1 day in Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy!

[shareen3]

Well... I technically have 12 hours.

 

My cruise will be arriving in Civitavecchia on May 16th from 7am-7pm. Its my first time here and I know I cannot see everything in such a short time... Can anyone reccomend my must sees or direct me to any 1 day itineraries they have found.

 

Thanks!

[6rugrats]

I see you are posting the same question for every one of your port stops. Have you joined the roll call for your sailing to see what others are doing?

 

Suggest you do some basic research first yourself. Purchase a good guidebook such as Rick Steve's Mediterranean Cruise Ports. Read up and see what you are interested in doing. Visit tripadvisor.com and go to the appropriate forum for each city and start reading.

 

 

Then, come back when you have a specific question that someone can help you with

[mydreamvacation]

I would recommend getting a private guide, it takes about an hour and a half to get to Rome from the port but with a guide/driver you can cover everything form the forum to the vatican and even throw in Orange Park and Trevi fountain. They can buy the entry tickets in advance which will allow you to skip the line. We always use Stefano Constantini he can be reached at romecabs@yahoo.com or you can check out his websites www.romecabs.com or www.stefanorometours.com

I remember our first time it seemed like a whirlwind but we did cover it all in one day including the Coliseum

[shareen3]

Thanks so much! I will look into his Rome Tour :)

 

I would recommend getting a private guide, it takes about an hour and a half to get to Rome from the port but with a guide/driver you can cover everything form the forum to the vatican and even throw in Orange Park and Trevi fountain. They can buy the entry tickets in advance which will allow you to skip the line. We always use Stefano Constantini he can be reached at romecabs@yahoo.com or you can check out his websites www.romecabs.com or www.stefanorometours.com

I remember our first time it seemed like a whirlwind but we did cover it all in one day including the Coliseum

[mydreamvacation]

Thanks so much! I will look into his Rome Tour :)

 

He is such a great guy, I am sure he can help you with your other Italy ports as well-

[samavarcruiser]

Otherwise you can do in on your own, this link is very helpful http://europeforvisitors.com/rome/

[cleobella]

Definitely a tour-either private (Share a Shore Excursion , Rome in Limo are good) or offered by your cruise company. After you account for transit time by car, getting back with time to spare, you will have just 5 hours or less in Rome.

 

You can see some classic sights but I would advise against wasting valuable time on your own trying to orient yourself and you don't have much time for something like the Vatican Museums. You could start at the Colosseum, pop inside for a look, then do a "panoramic" drive by the forum, stop at Trevi Fountain, Pantheon for visits and drive by the Vatican and maybe go into St Peters Basillica. You would still have time, I think, for a nice lunch stop with time to look around one of the squares or Spanish steps.

 

Have fun!

[bonsai3s]

Well... I technically have 12 hours.

 

My cruise will be arriving in Civitavecchia on May 16th from 7am-7pm. Its my first time here and I know I cannot see everything in such a short time... Can anyone reccomend my must sees or direct me to any 1 day itineraries they have found.

 

Thanks!

 

If you are considering DIY...do it yourself...it's easy:

* You have plenty of time. You can easily walk around Rome and see most of the historic sights in one day. Disembark as early as you can.

* Outside your ship, there will be free shuttles that will take you to the port gate...approximately a 10 minute ride.

* Outside the gate is Civitavecchia. Stores and tobaccos stand will be open early for business to sell train tickets. Purchase the BIRG ticket that will allow you use of both the train and the metro in Rome...9.20E roundtrip.

* Outside the gate, turn right, and the train station will be approximately 4 blocks away. Train tickets can be purchased here and make sure to validate your ticket (yellow machines) before boarding the train.

* Check for the correct platform, wait for the train, and you are on your way. It will take approx. 45 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes, depending if you take the "express" train or the train that stops at every town. Enjoy the scenic train ride. Note: Italian trains are notorious for being late, so please consider this when coming back to the ship.

* In Rome, the St. Pietro or St. Peter's train stop is a great place to get off and start your walking tour. A good map, good planning, and good sense of timing are important.

* The dome of St. Peter's Basilica will be visible from outside the train station! Walk towards the dome...it will take you about a 10 minute walk and you'll find yourself in the middle of St. Peter's Square.

* From St. Peter's, you can walk to Castle D' Angelo, Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain...if you're tired of walking, use the metro to see the Colosseum and/or the Spanish Steps.

* Make your way to the Roma Termini, Rome's main train station, and walk to the correct platform for the train back to Civitavecchia.

* Again, please give yourself plenty of time to return to the ship...possibly any train before 3pm.

Happy cruising and have a memorable time in Rome! :)

[CathyCruises]

IMO easier to get the BIRG ticket at the newsstand inside the station--9 euros even.

[hylasgirl]

I agree with the poster above about Romeinlimo. They are an extremely good company. There a ton of recommendations about them here on Cruise Critic and on the Trip Advisor. We are doing 3 tours with them in May and sharing with others on our Roll Call.

 

Good luck planning! :)

[dogs4fun]

IMO easier to get the BIRG ticket at the newsstand inside the station--9 euros even.

I agree with Cathy. If you prefer to DIY, the BIRG is a great value and you need not worry about purchasing tickets for the metro/bus when you get to Rome as it includes the R train to/from Rome & public transportation within Rome. Price alla website for 6 zone BIRG is €10.50 (Note *BIRG ticket holders must personalize their tickets with their personal details. BIRG tickets must be validated (stamped in machine) at the beginning of your journey).

jill

[cruisemom42]

I agree with Cathy. If you prefer to DIY, the BIRG is a great value and you need not worry about purchasing tickets for the metro/bus when you get to Rome as it includes the R train to/from Rome & public transportation within Rome. Price alla website for 6 zone BIRG is €10.50 (Note *BIRG ticket holders must personalize their tickets with their personal details. BIRG tickets must be validated (stamped in machine) at the beginning of your journey).

jill

 

If you're going from Civitavecchia to Rome and back, you only need the 5 zone BIRG, which costs 9 euro.

[shareen3]

If you're going from Civitavecchia to Rome and back, you only need the 5 zone BIRG, which costs 9 euro.

 

Can you pre-purchase the BIRG?

[euro cruiser]

Can you pre-purchase the BIRG?

Not on line. You can buy one if you are in Lazio (the region Rome is in) but, as far as I know, that's about it.

[CathyCruises]

And it takes about one minute to buy at the station.

[cruisemom42]

....and they don't sell out.

[catkoe1]

Hello,

Although i have been to Rome 4 times, Never DIY. So the trains, don't sell out roundtrip from Civ. to Rome, but do they ever...not stop because too full?

We metro, L, subway all over everywhere and not too worried, but would hate to plan on DIY and then, not get to go anywhere in Rome. Just curious.

 

Thanks in advance for the information!

[cruisemom42]

Hello,

Although i have been to Rome 4 times, Never DIY. So the trains, don't sell out roundtrip from Civ. to Rome, but do they ever...not stop because too full?

We metro, L, subway all over everywhere and not too worried, but would hate to plan on DIY and then, not get to go anywhere in Rome. Just curious.

 

Thanks in advance for the information!

 

I suppose theoretically anything is possible, but I've never heard of it happening.

 

Like a subway, the train can be crowded though. Be prepared to keep an eye out for less crowded cars as you're boarding the train. If it's really crowded, you may have to stand. I know this happened to a few people last Med season at the height of the season.

 

I highly recommend that if you're planning to take the train, you hustle off the ship as soon as possible and get to the station to catch the earliest train to Rome. Not only does it make sense from a time perspective, it's likely that you'll beat some fellow cruisers to the station. Not as important if you are the only ship in port, but becomes more important if there are 5 ships in port with you....