Planning a trip to Rome and Florence. Planning to arrive March 23rd in Rome and return to the US on 3/30 from Florence. My wife and I haven't been alone (small kids) since our honeymoon. Want to make the trip special and I am looking for things to do in Florence and Rome (3 days each). I'm concerned about arriving during Holy Week. Any ideas for making the trip special for the budget conscious and (hotels, sights, train).
Posted by
Edenton, NC, usa
76 posts
Kevin, I'm looking forward to knowledgeable posts by those who have traveled/lived there during Holy week. In the meantime, I arrive in Rome on 3/20 and plan to head to Florence the next week, and have been looking into this myself. You may want to search the RS website, and Trip Advisor. Here is a link to a great rundown of happenings at Easter on RS: http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/destinations/italy/easter.htm I am Catholic and want to attend some service(s) at St Peter's that require advance tickets. If this is something you are interested in, first, no ticket is required to visit St. Peter's. If you want to attend a service that requires a ticket you can get it here: http://www.pnac.org/pilgrim-information/tickets-for-papal-audiences-and-events/ Tickets for the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel are Euro 16,00. Plus every ticket reserved online has a reservation fee of Euro 4,00. http://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/musei/tickets/do?action=booking&codiceTipoVisita=26&step=2 There's also a tour of Vatican Museums and St. Peter's Basilica. The tour follows an itinerary which includes: the Pio Clementino Museum, Upper Galleries, the Raphael Rooms, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica.
Euro 37,00 a link is on the website above. Duration of the tour is about 3 hours. I have heard Florence on Easter Sunday is wild. They shoot off a cannon and apparently there are hoardes of people there.
Posted by
roswell, ga, usa
1501 posts
Wow! A great second Honeymoon. I was in Rome last year for Easter, the week before and after. You'll be there for Palm Sunday so it won't be as crazy
as you think, since Easter is the 31st this year. The Observed Holidays that will take place while you're there are Holy Thursday and Good Friday (in addition to Palm Sunday), While you need tickets to go to mass on Easter at St. Peters, you won't need them for Palm Sunday, I was there probably 4 years ago, and attended Mass. You may want to make sure you have a dinner reservation on Friday the 29th because it IS a holiday. My advice to you for a romantic time will be to relax and spend time drinking wine or your drink of choice in one of the many beautiful Piazzas both in Rome (Piazza Navona, Campo di Fiori (buy the wife some flowers here BEFORE 2pm), and throw your coins in the Trevi. Eat Gelato, pizza, in Rome. Don't try to check off every box, make a list of things that you really want to see, but take your time. (Look at Roninrome.com for the best and most thorough advice anywhere on the internet) In Florence, basically the same advice! Sleep in and stay up late. Eat dinner at ZaZa's, have a late drink at Piazza della Signoria and enjoy the lights on the many fountains and sculptures. Listen to the singers, accordionists and guitarists who frequent this piazza at night. Go up to Piazza Michelangelo for sunset, and take in the most beautiful view of Florence from the top of the hill. This is a piazza so photo-worthy that you're almost certain to see a wedding party up there getting pictures taken. Keep it down to only one "site" a day and take your time to drink in the magic.