Italy for the first time!

Alex, you must mean ROME in three days and not trying to do all of Italy in that little amount of time?

Here is what he says about Rome in 2-3 days:

"On the first day, do the "Caesar Shuffle" from the Colosseum to the Forum, then over Capitoline Hill to the Pantheon. After a siesta, join the locals strolling from Piazza del Popolo to the Spanish Steps. On the second day, see Vatican City (St. Peter's, climb the dome, tour the Vatican Museums). Have dinner near the atmospheric Campo de' Fiori, then walk to the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps. With a third day, add the Borghese Gallery (reservations required) and the Capitoline Museums."

For advance Colosseum/Forum/Palatine ticket (all three are included on a single ticket):
http://www.coopculture.it/en/the-colosseum.cfm

For Vatican Museum entry tickets plus tours of the museums and other parts of the complex:
http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/MV_Home.html

Galleria Borghese:
http://www.galleriaborghese.it/eng/galleriaBorghese.html

You don't really need advance tickets to the Capitoline Museums so just buy them at the door.
You don't need tickets for anything else on the list but do be aware of days when some of the attractions are closed (i.e Borghese on Mondays; Vatican Museums on most Sundays) so you can plan around those. There can also be a complication with Free Sundays (1st Sunday of every month) at some of the major attractions: not a good time to try and do them as they're completely mobbed.

To add: there is a pass which covers quite a number of attractions in the city although not the Vatican. I'm not a fan as 72-hour pass only covers free entry to two attractions with just small discounts given for the rest (1 free attraction for the 48-hour pass). We also enjoy walking the city so wouldn't have used the transport piece of it. Still, quite a number of tourists have considered it to be worth the price so here's the info:

http://www.romapass.it/?l=en

Do be aware that you still must make advance reservations for the Borghese if intending to use the pass for one of your free entries.

"For the Borghese Gallery and Palazzo Valentini (Domus Romane), booking is required also for Roma Pass 72 Hours and/or Roma Pass 48 Hours holders. Reservations are not required for any other museums, though it is highly recommended that school or tourist groups make reservations, in order to facilitate entry to museums.
For reservations to the Borghese Gallery and/or Domus Romane/Palazzo Valentini, please call +39 06 32810 (open Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm – Saturdays, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm). Bookings can be made directly from the visitor’s home country, even before purchasing the card. Please note: it is not possible to make an online reservation without prepaying the ticket. If you intend to visit the museum / site with your Roma Pass 72 Hours or Roma Pass 48 Hours, you must make your reservation on the phone, by calling +39 0632810."

Also, the pass doesn't cover transport to or from the airports.

I have been to Rome twice. One time, I used the Romapass. Second time - no pass. There is a 3 day Romapass and a 2 day pass. Unless you are going to Borghese - it is not worth it. You have to ride public transportation A LOT to break even. We use public transportation quite a bit and we were not close. Rome is a great city to walk and use some public transport and a couple of taxi trips. I found it much easier to just book the Borghese without the Romapass and pay the full price which wasn't that bad and take a taxi. I could not accomplish booking the Borghese with the Romapass for the life of me.
For public buses or the metro - just go to any news stand or tobacco shop(tabacchi) and purchase as needed. Easy to find. Cheap. Make sure to validate your ticket at the little box machine on the bus when you first board. If you cannot reach it due to the "sardine effect" - just hand your ticket to someone close to the box and that person will be kind enough to validate for you.

Buses run to the Galleria Borghese location, no need for a taxi unless you prefer that.

If you have a day with a lot of transportation, you can buy a day-ticket, or several days up to a week, from the larger bus ticket sellers.

I'm confused. The Roma Pass gets you transportation as well? I thought all these sites were fairly close, enough to walk?

The Romapass includes buses and metro unlimited from the time you first activate it until midnight of the 2nd or 3rd day depending on whether you have a 2 day or 3 day pass. Once activated on a bus, you can just carry it on yourself without having to validate it repeatedly again for buses.
You can walk Rome, but each person has different abilities. It still takes time. If Spanish Steps are still under renovation - then spare your time and skip them. There's plenty else to see in Rome.

Okay. Are all the sites easy to navigate? And any specific restaurants that are great to eat at? I'm 19 taking my husband baby and mother, mainly for my mother. I don't want to waste time being confused on where to go, I want to accomplish as much as possible without being dead tired

I thought all these sites were fairly close, enough to walk?

It depends on how big a walker you are, and the location of your hotel. We are hikers used to putting on 10-15 miles a day but if your mother (or yourselves) can't manage some considerable time on her feet, you'll want to use the buses and metro. The Borghese is not especially 'close' to many of the other attractions but we enjoy the (long) walk through the park.

Are all the sites easy to navigate?

They are if you know how to use a map...and you DO need to be able to read a map to get around Rome. Many streets don't run in a straight line for very far and/or can change names along the way. It's a great city to walk - lots of interesting things to see along the way - but it's not laid out on a tidy grid.

An infant is going to add some additional planning! How old is he/she and have you traveled with him/her before?

Reference the link I provided for the Roma Pass for details on transport it covers and yes, you may also purchase single-ride, one-day and multi-day transport-only passes if you decide against the Roma Pass.

My little girl will be 2 when we go. I will purchase one of the maps from here. We are doing 5 days in Paris and 5 in Rome

Your 2 year old rides for free on public transportation. Go to a big box chain bookstore and buy a streetwise map for about $8. I really like this map. It's color coded. You may need to carry your 2 year old in a backpack style carrier. Get the RS Rome book or Italy book and take out the sections you need. Organize your visit in clusters based on location. For example: Sopra Di Minerva, Pantheon, Piazza Navona are very close together. St. Peter's Basilica is unto itself. I don't think I would do Vatican Museum with a 2 year old. Since there are 4 of you - take a cab to and from Borghese if you go there. I think I would eliminate Spanish Steps and possibly Santa Maria de Popolo Piazza. Colosseum and Roman Forum are next to each other. San Clemente Church is very close to Colosseum as well. Take it easy. With a little one - you may need a midday hotel break and end your day around 7 pm. You can have a fine trip. Just don't overdo it.

Big box chain store? And will the museums accept strollers? I would prefer not to carry her just because she's not that heavy but throughout the day she will be.

Here's a relaxing Rome Site. Go to the metro station directly across the street from the Colosseum. There is a free water dispenser there to fill empty water bottles. Then, take the metro out to St. Paul "Outside the walls" church. Enjoy lunch at McDonald's with your munchkin. Then, walk across the street to see St. Paul's. This church is uncrowded and easy to do with a munchkin. There are also churches on Piazza Navona like St. Agnese and the French St. Luigi church. To eat near Pantheon, try La Coppelle with your child. Find family/kid friendly places.

Books-a-million, Barnes and Nobles are examples of "big box chain" bookstores.

Okay thank you! Would the Louvre be ok with a stroller?

I never took a toddler to Europe. So, I would try emailing the museums you are interested in. For art, I think Borghese would be a better choice with a toddler than Vatican Museum. Vatican museum is very, very crowded and much harder to get through. Before I put my foot in my mouth, I would go to Borghese website to see if there are any age restrictions first. I know one art museum in NYC that will not admit anyone under age 10 years old.
I understand the stroller situation. It is easier to do a fold up stroller than a backpack carrier. Rome buses are going to be a bear with a stroller unless you fold it up and carry it on. Rome buses are often tightly packed. You may just have to splurge a bit on taxis. Plan on €8-12 per ride for all four of you.

As this is your first trip to Italy, I'd highly recommend packing along a copy of the RS Italy or Rome guidebooks. There's an enormous amount of information in the books that will help your trip go smoothly. There are some potentially expensive "caveats" to be aware of when using public transit in Italy, and you'll need to be aware of those.

"I thought all these sites were fairly close, enough to walk? "

That's not the case with all the sites and definitely not something I'd want to do with a two-year-old. Does you mother have any mobility issues?

You'll also need to be aware of pickpockets which may be a problem even in March.

Are you starting in Paris or Rome? How are you getting between the two cities?

8-12€ for train/bus? Are there day or few day passes for the trains/buses. Sorry for all the questions!

Here's the information for transport passes in Rome:
http://www.atac.roma.it/page.asp?p=229

Clicking on each option will pull up more complete descriptions of each ticket/pass.

No, for a taxi each way. (€8-12)Not bad for 4 people traveling as a group and with a baby. Once you are in a particular area, say Pantheon, you will stroll on foot to multiple sites. Then, taxi back to hotel - depending on the location of your hotel. There may be sites within walking distance of your hotel. Try to get a hotel near Pantheon/Piazza Navona/Largo Argentina/Campo dei Fiori area. Then, you can just walk to many sites easily.

Metro/bus passes are about €1.50 each way per adult and free for the 2 year old. Honestly, just buy single passes from a newsstand as you use them. It's cheaper and easy. I really think with a little one and 4 people total, you should just buck up a few more euros and take a taxi. Walk as much as you can manage as well.

Mother has no mobile issues and we are staying at a B&B in Paris first and then Rome second. Haven't found where to stay in Rome yet

We are flying from Paris to Rome..... Is the map on here just the like one in the Barnes and Noble? Where do I exchange dollars for euros?
What is the cost of an avg meal per person in Europe? Do Europe airlines allow The carry on bag, purse too for free?

You should not exchange dollars for euros. Rather, you should use your US ATM card in a European ATM that is operated by (probably attached to or inside of) a bank. That will normally get you a very decent exchange rate. You will be able to switch the language of the machine to English; the button may be marked by a British flag. You will be withdrawing money in euros. You do not want the machine to process the transaction in dollars, because it will then give you a poor exchange rate. Some ATM machines offer the option of performing the calculation in dollars or euros; always choose euros.

You may need fewer euros than you're thinking, because you'll often be able to use your US credit card, if you choose to do so. As with the ATM, you do NOT want the transaction to be conducted in dollars, because you'll pay extra in the end. Some hotels, restaurants and shops will offer the dollar option. A few may not bother to check with your first. You do not want to see a US dollar total on that receipt!

It's worthwhile asking your bank whether it will charge you fees for using a European ATM. If it will do so, you'll probably be better off making fewer, but larger, withdrawals. It's also a good idea to ask your credit card issuer (via the 800 number on the back of the card) whether it will charge a conversion fee when the card is used overseas. With this information you can make a rational decision about whether you'd prefer to use your credit card wherever possible or pay cash much of the time.

It's very difficult to give you an estimate of how much a European meal will cost. It varies tremendously by city and even more by restaurant. Think about your experience in the US: You can eat at Chili's, or you can eat in a white-tablecloth steakhouse. Not much similarity in the expected cost. I traveled all over Italy in 2015 and never paid more than about 32 euros for a meal. But I don't drink anything except water, I never ordered more than two courses, and I did not choose fancy restaurants. I also had just one real restaurant meal a day, eating inexpensively at other times. And I was mostly in smaller cities, with only four days in Rome and none in Venice or Florence.

To find out the carry-on allowance for your Paris-Rome flight you must check the website of your airline. The allowances vary a lot. Many airlines now have carry-on weight limits as well as size limits, and some do check bags aggressively.

Oh okay thank you. What is your advice on how to spend well and not be fooled by restaurants who specifically target tourists? And any advice for Paris?

No recent experience in Paris; I hope others will chime in.

There seems to be considerable truth to the idea that one should avoid restaurants with food pictures on their menus, as well as any with touts standing outside to snare the unwary. I always walk away from the top tourist sights in hopes of finding places patronized by locals. Know the local eating hours (later in Italy than in the US, in general) so you'll know how to interpret an empty restaurant: Does everyone but you know the place serves dreadful, overpriced food, or are you just there 30 or 60 minutes before the locals think about showing up?

Several of us have had the experience of being turned away by utterly empty restaurants in Rome, not because they didn't like the looks of us (we hope), but because their tables were reserved for later in the evening. It seems that in Italy, and perhaps especially in Rome, it is a good idea to make a reservation for the main meal of the day. Making a reservation for dinner when you walk past the restaurant at lunch will often be sufficient. It's not that you will go hungry without a reservation, but anecdotal evidence suggests that you increase your chances of a memorable meal by having a reservation.

I think in the major tourist destinations it's helpful to have done some online research ahead of time--as much to identify the places you want to avoid as to figure which ones sound great (people's taste does vary). If you can avoid the tourist districts (not so easy for a tourist in Paris and Rome!), your odds of a good meal in Italy are quite high, in my experience--much higher than in most other countries.

Edited to add: Freshly-made pizza (not squares cut from pre-baked sheets and sold to walk-up customers at a counter) is generally really good in Italy, at least compared to what we find in most US cities. Pizzas are often small enough that each adult needs his own pizza; observe what's on the other tables, and see whether the menu offers two different sizes. A couple of pizzas and perhaps a shared salad will make an affordable meal.

Have you read Rick Steves' "Europe Through the Back Door" for general travel advice and his guidebooks on Rome and Paris ? Lots of information there. Available at many public libraries. then you can buy the latest copy of any you want to carry (or download)

Lots of research to do! I was thinking about getting the back door bag as my carry on. Does anyone know if European planes accept the dimensions? And also aren't the outside zippers contradicting the "be wary of pickpocketers" theme?

RYAN AIR POLICY

-22 lbs carry on bag. 21.6x15.7x7.8in
-Small purse 13.7x7.8x7.8in
-Any size infant bag but has to be 11lbs or under

Aka. If I wanted to buy ricks bags, I could only bring the Ravenna Day Pack as my carry on (not big at all) and NOTHING as a purse not even the IPad bag. ??? I heard Ryanair has a very strict dimension policy. Has anyone had any experience with this or another cheap airline to fly within Europe?

We travelled when our baby was 10 months and the big girl was 7 years old. We went hiking in Murren, Switzerland then jumped down to Rome and finished in Venice.

In most restaurants in Italy, someone, the owner or waiter, would come out and play with and feed her while we were eating. One restaurant brought out five or six things for her to try for free when we did not order for her. Some of her first steps were in the Vatican. The workers there immediately perked up when they saw her. We also changed her diaper in the corner of a room when she started to leak out of her diaper, but we were done before the guard was able to say something (20 seconds) Nascar pit stop.

We stayed in apartments so we had a refrigerator and sink to wash clothes. We had reservations for as much as we could. We entered places when they opened. We went back to the apartment for nap time then went back out later. We factored in playgrounds every few days. If we found one, we would stop and play.

We used an Osprey Poco Plus Child Carrier. https://www.rei.com/product/895652/osprey-poco-ag-plus-child-carrier It is big enough to carry a baby bag and snacks for the day. It can sit up by itself as a high chair in a restaurant. She frequently fell asleep in it and I just took it off and left her in it while we took a break or a meal. It is loose enough for her to be able to move around. It comes with a sun shade, we also bought the rain cover to be safe. We tied her pacifier to one side and her favorite toy and her milk cup to it and we were good. She could reach her milk cup. We always walked with someone behind me to watch if she threw something on the ground. My wife and I practiced several months before our trip getting her used to it and us to carrying it. We are not in the best of shape and had no problems carrying it. If I stopped too long she would grab the handle and start shaking it!

We carried her in a papoose type of carrier in the Vatican Museums and Bourghese. It resembles this one. https://www.amazon.com/Evenflo-Breathable-Soft-Carrier-Chevron/dp/B00GS1GZAO/ref=zg_bs_166831011_11?_encoding=UTF8&refRID=NB8RHHTWJG73FXDC25YH&th=1

Here is a Consumer Reports article about Baby Carriers. http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/backpack-carriers/buying-guide.htm

Most of the Rome sites is walkable, just plan your trips for the day.

Go for it! You will have lots of fun.

Regarding Ryan Air -- we just planned (and paid for) checking one 22" bag each. That way we each carried on our "personal item" and I had a Civita bag as a purse.

Also flew Easy Jet, checked one bag and put my purse inside my husband's personal item bag.
We figured the advance bag check costs were worth it to avoid the hassle of trying to meet the very stringent carry-on requirements (and possibly having to pay expensive at-the-gate checking fees.)

alex,

As someone else suggested, I would also highly recommend reading Europe Through The Back Door as that's a good primer on "how" to travel well in Europe. That will answer questions on using Metro and other transit, obtaining cash, avoiding pickpockets, etc.

For flights from Paris to Rome, my suggestion would be easyJet from Paris ORY to Rome FCO. Prices are usually good for those that book early, however be sure to read their Terms & Conditons carefully, especially regarding luggage. They normally only allow ONE carry-on item per person, but If you opt for Speedy Boarding or some of the other add-ons they will also allow a "personal item". Their website has all the details. You'll need to print your boarding passes up to 30 days prior to departure, as there's a steep charge for check-in at the airport.

THIS WEBSITE will give you the options on getting from Paris to Orly Airport (ORY). For travel from Fiumicino (FCO) airport to the city, you can either use Taxi (flat rate) or the Leonardo Express direct train. The train is faster and easier, as there are no traffic issues. Cost is about €14 PP, but if you decide to use that, you MUST validate your ticket prior to boarding the train, or risk hefty fines of about €50 PP which will be collected on the spot! For a group with luggage, TAXI is probably the best option (as I recall, the Fare is about €55, but hopefully one of the others can confirm that).

As the others have said, using ATM's is the easiest and cheapest way to get foreign cash. Although there's some debate on this point, I'd also recommend asking your local bank for perhaps €50-100 to provide "travel funds" to use until you get settled in Europe. That's useful for meals, Taxi, etc. In addition to one debit / ATM card (and preferably two), i's also a good idea to take at least one (and preferably at least two) credit cards. You may find THIS VIDEO helpful and informative.

For transportation in Rome, I normally just get the 24 / 48 / 72 hour card. You MUST validate these prior to first use or risk hefty fines which will be collected on the spot.

I was thinking about getting the back door bag as my carry on. Does
anyone know if European planes accept the dimensions? And also aren't
the outside zippers contradicting the "be wary of pickpocketers"
theme?

Other than maybe on the plane, you don't want to put passports, credit cards or cash in your carry-on, in a purse or in exterior pockets. These items should be stowed under your clothing via a money belt or other security method, or in an anti-theft purse/bag like Travelon or Pacsafe.

Different of us have different ways of securing our valuables, and none of them are wrong as long as they work.

Thank you everyone! I'm thinking Easyjet bc there bag allowances are actually do-able. Any other advice?

Please get a good guidebook so you can prepare efficiently.

Streetwise maps are also laminated, you can mark your route each day and erase it when you are done.

Disagree with acraven, the pizza al taglio (sold in rectangular pieces by weight) makes a good snack or light lunch. Toddlers often snack on pizza bianca, only olive oil, rosemary and a little salt.

As for security, adults should have money belts or mech wallets AND USE THEM PROPERLY. Credit cards and cash should be split so no one person is carrying all the funds.

Rome - taxi to or from Airport is a flat rate of 48 €. For a family of 4, it is easier and actually CHEAPER to just take a taxi. Forget the Leonardo Express train. It will cost you more and be more of a hassle. The Leonardo Express is cheaper for 1-2 people. If you have 3 or more in your group - the taxi is by far the better option.

Wow so that Taxi alone 100€ For going to the B&B and back. Can anyone recommend a good area of Paris and Rome that has little restaurants and shops nearby? Or street?

Dear Alex,
You are a bit overwhelmed here.
48€ is a one time fee to get all four of you to the airport in Rome. That's actually rather cheap transportation. The taxi takes you from the airport to your lodging in central, historic Rome. You check in to your hotel and have fun walking around Rome. Then, you pay 48€ to get your entire clan back to the airport to return to USA. Cabs around Rome will cost you about 8-12€ to haul your whole family to a specific site like Borghese Art gallery. Again, check for age restrictions at Borghese before you add it to your itinerary.
Above - I recommended several good areas in Rome to stay. I will not repeat it here. Get a notepad and write out your travel dates. Book your airline tickets first. Then, your hotels. Then, plan your daily sightseeing more or less. Before booking anything - look up some airline ticket prices and hotel prices to develop a budget that will work for you. GO!

That's what I meant sorry. 100€ in total......

Hey, no need to apologize! We are all on your side! We want to help you.

Can someone tell me a nice street in Paris and Italy to stay that is fairly close to attractions and local dining and shops?

arrondisment in Paris? I've read the pros and cons of all of them but what I am really looking forward to is stepping out of my hotel and finding many choices to eat and shop

THIS WEBSITE will give you the options on getting from Paris to Orly
Airport (ORY). For travel from Fiumicino (FCO) airport to the city,
you can either use Taxi (flat rate) or the Leonardo Express direct
train.

Depending on which budget airline/particular flight (Ryanair in particular) they may be coming into Ciampino instead of FCO?

(Edited out question about B&B as I see one hasn't been chosen yet).

"Can someone tell me a nice street in Paris and Italy to stay that is fairly close to attractions and local dining and shops?"

I'd suggest that you head down to your nearest bookstore or library and have a look at the Rick Steves Paris and Rome guidebooks, as those have good suggestions on good areas to stay in each city as well as information on reliable hotels in each area.

Everyone here has their favourite areas in both cities. I like to stay in the 7th on rue Cler, which is within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower and some other sights. It has good access to the Metro via the Ecole Militaire station.

In Rome I prefer to stay in the area near Termini station as it's very convenient for transportation and there are some good hotels there. Others here prefer the Piazza Navona area or Trastevere.

The guidebooks will provide the pros & cons of each area.

In Rome I prefer to stay in the area near Termini station as it's very
convenient for transportation and there are some good hotels there.

We've stayed within walking distance of Termini (not directly across the street but within a few blocks) as well and found being close to the station to have its advantages. For one, the A and B metro lines cross there so it's a convenient hopping-on spot for attractions reasonably close to stops on either line.

We also saved a few euros by foregoing the express train, taking one of the frequent, comfortable and inexpensive shuttle buses from the airport to Termini and walking to our hotel from there. They take a little longer than the train but tickets can be as low as 4 euro one-way, and your 2 year-old will be free (at least on Terravision and SIT buses; haven't checked the rest). There are also shuttles from Ciampino.

http://www.adr.it/en/web/aeroporti-di-roma-en-/pax-fco-bus

Alex - at this point, I recommend starting a new thread rather than adding extra questions on to this one. Example: Rome Hotels, please give recommendations. Another thread asked under FRANCE questions - Paris Hotels, please? If you want low cost or high dollar or near a certain site - include that in the question as well. Direct, simple questions get the best responses. Ask specifically what you need for better information.