I'm leaving for Rome Monday (first time) and I have just found out that there is a new entrance to Palatine Hill/Forum (via dei Fori Imperiali). Is this true? If so, how far up the road from the Colosseum is the entrance.
Also, how do I make my way to the start of Rick Steve's guided tour?
Thanks
Yep it's true. The prior route described in the older RS books (from the Colosseum straight up through the Arch of Titus) is gated off and you can't get through.
There are two ways to get into the Forum. I'm going off of memory and they're kind of confusing, so I'll try to explain it as best as I can.
The first entrance, and the way we did it, is from Palentine Hill. From the Colosseum entrance, as you are facing the Forum, you walk to the left for several minutes (I think it was something like 500-700 meters?) until you reach the Palentine Hill entrance. Your Colosseum ticket is good for Palentine + Forum, as is the Roma Pass if you choose to go that route. Passing through the entrance of the Palentine Hill, there is a long stairway to the right which leads to the Forum. I really enjoyed touring the Palentine Hill, which has some spectacular views, so depending on how much time you have, you might consider doing that as well.
The staircase puts you on the inside of the gated area by the Arch of Titus, and from there you can walk down into the Forum "proper". I don't recall exactly where the RS guided tour starts you off from. Are you using the audio podcast? While very informative and I do recommend it, the Forum podcast tends to double back on itself a lot and you end up running back and forth a bit.
The other entrance, which we did not use, I am not 100% certain of, but I believe it is along the Via dei Fori Imperiali, which is the major road that runs up with the Roman Forum on the left and Trajan's Forum on the right. The street was under a TON of construction last November. I believe the entrance on this side is nearer the end of RS's tour, by the Arch of Septimus Severus, and about halfway up the stairs that lead to the Campidoglio. I would say it is probably further from the Colosseum to this entrance than to the Palentine Hill and will probably take you 10 minutes or so to walk.
If you are still confused, you can also contact Ron at www.roninrome.com for more info. He's an American expat living in Rome and can probably explain it better than I. :-)
Liz,
Thanks for the info! I have the '08 RS book and didn't upgrade. I did find Ron's web page just recently...wish I found it months ago!
Lisa- one warning. Many people (present company included) walked all the way to the old ticket booth and then went left. This is a nice long walk up a hill that DOES NOT get you into the forum and you have to go all the way back the way you came. We had lots of company on this confusing trip. Go left BEFORE you head down the walkway to the old ticket booth. There are signs...but having been there before we just gravitated to where we had entered before. Sometimes experience is a disadvantage.
Hi Lisa........something else you may want to consider is where you buy your Roma Pass, if you are wanting to get one. Last fall we tried to purchase our Roma Pass at this new entrance to Palatine Hill (as this is where RS suggested in his book), but they were sold out - so after standing in the line for almost an hour THEN finding this out, we had to walk back to the Metro and ride it back to the Termini station to purchase the pass, then retrace our steps back to Palatine Hill. Needless to stay it was alot of wasted time.....so my advice to you is get the Roma pass at your first opportunity - this doesn't mean that you have to activate the pass as soon as you purchase it, but at least you will have one - it comes with instructions on how to activate it and then how long it will be effective.
Have a wonderful trip!
Connie, we actually did the same as you and stumbled into a quiet church which had, of all things, a stained glass window of the Colosseum! I really wish I had thought to try to get a picture of it.
But yes, it did waste a fair bit of time and wear us out faster. Stay towards the busier street and if you start going uphill, you've gone wrong.
I wish I had seen the stained glass window, it would have made the walk worth it. When we were there we could not get into the church. (We were just confused enough that we would have entered it looking for an exit into the forum- I'm not proud to admit that!!)
Actually you CAN get into the Forum from Palatine Hill. When you are up on top of the hill and looking down over the forum, somewhere up there is a fairly long set of stairs that brings you out near the Arch of Titus, I think. I was there six months ago and I don't remember exact details; but if you look on page 636 of RS Italy 2008, there is an arrow on the picture near the Arch of Titus pointing toward Palatine Hill. I'm pretty sure that's where the stairway is. I remember standing at a viewpoint, looking down at the Forum, with the Coloseum to my right in the distance, as I looked down. Follow the lay of the land to the right and eventually there is a sign that indicates a restroom and the stairway (as I recall). Wish I could be more specific!
And yes, in answer to your initial question, you do have to enter the Forum from down the street from the Coloseum. With the Coloseum behind you, and the Forum in front of you, cross the street and turn left. It's a good five minute walk. Don't go up any hill that takes you next to the Arch of Titus, thinking you are on the right track because that takes you up a big hill to a church and a dead end. So stay along the main roadway until you see the entrance to Palatine Hill.
have fun on your trip! I wish I were going back sometime soon; I loved Italy!
