Rome, On Our Own.
Written: Jan 03 '03 (Updated Aug 13 '09)
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Pros: An amazing city with a wonderful mix of the old and new.
Cons: Hot in the summer.
The Bottom Line: Rome is a wonderful way to start off a trip to Italy. There is so much to see in a relatively small area.
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| popsrocks's Full Review: Rome |
My wife and I celebrated our thirtieth anniversary with a trip to Italy. We stayed in Rome for a week before moving on to other parts of the country.
We decided not to do Italy through a tour but rather on our own. We used the internet including Epinions and Fodors and Frommers guides as our source if information in planning. Going to Rome on our Rome was an excellent decision!!
FLYING IN
We flew in Alitalia. It was fairly comfortable ride in coach. At the airport we found getting around easy. There were some signs in English and those in Italian certainly were easy enough to understand as to what they meant.
From the airport there is direct train service to middle city of Rome. We cabbed it because our hotel was just outside the city. We stayed in a five star hotel called the Cavaleiri Hilton. We stayed through Hilton Honors points. We chose this hotel because of it's pools, spas, and fine restaurants. We wanted a quiet place to spend our down time from hard days of touring. It was perfect.
HOTELS
There are many different types and rated hotels throughout the city. There are many very close to the train station. That would make traveling throughout the city convenient. Frommers and Foders are a good source to start from for making a choice.
GETTING AROUND
We did do Rome on our own. Being a bit out of the way and because I was still nursing a pre-operative knee and walking with a cane we used cabs for most of our travels in the city. Rome is really not all that large and the cost of most of our rides was $5 to $7 to most attractions. This also gave us more time to check out the sites, get some free commentary, and be dropped off exactly where we wanted.
Rome does have an excellent bus system that goes everywhere. It's subways, though, are limited to just two lines. This is because as they were digging new lines they kept running into archeologic sites. Many lines were never finished and the city has finds under it yet to be discovered. Once again I state that because Rome isn't that large an area, most of it is within walking distance of the train stops.
The bus and train system have tickets you purchase before boarding. These are purchased in news stands and cigarette stores. There are some automated machines also but these are not easily found. It is important to have your tickets for the day because many of the stores close well before the transportation lines do. Buses are boarded from the rear and not the front like here in the states.
TO SPEAK ITALIAN OR NOT TO SPEAK ITALIAN?
My wife and I had taken Italian lessons at a local high school adult class. We found that though it gave the locals a good laugh listening to us it really wasn't needed in the tourist areas. For that matter most of Rome has English speaking people in there business establishments, even off the beaten path. Once outside of Rome things are a bit different. I hope to review our Tuscany trip soon. We rented a car and hit the Italian countryside on our own. Some Italian is a help when outside Rome, but Rome on our own was easy.
Being part Italian myself, and growing up with grandparents that came through Ellis Island and spoke little English, I learned to love the sound and pace of the language. Do take some time to just watch the people interact with each other. Their use of descriptive hands is also an art. Watch it!
RESTAURANTS
The restaurants are wonderful. We went to a few noted in our travel books but the most fun and best experiences were those of happening upon a place and sitting down to eat. I never realized the difference between the bottled wines I drink at home and the house wines served at the restaurants. Every place had wines that were fabulous. A carafe at lunch for the two of us was the norm and the food was outstanding. Do know that it is custom to have your salad served after the main course in Italy. It took some getting used to but "While in Rome.........".
SITES TO SEE
Being we had almost a full week we had time to adventure and see many of the sites. Some of the ones that stand out are the Colosseum and Forum. I enjoyed the history and granduer of these places. I do recommend bringing water with you wherever you go but especially here. Thankfully there are not a lot of vendors in this area. We did these places along with Capitoline Hill, Capitoline Museums, Palentine Hill, and the Arch of Constantine in one day. Start early and get on line for the Colosseum early.
Another area we did was the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, and Pantheon. This was also done in one day at a slow pace taking in Old Rome and the new with it's wonderful shops on main streets and tucked in little alley ways. Be sure to have some gelato while walking the streets.
CHURCHES and the VATICAN
I couldn't even mention all the churches of the area. There are so many and each is a treasure. It is important to try to do Rome on your own with some time if you can.
We spent two half days at the Vatican area. One morning we were sure to be first in line for the museums. Needless to say the Sistine Chapel is a must! I also strongly suggest renting the self guided tour tapes and learning so much about the history of the artists and city alike. I learned so much more about Michelangelo, Raphael, and so many of the other artists. Without the tape I would otherwise walk through the buildings and not know how much there is to learn and how interesting it truly is.
While walking out of the Vatican museums we were accosted by a group of "Gypsies". They suddenly crowded around my wife and me and a few others. Just be assertive and keep moving. My waving cane was a help too. Bags, wallets, and pocketbooks should be in secure places. This was the only time we felt any kind of threat while in Italy. Just be aware.
My wife and I were able to get tickets to the Papal Audience. Again Frommers, Fodders, or even the Vatican web site can give you information on how to get them. The Audience was a wonderful experience. We being Catholic appreciated being there but, I must say, all people would enjoy it. It was wonderful watching the Pope interact with the different groups that came to see him from all over the world.
Be sure to take the walk to the top of the dome of St Peter's. It was a difficult trek for me with the bum knee but it was so well worth it! The views are fabulous and the whole climb and rooftop walks were a great experience, a highlite of our trip!
SO MUCH MORE
Rome does have so much more to offer. we enjoyed shopping and eating in the Trastevere neighborhood. We did have a problem getting a cab back to our hotel late at night from there. You can always call your hotel and they will send a cab. We did go through the Villa Borghese. This did not do much for me. maybe I missed something. Please comment if you have any thoughts about it. You will constantly be passing the Castel Sant'Angelo. It is beautifully lit up at night. It is a walking distance from the Vatican area.
SIDE TRIPS
For a change and a break out of the busy city area we took a side trip to the town of Assisi. It was the only guided tour we took. It was arranged through our hotel. It was very informative but at the same time reenforced our feeling of doing the vacation on our own. Assisi is a beautiful hilltop town. I hope to do a review on it in the near future too.
SEE ROME ON A TOUR OR ON YOUR OWN
It truly is an adventure into history and another culture. If you can do it on your own do it. If it's a tour you must take enjoy it and try to get some free time to explore on your own.
Rome is listed in the book 1,000 Places To See Before You Die. To read about the book and see some of the other listings go to
1,000 Places to See Before You Die
Other reviews in Italy by popsrocks
Florence
A side trip to Pisa
Tuscany
Venice
The Danielli, a five star Hotel in Venice
Rome
The Colosseum
The Pantheon
Spanish Steps
Cavellieri Hilton, a five star resort in Rome
Two other great cities!
London
New York City
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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