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Rome experts, I need your help!

First time in Rome and only there for 2 1/2 days. We have the itinerary pretty much planned but we are unsure if this are the best ways to get to the places and the most efficient way to do it. Any help is good! First day we arrive around 2:30pm so we are not making any firm plans since we dont know how time will work. I think we will try to do one of RS night walks probably one that goes by trevi Fountain. That day is my soon to be husband's :) birthday so a suggestion on a restaurant w a good Italian atmosphere would be great! We are going to be staying at a hotel close to termini (probably Giolli in Via Nazionalle 69) 2nd day: take metro to Colosseo station 1st stop Piazza del Campidoglio to walk up and down the steps leading to Capitoline Hill, then Fori Imperiali, Colosseum, Arch of Constantine and Forum Romano then take metro to station Via Cavour to San Pietro in Vincoli, then metro to barberini Station for the Pantheon, Take the Metro to Spagna for Scala di Spagna and last take bus 30 to Piaza Navona 3rd day: Metro Line A, Stations: Ottaviano Piazza San Pietro , Basilica di San Pietro, Musei Vaticani, take bus 40 to to Castel Sant'Angelo (just to look at it because mondays is closed) then Metro: Flaminia to Piazza del Popolo, bus 56 to Trastevere for dinner and Santa Cecilia en Trasvestere and Santa Maria in Trasvestere (unsure at what time they close. is this a good, doable route? My fiance also wants to see the capuchin crypts and I would like to see the Borghese museum but i have no idea how to include them in this crazy itinerary. Thanks for all advice! oh btw all this is happening during last weeks of Nov Thanks again!

Posted by
69 posts

I can't get it to not be a big blob of letters I apologize since is hard to read this way.

Posted by
10344 posts

Reservations in advance are required for the Borghese.

Posted by
3112 posts

Gaby, I can think of a more efficient itinerary, but it involves a few 15-20 minutes walks between sights. Is that OK when it's efficient to walk, or are you trying to minimize walking?

Posted by
4406 posts

Gaby, I have just a minute right now, but Kent is right - you MUST reserve your Borghese Gallery tickets in advance; be sure to follow their directions (ex, be there at least 30 minutes before your appointed time). Others have had good results with starting on the second floor after you first enter the museum; everybody else will be packed together on the first floor (hee-hee), then work your way to the first floor. Also, no need for a bus b/n Vatican City and Castel Sant'Angelo - if you'll walk straight down the street in front of St Peters (Via della Conciliazione) towards the river, you'll walk right to it (it'll be on your left, same side of the river). It's just a few blocks...Are you familiar with Google Street View? If not, please PM me...Wonders Await...;-).......AND, just walk from the Forum/Colosseum to San Pietro in Vincoli - it's closer that way, and you can approach it from all sides (streets). I'm assuming you are in good shape physically...ALSO, your question looks fine - THANK YOU for taking such care to spell all of those names correctly, or if I missed something everything looks close enough to correct LOL! That makes more difference than you might think - too many places are too similar in spelling; this way, I know exactly where you're talking about!

Posted by
69 posts

Thanks for the suggestions! Walking is perfectly fine for us. Since I have'nt been there I assumed the distances and with traffic that it would be better to take the metro but if it's a better option to walk, to and from, we are good for it. I am aware of the needed reservations for Borghese Gallery, I just dont know where to fit it in our schedule so i can make the reservations =/ I dont know if I'm trying to achieve too much. I have never used google maps before so I might need some pointers there hehe Thanks again! I really appreciate it

Posted by
4152 posts

I would walk from site to site also. There is no reason to take the metro so often unless you have problems walking. I agree with taking the metro to the colosseum. From the colosseum area you can walk to the St. Peter in chains church. It's just up the street (via Cavour) You don't take the metro to the Barberini stop for the pantheon. You must walk there. There is no metro stop that's even close. You can go from St. Peter in Chains church to the spanish steps then to the pantheon. That makes more sense. From the pantheon the P. Navona is a 5 minute walk. You can easily and quickly walk from the exit of the vaitcan museums to the castel sant angelo. No need for a bus. It will take you longer to walk back to the metro and get to P. del popolo than it will to just walk to it. To fit in the capucchin crypt you can take the metro from the saint peter in chains church to the barberini stop. The crypt is just a few steps up the via veneto. From there the spanish steps are about a 10 minute walk. Unless you can squeeze in the Borghese gallery on the day you arrive you won't be able to see it unless you cut something else out. Donna

Posted by
10344 posts

In Rome, travelers often use a combination of walking, buses, metro, and taxis. Google Map or Viamichelin online maps will give you an idea of distances.

Posted by
10178 posts

I have a suggestion for you if you want to try to go to the Galleria Borghese. I just made my reservation yesterday. I went to the website www.roninrome.com/transportation/galleria-borghese, where you can find good information and instructions for how to make a reservation. I called the Borghese and made my reservation. I have not paid for anything. Presumably if I don't show up there will be people standing by waiting for no shows. Tickets to have to be picked up 30 minutes before the reserved time. Since you have such a tight schedule, if you make a reservation this way you would not have to worry about being out any money if you can't make it. Have a great time!

Posted by
2207 posts

Gaby, I agree that you can walk to many sites in Rome... and as a first-timer, half the fun is walking and seeing the back streets and side streets of Rome. That and getting lost! So allow yourself some time to just get lost. As they say in Italy, "piano, piano! (Slowly, slowly!). If you are going to the Galleria Borghese, I'd suggest you go on Day 1 - after you arive. I'd get a reservation for 5 PM and there's no charge if you just can't do it due to jet lag. That appears to be the only time you'll have if you want to squeeze it in.

Posted by
2207 posts

Sorry for the number of posts, but otherwise, as you said, they just become a huge blob! On Day 2, I'd start out by walking through the back streets to San Pietro in Vincoli from your hotel. One reason, the hotel you plan to stay at is on the lower end of Via Nazionale, perhaps just as close to Piazza Venezia as it is to Termini Station. 2nd, most churches, including San Pietro in Vincoli are closed from 12-3 and your plans probably won't allow you to see it. I'd try and be there around 8 AM. After that, walk the back way (exit LEFT from church) or go back to Via Cavour and catch the 75 or 117 bus down the hill to the Colosseo. Go there, then to Palatine Hill, down through the Forum, and exit out the entrance by the Arch of Septimus Severus. Climb the stairs to Campodoglio. See the square and the overlooks, then take the back stairs up through Santa Maria in Aracoeli (church) and then come out the front entrance of the church onto the backside of the Vittoriano monument. (Note - You have to get into this church no later than 12:30 PM to get this shortcut as it will also close for three hours of "lunch time." In Italy, many say even God waits on lunch!) After walking down the front of the Vittoriano monument, head for a long lunch and then hit the Pantheon (Gelato at Della Palma or Giolitti's) and Piazza Navona! From there, you can ride the 70 bus back to your hotel.

Posted by
23 posts

Check the star ratings in Rick's book, and plan on seeing the highest rated ones since you have limited time.

Posted by
89 posts

So Ron is still in Rome? Thought he moved to Copenhagen on August 1.

Posted by
69 posts

Thanks so much! All the suggestions are really helpful! I have a couple more questions: does the 2nd day looks fine as it is? Also is there something important that I'm missing that I should'nt miss? Like maybe the jewish Ghetto? or I heard of a church that is built on top of an older church? Thanks so much everybody! I'm so excited about finally going to Italy!

Posted by
1317 posts

Ron used to live in Rome for the last 3? years and has recently moved. Glad to see him around again! I agree - get to San P in V early. We went there first thing in the morning and had the place almost to ourselves, which was fantastic. As we were leaving, 2 large tour groups came in - not so magical.

Posted by
10344 posts

"or I heard of a church that is built on top of an older church?" MANY churches in Rome are built on top of an older church, just one example is St. Peters.

Posted by
69 posts

hehehe Kent I knew that post was going to come back to bite me in ... for not doing the research. The church I am asking opinions about is The Basilica di San Clemente. Thanks!

Posted by
10344 posts

No problem. Here WE do the research for you. :) A good guidebook will answer most of your questions about architecture and history. Briefly, San Clemente consists of two churches superimposed on each other, and built over an earlier Roman building.

Posted by
69 posts

Well I have read the description and saw pictures of it but I was wondering more if somebody had gone there and could say "Gaby you should find the time to go there and see it because is GREAT!" or "Gaby, it was cool but not so cool that you should fit it in your tight schedule" =D

Posted by
10344 posts

It's cool. But so are a hundred other things you're not going to get to see in 2 days. That's the unavoidable problem with only a couple days in Europe's largest and most historical cities: too many cool things and not enough time to do more than scratch the surface. Prioritize. The best guidebooks try to help with rating systems. Michelin Green Guide might be a good one for you, given your apparent interest in history and architecture.

Posted by
83 posts

Walk as much as you can....it is worth it! You see more of the city and sometimes stumble upon ruins or other interesting things to look at.

Posted by
492 posts

Gaby, one person's must-do may be just a so-so for you so it gets tough to make outright recommendations. We thought the Basilica Di San Clemente was very interesting and worth our time but we saw that on our second visit and had quite a bit more than 2 1/2 days in Rome. I hate to say it, but with limited time you really need to decide what your must-do's are and maybe a secondary list of would-be-nice things and then concentrate on the must-do's and work in some of the would-be-nice list as you can and also make some time to just enjoy Rome as well.

Posted by
2207 posts

Gaby, one of the wonderful things about Rome is you will WANT TO GO BACK! So I agree - dont't try and rush from spot to spot. See what you can see... and start planning your next trip! Rome is a great jumping-off point for all parts of Italy using Roma Termini, or the autostrada, SS1 and SS2 - you'll have many options to explore the country. And through (FCO) and (CIA) you can find many inexpensive flights to connect all over Europe. So slow down and "ENJOY" the city, not just "see" it. Of all our city vacations in Europe, Rome is the one we just kept coming back to - so much so that we moved there!

Posted by
69 posts

Thanks so much for all the responses. They really do Help! Going to Italy has been my dream since I can remember! all the comments help because I've been so wraped up around the fact that I want to see everything That I havent left much time to just enjoy Rome! so I think we might slow down a bit make sure we make time for those long lunches and dinners that people keep talking about and to just ENJOY =) We are also very happy because we got confirmation today for access to the necropolis under the Papal Basilica of St. Peter. Thanks everybody and keep all and any suggestions coming! we really appreciate it!

Posted by
3112 posts

Ron has recommended pretty much what I was going to recommend for Day 2. Easiest walk from your hotel to San Pietro in Vincoli would be Via Nazionale and then Via dei Serpenti, which is downhill and intersects Via Cavour very near the church. If visiting the Victor Emmanuel monument, there's a 2nd back entrance at the top right side of the stairs Ron mentioned that seems to be open even when the church is closed. The Imperial Forum with Trajan's column is across the street from the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Capitoline, so work that in at your leisure. On Day 3, you could take the metro from Repubblica to Spagna, view the Spanish Steps and walk to Piazza del Popolo, and then take the metro from Flaminio to Cipro for the Vatican Museum. To save another long wait in the security line at St. Peters, exit the Sistine Chapel through the door at the back right corner and walk down the long staircase. If you want to see the Pinacoteca (some great paintings), you can tour it first and then start the traditional Vatican Museum route to the Sistine Chapel. Walk from St. Peters to Castel Sant'Angelo. Then take bus 40 to Largo Argentina where you'll change to the 8 tram to Trastevere for dinner. Take the H bus for return to hotel, which will save you a change at Largo Argentina.

Posted by
5 posts

These restaurants were recently featured on Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations Rome show and they looked great (I made a note for our 2011 trip): Ristorante Pizzeria Roma Sparita, Piazza di Santa Cecilia 24, (Trastavere) 00153 Roma - Tel 06 . 5800757: Il Timoniere, Via Francesco Orazio da Pennabilli 5 (Garbatella) 00154 Roma - Tel 06 . 5110007: both very 'local' so would be good for the 'italian experience' although I don't know how close to your location they'll be. I can't wait to give them a try.

Posted by
69 posts

Thanks again! I have a couple of questions about the 3rd day. Since we already paid to do the tour of the Necropolis, do we still need to purchase tickets for Vatican Museum and Sistine chapel or will the ticket to the necropolis be enough? Also if you leave the Vatican museum, can you come back the same day with out having to pay again?

Posted by
492 posts

The Vatican Museum entrance fee is separate from the Scavi tour, so yes, you would need to pay a separate entrance fee there. There is no charge to go into the Basilica, but there is a charge for the Treasury Museum in the Basilica and to climb the dome. I don't recall seeing a way to exit and re-enter the Vatican Museums, many people only spend 2-3 hours there though. As a reminder, the Sistine Chapel is accessed via the Vatican Museums and is included in that ticket.

Posted by
11613 posts

If you have time for a little romance, you can rent a rowboat in Villa Borghese park. It's a nice place to walk, as well.

Posted by
69 posts

I was looking at RS's book to find a good night walk at night and also to start planning for our days in Florence and Venice but I have a question. I'm debating between buying the Italy 2010 or each book for each city. Am I going to be missing much if I just buy the big one instead of 3 smaller but more specific ones? Thanks!

Posted by
4406 posts

Yes, you'll be missing some info, BUT it may not be anything you'll miss on THIS trip - if you're just focused on the main highlights. If possible, go to a bookstore to compare the Country vs the City books...Unless you're really going to investigate a city, In My Opinion, your Italy book will be fine. But do compare the two, if possible.

Posted by
69 posts

I need a couple more suggestions! (and thanks sooo much for the help! I promise a full review when we come back) There has been a change and now we are staying at Hotel Impero located in Via del Viminale, 19, 00184, Rome, Italy. Should we still walk to San Pietro in Vincoli as said before or metro to station Via Cavour? And the next day we have reservations for the Scavi Tour at 9:15. I want to purchase ahead of time the tickets for the Vatican Museum. What makes more sense: To purchase and go inside the museum right after the tour or to first go to the basilica, up the dome and then the museum? I have the RS book for Rome but there's no much reference to where the entrance for the Scavi tour is in relation to the other areas. Again thanks so much!

Posted by
11247 posts

Your Scavi Tour receipt should have the information on how to find teh Scavi Tour. It says "The Excavations Office is reached through the Holy Office Gate, (through Colonnade to the left). At the gate, ask the Swiss Guard for the Excavations Office."

Posted by
62 posts

Gaby, tour the basilica before you head to the museum! Our Scavi tour ended in the grottoes, right by the stairs leading up into the middle St Peter's; we didn't even have to exit the building. I've heard some people say they do exit, but that would still put you right near the entrance stairs to St. Peter's.

Posted by
69 posts

How far is walking(in time at a normal pace) from San Pietro in Vincoli to The Colisseum? we want to go to the 8:00am mass (probably 1 to 1 1/3 hr long) but we have reservations at the Colisseum at 9:45
Thanks!

Posted by
4406 posts

Gaby, I'm going to take it that you haven't played with Google Maps/Street View yet...? Either 1) go to your 'Google' page and click on 'Maps', or 2) search for 'maps', find the Google result and click the heading. From there, click-and-drag until Rome is in the middle of your screen; in increments: zoom in, re-center Rome, and repeat until you find the Colosseo metro stop (red square with white 'M' inside) on the map. Just below that is the Colosseum (on map as 'Anfiteatro Flavio'). Just a few streets north north-east is the Basillica di San Pietro in Vincoli.

Posted by
4406 posts

Now for the fun part - See that yellow man at the very top of the 'Zoom In/Out' scale at the top left of the page? Click on him and drag him to ANY street outlined in blue, then release. So, click-and-drag the yellow man to (for instance) the red 'M' Coloeseo metro stop. On the screen itself, there are up-and-down (actually forward-and-backward) buttons to maneuver up and down the street. To turn around while 'standing' in place, use your left and right buttons on your keyboard. You can make a full 360 degree turn. Also, you can move your field of vision up or down by clicking-and-dragging on the map itself (as in, look at the sidewalk, or look at the sky). To go back to the regular map, just click on the 'x' in the top right-hand corner of the map.

The tighter you zoom, the more places that show up on the map - things like restaurants, hotels, nightclubs, banks, parks, touristy places, etc. You can click on them for more info (websites, reviews), and you can drag the yellow man to that spot so you can see what the facade of the building looks like, how far it is from the nearest metro stop, etc.

You can use this to actually 'walk' b/n the Colosseum and San Pietro in Vincoli, AND you'll have the bonus of knowing exactly what the church looks like (not particularly 'churchy').

I apologize if I've introduced to you a whole new way to 'waste' time on the computer ;-) If this isn't clear, please send me a PM...

Posted by
316 posts

Absolutely no reason to take the metro to the colosseum from the hotel you're staying at. Walk down the Via Nazionale and turn left on the Via dei Serpenti. I stay at Hotel Italia Roma on a little side street off Via Nazionale and always walk there. After the Forum and Colosseum, take the escalator up the hill and you'll be right at San Pietro in Vincoli. I usually take a taxi over to St. Peter's. Cappuchin Crypt is a very quick visit and shouldn't be a problem to work in. Most over rated sight to me is the Spanish Steps. Have a great time and get a Rick Steve's book with map to plan your route to make the most of your time there. Be sure to throw a coin in the Trevi. It works!

Posted by
48 posts

Gaby.. I'm obsessed with the maps from RS Rome and Google. What I've come to realize is that from top to bottom of the maps in the book is 2 miles so from San Pietro to the Coliseum its about 1/4 to 1/2 a mile. Depending on your walking speed and distraction level it will probably only take you 10-20 minutes. (Personally, I have every intention of walking from my hotel to the Forum area when I go in a few weeks.) Also with Google Maps you can get walking directions and check approximate distance from different points (I've been having loads of fun with this).

Posted by
304 posts

If this is your first time to Rome, I would suggest you study the city on Google Earth & Street view. On our first trip to Rome we relied on Rick's Maps in his guide book. Big mistake. (Sorry Rick, the book is invaluable, but the maps....) With Google Earth you'll be able to get your bearings easier.

Posted by
4406 posts

You could, but by the time you walked from your hotel to the Termini metro station, you could be halfway to San Pietro in Vincoli...Personally, I'd walk...Get A Good Map!!! Be aware that street names regularly change every block or so (no joke). That's why so many of us spend so much time on Google Maps, etc.

Posted by
11247 posts

Amen on the maps! Buy a good one before you go. Preferrably one that is "coated" so it won't tear or suffer too much in a mist. I outlined our planned walks using different colored Sharpies, and used Googlemaps to estimate times when necessary. (We are on out trip home now, after three weeks in Italy and 5 nights in Roma.) We walked almost everywhere, only using busses or Metro to remote places (Parco degli Acquedotti) or the start of a walk that might end near our hotel (Aventine Hill to Teatro Marcello). In addition to our good friend Rick's books, I liked "24 Great Walks in Rome" from Frommers. Good insightful neighborhood jaunts, good maps, and we hardly saw a tourist on some of them.

Posted by
69 posts

Thanks for the responses!
BTW we are no longer staying at Hotel Giolli In Via Nazionale, we are staying at Hotel Impero in Via del Viminiale so I'm guessing is better to take the metro from Termini to Via Cavour for San Pietro in Vincoli?
Thanks!