Rome on a Monday - Suggestions?
 

Hello all,

We are going to Italy in mid-October, landing in Rome on a Monday morning, staying in Rome one night, then leaving for the rest of the trip in Emilia-Romagna and a bit of Lombardy.

Question: any suggestions for slightly jet-lagged seniors (who like to walk) on a Monday afternoon and early evening in Rome? Most of the museums are closed Mondays.

We have been to Rome several times and have visited almost all of the "must see" sights, have wandered some in Trastevere and the Pantheon piazza but could do more of that. We're staying just a block from Piazza della Repubblica, our usual base, and are familiar with the major bus lines that go down to the wedding cake, over the river, and such. We have not explored Monti or south of that. Thinking of San Clemente (I visited decades ago, partner has never been).

For dinner Monday night we're thinking of Hostaria Romana, near Piazza Barberini, just a 10-minute walk back to our hotel (Hotel Columbia). Has anyone been here?

Early to bed, hop a Freccia the next morning to Bologna, then change to a putt-putt-putt regionale to Mantova.

Thanks in advance for your ideas!

There are numerous museums and archaelogical sites that are not closed on Mondays. Are you interested, or would you just as well do something else?

Sorry, was under the impression that almost all were closed. Yes, interested in most periods of art, architecture. If you have two or three suggestions that are walkable in 30 minutes from Repubblica, or a medium bus ride, that would be great.

Hi!

You can visit(think two hours) the beautiful Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, on Via del Corso, close to the Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II , which includes the Unknown Soldiers Memorial; (not a wedding cake realy).

Or you can choose any of the Papal Basilicas, S.M.Maggiore, San Paolo Fuori le Mura or San Giovanni in Laterano.

The church of Santa Maria Degli Angeli, in front of Termini is very special and different from other churches.

Enjoy your visit!

I did this food/walking tour this past March on my first day in Rome:
http://www.eatingitalyfoodtours.com/...ght-trastevere

It was a perfect jetlagged first day thing to do.

Google Rome underground and you will numerous fascinating places to go. Our last trip to Rome was all underground.

Thanks everyone. Yes, I was thinking of San Giovanni in Laterano and San Paolo fuori le mura. We've visited the Doria Pamphilj--spectacular--and Santa Maria Maggiore, may go again. You can't really take it all in on the first visit. And what could be better than a food tour :)

Good tip about underground Rome. The Case Romane are open Monday and other Fodorites (progol et al) have visited this and liked it. Crypta Balbi closed on Monday unfortunately :(

Terme di Caracalla, the soaring ruins of the baths of Emperor Caracalla are open from 8am to 6pm on Mondays, just a couple of stops on the metro from Colloseo, which is not far from you. When we went in June 2015, there were only about 10 people there and entry is 3 or 4 euro each, it was a great day out and really stunning. Other than that, a walk up Gianicolo hill maybe?

Another excellent idea, thank you!

We're just back from 4 nights in Rome on our way to the Amalfi Coast. We stayed on Via Nazionale near P. Repubblica as well. I think it was a very convenient home base. We had to contend with some restaurants being closed but I think the August holidays are over and Rome is in full swing. I'd suggest a walk around the Borghese Gardens area for a jet lagged first day. It's a short cab ride from Repubblica. The Via Del Corso and Victor Emmanuelle walk is nice but it's always a bit of climb back up the hill on the way back. There is also a nice nighttime show at the Caesar and Augustus towers if you can stay up that late!

In addition to the above, the Villa Farnesina, in Trastevere, is open on Mondays, until 2PM. Renaissance villa in a nice garden, with frescoes by Raphael.

The Capitoline Musems, above the Roman Forim, with one of the world's best collections of ancient sculpture, and many other ancient artifacts, are open on Mondays. There are great views of the Forum from a balcony in the museum.

The Domus Romane, near the Roman Forum, an excavation of an ancient Roman upper-middle-class home, with an excellent sound-and-light show, is open on Mondays. I think this might be better than the Case Romane, which is a wonderful site, but very complex and hard to understand, unless you visit with a knowledgable guide.

You may have already seen them, but the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill are open on Mondays.

I'm sure there are others that don't come to my mind just now.

@bvlenci - thank you. I thought the Domus and the Case were the same, duh. The Domus sounds like a good site for us. We've seen the others you mention, but of course each of them is so beautiful and complex that they would merit a return trip. My two favorite things in those sites: the Galatea in the Villa and Hadrian's statue in the Capitoline, both so magnificent. There's nothing like the richness of Rome!