2010

DH & I will be in Rome from Thurs May 26 - Thurs June 2, 2011. This will be our last stop in a 25-day trip. While the plans for the first part of the trip have come together nicely, the Rome portion has been challenging to put together. It will be our first visit to Rome.

One of the obstacles is organizing an itinerary around guided tours (Vatican Museum/Sistine Chapel/St Peter's & possibly, the hypogeum/3rd levels of the Colosseum) & a booked entry time (Borghese Gallery). While we don't like to have a tightly scheduled plan, we see the necessity to pre-book arrangements for these popular sights.

Here's what we have tentatively planned for 7 (really 6 1/2) days in Rome:

Thurs May 26th: Arrive early afternoon from Florence by train / Check in hotel (near
Pantheon) / Explore the area around the Pantheon
Fri May 27th: Campo di Fiori, Piazza Navona, Piazza Colonna, Trevi Fountain ... and things
in between!
Sat May 28th: Colosseum / Roman Forum / Palentine Hill
Sun May 29th: Borghese Gallery / P. del Popolo / Spanish Steps / Via Condotti
Mon May 30th: Vatican Museum / Sistine Chapel / St Peter's Basilica
Tue May 31: Day trip to Tivoli
Wed June 1st: an open day for last minute shopping, touring (Trastevere ...), etc.
Thurs June 2nd: Leave for home

Any feedback is appreciated with thanks!

isabel

You are smart to keep the three things that you want to pre-book on separate days, but other than that your schedule is very open. For example, on Friday the things you mention are all within about a ten minute walk of each other. Depending on what you mean by "things in between" you could walk through all those places easily in an hour. In fact, given where your hotel is you probably will walk through them almost daily. Obviously some of those times you'll want to stop and linger but they are geographically very close. Make sure to spend some time strolling around other areas as well. I was just there for six days (and had been there for five in July as well) and pretty much daily I walked from Trevi (my hotel was near there) through Pz Rotunda to Pz Navona to Campo di Fiori. It was my favorite walk but there is so much else. All the guidebooks have walking tours and it's easy to combine them and map them out. You might enjoy the link to my photos (the ones from this past Nov are not up yet, they will be soon, these are from July and from a past trip - http://www.pbase.com/annforcier/rome )

AlessandraZoe

I so identify with how overwhelmed you might feel by Rome. I was frustrated in planning our Rome trip because of all the varying days of operation/opening and closing times. I recall making a color-coded spreadsheet so I had a visual of how to make a reasonable gameplan. When I arrived, I just shook my head--Rome was really easy.

You have listed 3 of the 4 things I ended up being "firm" about before we went: Borghese, a Vatican tour, and the Collesium/Forum/Gardens, although we winged that with the help of those free tours and with walking tours from our two different guidebooks. We did a daytrip to Pompeii.

You've done very well, but Isabel is right. You have a lot of time to stuff some more things in without feeling any pressure. You can wait until you get there because until you do, you won't have a concept of how close everything actually is. Her hotel was at Trevi so she came your way almost everyday; our hotel was at the Pantheon, and we routinely went HER way every evening. And that walk was always after a full day of touring.

So do pick a few guidebook walking tours (I'm sure there are good mp3 ones by now)to do and you'll be really happy.

You'll love your hotel location.

daveesl

If you want, go to my website, I provide a free 6 day guidebook and maps for Rome. In the library area you will find the free downloadable guidebook, which gives you instructions on how to print it yourself and have it bound at almost any local large office supply for about $4. It includes directions and maps. Under the Googlemaps menu option you'll find the actual tour maps, with associated MP3 files for each location. You can also download the entire MP3 audio guide of all 6 tours for free and load it onto an iPod or MP3 player, in the library area. You'll also find lots of free info on passes, bus routes, official travel brochures and more. You don't have to sign up for anything or log in, just enjoy.

www.passagetoroma.com

dave

TDudette

It sounds good. Depending on your lingering style, you might, as isabel suggests, see many of the 1st 2 days' items more quickly than you expect. Do check the Palazzos and churches in the Pantheon/Navona area for more things to see.

Or, because of their sizes, you could split St. Peters and Vatican Museum/Cistine into 2 days. See St. Peters in the a.m. the 27th, then go to Trestevere and work your way back "home" in the p.m. via Campo di Fiori area.

carolw

I highly recommend getting a Roma Pass. You can buy it online for 25E/person and pick it up when you get to Rome. It's good for 3 days from the day you first use it. The first 2 museums are free with discounts on other museums. The Colosseum and Roman Forum count as one. So you could could use it on 5/28 and then 5/29 at Galleria Borghese. All public transportation is free with the pass and you can skip the long general admission lines. You can't use it at the Vatican but you'll still get your money's worth, especially if you use public transportation and you'll have the convenience of just showing your pass.
Hope this helps! carolw

Lexma90

I agree with the others that the items on your Friday list you will likely pass, or spend time at, multiple times. When visiting Rome, we definitely spend time at Piazza Navona and the Pantheon each day, at at least one cafe, with important stops at Giolitti gelateria, which is near the Pantheon.

Because of that, I'd move one of your committed days, probably the Forum, etc., to Friday. Also, it should be slightly less crowded that day vs. a weekend.

And not to add to your list, but I will, and suggest that you put together a list of places you'd like to visit if you have time and inclination between the other things - San Clemente, San Luigi, St. Peters' in Chains, the entire Trastevere area, etc. You will likely walk by at least some of them on the way to and from other things, so why not stop and enjoy!

Zerlina

If you don't already have one, there's a zoomable map of Rome here, which shows most of the points of interest:
http://en.turismoroma.it/benvenuti_a_roma/mappa_di_roma

Opening times don't really vary all that much. Most museums and archeological sites (with the notable exceptions of the Vatican Museums and the Forum/Colosseum/Palatine Hill) are closed on Monday; most churches are closed for a longer or shorter period between noon and 4 pm.

bachslunch

Your itinerary is fine, and as others suggested, you could add in more things if you want.

Lexxma90 has some good church suggestions to add to your itinerary if you choose. Also consider the Etruscan Museum on the same day as your Galleria Borghese visit, as they're in the same park and not far from each other.

Tivoli makes for a great day trip here. Another possibility is Ostia Antica, which can actually be reached via subway.

Ackislander

I was there last month, and your plan is basically quite doable, though maybe not in the order/proportion that you have outlined. Still, you have plenty of room to improvise and/or say "the heck with it."

The first two days are basically in the same place and are easier than they need be if you are "collecting" sites. If you really like to walk around and check out the scene, you will have plenty of time. There are no churches on your itinerary, and a lot of them are really important and blessedly light on the tourists.

Saturday has more than I could do in a day, but I am really interested in this stuff. The footing in the Forum is very uneven, making for slowish going, and the Palatine Hill is a real hill, steepish in spots though not very long. If you stop from time to time to consult the guidebook to see what you are seeing, it is a full and perhaps tiring day.

Getting to the Borghese is not trivial. It is relatively far from the center of Rome, so allow plenty of time. The good news is that the walk you have outlined after the museum is all downhill, really all the way to the area of your hotel.

In fact, getting around Rome is not all that simple. The public transportation is really excellent but not all that easy to figure out because of the lack of convenient guides. The number of tourists is astonishing, and there is danger of human gridlock near the Spanish Steps and, for example, the Trevi Fountain. Fortunately, lots of stuff is in the same general area, and you can easily walk from Piazza Navona/Pantheon to the Vatican or to the Forum, just not, perhaps, in the same day.

But it is pretty thrilling. Enjoy.

2010

Thanks, everyone for your feedback & suggestions! I am feeling more reassured & relaxed about how to plan our days in Rome! I have yet to make a 'color-coded spreadsheet' as Alessandra did but I do have a notebook filled with copious notes!!! Many of your ideas will be added to the tome!

Moving the Colosseum/Forum/Palentine Hill visit to Friday is an option. The Roma Pass activated on Friday would be valid through to Sunday to go to the Borghese Gallery. <b>Is it really less crowded on weekdays vs weekends?</b>

I also like the idea of splitting bigger sites over two days. We are looking into hiring a private tour guide for the Vatican Museum/Sistine Chapel/St Peter's so we will be committed to a one-day visit. But I would certainly consider doing the Colosseum tour of the hypogeum/3rd level (if it is offered in the spring) + a self-guided tour of the Colosseum on one day. Then we can visit the Forum/Palantine Hill on another day. Three hours, four max seems to be my personal limit at any one sight!

My goal is to establish an itinerary blocking in the major sights/day trip first. Once that's done go back & build a list as Lexma & others have suggested of places of interest to visit along the way. Your ideas are great! Thanks!

Thanks also for the links offered here. I'll have a closer look at them!

AlessandraZoe

Again, you are doing well, and again, Rome was a LOT easier than I thought.

Who knows why I felt that way? I had planned an intensive art tour of Florence and area the year before, and goodness knows, London had far worse scattering of opening/closing hrs, etc, and we'd done Paris a zillion times before we stepped foot in Rome, but for some reason, I was just freaking out about how to "do" Rome. It was easy-peasy, and even though we are super "art intensive" tourists, we felt very relaxed in Rome. Hence our ritual evening stroll to the Spanish Steps, etc.

I don't quite know when you are going. The first time we went was in March at "non Easter" time. Crowds were not that big of a deal any day of the week. The second time was Easter Saturday. It was wall-to-wall people then. We still loved it.

As to Borghese Gardens from Pantheon area being a problem?--just hop a taxi. We usually hailed them at official taxi rank areas a block or two from our hotel. We found them to be really cheap, no matter what some comments have been here and elsewhere. My husband just always asks the cost before we get in the car--he speaks fluent beer and numbers in any language--and no one ever pulled anything weird on us.

I think the Vatican really overwhelmed us more than anything. I remember being so exhausted that day. We had hired a guide, and I think we did Sistine first (good idea for the timing--just remember to bring pocket mirror and perhaps binoculars), a few other areas, took the guide to lunch, and went back for 1.5 to 2 more hrs. We were wiped out. Part of exhaustion that is that one has to be mentally "there" with a guide, but at the same time, he knew all the guards, and he was able to take us down passages and up stairwells the rest of the public was taking.

iamq

Some other things to throw into the hopper would be a walk up the Aventine Hill and stop at Santa Sabina Chuch, visit the Capitilone Museums, Castel Sant'Angelo and the Baths of Caracalla. Viewing Rome from the Giancolo Hill is a must and can be walked via a nice pathway from Trastevere.

2010

Alessandra: I am feeling less & less anxious about 'how to do Rome' with your (and everyone else's) reassurance & help. Really, I am!

Thanks for your tips on cab rides & binoculars!

As Ackislander said: It is pretty thrilling! And we will enjoy!

2010

iamq: Thanks for your suggestions of specific churches, museums, sights & viewpoints, especially Gianicolo! I think that we will need to spend some time in the Trastevere - perhaps Day 2 in our itinerary!

AlessandraZoe

2010--I haven't a clue as to whether or not you are big into art, but Pantheon area radius is really good for "oh yeah, here's a Carvaggio in this church" type of thing. It's just one more reason I'm excited for your staying there.

And Pantheon radius is pretty darn good for my family's favorite art--GELATO ranking. My kids and husband were competitive "flavor stackers" and then would compile new comparative stats daily.

Yeah, everyone but me knows numbers. I buy the trips though

iamq

Right across from the Pantheon is one of our favorite gelato places, Creameria Monteforte. The hazelnut was quite memorable.

2010

Oh, goodie ... GELATO!!! Now we're talking!

cathies

When you do your Colosseum/Forum/Palatine day, assuming you don't have the Roma ticket, there is a combo ticket you can buy for these 3 places. Purchase the ticket at the Forum or Palatine Hill NOT at the Colosseum. The queues at those two venues for ticket purchases are much shorter and when you do get to the Colosseum you can bye pass the ridiculously long queue and go straight to the security check. Just keep to the left of the people lining up to purchase tickets and you will more or less go straight in.

2010

Our Rome itinerary is still very much a work-in-progress!

We have booked a private Vatican Museums/St Peter's Basilica tour with Daniella Hunt (Mirabilia Urbus Tours) on Friday, May 27th. We felt this will be the best way to maximize our time & our experience.

We've been doing a lot of reading & researching on other sights of interest but still have a few questions on how to organize our days.

The Colosseum/Roman Forum/Palatine Hill/Capitoline Hill are such enormous sights. Any suggestions on how to see them over two days without feeling too overloaded plus work in time to recover/regenerate over lunch? Also, I'd appreciate recommendations for restaurants nearby.

Thanks so much!