4 days in Rome with teens

[NotDonna]

Taking 3 teens 13-18. We’ve booked an Airbnb so accommodation is organised. We have 4 days and it’ll be July so warm & I’m guessing busy.
What are must see’s and do’s?
What MUST we have tours/tickets for?
Any recommendations for great views, photo opportunities etc please?
Worthwhile Restaurants?
Thank you

You need timed entry to the colosseum - kids in full time education get in for a couple of euros (just the reservation fee) or did 3 years ago if you book on the official Italian culture office site, it includes entry to the others sites nearby (untimed) and could easily spend most of the day there, who archeological site, Vatican is another must see.

Be aware of 3rd party booking sites trying to charge for the kids, book direct always (nb may have gone up but check first)

I found this church fascinating when we went to Rome romesite.com/basilica-di-san-clemente.html because it's built on 3 levels at different historical times, with Roman remains at the bottom.

For the Vatican they used to do Friday evening entrances which were slightly less busy.

Our DS loved Rome when he was 12, mainly the walking around and street artists though.

Buy all your tickets beforehand and from the designated site.
I was in Rome in August for exactly 4 days.
We did:
Colosseum and Forum
Vatican Museums and St. Peter's - the latter is free.
The Pantheon- that was the longest queue even with tickets bought in advance- there's just one queue to get in.
We went up to the Knights of Malta keyhole thingy.
Spanish Steps and Piazza di Spagna, Piazza Navona etc all on foot.

Eating out is ridiculously cheap- Trastevere a good area for little trattorias etc. Many will just offer a couple of traditional pasta dishes: carbonara, amatriciana or cacio and pepe as those are the traditional Roman dishes.

@Geamhradh which designated site for tickets please?

Book breakfast at Vatican museum to get early entrance and see Cistine chapel ahead of the crowds.

www.ticketone.it/

Definitely book the Vatican if you are going. The queues when we went were massive for those without a ticket

Ignore my web link not sure what I booked on there

I think I got galleria borghese tickets on that link.

This one for colosseum www.coopculture.it/en/tickets/#55

I used Rome limousine to arrange taxi to and from airport all done online and no problems at all

[quote NotDonna]@Geamhradh which designated site for tickets please?[/quote]
The sites for each place.
So the official ones, not generic ticket agencies.
m.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani-mobile/it.html
parcocolosseo.it/en/
www.pantheonroma.com/home/ (pantheon is free but you sometimes need a reservation)

We booked a tour of the coliseum and Paletine hill with “overrome” who were very good and meant we avoided the huge crowds

See if you can book tours of Nero's Golden House, restricted areas of the palatine or basement of Colosseum . There is an entrance to underground Roman houses near Trajan's column. Baths of Caracalla are a little way out towards the Appian way and the catacombs. Highly recommend the futurelearn course which virtually reconstructs ancient Rome and is very informative.

We are considering a week in Rome with 3 teenage DC in early August this year. I am worried it will be too hot and too busy to enjoy it. Anyone able to comment on that? Thank you.

Carusa, yes it will be horrendously hot, and I'm someone who likes the heat. You will need to walk a lot and it's not a pleasure in that kind of heat. The Roman sun is relentless, so you find yourself ducking into the shade at every opportunity. I would suggest doing Rome at half term - either the spring or autumn is wonderful.

Yes remember July is hottest month. 80% humidity. Made me ill one year, and I lived in Italy 20 plus years! If you can cope with sweat running off your body, extreme dehydration, walking loads then that's fine. Personally I'd avoid Rome in the summer...better out of season.

We went to Rome for the October half term and it was plenty hot enough then. Granted they were having an unexpected heat wave, but it was about mid 20s.

@Carusa123

We are considering a week in Rome with 3 teenage DC in early August this year. I am worried it will be too hot and too busy to enjoy it. Anyone able to comment on that? Thank you.

It will be hot, though August in Italy is generally better than July. There have been times when I've been in the UK in August and dp in the south of Italy has complained about bad weather. That said, we were in Rome in August and the day we went to the Colosseum it was 41 degrees. It wasn't that busy last year- no Chinese or Japanese tourists, and no Brits. Full quota of EU tourists though. This year will definitely be busier, though remember fewer Italians went abroad last year too.

Trastavere is a nice part of Rome for a stroll and some lunch/dinner. It's a bit off the main tourist trails and has some lovely restaurants.

Villa Borghese gardens are also good for a bit of green space if you get 'touristed-out'.

Ok that's answered my question for sure! August sounds like a non runner for my lot. We would melt!! Thanks all.

So lots of shady places and gelato stops!