Rome - best things to do

tinandsue

You can see the sights by purchasing a metro ticket and making your own way about. We did just that and had a wonderful time. As for shopping, you' ll find loads of street traders about and you can get some real bargains. Be prepared to barter as this is what they expect and you' ll really get the price down!

madduck

I absolutely love Rome. Most wonderful city in the world in my opinion. Love Italy as a whole though.

It isn't a huge city to be honest and you can wander round the main sites on foot. It does get a bit tiring though. Public transport is good and cheap. You can buy single tickets - valid for 75 minutes I think from the top of my head - for one euro. You can hop on bus/tram/underground/urban train for that period of time. This is a BIT ticket.

I find that buying a daily ticket - a BIG ticket - very useful. Don't have to worry about making sure that you have enough tickets.

If you are in Rome for longer you can buy 3 or 7 day tickets. You can buy them from tobacconists and newspaper stands. Make sure that you stamp them when you first get on the bus/tram/train or when you enter the underground station. There are yellow/orange boxes to stamp them. Tickets are checked regularly and there are heavy fines if you are caught without a ticket.

Be aware that buses can be extremely busy at certain times of the day. Not just morning and evening rush hours, many Romans still come home for lunch - they have a good bit more than an hour at lunch time.

Certain bus routes - such as the 64 from Termini station to the Vatican are notorious for pickpockets. They are really sneaky. My sister and I were almost victims of this a couple of years ago. We were standing on a bus to the Vatican and a couple pushed in between us. They were standing overly close to us which started us getting really edgy. We then noticed that the woman was trying to open my sisters bag. We shouted at them and then they just moved up the bus to try the same thing with other people. They moved on to a Scandinavian couple who didn't seem to understand what we were trying to tell them. A nice Roman guy got involved and made sure that they left the bus. Unbelievable. I'm sure that they just got on the bus behind and tried the same thing there.

In terms of food, try to avoid anywhere overly touristy. Certainly anywhere where they almost drag you in off the street. Anywhere with menus made up of pictures not words. Basically listen out for where the Italians eat!

It can be difficult in the heart of the tourist areas. I stay in a lovely small hotel just outside the historic city centre. It is in an area about 10 minutes walk from the Trevi Fountain and the wonderful Borghese Gardens. There is a wonderful pizzeria just a few doors away where you get the second best pizzas in Italy! Very good range of pasta and meat dishes also. You can have a great 3 course meal with wine and water for under £10 each. Really busy with locals though and not a lot of English spoken. It is called the Soffitela in Via Piave, just off Via XX Septembre. Restaurants on Piazza Navona are great for atmosphere - street performers are so funny - but can be quite expensive and food can be rather average. It is an experience though.

In terms of shopping - it really depends what you are looking for. Top end designer shops in the area around Spanish Steps. Department stores such as Coin, Upin, Rinacentre in the city centre near Piazza Venezia. Huge market in Trastavere on a Sunday (this is really, really busy and not for anyone who doesn't like crowds - but great bargains).

Loads of foody shops in the backstreets. Rome is still a city where people live near the city centre. Not loads of supermarkets (not a Tesco in site - yet) but plenty of little fruit and veg shops, cheese shops, butchers, etc.

Take a wander into the Jewish quarter. There is a wonderful little bakers shop just round the corner from the main synagogue.

Round every corner there is an ancient ruin.

The Rome metro system isn't all that extensive, basically because they can excavate further because they keep uncovering more historical sites.

Don't know if it is still there, but there was a tethered hot air balloon in the Borghese Gardens - just by the entrance at Porta Picanta. Wonderful views of the city, great to get your bearings. Just don't look down.

I believe that there is a new ruling capping taxi fares from both the city airports. Have a look on the Rome city website.

It is also useful to download city bus/train/tram maps before you go as well.

Sorry the post isn't too ordered - just getting stuff onto the page as I remember them.

Hope this helps and enjoy Rome. Let me know if you need any more info.

tadipercy

We went to Rome last year and loved it so much we are returning this year. I recommend walking, everywhere. You see so much that way. Also recommend the pyramid of cestius. Whilst there you can visit the non-catholic graveyard where keats etc are buried. But the best bit is the cat sanctuary right at the base of the pyramid (I know there are lots in Rome, but this is such a good place for them). We visited and left a donation.

fudgem

When we went last year, my daughter really wanted to visit the catacombes although I wasn't all that keen. It turned out to be one of the best things we did on our visit. Lots of details on the internet about them.

The advice I would give if you only have a few days is to list the things you want to do in order, because you can't possibly do everything. We had the coliseum on our list and the day we visited it was closed because they were having a pop concert there that day, so then we had to quickly reorganise the next day (a visit to the Pope was scratched). We did actually find that a guide book was quite adequate for the tour of the coliseum, but if there is a long queue to get in you are better with an official guide as they jump straight to the front.

madduck

Another good tip for avoiding long queues to buy tickets at the coliseum is if you are also going to the forum and palatine hill - buy a joint ticket there (lot less queues) and you'll be able to avoid the queues at the coliseum.

Also don't miss the trajan markets (across the road from the forum/coliseum). You have to go up the hill and around the corner a bit to get to the entrance - but well worth it.

Agree with other poster about catacombes. But might put some people off - loads of ancient dead!

If you are really organised there is a tour of the catacombes under the Vatican. Very limited numbers allowed each day. You've got to apply in advance for tickets from the Vatican. Never been lucky enough myself - but seen very good reports from others who have been. Have a look in the Rome forum of the Tripadviser.com website. It is also great for info for your trip.

There are some great routes for walks in some of the guidebooks. I did a great walk one rainy Sunday morning. Started at the Circus Maximus, walked along the river. Stopped at the Boca di Verita (mouth of truth) - supposedly you put your hand in the mouth and if you tell a lie it snaps shut and cuts of your hand (how many spouses want to go along there then?).

Across the river towards Trastavere along to the Tiberian island and then the Jewish quarter.

Just in time for a nice warming coffee and along to the Vatican for the papal address.

Was there one Sunday for a Beatification (or perhaps it was the step just before the formal pronouncment) ceremony. Didn't know it was happening, but found it facinating. I'm not particularly religious and I'm not Catholic anyway, but there is something about the Vatican that I find really enthraling.

Take the lift up to the dome, great views of the city and hills in the distance, wonderful views in the winter of the snow topped peaks.

If you are energetic enough, you can walk up even further to the top of the dome. Views are totally amazing - but oxygen may be required!

sixtyplus

Surreal experience on the top of the basilica, where nuns run the souvenier shop which sells The Pope in a snowstorm amongst other bits and pieces. The view from up there is beautiful.
Rome is a fabulous city which needs more time than you have to do it justice. Necessitates a return!

Seaxwyn

Trastevere is a lovely district, just across the river from the main sites. It has windy, cobbly streets, old houses and squares, and lots of great small bars and restaurants. There's a beautiful park there (Botanical Gardens I think) which is nice to sit in and watch the people go by if you get tired of walking the streets.