Rome on my own. Best way to do it when older and a bit wary!

[lesdeluges]

Looking to see if anyone around my age (mid 60s) has gone to Rome solo? All age groups welcome to chip in of course....

I travel a bit on my own and really enjoy it. But for some reason Rome seems to be overwhelming me a bit. The sheer amount of things to see, the traffic (crossing the roads is dangerous, friends of a friend were killed crossing the road there recently). I know, I know but still....

So any tips for me please, as I really would like to go, and on my own as there are things I'm interested in that would bore the pants of others. Anyway I prefer cities alone. Could I get a private guide, is it worth it, I have a hotel recommendation, near the Vatican, so that bit is ok. I'd welcome any advice and pointers. I'm fit and well, and am a good walker.

I think Rome would be a brilliant place to do alone. There is so much to see and everywhere is so close together. You really can't go wrong.

I don't think you need a guide. Try Wanderlog app and look at suggested itineraries for the time you are there. It a very walkable city. It stunning.

Maybe sign up for a few themed walking tours - like a foodie tour.

Rome alone as a mid 50s woman was brilliant !

must dos “ off the beaten track “
ostia antica - go on the ordinary cheap train and get an Audio guide.
the pyramide at pyramide station you can go in some days
the centre montemartini museum. Excellent and quiet. Worth the trip. also the basilica out there - is it at Paul’s ?
the baths of caracella - huge and amazing
san Clemente - church with Mithraeum beneath
the smaller museums generally …
oh and the cappucchin bone crypt for the Lols

eat in trastevere. Da Enzo is my favourite but find out how you access a table - it may be turn up and queue now .. last went in 2019

And do St Peter’s the moment it opens and pre book the Vatican museums early doors too.

Have a look at the Vatican tours..... the guide we had on the catacomb one was so well informed. And second the suggestion to pre-book for the Vatican museum. Are you looking for walking, museum, food?

Great ideas there, thanks all. Ostia Antica is a must, as are the ancient parts of the city, Vatican tour also. There is just so much to see that I'm a bit overwhelmed TBH and need to narrow it down. I'll have five nights minimum, more if I can get a hotel deal! So I'm sure I'll fit most things in.

I only ever have lunch out when on my own, so nice trattorias etc. in Trastevere, or wherever I find one, will be nice.

Has anyone taken a taxi from the main airport to Vatican area, if so rough cost? Am a bit wary of taking the train to Termini, but maybe I'm overthinking it.

Castel Sant'Angelo is brilliant. Mine & my auntie's favourite thing we did when we went in 2022. The cafe / restaurant there is really nice too.

I went in my own in my 20s and had an excellent time. Definitely aim to pre book some things then maybe leave some time for a wander/coffee/people watching.

I'd take the train every time. Rome taxi drivers drive way to fast and play on their phones while they drive. Last time we promised ourselves never to take a taxi again. Train is about £15 ish or might be 15 euros, something like that.

I think Rome is three or four night destination. Depends if you do day trips. We loved Pompeii but there are plenty of other easy day trips. Pompeii is very easy by train. It's well signed and direct.

It was surprisingly quiet when we went in February.

Rome is very easy to do solo. No need to be worried at all. Pre-book tickets to go into places such as the collusium. They sell put weeks in advance its such an easy city to do solo or not

Another vote for castel Sant'Angelo, fabulous, as is walking along that side of the river.
San Clemente too. The forum. The colosseum, book an early entry
Got to be honest, didn't even go to the Vatican on our first visit, and wasn't sorry. Using the train was simple enough, and the metro system isn't big enough to get lost on. We mainly walked though, and didn't find crossing the road much of a problem, as long as you kept an eye on the lights.

I'm sure you'll be fine. I've been alone (for work, but tacked on a few days for sightseeing). Do watch out for pickpockets at the station and on buses. I'm a Londoner, so keep the same state of awareness as I would at home. Rome is awesome - look at ALL the things!

You could get knocked down by a car where you live 😹

There is just so much to see that I'm a bit overwhelmed TBH and need to narrow it down. I'll have five nights minimum, more if I can get a hotel deal! So I'm sure I'll fit most things in.
You won't fit everything in, it's impossible. Make peace with that.

Do enjoy it. I don't really like cities but it's one of my favourite places in the world!

I went on my own aged 30. It was a piece of cake alone.
I stayed I'm a little bnb near the main train station. Every morning I'd have a few cappuccinos and a croissant and pour over the paper tourist map, circling what I wanted to see that day, and would then head out. I did everything on foot, walking approx 25000 steps a day.
I grabbed cheap food for lunch (2 Euros for a slice of pizza overlooking the Pantheon) and had a sit down restaurant meal every night, following a few proseccos in a local bar.

Catching the bus from the airport is a good plan, one of the stops is behind Castel Sant'Angelo so if your hotel is in that area it's one of the safest areas to walk in, not very busy.

I'd look at understandingRome on Instagram. Lots of interesting advice about things to see if the beaten track and also does tours. Lovely woman!

Anyone recommend any hotels or air bnb for a single woman? Ive always wanted to go.

We did the hop on hop off tourist bus which allowed us to nip about and see the sights on foot from each of the stops. We got the train out from the airport which was really easy and then you could get the underground from Termini to the Vatican area of get a taxi.

if you’re planning to go to Pompeii remember you’ll need your passport to board the train that goes there via Naples.

I loved Rome, could have spent ages there. I would say that we didn’t book as many places as we should have done - it seemed like most places were ticketed so plan your itinerary.

I was in Rome in October and I can’t say that crossing the road seemed any more of a problem than any other big city.

I got a taxi from the airport to the hotel (near Colosseum rather than Vatican). They are fixed price (sorry, can’t remember how much but it wasn’t outrageous, maybe around 30 Euros) and the driver was great and DID NOT play on his phone while he drove 🤷‍♀️

The area around the train station (Termini) felt a bit dodgy to me: swarming with quite aggressive hawkers and beggars, which made me nervous about pickpockets, so getting a taxi keeps you away from that area.

My recommendation, if you are into art, is the Borghese art gallery (you need to book tickets in advance): beautiful building, stunning art.

Rome is wonderful to visit! You can also visit the house where the poet John Keats died - it’s next to the Spanish Steps ( if you like that sort of thing)

I've been to Rome many times, and if you have 5-7 nights, I'd stay in Trastevere and walk or bus or take the metro to the sites you want. It's a more local, pleasant area to stay in and easily walkable to the main sites- or take busses/the metro.

I honestly didn't love the Vatican or the Sistine chapel, simply because the crowds of tourists made it impossible to enjoy. If you feel you must go, pre-book and get there as early as you can.

I'd do a day trip to Pompeii, easy and fascinating.

Otherwise don't rush from site to site- eat, drink, wander, shop... great city!

I liked using the Rick Steve's Rome audio tours.

For a defence against pickpockets buy an anti theft bag. It gives an extra level of protection in crowds.