Seeking tourist info for Rome

Start with Steves guidebook for Rome. If you don't wan to purchase it, check it out from your local library. The guidebook will answer most of your basic questions. Review that and then return with your specific questions. Our answers to your above questions would be redundant to the guidebook.

Thank you, Frank.

I follow what you say to other members and I believe that we have communicated in the past. You are well travelled and always helpful and informative.

Yesterday, I watched a Rick Steves video about Rome on youtube. It was his PBS program. I find youtube videos very helpful.

I booked this hotel. Would you be familiar with it. Hotel Tex, former Hotel Marconi. I booked this hotel because it is right outside Termini. I am bad with directions and maps and this hotel seems like it is easy to find. Reviews are ok and price was good.

Couple of helpful websites:
www.theromanguy.com
www.walksofitaly.com

RS Guidebooks Rome and Italy

As far as day time excursions in Rome walk along the River, visit the Jewish Ghetto, visit the small Quartiere Coppede, and last, get lost. Perfect way to discover a “ hidden gem” on your own. I did that and discovered a church choir rehearsing. Wonderful to watch them while sitting in lovely church.

A lot of the info in Rick’s guidebooks is also available on this site. At the top left of this page, click on the white lines. Then in the Search area, type in Rome. You’ll see tons and tons of info. Here is a good overview:

https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/italy/rome

Start by identifying how many full days you have for sightseeing (not including arrival and departure days). Then come up with a list of the sites YOU want to see. Know that you won’t be able to see EVERYTHING, so pick the sites/ museums that appeal to YOU most. That will determine if a tour is worthwhile or you can do it on your own. Rick has alot of walking tours in his books and also on audio guides. We stumbled upon a guided walk through the Forum many years ago, and thought it was very worthwhile.

Make sure you don’t overfill your days. Leave some time for wandering, people watching, stopping for gelato. Remember that dinner will be late (many places don’t open until 7-8pm), so you may want to take a break mid day for a rest. Staying near the train station puts you close to a metro stop, so familiarize yourself with that system.

Boston Phil, Rome is of course one of the great cities of the world, with a huge variety of both indoor and outside sites, museums, churches, markets, ruins, piazzas, and diverse neighborhoods. And food tours! Congested and very busy, for sure, but wonderful. If you share your time frame and personal interests, maybe budget expectations, I’m sure many here can present ideas. Certainly the RS Rome and Italy books present an excellent and practical place to start. I’m sure other guides and coffee table books with great color photos will inspire and guide you too. Lots of choices of what to see and experience!
I do not know the particular hotel you mentioned, but I did stay at another hotel quite near Termini on my last visit, Hotel Sonya I think. The hotel was simple but fine, and the neighborhood was safe and OK, but I did not find it special, not a place I wanted to wander around in the evening, or where I could easily return to during the day, for rest or a shower or dropping things off, or picking up a jacket, or whatever. I suppose it’s a good spot if you plan to take several day trips by train in the mornings.
I had plans to return to Rome in April 2020, a trip that never happened due to the pandemic, and for that trip, I knew I wanted to stay right in the historic center of the city, in the heart of the action. After LOTS of research, I made a 5-night reservation at the Hotel Smeraldo, which many on this forum have reviewed with very positive comments. Nice rooms, great location, rooftop bar for relaxing and looking over the illuminated city. Somewhat more pricey than most hotels near Termini, but certainly more of an experience. But, thanks to Covid, I’ve never actually been there.
As far as finding your way around, and I don’t know if you are arriving by air, train, cruise ship or some other way, but if you have the name and address of your hotel written out, certainly any taxi or Uber can deliver you to your door. And just about all the hotels have good and free printed maps of their area, designed to get you back home easily.
Enjoy wonderful Rome, and planning for your trip!

Hop on hop off bus not very useful or necessary in Rome as they can’t get you close to most sites or into the pedestrianized historic center

I’d suggest trying to budget for a stay in the center
Somewhere near Pantheon/Campo de Fiore/Piazza Navona- from there you can walk most everywhere.

Tip: churches are free and filled with surprises and fantastic art
We make a point of stopping in any we pass
They are a quiet, cool place to spend a few minutes or more.
Just make sure your shoulders and knees are covered

Thanking you all for responding to my post. I love this site.

I will be flying in to FCO and then taking the Leonardo Express to Termini. However I am going to take a cruise from Rome eventually needing to go to Civi .....

Thought it best to stay at Termini

To be continued

Phil, one word about guidebooks? Yes, you should get one or check one out of the library but information can change quickly so when it comes to things like an attraction's hours, ticket fees and any changes in visiting rules, it's always best to reference an attraction's own website as they'll have the most current info. We can help you with what those websites are when the time comes to order your tickets or tours for the attractions which either mandate advance reservations or benefit from a guided tour.

I'll agree with skipping the hoho buses: Not a good way to sightsee Rome, and they've been seeing mediocre-to-lousy reviews for years.

What would you suggest for online tourist information for Rome for
someone who has never been

You've already found it: This forum! You'll find tons of collective knowledge here from all different angles. As well, this site can be helpful for some top-line info:

https://www.turismoroma.it/en/tipo-luogo/monuments

Phil, we were in Italy in 2019 and May 2022. We spent four days in Rome each time and averaged 25,000 steps per day. We love walking through Rome and always end up in different, sometimes, unintended areas. After our first trip, we decided NOT taking tours was better for us. Everybody has a different style and it's important to know yours. Day excursions are great and there are times, you'll want to go back after dark for a different view. A place like the Pantheon can be easier to access closer to closing. I find Trevi Fountain more magical at night. I think it helps to get tickets to attractions in advance. I do most of my research on the internet. Think about what you like to do. Churches, museums, old buildings, people watching or just the most popular sights. If you consider the recommendations in this forum, you won't go wrong.

On our first trip, we took the Leonardo Express from FCO to Termini and then a taxi to our hotel. In retrospect, I would do that differently, It's a fixed price taxi ride from the airport to your hotel in the city. For us, it would have more convenient and a wash on costs if we'd just taxied directly to our hotel.

I am going to be in Rome four nights but one is arriving and one is departing so I will have two full days for sightseeing.

I think one day will be dedicated to the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, Basilica, Vatican Museums, etc. I think that I will be taking a tour of some kind for this one. I am an insomniac so i can not do the morning beat the crowds tour but I do want the fast line. I have also come across some evening tours.

The next day will be the Jewish Quarter and the "typical" tourist sites. This I will probably be doing on my own.

Appreciate everyone's input.

I'm in Italy for my first time right now, and was in Rome last week for 4 days. I did:
Day 1: Landed in afternoon, walked around Traveste in the evening. Did a RS audio tour for Traveste.
Day 2: Day tripped to Ostia Antica. Got there myself, and used RS audio tour for Ostia Antica again. In the evening, I did RS's historical Rome audio guide, which was basically the major hits: Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and things in between.
Day 3: Vatican Museums (used a guided tour booked through the museum's website, and then backtracked and used RS's guide through.. thought RS did a good job! But the official Vatican guide covered more rooms) + St Peter's Basilica (booked a guided tour through GetMyGuide, which I very much enjoyed)
Day 4: Colosseum w/ Arena access + Palatine Hill + Roman Forum (booked a guided tour through GetMyGuide, which I again very much enjoyed); Borghese Gallery after (no tour, self-guided)

If I only had 2 days and wanted to hit the touristy historical sights, I would have done Day 3 itinerary, then combined Day 4's morning w/ Day 2's evening (meaning Colosseum, Palatine Hill, Roman Forum.. then continue to Piazza Navona/Pantheon/Trevi Fountain/Spanish Steps.. you can walk over from Roman Forum, or take a bus 2-3 stops and save a little bit of your legs).

Also I stayed in the historical center and loved the atmosphere & energy at night. At the end, it was a 15 Euro cab ride back to Termini for my outbound departure. Although I had 2 cabs claiming that I was in a "fixed fee" taxi parking zone and they would only take me to Termini for 25 Euros... when a 3rd cab came he told me to call the police on the first 2 but also said he was on break.. and so I eventually got to Termini from the 4th cab driver that came by via meter.

Thanks for the added information alexander.

Are you comfortable naming the tour companies that you were happy with?

I am 77 and mostly tour late morning until early evening. I am no longer interested in late at night activities. Convenience has now become very important to me. My once a year cruise comes out of savings. Money for taxis and private vehicles cuts into savings for the next trip so I try to use public transportation or group shuttles when possible.

I’m in Italy now, and was in Rome the previous 2 weeks. For transportation, go to any Tabacci (tobacco/cigarettes/transportation pass store), and buy a transportation pass for 2 days. It’ll be good on all metro (underground/subway) rides and bus rides over those 2 days. Be sure to stick it in the validation machine on just your first bus ride, and at the entry turnstile at every metro station you enter. Keep it safe, as you’ll need it.

Termini station has a metro stop, but there’s also a convenient taxi stand, where you can easily catch a taxi. Rick Steves’ guidebook (either paperback or downloaded online) mentions that he takes more taxis in Rome than in any other city. They’re very convenient, pretty honest (still, make sure they are using the meter, which will very likely be the case without any concern), and rides are usually never more than €5 to €12 anywhere in the city. For buses, I found GoogleMaps app to be invaluable this trip … it tells you the bus number (or numbers for more than one bus) to get you from your originating location to your destination, where to find the bus stop, and how many stops until you get to your destination. If you’re using GoogleMaps with a smartphone, it’s a snap.

Ghetto in late afternoon/early evening was fantastic on 2 separate evenings.

If you don’t have reservations already, and want to dine at a particular restaurant, show up at 7:00pm (or whenever it opens), and you might get a table.

Hop On Hop Off, skip those, and do it on your own. For upwards of $300, a private guide would get you an even better visit, but for the price.

Vatican Museums were absolutely packed. Lots of groups, many clearly with official Vatican Museums guides, booked through the official Website. We used a private guide (see Rick’s guidebook for recommendations). Whether you get a guided tour there, or do it on your own, or get one of the special options that the Vatican Museums offer, book your admission ticket directly through the official https://m.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani-mobile/en/organizza-visita/tariffe-e-biglietti.html website, not a separate tour company. And book your tickets as soon as they go for sale - monitor the website regularly to find out when they’re for sale. When your date comes up for sale, entry times and tickets call sell out very quickly. Tickets for later in the day (and tours in languages other than English) can often still get you in the door, even if the before noon entries, or the English guided tours for the day are already sold out.

Thanks for the information, Cyn.

I think that I am going to buy the Rick Steves guide.

For the Vatican, I am going to do a. paid tour. Still very crowded in September? Glad that I am not going during the season.

Definitely start with Steves' latest Rome guide book. Use that for planning and selecting the walks he clearly outlines.
The evening Passigenta walks, we personally did not enjoy as they were far too crowded. And we are not so sure why, the Spanish Steps are a "thing," to see these days. We found good value with the Roma Cards. Remember that the transportation part of the card and the site entrance part of the card are on two different clocks. That start individually at first use. We found the Pilgrims Rome walk to be a fun walking tour. Supplement the Steves' guide with something meatier like National Geographic's Traveler Rome, which is richer in details and sites, but doesn't give the same advice about, HOW, to maximize your visit, in the way Rick's guides do. Be aware of the common scams, no one in Rome NEEDS your help, or wants to give you something, unless its a scam. And make sure you always have small bills and coinage, and have A PLACE where you know you will be keeping any paper tickets, or receipts on your person. Use a money belt. And keep those receipts and tickets for the entirety of your metro ride and till you get back to your hotel. Rome is, outside of the main attractions, a CASH, underground, economy. There is an entire policing force that is set up to make sure the shop or the restaurant collected taxes.

Expect some things not to be in working order. Rome can be a beautiful chaos sometimes. Always, have a backup plan if Plan A isn't working. :)

Everything you are asking is Rome 101 and is thoroughly covered in Rick's books, as well as others (like the F twins).

All of Rick's TV shows are available through this site or through Youtube, he's been everywhere a few times so watch the copyright date.

I have been checking Rick's books on Amazon because I have a lot of gift cards.

I can get the most recent book used for a few dollars off.

I went to my library which is magnificent recently built but with very few travel guides on Rome.

And I have been watching Rick's youtubes.

I just returned from 4 days in Rome, my fifth Italian, third Rome trip. Just a suggestion for your "Tourist day". A new sight is the Roman House at Trajan's Column, Domus Romane of Palazzo Valentini. Check the website https://romesite.com/domus-romane.html, must buy tickets in advance. I was unable to secure tickets for Domus Aurea and this was a great substitute.
Also, if possible do not visit Jewish Ghetto on Saturday, as museum was closed. We use RS walking tour and it was a delight time. We were on a Saturday and it took sometime to find a restaurant seat. Can highly recommend Sora Lella on Tiber Island as you exit the Ghetto

Thank you, Ellen. I am a Bostonian by birth but have long lived in Austin, TX. Love Boston.

I have been watching youtube videos, not just Rick's but also by others. I have been watching Walk Around Rome in September and October.

I guess it is still hot in Rome and OMG, the crowds ........ I guess they are calling it Revenge Travel. Maybe by next September, things will have relaxed. There have been some places less crowded.

The monuments, fountains, buildings, sites, museums, are so so magnificent and beautiful.

It looks like there are food stalls and street food. It is going to be just myself and I may not want sit down restaurants if they are crowded. Are there easy to find places to grab and go and still get good food?

What about bathrooms? Are they easy to find? Will I need coins?

travel4fun

I have learned that you can not see everything wherever your travel and you need to make choices. It is often difficult to do but I am not the Energizer Bunny and I have learned to go with the flow and enjoy and love whatever I do go to see.

Travel is supposed to be fun, not grueling.

I am going to buy Rick's latest book and I have been watching youtube videos, not just Rick's but others.

Hi Larry in California

I am going to be flying into FCO but taking a cruise after Rome so I will have to get to the cruise port.

That is one of the reasons that I am staying next to Termini to make my arrival and departure as simple as possible,

Francis in Oregon

Is it easy to get coins and break large bills for small ones? I have been watching Walk Around Rome videos on youtube and it seems that there money changing places on the streets?

I will be getting euros before leaving home to be safe even though I know the rate of exchange will not be as good. What about in Rome? Should I get more at FCO or at termini?

Cyn and others

Regarding eating. It is just going to be me and i may not want sit down restaurants most of the time.

I have been watching Walk Around Rome videos and it looks like there are food stalls and street food. Am I right? I may be more of a grab and go tourist who would also like to sit down somewhere and eat but I still want good food.

Are there grocery stores with prepared foods? What about small restaurants where you can get something simple to go?

I nibble all day but I do not eat very much at one meal.

I have not yet explored dining on Rick Steves or any other site for Rome.

Is it easy to get coins and break large bills for small ones? I have been watching Walk Around Rome videos on youtube and it seems that there money changing places on the streets?

At the airport, while walking towards the exit, stop at a Bancomat (Italian for ATM) and get 40 or 60 euro in cash. Avoid ATMs called ATM and not Bancomat, those are more expensive.

This way you should get some 20s and/or 10 € notes. Use cash when the price is less than 10 € and your credit card for anything else.

When taking a cab tell the driver that you have no cash and that you are not stopping at an ATM on the way to make him save on credit card fees. This way all broken machines will miraculously return to life.

To sit down somewhere

There is street food and there is restaurant food. Camping is forbidden on every stair/fountain/building/rock older that 50 years. In short, you can picnic only in parks.

taking a cruise after Rome

If you are sailing from Civitavecchia, you could stay close to Roma Trastevere station. The airport train to Trastevere, the FL1, is cheaper than the express train to Roma Termini. More, the cheap direct trains to the Port depart from Roma Trastevere, not from Termini..

You won't have a problem finding food on the go.

There are some prepared foods available in Italian grocery stores. Most if not all will also have packages of nuts and nuts+dried fruit that are good for snacking. You'll also bump into produce stands where you can get a piece of fruit. Important: You are expected to tell the stallholder what you want rather than pawing through the merchandise yourself. You can try local cheeses by stopping at a cheese stall in a market; in many cases they'll give you a little sliver of what you're interested in so you can be sure you like it. Be aware that the proprietor may want to sell you a larger chunk of cheese than you are prepared to eat at one time; be specific about the size or weight you're willing to purchase. If you think you might do the cheese thing, I'd recommend carrying something like a ZipLock bag around with you, because you can't be sure cheese will be in a grease-proof wrapping.

I think you'll find lots of places where you can get a slice of pizza to go--one of the best options for something hot and cheap, though your hands will probably end up oily. It's generally not bad, but it's unlikely to be as good as you'd get at a medium-quality sit-down pizzeria. Of course, there are also lots of gelaterias if you're an ice cream addict.

I remember seeing a stall or two offering cups of cut-up fruit at Campo de' Fiori. It's easy to lean too heavily on unhealthy snack foods; I make a point of trying to find fruit and veggies.

Food to go is still less common in European restaurants than in the US, though I think pizzerias have adopted the concept for whole pies. There should also be some middle eastern food joints that do carry-out.

Italy and Rome have “tavola calda” shops, with prepared food that you can get dished into takeaway containers. The name literally means “hot table,” and you can get prepared lasagna or other pasta, vegetables, lots of ready-to-eat things you can get to eat immediately, or later.

Some pizza places in Rome have premade pizza, displayed at a counter behind glass. You point to a variety you want, which could include just tomato sauce and cheese, or slices of cooked potato, or various meats, and they’ll cut off a section, usually a square or rectangular piece. They can reheat it if you like, or just pay and go. Ronan pizza tends to have a crispy crust.

Tt hey will also often have suppli (pronounced soo-plee), seasoned rice balls - often with tomato and sometimes meat bits, then fried. The egg-shaped rice snacks are fantastic.

For something sold by the weight, like a chunk of cheese, or slices of ham, etc. ask for an etto, which is 1/10 of a kilogram, or about 3 ounces. That’s a little bit, without getting too much. For twice that amount, get 2 etti or triple it with 3 etti (etti is plural for etto).

You can also find little pastries, cookies, and tarts for snacks in bakeries and pasticcheria bakery shops. Look at what’s in the case, and point and order. Romans ordering a coffee can also get a sweet treat to go with it.

We’re doing Rome on our own 2 nights now and 3 nights at end of October, We’re staying in the Monti area, about 15 minute walk from Termini station. We got out early today and walked to Colosseum and around it (we have tickets for tour 26 Oct), then on to Pantheon where we were approached near the entrance and went on a very good tour, about an hour with professional guide 15€ per person and about 20 people. We were equipped with ear phones so that we could easily hear the tour guide’s info. They collected their fee at the end of our trip thru the Pantheon when we returned their headsets. Seems like cash only. Worth taking for info as Job was much more informative about Roman History than walking thru it trying to read a guide book. We will book an early morning Vatican trip with the Company for 27 Oct. Funny that they didn’t give us a card or brochure with their name, just a phone number to book our Vatican trip.
We then walked to Trevi Fountain, very crowded and on to Spanish Steps also quite crowded. Neither of them impressed me but it seemed that they were ‘must sees’. Between those 2, we stopped at a restaurant for a rest, drink, pizza and WC break. It was overpriced compared to restaurants near our accommodation and with the bill, the waiter kept asking for a tip which I refused but it seems as if a number of customers succumbed to his pleas. The Margherita pizza was not top quality and very slow. It was News Cafe or Almony SRL on the Visa bill on Via Della Stamperia 72. I expect to be overcharged for food and drinks in an area with huge tourist crowds, so I wasn’t surprised, but I expected better food and service.. Then we made our way slowly back to our room before heading out for supper at 6:40 pm. Ristorante Tema was very pleasant, good food, reasonable price and pleasant waiter who gave us free after dinner liqueurs, Limoncello and Agricanto.

You asked about public washrooms. Unless things have changed in the 5 years, these are hard to find in Rome. Rick gives good advice in guide, basically make use of bar or cafe facilities, ask dove toilette? Then as a courtesy purchase an espresso, I usually take a quick sip at the counter or a stand up table and leave with honour and needs satisfied. Churches, museums etc usually have washrooms. As Rick suggests. Use a washroom whenever the opportunity arises, whether you need it or not!

Yes, the Vatican is always crowded. In Rome, every month is high season one way or another! I went in October and you could not move through the museum easily it was so crowded. The Sistine Chapel was impossible to enjoy: crowded, noisy and lots of people using flash in spite of notices not to. The guards telling people to shush and no photos only added to the mayhem. St Peter’s was as crowded so I left and headed off for a quiet and solitary lunch.

I have stayed at Hotel Smeraldo, noted above, when taking a cruise from Civitavecchia. I arranged a taxi through the hotel and shared the ride with a couple of other guests so it was very reasonable and took about 10 minutes. The hotel is just off Largo Argentina with it’s ruins and cat sanctuary and an easy walk to the Pantheon, the Victor Emanuel Monument etc. there are two nice restaurants close to the hotel - one just over the road.and an excellent bakery/deli just down the road. I loved my view of the rooftops and church spires from my single room.

lanlubber,

does Rick really say, in his books, to use the washroom whenever one is available in Rome whether you need to or not? I am laughing. He gets down to the nitty gritty, doesn't he.

I am going to Civitavecchia. to take a cruise from. Rome. That is one of the reasons I am staying close to Termini.

I sail Norwegian. Any tips about the cruise port?

I have read that it is easy to get to Civitavecchia from Termini. Is it?

I hate chaotic and crowded places. I went to the Hermitage and sort of same thing. Chaotic and overcrowded. It ruins the whole experience.

Maybe I will take one of the evening tours. Because I am an insomniac, I can not take an early morning tour.

I appreciate all your responses even if I do not directly respond to you by name.

Thank you for all the tips about food.

Some of you have had some experiences ......

Dario. I thought that you could get a direct train to the cruise port from Termini. Am I wrong?

Am I wrong?

No, you are right.

I had the impression you are on a budget, the airport train to Roma Trastevere station is cheaper than the Express from FCO to Termini (14 € vs 8 €).

The direct trains from Trastevere to Civitavecchia are a little faster than those departing from Roma Termini.

The Trastevere neighbourhood is crowded, but nicer than Termini.

As a side note, you don't need to order a coffe to respect the Toilette etiquette. One of the .40 € candies and pralines by the cash register is enough. And you would avoid wasting a Good coffee!

Bostonphil -- Not sure what a direct train means to you. --- you could get a direct train to the cruise port from Termini. ---- Some think that a direct train is non-stop. All the trains to Civit are direct (no changes) but plenty of stops. As I posted earlier, it is basically a commuter run to Civit.... Three to four an hour with lots of stops. You cannot miss getting to Civit.

The issue with water closets (restrooms) is that they are not always easily found. Our rule is --- If you see one, use it. Never pass a restroom. And always carry a few coins as the public restrooms often have an attendant who expects a "tips."

Hi Dario

I am on a budget but I can still afford the express train from Termini to Civi ....

Paying for a taxi is much more difficult because I am on social security. My social security pays for my living expenses but there is nothing left over for savings.

My vacations are taken out of savings. That will be also true if I need a new computer, etc.

So everytime I take a taxi or a private shuttle, it is less money for the next vacation. That is true when I take a cruise. I book a studio rather than a balcony.

I am being thrifty so as to have maybe two more vacations than if I were not thrifty. There are still a few vacations left and I hope to keep it that way.

Now on to coffee. I love coffee and probably drink too much but as you may know coffee is a diuretic and coffee makes you need to use the bathroom or toilet as they say in Europe very or more frequently.

Hi Frank,

There seems to be a first class express train between Rome and Civit at a very reasonable price.

I always give myself enough time and I don't mind some or several stops.

Phil, it may have been mentioned above but probably THE biggest bargains in Rome are the churches. Aside from some which have modest fees to visit, say, a Roman ruin in the basement (e.g. San Clemente) practically all of them are free, and a fair amount contain priceless works of art so they double as museums.

Hotel Tex, where you've booked a room, is very close to one of the 4 papal basilicas - Santa Maria Maggiore - so it'll be easy to drop by that one. If you appreciate the "...so so magnificent and beautiful", I bet you'll like this one. :O)

If you want some more suggestions, just holler. :O)

Hi Kathy

I have been watching youtube videos on Rome and have seen many MAGNIFiCENT churches. They are not just beautiful. They are MAGNIFICENT almost beyond words. They are more like palaces and museums.

I am glad that The Church has seen to it that the people of Rome have such treasures.

To be continued

Well, Phil, I'll contend that it is/was the "people" - tithes collected from them - that financed and physically constructed those churches, and maintain them today. (I am not a Catholic nor even particularly religious, not that it matters when it comes to art and architecture.)

Hi Kathy

The Church along with all other religions has not always had a kind history. For that matter, the times were not always nice. Go back to 80 B C or 130 A D or 950 A D. Not always nice for almost anyone. Remember I. Claudius.

I do not recall how The Church collected money for these very magnificent beyond words cathedrals but i am glad that it is now open to all the people.

Like you, I love architecture and art.

Our strategy on keeping smaller bills was not very complicated. We just stopped combining smaller amounts to cover a larger one. And always tried to break bigger bills when we could get a way with it. As the smaller bills are more "useful." The most useful being the Five Euro bills, and the .50 and 1 Euro coins. You can always ask if there is a discount, if you pay in cash for things like your hotel. Don't be surprised if you get different reactions. We've gotten several very different reactions. "No! There is no DISCOUNT!," rather sternly stated, to "Oh, Absolutely." One thing I learned, because we do many day trips out of a central area, is to tell the inn keep, what we are doing that day. So if by chance we can't get back that night, they know we are not skipping the hotel fee. Most times we will pay up for the entire stay, pay with cash with a discount, on the second night, after everything seems as advertised.

Thanks for the information, Francis.

Rome sounds like it is very complicated. Rick says that it can be maddening however also magnificent.

I am glad for all the tips members have given me. It is going to help for a first timer.

It sounds that while Rome is fascinating and beautiful and interesting, there are a lot of challenges.