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Itinerary help please!!??

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I love these boards. I have used the search option so many times. Looking for help with my itinerary. We are a party of 4- flying direct from Toronto- arriving in Rome on a Saturday morning late in August. Hoping we sleep on the plane. We only have till Monday in Rome. Will buy Roma Pass.

Day 1. Plan arrives 11:40 AM. booking transportation from airport to hotel. Hoping to settle in- drop off luggage. Here is what I hope to accomplish. Start at Colosseum. Roman Forum. Capitoline Museum. Pantheon. If not enough time Pantheon in the morning. Hoping to do Heart of Rome walk/Dolce Vita stroll evening. Start at Spanish steps. End at Campo de Fiori Nice dinner somewhere. Looking to have rooftop drinks somewhere. Rooftop at Raphael hotel? Rooftop garden at La Minerva?

Day 2. Sunday. Pantheon if need be. Borghese Museum. National Museum?? Not quite sure about National Museum. Want to see Pincio gardens. Giancola Hill. Ponte Sisto. Maybe Trastevere walk?

Day 3 Monday. Already booked/confirmed/paid for necropolis/Scavi tour under Vatican to see remains. Tour starts at 9. It says after tour we are able to directly enter Basilica. DEFINATELY want to climb to top of Cupola. Need a guide?

My questions are: Vatican Day. If I book a tour do we go back outside to meet group? I DEFINATELY don't want to have my head in a book to be the tour guide. Is it recommended to get tour for day 1? I realize it's going to be hot hot hot! Anything great on the Tiber waterfront? Boat ride at Borghese Museum?

On Monday after Vatican we are leaving for Casserta area. Rented a villa. Planning on Amalfi coast day trips. DEFINATELY interested in wineries. Feudi di San Gregorio? Antonio Caggiano? Comments/concerns? I realize it's a lot. But first time in Italy!!!! Can't wait!!

Could do Rick Steve's audio tours?

Posted by
792 posts

Hi ts! I can answer some of your questions and then I have a few additional comments.

Do you need a guide for the Cupola in St. Peter's?

Nope. You can just take the stairs the whole way or part elevator/part stairs.

Will you have to go back outside to meet your tour group for the Vatican after your Scavi tour?

Yes.

Do you need a tour for day one?

Personal preference but you certainly don't have to. Rick Steve has free audio guides that you can download. And the sites have (not free) audio tours that you can purchase with your ticket.

Anything great on the Tiber waterfront?

Scenery, yes. But there are no boat rides/river front restaurants/river walks like there are in other cities.

Boats around the Villa Borghese?
To be clear, the Galleria Borghese is an art museum that is located within the Villa Borghese which is a park. The museum is WELL WORTH the visit. And you can only get in for two hour slots and reserve spots. Since you have a tight schedule, I recommend you book your tickets in advance (online or ask your hotel). Don't rely on availability of tickets that day. There is a "boating lake" in the park but I have never done it. But it will be just as hot on the lake as it is the rest of Rome.

Rick Stevers audio tours?
Yes download them. Good way to give yourself a tour!

And finally, my unsolicited advice:
Day one is quite packed considering it is your arrival day. A lot of people here (myself included) avoid planning a lot on the arrival day. You will be tired even if you do sleep on the plane. But I get it- you have a short amount of time in Rome and you want to see as much as possible. By the time you get through customs and get to your hotel, it could easily be 3 pm. And this is assuming there are no delays in your flight. Have a back up plan in case you don't see everything you planned on Saturday (and you probably won't). If there is any day you could add one more day to Rome, I think you would be able to get everything in you want. If you can't, just see what you missed on your next trip!

Have a great time!

Posted by
4152 posts

I doubt that you'll be able to visit all you have listed on your first day. It's a very aggressive itinerary, especially for the day you fly in.

If I understand your question, if you book a tour of the Vatican museums it depends on the tour company as to where you will meet. You won't meet in the basilica, you'll either meet in front of the main entrance of the museums , near the main entrance of the museums or inside the museums. If you book the official tour you'll meet inside the museums.

Only you can decide if you want to do a tour. I've done the tours and done without them. It's really a personal choice.

Nothing on the waterfront I know of. No great views from the boat tours either.

The Borghese gallery doesn't have a boat ride. I believe there is one in the park but with such limited time why would you waste any of it on something like that?

Posted by
11613 posts

About that boat ride: in August it's going to seem like work.

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