need advice for rome itinerary
 

We will be in Rome for 4 days and are looking for some help on our itinerary while in Rome. We heard back about the Scavi tour today, so that is booked for the AM of day 4 and we are planning to visit the Vatican Museums on day 4 as well.

We contacted Francesca Caruso (after many recommendations on Fodors) and found out that she is available on day 3 for a tour of ancient Rome. That tour includes the Colosseum, Forum, Capitoline Hill, and the Pantheon.

That leaves days 1 and 2 (Saturday and Sunday), and for before/after our ancient Rome tour on day 3. We are going to assume that the Vatican/Scavi day will be a long day. We land at 8:30 AM on day 1 so I know we'll be tired but we are going to try and stay up to help us get on Italy time. We need suggestions on things to do on these days. The other sites (other than those listed above) that we definitely want to visit are the catacombs and the Borghesi gallery and I (notice the "we" is gone) really want to visit the cat sanctuary.

Any advice on possible itineraries for days 1 and 2? Since it is our first trip to Rome (first trip to Europe) we are up for anything and really want to make the most of our time. Any advice on the order to see things so that we aren't backtracking would be helpful. We will be staying at the Nicolas Inn which is near the Colosseum.

Thanks in advance!

Hi,

I was in Rome for the very first time this past New Years, so I'm not an expert but I can offer my thoughts for what they're worth.

Day Four:

I think you are smart not to plan anything else besides the Scavi Tour and the Vactican Museums. Did you know you can pre-book an entry time slot into the museums, so you don't have to stand in line? Take a look at the vatican museum website.

I'd recommend planning your visit to the museums ahead of time- decided which galleries you would like to see, and maybe study the maps to get a sense of the layout. It's such a huge and crowded place, its easy to get swept up in the herds and miss out on the galleries that are off the forced march to the Sistine Chapel.

Day Three:

What time does your Ancient Rome begin and end? It would be quite easy to see the cats at Torre Argentina after your tour, as it is very near the Pantheon. But if the tour ends after dark you probably won't see any of the cats.

You might also want to take a walk on your own through the old Jewish Ghetto, which is just south of Torre Argentina. Again depending on time, this might be a good area to have dinner.

Day Two:

This is the day I would plan on seeing the Borghese Gallery, as I would probably be too jet lagged to really appreciate it on Arrival Day. You'll need to book a reservation in advance.

Santa Maria del Popolo is nearby the Borghese, and houses a couple of famous Carravagios.

Question: which catacombs do want to see? There are a few different catacombs in Rome. The catacombs of St Prisilla are north of the old centre, I'm not sure but they be easy to reach by bus from the Piazza del Popolo. I'm sure someone can help you with figuring out how to fit in the catacombs.

Arrival Day:

This is just me, I wouldn't make any plans set in stone for this day. You might get into the city later than anticipated, you might be more tired and jetlagged than you think. On the other hand, you might have lots of energy and be ready to go.

If it were me, I would leave this day open to walk and wander through the old city. Most guidebooks have walking tours you could follow.

Take day 1 (even though you will be on jet lag) to walk around and see the plazas, Trevi fountain (no it's not tacky, it's gorgeous and spectacular, even more so at night), the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon, Campidoglio and the likes.

On the same day you visit Borghese (try reserving your tickets for the first exhibit so you can have the rest of the day for yourself), you can take some time to visit the Castel Sant'Angelo.

On the day you visit the Vatican, try eating your dinner at Osteria dell'Angelo (Via Giovanni Bettolo 24, Prati). the oxtail is nothing less than spectacular.

Oh and I forgot - try spending an evening and dinner in Trastevere (north of Via del Trastevere). It's lively, spunky, full of atmosphere and many boutiques will be open. It's a side of Rome (rela romans eating) you do not get to see in the more toursit areas (not that Trastevere is not a touristic area, mind you...).

Chill at Piazza Navona and explore that area-check your guide book but Rotunda and several churches are nearby.

I meant "real Romans eating out, instead of tourists eating at the same touristic places".