Mini Trip Report - Solo Layover in Roma!
Oct 27th, 2017, 01:18 AM
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Mini Trip Report - Solo Layover in Roma!
Hi Fodorites,
With your help, I had an absolutely perfect, wonderful, happy day in Rome last week. Here is what I did on my layover in Rome.
I was traveling alone, and my flight landed around 8am and took off again the same night at 11pm.
It was to be my 3rd visit to Rome, though each of the prior visits were still short - 1-3 days each. So....
I landed at Terminal 3 (T3) of Fiumicino airport at 8:15 and cleared passport control easily, found my way to "Left Luggage" at the very far end of the arrivals hall, and checked in my carry on. 6 euro per bag per day. Feeling "free" with a purse and a small backpack, I purchased a round trip ticket on the Leonardo Express and hopped the train into Rome! It brought me to the Termini train station in 35 minutes, where I followed signs to the Metro.
I purchased a Metro ticket and got onto line A, three stops (crowded with commuters and school kids, and maybe a tourist or two!) to Spagna.
And there I was, at 10:15am, sitting on the Spanish Steps!
With the Spanish Steps as my start point, here is what I did:
Spanish Steps, headed south, turned right onto Via Frattina, happened upon
Brandy Melville store - where my niece had told me I should go (and buy her something...)
By recommendation of the clerk at Brandy Melville, continued on to
Ciampini Roma "coffee bar" and restaurant in Piazza San Lorenzo
Enjoyed a wonderful light breakfast of cappuchino and pastries
Back to Via del Corso (oh my, it's a Disney Store in Rome - yay!)
Wandered through side streets via Piazza di San Silvestro to the
Trevi Fountain.
Enjoyed Trevi fountain, though very crowded, of course.
Headed west via Piazza di Pietra (fun street music) to Piazza del Rotunda, visited
The Pantheon.
Stopped at La Casa Del Caffe - Taza D'orro for bathroom pit stop and
Granita Espresso con Panna - yum!
Then back through the piazza toward
Piazza Navona.
Some good time sitting and absorbing - the fountains, the people, the vibe, then headed south
Across
To Campo de Fiore
Lunch time! Forno Campo de Fiore - good sized piece of fresh pizza for less than 3 euro!
Beautiful red pepper at the campo, washed in the drinking water fountain
Wandered the side streets a bit
Took a quick visit to pet the cats at
Largo Argentina cat sanctuary, then headed toward the Tiber
Crossed Punto Garibaldi, enjoyed the view of Isola Tiberina, and walked into
Trastevere neighborhood.
Sat at the fountain near the Basilica de Santa Maria in Trastevere (facade had scaffolding, unfortunately), then visited the Basilica.
Wanered Trastevere some more. Diet Coke is only 1.5 euro in the mini-market!
Back over the Tiber - Punto Sisto, toward the bus hub near Largo Argentina.
Bus #64 toward Piazza Venezia/Termini
Hopped off the bus near Piazza Venezia - actually it was at the Piazza de Aracoeli near the Campidoglio. Found Wifi cafe with bathroom and gelato. Sat a bit.
Climbed the 124 marble steps toward the Basilica di Santa Maria in Aracoeli and enjoyed the view of the Capitoline Hill. Back to the bus.
Bus to Termini.
Leonardo Express 5:50pm back to the airport! Aching feet but happy!
Picked up carry-on from "Left Luggage" at T3, and walked 10 minutes to Terminal 1.
Long walk to Area E of Terminal 1 (really long, after such a day), long line for passport control. Finally,
onto flight home.
It was a GREAT day!!!!
Thanks for the help planning!
With your help, I had an absolutely perfect, wonderful, happy day in Rome last week. Here is what I did on my layover in Rome.
I was traveling alone, and my flight landed around 8am and took off again the same night at 11pm.
It was to be my 3rd visit to Rome, though each of the prior visits were still short - 1-3 days each. So....
I landed at Terminal 3 (T3) of Fiumicino airport at 8:15 and cleared passport control easily, found my way to "Left Luggage" at the very far end of the arrivals hall, and checked in my carry on. 6 euro per bag per day. Feeling "free" with a purse and a small backpack, I purchased a round trip ticket on the Leonardo Express and hopped the train into Rome! It brought me to the Termini train station in 35 minutes, where I followed signs to the Metro.
I purchased a Metro ticket and got onto line A, three stops (crowded with commuters and school kids, and maybe a tourist or two!) to Spagna.
And there I was, at 10:15am, sitting on the Spanish Steps!
With the Spanish Steps as my start point, here is what I did:
Spanish Steps, headed south, turned right onto Via Frattina, happened upon
Brandy Melville store - where my niece had told me I should go (and buy her something...)
By recommendation of the clerk at Brandy Melville, continued on to
Ciampini Roma "coffee bar" and restaurant in Piazza San Lorenzo
Enjoyed a wonderful light breakfast of cappuchino and pastries
Back to Via del Corso (oh my, it's a Disney Store in Rome - yay!)
Wandered through side streets via Piazza di San Silvestro to the
Trevi Fountain.
Enjoyed Trevi fountain, though very crowded, of course.
Headed west via Piazza di Pietra (fun street music) to Piazza del Rotunda, visited
The Pantheon.
Stopped at La Casa Del Caffe - Taza D'orro for bathroom pit stop and
Granita Espresso con Panna - yum!
Then back through the piazza toward
Piazza Navona.
Some good time sitting and absorbing - the fountains, the people, the vibe, then headed south
Across
To Campo de Fiore
Lunch time! Forno Campo de Fiore - good sized piece of fresh pizza for less than 3 euro!
Beautiful red pepper at the campo, washed in the drinking water fountain
Wandered the side streets a bit
Took a quick visit to pet the cats at
Largo Argentina cat sanctuary, then headed toward the Tiber
Crossed Punto Garibaldi, enjoyed the view of Isola Tiberina, and walked into
Trastevere neighborhood.
Sat at the fountain near the Basilica de Santa Maria in Trastevere (facade had scaffolding, unfortunately), then visited the Basilica.
Wanered Trastevere some more. Diet Coke is only 1.5 euro in the mini-market!
Back over the Tiber - Punto Sisto, toward the bus hub near Largo Argentina.
Bus #64 toward Piazza Venezia/Termini
Hopped off the bus near Piazza Venezia - actually it was at the Piazza de Aracoeli near the Campidoglio. Found Wifi cafe with bathroom and gelato. Sat a bit.
Climbed the 124 marble steps toward the Basilica di Santa Maria in Aracoeli and enjoyed the view of the Capitoline Hill. Back to the bus.
Bus to Termini.
Leonardo Express 5:50pm back to the airport! Aching feet but happy!
Picked up carry-on from "Left Luggage" at T3, and walked 10 minutes to Terminal 1.
Long walk to Area E of Terminal 1 (really long, after such a day), long line for passport control. Finally,
onto flight home.
It was a GREAT day!!!!
Thanks for the help planning!
Oct 27th, 2017, 01:21 AM
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Oct 27th, 2017, 02:26 AM
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>>>Wanered Trastevere some more. Diet Coke is only 1.5 euro in the mini-market!
Back over the Tiber - Punto Sisto, toward the bus hub near Largo Argentina.
Bus #64 toward Piazza Venezia/Termini
Hopped off the bus near Piazza Venezia -<<<<
Other possibilities for people searching a day trip from FCO, you could put Trastevere at the end (or even beginning) and catch the local train back to the airport (runs every 15 minutes). That avoids backtracking to Termini. On this map, the local train is FL1.
http://atac.roma.it/files/doc.asp?r=4
Also, you can catch tram #8 in Trastevere which would take you to Piazza Venezia (also has a stop near Largo Argentina). Another option from Trastevere is tram #3 to the Colosseum.
http://atac.roma.it/files/doc.asp?r=5
Did it take very long to store or retrieve your luggage? At Termini there can be lines, but I haven't seen any reports about the airport storage times.
Back over the Tiber - Punto Sisto, toward the bus hub near Largo Argentina.
Bus #64 toward Piazza Venezia/Termini
Hopped off the bus near Piazza Venezia -<<<<
Other possibilities for people searching a day trip from FCO, you could put Trastevere at the end (or even beginning) and catch the local train back to the airport (runs every 15 minutes). That avoids backtracking to Termini. On this map, the local train is FL1.
http://atac.roma.it/files/doc.asp?r=4
Also, you can catch tram #8 in Trastevere which would take you to Piazza Venezia (also has a stop near Largo Argentina). Another option from Trastevere is tram #3 to the Colosseum.
http://atac.roma.it/files/doc.asp?r=5
Did it take very long to store or retrieve your luggage? At Termini there can be lines, but I haven't seen any reports about the airport storage times.
Oct 27th, 2017, 06:13 AM
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kybourbon It was very easy to store luggage at Terminal 3 at the airport. One person only was in front of me on line. And when I returned there was no line. So yes, very easy. And got "rid" of that pesky suitcase before getting on the train.
I also thought of taking the local train from Trastevere. But the train station is at the other end of town, requiring a tram/bus/cab from where I was. So, I just wandered back to the other side of the Tiber into more familiar territory!
I also thought of taking the local train from Trastevere. But the train station is at the other end of town, requiring a tram/bus/cab from where I was. So, I just wandered back to the other side of the Tiber into more familiar territory!
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