I have been to Roma six times and it is one of my favorite cities. Sorry for the length but here goes!
First some general suggestions:
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[li]Wear dark colored clothes! With the air pollution from cars and the preponderance of cobblestone streets Roma has lots of air-borne particulates that will quickly turn light colored clothes off-color in no time[/li][li]Protect your camera by keeping it on your person. I’ve had cameras stolen twice because the theif distracted me and got me to put the camera down (1st time was having green-gop dumped on my back!). Also, as already mentioned, watch out for gypsies![/li][li]Centro Storico is the only place you need to go in five days of extremely varied touring with the exception of the aforementioned Borghese. I know you said that walking may be difficult but Centro Storico is the absolutely best place to walk around with a just get lost lost.[/li][/ol]
Regarding a place to stay, I would highly recommend Hotel Alimandi, which is located down from the entrance to the Vatican Museums on Via Tunisi. It is somewhat pricy but a great hotel in an awesome area and ask for a room overlooking the courtyard (the street side is noisy).
Regarding places to visit:
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[li]The Vatican has four major basilicas in Roma that are overseen by the Holy See: 1) Basilica de San Pietro (St. Peters and nuff said), 2) Basilica of San Giovanni en Lateran (this is the Mother Church of Roma and while the exterior is somewhat plain, the interior is incredible, 3) Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore (with Cosmati mosiac floor and incredible 5th or 6th century tapestries - going off of memory here), 4)Basilica di San Paolo fuori le Mura (this basilica was destroyed by fire in the 19th century and rebuilt - probably the least interesting and, as the name suggests, it is outside the Aurelian wall) [/li][li]Any of the churches designed or having artwork by Bernini or Caravaggio. For Bernini besides San Pietro - Sant Andrea al Quirinale, Church of Santa Maria del Popolo, Piazza del Popolo, Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria (you must see “The Ecstasy of St. Theresa” in the Cornaro Chapel, and the Triton Fountain in addition to the scluptures at the Borgherse. For Caravaggio - the church of San Luigi dei Francesi, and its three Caravaggio paintings about Saint Matthew’s life; the church of Sant’Agostino and the “Madonna di Loreto”; the church of Santa Maria del Popolo and the Cerasi Chapel. [/li][li]Chiesa del Gesù[/li][li]Piazza Campidoglio/Capitoline Hill and the Roman and Imperial Fori[/li][li]Take the PASSEGGIATA DEL GIANICOLO (Janiculum). If on your honeymoon go in the evening. Beautiful! Great views of Roma[/li][li]Walk from Piazza Del Populo to church at the top of the Spanish Steps through the Pincio. Equally great views of Roma [/li][li]Pantheon[/li][li]Fountains at the Piazza Navona[/li][/ol]
I personally would not bother with either Pompei or Ostia but if you must do one I would pick Ostia or I would go to the summer home of the Pope (BTW - I am not a Catholic, actually an atheist, but the artowrk and architecture of the Roman Catholic church in Roma is just unbelievable).
Enough for now though I will check back for any questions or comments!
He didn’t like the Artemis Fowl books. He did love Harry Potter.
& he may not like the central character being female. I’ll try to find some Horowitz first. thanks for your help!
Sorry to hijack your thread Opal. I was last in Rome in 84. We had a week & that was barely long enough - without going to Pompeii! I would second everyone’s reccommendations for having a much gelati as you can! & I remember to save costs (in Italy altogether, not just in Rome) we would visit the markets or supermarkets & put together great lunches out of Italian cold meats, cheese & tomatoes. I hope Italian bread has improved though - or that we were just unlucky!
No, but I just looked 'em up on Amazon, showed the series (and especially the first title) to the kid, and we’re already planning on buying a couple of titles as soon as we get back!
Opal: My last full day in Rome will be May 25th, and we’ll be flying out on the 26th. We may cross paths!
I now see that you are going later this month, which is a beautiful time to see Roma.
Some further suggestions:
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[li]Not to be missed is *Gastronomia E. Volpetti *at Via Marmorata 47 in Testaccio. Simply stated Volpetti’s has an incredible selection of Italian cheeses, meats and wines. Buy the cheese to take home (hard cheeses will last for up to 2 months) but be careful about meats as most cannot be imported into the US of A.[/li][li]While supermarkets may be the wave of the 21st Century, Roma is an excellent place for outdoor food markets where you can buy local vegetables, fruits, meats, whatever and take back to your room or just enjoy while walking around. One of the outdoor markets is within several blocks of the Alimandi on Via Andria Doria but the most famous of the outdoor markets in Roma is Campo dei Fiori. Make a point of going there when you have a chance. There is a famous (and I think worthwhile) restaurant there called La Carbonara, which is reputed to have “invented” the pasta dish by that name.[/li][li]Do make a point of trying, as others have suggested, gelato. There are several places that you partake of this delicacy and some are open until 2:00 AM.[/li][li]Be aware that if you are interested in taking photographs of the many sites that there is limited room to properly frame your pictures. Most notorious of all is Fontana Trevi which is a wide spot in a narrow urban via with no room to take in the whole facade of the fountain. Take a wide-angle lens (or have a camera with wide-angle capability) as you will need it. There is a church across from the fountain that if you knock they may let you in and you can get an incredible vantage point from the second story. Leave a donation! The Pantheon is another location similar to Trevi as the Piazza in front is not very large.[/li][li]Many restaurants do not open until 8:00 PM so, if you’re going to do as the Romans, plan on having dinner starting around 9:00 PM and spending 1.5 to 2.0 hours. Many clubs don’t open until Midnight for late night dancing, etc so hopefully you are and your SO are nightowls. Traditionally the main meal of the day was lunch with “dinner” being the secondary meal. With modern times dinner has become the main meal.[/li][li]While it is not so common in Roma, one thing to be aware of is that many shops close from ~2:00 - 5:00 PM. This will be more typical of clothing and other similar shops but some eating places may well be closed during mid-afternoon.[/li][li]I was, and am, particularly fond of local trattoria’s and osteria’s as far as places to eat. I urge to stay away from the McDonald’s and other similar places for eating. Common street vendor fare, besides, pizza, is pieces of coconut which can be very refreshing when walking around.[/li][li]Use the local buses and subways (Lineas A & B) to get around. The subway is no where near as good as Paris but what can expect from a city that whenever you dig up a shovel full of earth you are likely to find 2,000 year relics that will slow your project down![/li][li]Street addresses in Roma start on one side and continue onto the other side of the street until you reach the starting point. Also “piano” is the ground floor and the “first” floor in many buildings is actually the second story.[/li][li]Don’t be afraid to explore!. A map is only a guide. Most “streets” in Roma’s Centro Storico are narrow alleys. [/li][/ol]
MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL IS ENJOY YOURSELF AND DON’T BE AFRAID TO VENTURE BOLDLY!
If it were my honeymoon and I was going with the love of my life, I would makeout and do some heavy petting on the Spanish Steps. Try to sneak in a quickie in a dark corner of the Coliseum or at The Forums… maybe in the House of the Vestal Virgins just to be ironic… I’m sure you wouldn’t be the first.
I’m another one who would recommend Ostia Antica over Pompey - the travel alone is going to take half a day out of your five. There is also the crowds at Pompey, we visited Ostia on a Sunday (in August! and there were probably only a dozen other people there. You’re right that people left rather than died there but the ruins are just as impressive having been buried by silt for nearly two thousand years.
Other thoughts:
Try visiting the Vatican Museum in the early afternoon. The queues looked to be a lot less as we left than when we arrived :smack:
The Forum is a must visit for anyone with any knowledge of Roman history. To actually stand on the stones where Ceasar and Cicero stood is amazing.
Visit the Colloseum after the Palatine Hill (worth a visit in its own right) as **shiftless **said one ticket covers both sites so you walk passed the long lines at the Colloseum. We used an audio guide at the Colliseum which we thought was very good but I know some people can’t stand them. If you do want one you will need to leave some form of photo ID (passport etc) as a deposit.
**Yossarian **mentioned Largo di Torre Argentina and the cats. We actually stayed in an appartment on this square and it was great for people watching as well as cats - it’s a traffic hub with lots of trams and buses stopping there. It is also the site of Pompey’s theatre where Ceasar was assasinated. There is also a great take away pizza place, the Pizzeria Florida. Obviously mostly used by locals but very helpful to those with (very) limited Italian! Very good for an instant lunch with the slices of pizza sold by weight.
Trastervere, across the Tiber, is great for restaurants and a stroll in the evening.
Do expect to be ripped off if you eat or drink on one of the main tourist sites: the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, etc. but prices are much better just a hundred metres away. Having said that, do have a coffee at one of the famous cafes, it’s probably worth it - once!
The gypsy/african peddlers are a pain but we did not have any real problems in tourist areas or on the buses. Just took sensible precautions and watched out for each other.
Again an echo of what others have said: don’t buy bottled water. Buy one bottle and keep refilling it from the many public taps and fountains. It’s clean, safe, and free!
Yes the gelato is better than probably any experienced stateside!
Further notes regarding previous posts:
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[li]Entrance to the Vatican Museums also includes entry to Sistine Chapel, Raphael’s Stanza’s, etc. I would have a plan mapped out of what you want to see before going so you can better plan your time there.[/li][li]I would suggest researching restaurants before going, and if required, have your hotel assist in making reservations for you. The food is terrific but expect to pay for it as eating out in Rome is not cheap. I averaged ~$50 per person for dinner, ~5- for breakfast which consisted of expresso and pastry, and ~$8-$10 for lunch, which was usually taken while hiking around. Dinner prices include wine. I would highly recommend a menu planner that will not only assist you in deciphering dishes but also explain italian menus. Service is included in restaurant charges albiet at 15% rate. It is customary to tip more (~5 to 8%) for excellent service. Get used to eating outdoors as May will be a perfect time without excessive heat.[/li][li]Again, I would suggest an evening stroll through the Giancolo and then taking the pathway down to Trastervere for dining (or vice-versa).[/li][li]Unless they have significantly changed, be aware of the “clothes police” in entering St. Peter’s. You will go through a quick body scan search but you must also conform to the church’s rules concerning proper dress. They will refuse entrance unless properly attired. None of the other Vatican controlled extra-territorial churches impose dress codes.[/li][li]Not sure how you plan on taking money but some cash will be helpful while you stroll the city. You must have your passport to cash travelers checks! In general, do not carry your passport with you (unless exchanging money) to reduce the risk of having it stolen. You will be required to surrender your passport at your hotel for perhaps the first night.[/li][/ul]
Roma is a great city full of art and architecture, great food, and interesting people. Go with an open mind and, above all else, be willing to explore and go off the beaten path. Get a good travel guide (Michelin Green Guide or something equivalent) and read it before hand to have an idea of the major places you want to see and their hours of operation, etc.
Yes the gelato is better than probably any experienced stateside!
Further notes regarding previous posts:
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[li]Entrance to the Vatican Museums also includes entry to Sistine Chapel, Raphael’s Stanza’s, etc. I would have a plan mapped out of what you want to see before going so you can better plan your time there…[/li][/QUOTE]
A Jewish friend enjoyed Rome but was dismayed that the Vatican Museum had so much Catholic stuff. I’ve never been, but could have told her that.
A plan is useful for any massive museum; I’m a museum head, but the Met defeated me. Most of the places have maps online, nowadays.
Between the Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s, to the right of the main entrance to St Peter’s, there are very nice, cool, clean and (as I remember) free rest rooms.
Stay away from the motorcycle cops with the carbine sling cross belts and the bicorn hats. They are nasty characters and mostly interested in chatting up bosomy German teen-age girls.
Bonus: now that it has been cleaned the Sistine Chapel is more impressive, moving, beautiful, awesome (in the real meaning of that word), stunning that you could ever imagine. The old saw is that Michelangelo was a superb draftsman but no colorist. That is plainly not so. Go see it even if you have to wait in line for a half day. An hour in the place is the equivalent of a graduate course in the High Renaissance. As someone else said, don’t even think of taking a photo, but there are quality prints for sale at a reasonable price, big ones of the whole damn thing at one go. Go early.
Michaelangelo’s Moses is in San Pietro in Vincoli.
And according to most accounts, tossing coins into Trevi fountain may not be such a great idea since it may possibly contribute to an increased rate of corrosion within the fountain thus eventually causing the fountain to fall away from the building it is attached to. One of the primary reasons for the fountains restoration was the fact that the bolts and other mechanisms securing the fountain facade onto the building were severely corroded from the electrochemical reactions from the coins interacting with the water.
A few people mentioned travelers checks. I found that completely unnecessary. There are ATMs all over the place that will happily connect to your bank account back home, and give you the most favorable exchange rate, too. You might want to check with your bank back home, first, to make sure they participate in the proper network…TRM
Yeah I don’t do travelers’ checks. When I travel to other countries I use ATMs to have a small amount of cash on me, and then try to use Visa or MasterCard as many places as possible.
