[Closed] What to see in Rome

There's loads to see. Buy a book (L Planet or something) and see what tickles your fancy. Almost everything is rammed with tourists (or was in the springtime anyway, so early starts/late finishes are probably a good thing if you're after good photos

Especially the Trevi. Tiny space, so go when it's quiet - v early morning maybe

St Peters Basilica in the Vatican
Vatican Museums

Do they allow tripods in the Vatican?

I think we should solicit Mr Woppit's opinion on this one. 😉

More seriously, just wandering the steets is pretty amazing. I remember stumbling upon Trajan's Column and having to pinch myself. I has studied it when I was doing my first undergrad, and never gave it a second thought until there it was, right in front of me.

If you like the history of civilisation, you will love everything about Rome.

We had a lot of hassle from hawkers around the fountain. Stash your valuables and look well hard.
Being a philistine I can take or leave the buildings but the ice cream .. Eat some for me.

Just do as the Romans

We had a lot of hassle from hawkers around the fountain. Stash your valuables and look well hard.

My parents went there and my mother lost all her valuables, someone slashed her handbag with a knife and emptied it without her noticing!

The forum and Colosseum are an absolute must.

My favourite was Santa Maria Maggiore, but any of the four major cathedrals are quite something.

pantheon
forum
trajan column
slightly unkempt circus maximus

so so much

some good suggestions...

Get a good map and walk about, you trip over bits of history everywhere - fantastic city.

Go on a Scavi tour, it is excavations under The Basilica, you can only book tours through the Vatican website, and there are very limited tours in very small groups. It is very interesting and shows the streets of Rome before the Basilica was built above it

Double post

The Parthenon is in Greece....

But the Pantheon!!!! Holy crap, I was absolutely blown away by that building!!! I love architecture so like to go see buildings and this is certainly the most stunned I have been by any building, its nothing fancy really, its just the pure size and scale of it and the atmosphere, along with wondering how on EARTH did the Romans build that 2000 years ago???? HOW??? First building to be building from concrete that (albeit an slightly different form)...

Wander round trastevere and eat there one evening. We did that and walked all the way back to the hotel through the main part of Rome and just stumbled on the Trevi fountain. We strolled for about 2 hours and it was wonderful just soaking it up

Take a picnic and go for a wander down the Appian way.

Get away from the usual hotspots if possible. Baths of Caracalla is impressive, Palatine Hill good for a wander (and for views). Also, if you have a head for heights, take a trip up to the top of the Basilica Dome - Incredible views over the entire city and beyond.

As others have said - Pantheon is well worth a visit, would aslo recommend the colosseum/forum Romano.
The Vatican (St Peters + the Museums) are a full day, but well worth it - the climb up to the top of St Peters is fab aswell.

I'd agree with the advice about hiding valuables and looking well 'ard, we didn't get robbed ('cos I look well 'ard) but did get hassled a few times)

There's the Castel Sant'Angelo too, which used to be the Papal residence before the Vatican. If you get chance to visit the catacombs too it's well worth it.

Whatever you do, don't try to look cool or "blend in". You can't. You won't. You'll stick out like a sore thumb. Which you will anyway, unless you are actually Italian....

Enjoy...

I will wear my finest STW T-shirt. That should tell the crooks I mean business in a bearded single speed sort of way.....

Does anyone have any recommendations of where to eat? Where is the best coffee/ice cream/pizza etc?

I tried all the ice cream near the fountain and it was all lovely.

All based on going in June when it was a bit busy

Spanish steps = Yawn
Trevi Fountain = A bit oh is that all

Pantheon = Ace
Colloseum = Ace
All the ruins to the west of the collseum = Ace
Piazza Novona = Pretty good with plenty going on also there is a restaurant literally at the south entrance (on the path in) which was good but then I've never been to a bad eating place in Italy.

Vatican stuff = PITA as the queue is massive so a very early start needed. Literally had no time as stepped on train 30 seconds before it left after dragging wife through the Cistine chapel with only a glance at the ceiling. This was the second attempt to get in but the queue was back to St Peters square and 5 across the first time.

Take some chill time, find a nice cafe/bar somewhere like Piazza Venezia, take an outside seat and just watch the chaos.

😀

The forum. Go and wander round the forum.

If I recall, the Lonely Planet "self guided walking tour" was great too.

Didn't bother with the Vatican museums. Huge queue, not my thing. There are great museums everywhere that you don't have to queue all morning for

Take some chill time, find a nice cafe/bar somewhere like Piazza Venezia, take an outside seat and just watch the chaos.

Sound advice - the road-side cafes are great. I don't know if the pizza is actually any better there, but it seems so!

I remember stumbling upon Trajan's Column and having to pinch myself. I has studied it when I was doing my first undergrad,

I'm off to Rome for the first time in Aug and Trajan's Column will be my highlight.

As a Typography graduate in the early 90s it was revered. The inscription at the base is so perfect, so beautiful, that it was thought for centuries - right up until recently - to have been geometrically constructed.

Then someone twigged it was done 'freehand' by an absolute genius.

Can't wait to see it.

Trevi Fountain = A bit oh is that all

I was there yesterday. I think you need a trip to Specsavers...

Do a food tour. We went with this mob.

http://www.eatingitalyfoodtours.com/

A great way to see round a neighborhood, and the food was excellent too. History, sites and grub.

D

Oh, and the Vatican is worth seeing, but arrive early and be prepared to queue

Booked a Vatican tour for Saturday, so don't have to queue for tickets, just security.

http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/z-Info/MV_Info_Servizi_Visite.html

Opted for: Vatican Museums and Saint Peter's Basilica (duration of the tour is 3 hours)

The tour follows an itinerary which includes: the Pio Clementino Museum (classical antiquity), the Gallery of the Candelabras, the Gallery of the Tapestries and the Gallery of the Geographical Maps (Renaissance Art), the Raphael Rooms, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica.

Palatine Hill was great, went in the summer. Lots of tours outside colluseum offer palatine hill tour aswell (only across the road nearly). We had an american tour guide who was very knowledgeable.

Agree with most of the above esp Zippykona's advice for ice cream. The OH and I bought two ice creams with all the trimmings - €28. Nearly choked on it. Was top notch though.

There is a tiny restaurant called Dell'Omo just round the corner from Termini. It looks like a crap cafeteria but the food is stunning, dirt cheap and lots of it. Oh, and the wine by the carafe is very drinkable and also cheap.

There is a tiny restaurant called Dell'Omo just round the corner from Termini. It looks like a crap cafeteria but the food is stunning, dirt cheap and lots of it. Oh, and the wine by the carafe is very drinkable and also cheap.

Top tip!

We took a guided tour with an Aussie through the Vatican. bonus was queue skipping! and he was pretty damn funny.
I loved Rome, you can walk everywhere. Take a wander down the backstreets for some off the beaten track restaurants. All the wine we sampled was fab.

Visited for a day in November - utterly amazing. We got home then had to watch Angels & Demons again to see some of the sights, and realised we'd had lunch in the square where the cardinal gets drowned in the fountain.

Might sound a bit sad (waits for an STW culture slagging), but watch it before you go and it'll fire your imagination for all the history you're going to be immersed in.

Rob

All based on going in June when it was a bit busy

Spanish steps = Yawn
Trevi Fountain = A bit oh is that all

Pantheon = Ace
Colloseum = Ace
All the ruins to the west of the collseum = Ace
Piazza Novona = Pretty good with plenty going on also there is a restaurant literally at the south entrance (on the path in) which was good but then I've never been to a bad eating place in Italy.

Vatican stuff = PITA as the queue is massive so a very early start needed. Literally had no time as stepped on train 30 seconds before it left after dragging wife through the Cistine chapel with only a glance at the ceiling. This was the second attempt to get in but the queue was back to St Peters square and 5 across the first time.

I'd agree with pretty much all that, although we had better luck with the Vatican - definitely get there early. Best thing IMO was just wandering about, there's something to see around every corner.

For eating, just get off the main streets - any restaurant with pictures on the menu is probably best avoided 🙂

ransos - Member

Trevi Fountain = A bit oh is that all

I was there yesterday. I think you need a trip to Specsavers...

It's a fountain and not a very big one at that. Nor does it do anything exciting.

I fully admit that other people may think it's ace.

"The Forum" that's the bit I was thinking of. Wish we'd had the time to go round again. My favourite section was through the entrance at the Colloseum and then turn left to eventually get to look out over the Chariot Track. (I really should remember what some of this stuff is really called) Also benefitted from being really quiet as there were no columns lying around to look at.

The "Chariot Track" - aka Circus Maximus - isn't massively interesting, at least compared to everything else there is to see. Still, it's close to the Colosseum and Forum, so if you do fancy going there it's not a big risk.

One thing I'd definitely recommend not doing is going on the underground, it's dark and dingy and best avoided!

Rome's ace! The usual suspects are all listed......go and enjoy them.
If you're there on a wednesday Popey does his address in St.Peter's Sq every weds morning - you could give him a wave. The queues to get into Vatican and St Peter's can be enormous, but bear with it ~ it really is worth it. The Sistene Chapel was a bit underwhelming, considering it's reputation, but the Vatican museum is outrageous! And St Peter's is probably my favouite building 🙂

You can book the Vatican online in advance, so can avoid the queues.

EDIT: I'm seeing the Pope at 2.30 on Saturday to set him straight on a few things....

It's a fountain and not a very big one at that. Nor does it do anything exciting.

What, exactly were you expecting? The hanging gardens of Babylon?

What, exactly were you expecting? The hanging gardens of Babylon?

Well, seeing as it's on the list of must-see things... something a bit more spectacular, I suppose? It's a nice enough fountain, but it's not something I'd want to visit more than once - unlike the other main sites in Rome.

ransos - Member

It's a fountain and not a very big one at that. Nor does it do anything exciting.

What, exactly were you expecting? The hanging gardens of Babylon?

It's on a par with the Astronomical clock in Prague.
:0)

When I went to Rome, I saw MrsMitch in some very saucy undies. We were on honeymoon at the time, and it was twelve years ago now, so I doubt you'll see her when you go.

so I doubt you'll see her when you go.

Didn't she tell you she's away this WE?

She said she was going to her sisters! Right, it's the patio for her!

Well made it. Staying about 50m from Trevi Fountain:

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8514/8456086579_acd01d21ff.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8514/8456086579_acd01d21ff.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8456086579/ ]Trevi Fountain[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8228/8457192966_ed02abf389.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8228/8457192966_ed02abf389.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8457192966/ ]Trevi Fountain[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr

Nice I'm there next week, where's the cheapest beer?

Bit late for the OP, whose photos look lovely, but if you have a smart phone, consider downloading a guide book eg thru the Kindle app. It's a lot easier that carrying a book around and reduces the dumb tourist look slightly. Of course, you can't buy a second hand e book and borrowing them from the library is trickier.

We're using the Lonely Planet iPhone App. It's basic, but shows where you are on its map and has all the sites marked with brief descriptions.

Well we've just done the three hour Vatican tour, comprising museums, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica. Bit of an ordeal but worth it for the detailed commentary. As an Atheist I know bugger all about the history of the Catholic Church, so learnt a fair bit, which I've probably forgotton by now!

St Peter's Basilica is just mind blowing, will post some photos later. Found the Cistine Chapel very under whelming. It was packed with 300 tourists all taking photos of the ceiling whilst 10 guards just shouted 'No Photos' continually and everyone ignored them. Supposedly you're supposed to contemplate in silence!

We rocked up on All Souls Day so unbeknownst to us the Sistine Chapel was shut, rest of the walk round was impressive though.

Bit random and vague, but there's a deli place on one of the streets near the Vatican, does lovely slabs of chocolate with nuts in. We had ours when we got back to the hotel sat on the bed, think the maid thought we were having some sort of dirty protest the next morning crumbs got everywhere.

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8377/8459638046_33634d105b.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8377/8459638046_33634d105b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8459638046/ ]View from Pantheon[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8109/8458525969_e7f23c9023.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8109/8458525969_e7f23c9023.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8458525969/ ]Inside the Pantheon[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr

And a few more:

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8520/8458499555_42e1b19594.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8520/8458499555_42e1b19594.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8458499555/ ]St. Peter's Basilica[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8245/8458516763_ebaa169b12.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8245/8458516763_ebaa169b12.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8458516763/ ]St. Peter's Basilica[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8532/8458378645_67c0f0f4a0.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8532/8458378645_67c0f0f4a0.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8458378645/ ]Vatican[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8508/8459519760_e442ae2eaa.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8508/8459519760_e442ae2eaa.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8459519760/ ]Vatican Museums[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8505/8459532688_3a4fcecafb.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8505/8459532688_3a4fcecafb.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8459532688/ ]Vatican Museums[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8377/8459543196_b10e5dcd54.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8377/8459543196_b10e5dcd54.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8459543196/ ]Vatican Museums[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8528/8459458836_6ee462b210.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8528/8459458836_6ee462b210.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8459458836/ ]Temple of Hadrian, Rome[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr

More Frescos than you could shake a stick at:

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8100/8458470503_0294caa2a6.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8100/8458470503_0294caa2a6.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8458470503/ ]Papal Chambers, Vatican[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8510/8459582456_b3402e1166.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8510/8459582456_b3402e1166.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8459582456/ ]Papal Chambers, Vatican[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8087/8458452095_90d86cc748.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8087/8458452095_90d86cc748.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8458452095/ ]Papal Chambers, Vatican[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr

One weird thought which occurred to me, is you're walking on the same steps which Roman Emperors used, and they don't look too bad for it:

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8232/8459469336_dfa72faec4.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8232/8459469336_dfa72faec4.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8459469336/ ]Roman Emperors walked on these steps[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr

Obviously statues everywhere:

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8384/8458368575_2cb68fea6f.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8384/8458368575_2cb68fea6f.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8458368575/ ]Piazza del Popolo, statue[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8097/8459473172_3aa83ba98b.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8097/8459473172_3aa83ba98b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8459473172/ ]Piazza del Popolo, statue[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr

Most of the famous stuff is nicely lit at night as well, which makes for nice evening walks:

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8088/8456103439_58b7ba81c1.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8088/8456103439_58b7ba81c1.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8456103439/ ]Spanish Steps[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr

Did the Colosseum today.

My top tip is the touts outside, offering a tour to skip the queues is actually a very good deal. For E28 each you get entry to the Colosseum (E12.5) plus a 90 min guided tour and then entry to Palatine Hill (E12) plus a 90 min guided tour with very knowledgeable guides. So that works out at about E3.5 for three hours of a guide. Plus, you do skip the huge queue and go straight in. If you don't like guided tours, you can ditch the guide as soon as you get in and just meet up with them later for Palatine Hill.

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8106/8462214257_28eed2c404.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8106/8462214257_28eed2c404.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8462214257/ ]The Colosseum at night[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8382/8461117895_e3278430cc.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8382/8461117895_e3278430cc.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8461117895/ ]The Colosseum[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr

For such a famous place, I've been impressed by how little hassle we've had from touts and hawkers - it's been pretty relaxed on the whole, not been hassled by anyone in three days here.

Can I recommend hiring a car and driving about the place?

It will be the most terrifying, intimidating and horrendous activity you will probably ever partake in but it'll set your perspective for the rest of your life.

Oh, and I've been all over the world and the only place anyone has been quick enough to get away with my money was in Rome. They cut through my coat while it was hanging on the back of my chair in a cafe. I felt them trying to tug the wallet out, saw and chased them, two blokes. They pulled the cash out of the wallet while I was chasing them and threw the wallet to one side, immediately stopped and faced me with a knife. All they'd stolen was about 30 quid's worth of cash so I shrugged, picked up my wallet and walked away.

Watch your valuables.

Yes, the taxi drive from the airport was an experience! So far, we've just walked everywhere - it's so compact you can walk from the Colosseum to the Vatican in 20 mins, although in practice it takes about 5 hours as you keep spotting ancient monuments every 100 yards and wandering around them.....

On the security aspect, massive police presence at all the tourist attractions. I've been wandering round with a £7k camera day and night and not had anyone so much as take an interest in it....

Another tip, just about every museum and church seems to be shut on a Monday.

footflaps, have you been at the Vatican and threatened to reveal that the Pope was your first brickie on your garage or something?

http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/pope-resigns