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Civitevecchia DIY to Rome - Comments, suggestions, etc?


SSAA33

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Sorry about not responding for so long! Was away and catching up on everything now... Trip just around the corner!!

 

 

Just wanted to confirm that this is the correct site for buying my Colosseum + Forum tickets in advance:

http://www.ticketclic.it/Gb/HTML/musei/colosseo.cfm

 

 

I also came across the site below but they are showing the full price ticket for 18 euro and the reduced ticket for 13.50. I thought the full price online was 13.50?

 

Always great to save money, but I rarely buy in advance while on a cruise (other than shore excursions with them), never knowing about any possible changes.

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Always great to save money, but I rarely buy in advance while on a cruise (other than shore excursions with them), never knowing about any possible changes.

 

Buying in advance is actually a little bit more expensive but it's worth the couple of euros for not having to wait on line over there. The Forum ticket booth is known to have a shorter line but we want to start with the colosseum so that would be a waste of time for us.

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Buying in advance is actually a little bit more expensive but it's worth the couple of euros for not having to wait on line over there. The Forum ticket booth is known to have a shorter line but we want to start with the colosseum so that would be a waste of time for us.

 

Most important is to have the ticket for the Colosseum. The lines there are always long for anyone without a ticket.

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Most important is to have the ticket for the Colosseum. The lines there are always long for anyone without a ticket.

 

Thanks! I understand it's the same ticket for the colosseum and the forum?

 

Can anyone confirm the website? Planning on buying it tomorrow morning hopefully!

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Thanks! I understand it's the same ticket for the colosseum and the forum?

 

Can anyone confirm the website? Planning on buying it tomorrow morning hopefully!

 

Tickets are good for both. If you are definitely going to see both, it might be better choice to go to Forum first. Read this article and you'll see why. It's a long walk to go back to the entrance of the forum from the Colosseum.

http://rometoolkit.com/whattodo/colosseum.htm

 

I read somewhere that tickets bought online have a specific time. Not sure if this is true.Make sure you check.

 

You can easily buy the ticket at the Forum entrance. We did that and it worked out very well for us. Was great when we were able to walk quickly into the Colosseum as the long lines were waiting. :)

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Tickets are good for both. If you are definitely going to see both, it might be better choice to go to Forum first. Read this article and you'll see why. It's a long walk to go back to the entrance of the forum from the Colosseum.

http://rometoolkit.com/whattodo/colosseum.htm

I read somewhere that tickets bought online have a specific time. Not sure if this is true.Make sure you check.

You can easily buy the ticket at the Forum entrance. We did that and it worked out very well for us. Was great when we were able to walk quickly into the Colosseum as the long lines were waiting. :)

 

Thank you!

 

I was thinking that buying our tix on the shorter Roman Forum line might be a good option but my husband insisted that we buy in advance :)

 

We were planning on taking the metro to the Colosseo stop, seeing the Colosseum, then the Forum, and then going upto Capitoline Hill and walking to the bus stop to take the bus to Spanish Steps (as recommended by Euro Cruser and Eileen). That seems like the most efficient route for our tight schedule.

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Hi SSAA33: We recently added the Colosseum to our plan too, but not going to do the Forum or Spanish Steps. The remainder of the itinerary is similar to yours. I know our ship leaves port later, however, we are hoping to be back in port by 8 p.m. at the latest. Hope you'll come back and let us know how your timing works out. Will keep a eye out for your post in Sept.

 

I will absolutely share my experience when I return in late-September. Good luck on your planning!

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Exiting to the Capitoline Hill is an excellent suggestion, first you have a beautiful view of the entire forum from above, then you have the beauty of Michelangelo's Piazza del Campidoglio and Cordonata.

Although the metro seems easier, from here you really need to take a bus to the Spanish Steps. The metro would require you to backtrack about a half mile, then switch lines at Termini, both of which would eat up precious time.

If you leave Campidoglio by walking down the Cordonata it's easy to get to the stop for the #119 bus (which is covered by your BIRG ticket). At the base of the Cordonata (the steep steps to Santa Maria in Aracoeli will be on your right) cross the street (zebra stripes in the street) then turn right for a couple of steps, then turn left onto Piazza d'Aracoeli. After a few steps the road will fork, stay to the right and you'll see a line of bus stop signs on Via di San Venanzio. Find the sign for the #119 and wait for it there. In the middle of the day the buses run about every 15 minutes. (You can easily make a google map of this, as well as see it on street view. Use these coordinates as your starting point 41.893702,12.481955 because google doesn't recognize the cordonata as something you can walk along, and Via di San Venanzio, Rome, Italy as your end point, then click waking directions. From the Cordonata to the bus stop is less than 500 feet.)

Take the #119 for seven stops to Spagna (the stop you'll get on at is called Ara Coeli/Piazza Venezia). You can see the bus route and stops here: http://trovalinea.atac.roma.it/zoom_in.asp?VediSemafori=off&VediMeb=off&VediParcometri=off&VediFermate=off&VediLinee=off&VediRivendite=off&percorso=119AT1&idmtram=53600&xmax=2311843&ymax=4643407&xmin=2310223&ymin=4640681&tipologia=CIR&linea=119&circo=SI

 

 

Trying to map out my route from Colosseum, through Forum, to Capitoline Hill to the bus stop now.

 

Questions for Euro Cruiser again:

 

This may be really obvious but is Michelangelo's Piazza del Campidoglio where I will end up after I go up Capitol Hill and descend?

 

Also, should we still be following the below suggestion from Eileen G if we're trying to get to the bus stop most efficiently? Will this bring us to Cordonata?

 

"Take the back stairway from Capitol Hill to the back entrance to the Victor Emmanuel Monument (if open); Then walk down the front staircase for some more spectacular views."

 

Sorry about all the questions! I'm just nervous we'll get lost and/or take an unnecessarily long route. Getting lost is usually part of the when travelling but we have such a time-sensitive day in Rome :( (plus, trying to fit in time for cannolis!)

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Stay calm, you're doing great.

 

Eileen's suggestion is for the monument next to Capitol hill; it's certainly an option, but I'd see Campidoglio before the Victor Emanuelle monument. You would go to the right to follow Eileen's suggestion or straight ahead and to the left to follow mine.

 

When you get to the top of the stairs you'll be facing one of the Capitoline museums in front of you, and the city of Rome's building on your left.

 

If you make a google map with these coordinates (41.893395,12.482955) then switch to the satelite view, you'll see the patterned pavement of the Campidoglio.

 

The Cordonata descends from there on the left.

 

The two buildings facing each other across the piazza are each part of the Capitoline museums.

 

The building between them, on the right as you look at the google picture, is the Rome city building.

 

If you scroll over so you can see behind the Rome city building you'll see the western edge of the forum. The intact arch is the Arch of Septimus Severus and the stairway between that arch and the city building is the one you'd use to exit the forum.

 

If you pull out a little bit you'll see a big mass of white marble near the top of the picture, that's the Vittorio Emanuele monument that Eileen was refering to.

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Stay calm, you're doing great.

Eileen's suggestion is for the monument next to Capitol hill; it's certainly an option, but I'd see Campidoglio before the Victor Emanuelle monument. You would go to the right to follow Eileen's suggestion or straight ahead and to the left to follow mine.

When you get to the top of the stairs you'll be facing one of the Capitoline museums in front of you, and the city of Rome's building on your left.

If you make a google map with these coordinates (41.893395,12.482955) then switch to the satelite view, you'll see the patterned pavement of the Campidoglio.

The Cordonata descends from there on the left.

The two buildings facing each other across the piazza are each part of the Capitoline museums.

The building between them, on the right as you look at the google picture, is the Rome city building.

If you scroll over so you can see behind the Rome city building you'll see the western edge of the forum. The intact arch is the Arch of Septimus Severus and the stairway between that arch and the city building is the one you'd use to exit the forum.

If you pull out a little bit you'll see a big mass of white marble near the top of the picture, that's the Vittorio Emanuele monument that Eileen was refering to.

 

Thank you so much! You are truly an asset to this forum :)

 

That definitely helps me 'get my bearings'. Looking at the Satelite view is a great suggestion too!

 

I'm having trouble finding the Cordonata on the map (except for 'Via della Cordonata, Roma, RM, Italia'?)

 

If we are running behind schedule, would skipping Victor Emanuelle monument save us a significant amount of time? Or is "right there" anyway?

 

Thanks again!

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It would save you between 15 - 30 minutes, depending on the crowds.

 

The Cordonata is simply a ramp/stair way so it doesn't look like much in the satelite view.

 

Try these coordinates (41.893776,12.481814) but this time use the street view. Spin around until you see two side by side staircases. The one on the left goes up to Santa Maria Aracoeli, the one on the left is the Cordonata.

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It would save you between 15 - 30 minutes, depending on the crowds.

The Cordonata is simply a ramp/stair way so it doesn't look like much in the satelite view.

Try these coordinates (41.893776,12.481814) but this time use the street view. Spin around until you see two side by side staircases. The one on the left goes up to Santa Maria Aracoeli, the one on the left is the Cordonata.

 

Got it! I think I can see the zebra stripes you mentioned for where we'll cross the street too :)

 

Thank you again!

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Although this may have changed, as things do, the opening nearest the Colosseum was only an exit the last time I checked. If this is the case, the most time efficient way to see the Forum would be to walk down Via dei Fori Imperiali to the main entrance (near the base of Via Cavour). Entering here will require a little backtracking to see the eastern end of the Forum (the Arch of Titus, Temple of Venus and Rome, Basilica of Constantime and Maxentius) but it a lot faster and shorter than climbing up Palatine Hill and back down again (which actually still requires some backtracking, as the entrance to the Forum from Palatine is in the western half of the forum as well, on the south side).

 

 

So I made the plan/map to enter to the forum at Via dei Fori Imperiali as you suggested. But looking at the Rick Steve's Roman Forum map, it looks the Palatine Hill entrance on Via Di San Gregorio has an option for 'Direct to Forum'. Could we do this and avoid having to backtrack to Arch of Titus, etc?

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So I have made the plan/map to enter to the forum at Via dei Fori Imperiali as you suggested.

 

But looking at the Rick Steve's Roman Forum map, it looks the Palatine Hill entrance on Via Di San Gregorio has an option for "Direct to Forum". Could we do this and avoid having to backtrack to Arch of Titus, etc?

 

If this will save us some time, I will modify the plan to use this entrance instead.

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So I have narrowed it down to two possible Sicilian bakeries that we can try to stop at (time permitting).

 

Option 1 - Ciuri Ciuri ~15 minute walk from Colosseum

This is very close to Basilica San Clemente but we probably won't have time to stop there.

 

Option 2 - La Cannoleria Siciliana ~under 10 min walk from Ponte Sant'Angelo

I just discovered this one recently but it is rated very highly on TripAdvisor (#22) and it seems to be not too far off our route. We can walk here when we reach Sant'Angelo (from P. Navonna). Or we can walk here straight from Piazza Navonna and then towards Ponte Sant'Angelo, to cross over to the Vatican.

 

If anyone has been to either of these bakeries or has advice on which one makes most sense for our itinerary, I would really appreciate it!

 

Thanks!

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So I have made the plan/map to enter to the forum at Via dei Fori Imperiali as you suggested.

 

But looking at the Rick Steve's Roman Forum map, it looks the Palatine Hill entrance on Via Di San Gregorio has an option for "Direct to Forum". Could we do this and avoid having to backtrack to Arch of Titus, etc?

 

If this will save us some time, I will modify the plan to use this entrance instead.

I don't know, if they have this it would be kind of a toss up, time wise, to get off at Circo Massimo and use the Palatine ticket booth and entrance, vs. the Colosseo stop and Forum ticket office and window. For selfish reasons, it would be nice to hear first hand about the "direct to Forum" route. Previously the only way to the Forum from Palatine required climbing all the way up the hill and halfway back to the temple of the Vestal Virgins.

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I don't know, if they have this it would be kind of a toss up, time wise, to get off at Circo Massimo and use the Palatine ticket booth and entrance, vs. the Colosseo stop and Forum ticket office and window. For selfish reasons, it would be nice to hear first hand about the "direct to Forum" route. Previously the only way to the Forum from Palatine required climbing all the way up the hill and halfway back to the temple of the Vestal Virgins.

 

Hmmm.. I wonder if the Rick Steve's map is over-simplifying it by calling it 'Direct to Forum'.

We bought our tickets in advance so we will be going to the Colosseo stop and starting with the Colosseum regardless. From there, I will see if someone can confirm how 'direct' the route from the Palatine entrance is.

 

Or the R. Steve's podcast may expand on it in the part where they give you directions.

 

Otherwise, it's probably best to stick to your 'tried and tested' route.

 

I will share my experience when we return in a few weeks!

 

Thank you again for all the help! Would've been a pretty ineffecient DIY route without everyone's suggestions.

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It's the same distance (one third of a mile) from the Colosseum to the Forum entrance or the Palatine entrance. At the Forum entrance you are there, at the Palatine entrance you'd need to double back to get to the Forum, even if there is now a "direct" route at street level.

 

I think you'd be better off using the known ... even though inquiring minds want to know about this possible new route. We nosey folks can waste our own vacation time researching it if we really want to know, vs. asking you to do it (as much as I'm tempted to!)

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It's the same distance (one third of a mile) from the Colosseum to the Forum entrance or the Palatine entrance. At the Forum entrance you are there, at the Palatine entrance you'd need to double back to get to the Forum, even if there is now a "direct" route at street level.

I think you'd be better off using the known ... even though inquiring minds want to know about this possible new route. We nosey folks can waste our own vacation time researching it if we really want to know, vs. asking you to do it (as much as I'm tempted to!)

 

=D

 

You're right - probably best to go with the route you've tested many times.

 

Maybe if we're miraculously running ahead of schedule we can check out this direct route and report back :)

 

Final itinerary and maps printed! Now for the packing frenzy...

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