the fast trains.
I have encountered many people in my life who cannot for the life of them imagine doing 99 percent of the things I do, and I tend to think it has more to do with their utter lack of imagination than the fun of doing what I like to do. I see absolutely no advantage to taking a day trip from Rome to Orvieto instead of a day trip from Rome to Florence -- in particular if you want to see sights in Florence. Orvieto is a worthy town with a beautiful cathedral, but it is only a shade less time on the train than going to Florence.
If you can afford it, don't buy any day trip tickets in advance so you can go with the mood of the moment. If you do decide to travel on a Saturday, there are often 2-for-1 discounts available from Trenitalia for the fast trains.
Jul 25th, 2015, 06:59 PM
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Thank you all for your responses.
There's no way I would choose Orvieto over Florence, Sandralist. It's my husband's favorite city in the world, and as I've mentioned in another threads, he can't fathom the thought of being in Italy without a day in Florence. Our vacations are always jam-packed, just the way we like them, a perfect combination of the touristy and the off the beaten path. Particularly with food and restaurants, since they are my "world". I have friends who go to a city for three weeks and don't manage to see what we will see in a long, well-planned weekend! When we are retired, God willing, we will have time for "slow travel", however I'm not sure it's really our style.
I'm with you on not buying advance tickets. It's not my style. I like to take weather into consideration. And seasonal goings on that I might not know about until I arrive etc. I just get nervous about being closed out of things. I needed some encouragement
There's no way I would choose Orvieto over Florence, Sandralist. It's my husband's favorite city in the world, and as I've mentioned in another threads, he can't fathom the thought of being in Italy without a day in Florence. Our vacations are always jam-packed, just the way we like them, a perfect combination of the touristy and the off the beaten path. Particularly with food and restaurants, since they are my "world". I have friends who go to a city for three weeks and don't manage to see what we will see in a long, well-planned weekend! When we are retired, God willing, we will have time for "slow travel", however I'm not sure it's really our style.
I'm with you on not buying advance tickets. It's not my style. I like to take weather into consideration. And seasonal goings on that I might not know about until I arrive etc. I just get nervous about being closed out of things. I needed some encouragement
Aug 15th, 2015, 07:49 AM
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Aug 15th, 2015, 09:02 AM
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Don;t think you can do the Scavi under St Peter's - though it's great - since I believe the minimum age is 15.
And agree that San Clemente is fascinating. (Ngaio Marsh wrote a mystery - When in Rome - about a murder set in a similar fictional church.)
And agree that San Clemente is fascinating. (Ngaio Marsh wrote a mystery - When in Rome - about a murder set in a similar fictional church.)
Aug 15th, 2015, 12:09 PM
#16
With such a short time in Rome, the probable heat and your parents' ages, I highly recommend a driver with a/c vehicle who has a special pass to get close to all the sites.
We used Emilio Menastre for a day and a half with our friends. This was in late September and the heat was a real problem for us. His company is Custom Tours Rome and he is a lovely gentleman. He helped us see so many places we would have missed.www.customtoursrome.com We did the Vatican, St. Peters, Sistene Chapel on our own but used Emilio's services for the ancient Roman sites, churches including San Clemente and even a catacomb. He obtained entrance tickets to the Coloseum, no standing in lines for us. I can't recommend him highly enough,worth every €.
We used Emilio Menastre for a day and a half with our friends. This was in late September and the heat was a real problem for us. His company is Custom Tours Rome and he is a lovely gentleman. He helped us see so many places we would have missed.www.customtoursrome.com We did the Vatican, St. Peters, Sistene Chapel on our own but used Emilio's services for the ancient Roman sites, churches including San Clemente and even a catacomb. He obtained entrance tickets to the Coloseum, no standing in lines for us. I can't recommend him highly enough,worth every €.
Aug 16th, 2015, 05:05 AM
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Big museums:
The Vatican Museum on Friday evening is only busy, not heaving with people like at other times. We were able to easily get seats in the Sistine Chapel for a rest and time to study the ceiling. I have heard that at other times this isn't really possible.
Saturday night: If you go to Florence both the Accademia and the Uffizi are open till 11 pm so no reservation and not crowded. We were in the Accademia about 8 pm with maybe 12 other people and no line of course.
It's hard to not curse the Italians for putting the 3 entrances to the Forum/Palatine Hill at precisely the greatest distance from Vatican/old quarter/Trastevere where nearly all the tourists stay (to maximize inconvenience?).
We had a lot of little treasures planned like San Clemente but the heat and distances did us in on those. Also the trams were not running during our visit.
The Vatican Museum on Friday evening is only busy, not heaving with people like at other times. We were able to easily get seats in the Sistine Chapel for a rest and time to study the ceiling. I have heard that at other times this isn't really possible.
Saturday night: If you go to Florence both the Accademia and the Uffizi are open till 11 pm so no reservation and not crowded. We were in the Accademia about 8 pm with maybe 12 other people and no line of course.
It's hard to not curse the Italians for putting the 3 entrances to the Forum/Palatine Hill at precisely the greatest distance from Vatican/old quarter/Trastevere where nearly all the tourists stay (to maximize inconvenience?).
We had a lot of little treasures planned like San Clemente but the heat and distances did us in on those. Also the trams were not running during our visit.
