Rome, 6 days. Advice needed

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We are going to Rome in 2 weeks as i am celebrating my 50th birthday. All booked.

Now, how much do you think we should budget for the 6 days?

2 adults, 1 child.

Booked hotel and flights.

Booked online the Colosseum and Vatican.

I was assuming approx 200 euros for the 3 of us a day? Maybe a little more? We will be trying to see as much as possible and eating out day and night. 1 or 2 course meals in the evening.

Any tips would be great as we have never been to Rome. I know August is the hottest time to go but it is for my 50th which is in August! Thanks people
 
Save yourself the Vatican money unless you're a devout Catholic.
 
viv1969 said:
Save yourself the Vatican money unless you're a devout Catholic.
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why?

its absolutely beautiful.

St Pauls Basilica is truly gods church on earth
 
Mr Bump said:
why?

its absolutely beautiful.

St Pauls Basilica is truly gods church on earth
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No...it's really not.
It's a beautiful piece if architecture but vastly overrated and overpriced.
Italy is dripping with beautiful architecture.
 
viv1969 said:
No...it's really not.
It's a beautiful piece if architecture but vastly overrated and overpriced.
Italy is dripping with beautiful architecture.
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got to agree with this

Rome is so full of other amazing things I was pretty disappointed to have wasted so much time with the crowds etc at the vatican. I'm not at all religious though so obviously if you are it has a whole other significance
 
I would say you should be ok on 200euros .. i was there 2 years ago for 4 days and there was 2 of us spent about that but we shopped on that too.
One thing i would do is use the hop on hop off tour bus as that gets you to all the sights and also gives allot of information (via headphones) it is also cheaper than taxi's you can get tickets just outside the main train station. If the child you are taking has a student discount card you can use it on this.. i think it cost me just under 50 euros for a 2 day pass. saying this if you want to walk it all it is all pretty close to hand.

second thing i would say is find a little shop near to your hotel and buy water/drinks from there do not buy them from the snack/drink stands around the city they charge from 5eruos up for a 500ml bottle of coke.

If you have an early morning flight back home make sure you have a drink for the airport there was no where open when we got there.
We did a Vatican tour and really glad we did. It lasted 4 hours and the guy that took us was great very informative, we are not religious but having the history and all the other little story's told to us was rather fun too.

Eating out was hit and miss the places in the main areas were bad to be honest we went off the main roads and found some great places. the best we found was www.labucadiripetta.com. this was at one of the stop on the bus route. it was full of business people but the food was great and really reasonable.

One of the things i always do is one day i leave the map back in the hotel and just go walking around and some of the things you see and find when you get lost can be rather good and fun..

most of all enjoy...
 
OK, you've booked tickets for the Colosseum and the Vatican. I assume you mean the Vatican Museums (which include the Sistine Chapel), because you don't need tickets for St Peter's Basilica. What else do you really want to see and do? Visit the remains of ancient Rome? Pompeii/Herculaneum? Renaissance Rome? Beach? Shopping? Restaurants?
 
viv1969 said:
No...it's really not.
It's a beautiful piece if architecture but vastly overrated and overpriced.
Italy is dripping with beautiful architecture.
Click to expand...

There's no charge for visiting St Peter's Basilica. Are you thinking of the Vatican Museums?
 
MartynK said:
OK, you've booked tickets for the Colosseum and the Vatican. I assume you mean the Vatican Museums (which include the Sistine Chapel), because you don't need tickets for St Peter's Basilica. What else do you really want to see and do? Visit the remains of ancient Rome? Pompeii/Herculaneum? Renaissance Rome? Beach? Shopping? Restaurants?
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Pompei and Herculanum are hundreds of miles away, South of Naples.
 
Rome is an amazing place - 6 days won't be enough ! The Vatican Museum is amazing as is the colosseum. By booking in advance you will definitely miss out on the considerable question. You should be able to book the Forum entrance on line as well - well worth it and visit the spot where Caesar was cremated ( fresh flowers there every day), not to far out is Emperor Hadrian's Villa - a vast ancient roman site.
Hope this helps
James
 
E200 per day will see you eat posh dinners, visit a couple ticketed locations, buy souvenirs, public transport, maybe a concert etc, etc and there should be still some left. I could personally do with E50 a day without any trouble at all.

Enjoy your time there. It is one of my favourite cities.

viv1969 said:
Save yourself the Vatican money unless you're a devout Catholic.
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Is this some form of personal hate towards Catholic church? Keep it to yourself maybe. I could think of hundreds of ways to waste money in Rome in far far worse way. Basilica is free by the way (donations are obviously encouraged as anywhere else). Basilica is great piece of architecture, one of the largest (if not the largest) in the world, really well worth the climb to the dome too.
 
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daugirdas said:
Is this some form of personal hate towards Catholic church? Keep it to yourself maybe.
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You really do interpret things in your own special way, don't you? :rolleyes:

My visit to Rome was 29 years ago and was a tour organised by the catholic school I attended for 12 years. I meant the cost of the museums and sistine chapel.

There are, as you know, many many amazing places to visit in Rome, and a good portion of those would be ahead of anything Vatican on my list.
 
jbw said:
Rome is an amazing place - 6 days won't be enough ! The Vatican Museum is amazing as is the colosseum. By booking in advance you will definitely miss out on the considerable question. You should be able to book the Forum entrance on line as well - well worth it and visit the spot where Caesar was cremated ( fresh flowers there every day), not to far out is Emperor Hadrian's Villa - a vast ancient roman site.
Hope this helps
James
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Sure, but you don't need to book for the Forum if you have a ticket for the Colosseum. This covers the Forum and the Palatine Hill too.
 
andy700 said:
Pompei and Herculanum are hundreds of miles away, South of Naples.
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No, they aren't. The sites are about 200 odd kilometres south of Rome, which isn't "hundreds of miles away". Rome - Naples is approximately 2 hours by Inter City (there are faster trains, but this is the best value in terms of fare/travel time), and Pompeii is another 35 - 40 minutes on the Circumvesuviano suburban route from Naples. There are day tours by coach too, if you don't want to travel independently. It's a long day, but perfectly feasible and we've done it several times.

Ostia Antica offers a similar experience. It's just outside Rome, and doesn't get nearly as busy, but Pompeii is pretty iconic. I only posed the question to get an idea of what the OP was interested in anyway.
 
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The Vatican is decent if you feel like being inspired to vomit uncontrollably the obscene and gratuitous wealth accumulated by the "Church of the Poor".
 
viv1969 said:
There are, as you know, many many amazing places to visit in Rome, and a good portion of those would be ahead of anything Vatican on my list.
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Each to their own but for 6 days you need to visit it. and it's not expensive, I think we only paid a small amount to go the the roof.
Eating out is ok, not as good as other parts of italy, I found it a little rushed and they wanted you in and out a lot, but find some of the quieter out of the way places and it's much better. We did have a memorable meal with 30 'businessmen', who sat around a large table next to us and were completely fawned over by the owners and staff. I was chatting to a few, went to take photos and was politely told it wasn't 'acceptable'.

There's a few good art museums around, we found one with a stunning exhibition in. Just mooch around, enjoy, take it all in and don't try to do too much. Enjoy the size of everything
 
ghoti said:
The Vatican is decent if you feel like being inspired to vomit uncontrollably the obscene and gratuitous wealth accumulated by the "Church of the Poor".
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I have a photo of the sunlight through the top window that comes down like a spear of light - very inspiring and I'm not religious.
 
The Vatican Museums, the art collections, and the Sistine Chapel offer an amazing experience and millions of people enjoy them for what they are, without dragging their personal opinions about the Roman Catholic church into it. The tickets are a bit pricey, and the queues are long - unless you book in advance or join a tour - but I'd recommend them to anyone visiting Rome unless they're simply not interested in this sort of thing.

FWIW, my wife (Catholic) and I both find St Peter's Basilica overpowering and rather unattractive, so we no longer visit it. That's neither here nor there, it's not a judgement. I would love to take the necropolis tour below the basilica though, but that usually has to be booked a few months in advance. I'm not convinced by the claim that St Peter's grave is down there, directly beneath the altar, but my interest is historical and not religious.
 
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Oh and remember you have to be covered to go into the church. Men are to wear long trousers, and at least short sleeves. Women should not have their shoulders or knees showing
 
MartynK said:
No, they aren't. The sites are about 200 odd kilometres south of Rome, which isn't "hundreds of miles away". Rome - Naples is approximately 2 hours by Inter City (there are faster trains, but this is the best value in terms of fare/travel time), and Pompeii is another 35 - 40 minutes on the Circumvesuviano suburban route from Naples. There are day tours by coach too, if you don't want to travel independently. It's a long day, but perfectly feasible and we've done it several times.

Ostia Antica offers a similar experience. It's just outside Rome, and doesn't get nearly as busy, but Pompeii is pretty iconic. I only posed the question to get an idea of what the OP was interested in anyway.
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A round trip of 400 kilometres is "hundreds" of miles. A round trip in a day of 2hours 40 minutes (if everything goes to plan) each way - 5 hours 20 minutes, is in my opinion a long day trip.
Oh yes, Pompei in August is going to be one of the most uncomfortable places on earth, because it will be boiling, and there is hardly any shade in Pompei.
 
Some great advice people. Many thanks indeed.

Yes, i am a strong Catholic but i am going to Rome as it is somewhere that i have always wanted to go and it ties in nicely with my half century birthday! I want to visit as much as possible.

I have read about the Hop on Hop off bus. Will definitely try to use that.

I love history and as we all know Rome is full of that and more.

So, need to cover up for churches then.

Anymore advice then please keep posting as i am making notes! Cheers.
 
Take the advice of an Italian, go to Naples instead :)

Pompeii, Vesuvius, Sorrento and the Amalfi coast not to mention Capri Ischia and Procida a photographer's paradise but I am biased lol
 
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ghoti said:
The Vatican is decent if you feel like being inspired to vomit uncontrollably the obscene and gratuitous wealth accumulated by the "Church of the Poor".
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I am sure there are more fine art opportunities in a certain Scottish City we have the real pleasure and privilege of living in (!) but for the love of God Vatican has an amazing collection of art and is an amazing place itself. Oh well at least we now know better where the real values and beauty are.
 
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I'd skip the Fontana di Trevi. It's something everyone feels they should to go see, but it's in a tiny square which is always impossibly overcrowded and you get endless and persistent hassle from street vendors.
There are far more impressive sites in Rome, so I'd put it low on your list unless you particularly enjoy arguing with men trying to sell you crap.
 
daugirdas said:
P.s. Fontana di Trevi is a must to see at dusk, Spanish steps, twin churches, etc
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I think the Fountain has been drained and scaffolding erected over the facade for repair work that's going to take a year or so? I'd still go to it, if I hadn't been to Rome before, but it's a pity this had to happen just before the OP's visit!
 
ghoti said:
I'd skip the Fontana di Trevi. It's something everyone feels they should to go see, but it's in a tiny square which is always impossibly overcrowded and you get endless and persistent hassle from street vendors.
There are far more impressive sites in Rome, so I'd put it low on your list unless you particularly enjoy arguing with men trying to sell you crap.
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Not as bad as it gets darker, but in general you have to get used to people and traders selling junk in many eu prime locations. Treat it a bit like big issues salesmen. I am sure the latter doesn't affect your affection with your current city.
Termini and flaminio may offer a different view if everything else doesn't cut it :lol: there is always marseille and it is closer :)

MartynK said:
I think the Fountain has been drained and scaffolding erected over the facade for repair work that's going to take a year or so? I'd still go to it, if I hadn't been to Rome before, but it's a pity this had to happen just before the OP's visit!
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It's a shame about that but hopefully it is for the better in the future. I haven't been there for a while so I am a little out of date. There is a nice replica in Las Vegas by the way
 
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daugirdas said:
There is a nice replica in Las Vegas by the way
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All show and no substance.
There's no decent replica of anything in Vegas...including their poor go at the Eiffel Tower.

If you want a hooker though, then there are plenty of Hispanic pimps on the strip day and night.
 
Cheers guys. 2 weeks before we go! Not looking forward to the sweltering heat as apparently August is the worst time but birthday is in August!

Wary of pick pockets etc as i have a 7yr old daughter. She is my biggest worry. Eyes in back of head spring to mind!
 
Raincloud said:
Wary of pick pockets etc as i have a 7yr old daughter. She is my biggest worry. Eyes in back of head spring to mind!
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Don't worry about it. As anywhere look like a local, not like american tourist, no wallet / valuables in the back pocket or accessory handbag; best to use inner pockets, rucksack, etc. Also avoid gypsies and very crowded places (probably public transport in particular at peak times). Honestly it should be fine unless your look is creaming "I'm full of goodies, take it"
 
We found the best places to eat were just off the main areas, often walking a few minutes down the alleys would get a good meal at decent prices. I never found it to expensive, apart from getting ripped on drinks at a few bars. Then again these were really smart places to hang out so I suppose its the same in all citys.

Buy a bottle of water then fill it up at the various fountains, I drank loads it was that hot. We walked just about everywhere, there is always something to see. Never saw any pickpockets but did hear about a woman getting done on the bus. If you not careful I suppose you could get done.

Enjoyed the lower level tour of the Colosseum which must be booked seperate. Out of everything we saw the place that really stood out for me was the Basilica of San Clemente just up from the Colosseum. You really do go back in time in there. I would really try and get to see this, it could be done after the Colosseum. Just be aware the women have to have shoulders covered, it has a strict dress code.

http://www.basilicasanclemente.com/

We loved Rome.
 
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daugirdas said:
Not as bad as it gets darker, but in general you have to get used to people and traders selling junk in many eu prime locations. Treat it a bit like big issues salesmen. I am sure the latter doesn't affect your affection with your current city.
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I've been all over Europe and the Trevi is certainly one of the worst places for relentless hassle from extremely pushy vendors. Probably because it's such a compact and crowded space. It's almost as bad as Cairo. The part of Montmartre by the side of the Sacre Couer in Paris is a close second.
Other than that, Rome is one of my very favourite places on Earth.
I don't live in Glasgow, by the way. I haven't for some time. Regardless, Big Issue sellers tend not to be pushy and they take no for an answer.
 
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Raincloud said:
Cheers guys. 2 weeks before we go! Not looking forward to the sweltering heat as apparently August is the worst time but birthday is in August!

Wary of pick pockets etc as i have a 7yr old daughter. She is my biggest worry. Eyes in back of head spring to mind!
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Nobody will pick pocket your daughter! In fact, being too paranoid about watching her may put you at more risk yourself.

The Italians in general are absolutely fantastic with children. You'll probably find her being endlessly and sincerely fussed over in a pleasant way and you don't get any of that sniffy attitude to children you experience in cafes and restaurants in the UK.
 
Second that, Italians love kids.
I didn't have any issues with pick pockets and I was walking around with a camera backpack the whole time. Rome was ok, it's definitely an experience, but I preferred Venice and Verona.
 
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