jerirl

Hi all. Thanks for everyone's help in planning our itinerary. We are leaving in a few days for Italy. This is our second trip. We'll spend a few days in Rome, where my DH has a conference. Then we're going to the Amalfi coast for a week.

Here's the question. We're arriving in Rome at 8 am after an overnight flight. We don't have anything planned for that day. The conference starts the next day. Since this is our second trip to Italy, we've seen the standard highlights - Colliseum, Trevi fountain, Vatican etc. What do you suggest we do that first day that won't take too much effort as we'll probably be totally out of it.

Jean

I assume you've been to the Galleria Borghese... Another nice museum for sculpture and ancient art and artifacts is the national museum in Palazzo Massimo alle Terme. The Baths of Diocletian and the Basilica of St. Paul's are nearby.

We found the Ara Pacis very interesting.

http://en.arapacis.it/

dutyfree

Wine,pasta and people watching?

LoveItaly

Hello jerirl, I am smiling as dutyfree (who is a FA) posted what I was basically going to suggest.

I love the Borgehese but in that you have to make reservations in advance and be there to pick up your tickets 30 minutes in advance I would not want to have the pressure of that reservation on the day I landed in Rome. Of course if you don't show up for your tickets you are not out any money I don't believe (I would want to make sure of that).

Arriving at 8:00am, by the time you get to your hotel it will probably be close to 10:00am. Hopefully your room would be available but if not you could drop off your luggage and go to a cafe for some expresso and something to eat.

You will probably want to go back to your hotel when your room is ready for you to take a shower etc. A light lunch perhaps at an outdoor cafe. And than a good walk, at least I have always found walking and fresh air is so nice after a long flight. Perhaps a short nap late afternoon (set your alarm) and than outside again, a drink at an outdoor cafe, a good dinner, perhaps another short stroll and a good nights sleep. Your husband should feel well set for his conference the next morning.

gradyghost

Sleep until the cocktail hour, couple of drinks, nice dinner, and night-night. Best way to adapt. Gradyghost

Dobermina

There's a lot you can do, but it depends on whether you want to see something you haven't seen yet (maybe a catacomb? The Capuchin Crypt?). Are you more interested by Rome's art, history, shopping, cuisine? If you want to do something low stress, I say pick whichever of those categories you like best and go with it. Although I do think Gradyghost brings up a good point I'd maybe add a walk around Trastevere or just to see Piazzas lit up at night with a bottle of wine. And then night night.

Aussiegirl68

Get to your hotel by around 10am, hopefully room will be ready, have a shower, head out for lunch, get heaps of fresh air, STAY AWAKE until bedtime, have dinner, go to bed around 9:30am and you should wake up feeling normal!

Do NOT have an afternoon sleep, it will throw you completely out.

I say this from 18 yrs service as a Flight Attendant with Qantas Airways.

Melissa

bdj

I believe Aussiegirl means 9:30pm and for what it's worth that is the same advice you'll receive from Rick Steves. Have a pleasant and safe trip.

Aussiegirl68

Thanks bdj, yes I did mean 9:30pm!!

Thanks for picking me up on that mistake I appreciate it! Heavens, they may have stayed awake all night lol!!!

suz123nj

I agree with Aussiegirl68 about staying up and no afternoon nap. We have handled jet ;ag the same way over the last 10 years and always found we were fresh and in the right time zone the next day.

suze

Everyone has to make their own choice, if I don't take a nap my first couple days it ruins me for the trip. I adjust much more quickly by giving in, and sleeping when I am jet lagged. I've tried it both ways, if I don't nap I'm a "zombie" (or so my friends tell me).

I would also do a LOT of walking, walking, walking, with nothing planned, just look around and get plenty of fresh air and exercise that first day.

kismetchimera

Just walk around the city, have a nice lunch, enjoy the sights and take it easy..

Ivy

I JUST did this!! we landed at about the same time you did - but we ALWAYS nap upon landing so we grabbed an hour of sleep and then headed out. since this was our second time in rome, we decided just to stroll around and revisit the forum and see the coloseum. we then sat down at a cafe near the parthenon and peopled watched and drank preseco - it was really nice having no set agenda and not being in a rush to see everything on that first day in.

dutyfree

36 years as an international flight attendant and I disagree about taking a nap. I find taking a shower when you get in followed by a 2-3 hour nap (no more or you get into a rem sleep) keeps you going and making "good decisions" for the rest of the day. No nap and I am sound asleep in the piazza with my head on the table in the sun by 330pm. A glass of wine and jet lag make for a very bad combination for me!

Vttraveler

If it is a nice day I recommend taking a bus or taxi up to the Piazzale Garibaldi on the top of the Gianicolo (Janiculum) south of the Vatican for a spectacular view of Rome, then a walk down hill toward and through Trastevere and eventually back over the Tiber.

If you have not visited the Palatine that is another good place to visit in good weather--much greener and more park- like than the Forum, with the FArnese Gardens at one end.

I am one of those who doesn't like to take naps on the first day with jet lag. I also don't like to go to major museums that first day. however, you should have some back-up plans for indoor activities if the weather is bad.