Thanks to advice on this site, I've asked my hotel to book a couple dinner reservations ahead of time. I'd like to know if anyone has a favorite place for pizza there. I'd like to see how it compares to what we know as pizza here.

How long should we plan to spend at the colusseum?

If we can only get to one museum, which one would you recommend?

We will be staying in the Spanish Steps area, in case that makes any difference.
Thanks!

Crowd control (as in the number of people that are let in at one time) seems pretty good at the Colosseum. I was there about 1 1/2 hours and felt I got to see what I wanted to see and snap the photos I needed to snap.
I was there in early May, tho, so perhaps the crowds weren't as bad as they might be in mid-summer or around Easter Break.

LoisL-

#1. Can't help you with pizza place.

#2. Colosseum - everybody is different. A history buff probably can spend a whole day there. At a minimum (enough time for you to walk around, take some pictures etc) 30-45minutes. If you rent an audioguide that will be longer.

#3. Vatican Museum. It is a treasure for art. And I cannot imagine anyone who can go to Rome and not visit the Sistine Chapel.

My favorite place for pizza is Da Baffetto on Via Governo Vecchio near Piazza Navona. Ivo in Trastevere is also pretty good. Last Easter, my family spent about an hour at the Colosseum which included standing in line for tickets and time in the gift shop. It was pretty crowded on Easter Monday due to the holiday. I agree that if you are only going to one museum, it should be the Vatican Museum/Sistine Chapel. But if you have time to squeeze in another smaller museum, you should try for the Borghese Gallery.

DaBaffetto is amazing for Pizza, and The Borghese Palazzo are must do's. Doesn't get much better then that for Pizza and a beautiful art experience in Rome!

Good morning, Lois
LA CAPRICCOSIA, Largo dei Lombardi, 1 is and risorante/pizzera which we have been using since 1971 and have returned each time we return to Rome. It is located just off the Corso and a block north of the Condotti. in a small square to the left.
Richard of LaGrange Park, Il..

One piece of advice on sightseeing the Colosseum: it is a popular sight obviously and the lines for tickets can get long; get on a guided tour. No waiting in line, a tour guide will provide you with good highlights and then you can decide where you want to go back to. Worth the extra $, specially if your time is limited.

Apart from the Vatican Museums, my museum vote goes to the Borghese. I've been there twice and would go again. You need reservations (can do this on line from home) and are only allowed in for 2 hours. I'd recommend taking the guided tour (1.5 hours) rather than the audio (I've done both). In fact, I think this museum is so great that next time I'm booking back-to-back tickets since 2 hours isn't enough.

An hour at the Colosseum is enough.

What you know as pizza here varies by region. I know many Americans who prefer the thick crust pizza with tons of toppings. I prefer Italian pizza with a very, very thin crust, some sauce and minimal cheese - Marguaritta Pizza. You can get toppings on pizza in Italy but the crust will be thin. Delicious!

adrienne, Which guided tour did you use for the Borghese? Do they have a website?

JenniferW - I used the guided tour offered by the Borghese docents. You book at the museum, however the English tours don't run all the time.

The Museum's website is:
http://www.galleriaborghese.it/borghese/en/edefault.htm

You reserve your tickets on line. There's a section that tells when the English tours are offered. Be at the museum 1/2 hour ahead of your scheduled time to pay for tickets and check your purse/backpack or any other packages you have.

When you enter the museum the will-call window is to the right. If you walk straight ahead from the entrance and go into the next area and look to the right you'll see a ticket window for the guided tours. I think they are 5 Euro. This is also where you can pickup an audio. The guided tour was great.

I submit - - not just in Rome, but all over Italy (assuming that you are going anywhere else in Italy) - - that for every place mentioned here that serves pizza, you are going to see and smell for yourself ten times as many places with pizza.

Places that serve pizza often have oudoor seating, and you are going to se and smell pizza (and every other kind of food) a lot. If you love pizza, there's no reason not to sample "a piece" here and there on more than one occasion throughout your (several?) days there - - see what the menus say, and make learning about the many ways that pizza is served part of your learning about Italy.

And not to scare you, but take a look at the thread http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34473026 - - "Raw egg on pizza?" - - a lot of fun information!

Best wishes,

Rex

Thanks for all the information. I have checked out the site for the Borghese museum, and will call them tomorrow [I already tried but they were closed]. I'm concerned about getting into either museum, since we will only be there for a long weekend during Easter weekend. There's no doubt we will have to return. Guess I'd better throw that coin 'in the fountain' assuring my return....

Rome had been added on to our itinerary, when we found reasonable, local airfare there. We'll be spending time in Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam as well.

I appreciate the help from all. Thank you.

Consider these musuems (two of my absolute favorite painting/portrait galleries in Rome) should you find the Vatican and Borghese unacceptably mobbed during your Easter visit:

Galleria Doria Pamphilj

www.doriapamphilj.it/ukhome.asp



Galleria Barberini at Palazzo Barberini

http://www.galleriaborghese.it/barberini/it/default.htm

The Borghese Museum limits the number of people to 360 so it can't be unacceptably crowded.

Lois - you don't have to call the Borghese. You can make your reservations on line. Click on Information and Tickets on the top of the screen and then scroll down until you see reservations in red. On the next screen click on the word reservation on the right side of the screen. You'll get a pop up window. Scroll to the bottom and click ok-next. Fill in the information and click the reserve button. You'll get an email confirmation.

adrienne, thank you for the helpful advice regarding the museum. I made a reservation online, no problem. I was not able to get something for the Sistine chapel, only for a garden tour. Very disappointing, but then, it's Easter. KS452, I will keep those museum names on hand, for our last day there, as good possibilities. Thanks to all. I can't wait. I'll let you know how everything went.