Vivi004

What should be cut out for a first timer trip to Rome? I am having a difficult time! Thanks in advance!

Vivi004

Thank you @Denisea! I know I need to be more realistic, but am not sure what I should cut, probably some churches?

Delaine

If it were me, I would cut some or all of the following: Palazzo Farnesina, Santa Maria degli Angeli, Palazzo Massimo, Sant'Agostino and Galleria d'Arte Antica Palazzo Corsini.

Unless your hotel is in Trastevere, I would be tempted to leave Trastevere for another trip and to either spread out the other sites you want to see or add (I hate to say) something else.

Depending on the speed with which you go through St. Peter's and the Vatican Museums, you could also take in Castel Sant'Angelo, which is nearby and has a nice view from the top (ramps not stairs, for the most part).

Vivi004

Ok so here's a more geographically correct itinerary,in my attempt, if it's not I give up! I have also cut out a few things, what else would you suggest to skip? Again thank you for all the help, I really appreciate it.

Friday, April 26 Day 1
Pantheon
Santa Maria Sopra Della Minerva
Piazza Navona
San Luigi de Francesi
Trevi Fountain

Saturday, April 27 Day 2
Piazza Della Republica
?Santa Maria della Vittoria
?Santa Maria degli Angeli
Spanish Steps
Santa Maria Popolo
Villa Borghese Gardens
Galleria Borghese

Sunday, April 28 Day 3
San Pietro in Vicoli
Colosseum
Arch of Constantine
Basillica of San Clemente
Roman Forum
Palatine Hill
Palatine Museum

Monday, April 29 Day 4
Vatican
0700-St. Peter’s Basillica Free Entrance
0800-Climb the dome of St. Peters 7€ Tickets:__
0900/1000-Vatican Museums 15€ Tickets:__
Gianicolo Hill for the view
To Hotel Freshen up
Dinner around 1900 or 2000

Tuesday, April 30 Day 5
Capitoline Hill
Piazza Campidoglio
Capitoline Museums
Boca della Verita
Santa Cecilia in Trastevere
Santa Maria in Trastevere

Wednesday, May 1 Day 6
Pompeii Day Trip

willowjane

What great advice you are getting! I am riding along and taking notes.

Vivi004

I know @willowjane! I have been reworking things for a couple of hours now. Now I want critiques on each city I am going to! haha. There is so much experience combined with all the travelers on Fordors, it is really helpful.

annhig

I hate to suggest something extra to add in, but if you did have time on day 1, very close to the Pantheon is the Galleria Doria Pamphilj - a stately home and marvellous art gallery/museum al rolled into one, and very few people.

worth thinking about if you find that you have the time and the energy.

willowjane

Vivi, I have Galleria Doria Pamphilj on my list of visiting - I have had several people recommend this.

denisea

Annhig is right..we went to GDP on her recommendation and it was really wonderful. Not crowded and we were glad we went.

Regarding the churches, are you Catholic? Are their specific reasons you want to visit some of the churches you have listed? I would recommend going to Santa Maria della Vittoria to see Bernini's St Teresa in Ecstasy. It's a beautiful church. Santa Maria in Trastavere is beautiful and we regret not getting to the crypt at Santa Cecelia, so I get that.

Is Pompeii crucial? It's a long day trip from Rome. I have an alternative...take the train to Tivoli to see gorgeous Villa d'Este! The fountains are fabulous. You can also see the ruins of Hadrian's villa which is expansive and interesting. We really enjoyed both.

We skipped the mouth of truth, but it may be very important to you. For me, not enough to make it worth going there, but others may feel differently.

We were in Rome for 9 nights and didn't get to everything! Not even close.

annhig

Annhig is right..we went to GDP on her recommendation and it was really wonderful. Not crowded and we were glad we went.>>

I can see I'll have to stop mentioning it else when i next go in February it'll be too crowded for me to enjoy it.

<<We were in Rome for 9 nights and didn't get to everything! Not even close>>

Denise - a CoE vicar of my acquaintance had been to Rome no less than 50 times at the last count. Before I went for my first time I found this inexplicable; once I'd been just for one week, I understood completely, and wished I'd started going there before I was 50, because I'd deprived myself of 50 years of going to Rome.

Vivi004

I am Catholic, so that is one of the main reasons I have all the churches on my list, but I will not be heart broken if I don't get to them. I won't be sad if I miss things on my list, I will be in ROME!! My husband's one request was Pompeii, and it has interested me since my 6th grade social studies class, is it not worth the trip? Or should I just have an extra day in Rome!?

annhig

Vivi - you don't have to decide in advance. A day trip to Pompeii may be just the thing you need [see my response on your other thread] as an antidote to all the art you'll be seeing and trying to absorb. OTOH you may not feel like it or the weather may not be co-operative. I think that there are fairly fast trains there [you take the train to Naples then the circumnavigazione, I believe] and you might have time to fit in the museum in Naples on the way back, though I doubt it.

alternatively, a trip to Ostia antica or Tivoli [or Orvieto] might appeal more. you can decide this when you are there - no prebooking required, though it helps to know in advance how you could get to these places should the mood take you. Tivoli and the Villa D'Est would be very nice in late April, I should think.

raincitygirl

Pompeii is definitely worth it Vivi004 if you have been interested in it since 6th grade!
We were just there in October and it is pretty incredible to think of how old it is and still there.
If you can it is worth going into Naples to the Archaelogical Museum to see all the mosaics and other things they found at Pompeii.

If you aren't doing a guided tour I would read up on it right before you go so you have a better idea of what you are looking at. We found the information at the site was pretty minimal.

Vivi004

Thank you for the advice, I appreciate it! I think I'll keep Pompeii but keep annhig's suggestions in my notes. @annhig I appreciate your tips and I'll take heed to what you said about overload.

annhig

@annhig I appreciate your tips and I'll take heed to what you said about overload.>>

it's only that I've made the same mistake myself, many a time. it's somehow much easier to plan for someone else than for oneself.

re Pompeii, I think i remember reading here somewhere that you can hire a professional guide at the gate of Pompeii - the person who mentioned it seemed to think that it was a very good idea. you could search this board if you were interested in doing that.

denisea

@annhig... That is the danger of the undiscovered jewel (GDP)' isn't it?

I am sure Pompeii is worthwhile....it is a long day trip however, IMO. That's all I meant....not to imply it isn't worth going to. God luck with your planning.

kybourbon

Keep an eye on the weather when you get to Rome and plan your Pompeii day when it's not too hot (shade is hard to come by in Pompeii). If you have the energy, you might want to purchase the 20€ entrance ticket which would allow you to stop at Herculaneum on your way back to Naples (Ercolano Scavi stop on the Circumvesuviana train).

Pompeii has audio guides you can rent at the entrance (you will have to leave an ID with them so make sure you have it) or you can download some free guides (Rick Steves' guide is free on ITunes). There's also licensed guides at the entrance forming tours.

http://www.pompeiisites.org/

Vivi004

@denisea- I knew what you meant, sorry if I turned your words around, that's not what I tried to do, thanks for the luck! It will be a long day, I hope the weather is nice that day.

Thank you for the tips @kybourbon


Anyone have any suggestions for hotels under $150-$200/night? I have looked through trip advisor reviews but there are SO many options.

yorkshire

National Geographic Traveler recently did a piece on Rome b&bs that I bookmarked for myself:
http://intelligenttravel.nationalgeo...me-sweet-rome/

Vivi004

Thank you yorkshire-looking into your link now!