Tell me what to do for two days in Rome

[Anonymous]

OP, I would suggest Castel Sant’Angelo if you would like a site that not everyone goes to. You wind your way up through the Castel, learning about centuries of history as you go. As you go up, you find yourself indoors and outdoors along the way, so no worries about your teens having to be inside too much.

Aaand- there is an absolutely amazing view of Rome from the top! If I had the money to take my kids to Rome, I think they would love this place because it’s so cool. One of my favorite places there.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castel_Sant%27Angelo

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://theromanguy.com/italy-travel-blog/italy-travel-blog/rome/how-to-see-rome-in-a-day/#Rome-in-a-Day-with-Castel-Sant-Angelo

After reviewing these one-day itineraries for Rome (including some tours), I can't tell if they are brilliant or miserable.

Anyone BTDT?

I strongly suggest you do not use the Roman guy. We purchased tickets months ahead with them and they changed them 1 week prior to tour after saying they were sold out. How could they seek out when we had reservation. I later learned they do this often. They overbook to get you to purchase and then give you a lower level tour.
I told the lady where we gathered when we arrived what happened and she assured me that we would get our original tour. That did not happen and out tour guide told me to speak to the lady after the tour only to find she left as tours had ended for the day.
There is no one to speak to via telephone and you will only receive a random text if you’re lucky.
Do not book with them.

+1. Do not book any tour with the Roman Guy. They will bait and switch on you and you have no recourse or anyone to talk as they have no number to contact anyone to resolve.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was there last summer in high season. I had also gone in the 90s. It’s totally different now. They have so many checkpoints in high season and probably all the time that you can’t get near enough to “just walk by and see from the outside”. I am a more “go with the flow” type traveler - I refused to prebook anything at Disney and just did things on the fly, and I wouldn’t do that in Rome in August.

For two days in Rome, pick one of the majors and book it all. Pick a hotel near some of the other major areas and wander there for the other day. Depending on when your flight arrives, you might be able to do an evening bus tour just to drive by the key sites. To pick a restaurant go down the side streets behind some of the major touristy areas, like the Piazza Navona - the food will be just as good or better, and a lot less nuts.

Thanks, this is helpful.

I realize that we aren't likely able to get up close to various buildings due to lines and checkpoints (YouTube paints a fairly clear picture of what to expect thanks to recent videos in peak season). But I'm also fine with a nice view from afar---and I have found some tips on that.

Our hotel is walking distance to a number of sites, so we can see them late at night or early in the morning, if necessary.

Only one person in our family really wants to go inside the Colosseum; everyone else wants to tour the Vatican (exact spots TBD).

We've watched a lot of videos, which helps manage expectations. It also helps to identify some spots that aren't in the must see/top 10 lists, and honestly a lot of those places look less crowded but just as interesting (in terms of art, architecture, etc.).

And, since we are starting our trip in Rome, I'm thinking about how to minimize being in close quarters to minimize chance of getting sick.

[Anonymous]

Maybe do a food tour?

We are going at Easter and I have booked the Colosseum and Roman Forum, Vatican/St Peters/Sistine, golf cart tour. Most tours are for the morning time and then we have afternoons free. I was there 15 years ago and did no planning but things are very different now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I would suggest Castel Sant’Angelo if you would like a site that not everyone goes to. You wind your way up through the Castel, learning about centuries of history as you go. As you go up, you find yourself indoors and outdoors along the way, so no worries about your teens having to be inside too much.

Aaand- there is an absolutely amazing view of Rome from the top! If I had the money to take my kids to Rome, I think they would love this place because it’s so cool. One of my favorite places there.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castel_Sant%27Angelo

Excellent tip, pp! Thanks!

This is precisely what I'm looking for: something a little different...and bonus points for the view!

Some YouTuber posted great pics from there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe do a food tour?

We are going at Easter and I have booked the Colosseum and Roman Forum, Vatican/St Peters/Sistine, golf cart tour. Most tours are for the morning time and then we have afternoons free. I was there 15 years ago and did no planning but things are very different now.

Who did you book the tours with?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe do a food tour?

We are going at Easter and I have booked the Colosseum and Roman Forum, Vatican/St Peters/Sistine, golf cart tour. Most tours are for the morning time and then we have afternoons free. I was there 15 years ago and did no planning but things are very different now.

Who did you book the tours with?

Vatican is LivTours
Colosseum/Forum and golf cart - I did through Viator. Not sure the actual tour group.

[Anonymous]

I had less than 48 hours in Rome. Landed 8 am or so, took train into Rome, subway to Vatican City - went straight there with only my regular backpack (I travel light). Had tickets for 1 or 2 pm I think. Did the Vatican City museums, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica, etc. Went to my hotel, about five minutes' walk from Vatican City afterwards, dropped off my stuff.

Went to bed early - hadn't slept well on the red eye over - up before dawn the next morning (the time difference helps!) and started walking. I walked ALL DAY. Simply roamed. I got to the Circus Maximus before I saw anyone - the sun was just rising (this was Labor Day weekend). Then the Palatino. All that stuff - no lines if you go early enough. Then the Coliseum (going in was a waste of time - I should have simply admired from outside. The lines were NOT worth it). I just kept on walking. Lunch at a random pizza place -you can't go wrong with pizza. Gelato a couple of places. Hit the Trevi Fountain which, as people here have said was kinda shitty - I worked my way through the crowds to find it was under construction/closed for cleaning and there was no water. Then the Pantheon. Then just walking around to spots that looked interesting on the map.

I don't think anything was "too far" or
"Rome is too spread out." It's fairly flat and anyone in decent shape can manage it easily.

What really worked for me was starting out super early. The city is just really cool, especially the oldest part (Circus Maxiumus, Palatino) without 7 billion tourists with selfie sticks.

All this was 2018. I did wander into an area a few blocks from the Coliseum where I realized - wow no, I'm not safe here (single female) and I got out of there hastily, back to the tourist track.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe do a food tour?

We are going at Easter and I have booked the Colosseum and Roman Forum, Vatican/St Peters/Sistine, golf cart tour. Most tours are for the morning time and then we have afternoons free. I was there 15 years ago and did no planning but things are very different now.

Who did you book the tours with?

If I can remember our tour for Vatican I will post. I cannot remember the full name. The tour guide was nothing less than phenomenal. Most educational, fun and engaging guide. It wasn’t one that is often advertised or that stands out like viator.
Avoid the Roman Guy like the plague. Everything about that experience was absolutely terrible. From the booking to the guide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had less than 48 hours in Rome. Landed 8 am or so, took train into Rome, subway to Vatican City - went straight there with only my regular backpack (I travel light). Had tickets for 1 or 2 pm I think. Did the Vatican City museums, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica, etc. Went to my hotel, about five minutes' walk from Vatican City afterwards, dropped off my stuff.

Went to bed early - hadn't slept well on the red eye over - up before dawn the next morning (the time difference helps!) and started walking. I walked ALL DAY. Simply roamed. I got to the Circus Maximus before I saw anyone - the sun was just rising (this was Labor Day weekend). Then the Palatino. All that stuff - no lines if you go early enough. Then the Coliseum (going in was a waste of time - I should have simply admired from outside. The lines were NOT worth it). I just kept on walking. Lunch at a random pizza place -you can't go wrong with pizza. Gelato a couple of places. Hit the Trevi Fountain which, as people here have said was kinda shitty - I worked my way through the crowds to find it was under construction/closed for cleaning and there was no water. Then the Pantheon. Then just walking around to spots that looked interesting on the map.

I don't think anything was "too far" or
"Rome is too spread out." It's fairly flat and anyone in decent shape can manage it easily.

What really worked for me was starting out super early. The city is just really cool, especially the oldest part (Circus Maxiumus, Palatino) without 7 billion tourists with selfie sticks.

All this was 2018. I did wander into an area a few blocks from the Coliseum where I realized - wow no, I'm not safe here (single female) and I got out of there hastily, back to the tourist track.

You mentioned you did this in 2018. All this could not be done now.

[Anonymous]

16:20 here - I did see the Sistine Chapel but was it worth the line? I dunno. The line was incredibly long and then I looked up and saw a cool looking ceiling. I had to remind myself that painting that a few hundred years ago would be a lot harder than it would be today.

Vatican City though? St. Peter's Basilica? Yeah you have to see it. The size is stunning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:16:20 here - I did see the Sistine Chapel but was it worth the line? I dunno. The line was incredibly long and then I looked up and saw a cool looking ceiling. I had to remind myself that painting that a few hundred years ago would be a lot harder than it would be today.

Vatican City though? St. Peter's Basilica? Yeah you have to see it. The size is stunning.

What’s with the dunno?

[Anonymous]

16:23 - 16:20 here. how come? Circus Maximus is visible from the outside - I didn't need tickets to see anything. i simply looked at it from the road. The Coliseum is visible from the outside. The Pantheon, I guess they require tickets now?

What is different from 2018?

[Anonymous]

16:28 - 16:20/16:26 here - sorry, I thought I explained "I dunno." I was in a thick crowd, a line through a hallway, for over an hour before I was finally able to enter. By that time I was kind of over the whole museum thing. Sure, it's impressive - but I would have been a lot more impressed a few hundred years ago, before I had anything to compare it to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had less than 48 hours in Rome. Landed 8 am or so, took train into Rome, subway to Vatican City - went straight there with only my regular backpack (I travel light). Had tickets for 1 or 2 pm I think. Did the Vatican City museums, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica, etc. Went to my hotel, about five minutes' walk from Vatican City afterwards, dropped off my stuff.

Went to bed early - hadn't slept well on the red eye over - up before dawn the next morning (the time difference helps!) and started walking. I walked ALL DAY. Simply roamed. I got to the Circus Maximus before I saw anyone - the sun was just rising (this was Labor Day weekend). Then the Palatino. All that stuff - no lines if you go early enough. Then the Coliseum (going in was a waste of time - I should have simply admired from outside. The lines were NOT worth it). I just kept on walking. Lunch at a random pizza place -you can't go wrong with pizza. Gelato a couple of places. Hit the Trevi Fountain which, as people here have said was kinda shitty - I worked my way through the crowds to find it was under construction/closed for cleaning and there was no water. Then the Pantheon. Then just walking around to spots that looked interesting on the map.

I don't think anything was "too far" or
"Rome is too spread out." It's fairly flat and anyone in decent shape can manage it easily.

What really worked for me was starting out super early. The city is just really cool, especially the oldest part (Circus Maxiumus, Palatino) without 7 billion tourists with selfie sticks.

All this was 2018. I did wander into an area a few blocks from the Coliseum where I realized - wow no, I'm not safe here (single female) and I got out of there hastily, back to the tourist track.

You mentioned you did this in 2018. All this could not be done now.

DP

Why?

Did they move the historical sites around so you can no longer walk to them throughout the course of the day?

The poster commented they thought going into the Colosseum was a waste of time, and based on what I've gleaned from dozens of in depth YouTube videos, that's what I had suspected as well.

The time difference might work in our favor in terms of walking around at the crack of dawn to see a few things before the streets get too crowded. By "see" I don't mean go inside.