Cairnsy

I've been excited all year over a planned stop over in Rome in January. As a Classics Major, there isn't a place I'd rather visit, and combined with my rather geeky nature, have sent far too much time planning out exactly how my family is going to spend pretty much each and every moment we are there =)

However, there was a last minute change to the dates, and instead of being in Rome over the middle of the week, we arrive on a Saturday arfternoon and leave Wednesday morning. Everything I've seen about opening hours online makes me worry about these set-in-stone dates - it appears many things aren't open on Sunday (or certainly not for long!) and that the museums are closed on Mondays. The fact that we will be there in Winter is of course another strike, time wise.

Any suggestions on how we could possibly deal with this/what things CAN actually be seen on a late-Saturday afternoon, Sunday and in regards to the Museums - Monday? This will be my first time visiting Rome, with the next visit not coming for who knows how long. I'd like to try and fit everything in, but aside from Tuesday, I'm starting to seriously worry over the fact I won't be able to. I'm fine with seeing only the Ancient Roman monuments/museum pieces/forums etc, as they are what hold my interest, but is it going to be possible?

Any help would be greatly appriciated.

Heidi.

dada

I am from Rome and can easily say that on Monday you could visit St Peters & the vatican museum or Galleria Borghes museum. Then on Saturday afternoon you can just stroll around in the archeological area (Rome is an open air museum you can see a lot of things without pay an entrance fee) - Sunday you go inside the Colosseum - then go to visit Appia antica & catacombs.
Winter is mild in Rome, and it's also a walking city, especially at night.
Ciao

I've been excited all year over a planned stop over in Rome in January. As a Classics Major, there isn't a place I'd rather visit, and combined with my rather geeky nature, have sent far too much time planning out exactly how my family is going to spend pretty much each and every moment we are there =)

However, there was a last minute change to the dates, and instead of being in Rome over the middle of the week, we arrive on a Saturday arfternoon and leave Wednesday morning. Everything I've seen about opening hours online makes me worry about these set-in-stone dates - it appears many things aren't open on Sunday (or certainly not for long!) and that the museums are closed on Mondays. The fact that we will be there in Winter is of course another strike, time wise.

Any suggestions on how we could possibly deal with this/what things CAN actually be seen on a late-Saturday afternoon, Sunday and in regards to the Museums - Monday? This will be my first time visiting Rome, with the next visit not coming for who knows how long. I'd like to try and fit everything in, but aside from Tuesday, I'm starting to seriously worry over the fact I won't be able to. I'm fine with seeing only the Ancient Roman monuments/museum pieces/forums etc, as they are what hold my interest, but is it going to be possible?

Any help would be greatly appriciated.

Heidi. [/SIZE][/QUOTE]

Barbara Vaughan

Cairnsy wrote:
    > I've been excited all year over a planned stop over in Rome in January.
    > As a Classics Major, there isn't a place I'd rather visit, and combined
    > with my rather geeky nature, have sent far too much time planning out
    > exactly how my family is going to spend pretty much each and every
    > moment we are there =)
    > However, there was a last minute change to the dates, and instead of
    > being in Rome over the middle of the week, we arrive on a Saturday
    > arfternoon and leave Wednesday morning. Everything I've seen about
    > opening hours online makes me worry about these set-in-stone dates - it
    > appears many things aren't open on Sunday (or certainly not for long!)
    > and that the museums are closed on Mondays.

The Vatican museums are open on Monday, so if they are on your list of
things to see, you could devote part of Monday to that. On such a short
visit, I wouldn't recommend spending too much time in museums, as a
great part of the pleasure in Rome is wandering around. Especially with
your interest in ancient monuments, you should spend a good part of your
time on the streets of Rome. However, the Capitoline museums have
excellent collections of ancient art, so maybe you could see them on
Sunday. (Admission is free the last Sunday of the month.)

The Roman Forum, Trajan's forum and the Colosseum are open every day.
(Trajan's forum closes at 2PM Mondays and the Colosseum closes at 1 PM
Wednesdays.) You should definitely visit all three, and they are within
an easy walk of each other. At the Roman forum, you should either have a
good, illustrated guide to the site, or hire a guide, as it's not easy
to find everything you might want to see.

The Domus Aurea has been recently opened (at least partially) to
visitors. You have to walk through this monument accompanied by a guide,
who is not really a tour guide, but just there to make sure you don't
get lost or break any of the rules. When I was there, shortly after it
opened, the system was not ideal. There were audio guides, but some of
the things narrateded were not easy to find, and some of the guides were
not able (or willing) to point them out. Some of them also moved too
fast, so that the audio guide soon was out of synch with the tour. I
hope this has been fixed, as it's a fascinating monument. Their web page
indicates that there are guided tours, which may be something new. The
Domus Aurea is open every day, and is not far from the Forum/Colosseum.

I realize that you've already planned everything you want to see, but I
hope you haven't overlooked Ostia Antica. For a classics buff, this is
an absolute must. You can see a good part of this well-preserved ancient
Roman seaport in a half-day visit. To save time, buy a good illustrated
guide to the site before going, as the only guides available on site are
sold at the museum, which is a good distance from the entrance. Pictures
are very important, as the various buildings and streets are poorly
marked. Don't miss the Thermopolium, an ancient Roman bar, which still
has its counter with a hole where a vessel full of water was placed to
keep things cool. There is also an ancient public toilet, with intact
seats, and an apartment building where you can climb the stairs to the
first floor (second floor if you're American.) Ostia Antica is easily
reached by taking Metro Line B to Piramide and then switching to a
commuter train. Buy a daily bus/metro ticket that day, as it can also be
used for the commuter train. Ostia Antica is one of the places closed on
Mondays.

You should certainly visit the Pantheon and, if possible, also Castel
Sant'Angelo, which was originally the tomb of the Emperor Hadrian, and
is not far from the Vatican. The Pantheon is open every day, but Castel
Sant'Angelo is closed Mondays.

I think you will have no problem fitting all these things in. You could
spend Monday morning in the Forum area and Monday afternoon at the
Vatican museum, or vice versa. On Sunday you could spend part of the day
at the Capitoline Museums and part of the day at Ostia Antica. You will
have all day Tuesday, and bits of Saturday and Wednesday to fit in other
things. I could happily spend weeks in Rome. I have been there many
times, and still haven't seen everything on my list. Next time, come for
more than a few days!

Barbara