Our daughter & family live in Milan & will be traveling to Rome. They will have all day Saturday-Monday to tour. I left both my Rick Steves' books with her. Because they will have their 6 & 4 year olds as well as their 7 mo. old traveling with them, I'm trying to assist in the most direct route in getting places. They are booked in a hotel across the street from the Forum. We were in Rome last summer and remember buying tickets on the street past the Arch of Constantine. Here are my questions: 1. Where does Rick suggest buying tickets for the Coloseum, Forum & Palantine Hill?(His suggestion said it would save time in lines.) Once purchased, in what order is it best to tour the areas? (I don't remember if we went on in the gate to see Palantine Hill or back to view the Coloseum.)2. Where is the best entrance into the Forum after coming out of Palantine Hill? (I remember getting lost and backtracking a lot.)3.Since the Victor Emanuele monument is being "renovated", can you still get in the "back door" from the Forum? If so, exactly how do you get to it?
Grazi
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
Re your last question, there have been changes at The Wedding Cake (the Monument) in the last year or so. I don't know whether the back door described by Rick, at the top of page 40 of his book, is closed, it was open as of 2008. But here' a website discussing the new elevator you can take to the top and other changes at the Monument/Wedding Cake/Dentures:Changes at The Wedding Cake
Posted by
Bel Air, MD, USA
261 posts
You can buy a Roma pass, that helps you skip the line. There are ticket gates at the Forum and at the Colloseum. Also, if you travelling with kids, download the Rick Steves audioguides when you tour these sites. My kids loved them, and they are much more interesting than Mom reading the guidebook. Take lots of water. There aren't much for public facilities. As for the order...I don't know if it makes much difference. Palantine Hill has a lot of walking. We did it last, but maybe should have done it earlier.