I am traveling to Rome in a couple of days...any tips?

Question

I will be leaving within the week and I am wondering if anyone has been there recently, or has any tips on sight-seeing in Rome. I am open to anything! Thanks!

Answer 1

Youre going to have an amazing time! When heading to the Vatican Museum, either go very early or around 2-3 pm because the lines have usually been shorter then. The entrance closes at 4pm, but they do not close until everyone has left, so you can spend as much time as you want there basically. The nightlife in Campo de Fiori is the most fun (theres a lot of tourists mixing with Italians and some good small clubs) followed by Piazza Navona. The book "Lets go Italy" provides a ton of information about things to do and ticket prices. Check out the entire Forum (both Romano and Imperiali), the Coliseum, the "Wedding Cake", and the Capitoline museum because theyre all right near each other. Via del Corso is good for souvenirs and shopping. If you are in the Trastevere area, go to the restaraunt Hostaria del Moro da Tony (via del Cinque, by Piazza Truisilla (sp?) because the food is amazing and reasonable. The Spanish Steps are cool to see, but I wouldnt spend too much time there. Villa Borghese is really nice, however if you want to go to the museum, i believe you need to buy tickets in advance. Have a great time!

Answer 2

Rome was the last stop on a tour of Italy I did in High School about 2 years ago.

The Vatican.  Cuppola is gorgeous.  Some of the tours can be a little long so be careful.  The fresco in the Sistine Chapel is so far beyond words.

We did the Trevi fountain at night.  It's pretty and all lit up.  I'm sure it's nice during the day but it's pretty spectaular at night.  ps, i don't know if anyone else has written this but legend has it that if you throw a coin into the fountain over your left shoulder, you will return to italy.

I know you already read about the SPanish steps.  Great place to just sit and take it all in.  and people watch too.  there's a fountain at the base of the steps.  believe it or not the water that comes out of it is drinkable.  people fill water bottles there all the time.  

via condotti can be seen from the spanish steps.  its the main shopping drag of rome.  super expensive but worth the stroll down.  i remember tom cruise was in a jewelry store while we were there and there were just crowds around it.

one of the highlights of rome was people watching while enjoying some gelato and sitting on the spanish steps.

are you perchance getting to the southern part of italy?  if you can, go to capri.  you will not regret it!!

Answer 3

I just got back from Rome.  

I hate to waste time wait in line so I did a tour of the Collosuem with one of the tour operators that gathers people outside of the Colloseum, we were there at 10:30am and cost approximately 24 Euros per person.  This is great - we skipped a hour long line and got right in, plus the guide had a microphone and we were all issued with walkie-talkies so that we were able to wander a bit away from the group to take pictures, etc.  

At the end of this tour, the guide offered two additional tours for free - one of the Roman Forum and one of Palpatine Hill.  We did the Roman Forum one.  He also told us about their tour of the Vatican Museums and St. Peters Basicilca.  We took this tour also, it met a 9:15 outside of the Metro Station Ottaviano.  Again we skipped a 4-5 hour line, we got the walkie talkies.  This tour was approximately 40 Euros per person, but highly worth it to not wait in the line that wrapped around Vatican City.

  

As for getting around the city, get the Visitors Pass - this one ticket includes transportation on the Metro, Buses, and trams and a 3 day pass is 11 Euros.  These can be bought from the any metro ticket machine - and no worries, they have an English option on the screen.  

Right now there is an outdoor art exhibit of people statues made of garbage(!), it's really interesting and is in the Piazza del Popolo.  

Don't worry about packing an umbrella.  In the main tourist areas (pretty much the whole city) should it start raining, guys will start walking around selling umbrellas.  Don't pay more than 5 Euros.  

Rome is a city best explored by wandering, get lost and you'll find amazing things.  Enjoy!!

Answer 4

hey. i love rome. it is my all time favorite city, there are a million things to see here. i absolutley loved the spanish steps, it was just fun to see and say you walked up and down them, plus the millions of flowers should be in bloom, an unfortunate even that took place there is the only down fall... tomkat got married at the cathedral on top of the steps..boo. random fact about the steps,... you arent suppose to eat on them.. they like made it a rule haha!!  you also have to walk the ruins and the collisium, it was amazing. awe im sad that imnot getting to go hahaha. it is an amazing city, there are plenty of things to go and see , for instance the vatican... it was beautiful. you will find lots to do in this city. you could go spend thousands of dollars on a few peices of clothing. or you could spend hundreds and get thousands of peices of fraud designer goods sold on the many carts around the city , hahaha. d**n bring me with you pleaseeeeeeeeeee HAVE FUN

Answer 5

I have been there, and yes, there is lots to see, go to the tourist info office, and watch out for pick -pockets.

Answer 6

Pick-pockets are very good there.  They are everywhere. I went in July and it was very busy, so there were long lines for the big places like the museums of the Vatican and the Vatican itself. I'm talking about 2 hours or so, get there early. I would also recommend the guided tours, they were very interesting and I had a wonderful time.  There is a "dress code" to go inside St. Peter's, women have to have their shoulders covered and dress/shorts at or below the knee. men also had a requirement, you need to check on that if you plan to go.  It is a beautiful place and I would love to go back.  Also, I didn't take enough pictures, I say take lots of pictures. The ice cream is out of this world!  All the food was great, but I have a sweet tooth.  They also have the best pastries.

Answer 7

Keep your hand on your wallet at all times!

Answer 8

I just came back from Rome on 3/15.  I highly recommend that you get on the 110 trambus.  You catch it at the train station.  It will bring you within walking distance of all of the major sites in Rome.  It costs 13 Euro.  You can get on and off the bus all day.  And it runs into the evening.  

Also hit the campo di fiore in the early morning and evening.  It the morning it is bustling with vendors selling fresh food and flowers.  It's a nice place to pick up some picnic items.  In the evening it's alive with locals out for relatively cheap wine and food.

My final recommendation is to walk around Testavere.  There is a huge flea market with anything you need from Q-Tips, leather, knockoffs, wrenches!  Anything you need.  Testavere is a great place to walk around.  Make sure you stop for lunch there are a ton of great little restaurants down the allies.