Rome

[joe-90]

We are nipping over to Rome for a few days next month. Has anyone got any tips? Is the 'metro' easy to get about on? We are pretty much 'culture vultures' who like history and architecture etc. Any tips on what to see?

Cheers


joe

 

[dg123]

We are nipping over to Rome for a few days next month. Has anyone got any tips? Is the 'metro' easy to get about on? We are pretty much 'culture vultures' who like history and architecture etc. Any tips on what to see?

Cheers


joe

If you want to go into the Sistine Chapel don't wear shorts - even tailored ones - they will not let you in. Also, women have to have their arms covered otherwise they are not admitted.

 

[AdamW]

If you want to go into the Sistine Chapel don't wear shorts -

Take out a mortgage first too

My tips:

1) Metro is great and cheap. Buses are also excellent and they even have little electric ones for the narrow roads. HOWEVER: despite their tremendous contributions to culture and civilisations, Italians haven't yet grasped the largely-germanic concept of "space". So be prepared to get behind your shoulder if leaving a crowded train at a busy station. They WILL try to cram on before you get off.

2) Not just the Sistine Chapel, but for the whole of the Vatican: wear trousers and make sure your girlfriend is respectfully covered. I saw plenty of people being turned away from St Peter's. They have changing rooms and lockers, so if it's a hot day you can show up in shorts and get into your trousers.

3) The Basilica on top of St Peters: do it! We took the steps the WHOLE way. Took a while, but you get the full experience then. And the lift only takes you about halfway anyway. The view is phenomenol.

4) There are a lot of free museums... I have a feeling that all museums are free to tourists but I could be wrong.

5) Contrary to the propoganda spread by Pizza Hut et al, pizzas don't necessarily have tomato-sauce and/or cheese! In fact, I would say that only about 50% of the classic topping combinations have both. Italian pizzas rock, but I have seen a few funny faces pulled at Italian pizzas.

6) Buy some bigger trousers... you WILL come back 4-stone heavier. The food is really THAT good.

 

[nelsy]

This is a great screensaver to put you in the mood.

http://www.italyguides.it/us/roma/rome_italy_travel.htm

We were there in January - fantastic. It is very easy to see on foot as famous places are fairly close to each other. Metro tickets cost 1 euro and lasted for up to about 1.5 hours. An all day ticket costs 4.5 euros (I think), but when we travelled somewhere we found the 1 euro metro tickets the cheapest. We took the metro to St Peter's on three occasions. Did the whole thing and agree with AdamW you must go up to the dome - spectacular. We spent so long we were too late to go in the Vatican Museum (where the Sistene Chapel is) as it closes at 3.30pm. So we went back another day to find it was a public holiday - so closed again, but we thought there were masses of people going towards the Museum and St Peter's and found ourselves in St Peter's Square while the Pope was addressing the people - quite spectacular although we didn't understand a word and are not Catholic, but still felt a fantastic moment. Needless to say we went back on a third day and finally went into the Museum and the Sistene Chapel. I had been in there before and it was very crowded and couldn't wait to get through to the other end - sad - but when there were so many going through you couldn't really appreciate the beauty in the same way as taking your time. From St Peter's we walked across the bridge and through to Spanish Steps and Via Veneto (designer fashion galore). On another day took the metro to the Coliseum - stops outside. After that walk across to the Forum and ruins - that takes some time and energy - but well worth it. We walked down to the Victor Emmanuelle Statue - magnificent and then down to the Pantheon and Piazza Navona and finally the Trevi Fountain to throw a coin (means you will always return- and I did!). The beauty of Rome is that you can turn any corner and find something magical and fountains galore. It really is a wonderful place -I can't wait to go back again.

That aside the food is fabulous and we found eating out to be fairly inexpensive. You can get caught out with the odd drink next to one of the big attractions - but you expect that to a certain degree. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. When I first went years ago it was August and far too humid - but in January - it was brilliant sunshine, yet cool enough to enjoy walking. It does get dark earlier, but Rome by night is even more spectacular.

 

[joe-90]

Thanks for those posts Adam and nelsy. We've only got 3 days there so we'll have to pack in as much as we can, it's just a bit of a break for us and we can get a flight from our local airport with Ryanair. One drawback is that we arrive at 11.30pm so I suppose we'll have to take a taxi.
We'll be staying about a 10 minute walk from the Trevi Fountain so I guess we can get around from there.

We are looking forward to it.

I guess if you can go in January then April will be quite pleasant?


joe

 

[nelsy]

Which airport are you arriving at? We flew with easyjet to Campinio and there were official buses there to take us to the Terminal (Main rail station -also metro). I don't know where you are staying, but lots of hotels offer to pick you up from the airport.

By the way we went for 5 days, flying out at 6am - getting to the airport in the small hours and missing any decent sleep which rendered the first day pretty useless really. So saw everything in 4 days. Take some good walking shoes and you'll love it. By the way our trip was due to an easyjet special offer for flights £12.50 each outward journey and £4.50 return - cheaper than the underground!

 

[joe-90]

Yes it's the same airport but I think the buses stop at about 11pm.

Maybe we'll be able to find a couple to go halves on the cab fare (about 45 euros apparently).

We are both keen walkers so I'm sure we'll cover a few miles.


joe

 

[Richardp]

I'd like to go to Italy by train, Caroline loves train journeys but it might be crap? anyone know?

 

[Thermo]

Rome and Italy, absolutley fantastic. If you want polite helpful people, good weather, great scenery and food on a holiday then go there. It has some intresting little ways but its a great respectful safe country (dont go to naples though!) The trains in italy are great (although the smaller stations are a bit 1940s.

Give it a go you wont regret it

 

[hermes]

I once went to Italy by train and it was really crowded, although we did go steerage class. By the time the train got to the border with Yugoslavia 6 of us had a compartment for 8 to ourselves. But then a man and a woman got on both smuggling jeans across the border. The woman was big and fat and had them tied around her waist and she got through. The man tried to hide in the toilet but an armed guard who looked like Arnie in a bad mood yanked him out, kicked him down the corridor and off the train.

I think it would be a nice trip to go to Italy on the train 1st class. The trains in France are superb so if you could change at Lille or somewhere that should be good.

 

[Richardp]

I got on a train once at Triest to go over the border to yugoslavia, I was hitching to Greece and it was best to get a train to cross the borders, less hassle,It was growded with people hanging off the sides and on the roof, anyway we saw all them smugglers with jeans and stuff hiding them in the babies prams and nappies, someone said the authorities turn a blind eye to it so long as they make an effort to hide them, this was in the 70s they probably got plenty of jeans now.

 

[joe-90]

Is anyone out there any good at checking this bus thingy for me?

If we arrive at 11.35pm - would we get the 11.55pm bus? Does it say it would wait if the plane was late?


http://terravision.it/rome_ciampino.html#

Cheers.


joe

 

[Thermo]

go on the net and look up limos for airports in italy. A lot of travel comapnies do them and use the local companies. We did it on our honeymoon when we arrived at fumincino airport cost about 35 for both trips. Got picked up in a people carrier and taken back in a high class limo. No ques, carried the luggage, absolutly great

 

[nelsy]

That was the coach company we used - excellent service. They seemed to have a few coaches standing by and filled them in succession. It is a big concern and I would think they would be available as long as there are flights. If it is the last bus they would probably wait for a flight - but if not (or you had to wait too long for your luggage) there are plenty of taxis available.

 

[kendor]

You could go to the colliseum with any luck there may still be some lions there