Things to do in Rome

thomasross20

What would you recommend? We have 4 days. What are the MUST-DO, MUST-SEE, MUST-EATs etc?

GuitarMonkey

Villa Borghese is full of breath-taking sculpture and set in a very nice park.

The whole of Rome is amazing and by just walking round you'll see wonderful things.

Eat in Trastevere (the bohemian quarter) where it's cheaper and great quality.

Flink_Poyd

Do as the Romans do

thomasross20

The sculptures look amazing. There are so many things to do but some get only ok-ish reviews on tripadvisor and require long queues and are expensive - hence thought I'd ask here. 

Trastevere - looks good!!

Flink_Poyd

I'm a bit of a wanderer when I travel. Set out for Australia in 1999 and ended up in Asia for 10 years. I tend to do a few touristy sites then get fed up with queues and head into the backwoods. I've had the best times getting lost and stumbling cross things than when I've planned it out, not ideal for a 4 day visit but scratching the surface to get down to the real feel of the place always interested me a bit more. Countless times I've just wandered off and ended up just people watching in back streets, not everyone's idea of fun but I get a much better feel of the underlying "vibe" of the place for want of a better word

Handsome_Chris

@ThomasRoss20, a lovely evening with a special person is always great in Campo de' Fiori.

thomasross20

@Flink_Poyd - I do the same! I like to go to the "run-down" areas!

Is that a hotel? Already got one lol - maybe check out their dinner menu..

jonnyburgo

Watch out for Gyppos, bleedin everywhere. they ain't shy either.

ICBM

jonnyburgo said:

Watch out for Gyppos, bleedin everywhere. they ain't shy either.

And be especially wary of gangs of kids. Keep your valuables well-hidden, distributed in several places and difficult to get to.

From experience...

thomasross20

Yep. Girlfriend got pickpocketed in Paris recently and almost happened to me in Barcelona!

Loobs

Second Trastevere. 

Also eat pizza at Pizzarium in Prati. 

iseverynamegone

Don't go on one of the open top buses.

Do everything else ...

racefaceec90

re-enact the famous fight scene between bruce lee/chuck norris at the colosseum (from way of the dragon)   

thomasross20

Lol.
Well there is a bus tour for £50 each but that includes price of admission for a bunch of stuff

d8m

Be warned the Borghese Gallery is closed on Mondays(I found this out the hard way)

Don't go to St Peters Square on Wednesday.(I also found this out the hard way)

But do go to the Hard Rock Cafe and eye up the gear.

Sassafras

Don't buy any ice creams unless you don't mind paying a few hundred euros for them

thisisguitar

Do some carving at the colosseum

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/03/09/travel/tourists-arrested-rome-colosseum/ ;

holnrew

Just do some rome-ing around.

rocktron

Tigger, I was in Rome in August/September 2014. 

I would advise you to buy a good map/guide book/bus and metro map, to be able to navigate Rome's narrow streets, and visit the top attractions. Top 10 Rome is a good little book. You can pick up an older copy from eBay, cheaply.  

I flew with British Airways from London Heathrow to Rome, and took the train from Leonardo Da Vinci Airport to Termini, the main railway station in the city center. I stayed at the Massimo D'Azeglio Hotel, just across the road from the Termini station. I wanted to stay near to the main transport hub. I bought an Unlimited Travel Metrocard and went everywhere by bus and Metro. The bus station, and Metro station are just by Termini Station.

Check in time at most Rome hotels is 14:00. If you plan your flight well, you will have the entire afternoon and the evening to do a  lot of sight seeing.

Here is a rough schedule of what I did:-

Day 1 First afternoon/evening: Go to the Spanish Steps. Walk along the Via del Corso, which has expensive designer label stores, to the Trevi Fountain. The fountain is under refurbishment. It has been completely drained, and scaffolding erected to protect the sculpture of Neptune. A bridge has been constructed across the fountain for tourists to get a better view. Do not be tempted to pick up coins which previous tourists have thrown over their shoulder into the fountain. Work is expected to be completed in 2016.

From the Trevi Fountain, find your way to the Pantheon. British and American tourists hang out at the pub and restaurants there, dining al fresco style. You may be lucky to see a rock band playing outside the Pantheon, during the evening.

The Piazza Navona is nearby, but it is tricky to find. Look out for the three fountains, the famous main one is by Bernini. Look out for the famous Sant' Agnese Church by Boronini opposite Bernini's fountain. There are many restaurants and bars there. The Piazza Navona is the site of a former chariot racing track, and you will be able to see the outlines of the ancient track. Tourists hang out here during the evening, and the place is packed with Americans.  

Day 2: Go to see the Vatican, the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, Castel Sant' Angelo, and the Angel Bridge. Try to get to the Vatican early in the morning, after 09:00 but before 10:00, to avoid waiting behind a long queue in the heat. Look out for the famous Pieta statue by Michaelangelo, on the right hand side as you enter St Peter's Basilica. Dress code is appropriate for a religious building and must be respected. I've seen women dressed in low cut tops, and shorts, but they were clever to walk with long shawls which they tied around their waist like a long skirt, as they approached the guards. Do visit the Vatican City Post Office, and get some pictures of the Swiss Guards.

After you exit the Vatican, stay left and walk around the walls to the Vatican  Museum and Sistine Chapel. I joined the queue, and did not buy tickets for quick access. Be alert to see the famous painting, Creation of Adam, by Michaelangelo - it is easily missed due to the huge crowds. You will be handed flyers by street vendors which advertise restaurants. The restaurants in the area are very good, with excellent lasagne, pizza, and bottles of wine at reasonable prices.  

Exit the Vatican City in front at St. Peter's Square, and walk to the Castel Sant' Angelo. This was constructed by Emperor Hadrian, so lots of history there. Directly opposite is the Angel Bridge across the Tiber.

The No. 40 bus will take you to/from Termini Station.

CONTINUED

rocktron

Day 3: Go to the Coliseum, Victor Emmanuelle Building, and see the ruins of Trajan's Market. You can walk across to see the Circus Maximus where chariot racing was held, if you are feeling energetic. You have to purchase a ticket to go up into the Coliseum. Keep your ticket because you will need it to access the ruins - Forum and various temples, and when walking across the Palatine Hills to the Victor Emmanuelle Building nearby.

Day 4: Visit the places which I did not mention - Villa Borghese, and Piazza del Popolo. Go for a tour on an Open Top Tour Bus, if you have the spare cash, and time. You would have seen most of the places by then, but it summarizes nicely what you have seen on your tour. 

Hotel: Most Rome Hotels offer breakfast inclusive of the booking price. Breakfast at the hotel I booked was fantastic - wide variety, with several helpings buffet style.

Look out for the Resort Fee/Rome City Tax, which you will be charged when checking out at your hotel. I recommend that you find out the cost per person per day.  

Most hotels will store your baggage in their secure room, after you have checked out, until you are ready to leave for the airport. 

Restaurants: The restaurants I used were outdoor al fresco dining, even in the evening (it is very warm during summer), and all were very good. Try a pizza with chilled Peroni beer - just superb. 

Pickpockets: I did not see any pick-pocketing incidents, and indeed, I did not feel threatened, but always be vigilant about bags, cameras, and mobile phones. Do not keep your passport exposed in your shirt pocket. I wasn't approached by beggars, anywhere. 

Open Top Bus Tours: I was approached several times by Indian foreign nationals selling open top bus tours at Termini Station, but they were always polite. They leave you alone if you say you are not interested. They work on a commission basis, and the tour operator office is nearby to Termini Station.   

Travelling on the Metro: Rome has two lines - A and B. You can get to most tourist attractions on the Metro. You can buy a 3-days Unlimited Travel Tourist Pass, which you can use on both the Metro and buses. Remember to Validate your pass before travelling.

thomasross20

Great post - we'll refer to this when there! 

I wonder if I'll be ok in jeans lol..