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Rome in March

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We will be spending March 5-11 in Rome and were seeking input about three items; I'm sure there will be more:). I've pasted our tentative agenda below.

  1. Our B&B is located in the San Giovanni neighborhood. Would the Roma Pass cover transportation to and from most of the sites from there and what is the approximate time from here to city center?

  2. We will not get into the city until about 1300 on a Saturday and check in for our B&B is after 1500. Is there somewhere with lockers to check our bags so we could do some sightseeing and then come back later to the B&B? Where would be the most convenient lockers considering our possible agenda and B&B location?

  3. We will need Euros right away for the train ride to town, etc. Are there ATM's at the airport? Can we also purchase Italian phone calling cards at the airport?

Thanks!
Saturday: Arrive about 1PM in city. Check bags somewhere. Get calling card and cash. (Get Borghese reservation and Vatican time). Night Walk Across Rome from Campo de’ Fiori to Spanish steps
Sunday: Nat’l Museum of Rome and nearby Baths of Diocletian. PM: Dolce Vita stroll and wandering. The Porta Portese flea market is Sunday mornings so doing Trastevere on Sunday is a good idea also.
Monday: Vatican City: St. Peters Basilica, dome climb, Vatican Museum (get timed entry). Start using Roma Pass today, if purchased.
Tuesday: Tour Coliseum to the Forum, over Capitol Hill to the Pantheon. Buy a combo ticket at the office on Palatine Hill to avoid lines. At the Colosseum, just after you go through the airport-style security, look for the booth with all the "blinking lights" (audioguides charging). That's where I booked the tour which is cheap and highly recommended over the audio tour.
Wednesday: Borghese Gallery (2 hours;reservation required) and Pilgrim’s Rome (churches Santa Maria Maggiore, San Clemente, and San Giovanni in Laterano).
Thursday: Choice: Hadrian’s Villa, Appian Way and Catacombs, EUR, Castel Sant’Angelo, Testaccio sights, Baths of Caracalla, Cappuccin Crypt, shopping, more Vatican time. Collier’s day trip to Naples/Pompeii. Side trip to Ostia Antica.
Friday: Twilight in Trastevere food tour with local guide

Posted by
693 posts

Have you checked with your b and b that you cannot leave your luggage earlier?

Also, do I understand correctly that you will book your Vatican museums and Borghese tickets when in Rome? Buy them online at the official sites from home before you go. Also, do the same for the Colosseum.

Regarding getting cash, my preference is to always buy about €150 before leaving home. That way no worrying about finding ATMs etc when you are tired from a long flight. Yes it will cost you a little more as the exchange rate will be less attractive but it is worth it in my opinion.

Posted by
11852 posts

You can use your Roma Pass for all transportation: Metro, bus and tram. San Giovanni is not remote. You can use this link at ATAC, the Rome transport site, to plan your trips.

The B&B should store your luggage if early check-in is not possible. Just ask.

There are ATMs at FCO. It is but the work of a few minutes to find one and use it, getting a better exchange rate than you can in the U.S.

Call the Borghese during Italian business hours. You will be able to speak to someone in English. tell them you want to reserve a time and that you have a Roma Pass. They wlll hold the tickets for you to be picked up 30 minutes ahead of entry time. If you do not show up, they sell them to someone else. There is a small cash reservation fee to pay at pick-up.

As mentioned above, make your Vatican arrangements before you leave home. I highly recommend a guided tour. Walks of Italy does a fabulous tour called the "Pristine Sistine" if you can fit it in your budget.

Posted by
11613 posts

San Guivanni neighborhood is considered city center, you will be able to get to most sights on foot or by bus/metro. The Colosseum is a short walk, if you want to take the metro from there.

Some zones are pedestrian only on weekends, so be sure that buses will stop. There is an info kiosk at Piazza San Giovanni.

I agree that you should make your major reservations before you leave. Standing in line for reservations after a long trip is not fun. You do not have to have the RomaPass in hand when you call the Borghese, just let them know you will use it.

You can use a credit card to pay for train tickets from a staffed ticket window, or from a kiosk if you have a PIN for your card. Cabs only take cash, as far as I know. You can pay for the RomaPass with a credit card as well (buy it at the train station or the airport). ATMs (called Bancomats) are at airports and train stations. The advantage of buying some euro from your bank ahead of time is that you can order specific denominations from €5 up (stick to 5, 10, 20 € notes) to avoid breaking a €20 for a bus ticket or a coffee.

Posted by
711 posts

When I bought the Roma Pass at Termini (the large kiosk) they required euro and would not accept credit card. Don't know if this was just that day or not. Our B&B called and made the reservation for me at the Borghese Gallery and I made the Vatican one online as suggested. I prefer to land with a few Euro (I always save some) so I got some stateside the first time. The convenience outweighs the cost in my mind.

Have a great trip.

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