What is a must see in Rome.

We are taking a Viking Ocean cruise in August. We arrive in Rome on Sunday and travel 44 miles to the ship. We would have to arrange our own transportation back to Rome because they offer no excursions that first day. We will have limited time so tell me what one thing you would do in Rome. Any advice if you've been there before would be appreciated.:)

My husband says the Vatican. Our son says the coliseum.

If the day in question is embarkation day your best bet may be to deal with embarkation.

If you're taking about the day(s) before embarkation it depends on your endurance & mobility but a good itinerary would start at the Colosseum, continue through the Forum, the past the Pantheon to the Trevi fountain and then to the Spanish Steps.

St. Paul's and the Vatican Museum is another day (or most of one, anyway).

If the day in question is embarkation day your best bet may be to deal with embarkation.

 

If you're taking about the day(s) before embarkation it depends on your endurance & mobility but a good itinerary would start at the Colosseum, continue through the Forum, the past the Pantheon to the Trevi fountain and then to the Spanish Steps.

 

St. Paul's and the Vatican Museum is another day (or most of one, anyway).

If you have one full day, my 'must sees' are: St. Peter's, Pieta,, Sistene Chapel, Colosseum;, Piazza Navona, (gorgeous Bernini founttains), Piaaza D;'Espana, Spanish Steps, have a GREAT l Roman lunch, Roman Forum, Vatican Museum is too massively filled with treasures to see a hint of even the cceilings....... I love the Map Room. :)You need a month to see the whole of Vatican Museum.

Trevi is a must.

:

G U CCI and Fendi boutiques. :D :D (for just a few minutes. :o

The art works at the Sistine Chapel is a must-see for us.

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My husband says the Vatican. Our son says the coliseum.

No contest there. The Vatican and its museum is spectacular. As for the Colosseum, it's interesting but just not in the same class.

Arriving the same day in Rome as embarkation in Civitavecchia is one of the biggest travel mistakes you'll ever make. Rome requires at least three days to begin to scratch the surface of all there is to see and do.

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The art works at the Sistine Chapel is a must-see for us.

 

 

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I know some people do not have the c hoice to do different but it seems such a cheat to ones self allow such a short time in Rome for a first time ever visit cheats them so badly. Sure you can hope to re tturn and what ever you see is outstanding bu t you surely will yearn for more. Be sure to toss your coin into Trevi to improve your chance to return to Rome one day. ... per the movie/song , Three Coiins in The Fountain.

I agree. While you cannnot hardly see a fraction of afew rooms in Vatican Museum in tthe short time OP has, , YOU CAN see Sistine chapel We were so forttunate to see it before the restorarion began and again mid way through then d finally when it was finisihed;... It is so much mor than beauty exsquisisite, it takes my breath away. Incredib le. IF ever there is a MUST SEE, this is it.

While the Vatican and the Coloseum/Forum are the big ticket draws, if you have limited time and love art, consider doing the Borghese Gallery. They only let in 200 people at a time, and you can only be in there for two hours, so unlike some of the other museums which are overwhelmingly large, this one is not crowded and is doable in two hours. You do need to prepurchase tickets, however, so if you are interested, order them on-line for your designated time. Truly a spectacular building and gallery. With time left over, you can stroll through Rome's streets and take in the Trevi fountain (if you can get near it), and some of the other piazzas. But, like others have said, you cannot do Rome in a day--not even close. We spent 6 days there and still didn't see many wonderful things.

We did not enjoy our Vatican tour because of the crowds. Barely got to see anything and we were so busy trying not to lose our guide, that we missed stuff along the way. If you do the Vatican, splurge on a private tour. You will see more and perhaps be able to miss some of the hordes of people.

That “one thing” probably is the Sistine Chapel - as mentioned by a couple of posters.

However, if you don’t mind my asking, are you OUT OF YOUR MIND?

You are flying to Rome and giving yourself part of one day - how many times do you think you will get yourself there?

Assuming you are willing to accept some advice - please consider flying in a few days earlier - or staying a few days later.

We are taking a Viking Ocean cruise in August. We arrive in Rome on Sunday and travel 44 miles to the ship. We would have to arrange our own transportation back to Rome because they offer no excursions that first day. We will have limited time so tell me what one thing you would do in Rome. Any advice if you've been there before would be appreciated.:)

What ever you choose to do pre purchase your tickets. When we did Rome there was 2 hours waits to buy tickets! You might check with travel agent about a 1 day tour group. No lines or having to arrange travel to sites. Vatican is a must along with the Collisum.

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i Put a visit to St. Peters' way over Borghese Gardens , lovely as they are but, vs. . St. Peter's? :) Really? :) I am gasping for air.... :D

OP, can you be a little more specific -- do you have to be back at the ship by a specific sailaway time or are you overnighting onboard ship at Civitavecchia?

If it's the former you will indeed be very short on time. What you decide to see will ultimately come down to what is more interesting to you. We can all tell OUR favorites, but if you're not particularly interested in Baroque art, the Borghese Gallery wouldn't be high on your list.

For me, I think I'd advise someone in your shoes to skip any thought of visiting the Vatican museums -- too crowded in high season and takes up most of your time. If you're thinking of a private driver, you can have them drop you at the Colosseum for a while (outside visit but you can see a lot of it and of the Forum by walking around the area). Then visit Piazza Navona, the Pantheon (inside visit -- it's relatively fast) and Trevi Fountain -- again, driver can drop you off and then you can walk around a bit on foot. Have your driver take you to the piazza in front of St. Peter's before heading back to port.

You are going to probably be jet-lagged unless you're flying in from somewhere in Europe rather than from the US. Trying to do the Vatican museum in the heat and crowds of the afternoon would be a recipe for a very bad experience, at least for me.

I found this question a bit astounding. I suggest you read some guide books or do some online research of Rome.

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My husband says the Vatican. Our son says the coliseum.

Colosseum, hands down. :cool: But more than that -- Pantheon.

Without the Pantheon, there'd be no dome at St. Peter's.

Sorry can't delete post. Please ignore comments didn't read question properly.

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Colosseum, hands down. I loved the feeling of the history. I could have stayed there all day. I did the tour of the "underground" bottom level. Those sell out, so reserve before you go.

It really depends on what your interests are. I love ancient history - so my top choice is the coliseum and the forum; but if art or religious history is more your thing, then probably the Vatican.

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Welcome to cruise critic!

If this may be the only time you will visit Rome, I urge you (as someone who lived there for 5 years) to add a few more days on to your trip. How many probably depends on whether you are taking a day long Viking tour on the day after boarding the ship. You also need to remember that if you are coming from the States you will be tired and most likely suffering jet lag on your first day.

In October we took a cruise with 2 of my siblings and their spouses that began in Rome. We had 4 1/2 days in Rome and this is similar to the itinerary I made up for us but shortened it to 2 1/2 to 3 full days. Look into getting the 3 day Roma Pass (http://www.romapass.it/en/the-cards/) to avoid the long lines at entrances and for reduced transportation fees. There is also a 2 day Roma Pass. You can pick up your pre-reserved Roma Pass in the international arrivals hall at Fiumicino right as you exit customs. I also highly recommend using a tour guide especially for the Vatican and St. Peter's because if you aren't an Italian art history major you really need a guide (plus you bypass the entry lines and you can enter St. Peter's directly from the Sistine Chapel).

• Day 1 - Ancient Rome
  
  • Colosseum and the Forum/Palatine (use Roma Pass for entrance)
    
  • Trajan's Forum
    
  • Capitoline Hill
    
  • Theater of Marcellus
    
  • Piazza Venezia
    

   

  [*]Day 2 - Central Rome - this could be a half day itinerary if you move quickly

  • Campo de Fiori
    
  • Largo Argentina
    
  • Piazza Navona
    
  • the Pantheon
    
  • Fountain of Trevi
    

   

  [*]Day 3 - Vatican City (we started our Museum tour at 2:30 pm since that was recommended by our tour guide,Rome Illuminated, because the large tour groups start to thin out around 3 pm. We ended around 6 or 6:30 - St. Peter's is open late.

  • Castel Sant' Angelo in the morning (use your second Roma Pass admission for this)
    
  • Vatican Museums in the afternoon
    
  • St. Peter's in the early evening
    

   

Hope this helps! Enjoy Rome - it is a fascinating city.

One important thing I missed earlier in reading the OP's initial post: they arrive on a Sunday.

The Vatican museums are closed mosts Sundays. They ARE open on the last Sunday of each month -- when they are free (and mobbed). Definitely NOT recommended.

I found this question a bit astounding. I suggest you read some guide books or do some online research of Rome.

 

 

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This.

There is no way a bunch of strangers on a chat board know what you are interested in seeing.

If you are flying in the day your cruise leaves, that is unwise.

There is no way you can do Rome right in such a short time. HOHO is a good way to just get around and get a feel for what is there. The sound, architecture, the smells, people, shops,fountains and so on. The collisium is about an hour and so is the Senate unless you want to stare at ruins and try to imagine the things that went on there. HOHO will show you the high spots outside. You will have to decide where you want to get off at.

My avatar is taken in the Piazza Navona in Rome.

Rome on August is miserable. Do as the Romans do and avoid it. Many Romans take vacation in August. Many shops and restaurants will be closed. I’d go to the Capitoline Museum or the Ara Pacis as both are air conditioned.

Are you arriving your embarkation day? FCO is about an hour from Rome itself. The cruise port is a good distance away in the other direction.

The one thing I’d do is find a cafe, sit and people watch.

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One day? That is a tough one, but both my husband and I agree on our top two experiences there. We usually prefer exploring on our own as we are pretty adventurous, but surprisingly our best experiences in Rome were tours. Both were exceptional and I would be happy doing either a second (or 3rd or 4th!) time, but the Vatican Catacombs tour is probably more a "once in a lifetime" tour because of the limited number of people allowed. It is a small group tour of the catacombs below St. Peter's and it is extraordinary. You have to submit a request to the Vatican and give the date you can attend. They will let you know if they have space. The sooner you inquire the better as they only allow 250 people each day. Just to let you know how special this is, we were planning a vacation for our family and access to this tour is what made us choose to put off Italy a couple years, as our son is too young to participate. You can find more information here- http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/institutions_connected/uffscavi/documents/rc_ic_uffscavi_doc_gen-information_20090216_en.html

And of course while you are there you can visit the rest of the Vatican which is breathtaking.

The other experience we had that neither of us will forget is the Colosseum Underground Tour. Many companies try to resell tickets, but you can get them directly from the Colosseum. In addition to the regular access, you go undergound (obviously), have access to the main floor, and also to the upper levels. Most of the tour included areas that were otherwise inaccessible and the experience was unforgettable. The guide we had was incredible and they allowed plenty of time for pictures.

Both tours do involve stairs and unfortunately people with mobility issues might not be able to participate- be sure to look up the details of each. I have been very fortunate to see and experience some incredible things and these two rank up there as ones I will never forget.

I hope you have a wonderful trip!

We toured the catacombs beneath St. Peter's and agree it was an amazing experience. But the incredible beauty of St. Peter's knocked me over each time we visited there. Who can look at that ceiling and not be breathless at its beauty? The excitement of a public audience with the Pope in St. Peter's Square. Few are blase at such no matt er their religion or lack of one.

I think I'm understanding the OP's question. The Viking cruise ship spends days 1 & 2 in Rome (Civitavecchia). After checking in, OP will travel back to Rome to spend the remainder of Day1 there then return to ship.

So, I'm thinking you will have an afternoon and evening. There are a lot of good suggestions made already. Unfortunately, I think the HOHO might stop too early in the day for your needs. If it were me I would save sights like the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, Colosseum, etc for another visit. I would spend the afternoon/evening taking a stroll from Trevi Fountain -> Spanish Steps -> Via Del Corso to People's Square (Piazza del Popolo). You can actually do that from the main train station (termini) and then take the underground subway back to the train station. It is a longish walk, but you can break it up with subway or taxi rides if you want.