Rome question

[mikeleahy]

hi everyone

 

we are docking in rome , well port outside rome next week. this is our plan of action

 

1. go directly to colleseum

2. have long lunch

3. we are going a tour of the catacombs at 2pm that lasts 3 hours

 

basically i would like to know how do i get from the ship to rome ? is it easy and straight forward? how long does it take

 

how do i get from the railway station in rome to the colosseum?

 

and lastly our tour in the afternoon leaves from piazza barberini, anyone know where that is?

 

thanks for any help

[cruisemom42]

I only have a few moments, so I can't address your question in detail. However, if you search the boards, there are numerous posts on the easiest way to get to the Colosseum using the train (e.g., don't go through Termini, instead get off the train at Ostiense and take the metro from there.)

 

However, I just wanted to voice a little concern about your timing. You say your tour ends a 5pm. What time do you have to be back at the ship? The train itself takes an hour (or more, depending on the number of stops), then you need to allow another half hour or so to walk to the shuttle and take it back to your ship.

[mikeleahy]

not leaving rome till 8pm

[euro cruiser]

You have two good options (and several less good ones) for getting to the Colosseum.

 

The fastest is to take a regional or an IC train to Roma Ostiense, then walk through the tunnel that connects the train station with the metro station, and take the Metro line B north (direction Rebibbia) two stops to Colosseo. The Colosseum will be across the street as you exit the metro station.

 

To get directly to Piazza Barberini, get back on the metro again going north (direction Rebibbia) for two stops, to Termini. Here change trains to the A line (direction Battistini) for two stops, to Barberini-Fontana Trevi.

 

To return to the port from Piazza Barberini, take the metro back to Termini (line A, direction Anagnina, two stops) and take the train to Civitavecchia from there.

 

Since you will be using the metro throughout the day, the best option for you is to purchase a BIRG ticket at Civitavecchia, which allows you all day use of public transit in Rome, in addition to the train back and forth between Civitavecchia and Rome. Note however, that with this ticket, you can only use the regional trains. It costs 9 Euro, which is a significant savings vs. train tickets plus metro tickets individually, not to mention the convenience of just one ticket to purchase and carry around.

[mikeleahy]

thanks euro cruiser

 

one last question - when i get off the train at ostiense - will this stop be before termini? will i get the ticket to rome termini and just hop off at ostiense??

[Susan-M]

Not sure if you've had a chance to check the Trenitalia site for schedules, but here's a link for train times (I used July 20th as an example).

 

In the morning from Civitavecchia to Ostiense. Select one of the train times, then click on "Details by Selection", and in the box that comes up, click on "Info" for a list of train stops.

 

In the afternoon, from Termini to Civitavecchia.

 

Don't forget to validate your ticket in the machine in the station prior to boarding the train (hefty fines for not doing so) ... if you buy the BIRG ticket, you only have to validate it before you get on in Civitavecchia ... it's good for the day on the Regional trains, buses and subway.

 

P.S. to answer your question re where Ostiense stop is, on the way into Rome, it is two stops prior to Termini.

[mikeleahy]

super . thanks

[euro cruiser]

The BIRG ticket is a regional one, it doesn't specify a particular train or station. You can read about the ticket here (http://www.atac.roma.it/index.asp?p=19&i=14); between Civitavecchia and Rome you need a five zone ticket. You can get on and off all trains, buses, metros, trams, etc. without dealing with another ticket. As the previous poster said, it's critical that you stamp the ticket to validate it before boarding the train at Civitavecchia. If for some reason you can't get the validation machine to work, write the date and time on the back of the ticket and sign it, this should suffice.

 

The Roma Ostiense stop is before Termini. You can see the regional train lines as well as the metro lines on this map: http://www.atac.roma.it/files/doc.asp?r=4. I meant to attach it to the last post but forgot.

 

You'll be coming in on the FR5 line from Civitavecchia. If you follow the gold FR5 line, you'll see a stop at Trastevere, then the next one is Ostiense. It is connected to the Piramide metro station.

[mikeleahy]

how long would ye leave to get back to the ship. if the ship leaves at 8pm would 5.30 be enough time to leave rome

 

there is a train at 5.40, due at the port at 7.05

[Susan-M]

You're welcome ... just curious what time you arrive in Civitavecchia at? We were there from 7-7 and caught the 7:59 a.m. train. You may have already read this on other threads, but from your ship, you'll take a shuttle bus to the port entrance and then it's about a 10 minute walk to the train station.

[Susan-M]

how long would ye leave to get back to the ship. if the ship leaves at 8pm would 5.30 be enough time to leave rome

 

there is a train at 5.40, due at the port at 7.05

 

We took a 4:35 train that arrived back around 6 p.m. ... it was a little nerve wracking because we knew the last shuttle was at 6:15 (for our 7 p.m. departure). Luckily the train was on time ... we hurried back to the port entrance ... not necessary as the shuttle waited for others who got off of our train (including a number of crew members) ... and we sat on the shuttle bus until about 6:25 before heading to the ship. If you can make an earlier train, I would try for it.

 

Does your tour end at 5 p.m. at the Catacombs or at Piazza Berberini?

[mikeleahy]

our tour ends at 5.30 at some church 300 metres from the colleseum. this is too late obviously so we will leave he tour at 4.30 or so, tip the tour guide so they will show me the nearest metro. get to termini in 10 mins or so and then take the 5.09 pm train back to ship. due back at 6.15 (not leaving till 8)

 

worst case scenario we miss that train, the next one is 5.40 and due back at 7.05 , this is obviously the last one we could possibly get

[euro cruiser]

Based on the subject matter of your tour, my guess is that it ends at San Clemente. It's a shame to miss this church, it's fascinating to see the three levels of history there.

 

However, you could probably leave the tour as they enter San Clemente. If the tour ends at 5:30, they must be getting there by 5:00 I would think. From San Clemente to the Colosseo metro stop is only 0.4 miles, a quick walk. From here you would reverse your morning trip, and go south on the metro two stops to Piramide, then walk through the tunnel to the Roma Ostiense station. Do expect the metro to be very crowded at that hour.

 

There is a 5:25 from Ostiense that arrives in Civitavecchia at 6:27, or a 5:45 that arrives at 7:04 (the same trains you referenced above).

[mikeleahy]

thanks euro cruiser

 

ur right, its a shame to miss the church , but its either miss the church or miss the ship!!!

[Susan-M]

Agree that it's probably San Clemente, and Eurocruiser's suggestion is a good one.

 

We walked from the Colosseum metro to San Clemente on our last trip there... here's a map. Or, perhaps the driver will drop you at the metro on their way to the church.

[mikeleahy]

it is indeed san clemente

[Susan-M]

Not to complicate things, but are you committed to this tour, or is there an option to cancel? It sounds like it's your first trip to Rome, and if so, there are so many great places to see, and not too difficult on a DIY basis. Since you have to leave the tour early, I just thought you might want to consider alternatives for your day there.

[mikeleahy]

well this is our first time to rome. we are going to the colosseum first thing, then heading over to the trevi fountain and having lunch around there, going on the tour then at 2.30

 

there is an option to cancel, id like to see the crpyt and the catacombs though.

 

my g/f dosent want to go to the vatican due to crowds and she has no interest in art etc

 

feel free to offer alternatives though

[Susan-M]

I've only been to Rome twice (a 3 day visit last time) and haven't been to the Catacombs (although we did a Scavi tour at the Vatican) so don't want to recommend that you skip the Catacombs if that is important to you. But perhaps you could go on your own and just visit one, freeing up more time for above ground sites ... here's a Rick Steves article; he mentions his favorite towards the bottom of the article.

 

Rome is a wonderful city to wander in ... The Colosseum & Forum, Capitol Hill, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps & St. Peter's Basilica would be a few suggestions. (You can go into the Basilica (free) without going into the Vatican Museums, but there are likely to be long lines ... maybe it improves later in the day?) There are piazzas, churches, monuments, water fountains everywhere ... really amazing to just come across these sites as you walk from one place to another.

 

Take water bottles and enjoy the many historic drinking fountains ... the water is safe to drink and delicious!

 

I really like Rick Steves Rome guidebook ... and as he mentions in it, "If all you have is one day in Rome, it's one of the most exciting days Europe has to offer." With such a short amount of time left to plan your day there, you might want to pick up a copy and do some planning on your flight over.

[mikeleahy]

thanks for the ideas susan. ill think about it over the weekend

[euro cruiser]

While the catacombs wouldn't be my choice for a first visit to Rome, I applaud you for finding the things that interest you and ignoring the things that "everyone" says you "must" see when in Rome.

 

As you've planned it, your day makes perfect sense. It's a nice walk from the Colosseum to the Trevi fountain, especially if you go up the Capitoline hill and down the Cordonata on your way (it's only a little out of the way).

 

It will be hot, so take your time, stroll, and drink lots of water - you'll enjoy your day a lot more than if you were rushing from "must do" to "must do" on a list. You can avoid some of the chaos by choosing side streets to walk on vs. the main avenues.

 

We did this on a hot July day last year, looking for shade and quiet. Rather than walk straight up Via del Corso after the Colosseum and Forum, we went to Piazza del Campdoglio, down the Cordonata, crossed Via del Teatro Marcello, walked behind Palazzo Venezia and the Doria Pamphilj - staying just to the left of Corso. It was a nice break from the noise and bustle of the main streets.

 

Do you have a restaurant in mind near Trevi? I liked Il Piccolo Arancio, on Vicolo Scanderberg. Sorry I can't find a web site for them, or even an English language mention, but on this site (http://www.menudiroma.com/ita/locali/scheda.aspx?IDLocale=35) there is information on hours and location (they are closed on Mondays).

[mikeleahy]

euro - thanks for the info

 

with regard to the colessuem, do you just arrive - pay the entrance and get headphones and walk around yourself or whats the story? how long would you need there

 

i was actually going to get the metro to the trevi fountain - barberini station . but i may walk not going on what you said.

 

no place to eat picked out near trevi, we aim just to wander around at that stage and find some place we both like

[euro cruiser]

You can just arrive, wait on line to pay, and get an audioguide. You can also join a tour - there will be people outside of the Colosseum putting together groups for tours. It costs more, but you avoid the line this way.

 

Personally, I prefer to use the audio guide and go on my own. (Well, to be honest, I prefer not to do at all, I've done it too many times over the last ten years with various relatives, friends, etc.)

 

To avoid the line at the Colosseum, you can purchase the ticket at the Palatine ticket office. The tickets are combination ones (Colosseum-Palatine Hill - Roman Forum), and buying them at the Palatine is usually much faster an easier. Last July there were three people ahead of us there, vs. a line at the Colosseum that wrapped halfway around the outside of the stadium.

 

The Palatine office is located on Via di San Gregorio, about halfway between the Colosseum and Circus Maximus (on a google map, use these coordinates: 41.88785,12.48991). It's just about equidistant between the Colosseum metro stop and the Circo Massimo stop, so you could use either one. From the Circo Massino stop, you walk north along Via di San Gregiorio and you can admire the ruins up on Palatine Hill as you walk.

 

After purchasing your tickets, you continue up Via di San Gregorio toward the Arch of Constantine. At the Colosseum entrance, stay to the left (the side for those with tickets). You'll see the office for audio guides near the turnstile. Keep in mind that you'll need to leave some form of ID to get the audioguide, a driver's license is fine, I've even used my corporate ID card once.

[Susan-M]

While the catacombs wouldn't be my choice for a first visit to Rome, I applaud you for finding the things that interest you and ignoring the things that "everyone" says you "must" see when in Rome.

 

 

Totally agree. Just to clarify, the list I provided wasn't a suggestion to see all of those sites, but rather to pick and choose.

 

mikeleahy ... if you have MP3 players or Ipods, R. Steves has free downloadable walking tours. We used them in Rome; the Colosseum one took approximately 1 hour ... but we lingered in some places there, so you could probably speed it up a bit.

[cruisemom42]

I love the Appian Way and the catacombs -- I've done them twice on my own. But I probably wouldn't recommend them on port-day visit, at least not on my own.

 

You might want to have a look at a map of Rome. The catacombs you'll visit are outside the main historic city area. They are not particularly close to the Metro (although there are a couple of stops along the length of the route). Taxis are also not easy to come by, except at the main drop-off near the first catacombs and the tomb of Cecelia Metella.

 

I say all this by way of letting you know that if the tour runs late (and many of these tours do.....) and things get dicey, it's not as easy or fast to get back to a train station as you may think. I'm not trying to scare you, but as someone who does travel a lot on my own, I'm used to assessing what things are riskier than others when you're not on a ship-sponsored tour. I always like to err on the side of caution. Running back to the ship with 5 minutes to spare isn't my idea of a successful day.

 

However, in the end it's up to you. There are plenty of interesting things to do in Rome on your own even without doing the Vatican or a lot of museums. You can visit San Clemente on your own (as pointed out, it's close to the Colosseum). There are 3 levels and each one is successively more spooky and "underground". Might be a good substitute for the catacombs in that respect.

 

Also, the Pantheon is really worth a visit. It's the most well-preserved building from antiquity. The area around the Pantheon is nice just for strolling. Piazza Navona is in one direction, and Trevi Fountain is in the opposite direction, both less than 10 minutes away.