I'm trying not to be too obsessive, but planning is what I do. We're going to be in an apt near St. Peter for a week - Sat-Sat, my two teenagers and I. Part of this is continuing education - hence the focus on early Christian Rome. We'll be there in May

Interested in any feedback and am I trying to do too much in a day or missing anything

Sat - arrive about 3 in the afternoon by train from Naples
Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, Trasteveree

Sun - Ancient Rome: Piazza Venezia, Vittoriano, Campidoglio, Santa Maria in Aracoeli, Forum and Palatine View, Colosseum

Mon am Private Scala Reale Early Church tour - afternoon relax, whatever

Tuesday - Scavi tour (got the first confirmation email - hoping for a definate reservation) - Afternoon - tour of catecombs (Maybe too much underground for one day?)

Wed - Private tour of vatican,

Thursday Bus Tour Assisi (yea I know, long day but we really would like to see the town)

Friday Open/left over

Sat - late am train to Florence

Joelle

I know not everyone is a museum person, it seems a shame to be in Rome and not visit the Galleria Borghese. Was that a deliberate choice on your part? Just curious, because there are many wonderful works of art housed there by some great masters.

Re: Galleria Borghese

We are kind of bigger on historical sights than art musuems and we are going to Florence where I figure we'll get our fill - I would put it lower on the priority list to see if we have time but I understand it tends to be crowded and requires advanced reservations so it really isn't a priority this time around.

What about the Pantheon? You can visit it fairly quickly, but it is really quite an amazing site to be seen. It is very beautiful inside and an overwhelming experience when you think about the fact that it was built before Christ was even born! It was one of my favorite sites in Rome. I would skip the Spanish Steps (not educational, interesting or fun) and do the Pantheon instead. The Pantheon isn't far from Piazza Navona if memory serves.

Also, Sunday looks like a long day to me. If you really want to get anything out of the sites you visit and not just take a cursory glance, start early.

Otherwise, all looks good to me!

Have fun. Rome is one of my favorite cities.

Definitely the Pantheon as daria suggested. But I don't think you necessarily have to choose between that and the Spanish Steps (especially as you seem to be walkers.) As stated, the Pantheon is extremely close to Piazza Navona, and both are easy walks to Trevi Fountain as well as the Steps (all are great places to for people watching.)

By the way (and I promise this will be the last time I mention this, because I did read your response and am not trying to convince you otherwise, I swear.) But just in case the Borghese does rise higher on the list at some point, just wanted to let you know that reservations are easily requested by phone or internet. They are for two hour intervals and they limit the number of visitors during each 2-hr span. Bernini's works are a great highlight for any fan of sculpture. And that's the last I'll say on this

Not that I'm trying to add to an already busy schedule (if this is not included on one of your tours), but we found the Castel St. Angelo quite interesting with its long and varied history. We spent a lot more time there than we'd planned to, and the view from the top was a bonus. It's near the Vatican, if it fits into one of your days in that area. It was one of the highlights of our trip to Rome.

thanks everyone - I forgot about the Pantheon but figured we would pass it on one of our walks. Also it is a msut that we see the Roman Cat Sanctuary Torre Argentina, but I understand we'll pass that on our Ancient Rome walk.

Thanks for the Castel St. Angelo suggestiong - we are staying near St. Peter so should be easy to check it out.

Too much to see on Sunday? I think I took that itineary right off of the Traveling with Ed & Julie sight so I thought it would be doable.

Will keep the Borghese in mind. Am trying to keep our last full day empty for that sort of thing or something we want to go back to. Learned that trick from a trip to DC a few years ago - had the whole week planned, last day the plan was to see the zoo - but we loved the Smithsonian so much we decided there were zoos everywhere only one Smithsonian so we went back. You never know what you are going to want to see more of till you get there.

Thanks agin. I'm getting so excited - We leave May 10 about a month to go!!!

Joelle

Does your private tour of the Vatican include the Vat. Gardens?
I think the Gardens are only open on Wed, by appointment.

My tour is only of the museum, you know I thought about the gardens, but it's a two hour tour and I'm dragging these two teenagers with me and the last time we took a big trip through Montecello and Williamsburg I was always fighting them to see gardens-- weighing the joy of seeing a garden with the complaining of teenagers and limited time I thought I might save that if I ever get back to Rome by myself or with a more accomodating adult

Joelle, this might interest you i.e early Christian Rome.
In the Palatine Hill Antiquarium (museum) there is a famous and controversial Christian graffiti http://faculty.bbc.edu/rdecker/alex_graffito.htm
Although it is probably from the 3C AD possibly 2C and not the 1C AD as the author states.
It's in Room VIII on the 2nd floor.
Alexamenos will bring-up alot of hits in google if you're interested.
Also click-on my name 'ParadiseLost' for info (under 'Underground Rome: Church of St. Giovanni and Paolo') which might also interest you. Regards, Walter