Only 2 days in Rome ~ which sights are most memorable?
Dec 12th, 2009, 06:15 PM
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Only 2 days in Rome ~ which sights are most memorable?
We will only have 2 full days in Rome, and I was wondering which of the many, many places we could go have been most memeorable to those of you that have been there. This will be our first visit. History is probably our first priority, museums our last priority.
Dec 12th, 2009, 06:37 PM
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Coliseum, Roman Forum, Palentine Hill, Pantheon. You don't say when you are going, but if the weather is good enjoy a morning cappuccino and cornet at an outside cafe. Stop in the afternoon for a glass of vino and people watch.
St Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museum magnificent but there are always very long lines and the wait could be hours. Two days isn't enough time - but it's enough to make you want to go back again.
St Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museum magnificent but there are always very long lines and the wait could be hours. Two days isn't enough time - but it's enough to make you want to go back again.
Dec 12th, 2009, 07:13 PM
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Yes- the Colosseum, Forum, Palatine, Pantheon...you could also add the old Jewish Ghetto and make it a day.
You could see things like like the Trevi Fountain or the Piazza Navona & Fountain of the Four Rivers at night, when they are lit up.
If you are interested in mosaics, then Santa Pudenziana, Santa Prassede (the gold & jewel toned Byzantine mosaics are extraordinary), Santa Maria Maggiore, and Palazzo Massimo alle Terme (part of the National Museum of Rome and chalk full of beautiful sculpture too) can all easily be done in a day.
You could see things like like the Trevi Fountain or the Piazza Navona & Fountain of the Four Rivers at night, when they are lit up.
If you are interested in mosaics, then Santa Pudenziana, Santa Prassede (the gold & jewel toned Byzantine mosaics are extraordinary), Santa Maria Maggiore, and Palazzo Massimo alle Terme (part of the National Museum of Rome and chalk full of beautiful sculpture too) can all easily be done in a day.
Dec 12th, 2009, 10:08 PM
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Two that I really enjoyed (certainly not the only ones, though) were the Galleria Borghese and the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva. But if I start thinking about it, the list goes on and on, so just see what you can.
Dec 12th, 2009, 10:53 PM
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I enjoyed going in the Colliseum and the Forum immensely as love this sense of history that surrounds them, but also was thrilled with the Pantheon, just the architecture of this amazed me. High point had to be climbing up the dome of St. Peters. The walk up there was extraodinary, but the view from the top, with Rome spread out below, will take your breath away.
Loved walking around Rome at night, seeing all the lit fountains and buildings. Really beautiful.
Loved walking around Rome at night, seeing all the lit fountains and buildings. Really beautiful.
Dec 13th, 2009, 03:11 AM
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I would suggest part of one day at the Vatican (skipping teh Vatican museums if that is a low priority) and one day mostly at the Forum/Colosseum/Palatine. With so little time I strongly recommend that you stay in the historic city center. If you do, you can easily visit the Pantheon and the Piazza Navona area and throw your coin in the Trevi fountain to return for a longer stay.
There are some beautiful churches with amazing art work very close to the Piazza Navona and Piazza della Rotunda--San Luigi dei Francesci with 3 Caravaggios and gothic Santa Maria sopra Minerva with Michelangelo's the Risen Christ and Bernini's elephant sculpture supporting and obelisk outside. San Clemente, not far from the Colosseum, is a good choice for anyone interested in history--a 12th century church over a 4th centuray church over ancient Roman buildings.
It sounds as though you will have at least an evening in addition to the two full days, and as others have noted, that is a good time to wander. Just be sure to get to the Pantheon during the day so you can go inside as well as admiring it from the outside.
If you get some guidebooks with good walking tours out of the library that can help to plot your route efficiently.
You could have dinner one night in Trastevere to get a little taste of that neighborhood. The walk back across the Tiber over the pedestrian Isola Tiberina and through the Jewish ghetto is magical.
There are some beautiful churches with amazing art work very close to the Piazza Navona and Piazza della Rotunda--San Luigi dei Francesci with 3 Caravaggios and gothic Santa Maria sopra Minerva with Michelangelo's the Risen Christ and Bernini's elephant sculpture supporting and obelisk outside. San Clemente, not far from the Colosseum, is a good choice for anyone interested in history--a 12th century church over a 4th centuray church over ancient Roman buildings.
It sounds as though you will have at least an evening in addition to the two full days, and as others have noted, that is a good time to wander. Just be sure to get to the Pantheon during the day so you can go inside as well as admiring it from the outside.
If you get some guidebooks with good walking tours out of the library that can help to plot your route efficiently.
You could have dinner one night in Trastevere to get a little taste of that neighborhood. The walk back across the Tiber over the pedestrian Isola Tiberina and through the Jewish ghetto is magical.
Dec 13th, 2009, 05:32 AM
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If you like history & ruins, I'm assuming you will tour the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, & Roman Forum (this is the order of our preference) on one day.
If you have never been to Rome, I suggest you spend the next day on the Hop-on/Hop-off bus, getting off at every stop. Or, it is also possible to walk to all of the main sites in one exhaustiing day - Pantheon (no tickets necessary so just walk in & enjoy), Trevi Fountain, Navona Square, Ancient City, Vatican City, St. Angelo Castle & the bridge of angels, etc. Doing this will give you lots of wonderful Rome photos for your memories & the folks back home.
However, if you want more historical ruins & outside rather than in a museum, take the metro to the Pyramide stop, catch the train (covered on your metro ticket) to Ostia Antica & spend the day there; 25 minute ride each way & easy since all trains start & stop at the Rome Pyramide stop. It has an entire ancient city for you to explore & it is all open for your curiousity - climb on it, under it, & around it. Each time we have been there (always in November) there have not been more than 25 other people there, which makes for very pleasant exploring. There is an onsite cafeteria (inexpensive & the food is not bad) & free toilets. If you decide to go to Ostia Anticia, I suggest advance research - guidebook and/or internet, so you will know the history & what you are seeing. Although I don't think it is necessary, you could hire a guide, but need to reserve one in advance.
Whatever you decide, have fun. We love Rome & just came back from another wonderful week there.
Julie
If you have never been to Rome, I suggest you spend the next day on the Hop-on/Hop-off bus, getting off at every stop. Or, it is also possible to walk to all of the main sites in one exhaustiing day - Pantheon (no tickets necessary so just walk in & enjoy), Trevi Fountain, Navona Square, Ancient City, Vatican City, St. Angelo Castle & the bridge of angels, etc. Doing this will give you lots of wonderful Rome photos for your memories & the folks back home.
However, if you want more historical ruins & outside rather than in a museum, take the metro to the Pyramide stop, catch the train (covered on your metro ticket) to Ostia Antica & spend the day there; 25 minute ride each way & easy since all trains start & stop at the Rome Pyramide stop. It has an entire ancient city for you to explore & it is all open for your curiousity - climb on it, under it, & around it. Each time we have been there (always in November) there have not been more than 25 other people there, which makes for very pleasant exploring. There is an onsite cafeteria (inexpensive & the food is not bad) & free toilets. If you decide to go to Ostia Anticia, I suggest advance research - guidebook and/or internet, so you will know the history & what you are seeing. Although I don't think it is necessary, you could hire a guide, but need to reserve one in advance.
Whatever you decide, have fun. We love Rome & just came back from another wonderful week there.
Julie
Dec 13th, 2009, 06:00 AM
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Thin's List:
1. The Borghese Gallery and the Borghese Gardens
2. The view of Rome from the Castel Sant' Angelo
3. The Pantheon (and the fountain in front of it)
4. Maria Maggiore and St. Pressede
5. a walk around Trastevere
1. The Borghese Gallery and the Borghese Gardens
2. The view of Rome from the Castel Sant' Angelo
3. The Pantheon (and the fountain in front of it)
4. Maria Maggiore and St. Pressede
5. a walk around Trastevere
Dec 13th, 2009, 07:12 AM
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I agree to add the Castello Sant'Angelo if your main interest is history. Very interesting building and the views of Rome from the top are great, as mentioned by others above.
Even if you are not into museums, it would be a shame to miss the Borghese! It's only a 2 hour visit anyway, but advance res are needed.
Buon viaggo!
Even if you are not into museums, it would be a shame to miss the Borghese! It's only a 2 hour visit anyway, but advance res are needed.
Buon viaggo!
Dec 13th, 2009, 09:12 AM
#11
hi wrenwood,
you obviously realise already that Rome is so rich in things to see that you will only be able to scratch the surface.
so you have a choice to make - are you going to try to see a few things in detail, or get more of an overview?
Personally I would try to combine the two, as follows:
Assuming that you have two whole days, start day 1 by heading for the forum and Colosseum [buying your combined ticket at the entrance to the Palatine hill] then tour the colosseum first before you decide whether you want to do any more. after the forum [you can't really miss it!] walk up to the capitoline hill and walk up to the top - if you are going to do one museum, you might like to do this one.
then head back to the campo dei fiori area, walking into any of the many churches that you pass on the way - they are almost bound to have something interesting to see in them, even if the outsides aren't very prepossessing. many people would say that you MUST see the Pantheon, but it didn't do a lot for me.
mid afternoon, head back to your accommodation for a rest - you are going out for a walk tonight. in the evening, take a walk around the centre - nearly every guide-book has asuggested route.
the next morning, head for st.Peter's [unless it's a wednesday, when it will be crowded for the papal audience, in which case reverse the days] and tour the basilica. do not go to the vatican museums - it will take far too long out of your two days and if you are not "museum people" you won't enjoy it. the capitoline museums are much more accessible.
then cross the nearest bridge over into Trastevere, and find somewhere nice for lunch. then spend the afternoon visiting the area, especially the churches of st. Maria and St. Cecilia - my preference is for the latter as the mosaics in the crypt are superb, but lots of people like St. Maria.
in the evening, if you have the energy, you might like to go back to the colosseum to see it lit up at night, then walk up the via degli serpenti towards via nazionale into the Monti area and have supper at a local restaurant.
if you are staying near the campo dei fiori, you can get the no 40 or no 64 bus back after you've eaten.
don't worry if you miss out something that others nave said is esential. in our first week in Rome, we DIDN'T see the Borghese, go up to the Dome of st. Peter's, see the spanish steps, have supper in Trastevere, go to Testaccio, see the catacombs, visit San pietro in vincoli, ....you get the picture. but we still had a great time.
and it gave us an excuse to go back.
you obviously realise already that Rome is so rich in things to see that you will only be able to scratch the surface.
so you have a choice to make - are you going to try to see a few things in detail, or get more of an overview?
Personally I would try to combine the two, as follows:
Assuming that you have two whole days, start day 1 by heading for the forum and Colosseum [buying your combined ticket at the entrance to the Palatine hill] then tour the colosseum first before you decide whether you want to do any more. after the forum [you can't really miss it!] walk up to the capitoline hill and walk up to the top - if you are going to do one museum, you might like to do this one.
then head back to the campo dei fiori area, walking into any of the many churches that you pass on the way - they are almost bound to have something interesting to see in them, even if the outsides aren't very prepossessing. many people would say that you MUST see the Pantheon, but it didn't do a lot for me.
mid afternoon, head back to your accommodation for a rest - you are going out for a walk tonight. in the evening, take a walk around the centre - nearly every guide-book has asuggested route.
the next morning, head for st.Peter's [unless it's a wednesday, when it will be crowded for the papal audience, in which case reverse the days] and tour the basilica. do not go to the vatican museums - it will take far too long out of your two days and if you are not "museum people" you won't enjoy it. the capitoline museums are much more accessible.
then cross the nearest bridge over into Trastevere, and find somewhere nice for lunch. then spend the afternoon visiting the area, especially the churches of st. Maria and St. Cecilia - my preference is for the latter as the mosaics in the crypt are superb, but lots of people like St. Maria.
in the evening, if you have the energy, you might like to go back to the colosseum to see it lit up at night, then walk up the via degli serpenti towards via nazionale into the Monti area and have supper at a local restaurant.
if you are staying near the campo dei fiori, you can get the no 40 or no 64 bus back after you've eaten.
don't worry if you miss out something that others nave said is esential. in our first week in Rome, we DIDN'T see the Borghese, go up to the Dome of st. Peter's, see the spanish steps, have supper in Trastevere, go to Testaccio, see the catacombs, visit San pietro in vincoli, ....you get the picture. but we still had a great time.
and it gave us an excuse to go back.
Dec 13th, 2009, 09:45 AM
#12
We loved the Piazza Navona, but thought the Trevi Fountain was a joke. Yes, it was absolutely beautiful---but stuck in that LITTLE corner with hundreds and hundreds of people trying to throw their coin in was not enjoyable at all.
Dec 13th, 2009, 10:31 AM
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Not knocking anyone else's posts, thoughts, or suggestions, but I suggest that you research the various sites before your trip. The wonder & beauty of some sites, such as the Pantheon & the Trevi, is not just viewing these historical treasures, but the history of them. You will get a lot more out of each site if you study the history in advance, or take a local guided walking tour; the guide will provide valuable info.
If you are not interested in being confined inside museums, you may not be interested in church interiors. When I travel with my husband & adult son they will only take so many museums, & they consider church interiors as the same category.
If you are not interested in being confined inside museums, you may not be interested in church interiors. When I travel with my husband & adult son they will only take so many museums, & they consider church interiors as the same category.
Dec 14th, 2009, 04:39 AM
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Sorry, but the Vatican Museum is so CROWDED that it is very difficult to enjoy.
I have seen less people at a gay West Village disco on a Saturday night than packed into the Sistine Chapel on a Friday morning.
Thin
I have seen less people at a gay West Village disco on a Saturday night than packed into the Sistine Chapel on a Friday morning.
Thin
Dec 14th, 2009, 04:50 AM
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On my list, at the very top, would be to climb the dome at St. Peters. Plan on getting there a little before it opens. Go up the steps as through you were going into St. Peters, but before going in, detour to the right, and go around to the right side of the building.
That is where you buy the tickets to go up. You can take steps all the way (first part is up to the roof of the cathedral, then you enter a door at the base of the dome and climb more steps up) or you can take a lift up to the roof, then steps up.
Both the climb up, and the view once at the top, are incredible.
If you want to see something a little odd, hit the The Capuchini Bone Crypt in Rome. The crypt is in the lower level of the Church Santa Maria Immacolata Concezione, which is on Via Veneto (not far from the US Embassy). The bones are done up as ornimentation in several rooms. To me, it was very interesting.
That is where you buy the tickets to go up. You can take steps all the way (first part is up to the roof of the cathedral, then you enter a door at the base of the dome and climb more steps up) or you can take a lift up to the roof, then steps up.
Both the climb up, and the view once at the top, are incredible.
If you want to see something a little odd, hit the The Capuchini Bone Crypt in Rome. The crypt is in the lower level of the Church Santa Maria Immacolata Concezione, which is on Via Veneto (not far from the US Embassy). The bones are done up as ornimentation in several rooms. To me, it was very interesting.
Dec 29th, 2009, 06:51 AM
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Hello all, hope you have been having a wonderful holiday Season!
So...Rome...........
Got a great book Frommer's ~ "Rome Day by Day" Have started to read and correlate with all these wonderful suggestions, thank you so much! I've also ordered 2 DVDs on Rome.
I am still changing my mind day by day about how many days to spend in Rome.
We are not city people, but Rome fascinates me. We will probably never go back to Rome. If we stay more days in Rome, we probably won't get to the Amalfi coast or to Norcia and Piano Grande. The next time we would go to Italy would be northern Italy.
If we stayed more time in Rome we could get to Ostia Antica, the Catacombs and maybe the gardens at Villa Borghese.
I have looked at Franco's thread on the best areas to stay, but am still bewildered. (I am considering everything from a 3 or 4 star Hotel to a really nice B&B or even an apartment when I am feeling brave) We would really like a very safe area from which we could walk to most of the historic sites, and definitely walk to some nice places for dinner at night.
Franco likes the southern part of Trastevere more or less opposite the Tiber island ~ Is this convenient for walking to the main sites, I would like to avoid busses if possible.
He also likes the Ghetto, the Campo de' Fiori – Piazza Farnese – Via Giulia area
I like the look of the Piazza Navona – Pantheon area (he thinks it's one of Rome's most beautiful neighbourhoods, though maybe too crowded to make it his first choice for staying there) but maybe it's too far from the Colosseum .......
He likes the part west of Piazza Navona, or north of the Chiesa Nuova
He advises against the Vatican area, since it's not only boring and not too pretty, but first of all makes you lose hours
He advises against staying near The Termini (train station) surroundings ~ good transport connections, but an ugly neighbourhood, and he says he means the FAR surroundings of Termini, not just the immediate ones.
Another district he advises one to avoid is the one between the Colosseum and the Lateran ~ the one and only part of historic Rome where safety is a problem at night
I do like the idea of being right on a Piazza, some of the narrow streets make me feel slightly claustrophobic looking at them - remember, I'm not a city person
So any suggestions of the best area to stay to be most central?
So...Rome...........
Got a great book Frommer's ~ "Rome Day by Day" Have started to read and correlate with all these wonderful suggestions, thank you so much! I've also ordered 2 DVDs on Rome.
I am still changing my mind day by day about how many days to spend in Rome.
We are not city people, but Rome fascinates me. We will probably never go back to Rome. If we stay more days in Rome, we probably won't get to the Amalfi coast or to Norcia and Piano Grande. The next time we would go to Italy would be northern Italy.
If we stayed more time in Rome we could get to Ostia Antica, the Catacombs and maybe the gardens at Villa Borghese.
I have looked at Franco's thread on the best areas to stay, but am still bewildered. (I am considering everything from a 3 or 4 star Hotel to a really nice B&B or even an apartment when I am feeling brave) We would really like a very safe area from which we could walk to most of the historic sites, and definitely walk to some nice places for dinner at night.
Franco likes the southern part of Trastevere more or less opposite the Tiber island ~ Is this convenient for walking to the main sites, I would like to avoid busses if possible.
He also likes the Ghetto, the Campo de' Fiori – Piazza Farnese – Via Giulia area
I like the look of the Piazza Navona – Pantheon area (he thinks it's one of Rome's most beautiful neighbourhoods, though maybe too crowded to make it his first choice for staying there) but maybe it's too far from the Colosseum .......
He likes the part west of Piazza Navona, or north of the Chiesa Nuova
He advises against the Vatican area, since it's not only boring and not too pretty, but first of all makes you lose hours
He advises against staying near The Termini (train station) surroundings ~ good transport connections, but an ugly neighbourhood, and he says he means the FAR surroundings of Termini, not just the immediate ones.
Another district he advises one to avoid is the one between the Colosseum and the Lateran ~ the one and only part of historic Rome where safety is a problem at night
I do like the idea of being right on a Piazza, some of the narrow streets make me feel slightly claustrophobic looking at them - remember, I'm not a city person
So any suggestions of the best area to stay to be most central?
Dec 29th, 2009, 06:58 AM
#18
hi wrenwood
i may be the wrong person to comment as we spent a week in Rome the first time and it wasn't long enough, so we're going back for another week in Feb.
really, i would think that 4 nights is an absolute minimum, to give you some idea of the city without feeling impossibly rushed.
there is a thread at the moment about touring the area between rome and Naples especially the coast which would make a pleasant and easy contrasing trip to tag onto a week in Rome.
i may be the wrong person to comment as we spent a week in Rome the first time and it wasn't long enough, so we're going back for another week in Feb.
really, i would think that 4 nights is an absolute minimum, to give you some idea of the city without feeling impossibly rushed.
there is a thread at the moment about touring the area between rome and Naples especially the coast which would make a pleasant and easy contrasing trip to tag onto a week in Rome.
Dec 29th, 2009, 07:13 AM
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Hi Ann, are you enjoying the weather in Cornwall????? We had 17 inches of snow the weekend before Christmas, unusual for Virginia in December!
I do want to see Pompeii and Herculaneum and the Museum at Naples, so I'm thinking of giving up staying at Ravello on the Amalfi coast so that I could add some time in Rome and still make it to Norcia before we go to Terra di Nano in Montichiello.
I'll check out the thread, thanks.
We had 17 inches of snow the weekend before Christmas, unusual for Virginia in December!I do want to see Pompeii and Herculaneum and the Museum at Naples, so I'm thinking of giving up staying at Ravello on the Amalfi coast so that I could add some time in Rome and still make it to Norcia before we go to Terra di Nano in Montichiello.
I'll check out the thread, thanks.
Dec 29th, 2009, 07:18 AM
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Wrenwood - What a wealth of decisions you have! It would be difficult to choose between Rome, the Amalfi coast and Norcia/Pian Grande. If it were me, I'd choose Rome, but that's because I love all of the history there, and I have a huge fear of heights, so unfortunately, the Amalfi coast does not appeal to me (but we did stay in Sorrento, then visited Pompeii from there, which was fabulous). But it's a very individual decision, and it seems like you're really considering what you would enjoy the most.
On where to stay, Franco has lots and lots of good advice. I would say that for a first-time visitor and a central location, somewhere near the Piazza Navona is a very good (the best?) choice. Trastevere, while I find it an interesting neighborhood to visit and wander through, and SOMEDAY I will stay in that neighborhood when we visit Rome, is a bit out of the way. We have stayed twice at the Residenza Canali ai Coronari, which is about one block off Piazza Navona, off via Canali, which is a quiet pedestrian street known for its antique shops. We walk to everywhere from here, including the Coliseum (but then, we're big walkers). From there, it's a minute to the cafes on Piazza Navona for people-watching, and 5 minutes to the piazza surrounding the Pantheon. I don't think the streets are claustrophic, though you may feel otherwise. But Canali basically ends by the Tiber River, and that area is wide open. You can use google's street view function to somewhat get a view of what these streets look like at street level (and it's fun to virtually wander the streets of Rome).
On where to stay, Franco has lots and lots of good advice. I would say that for a first-time visitor and a central location, somewhere near the Piazza Navona is a very good (the best?) choice. Trastevere, while I find it an interesting neighborhood to visit and wander through, and SOMEDAY I will stay in that neighborhood when we visit Rome, is a bit out of the way. We have stayed twice at the Residenza Canali ai Coronari, which is about one block off Piazza Navona, off via Canali, which is a quiet pedestrian street known for its antique shops. We walk to everywhere from here, including the Coliseum (but then, we're big walkers). From there, it's a minute to the cafes on Piazza Navona for people-watching, and 5 minutes to the piazza surrounding the Pantheon. I don't think the streets are claustrophic, though you may feel otherwise. But Canali basically ends by the Tiber River, and that area is wide open. You can use google's street view function to somewhat get a view of what these streets look like at street level (and it's fun to virtually wander the streets of Rome).
