I'll be visiting Rome for 2 days. What should I see? How do I find a good guide?

Question

Traveling w/ my wife and college-age son. Visiting late March. Like history and (somewhat) art. Would like to find a personal guide for visit to Rome. Will also be visiting Florence for 1-2 days. Any suggestions there re sites to see and guides would be welcomed.

Answer 1

ROME -- recommend hotels along the via della conciliazione (www.hotelcolumbus.it) - right by the Vatican and close to the metro - very central. also right by the Borgo Pio which has great shops, bakeries, tratorria's etc. 
the pope usually has a general audience on Wednesday’s - free but you need a ticket.
vatican museum 12 euro's and another 3 at the coffee shop on the corner while you're waiting in line and take turns to run and get coffee LOL
postcards are between 1 or 2 for 1euro
when you go into churches you will have books for purchase -some of them are worth it and very interesting - about 5 euro - they will also have lighting for the main artwork - this ranges between the half and 1 euro - hand on to your coins as you can't usually get change!
colossuem was 10 euro (and watch out for the crooks in front in roman garb who pose for pictures with you -- i got rooked when i had nothing smaller than a 20 and he said 5 euro's each! they are NOT part of the facility!!!)
castle san angelo 6 euro and make sure you know the history - made it more worth while
roasted chestnuts in Piazza Navonna - 3 eor's and a must!
pizza (lunch) 7-10 euro's
dinner 30 euro's should work - sometimes more sometimes less.
2-5 euros - gelato
1.10 euro - candy bar

go to www.romaturismo.it and they had a SUPER map that was our saving grace! i still have it as i mapped out various walking tours. it has the metro and city all mapped out and detailed.

please feel free to email me if you'd like the walking tours - we had 4 of them and the main and not so main things to see along the way. 

you have to get up to the Gianicolo & San Pietro on the Janniculum Hill and there is a church atop the mt. where they say St Peter was crucified -- it's a spot most people DO not visit as it's not the "famous" one -- it was darling and really something to see!

the other book i recommend = knopf mapguides - it's just perfect in size and has most of the information for the basics.

one thing i did that might sound silly.... i had a small journal with me everywhere and took notes - sometimes simple ones but.... with 6 days it can get a little overwhelming and you don't want to miss out on remembering just what that picture was! for example - to the left of the street coming up to the vatican is a little know church called Santo Spirito - it was built in the 1200's Michelangelo did the ceiling - it was a hospital at one point during one of the many sieges/battles and returned to a church! the ceiling was beautiful!

thanks for the trip down memory lane and have a lovely time!!! Ooh dress in layers and take a scarf or hat!!! a sturdy wind proof jacket would work best!

sorry this is sooooo long but i had to *** because i almost forgot - the Scala Santa - right across from St John Lateran - it was really something!

ooh and most places close in the afternoon about 4p then the restaurants open at 7-8pm. i took snacks and a fruit and nut type trail mix & diet pepsi because they don't have diet anything!

Answer 2

We used the Fodor's Gold guides to get around the cities.  The 'walking tours' don't take as long as they say and are a GREAT way to see the city.  We never travel without one because they are so fabulous.

Answer 3

I'd suggest that you do do some research for Florence and Rome on the Official National Tourism website for Italy ( I've provided links below ) and check out the very good deals available at hotels and accomodation in those two cities.

Cheaperthanhotels and Hotelsitaliano offer some excellent options ( best to use the first one as it's in English ).

When you're travelling around it's handy to have a guide book in your bag, which you can refer to. A visit to your local *good* bookstore should reveal alot of guides, like Frommers, LonelyPlanel etc etc.

Answer 4

visit the yellow hostel located a few blocks from the train station.  they have maps although you and your wife will prolly be uncomfy there your son will prolly want to stay they have internet access  i was there in 2004 for a week its really is a neat experience.

the hostel speaks english and they do know a lot of insider things im sure they will be happy to help, also its about a 45min walk to a ton of stuff. be sure to check out the open air markets you can haggle and get some really really neat stuff and if the price is to high walk away and complain(loudly) normaly they will follow you and lower it. and if not there are tons of other vendors.

if your flying in to the davinci airport serously take the train to centrall rome its a 10-15 euro ticket vs a 99-150 euro taxi ride. (some times late at night you can get away with out a ticket at all but if you get caught its a 50euro fine )the hostel is about 10 eruo from every where, the embassy(american) and most majo sites.

make sure you try the bakerys for breakfast, as most ppl over there dont really have a normal breakfast(eggs/cereal) just coffee, also if you dont like espresso (how can you not ) order cafe latte  

i think it might be too early for the gilatto stands  but if it is you can have the best icecream (still havnt found its match) made fresh every morning  for very little money.

be sure to check out the forums at night and most things close from like 2 -5  but in rome you can still find some shops open.

a lot of people speak english, but learn a few phrases like dont touch me, how do you say this, how much is this, or i dont understand im an american.  you can get by with these few phrases believe me... have fun and hold on to your wallets...

Answer 5

ROME

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/7894/...

1st day: Ancient Rome.

Piazza del Campidoglio, Musei Capitolini, Foro Romano, Palatino, Colosseo, Arco di Costantino, Teatro Marcello, Bocca delle Verità.

2nd day: Baroque Rome.

Piazza di Spagna, Fontana di Trevi, Piazza Navona, Pantheon, S. Ignazio, S. Ivo alla Sapienza, Via dei Coronari, Castel S. Angelo, S. Pietro.

Use metro A and B and Bus n°64 :-)

FLORENCE

1st day:

S. Maria Novella, Duomo and Baptistry, Palazzo Medici, Palazzo Strozzi, Piazza Signoria, Galleria degli Uffizi.

2nd day:

S. Lorenzo, Cappelle Medici, S. Croce, Orsanmichele, Museo Bargello, Ponte Vecchio, Galleria Pitti, Giardino Boboli.

A tourist guide? I suggest a good pocket guide. Touring Club Italia is the best (for Italy)

Answer 6

You will have a great time!  We visited Rome a few years ago and decided that we would take a guided tour so we could get an overview of the city and know where to return.  It turned out to be an excellent idea.  

There are lots of the guided tours around, so you shouldn't have any trouble finding one.

Be sure and visit the Vatican, even if you are not a Christian or Catholic.  The warning I have is to NOT buy any commemorative coins as there is a big scam there in that department.  Places that you would NOT expect to cheat you certainly will!  Even the official Vatican gift shop!  If you decide that you can't live without them, email me and I will sell you mine!  Hah ha

Answer 7

There are TI (tourist Information) center everywhere in the city center, usually near by the train station. I dropped by there in every city I was in. They has helpful city maps there. you can also buy advance tickets to some museums.

As for attraction, I love the Trevi Fountain, and also the Borghese Villa. It's not on the top of most travel list, but personally, it's one of my favorites. http://www.galleriaborghese.it/borghese/... You have to make reservation to get it there. Lot of marble statue from Bernini. The villa is actually in a hugepark - Borghese park. There's a nice spot (pincio) where my husband and I saw the best sunset in Italy.

Answer 8

Can't give guide recommendations but a coworker just returned from an Italy trip.  Be very careful with personal belongings as pick pocketing and purse snatching is pretty rampant in Rome and Venice.  Here's a top 10 list of historic places in Rome.