four days in Rome - help with itinerary

Ostia Antica is easily done in half a day. We visited and toured St. Peters in the morning and spent the afternoon at Ostia Antica. We were back to Rome by 5:00-5:30. One piece of advice on Ostia Antica. We took the train out there using Rick Steve's book and directions. When you do that, you enter through the back entrance. We worked our way up to the front entrance, but we spent too much time towards the back and were getting tired by the time we reached some of the most interesting sights toward the front. If I were to do it again, I would enter from the back, walk all the way up to the front entrance and museum, and then work my way back to where I started. On the up side: we were really ready for a gelato by the time we got to the front entrance. I hope this makes sense. We just spent so much time going through all these ruins, that by the time we reached the museum and some of the most impressive ruins, we were getting worn out. Have a great trip.

Also, you don't say where you are staying, but I would check with them to see if you could swing by in the morning and have them hold your luggage.

We easily did Ostia and Borghese Galleries in the same day. We went to Ostia in the morning (it took an hour to get there) and wandered wonderfully around for about three hours(love it there). Be sure to buy the map and bring RS's also as it took awhile to orientate ourselves. We had lunch at the mediocre cafe. Then we had the last reservations at the Gallerie.

Hi Kath,

I'm glad you decided to postpone the Vatican for a day. I think you will enjoy it much more. We did Ostia Antica and Borghese on separate days, but you should have no trouble doing them on the same day. Set up your Borghese reservation in advance for 3pm or 5pm (depending on how long you expect to spend at Ostia). I would suggest trying to get the 5pm reservation slot, as you get 2 hours before they chase you out. At that point it will be 7pm and the restaurants will just be opening up for dinner over the next hour or so. This also makes sure you don't miss your time slot if you spend longer at Ostia than anticipated.

As for your luggage, Termini train station has a left luggage counter. According to one website, the rates are: € 3.80 for the first 5 hours, € 0.60 for each additional hour from the 6th-12th, and € 0.20 for each additional hour from 12th and on. I don't know where it is (since I wasn't looking for it) but another poster on the Helpline posted: "Termini has large, staffed, left luggage area on the lower level, right side as you face the tracks"

Hope this helps!

Since, as you say, you have decent stamina and can sleep on the flight, why not go to Ostia when you arrive if you are landing at FCO? Ostia is very close to that airport. FCO has storage (I believe about 2 Euro for several hours (check the website). That would save you taking the train back out there. Ostia doesn't open until about 9am so you would have a couple of hours to kill, but might be worth not having to make the trip back out there and would give you that extra time in Rome. Since your B&B is near the Vatican, you can check in and leave your luggage when you get to Rome from Ostia then go to St. Peters in the afternoon if you still want to get another of your sites in.

One option is to leave your luggage at Termini, then retrieve the luggage after you are finished seeing the Forum and Colosseum. The problem with this plan is that after a long flight, and a day of walking on the Forum cobblestones, plus going up and down the steps of the Colosseum levels, it might be tiring to backtrack to Termini, then backtrack again to your B&B. Since the Forum/Colosseum doesn't open until around 9:00am, you might consider dropping off your luggage at the B&B in the morning, then sightseeing, then finish at the B&B for check-in (and a quick nap?).

Rome was so easy to navigate with the Metro that dropping your bags off at the B&B shouldn't be too inconvenient. I was surprised at how quickly we got everywhere. After arriving in Rome very early one morning my husband and I walked Rome and saw the Colisseum, Palatine Hill, the Forum, the Pantheon, Trevi and the Spanish Steps (hey-we like to walk!). After a great nights sleep we did the whole Vatican tour on our 2nd day. That allowed us to at least recover a little before trying to absorb the incredible amount of information and grandeur at the Vatican and St. Peters.

Borghese is amazing! The sculpture is fantastic, but even if you are an art buff like I am, you can walk through in an hour tops, its only 2 small floors, and then spend another hour walking the gardens. Its a nice way to end the day!

Make sure you get a Roma Pass when you get to Termini...you'll save money, but most importantly time bypassing the lines into the Coliseum and the Forum.