Ok, honeymoon is coming up at the end of this month. If you had 5 days in Rome, Italy, what would you do? What part of town would you stay in? Do you have any amazing tips (restaurants, little-known cool things to do, whatever)?
Take a day trip to Pompeii. You will not regret it, and it isn’t far or expensive. In fact, there’s a train that runs directly from Rome to the front gate of the ruins. The entrance fee is very reasonable, there’s a pretty good cafeteria there, and it’s just unbelievable.
The Spanish Steps at sunset.
The Borghese Museum. It’s very small, but it’s un-fucking-believable. Yes, that’s the technical term for it. I don’t think I have ever seen anything as stunning as Bernini’s Pluto and Prosperina. It is also near the Rome zoo and in a huge beautiful park that was stunning, even in the middle of January.
Believe it or not, the McDonalds across the square from the Pantheon might be a life-saver. I know, I know, there’s so much great food in Rome, why would you want McDonalds? Well, sometimes you just want a freaking burger.
Avoid big expensive restaurants. I have never had any luck with those in Rome. In fact, I ended up mostly living on pizza. The bright side? It’s not like American pizza. It’s about a million times better. Also, it’s dirt cheap, it comes in HUGE slices, and there are so many different choices/toppings that it’ll blow your mind. Seriously though, the worst meal I had in Italy was in Rome in an expensive restaurant right where the huge bus depot is (which is vague, but I don’t remember any street names).
The view from the top of the Victor Emmanuelle (sp?) Memorial Building is rather stunning.
Taxis aren’t necessary to get around Rome. Buy a day pass for the public transit system for 4 Euros (well that’s how much it was 4 years ago). You can use it to take any bus and the metro system. It’s fast, cheap, and very easy to do. Do remember that drivers are in-fucking sane in Rome, and they’re going to do things that terrify you. Just relax and go with the flow.
Oh, and also, if you find you ever need to cross a street (and you will!) don’t do the thing where you wait and look both ways. There will never be an opening to walk, and the cars won’t stop for you. You have to just walk out into the middle of the road like you own the place. I know, it sounds horrible. You’ll probably resist doing this for the first few days, until you get tired of standing on the sidewalk for 45 minutes at a time.
Watch out for pickpockets. They will target anybody anywhere. And they’re pretty bold about it, too. Do not keep wallets in your back pocket ever. I saw a jogger calmly go past my friend, put his hand in her pocket, and continue on his way, without breaking stride, and without her even noticing. Also, they’ll use kids to do their dirty work. I punched two kids and an old lady in the face when they tried to steal my purse.
I miss Rome so much. sigh
No freaking burgers for me–I’ve been a vegetarian since 1988 
Unless, like in the UK, McDonalds in Italy has veggie burgers?
I definitely want to see Pompeii. How long would you say to give for that? The whole day? How much walking is involved and how hard is it? My best walking shoes are sandals… will they be ok or do I need enclosed sneakers? (The sandals are Z-coilshttp://zcoil.com/, and they make it so that my knees don’t explode while I’m walking. If they made non-leather sneakers I’d have those. As it was they discontinued their synthetic sandal, so I had to get them on ebay. Bahh! /end z-coil evangelism)
The Borgese Museum is definitely on my Must See list–after all of the art history classes I’ve taken, I imagine I will be completely blown away!
I’m writing these down…
I think you’ll only need a half-day for Pompeii. Leave in the morning and factor in traveling time, and you can get back to Rome by the afternoon. There is an uphill incline that felt like about 3 miles–ok it wasn’t that long, but it is a bit of a hike. Also, the streets are still inches deep with ash from the eruptions, which might make wearing sandals uncomfortable.
You should have the best walking shoes you can find, because even though you’ll only be there for 5 days, you will be doing a lot of walking. Even if you buy bus passes and take a bus from site to site, you will still be doing a lot of walking.
There are all kinds of places to stay near Termini Station. This is a good area because it’s where the trains and both subway lines intersect. It can be a bit dodgy around here so watch out.
Make sure you see all the usual sites. As cliched as some may be, Rome’s staple sites will absolutely astonish. DO NOT MISS the Vatican (St Peter’s/Vatican Museums/Etc…), the Colosseum, the Forum/Palatine Hill, The Pantheon, Trevi Fountain/Spanish Steps, etc… Don’t miss this stuff. But also, make sure you know what you are looking at. Doing a bit of background research will enhance your visit tremendously. Otherwise, you run the risk of getting overloaded by ruin after ruin after statue after statue, etc… Everything looks the same after a while…
Ditto on the pickpockets. They are highly, highly skilled and have balls the size of a house. A little gypsy kid will have no problem shoving his hand in your pocket, stealing whatever, and running into the crowd to disappear forever. If you walk around with your wallet in your back pocket or wearing a fanny pack you will get robbed. Have your wits about you and keep your head out of the clouds.
Spend a day and a night just wandering around the city. As amazing as Rome is for it’s known sites, it’s a marvelous thing to get mixed up in the living, breathing city of the regular Roman. You could spend a lifetime learning the city this way. Go where the tourists don’t go. It’s a different city.
Just seconding that you shouldn’t miss St. Peter’s, the Vatican museum, the Pantheon, and the Colosseum.
The gypsy pickpockets are very crafty. Little gypsy women holding babies with one arm and nursing them will use their free hand to pick your pocket from under the baby’s blanket.
The scariest car ride I’ve ever had was in the back of a cab in Rome.
Eat lots of gelato!
If you go to Pompeii, remember that most of the artefacts are in the museum in Naples.
If you like art made with human bones, The Capuchin Crypt is not to be missed.
There are a lot of wonderful little restaurants and things in the Via Veneto area, which is not as touristy as a lot of Rome. Not the ones on the Via V. itself (which are expensive and touristy), but a little further in, off the main roads.
Rome has a gajillion fountains. One of my favorite things to do is go, "Hey, I want to see Random Fountain X (say, the fontana delle tartarughe). Then, as you get semi-lost trying to find it, you see cool and random stuff along the way.
The Piazza Navona is cheesy and touristy and everything you could want in Rome on a summer night.
I wanna go back: take me with you!
With all the art history that I’ve taken, I sort of feel like I’ve spent the last 3 years researching this trip. I know all of the ruins, a lot of the fountains, sculptures, galleries, etc.–I had to memorize that stuff for tests! There is so much that I know is going to blow my mind because I’ve studied so much about it and then I’m going to get to see it up close and in person! Especially a lot of the Bernini stuff.
I guess I’ll wear my sandals for most of the city walking (they are soooo much easier on my knees with those coils) but take some sneakers for Pompeii.
I’ve heard a lot about the pickpockets. I remember when I was 13 and went to Paris with a school group, they gave us all kinds of tips for avoiding getting robbed. Like wearing your purse under your jacket, for example, and never putting anything in a back pocket. Also, I’ll probably get one of those money pouches that goes on a belt under your shirt for things like ID, credit cards, and cash. The thing I’m most worried about is my camera. I want to take my digital SLR… it has a backpack camera bag… but I’m terrified that someone will snatch it off my back! How do you keep something like that safe?
Picket the Vatican. Make sure to use the word ‘Nazi’ on your sign in some context or other.
Yes - it’s worth going to for the location even if it weren’t a good museum in itself.
The roads are bad enough that they’d put me off going to Rome again. The trains really are good, though - cheap and reliable and they go out quite a long way. That day pass will take you all the way to Ostia on the coast, which is a place worth a visit. Ostia is a complete ancient Roman town that’s in damn good condition for its age (that is, no roofs, but solid walls with engravings all in place and some intact murals). A stop or two further down is Lido di Ostia, if you fancy being on the beach for a bit.
Agreed - the staple tourist sites are staples for a reason. If you do decide to go to at least two of the major attractions (you’d be a fool not to), it’s definitely well worth getting a Roma Pass. Apart from making the entrance fees cheaper, it saves you having to buy train/bus tickets every day or for every journey and it saves you a LOT of time queuing for the Colosseum.
If you fancy doing something a little less cultural for a day, there’s a really cool waterpark North of Rome too - Hydromania. But I guess that info’s more useful for people on a longer family holiday than a couple of a five-day honeymoon.
As the advice for places to see is already thick, I’ll stick to useful information. Trust this Roman born-and-bread: locate the closest supermarket to your hotel and shop there. Buy your drinks and whatever food you want to carry there. There is a large one in Termini station, and lots more around. Do not buy anything whatsoever from street sellers. Not that it’s unhealthy or anything but it’s overpriced as hell. There are plenty of fountains with good drinkable water, so just carry a bottle and refill it when needed.
Check the weather forecast. If it is sunny and you are pale, put sunscreen on.
Lunch on the cheap? Consider a takeaway pizza place, and have lunch in a park. If you do, buy the suppli (rice balls with meat sauce and cheese, fried).
Actually I did think of a few places to suggest: the lakes. There are two volcanic lakes south-east of Rome, with a few historical towns nearby. Go there. Visit Nemi and eat the local wild strawberries. Visit Genzano, on the way to Nemi, and eat gelato! Find the local pastry shops, and buy some pastries (called paste - no, nothing to do with spaghetti). I’m sure you’ll love them!
Get a map of the city. The ones bound like a booklet are more comfortable to use. Get a map of the public transport routes: the city transport company, ATAC, used to
provide maps for free in their information booths in Termini station.
If you are accosted by kids or old women with puppy eyes and a sign or a piece of paper, congratulations! You’ve been targeted by thieves. Walk away fast. The technique is to distract you making you try to read something, while they stick their hands in your pockets, under cover of the sign.
Avoid restaurants with imbonitori outside - the chaps that try to talk you into going in and have lunch. These places aren’t necessarily bad, but they are basically tourist traps, overpriced and mediocre. Look for restaurants where the locals go. Oh, and look for the bars where the locals go, and get a properly made coffee!
Any question, just ask.
The wife and I went last summer.
Here are some MUST see items:
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Forum, Arch of Constantine, and Colosseum. I went for the Colosseum, but the Forum was by far the most impressive thing there. There are parts of the park where you feel like you have gone through a time warp. Go early if you have a reservation for the Forum (and you should), because you will have trouble finding the entrance even though it is on the main street. Tip: The entrance to the forum is NOT close to the Colosseum. That is where you exit.
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Vatican. Crowded and hot, but a must. Just standing in that square is amazing. Going into St. Peter’s Basilica and seeing where they believe Peter might be buried. I’m not terribly religious (I prefer to think of myself as a Christian spiritualist), but that had me shaking a little.
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Pantheon. This doesn’t take long, and you should plan it around lunch, as it sits in a BEAUTIFUL piazza where you should get some lunch (though you will pay for the privilege of the view). Some beautiful architecture.
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Trevi Fountain. It is always crowded. It is always worth it. One of the most beautiful spots on Earth. Get a gelato. Toss the coin over your shoulder. Be a tourist.
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Spanish Steps. You have to do it just to say you did. It is terribly overrated and crowded. Want a place to eat gelato at night with better ambiance? Try Capitoline Hill.
There is plenty to like, but other than the history, I didn’t like Rome as a city. However, the gelato is NOT overrated. It is fantastic.
Have a great time.
Really? Pompeii is 117 miles from Rome, and when I was there it took me an entire day to look around. Not something I’d plan as a day trip.
Trevi Fountain is indeed wonderful. See it in the day, and then again at night. After three or four days, when you are sick to death of Euro-trash coffee and dying for a *real *(aka, American) coffee, there is a Dunkin Donuts a few steps away that is a lifesaver. (at least, it was there in 2000 when last I visited)
The Marriott on the Via Veneto is a great place to stay. Spendy, but nice and not too far from everything. Steps from the Borghese Museum, easy walk to Trevi, Spanish Steps, Pantheon, etc.
Also - it’s an easy day-trip by train to Florence if you run out of artwork to see in Rome.
As I said, I’ve been a vegetarian lo these last 20+ years. Not breaking that for anything, honeymoon or no.
I guess you never heard the saying, “when in Rome…”
Well, I admit, I got tired. I left Rome in the morning, maybe around 7 or 8, made it to Pompeii by noonish, stayed for 2 hours, and then came home. On the other hand, my memory of that trip is not exactly clear, because I was traveling by myself, I got lost/confused a great deal, and I couldn’t figure out how to get from the train station in Rome to my hotel. Pompeii was the bright spot of my day, and I don’t regret going, but man, I made a lot of mistakes that day…
I second the advice to ask if you have questions. I am completely and utterly shy, and I have serious problems asking people for anything, especially if their strangers. But in Rome, I got lost a few times and I couldn’t afford to be shy. As long as I was respectful, everybody in Rome treated me very kindly. Also, if you get lost in Rome, it’s no big. There are bus stations and taxis everywhere. Just find one to take you home.
I was with a group of about 20 students, and all the girls wasted huge amounts of money buying water. It’s not necessary. Rome water is clean, free, and widely available.
While I was there, I fell in love with the city. I think it’s my favorite place on earth. And the best part, by and large, was when I did get myself lost. I found so many awesome, quiet corners, and fun places to explore. Oh, and every night the whole freaking city just seems to swarm the streets. It’s actually pretty cool, like everybody in the city decides to take an evening stroll at the same time.
I say take a whole day for Pompeii. It was the best thing I saw in Europe. More than any ruin in the city of Rome, it really brought home to me the reality of the daily lives of people in ancient Rome.
Also, I second everything everybody has already mentioned above.
Strangely, the best thing I had to eat in Rome was a convenience store sandwich I picked up for my picnic lunch to Pompeii. It was filled with sliced hot dogs and artichokes, a surprisingly delicious combination.
That doesn’t surprise me, actually. When I was in Ireland, I think my favorite meals were the egg salad and watercress sandwiches we got at the gas stations!!
Just FYI, I’m a vegetarian, have coeliac disease and some lactose intolerance, yet the last time I went to Rome I found it really easy to find tasty snack foods and a selection of meals in restaurants - even the cheapo pizza takeaways have fresh cooked veg and mozzarella on sale as a side. I can’t think of any restaurants in particular, but eating out is certainly not a problem there.