We'll be visiting Italy in September, 2012 and will have 3 days to spend in Rome. Our hotel is located in Ancient Rome near the Coliseum. We have several places we'd like to visit in Rome and are planning to map out what we'll be seeing and doing by neighborhood so we can make the best use of our time. We are Catholic and (of course) want to visit the Vatican, the catacombs, the Capuchin crypt (among other things) and shop (browse) in the antiques neighborhood near the Spanish Steps. Realistically, is it fairly easy distance-wise to walk from one neighborhood to the other? Is is better to plan on riding a bus into nearby neighborhoods? I can't discern the distance between neighborhoods by looking at the various neighborhood maps. I'm hoping someone who's been to Rome can give me a better idea of what to expect in this regard. Thanks in advance for your assistance.
Posted by
Toledo
653 posts
Wanda, check the RoninRome.com site - full of great ideas. The neighborhoods of Rome just flow into each other. I have had no problem walking from the Vatican Museums to the Termini station neighborhood (there was a bus strike that day), which is the longest neighborhood-to-neighborhood reach I can think of. I'm no Olympian, by the way. If you're not too tired after the Vatican and St. Peter's, you can cross the Tiber and you are in the Piazza Navona/Campo dei Fiori/Pantheon area. Very compact. Or, in the other direction, Trastevere and some beautiful early Christian churches. The Aventine Hill region is also home to some beautiful churches, Santa Sabina is my favorite among them. Within a few blocks there are at least four that you might be interested in. Near the Colosseum is the ancient church of San Clemente, definitely worth a visit. Just a few blocks away from the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore (I'm sure it's on your list) is the small church of Santa Prassede, with beautiful mosaics. There are mini-buses (I think #s 116 and 117) that get you into the Spanish Steps and Piazza del Popolo areas (the RoninRome site has specific info).
Posted by
Poulsbo, WA, US
223 posts
I walk everywhere in Rome. There are gems and surprises around many corners so its worthwhile to walk as much as you are comfortable with. That being said, I think for many people its the heat of Rome that wears your down more than the distance. I'll be there in the latter parts of September where it can still be warm but not as oppressive as it can be mid August.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
I'm going to give a slightly different take than the other responses so far. Yes, Rome is "walkable" - and the English channel is "swimmable." But, although I loved walking in Rome for its own sake (it's just a lovely city), if I had a specific sight to see, I usually took the bus (sometimes the metro or a cab) there. That way, I had energy to enjoy the sight, instead of being tired from the walk. While the central Rome area of interest to visitors is not that large, it's not so small, either. Time is also part of this; if I wanted to get to something early to beat a line, I took the bus there, and maybe walked back after, if I felt up to it and wasn't tired. A good strategy is to take a bus to your furthest sight in a neighborhood, then walk to the other ones as you work your way back. Walking, of course, means you will not miss your required gelato breaks, which is so easy to do when on the bus. I recommend getting a bus pass, as I found that I did a lot of walking AND used a lot of transit. The same in Venice - you'll see people talk about walking vs taking the vaporetto, as though it's either/or, but for me it's both/and - I did a ton of both. Come to think of it, I am the same in Paris and in Prague, too, which are other cities where some people say they hardly used any transit. So, some of this is individual preference and style. You'll have to experiment and see what works for you.
Posted by
Toledo
653 posts
Harold makes a good point. See the Vatican Museums before you start walking around the neighborhood - the galleries are vast, and getting to the entrance is a good walk from Saint Peter's Basilica. Mix and match.