Overnight Layover FCO - Any options?
 

I get into FCO at about 8:30 p.m., have a room already booked at the Hilton, and fly out 9:30 a.m the next day. I booked the hotel (nonrefundable) when my flight was originally scheduled to get into FCO at 2:30 p.m., thinking I'd have time to do plenty.
Now, with only a few night hours, do I have any options as far as sightseeing?
Thanks in advance.

Hi Ms,

It sounds like you have not visited Rome before. I would just recommend walking around and enjoying the sights at night. Nearly everything is beautifully lit and Rome will cast her spell on you!

Start at Piazza Navona, head up to the Pantheon and over to Fontana Trevi. From there you can head back towards the Coliseum and Forum, Trajan's Market and the Vitorio Emmanuele monument.

Personally, I don't think Piazza San Pietro is all that great at night. Not sure when the church itself closes. I would guess it's open fairly late like others. I would only head this way if you can go inside.

This little stroll could take up to 3 or 4 hours, so it's up to you how much time to spend at each and how tired you are from the flight from ???

Hope this gives you a couple ideas.

Thanks Dayle...Yes, first time in Rome.. I know the complimentary hotel shuttle runs til 10 pm I believe, so I'm sure I'll cut that close...Dumb question - but I'm assuming I could get a taxi from FCO to downtown late at night? (I will be traveling alone, so may not be entirely comfortable with touring the city on foot, at night...

Flying from BRU, so won't be tired; okay with not getting much sleep, as I fly to ATL the next morning and can probably sleep on the plane.

Ms,

I'm not a wiz on airport codes, but assume BRU is in Europe, Brussels maybe?? Your hotel is at the airport?

Yes you could take a taxi back to your hotel, but it would probably be more expensive late at night. Remember you must get a taxi at the taxi stand and make sure to get a price before you get in. Have your hotel give you an approximate cost from a certain landmark to the hotel. They will know.

Maybe change your overnight hotel to one in Rome and have them arrange a driver to the airport in the morning. It's quite reasonable.

I wouldn't be concerned at all walking around Rome at night. I was solo on my last trip and walked around all the sights at night. There will be lots of people doing the same thing. One of the great things about the city! Just exercise the usual cautions.

What time of year will you be traveling?

I think you should consider booking a guide to take you around to the places you want to see since you aren't familiar with Rome and have such a short time. You can later catch a taxi back to the hotel. There are companies that offer night tours, but most start around 7:30.

Just take the Leonardo Express to Rome, if you don't want to spend on the taxi. It departs every :06 and :36 until 11:36p, and takes 31 minutes to Rome Termini. 11EUR. Switch to a taxi from there.

Thanks everyone... I'm traveling in a few weeks, so it'll be November..
BRU - yes Brussels. will be there a week working and then the o/n layover in Rome.
I did have a tour booked originally, but since my flight doesn't get INTO Rome until 8:30 p.m., I had to cancel that. I already have a non-refundable room booked at the Hilton (at Rome airport).
I may just hop on the train and take a ride.. I will keep looking for a later tour though.

If your hotel is at FCO, then forget it. I won't bother going to town with that short transit time. You need time to get from terminal to the Hilton, and back to terminal, to the train, to town, back to airport, and back to hotel. Not worth the trouble.

I would use the hotel shuttle to go into Rome, not the train. The shuttle will having dropping points near the areas you want to visit. The Leonardo Express will just get you to Termini. There is a different train from the airport to Trastevere (about 5E), but you would still have to catch the tram from there. It runs every 15 minutes.

There are several Rome guides that do private tours. You might try searching the forum for Francesca Caruso's e-mail info as her prices are supposed to be reasonable. She also does tours for Rick Steves.
http://www.ricksteves.com/news/tourn.../francesca.htm

The only thing I would do after arriving and checking into the hotel would be to have a driver pick me up and drive me around Rome and then take me back to the Hilton. You can probably arrange it with one of the shuttle companies that are mentioned here by others. Maybe even someone at the Hilton desk could help you arrange it.

Another idea could be to take the train, cab or shuttle into Rome then have a taxi driver drive you around town and then take you back to the hotel. I would only do this after finding a taxi driver with good rapport and settling on the price before you get in the car.

I doubt that you would find a tour that late. Why the non-refundable hotel? Hotels can usually take cancellations at least 48 hours ahead.

I did check with the hotel and their free shuttle stops at 10:00pm (i'm guessing thats the last run) with the last RETURN at 11:00.... it drops at Piazza Bocca della Verità.
Thanks for suggestions... may just hope a roundtrip ride on the hotel shuttle.

Dayle - nonrefundable = cheap!! I did get a good rate on cheaptickets, and since this is not part of work, it comes out of my pocket, as does any tour I might take...

Just take the hotel shuttle into town (it drops at Teatro Marcello I think and is a good area to start wandering)...and take a walk (just make sure you have a map) and have a good dinner.

I would not be concerned about being alone in Rome - no more than any other city...less than most actually now that I think about it. The sights are very well lit and beautiful at night.

I would then just take the train from Termini back to the airport/hotel.

Assuming you land on time (8:30pm), then pick up luggage, go thru customs & immigration and then transit from airport to hotel and check in, it will be close to 9:30pm. Then figure by the time you get into the city will be after 10pm. Short of jsut driving around for a few hours, seems like a lot of effort for not much in the way of seeing anything given that you have to get back to hotel at some reasonable hour (i suspect) to be at airport by 7:30am the next moring for your return flight.

nah...it's great run to run around Rome even for a few hours...10pm is not that late in Rome (or most places in Italy - that's dinner time). First time my husband was there, we arrived around 7pm and left the next morning - I dragged him around to all the sights and we had a wonderful dinner too! (and he's since gone back many times to actually "see" everything)

Don't stress out about the hotel shuttle...just take the airport express train into Termini - I find Rome very walkable, but you can always take a taxi from there or a bus anyway.

Thanks all... i'm actually leaning towards the train to Termini and taxi back now!

Casa's right - it is early (to italians) and i know i will be so psyched to be in Rome, that I'll want to try to do what I can...

Since you are arriving there are no immigration/customs to pass through. If you have just carryon bag you'll deplane and be on your way, else you'll just have to wait for baggage claim.

The Hilton shuttle from the airport to the hotel can be slow. I've seen people pitching fits. I assume you are going to get on the train at FCO before checking in at the hotel?

If not, you will have to wait for another shuttle back to the airport to get the train to go to the city.

Msbrownize, I dont blame you for wanting to see Rome. But depending on the night of the week, the weather, the promptness of your flight, the shuttles, etc. ... well, I might not set my heart on this. It could be ok, or could be a bit of a fiasco.

Also I don't see the advantage of a cheap hotel rate, when paying taxis and trains for a quick run in to the city.

If he stays at the Hilton right on the premises of the airport he can just walk over to it. I think it is the Hilton Gardens that relies on the shuttle, it is off the grounds.

yes - the Hilton Msbrownize is talking about is IN the airport - well via passageway anyway. The other Hilton(s?) use shuttle buses.