Free time in Rome

What things will you be doing in Rome as part of the tour? There are so many great things to see in Rome that your 2-1/2 days probably won't be enough time. Most of them are in a small area that won't eat up a lot of time in transportation.

Will get enough museums,churches etc with the tour. Tour will do Vatican, Sistine, SP square-basilica, Forum and coliseum. Looking mostly for local points of interest, shops and eats.

Rick's At a Glance listing for Rome will give you prioritized sightseeing list that you can flesh out with more detail in the guidebook. It makes sense to see several sites that are near each other before hopping across the city to another neighborhood, but that single hop doesn't take much time (maybe 20 minutes). For just shopping, strolling, and atmosphere, you could take bus #23 to the Trastevere neighborhood. From the "Listen" link on the same page (above) you can download Rick's self-guided Audio Walking Tour for the area.

If you have all of the main tourist attractions covered with your tour, I would suggest heading to the market in Testaccio, Rome's old meat district south of the Aventine Hill, which is open Monday to Saturday mornings. Along with extraordinary fresh, local produce, gorgeous meat, seafood, flowers and housewares are for sale. It's very neat to experience, and to pick up some goodies! Nearby, check out Gastronomia Volpetti, 47 Via Marmorata, a great specialty food shop (with an adjacent tavola calda for quick meals). While you are in Testaccio, you can walk up to Aventine Hill and take the infamous keyhole picture.

You also may want to check out if either of Rome's soccer teams are playing at the Olympic Stadium while you are there - it is quite the experience.

Another option is to spend a half day in the Monti neighborhood - they have a vintage market there on Sundays.

You might like spending some time in the Trastevere and the Jewish Ghetto. They are opposite each other, separated by the Tiber. Rick has free audio guides for both.

There are lots of interesting churches that may not be on your tour - San Luigi dei Francesi has several Caravaggio paintings, Santa Maria Sopra Minerva is near the Pantheon and possibly not on your tour.

If not part of the tour, do an evening/night walk around the historic center.

Get Rick's book for restaurant suggestions and the self guided tours. His nighttime walk will take you to five "must see" attractions that are not on your tour, and my wife still talks about it.

I don't know how far it is from where you will be staying, but my absolute favorite experience from our time in Rome was the Basilica of San Clemente (http://basilicasanclemente.com/eng/). This is from the opening page of its website:

"Discover 2000 years of history when you visit the Basilica of San Clemente. Admire the spectacular mosaics and frescoes. Travel back in time to explore the Basilica of the fourth century and then descend into the world of Rome in the first century where there is still a pagan temple. Centuries of art and history waiting to be discovered!"

When you go to the website, you can see some pictures of what the church, and those below it, have to offer. Be sure to explore the different levels found using the "Tour" tab and click on the photos. Interesting to see online. Amazing to walk through and see in person.