Which Tour to choose in Rome....The Forum or the Imperial Forum?
Feb 17th, 2006, 05:30 PM
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Which Tour to choose in Rome....The Forum or the Imperial Forum?
I have researched both tours and remain undecided on which would be better.Have pretty much decided to go with Mirabilia Urbis Tours so need to make the big decision and get one booked. Any suggestions? Also wondering if the Palatine Hill may be worth doing with a tour or on our own.
Feb 18th, 2006, 08:00 AM
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My family and I did several tours with Daniella Hunt of Mirabilis Urbis Tours, including the Roman Forum tour. She is great! very knowledgeable and entertaining at the same time. We also did the Palatine Hill with her. I do not think you can go wrong with any tour you book with her. Enjoy your trip!
Feb 19th, 2006, 05:36 AM
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No question that we are going with Daniella. My conundrum is WHICH tour. We have time constraints and cannot do both.Underhill, are there any audioguides at the Palatine?Magistra did you take the Imperial Forum tour as well? Stu,which do you recommend? Thanks everyone.I really need to get something booked.
Feb 19th, 2006, 07:07 AM
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I'd query how much you actually get to go into the Imperial Fora. It sounds like from the website that you get to go through the Forum of Trajan and (I guess) Forum of Augustus. But if you're just seeing Forum of Nerva, Forum of Caesar, and Forum of Vespasian from the sidewalk above, I personally would question the cost. That you can do on your own with a book to help. An excellent book for such purposes: Amanda Claridge's Oxford Archaeological Guide to Rome. Written for all audiences and chock full of excellent information, complete with ground plans and reconstructions.
Feb 19th, 2006, 07:20 AM
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Actually, with any tour you take, you might want Claridge's book anyway so you can look at the ground plans and reconstructions while the guide is talking. Helps one visualize what one is looking at, especially when it's all in ruins. Unless they give out handouts for that purpose.
Feb 19th, 2006, 02:11 PM
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There's over a thousand years of history and 100's stories that can be told in the Roman Forum; assassination, murder, riots, sex, betrayal, bravery, honor, love, etc.
So if ya want a good story, the Imperial Forums are rather boring
.
What would you rather hear; Right there Emperor Augustus put a temple dedicated to Mars Ultor in his Forum of Augustus.
OR
Right there on the Roman Forum's Rostra, Augustus' nymphomaniac daughter Julia had a night-time orgy. Augustus exiled her and killed some of her lovers, one was Marc Antony's son. (all true but there is some debate about the Rostra orgy but I like to believe it ).
There are no audioguide tours at the Palatine Hill.
Much of the Hill is covered over by the gardens, off-limits or beneath the visible structures.
It's a site that I would recommend having a good guide for, there's alot of stories up there also. Regards, Walter
So if ya want a good story, the Imperial Forums are rather boring
.What would you rather hear; Right there Emperor Augustus put a temple dedicated to Mars Ultor in his Forum of Augustus.
OR
Right there on the Roman Forum's Rostra, Augustus' nymphomaniac daughter Julia had a night-time orgy. Augustus exiled her and killed some of her lovers, one was Marc Antony's son. (all true but there is some debate about the Rostra orgy but I like to believe it
).There are no audioguide tours at the Palatine Hill.
Much of the Hill is covered over by the gardens, off-limits or beneath the visible structures.
It's a site that I would recommend having a good guide for, there's alot of stories up there also. Regards, Walter
