Opinions on this Day in Rome

[ktpc2005]

Hello all,

I am trying to put together our day in Rome and I was wondering if I could get some opinions if this is ok. We are in Rome from 9am to 9pm on the NCL Gem

• Purchase the BIRG ticket for 2.
  
• Take the 9:40am Regional Train, (maybe the 9:22am express if possible) to San Pietro Station with an approximate 10:30am arrival.
  
• Go to the Vatican Museum and St. Peter’s Basilica.
  
• Head our of St Peter’s square, turn left on Via DiPorta Angelica through Piazza Del Risorgimento to Via Ottiviano.
  
• Get on the Metro at the Ottiviano station.
  
• Go two stops to the Piaza di Spanga train station to go to the Spanish Steps outside the station.
  
• Look for some lunch on the way to Trevi.
  
• Walk to the Trevi Fountain
  • Throw a coin over your left shoulder for good luck

  [*]Walk to the Barberini metro station and take it 2 stops to Stazion Termini. Change to the Metro Line B and go two stops to Colosseo Station.

  [*]Go to Palatine Hill and buy tickets for the Palatine Hill/Colosseum.

  [*]Tour the Colosseum/Forum/Palatine Hill

  [*]Take Metro to Termini and head back to the ship.

Thanks a lot in advance.

[missty]

I hope you get a ton of responses. We will be on the Gem in May 2008. Can't wait to hear what people say, I just might copy your itenerary! LOL I am trying to put together stuff for 3 couples.

 

missty

[ktpc2005]

I forgot to say that we are there on Wednesday October 24th.

[pvmkmyer]

Here are the most obvious problems:

1. St. Peter's Basilica is nowhere near the Metro stop for the Vatican Museums. Walking to Ottaviano is going to be pretty far. The St. Peter's train station is, I believe, on the south side of the Basilica. This is no where near the entrance to the museums. The museum entrance is about a 15 minute walk from Piazza San Pietro - further from the train station.

2. Once you get to the Vatican Museums it is highly likely that you will have to wait to enter at least 60 minutes, possibly longer. There are a lot of people and you have to go through security. You also have to go through security at St. Peter's, unless you're on a tour that includes both the museums and the basilica.

3. The Vatican is HUGE. A very cursory look at breakneck speed through the museums and Sistine Chapel will take at least 90 minutes.

4. Figure another 30 minutes to visit St. Peter's -- more if you climb up the dome.

 

A map of Rome really doesn't give you the scale of the Vatican and St. Peter's. For instance, when you exit St. Peter's it is about 1 1/2 to 2 city blocks just to walk to the opposite end of the piazza.

 

I've been to Rome many times, and I highly recommend, for such a short trip, that you arrange for a private tour for the day. You will see more and you won't be nearly as tired. It will cost, but it won't be as much as a ship's tour and it will be well worth the price. Rome is a big city with unbelievable traffic and congestion. A private tour operator will bypass the lines at the Vatican and at the Colosseum. And you can arrange for a customized tour so they take you where you want to go. Private tour operators and cabs are allowed access into pedestrian-only areas so you can get pretty close.

 

The Forum is free. The only charge is for the colosseum. I'm not sure about the Palatine Hill, but since Nero's "golden house" is now closed for repairs I'm not sure what there is to see there.

 

It sounds like you don't mind walking, but you must realize that you will cover several miles of hallways inside the Vatican. And let me tell you, those marble floors are particularly unforgiving on the feet and legs--there's no "give" in that stone under your feet. And if you have to wait in line for an hour out on the street that won't help either. I think it's better to save your energy for the actual sightseeing, rather just getting from one place to another.

 

If you don't want to spend the money on a private tour, I suggest cabs rather than the metro. Cabs in Rome are cheap. If you took a cab from the front of Piazza San Pietro to the Spanish Steps it will probably cost no more than 10 euro. The Metro is pretty efficient, if it's not on strike.

 

There are plenty of good places to eat lunch near the Spanish Steps and near the Trevi. Just look for one that's crowded so you'll know the food is good. Rome has lots of places known as a "Tavola Caldo" - hot table. They are similar to a very good quality cafeteria. You point to what you want, pay at the cashier and give the guy behind the counter your receipt and they give you your food. Then you find a table. It's cheaper than a regular restaurant and you'll save time.

 

Most important: You haven't scheduled a stop for gelato! There is a small chain that I like a lot, called "Blue Ice". There's one very close to the Trevi fountain. If you're facing the front of the fountain walk up the small street on your left. It's just a few doors down--you'll probably see people walking around with Blue Ice cups and napkins. But there are plenty of gelateria in Rome -- just avoid the street carts since their gelato is inferior.

 

The last time I was in Rome was last year with some friends who had never been. We only had one day so we hired "Vatican Tours" -- they do the Vatican but also all of Rome. We had a great day. They picked us up at our hotel and took us to the Vatican Museums. You must use a separate vatican guide in the museum, and our guide Katarina met us at the entrance and we bypassed the long line outside. Afterwards, we met our city guide and driver for the day and we toured the Basilica. The car then picked us up at the edge of the piazza and they gave us a drive around town, including a view over the Roman Forum from the Campidoglio (behind the Victorio Emmanuel "wedding cake" monument.) Then we drove to the Colosseum for a tour and bypassed the entrance lines. I can't remember what else we did that day, but it was a great day and our friends saw much more of Rome than they ever would have without the driver.

 

One final thought: If you stick with taking public transport, I suggest you reverse the day and plan to get to the Vatican Museums around 1 p.m. All the tour groups go in the morning and you will little, if no, wait to get in. But do double-check the opening hours for the museums because they are open shorter hours in the Fall. The website is http://www.holysee.com. and click on "museums." If you do this, take the train from Civitavecchia all the way to Stazione Termini in central Rome. Then get on Metro line B the 2 stops to Colosseo. See the colosseum and either cab it or take the metro to Barberini. Walk to Trevi and have lunch in the area. Then cab it to the Vatican museums. By the way, any restaurant you eat in will call a taxi for you in Rome. You'll pay a little more because you get charged from the time the taxi is called, but it will be only an extra 1-2 euros. Each taxi has a name composed of a city name and #, (such as Napoli 7, or Parma 4) and the guy who calls the cab for you will tell you the name of the taxi for you to look for when it pulls up in front. It's quite organized.

 

Good luck on your planning.

 

Phil

 

P.S. One more final thought. Since your ship doesn't leave until 9 p.m., you might want to consider a drink at the Piazza Navona in the late afternoon before you head back to the pier. If you have your own driver they will know how much time you need to be back to the ship by 8 p.m. The Piazza Navona is magical, an enormous piazza in the shape of an oval (there's an ancient Roman racetrack below it), with 3 beautiful Bernini fountains. It is lined with cafes and you will have a true Roman experience in the late afternoon/early evening, when all the Romans take to the streets for the evening "passiagato"-- an evening stroll. And you'll be part of la dolca vita. Can you tell I love Rome?? Skip dinner in the dining room and order room service while you collapse after experiencing this magical city--and give each other foot massages!

[GMoney]

I did an independent itinerary similar to yours in June wih excellent results. While I've only to Rome once, here are some thoughts to consider:

 

> I totally agree with pvmkmyer to reverse the itinerary - start at the Colosseum and work back to the Vatican.

 

> While the metro isn't around the corner from the Vatican, I don't recall it being pretty far - more like 10 min or so.

 

> Keep in mind it will take time for you to exit the docks in Civitavecchia and even get to the train station. It just depends on how far in the port you are buried. RCI ran a shuttle; NCL may too - but keep in mind it may be faster to walk if the shuttle takes a long time to fill up. You will have to really hustle and get off the ship ASAP. Hopefully you dock on time.

[bonnieg]

Sounds like a plan. It's a good thing your ship doesn't leave till 9:00 pm. When I did this port in summer '06, we took the 8:15 train to termini, metro to colosseum (bought tickets online), metro to Spanish Steps, walked to Piazza Navona, which is close by to the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain. Then we walked back to Termini and took the train back to port arriving at 5:30. It was a very busy day and that was without going to the Vatican. If I was you I might suggest that you bypass the Spanish Steps and spend time at Piazza Navona, Pantheon and Trevi Fountain. Another suggestion might be to do the Vatican in the afternoon when the lines will be shorter and start your day at the Colosseum and Ancient Rome. This way, you can catch the regional line at the Vatican instead of Termini where it's a 20 minute walk to the track.

[hillslife]

We did 'Rome on our Own' a few years ago. Took the Princess shuttle to the Vatican - toured church but the Sistine Chapel was closed. So unfortunately we didn't get to see that. We then took a bus to the Colisseum, bought our tickets across the street at Palentine Hill for all the attractions and didn't have to wait in the line to purchase at the Colisseum. Then we walked through the Forum, to Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona and back to the Vatican to catch our bus back to the ship.

 

We were there for about 8 hours - did not stop to eat lunch but grabbed a gelato along the way and we were practically running. Exhausting day but we did get to 'see' everything on our list.

 

We are going to stay 4 days post cruise in July to see the sites at a more leisurely pace....but it can be done. You just need good shoes, lots of water and a plan. Aksi watch for pickpockets on the public transportation - it is pretty prevelant.

 

Good luck :p

[melissasneu]

I believe Wednesday is the day of the pope's address so you might want to look into that because I am sure the crowds are even worse if this is the case. I won't say that it can't be done but I might wonder if it should be done. Sometimes more isn't better, it's just more. I know you want to see all of it but I would seriously consider either colosseum/roman forum or vatican. Do not miss the Pantheon if you go after 7:30pm (I believe) you can't go inside but even at night it is spectacular and beautifully lit up (my hubby was most impressed by this building more than any other, it was built in the year zero). I agree you will get so much more out of these incredible treasures with a guide. Unlike when you go to sites in the states they do not label, date, and explain most things and the few times there was a marker it obviously was not in English. And if you are walking around with purchased guide books and brochures it will take you ages to see, read, and comprehend all while not getting lost or sidetracked because it seems as though every corner beckons you with a piazza or fountain. You will have no problem finding a gelato but if you stick to your original itinerary I don't think you will have any time to sit in a piazza or cafe to eat leisurely. If you do sit ask them to bring your bill when food is delivered or it may take another 30 minutes to get out of there. Many wonderful guides are suggested on the boards.

 

Melissa

[YoPhilly]

Here are the most obvious problems:

1. St. Peter's Basilica is nowhere near the Metro stop for the Vatican Museums. Walking to Ottaviano is going to be pretty far. The St. Peter's train station is, I believe, on the south side of the Basilica. This is no where near the entrance to the museums. The museum entrance is about a 15 minute walk from Piazza San Pietro - further from the train station.

2. Once you get to the Vatican Museums it is highly likely that you will have to wait to enter at least 60 minutes, possibly longer. There are a lot of people and you have to go through security. You also have to go through security at St. Peter's, unless you're on a tour that includes both the museums and the basilica.

3. The Vatican is HUGE. A very cursory look at breakneck speed through the museums and Sistine Chapel will take at least 90 minutes.

4. Figure another 30 minutes to visit St. Peter's -- more if you climb up the dome.

 

A map of Rome really doesn't give you the scale of the Vatican and St. Peter's. For instance, when you exit St. Peter's it is about 1 1/2 to 2 city blocks just to walk to the opposite end of the piazza.

 

I've been to Rome many times, and I highly recommend, for such a short trip, that you arrange for a private tour for the day. You will see more and you won't be nearly as tired. It will cost, but it won't be as much as a ship's tour and it will be well worth the price. Rome is a big city with unbelievable traffic and congestion. A private tour operator will bypass the lines at the Vatican and at the Colosseum. And you can arrange for a customized tour so they take you where you want to go. Private tour operators and cabs are allowed access into pedestrian-only areas so you can get pretty close.

 

The Forum is free. The only charge is for the colosseum. I'm not sure about the Palatine Hill, but since Nero's "golden house" is now closed for repairs I'm not sure what there is to see there.

 

It sounds like you don't mind walking, but you must realize that you will cover several miles of hallways inside the Vatican. And let me tell you, those marble floors are particularly unforgiving on the feet and legs--there's no "give" in that stone under your feet. And if you have to wait in line for an hour out on the street that won't help either. I think it's better to save your energy for the actual sightseeing, rather just getting from one place to another.

 

If you don't want to spend the money on a private tour, I suggest cabs rather than the metro. Cabs in Rome are cheap. If you took a cab from the front of Piazza San Pietro to the Spanish Steps it will probably cost no more than 10 euro. The Metro is pretty efficient, if it's not on strike.

 

There are plenty of good places to eat lunch near the Spanish Steps and near the Trevi. Just look for one that's crowded so you'll know the food is good. Rome has lots of places known as a "Tavola Caldo" - hot table. They are similar to a very good quality cafeteria. You point to what you want, pay at the cashier and give the guy behind the counter your receipt and they give you your food. Then you find a table. It's cheaper than a regular restaurant and you'll save time.

 

Most important: You haven't scheduled a stop for gelato! There is a small chain that I like a lot, called "Blue Ice". There's one very close to the Trevi fountain. If you're facing the front of the fountain walk up the small street on your left. It's just a few doors down--you'll probably see people walking around with Blue Ice cups and napkins. But there are plenty of gelateria in Rome -- just avoid the street carts since their gelato is inferior.

 

The last time I was in Rome was last year with some friends who had never been. We only had one day so we hired "Vatican Tours" -- they do the Vatican but also all of Rome. We had a great day. They picked us up at our hotel and took us to the Vatican Museums. You must use a separate vatican guide in the museum, and our guide Katarina met us at the entrance and we bypassed the long line outside. Afterwards, we met our city guide and driver for the day and we toured the Basilica. The car then picked us up at the edge of the piazza and they gave us a drive around town, including a view over the Roman Forum from the Campidoglio (behind the Victorio Emmanuel "wedding cake" monument.) Then we drove to the Colosseum for a tour and bypassed the entrance lines. I can't remember what else we did that day, but it was a great day and our friends saw much more of Rome than they ever would have without the driver.

 

One final thought: If you stick with taking public transport, I suggest you reverse the day and plan to get to the Vatican Museums around 1 p.m. All the tour groups go in the morning and you will little, if no, wait to get in. But do double-check the opening hours for the museums because they are open shorter hours in the Fall. The website is www.holysee.com. and click on "museums." If you do this, take the train from Civitavecchia all the way to Stazione Termini in central Rome. Then get on Metro line B the 2 stops to Colosseo. See the colosseum and either cab it or take the metro to Barberini. Walk to Trevi and have lunch in the area. Then cab it to the Vatican museums. By the way, any restaurant you eat in will call a taxi for you in Rome. You'll pay a little more because you get charged from the time the taxi is called, but it will be only an extra 1-2 euros. Each taxi has a name composed of a city name and #, (such as Napoli 7, or Parma 4) and the guy who calls the cab for you will tell you the name of the taxi for you to look for when it pulls up in front. It's quite organized.

 

Good luck on your planning.

 

Phil

 

P.S. One more final thought. Since your ship doesn't leave until 9 p.m., you might want to consider a drink at the Piazza Navona in the late afternoon before you head back to the pier. If you have your own driver they will know how much time you need to be back to the ship by 8 p.m. The Piazza Navona is magical, an enormous piazza in the shape of an oval (there's an ancient Roman racetrack below it), with 3 beautiful Bernini fountains. It is lined with cafes and you will have a true Roman experience in the late afternoon/early evening, when all the Romans take to the streets for the evening "passiagato"-- an evening stroll. And you'll be part of la dolca vita. Can you tell I love Rome?? Skip dinner in the dining room and order room service while you collapse after experiencing this magical city--and give each other foot massages!

 

Wonderful info....thanks for sharing your tips.

[DavidandPaula]

We had a port day at Civit in July. I do not think you will be allowed to walk to the port entry as Civit is a commercial port with lots of traffic. To make it from the ship at 9am to the station at 9:20 means you need to be on the first shuttle and it fills up and leaves pretty quickly. 9:40 is more realistic but you will still need to get moving as quickly as possible.

 

The Cipro station is the closest to the Vatican Museums but it is not on the direct line in from Civit so you would need to go in to termini and then back out again. Stick with the San Pietro station as it is on the direct line.

 

Also for the return trip check what time the shuttle buses run until, and if it runs less frequently after a certain time. I think they wait until they get a reasonable number of people on the bus after 6pm. As it was our last day of the cruise we did not have the worry of missing the ships departure so didn't worry but we sat on the bus at the gate for a while and were worried about making it back to the ship for 8:30 dining.

 

David

[English Tim]

If a BIRG ticket is purchased for the train, it is only for regional trains and is not valid for expresses. A separate ticket must be purchased for expresses, though this is a small supplement. It may have to be purchased prior to boarding the train.

 

Expresses may not stop at San Pietro, so it is safer to get a regional train. However, if returning from San Pietro, check that your intended train calls there.

 

The number 40 bus (included in the BIRG ticket) terminates at San Pietro, but if taking this service stay on the level at San Pietro, don't take the station exit which involves walking down a hill!

 

We've caught an express train back from Termini, twice, and both times it has been delayed, so it's probably best to stick with the regional services.

 

Finally, if the ship docks early. Ours docked at 07.00. If taking the shuttle to the port entrance, be aware that most pax leaving the ship will be for tours. We waited 20 minutes for the bus to depart, missing the first train, which is very frustrating when you have made the effort to awake early.

[photographia]

Melissa is absolutely right--if the Pope is in town, Wednesday is his public audience day. If the weather's okay, they'll hold it in St. Peter's Square and St. Peter's Basilica will be closed. The square will be roped off all morning before it starts, so that ticket-holders can be seated in advance, so there's no way anyone can get into the Basilica. Ordinarily the Pope begins at 10 AM, and ends around noon.

 

Reversing your itinerary would eliminate this problem. But I do have to say honestly that, having spent months at a time in Rome myself, just reading it exhausted me! The poster that pointed out how big everything is, and how far apart things are, was right on. FYI!

[ktpc2005]

After talking with my fiance, she really only wants to see the Vatican and the Colosseum. So we are going to go to the Colosseum area in the morning and then the Vatican in the ealry afternoon.

[pvmkmyer]

Based on your fiancee's wishes, I would suggest the following:

1. Start at the Colosseum. See if you can buy tickets in advance on-line. The colosseum will not take that much time to see. The entrance to the Roman Forum is right nearby and, depending on your time, walk through the Forum towards the Victor Emmanuel Monument with the Capidoglio behind it. This is all in the direction of the Vatican.

2. Climb the steps of the Capidoglio behind the monument for a wonderful view of the city and the Forum, and admire the piazza in front of you laid out by Michelangelo.

3. Walk to Piazza Navona or the Pantheon, both are close by, rest you feet and have lunch.

4. Cab it over to the Vatican museums to arrive around 1-1:30, and spend your afternoon at the Vatican and St. Peter's.

 

I highly recommend a guide in the Vatican. There is so much great art in the Vatican that you have to decide what you want to see the most, since it's divided into about 5 separate museums, plus the Sistine Chapel. And alot of it is not very well marked, or the descriptions are only in Italian, so a Vatican guide will help you get a lot more out of your visit.

[Hlitner]

Interesting post and responses. My only thought (based on more than 30 years of European and cruise travel) is that you should know all your options (you are well on the way to conquering that issue) and than keep a lot of flexibility in your plans. If you are in Rome during the busy summer tourist season, its possible you could wait in line for 1 1/2 - 2 hours just to get into the Vatican Museum. Since the lines vary so darn much from day-to-day its impossible to accurately predict the waiting time. Once inside, you should plan on a minimum (and this is a bare minimum) of 1 1/2 hours to get through the self-guided tour, with 2 - 3 hours not unusual for those who want to really soak-up the exibits. My advice is to prioritize your "wants" and be prepared to change your plans as the day progresses. If your ship does not arrive until 9 am (unusually late for most cruises since most are in the port by 7) it is unlikely you would make a 9;22 train (even 9:40 might be tough). Keep in mind that you will need to take the shuttle bus to the port entrance (they no longer allow anyone to walk through the port) and depending how quickly you get off the ship you might have to wait for a bus. Once at the entrance it is still a 10 - 15 min walk to the train station, where you need to purchase your ticket, validate your ticket and finally get on the train. Typically in that port it takes about 20 minutes from when the gangplank is in place until the ship is cleared...and than its a mad rush for the exit (smile). You will have a great time.

 

Hank

[NeoJava]

Hate to give a negative opinion but there is NO WAY you're going to do all you've mentioned in one day. You described two and a half days of Rome for our trip last year and even then there was not enough time to do all that you've mentioned. If you're just looking to walk through the Vatican Museum and Vatican (without stopping to see anything) and run through the Roman Forum, Palantine Hills and Colosseo and of course grab lunch from a counter and eat while running to Trevi, you MIGHT be able to do all you've proposed. But you know, Rome was just not meant to be viewed in such a way. Stick to the Colosseo, Roman Forum in the morning and Vatican museum in the afternoon and you might even enjoy Rome.

 

Be aware also that if you take the express train from Civitavecchia to Rome, it does not stop at San Pietro Station (or at least it did not when we took it last Nov).