Rome On Your Own - quick how-to

[Trovador]

[quote name='pvmkmyer']Be forewarned: because the museums are free that Sunday they are jammed! Plan accordingly. Also, double-check the Sunday hours.[/quote]

Do you mean me?, if so, the cruise docks in Civitaveccia on Thursday, December 6th, but thanks for the heads up!.

[amanda blake]

thank you marie...

would it not be easier and cheaper to do the Hop on Hop off to all the sites?

[doglover3]

This has been a great thread. Thanks to all who have contributed, but especially Mavis Marie. We will be in Rome soon and are considering either subway or taxi to get from the Coliseum to St Peter's Basilica. Any information on pros and cons, as well as cost would be appreciated. We are a party of 7, so would need two taxis. Thanks again.

[MavisMarie]

[quote name='amanda blake']thank you marie...

would it not be easier and cheaper to do the Hop on Hop off to all the sites?[/quote]

[COLOR=black]HOHO is fine, especially if it's your first time in Rome. We prefer walking and taxi options. We actually did the HOHO quite a few years ago and wanted to STOP constantly, so it was more of pain to stand around and wait for the next bus to show up. It took up a lot of time.[/COLOR]

[quote name='doglover3']This has been a great thread. Thanks to all who have contributed, but especially Mavis Marie. We will be in Rome soon and are considering either subway or taxi to get from the Coliseum to St Peter's Basilica. Any information on pros and cons, as well as cost would be appreciated. We are a party of 7, so would need two taxis. Thanks again.[/quote]

[COLOR=black]I'd rather pay for the taxi, but that's just me. Lots of people use the metro, though. [/COLOR]
[COLOR=black]I really don't like to get bogged down with finding metro/bus stations and the taxi makes a busy day a lot easier.[/COLOR]
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[COLOR=black]Best wishes for a great day in Rome ! :)[/COLOR]

[doglover3]

Thanks MavisMarie for the advice. We are back from our cruise and had a great time. We decided to to walk though Rome and were very happy with our choice. We limited our sites to a number of churches, the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona and the Coliseum/Forum, which was way more than enough! These were all within easy walking distance for a full day in Rome.

[familytravel4fun]

[COLOR=black]A huge thank you for taking the time to post this detailed agenda! My family and I will be in Rome, our first visit, in early October and hope to follow the suggested itinerary. What I would like know, did you purchase the guided tour? Is there a self guided tour? I realize that you could spend half the day at Vatican City, which is out of the question for us, so how much time should we allow for seeing all the highlights? [/COLOR]
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[COLOR=black] If anyone else has the answer to these questions, please feel free to jump in.[/COLOR]
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[COLOR=black]Thank you in advance for all your help![/COLOR]
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[MadisonBay]

[quote name='familytravel4fun'][COLOR=black]A huge thank you for taking the time to post this detailed agenda! My family and I will be in Rome, our first visit, in early October and hope to follow the suggested itinerary. What I would like know, did you purchase the guided tour? Is there a self guided tour? I realize that you could spend half the day at Vatican City, which is out of the question for us, so how much time should we allow for seeing all the highlights? [/COLOR]

[COLOR=black]If anyone else has the answer to these questions, please feel free to jump in.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=black]Thank you in advance for all your help![/COLOR]
[/quote]

Last October my husband and 26 yo daughter visited the Vatican. Our 20 yo daughter, who was studying in Spain, had been there 2 weeks before with friends. On both occasions the line for the Vatican was outrageously long. Katie and her roommates found an independent guide who after bargainong, took them to the head of the line and showed them through the museum, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peters.

When we arrived at V. City, the line was all the way around the square and there were no freelancing guides to pay for an escorted visit. With the help of a nun, we found an easy way into the Vatican museum that required no line.

Try to envision St. Peter's Square as a horseshoe with St Peters at the center. Halfway down the right hand side of the horseshoe is an archway. Ignore the lines stretching around the horseshoe. Head through the opening in the archway. That is where we met the nun and asked her directions. Of course, a Vatican nun wouldn't lie!!! She said to follow the outside wall of the Vatican to the end and then turn left. Continue to follow the wall to the entrance to the Vatican Museum entrance. There were absolutely no lines. We paid for our tickets and walked through the entire Vatican Museum which led into the Sistine Chapel and then into St Peter's Basilica.

Another suggestion - when you are finished in the Sistine Chapel turn your back to the front and take the exit on the right which says tour groups only or escorted groups only. That exit will feed you directly into St. Peter's Basilica.

Hope this helps....

[familytravel4fun]

This does help, thank you for sharing!!

[MadisonBay]

[quote name='familytravel4fun']This does help, thank you for sharing!![/quote]

Katie just walked through the room. She says the independent tour guide at the Vatican charged them 40 Euros for a 3 hour tour and they saw everything. He originally asked 50 Euros. Katie and her roommate played the "we're poor pathetic college students backpacking around Europe" card and he cut his price. I'm sure it had nothing to do with the fact that they were two pretty blonde 20 year olds!!!

Enjoy Rome!

[Dog Bear]

Hi Mavis Marie,

Thank you for posting the very useful information.

I will be in Rome on 26.08.08 ( Voyager of the Seas ).

I will try to get the early train so that I will be in Vatican asap. Actually I have booked the Angels Tour at 9:30A.M., hope I could make it.

I am planning to leave Vatican at 2:00P.M.

I have booked the return train from Roma Termini back to the port at 5:00P.M. ( Eurostar ).

So for 3 hours, what would you suggest our iternery in Rome?

Thanks.

CC