What to do in a morning in Roma

Is your flight an international one where you need to be at the airport 3 hours ahead? What area are you staying in, maybe someone will have an idea of something close to your hotel.

You could check out the new visitor center at Largo Argentina that just opened recently, walk around the perimeter to see the cats, then stroll through Campo dei Fiori and grab a taxi to the airport at the taxi stand between it and Piazza Navona.

I love just wandering around the neighborhood to see the locals. Typically also stop into a bakery or cafe fira treat. A stroll along the Tiber River can be nicr. I find unscheduled time during a busy vacation necessary. Rome is so full of life. The people are

The Galleria Doria Pamphilj opens at 9:00. Rick writes "This underappreciated art-filled palace lies in the heart of the old city and boasts absolutely no tourist crowds" We found it very relaxing and interesting with the prince narrating his family's story as we toured the palace.

For a 3 pm flight, if it's to the States, you are going to have to leave the center at about 11 am to get to the airport in time. I would go have a coffee and stroll....

Churches often open quite early, so you can see a few around your hotel as you wander. Tell us where you're staying and we can make some suggestions.

I'm think the same as Kim; you have less time to work with than you think you do. If the flight you're catching is transatlantic, you'll be sitting for a long time so I'd just go out and walk. Acraven's suggestion to stop into a few open churches nearby is a good one so yes, let us know where you're staying?

These are great suggestions. I think just wandering the neighborhood is an excellent idea. We’re staying at Hotel Lancelot on Via Capo d’Africa. It’s near the Coliseum. Thanks!

PS: I believe the hotel is one of Rick’s recommendations.

Oh and if you have any restaurant recommendations, bring it on! Thanks. We love, well, Italian food!

Your hotel is extremely close to San Clemente. This is an especially interesting church, because there are two levels of structures beneath the present church. There is an entry fee to visit the two lower levels, and you have to buy the ticket before arriving at the church; they don't sell tickets on site. I have no idea whether tickets ever sell out ahead if time, but you do have to specify an entry time, so I guess there might sometimes be a capacity issue. I was there in March, which is far from the peak period. At that time the morning hours were 9 AM to 12:30 PM Monday to Saturday, but they might vary seasonally.

Also very near your hotel is the church of Santi Quattro Coronati--definitely less important, and the supposedly interesting cloister was closed as of March. Morning hours were 930 AM to 12:15 PM daily.

Due south of your hotel is Santo Atefano Rotondo in Celio, with morning hours of 10 AM to 1 PM Tuesday to Sunday.

A bit farther from your hotel--and, like San Clemente, an important sight-- is St. John Lateran, whose morning hours are 8 AM to noon daily. (Again, that info is based on the schedule in March.)

North of the hotel, on the opposite of the hill where the Domus Aurea is located, is a favorite of mine, St. Praxedes (St. Prassede). Morning hours were 10 AM to noon daily in March. It's a small church with eye-popping 9th century mosaics. Take at least two 1-euro coins with you to feed the light meters that illuminate the two mosaics.

Quite near St. Praxedes is the very large and beautiful Santa Maria Maggiore. I don't have its hours on my map of Rome. The info should be on the Vatican website, but it could take a while to find it. It's a very important church, so I'd guess it is open long hours.

Not quite as far away, but still on the opposite side of the Domus Aurea hill, is San Pietro in Vincoli (St. Peter in Chains). I don't have its hours, either.

Impressive how well you know Rome! Thanks so much for the tips. We might have time to check these out on our other day and a half in the city.

To add to acraven's very excellent list, Basilica San Giovanni in Laterano is also not far away from you. This one has a very long history, and is officially the "Pope's Church" - not St. Peter's - when he wears his Bishop of Rome hat. Looks like most of it is open at 7:00 AM; cloister at 9:00; museum at 10:00. Entry is free.

https://www.vatican.va/various/basiliche/san_giovanni/it/orari/orari.htm

Virtual Tour:
https://www.vatican.va/various/basiliche/san_giovanni/vr_tour/index-it.html

Background:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archbasilica_of_Saint_John_Lateran

I'm no expert on Rome, but I spent 20 days there in February-March. My prep work included building a map with the sights I was interested in marked. For some sights I got as far as adding the hours they were supposed to be open. I just looked at that map as I was waiting for the rain here in Helsinki to abate. I couldn't have responded in detail from memory.

When we were in Rome in 2005, we only had a morning there before we had to catch a train to Tuscany for a wedding. We were up really early and felt like we had so much to ourselves (mind you this was 2005, not 2023). We were all alone at the Spanish Steps, and Trevi Fountain had many 20 people there. Stopped for coffee and pastry. I think the Pantheon had just opened up for the day so did a quick visit there and then back to hotel and headed to train station. Like others have said, I would just walk, particularly if you are headed to a long flight.

You are also close to the Jewish Ghetto, if you haven't seen it. Very interesting and RS has an audio guide. Then you could walk over the bridge to Trastevere, wander the cobblestone streets and be enchanted by its charm, have lunch at an outside cafe, and back to your hotel.

If this is a Friday, Saturday or Sunday you might be able to reserve one of the English guided tours of the Domus Aurea (Nero's Golden Palace which has subsequently been buried) which is literally 6 minutes from your hotel. The one I took last Fall was at 930 and is an hour. They run on time and you could easily walk back to the hotel afterward, have a quick freshen up and get a pre-ordered cab for 11A.

https://goo.gl/maps/ux5nRxAmFWGVFuP79

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