Rome bookings
Jul 25th, 2011, 12:41 PM
#1
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Rome bookings
We were going to go to Rome last March but we ended up moving to the UK instead. I've re-booked for the end of October. Flights and apartment are in hand. I assume I can take care of the private shuttle at my convenience. I've been putting off the detailed research in favor of other trip planning, but I saw the post about booking the Colosseum tour (for September) and that jarred me awake.
So, what needs to be pre-booked and what needs to be pre-booked NOW?
We are a family of 4 (kids 12 & 9) and will likely do most of the "usual" touristy things. The Colosseum for sure. Likewise the Vatican Museum and perhaps the Borghese Gallery. I think most of the others are walk up type attractions, right?
We'll have a week and would like a somewhat slower pace. We might consider a day trip as well. Recommendations?
Many thanks.
So, what needs to be pre-booked and what needs to be pre-booked NOW?
We are a family of 4 (kids 12 & 9) and will likely do most of the "usual" touristy things. The Colosseum for sure. Likewise the Vatican Museum and perhaps the Borghese Gallery. I think most of the others are walk up type attractions, right?
We'll have a week and would like a somewhat slower pace. We might consider a day trip as well. Recommendations?
Many thanks.
Jul 25th, 2011, 01:37 PM
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If you can commit to a day for the Borghese now, I would. Our time slot (and I think the sign said all for the day) was completely sold out. It may have sold out the day before, I don't know, but I loved it and would hate to miss getting reservations.
The Scavi tour was fantastic - definitely email the office as soon as you can to book a slot for that, if you're interested.
The Scavi tour was fantastic - definitely email the office as soon as you can to book a slot for that, if you're interested.
Jul 25th, 2011, 01:58 PM
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Indy_dad,
Here's a post that may help you on what to pre-book in Rome: http://tinyurl.com/prebook-rome
Here's a post that may help you on what to pre-book in Rome: http://tinyurl.com/prebook-rome
Jul 25th, 2011, 02:06 PM
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Thanks all, especially rineurope for the link.
I saw the massive Private Guides in Italy thread. That's not normally our thing, but it might be worth considering (maybe that's too late as well). Is that best to book for the first, full day to get the full overview? Or pick out a few choice sites to cover? Any recommendations there?
I saw the massive Private Guides in Italy thread. That's not normally our thing, but it might be worth considering (maybe that's too late as well). Is that best to book for the first, full day to get the full overview? Or pick out a few choice sites to cover? Any recommendations there?
Jul 25th, 2011, 02:15 PM
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I didn't feel a need to get a guide to get an overview of the city - we were in different parts every day and just got to know them (well, as much as you can) while we were in them. A tour covering the whole city center in one day would be a really busy day.
But I do wish I'd known more about the Forum before we went, and if I had to pick one place to take a tour, that would be it. We did the "dungeons + upper level" tour of the Colosseum, which you can only do as a guided tour, but basically spent an hour just wandering around the Forum not knowing what we were seeing. Just my two cents, anyway.
But I do wish I'd known more about the Forum before we went, and if I had to pick one place to take a tour, that would be it. We did the "dungeons + upper level" tour of the Colosseum, which you can only do as a guided tour, but basically spent an hour just wandering around the Forum not knowing what we were seeing. Just my two cents, anyway.
Jul 25th, 2011, 03:02 PM
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I agree with jent103. Neither my DH nor I are tour-type people, but after going through the Forum, I really wished I'd spent the money to have a guided tour. I think it would really help make sense of what you're seeing and put it into context.
Jul 25th, 2011, 03:11 PM
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I currently am writing up my trip report. I would recommend booking:
1. Scavi tour - they fill up very quickly
2. Vatican museum & Sistine chapel - usually more availability, but should prebook to avoid lines
3. Colosseum underground tour, but not sure if it is running in October
4. Borghese - it does get booked up a day or two in advance, so you could wait until you got to Rome, but I prefer doing everything well in advance.
I prebooked all of my tours approximately 2 months ahead of time.
As for day trips:
We had a nice time in Orvieto. Such a quaint little town and great ceramics.
I did a day trip to Ostia Antica, which was very nice. Not so crowded and there is a good Rick Steves audio tour for it.
I also did a day trip to Florence. Lots of people say it's not enough time, but for me it was a perfect taste of the city, which was all that I wanted.
1. Scavi tour - they fill up very quickly
2. Vatican museum & Sistine chapel - usually more availability, but should prebook to avoid lines
3. Colosseum underground tour, but not sure if it is running in October
4. Borghese - it does get booked up a day or two in advance, so you could wait until you got to Rome, but I prefer doing everything well in advance.
I prebooked all of my tours approximately 2 months ahead of time.
As for day trips:
We had a nice time in Orvieto. Such a quaint little town and great ceramics.
I did a day trip to Ostia Antica, which was very nice. Not so crowded and there is a good Rick Steves audio tour for it.
I also did a day trip to Florence. Lots of people say it's not enough time, but for me it was a perfect taste of the city, which was all that I wanted.
Jul 25th, 2011, 05:13 PM
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Trying a week ahead, we did not have any luck getting into the Borghese in any time slot during our time in Rome, so you may want to try to book it a few weeks ahead.
Definitely try for the Scavi Tour as soon as possible.
And I think a tour guide for The Forum and Palatine Hill would be helpful. We enjoyed the Rick Steves Audio Tour of the Forum, but he does not cover Palatine Hill. Do NOT pay for the audio guide offered at Palatine Hill. It is awful.
Definitely try for the Scavi Tour as soon as possible.
And I think a tour guide for The Forum and Palatine Hill would be helpful. We enjoyed the Rick Steves Audio Tour of the Forum, but he does not cover Palatine Hill. Do NOT pay for the audio guide offered at Palatine Hill. It is awful.
Jul 25th, 2011, 06:34 PM
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I know I'm agreeing with everyone but, the Scavi Tour is a must. It was fabulous. If the underground/third level tour of the Colosseum is available then that was cool, too. I thoroughly enjoyed the Borghese, the sculptures were fantastic. The Forum would have been better if we had someone to explain what we were seeing, the tour book just skimmed over most of what was there.
I booked our Scavi tour in January for April but I don't think it had to be done that early. I booked the Colosseum underground tour a month before but the guy booked the wrong thing and gave us the regular Colosseum tour. We were able to get an underground tour for the same day, just later. I booked the Borghese less than a month before we left.
The best thing was just wandering through the city and people watching. The kids will love the gelato, we had it at least once a day, sometimes twice. Have a great trip!
I booked our Scavi tour in January for April but I don't think it had to be done that early. I booked the Colosseum underground tour a month before but the guy booked the wrong thing and gave us the regular Colosseum tour. We were able to get an underground tour for the same day, just later. I booked the Borghese less than a month before we left.
The best thing was just wandering through the city and people watching. The kids will love the gelato, we had it at least once a day, sometimes twice. Have a great trip!
Jul 25th, 2011, 09:26 PM
#12
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Looks like there is a 15 y.o. age minimum for the Scavi Tour 
Sounds like a guide at the Forum might be worthwhile. Is that a walk up, take your chances kinda thing?
Is there any information online about the availability of the Colosseum tour options (for October)? It wasn't obvious to me on the website:
http://www.pierreci.it/en/museums-an.../colosseo.aspx
Sounds like a guide at the Forum might be worthwhile. Is that a walk up, take your chances kinda thing?
Is there any information online about the availability of the Colosseum tour options (for October)? It wasn't obvious to me on the website:
http://www.pierreci.it/en/museums-an.../colosseo.aspx
Jul 25th, 2011, 09:39 PM
#13
You must scroll down on the link you gave to see the tour info for the Colosseum (regular tours, not the underground). For the Forum, scroll down this link:
http://www.pierreci.it/en/museums-an...ro-romano.aspx
For info about the underground tour at the Colosseum (Italian only and still says it ends in June):
http://www.pierreci.it/16843.aspx
http://www.pierreci.it/en/museums-an...ro-romano.aspx
For info about the underground tour at the Colosseum (Italian only and still says it ends in June):
http://www.pierreci.it/16843.aspx
Jul 26th, 2011, 03:49 AM
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Indy
I will be in Rome in October also. I've been checking daily for the Underground Colosseum tour. So far it is only open through September 30th. I was told to check back in August.
I've also been checking through the Walks of Italy tour agency which offers a tour that includes the underground area along with the Forum in a 3 hour tour. They have confirmed that so far the Colosseum is only allowing tours through the end of September.
There are a couple of threads here about how to call for underground reservations that are very detailed. If you do a search they will pop up.
Let's hope they open the underground for October. I know personally I've been holding off on booking any tours (except the Scavi) until I know about this one. I don't know how much longer I'm going to wait.
CindyP.
I will be in Rome in October also. I've been checking daily for the Underground Colosseum tour. So far it is only open through September 30th. I was told to check back in August.
I've also been checking through the Walks of Italy tour agency which offers a tour that includes the underground area along with the Forum in a 3 hour tour. They have confirmed that so far the Colosseum is only allowing tours through the end of September.
There are a couple of threads here about how to call for underground reservations that are very detailed. If you do a search they will pop up.
Let's hope they open the underground for October. I know personally I've been holding off on booking any tours (except the Scavi) until I know about this one. I don't know how much longer I'm going to wait.
CindyP.
Jul 26th, 2011, 10:49 AM
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Twigers, how did you go to Orvieto?
We have a last minute trip to Rome in October and just starting to look at accommodations. Indy_dad, how did you find your apartment? Perhaps I should start my own thread!
We have a last minute trip to Rome in October and just starting to look at accommodations. Indy_dad, how did you find your apartment? Perhaps I should start my own thread!
Jul 26th, 2011, 11:17 AM
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I just went to the Vatican website to book the Scavi tour and read this:
The necropolis of the Via Triumphalis (Santa Rosa) and dell'Autoparco are temporarily closed for renovations in progress.
Is this different from the Scavi tour everyone is referring to above? If not, how do I book this?
The necropolis of the Via Triumphalis (Santa Rosa) and dell'Autoparco are temporarily closed for renovations in progress.
Is this different from the Scavi tour everyone is referring to above? If not, how do I book this?
Jul 26th, 2011, 11:33 AM
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nnancy, this is the page where I found the instructions (which worked for me):
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/in...040112_en.html
It mentions dates in 2006, so clearly it hasn't been updated in awhile. But to book the tour you really just email them, so if for some reason they were to stop the Scavi tours temporarily, surely they would either tell you or just not reply to you. I got a very quick response to my email, but if you search the threads here you'll see others' experiences.
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/in...040112_en.html
It mentions dates in 2006, so clearly it hasn't been updated in awhile. But to book the tour you really just email them, so if for some reason they were to stop the Scavi tours temporarily, surely they would either tell you or just not reply to you. I got a very quick response to my email, but if you search the threads here you'll see others' experiences.
