missljw

Okay, so me and my partner are planning to travel down to Rome, stop over one night then fly to England the following day. We will arrive around 10.30, check in at the hotel then have the rest of the day to see Rome. The following day our flight is at 3, so allowing time to get to the airport, the security etc. there won't be much time on the 2nd day to see Rome.

So my question is, is it possible to see alot of Rome in one day? Where are the best places to go to?

Also, im yet to book a hotel, we will be getting the train down to Rome - where's the best location to book a hotel (i'm not quite sure how big Rome is if i'm honest!)

Thanks!

MartynK

The train will arrive at Termini. There are plenty of reasonable hotels within walking distance of the station. Just use Google to find one. You can get a bus from Termini to either of the airports the following day.

Rome is a major city, but the central/older part isn't all that large. You're not going to have a lot of time, so what do you really want to see?

missljw

Thanks!

Any advice on what's worth seeing? I'd like to see the typical tourist spots, Vatican City, Colosseum, Trevi fountain, Spanish steps.. I'd also like to know if there's anything more 'unknown' about thats really worth having a look at.

I know i'm pushing it with one day!!

Lorna at Vicenza

I think you can visit the Vatican and the Vatican museum seperately and you might not have time for both if you want to see other things.

Inside St Peter's Basilica is the famous Michelangelo statue La Pietà, but the famous Sistine Chapel is inside the museum. You might have to choose which interests you more and I suggest booking entrance tickets online to avoid long queues.

missljw

Thanks thats good to know!

Any recommendations on restaurants? preferably nearer the station as thats where our hotel will be.

Sancho

Hi,

The part of Rome you're talking about, with all the things most tourists want to see, including all the things you mention and others (the Pantheon, the forum), is surprisingly small. I'd say not much more than a couple of square kilometres.

And some of the things on your list don't really need much time: you just stand and gawp at the Trevi fountain for half an hour, ditto the Spanish steps (which I thought disappointing). So there's hope there.

Dump your luggage as soon as you arrive - at your hotel or at the left luggage place at Termini - it's under the platform on the far left as you face out of the station - have a coffee to calm down and get your bearings, then jump on one of the hop-on hop-off sightseeing buses that leave from in front of the station. (There are various companies - I'd get a two-day ticket if I were you.) Just use it as transport, to make it easier for you to get from one sight to another. Don't worry about the painful superficiality of the commentary in your earphones or the utter ghastliness of your fellow passengers.

They'll give you a helpful map I think.

Then travel round, getting off wherever you want, having a look, then getting on another bus and being taken to the next thing you want to see. They'll stop when it gets dark, which will be at about five, so calculate accordingly.

When you've finished for the day, get off the bus back at Termini if that's where you've left your luggage, or somewhere else if you've left it all at the hotel and there's a stop somewhere nearer.

The only thing that might take more than an hour or so is the Vatican (and/or the Vatican Museums). What's more I believe it can get crowded. So leave that bit for the morning after you arrive, getting to the Vatican as early as you can, before the crowds, and being ruthless about anything you don't have enough time for.

Here's one hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus outfit - http://www.city-sightseeing.com/tour...andingposition

Here's their map - https://static.city-sightseeing.com/.../tours/503.pdf

And here's a reasonable, not too expensive hotel I once spent the night at two or three hundred yards from Termini Station - http://www.booking.com/hotel/it/inte...palace.en.html

They'll let you leave your luggage there early if you want.

There are many other hotels nearer though. Google hotel + Rome and click on the map that appears with all the blobs.

P.S. If you ever want a taxi in Rome, get one WITH A LICENCE. They're OK. The "irregular" ones are rip-off merchants. Not as bad as taxi-drivers in Bucharest or Istanbul, but rip-off merchants nonetheless.

P.P.S. If you want to see the Protestant Cemetery, it's a bit outside that area.

P.P.P.S. Here's a thing I bookmarked - http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/01/17...anted=all&_r=0

Garbatellamike

Ostia Antica, the Pompei of the Centre, which you can get to from Piramide Metro on your metro ticket, the Gardens of Villa D'Este at Tivoli and Hadrian's Villa - these latter 2 are out side of Rome but well worth visiting if you can.

Restaurants: If you can see a monument don't eat there quality poor and prices high - go back a block into the side streets and you get better food and better value at the Trattorias.

MartynK

Giving yourselves another day/night in Rome would make a big difference, but I suppose this may not be feasible for you. With that in mind:

Decide where you want to go in advance, and book tickets online before you leave. There will be long queues at the popular places and you'll waste a lot of time.

St Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums (these include the Sistine Chapel) have to be visited separately, unless you arrange a combined tour. You don't need a ticket for St Peter's, but there is usually a queue at the security checkpoint. Getting through the Vatican Museums to the Sistine Chapel - most people want to see this, and there's no other route - can take well over an hour once you're inside the museums, and it'll take a lot longer than that if you want to enjoy the art collections. The best days to visit are probably Tuesday, Thursday and Friday for various reasons, and they probably won't be quite so busy if you go in the early afternoon.

You can see the Colosseum pretty well from the outside, and walk right round it. If you do want to go inside, and haven't booked in advance, buy a ticket at the entrance to the Forum which is opposite. There's hardly ever a queue there, and the same ticket covers you for the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine Hill. There are always guides looking for customers outside the Colosseum too, most of them are fine and they will also get you past the queue quickly.

The Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps are quite close to each other. The Fountain is impressive, but gets very busy, and 15 minutes is enough to have a look and take some photographs. I think the Spanish Steps are overrated, and I wouldn't bother with them unless you go in May when they're covered in azaleas, but it's up to you.

There are lots of other places. The Pantheon? The Baths of Caracalla? The Basilica of San Clemente? This one is fascinating if you like history. The church is mainly C12th, built on the remains of a C4th church which stands above a C3rd pagan temple. The lower levels are accessible for visitors.

Can't really help you with specific recommendations for where to eat, but there are plenty of places in the area around Termini, and most of them display menus outside.

missljw

Thankyou, thats all so handy to know! Think we will get the sightseeing bus when there, sounds an easy way to get around and not get lost! Thanks for all the links

Unfortunately wouldnt be able to see the things just outside Rome but shall have a look into the other places mentioned. Thanks for the tips on restaurant!

I wish we could stay longer but unfortunately cant! Will look into booking tickets. Your the second person to say Spanish steps aren't that worth going to so may give them a miss and spend time elsewhere!

Thanks!!

Lorna at Vicenza

Here you go ..... just a staircase leading off a street really. There are better things to see. Pretty steps when all the flowers are out though.
Good staircase for models to trip on.

missljw

Yeah, I suppose it isn't anything special! If we have time I will see it, but it won't be at the top of my list!

MarkRD

You can gaily skip down them like Audrey Hepburn, if you like.

gelato

I don't think Rome in one day is possible. IMO maybe you could spend half a day at the Colosseum/Roman forum/Palatine and then half a day in the historical centre (Piazza Navona, more churches than you can poke a stick at, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon etc.) but then you wouldn't see the vatican. I guess the only option would be the hop on hop off bus.

GarbatellaMike is right about sights close to Rome but you'd need a week or so to do Rome justice and also do them justice.

Not sure if I'm allowed to do this on this forum but my husband runs a B&B between Termini and the Colosseum (in signature line.)

missljw

I expected everyone to say it's not possible! Hopefully we can come back to Rome to see it again but I'm hoping to see as much as I can in the time I'm there.

Could you PM me about the B&B please?

Thanks!

chrismcdonnell

For me, the most beautiful aspect of Rome is the atmosphere in the city. I spent most of my time there just walking around the tiny streets in the centre. It was my first experience of Italy and it was amazing for me

If you're in centro, you can walk up from Pantheon to the Trevi fountain in next to no time, and then it's only another 5 minutes from there to the Spanish Steps (which I would also say is not worth the hype, but if you like shopping you're right in the heart of it there).

Talk a walk down to Piazza del Popolo too, also there's a great restaurant on a side street shooting off from there (if I remember it I'll tell you the name )

Enjoy Rome!