Please help. I have done so much research with all the information I am overwhelmed.We arrive Sat. morn 10:00. Staying Sat. nite and Sun. nite, must leave Mon. afternoon by 1 or 2 to get to port for cruise. I would like to do Vatican Mon. morn (not open on Sun. Get there too late Sat.) Please help with suggestions on how to get as much in as possible. Should I use guides
or go on our own. We were thinking a little of both.

Hi hamanchad,

What are your interests? History, art, food, wine, shopping, wandering???

Liz

For the tour of the Vatican and St. Peters, I would highly recommend Rome Walks. Please 'google' the name and contact them via e-mail. Rome Walks does small group tours, as well as private tours, with the former being much more reasonable, obviously. It may be possile to arrange for something Saturday P.M. I am just guessing here. For more culture, you could reserve a tour of the Borghese Gallery. Again 'google' the name and contact them via e-mail. It is a maximum of a two-hour tour, which will leave you with plenty of time to hang around the Spanish Steps and wander the designer shops. Of course, a tour (think Rome Walks) or a self walk of the Colleseum and Forum are a good bet and, if you are at all interested, the Jewish Ghetto is wonderful as are the fried artichokes, which are served in restaurants there. Sunday would be a super day for hanging around the Ghetto. Otherwise--and I would probably concentrate on that--just enjoy Rome and the historic center. Visit the Pantheon--fabulous, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, snap some photos of yourself(ves) against the famous background, have the best espresso on the face of this Earth at Cafe St. Eustachio (that's right, 'google' the name), gelatto if you like ice cream, etc. Just hang out. Rome is an amazing city.

Anna Roz

Saturday afternoon you can visit the Coliseum and Forum. I'm a believer in hiring a guide, especially when it comes to ruins. You will get so much more out of your visit to the sites. This will take about 3 hours (with or without a guide). Nearby, the Pantheon is an easy visit at almost any time and is free. The piazza outside the Pantheon is a fun place to hang out. Angel Tours offers a free tour every evening at the Pantheon (I think 7:00 pm). The Piazza Navona is an easy walk from the Pantheon and you should also check it out in the evening for its festive atmosphere. It's a nice place to have an expensive coffee, glass of wine or gelato, but don't eat here. A great place to eat is almost anywhere in the Trastevere, across the river (same side as the Vatican).

The Campo dei Fiori is a very pleasant place to visit in the mornings for its market and in the evenings for the people-watching cafe atmosphere.

You will be pressed for time to see the Vatican on Monday morning since it opens at 10:00 and there are always lines. Go as early as you can. My guess is that it will be the only thing you will be able to do on Monday before leaving to catch your cruise. I believe it is open (and free) on the last Sunday of the month, but confirm that if it applies to you. In order to be safe, I would suggest you go to St. Peters on Sunday or very early (7:00 or 8:00 am on Monday). If you are interested in Mass, check the schedules and kill two birds with one stone.

One of my favorite things to do on a Sunday is to take a stroll out the Via Appia. It's closed to traffic on Sundays and you can visit some catacombs. It's a very tranquil setting just outside the heart of Rome.

The area around the Spanish Steps has some great window shopping and is wonderful for an evening stroll. Before you leave, head on over to the Trevi Fountain to insure your return to Rome.

Thank you very much. I really want a taste of it all. All of these suggestions sound great. I just did not know about how much time each place would take. Some of the places like monuments I just need a photo shot
I know we want the collesuem, vatican,but do not want to spend a lot of time finding my way around. I thought on Sun. would be a good time to just wonder. Also we come dock on a Sat. 8am morn and do not fly out until Sun.
I would like someone to pick us up at dock and go to Frasctia(sp)for wine tour.
Any suggestions for that. Again thank you very much for all your help

http://www.romalimo.com/

Will take you where you want to go.

Anna Roz

romaturismo has suggestions for 48hr, 96 hr, etc. trips to rome.
http://www.romaturismo.it/v2/romain4...in48ore_1.html