fluffybunny Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 My son is 11 and we are going to Italy in September. We are up to Book 4 of SOTW, and I would love his history lessons to come alive for him. What sort of list of things to do/see in Rome, and in which section of Rome should we stay? Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cammie Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 We went the year before last and had an amazing time! There are tons of great websites to help you plan your trip. I recommend looking at the Rick Steves information on traveling in Italy as a start. We had a few days in Rome so we stayed right downtown in walking distance to the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon. We also visited Vatican City, the Collessium, Palantine Hill, Borghese Gallery. I would have loved more time but we were also moving on to Florence, Vinci, Sorrento, Pompeii. Have a great time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiobrain Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 I hear Pompeii is excellent. Make the time for a side trip. If you want to go to the Galleria Borghese, you must buy tickets a few days in advance (we didn't know that, so couldn't go). Personally, I say skip the Vatican...the lines are soooo long! We ended up not going because of that. Do not miss Hadrian's Tomb (Castel Sant'Angelo) that was really neat. When you do the forum/palatine hill/coliseum go to the forum first and buy the combo ticket. There is always a short line there, whereas the one at the coliseum is longer. If you already have your ticket you enter a much shorter line. Do not be afraid to walk around with a good map and check out all sorts of things. Via Veneto was really neat to walk down. It is uber ritzy. As far as staying somewhere, it is a much smaller city than it seems like. We stayed near Termini (the train station) and Santa Maria Maggiore, which was slightly shady, but not much. 3-5 minute walk to the Coliseum. I found or place on the internet.There is a neat old monastery that rents out rooms further south of the Coliseum... they were booked when we went, but given our amazing stay at an old convent in Siena, I would say to go for it. We only had 3 days and walked around like crazy. We kept trying to find Bernini sculptures and a main mission was to find the tiny piazza named after my husband's family. It was great. We didn't get to do as much as I want, but hopefully one day we can return before my kids are too old. Have a great time! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMOm Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 We stayed slightly North of the Vatican but I wish we'd paid a little more and stayed East of the Vatican. There is so much walking to do that it would have been nice to be closer to our hotel. Also, many things close between 4pm-7pm and it was just to far to go back to our hotel. It would have been nice to be able to go backand wash up, rest for a bit, change our clothes, etc. before heading back out. Most of the restaurants open back up for dinner at 7pm. The catacombs were closed when we were there- it's the one thing I really regret missing! Be careful of going out at night- My Mom was accosted by a pack of gypsies at a bus stop and it was very frightening. The local Italians started hollering and scared them off. Get to the Vatican Museum early, early- lines can be quite long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 We stayed at a tiny "hotel" down the street from Termini and Mary Mag--same area as the above poster. I think it was called Guibileo (pronounced Joo bi lay oh). Our room was cheap, but tiny. Basically think of a bed with a dresser and TV, and about 3 ft on either side to walk around the bed. Bathroom, too--it was fine for us. Had a grand time--saw the Coliseum, Pantheon, The Vatican area (museum, St. Pete's, Sistine Chapel), the Forum area, Trajean's pole thingy (LOL--some sort of obelisk :D), St. Paul's Outside The Walls. We saw the jail where they kept Peter and Paul. I'm sure there was more We also took a bus trip to Pompeii--wonderful tour. Watch out for the packs of roaming, feral dogs...They make a nice complement to the packs of feral cats at the Coliseum... The same bus stops in Sorrento for half an hour or an hour or so. My favorite was going to the Catacombs. We visited 3 of them by bus--short trip, well-worth it. We also loved getting gelato on the piazza by the Pantheon. I think we hit Trevi Ft too, but it was just OK--just a big fountain. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ma23peas Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 I use tripadvisor to find good hotels, they are great! I also have great luck with Priceline...if you do Pompeii, hire a tour guide, around a 100 euros, but we learned so much more! Definitely spend an hour or two in Sorrento if you can, arrange to do your Rome touring NOT on a Sunday...too crowded. Be careful of tourist restaurants, they will bring out many platters of bread or antipaste and then charge you per piece of bread! Just realize nothing 'comes' with the meal...these are mainly restaurants on the well traveled route of tourists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiobrain Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 Had a grand time--saw the Coliseum, Pantheon, The Vatican area (museum, St. Pete's, Sistine Chapel), the Forum area, Trajean's pole thingy (LOL--some sort of obelisk :D), St. Paul's Outside The Walls. We saw the jail where they kept Peter and Paul. I'm sure there was more We also loved getting gelato on the piazza by the Pantheon. I think we hit Trevi Ft too, but it was just OK--just a big fountain. ;) LOL how could I forget the Pantheon! I also thought that jail was neat. The walk from our 'hotel" to the coliseum was through what is essentially a dog park.... but it is filled with ruins. It's pretty cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffybunny Posted February 12, 2012 Author Share Posted February 12, 2012 Thank you everyone! :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simka2 Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Pompeii is wonderful, but make sure you get a G or PG rated tour guide! ;) Everyone has covered the other recommendations. When I went I purchased a book that had historic pictures that you could overlay with modern images. It was really cool to stand in a location and see how it looked today and yesteryear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Dh and I traveled to Rome last year. We stayed here. Lovely hotel in a lovely area. It was close to the Pantheon and we walked many places and learned how to take the bus as well. We bought a week long bus pass. I agree with Cammie. Absolutely buy Rick Steves' Rome. He has tons of tips in it. You can download free audio tours at his website for the Forum, Coliseum, St Peter's, Sistine Chapel, Pantheon, Pompeii. We listened to the free audio tours instead of purchasing tours. As radiobrain said, buy the combo ticket for Coliseum, Palatine Hill, and Forum not at the Coliseum because the line will be shorter (actually Palatine Hill was shortest). We followed Rick Steves directions for a day trip via high speed train to Pompeii (absolutely fabulous!). In the guidebook, he tells you how to change trains in Naples and to ask a local if the commuter train is going to Pompeii. We were too shy to ask the locals, but the locals let us know to wait for the next train anyway! We bought our tickets for the Vatican Museum online well in advance (again avoiding the line). We bought a ticket for the afternoon and spent the morning at St Peter's next door. The earlier you go, the shorter the line. Be prepared to walk, walk, walk. Any time you are in a restaurant or tourist attraction, use the restroom before you leave. It can be difficult to find public restrooms. About Pompeii - decide/discuss the brothel ahead of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I agree, Rick Steves has great advice for how to tour, travel, and not stand in 4 hour lines while visiting Italy. Be sure to read ahead on the sites you want to visit. Good news-the Forum is a free, ticket-less tourist stop and has a public restroom. If you can't make it to Pompeii you could try for Ostia. Closer to Rome and similar to Pompeii but not as popular with tourists. Have a great trip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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