Solo Trip to Rome Thanksgiving Week

I’m a solo (female) traveler who spent Thanksgiving week in Rome – had five full days to sightsee. I found the people of Rome to be extremely friendly, extremely English speaking and the city had a very relaxed feel to it, in comparison to other large European cities I have visited. I rented an apartment through AirBnb in the Jewish Ghetto which worked out really well and was close to many of the major sights and bus routes. I mostly walked or rode the bus to get around since I was not near a metro stop. The bus was very convenient and easy to use. I bought a two day Roma Pass which I didn’t use to its full value, but it was convenient to skip the line at the Colosseum and was great for using public transportation. The city had a visible police presence with many police and soldiers stationed at the major sights. I normally have an excellent sense of direction, but was all turned around in Rome and would suggest taking a detailed map. Signage is limited, so a good map is essential!
For many of the sights, I used Rick's free audioguides which were great! Just enough info without going overboard. The major sights I visited included:
The Colosseum – very crowded and chaotic with lots of tour groups and ongoing construction which added to the chaos. Not my favorite place. But I was kinda grouchy and tired that morning, so take that into consideration. The TI nearby (Via dei Fiori Imperiali) was a lifesaver as it has a WC and a little bar for a snack and/or espresso. It also has a nice little garden/patio for you to eat, regroup and re-energize after all the crazy that is the Colosseum.
Domus Aurea (Nero’s Golden Palace) – Only open on weekends due to the fact that it’s an active excavation site. Get tickets online. The tour lasts about an hour and was very interesting. You get to wear a hard hat! AND a hair net!
Vatican Museum/St. Peter’s – Decided to do a tour last minute through Viator and was glad I did as the museum is crowded and overwhelming. I thought the tour guide was great and gave a good overview of the place. Was really special to end up at St. Peter’s during the 5pm mass, as the organ music gave the whole place quite an atmosphere and St. Peter’s Square after dark was beautiful. It seemed like anyone could use the Sistine Chapel/St. Peter’s shortcut so don’t hesitate to give it a try even if you’re not on a tour.
Ostia Antica – Loved it! Amazing! Don’t miss it! Please note the cafeteria is closed for renovations through December. Take lots of snacks or get something to eat at the bar/café next to the train station or there were a couple of restaurants en route to the park. This place was really something. I could have spent all day there but I ran out of snacks. I didn’t know the cafeteria was closed until I got there so I was woefully under-snacked. Overall message – take snacks!!!! And water! Can you tell I was hungry there?
Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary – If you love cats, or are missing yours while away, this is the place for you! If you visit the Largo Argentina ruins, you might notice cats sleeping among the ruins. Turns out a wonderful organization has a cat sanctuary within the ruins. If you google it, their website will tell you how to find the entrance. They do wonderful work here and you can go into the sanctuary to pet the cats and buy souvenirs that support their mission.
Trevi Fountain – Somehow I forgot to visit until my last night. It’s a fun place to just hang out with other tourists and perhaps partake in an alcoholic beverage, if that’s your thing.
The Pantheon – It’s free, it’s amazing, don’t miss it. I went there twice, once during the day and once after dark. That dome is really something.
National Museum/Baths of Diocletian – Busts, busts and more busts with some mosaics and frescoes thrown in for good measure. Only go here if it’s raining and you need an indoor activity or if you’re really into busts. The Baths were just OK as well.

Overall impression, Rome is fantastic!