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Rome in 2 Full Days !

Posted by on

Hello,

After reading alot on these forums and experts Advice, here is the itinerary we have concluded upon. I would like to get this all put together final itinerary commented and get opinioned from you all. Please feel free if you think i should make corrections, edit stops or include a must eat food during my stops.

We are a couple aged late 20's with a 22 month kid. Ironically it is my kid's 22nd Flight as well, so she is pretty active (touchwood) and has become an expert backpacking with us :). Yes, we are going to get a sturdy stroller with us and an infant carrier (shoulders strap) too.

We are Vegetarians (Egg/Cheese is okay). And our meal plan is to eat on regular intervals / stop and eat if we think something Vegetarian food is available then. No Lunch / Dinner time fixed in particular. We are going to use happycows.net website to find a food place near to us if needed.

ROMA Pass for 72 Hours (or is it for 3 days?) is yet to be purchased. I am thinking to buy once i reach on 4th Oct late evening.
2 Free things to cover: Borghese Gallery & Colosseum.

4th Oct:
1. Reaching Termini at 8 PM
2. Take bus / Taxi to reach to the Airbnb by 8:30 PM.

5th Oct:
Day Begins at 8:30 AM

  1. Visit St Peter Square
  2. Visit Basilica & the Dome (Can the Dome tickets be purchased on the spot ?)
  3. Once done, take a taxi/OR walk to Vatican Museum. (Tickets yet to be purchased). (Before entering Museum, will have some quick food bites)
  4. Sistine Chapel.
  5. Leave Vatican by max 4 PM , catch Bus# 492 to reach Pantheon. (Pantheon is free to visit)
  6. Next visit to ST MARIA SOPRA MINERVA BASILICA walking. (Or may be skip it ?)
  7. Next walk to Piazza Navona for fountain views.
  8. Reach Airbnb back by 7:30 - 8 PM.

6th Oct:

Day Begins at 7:30 AM.

  1. Visit Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano
  2. Next visit Colosseum, Palatine Hill & Roman Forum. (Tickets yet to be purchased). May be skip Roman Forum just see from Palatine Hill? Hopefully this should be done by 12:30 PM.
  3. Next visit to Altar of the Fatherland by taking BUS# 51. (Can this ticket be purchased on the spot or pre-purchase is recommended ?)
  4. By 3 PM reach to either Borghese Gallery OR Option 2: Basilica of Saint Mary Major. (Since i will have Roma pass, Gallery would be free)
  5. By 6 PM reach Trevi Fountain and then to Spanish steps.
  6. Reach Airbnb by 7:30 PM.

7th Oct:

  1. Early 8 AM Flight to my next destination from FCO airport. I will be either taking taxi or go to Termini to catch the Aiport Bus for 6 Euros each.

Also, Should i interchange 5th to 6th Oct and 6th Oct Plan to 5th Oct ? Or does it really not make any difference ?

Thank you for being so patiently reading this for me. I am really hoping a thumbs up from you guys or give me some positive corrections.

Posted by
8453 posts

You are right to plan with such a heavy schedule. Not sure you can pull it off, but you can try.

I think you will find that your time or energy will run out before you finish the list.
Doing the Vatican will take most of your first day, as will the Colosseum, Palantine Hill and Forum. Take the time to study what you will see in the Forum. That will help when you visit the Forum.

Posted by
4105 posts

With the limited amount of time you have, I don't think you would benefit from the Rome Pass.
It would be easier to purchase timed tickets, since the general entry for the Colosseum has been pushed back to 14:00. Hope this link works.

http://ecm.coopculture.it/index.php?option=com_snapp&view=event&id=6C207193-B1F0-4F69-70C4-016523BDE15E&catalogid=6843D328-7FFC-9342-0C11-016523C5D3E1&lang=en

I'd also see if tickets are still available for the Borghese Gallery.

http://galleriaborghese.beniculturali.it/en/visita/visit-the-galleria-borghese

I think you're wise to avoid the Forum, especially with a stroller. The ground is very uneven.

Bus tickets can be purchased at any tobacco shop. Figure how many you need for the day and buy them all at once. €1,50 each.

Posted by
27 posts

Gerri,

Thank you for the links. Sorry, but i didn't quite understand what you meant to say with Entry restriction at Colosseum for Individuals until 14:00 ? Can you detail that ?

Gallery Ticket is 15 Euros + Colosseum 14 euros. Total of 29 Euros.
So i thought it's better to buy Roma pass for 72 hours for 38 Euros each. I am definitely going to take more rides worth 10 Euros. Even if i am not, it's peaceful to carry just 1 pass rather than using each ticket every time. ?

Posted by
16696 posts

Amrti, this is a really overloaded schedule I wouldn't recommend for some adults let alone 12-hour days with a 22 month-old toddler. But we've been through the cautions on your previous posts to no avail so some comments:

Visit Basilica & the Dome....

You don't intend to climb to the top with your toddler in a backpack, right? NOT a good plan.

Once done (with the basilica) take a taxi/OR walk to Vatican Museum.
(Tickets yet to be purchased). (Before entering Museum, will have some
quick food bites).

The mob at the museums could be very tough on a toddler.

Your itinerary for day #2 is REALLY heavy. I wouldn't try to do the Colosseum/Forum/Palatine + Galleria Borghese with a toddler, and you are planning other attractions on top of those. Do be aware that even with the Roma Pass, Galleria Borghese requires a reservation in advance so you'd need to make that either-or decision before your trip.

You know your small person better than any of us but if she is truly "active", you're looking at confining her to a stroller/carrier for long hours in museums, churches and archeological sites with few breaks for her to have age-appropriate activity. That worries me. We also don't know where your airbnb is and whether it's close enough to take her back for some quiet time midday if things don't go well.

Posted by
27 posts

geovagriffith,

Thank you for the reply.

If you don't mind, i'd like to know which particular destination you think i should skip ?

If my plan doesn't work out, i will just do the Facade of Pantheon and Altar of the Fatherland. And may be skip the Minerva Basilica.

Do you think it's better if i change my 5th Plan to 6th & 6th Plan to 5th ?

Posted by
27 posts

Kathy,
Thanks for the reply.

we've been through the cautions on your previous posts

am i marked with the RED flag for admins ? Haha ..

Yes i agree 2nd day is packed and hence i am here on the forum asking quesitons. I will definitely skip Forum & do the Facade only for Alter of the fatherland.,it looks so majestic and beautiful.
isn't Trevi Fountain & Spanish steps stroll through visits only ? Nothing stressful here i believe besides walking between them ?

isn't Basilica dome has Elevators ? How can one keep the baby in a backpack ? Lol ..
Yes, after outcome of this forum discussion, i would book my reservations to the Gallery & Colosseum.

Do you recommend a safe travel using Taxi at 5:30 AM From Airbnb (near to via Gallia Road) to Termini station so as to Catch an Airport (FCO) Shuttle at 6 AM ?

Also, if things don't go well, The whole day plans will be kept OFF no matter if tickets are purchased. Afterall, kids matter the most. :) . I appreciate your concerns.

Posted by
4105 posts

Unless you purchase a timed entry ticket, you can't enter the Colosseum until 2:00pm/14:00

Posted by
27 posts

Thank you.

Gerri, The Colosseum website doesn't mention the rule of Entering After 2PM is applicable for Roma Pass holders. Can somebody please confirm this ?

Posted by
8453 posts

In my opinion, the top sights to visit in Rome are:

St. Peter's Basicila and Sistine Chapel (definitely not to be missed)
Colosseum, Palantine Hill and Forum

The Pantheon, Trevia Fountain, Spanish Steps and Piazza Navona are all great sights that don't take a long time to see. However, those sights are not close to each other. However, you can visit all but Pantheon in the evening.

There is far more to see in Rome than has been mentioned on this thread.
You need about a week to really see Roma and savor the art, history and culture.

Not sure why you only have two days there?

Posted by
16696 posts

The Colosseum website doesn't mention the rule of Entering After 2PM
is applicable for Roma Pass holders. Can somebody please confirm this
?

Unless something has changed in the last couple of weeks, the 2:00 PM rule doesn't apply to Roma Pass holders. That restriction isn't posted on the coopculture or Roma Pass websites, and the word over on the Trip Advisor forum is that you can enter with the pass prior to 2:00.

isn't Basilica dome has Elevators ? How can one keep the baby in a
backpack ? Lol ..

Backpack= back carrier. As Joe pointed out, the elevator only goes to the base of the dome. The top is reached via a 320-step narrow, spiral stairway that would not be easy or particularly safe, IMHO, to do with a toddler in a back carrier or in arms, although some visitors have mentioned doing it. There are some photos of that stairway on this website (use only to see the photos: other info might not be current):

https://www.romewise.com/st-peters-dome.html

Last I knew, strollers are not allowed in the basilica; there's a place to check them at the entrance.

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