Anyone been on a tour in Rome? Any other Rome tips?

[StJulian2023]

Taking DC to Rome on my own for half term, we’ll have 3 full days. DC 11 and 13, eldest with ADHD. Has anyone booked a collosseum tour they’d recommend? Would need to be small group or just us for it to work for eldest.

Was hoping to just wander in the Sistine chapel but big long queue would be a challenge.

And anyone know what needs to be booked in advance?

Thanks for any help, excited but also getting cold feet! Oh - the cat sanctuary is essential according to DD, anyone been?!

Bearing in mind my Rome information is about 15 years out of date....but there WAS a hassle free self service restaurant with good food at decent prices on the first floor of Termini Station, if you happen to be passing through.

Be very careful not to get pickpocketed.

Mozzarella bars?! What delight is this?!

Oh my, Sistine chapel is on-off-on-off-on again! 🤣🤣

I absolutely will

Termini has really upped its game in lots of respects nowadays. Lots of different eateries inside.
(Just keep inside and don't venture very far outside as it's an extremely dodgy area)

Oh, that's cool. We'll be travelling in and out every day as we're staying way out in Marino (where presumably there will be plenty of restaurants and supermarkets at locals' prices 😊). Will definitely venture out of the station to have a look at the Baths of Diocletian (but never fear, I speak fluent Italian and am ferocious 😆)

I've been to Rome solo a few times and never been pickpocketed but I thinks that's unusual. I used a travel lock to lock my handbag 🤣

Termini was fine, Like any main London station. Head from there down the via nationale and you'll avoid the dodgy bits.

The gardens at the villa borghese are lovely when you want a bit of space to chill out away from the bustle of the city. Although to be fair - I've not found Rome as busy as other cities - London always seems to be much worse in my experience.

There's a great food market at the piazza di fiori once a week.

You do have to be very careful around the Vatican area as restaurants can be very hit and miss. There are some very good ones in the back streets by Piazza Navona, some near a church, as I recall, on the north west side.

There's another cat sanctuary by the pyramide, you get to it through the Protestant cemetery where Kents is buried. The whole cemetery is full of cats!

If you use the trains while you're there, don't forget to get your ticket validated (stamped) before boarding or you'll be fined! There are machines for this by the platforms

My DC were a little bit older than yours but as well as Forum/Coliseum/usual suspects, they enjoyed VR tour at Circus Maximus, and a night time ghost/murder walking tour. DD would have moved into the cat sanctuary. I enjoyed a walking food tour - they liked the ice cream part of that 😂

My dd took me last year for my birthday.

Yku can bypass the queues by booking tickets for things like the Vatican museum online - we just walked straight in - no queues . Spent the day there then went to St. Peter's square and the basilica which is well worth the visit - it's amazing. Rome was absolutely amazing. All easy walking and the metro only goes left or right so you can't get lost ! The food , the architecture, the museums, parks , I had an absolute ball . Loved it .

Water fountains all over the place too so just take a water bottle each to fill up whenever you're thirsty

We did a bicycle tour, got us out the centre but was all safe. Not sure what the age limits are but might be worth a look.
(Cycling past the Colosseum was amazing).

The problem with the Vatican tours is there’s too much Vatican and not enough Sistine and the stuff after the Sistine is much more interesting to kids than all those room after room after room of paintings before the Sistine. There’s globes and maps and all sorts after the chapel itself. Unless your kids are massive art freaks, the before stuff will bore them to death!

I completely agree. I almost gave up before the Sistine Chapel as the tour felt endless. At least half of our tour group abandoned it halfway through.

The first part was wonderful when you went outside and into the museums but there's only so many galleries you can take after that. (Which I know sounds awful but I'm being honest).

Yeah tbh I want to start from the Sistine chapel ceiling and then go straight to the globes etc. I’d be done in 45 mins #cultured

Tbf, I don't remember what it was called, but the gallery in the Vatican covered in beautiful painted maps of different countries was my favourite bit of the whole tour

Turns out it is literally the Gallery of Maps 😆

www.visitvaticancity.org/monuments/the-vatican-museums/gallery-of-maps/

I just looked up my Ostia Antica photos - I think it sounds as if your DS would really enjoy it, if you have time. We spent about 3 hours there including eating.
(The white marble slab is the fishmonger’s shop, I was intrigued by that!)

Ah, I still remember that from my first ever holiday with DH ❤️ fabulous!

Yes this is right up his street and might work very well if he’s all citied out. Was wondering about the Villa Borghese area for same reason.

Mini break suddenly seeming too mini haha!

The borghese gardens I mean, as opposed to gallery etc

There are a couple of big parks around the Colosseum. Isn't one of them the Aventine Hill, with the Domus Aurea (Nero's palace) - anyone been there? Wondering if that's a still interesting but more free form environment, more amenable for running around, etc 🤔

@Maestro12 we stayed at Hotel Residenza In Farnese in October half term. It's a gorgeous hotel, we got a three single bed room for dds.

I'd also recommend the pantheon. Free entry and has a great video explaining a lot of the history of the architecture around Rome.

We walked everywhere but buses are cheap. You just have to get used to the crowds as they do slow you down. We only booked the colosseum and forum. It helps in skipping the queues. We visited Vatican City but didn't bother with the museum. We managed most things in 5 days

Just booked one with them! Getting excited now 😊