[Closed] Long weekend in Rome - tips & recommendations

personally i would stay south of the river again in trastevere, not many hotels, mainly apartments, but far better value. and a good place for evening meal / drinks

If you eat in central locations unless you do your research and/or pay high bucks you'll more than likely have a meal that you probably wouldnt be fussed in returning to that same restaurant.

i'd tend to walk around town by foot everywhere, the 1 euro trastevere to piazza venezia tram #8,

was always good to catch home, (watch your pockets, pickpockets in many places)

Thanks.  Should have said, hotel booked already near the Pantheon.  So just looking for good food recommendations and tourist must-dos.

We did a walking food tour which was amazing  It took us to non tourist areas that we would have otherwise not discovered and we ate lots of quality authentic local food. Really interesting abs enjoyable. Highly recommended. I'll hunt out details if you are interested

St. Peter’s is a must see but go early before the crowds really get going. If you want to see Vatican museum (includes Sistine Chapel) prebook before you go-horrendous queue otherwise.  The tomb to Vittoria Emmanuel (big white wedding cake looking building) has a lift to the roof at the back-well worth it for views and only a few mins from the Coloseum.

If your staying by The Pantheon then your not far from Piazza Navona-lovely place.

Eating wise I would second Trastavere. Try to go over Ponte Sisto or Ponte Garibaldi-they will take you into the neighbourhood. Try to stay away from the obvious touristy eateries-try the next street back and you should be fine!

Thanks Bert.

FSinatra, a walking food tour.  Now you’re talking!

If you want to cross the street without dying, find a nun and cross with her. That’s the only time anyone brakes for pedestrians.

Shouldn’t have to wait as there’s a nun on almost every street corner

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-d2201794?m=19905

This is the tour we did

If you want to go to the Colosseum, don’t queue at the Colosseum for your tickets, walk 200yds up the road to the Forum ticket office. It’ll save you a good long queue. Palatine Hill is worth a walk around while you’re there.

St Peter’s Basílica is, IMO, an amazing art gallery with not a jot of spirituality. Same goes for the Vatican Museums. IMHO of course 😉

strangely, the Pantheon struck me as being a much more spiritual place, either because, or in spite of, the fact that it is now a Christian church.

Don’t just ‘do’ the Vatican as there are three other hugely impressive cathedrals which get about 5% of the visitor numbers that St Peters gets.

I would link if I could work out how to do it on this crap forum now.

Just google Santa Maria Maggiore.

Went there three years ago. It seemed well dodgy, but Mrs Squid bought tour tickets from a tout in front of the Colosseum., A good buy - these let us jump the queues and then included a tour of Palatine hill with a very amusing guide: (A jaded US classics postgrad. He told us most of them end up here. He was funny though). Tour ended in the Forum. I would probably still be wandering about there if I'd been allowed. Pantheon is good. Good views from the top of the Altare della Patria. Don't eat near St. Peter's Square/Vatican, the prices are eye-watering. But the shops selling religious tut are amusing. I still wish I'd bought a "dog-collar" so I could get better service in airports etc. Best food was in the Jewish quarter. Italian kosher FTW.

Was in Rome this time last week. For 4 days and nights for my wife’s 50th. I’d never been before and she last went when inter-railing.

We booked “secret food tours” which was pretty good, 3 hours, 8 different dishes, in out of the way spots we wouldn’t have found by ourselves.

We got a three day “omnia pass” which was pricey but included open top bus tour, fast pass entry to coliseum, palatine hill, Roman forum  and Vatican Museums/basilica. Also free use of public transport.

Trastevere is the hip trendy hangout. Went to a place called  “bir & fud “ that sold craft ales etc.

Had a meal at a place called Al 34. Near Spanish steps. Proper family run spot with Nonna in the back bossing the youngsters...

Other highlights: Warhol and pollock exhibition in the museum at il Vittoriano. Wandered into a couple of random churches to find a michaelangelo sculpture within arms length (square Minerva) and some Caravaggio (in the french church).

We went to the Trevi Fountain at midnight after visiting the nearby peroni beer house. Much less crowded at that time of night.

Stumbled into a place called “oasis della birra “ where we are great cheap food surrounded by awesome beer and wine.

We stayed near Piazza Navona and could walk most places. Vatican or Trastevere 15 mins. Coliseum 30 mins.

Brilliant city. You’ll have a ball. It’s like a big open air museum.

It was also 23 degrees last week which helped a lot!

Brilliant city. You’ll have a ball. It’s like a big open air museum.

+1

rome is a fabulous city to visit.  the tours are a great way to understand the history of the area.

we took a really good cycle tour.  don't take the street side tours, some of them are a total ripoff. i think you're better to book online using companies with good reviews

Rome's wonderful, just for wandering around. Avoid any restaurants with pictures on the menu (generally sound advice for anywhere in the world IME). Don't buy cans of drinks from the flashy street stalls unless you're feeling flush, 4€ for a can of Fanta seemed a little excessive...

The Doria Pamphilj Gallery is a little less well known than the main sights, but worth a look if you like art. Velazquez's portrait of Innocent X is stunning.

Oh yeah couple other things.

We would have like to go to villa borghese but you have to pre book. When we phoned them on the morning of the 23rd the earliest availability was the 30th. The only allow 360 people in every 2 hours.

Ditto above re the pantheon, magical building. Has the advantage of being free to enter with no queuing as well (at the time we went at least)

Hire a trike at Villa Borghese grounds at dusk and ride around together finding beautiful spots to see the sunset. I was there at this time last year... ***You MUST take your passport with you though - I didn't so (with two young children with us desperate to ride the family trike) I had to traipse back to the hotel to get mine.

And get ice creams from Giolitti

Ohh, and don't bother with the underground as it is rubbish and Rome is a pretty compact city anyway.

Finally - get a taxi at some point just for the shit n giggles – it's generally more terrifying than a theme park ride.

Was there in the summer and done a really enjoyable cycle tour with The Red Bicycle that included a beer and buffet.

+1 for a taxi journey and use MyTaxi app to keep the price down.  Also pack a water bottle as their are loads of drinking fountains to top up from.

just do the same as everyone else*

*trad.

There was a similar thread on this a while ago.

As well as the above Villa Borghese is well worth it if you can get in.

We were there 3 months ago and there are very limited tickets on the day if you arrive early - we were 15mins before opening and people managed to get days tickets then. If you don't manage to get tickets its still a nce park to walk back through to town

Also free wifi on the street in designated areas which is nice

The Colosseum and the Pantheon are very impressive. I’d recommend walking everywhere because it’s such an amazing city. The Roman Forum is well worth visiting. St Peter’s left me cold, personally- huge, ostentatious, and crammed with tourists taking photos. As someone else has mentioned, there are plenty more interesting churches to visit - even if you’re not religious. I liked the church with the huge marble disc with a face on it (Bocca della Verita).

I’d also recommend taking the short bus to the Via Appia Antica. It’s like being out in the countryside but so close to Rome- gives you a bit of a break from all the traffic. There are some interesting catacombs to visit, and it’s a nice place to walk or hire a bike.

Thanks all for the insight and tips.  Just back after four days there...it may just be my new 'favourite city', overwhelmed by the place tbh.

**and 'sh1#s and giggles', yes ... on arrival at station Termini it was p-ing down so we took a cab and raced across the wet cobbles.  A true white knuckle ride (and I used to navigate in rally cars for many years).

Hah yes! Our taxi ride culminated in the driver jumping out and chasing little shits down the road throwing whatever he could find at them halfway through our journey.