Rome - Tips, Tickets etc

[atalost]

Off to Rome in December from Thurs to Monday. First time away without the kids in almost 20 years, so trying to install a bit of romance for the weekend after 25 yrs together!!

Any tips where to go, eat, drink, cheapest place to buy tickets (in Rome or now online), day trips away from Rome etc.

We have booked a nice central hotel with fab reviews on a B&B basis, booked bus transfers and keen to see key sites and maybe do a day trip to Sorrento/Amalfi Coast or similar one of the days.

Thanks in advance as I know you’re a helpful lot!

Thanks again.

For the Sistine, you will need a Vatican Museums ticket and should plan for a minimum of 2 hours, including walking and security. For St Peter’s, at least 1-2 hours, or 2-3 hours if you want to climb the dome. You cannot buy a stand-alone ticket for the Sistine - it’s part of the Vatican Museums experience. Do the Sistine Chapel first and it provides a direct, ticketed access path to St. Peter's and also lets you bypass the long security line especially if you book a tour that allows access through the Sistine Chapel's special exit. If you start early, you could be out for lunch at nearby Mercato Trionfale.
The Colosseum, Forum and Palatine hill are usually visited together as they are beside each other. We got a ticket with exact entry time for the Colosseum and could enter the Forum/Palatine area anytime 24hours before or after our time at the Colosseum. I think we spent around 5 hours covering all three in total and we did the hill, then Forum, then the Colosseum.
To visit the Trevi fountain, go after 9pm for free, unrestricted access, or be prepared to queue to enter the basin area between 9 am and 9 pm. We ate dinner near the Spanish steps, then went there straight afterwards as they’re close. When you go, definitely visit Pompi Tiramisu for dessert. They do the most amazing flavours, fairly reasonably priced. We actually went back again as we enjoyed it so much!
At this time of year you’ll be wanting hot chocolate instead of gelato. I definitely recommend any of the Venchi shops for their hot chocolate - it’s just pure liquid goodness!

Travel -

Local buses you can tap in with your normal debit card ( you don’t need to tap out) - and you get charged €1.50 for up to 100 mins of travelling. Google maps is accurate for local bus routes.

If using local trains just download the app and buy online as it saves queues at the machines.

Rome mostly uses an app called Freenow instead of Uber. It’s reliable and you can book in advance. I’d download that.

Buy tickets to the major sights in advance online.

Colosseum is free on the first Sunday of the month. So avoid then as it will be very very busy.

I was there a couple of weeks ago and got the fast train to Naples and then a very slow train to Pompeii. A full day out but worth it.

You need to book online NOW for Colisseum/Forum and also Vatican Museum (alternatively you could just gomto St Peter's, but you will still queue to go through airline scanners).
Aldo book Galleria Birghese now, if that interests you.
You won't have enough time to go outside the city.
You can walk everywhere - you don't need public transport.

Get a decent guide book, & plan you days based on places located near each other, otherwise you'll waste a lot of ti e walking to and fro.
In reality, you only have 3 days, so you can only scratch the surface - don't try to do too much, keep time just to sit in cafes, wander around etc.

Choose a small number from the following:
Pantheon
View from the top of Vittorio Emmanuele monument
Coffee at Antico Caffe Greco on Via Condotti
Spanish Steps
San Ignazio church for the fabulous ceiling
Trastevere
Capitoline Museum
Mouth of Truth

You are going to love Rome. I'd think long and hard about going to Sorrento, it's a bit of a trek, and there is more than enough to see in Rome for the days you will be there. But that's up to you.

Any guide on Youtube will give you an indication of the major sites in the city. I recommend the Vatican, the Collosseum, Foro Romano, Trevi, Pantheon and Villa Borghese. There's much more so have a look for other things that might interest you. If you have time and like long shuffling queues and crowds book ahead for the Vatican museums and Sistine Chapel. If you don't, the basilica and square are magnificent in their own right. Shopping is around Via del Corso. High end stuff at via dei Condotti.

A couple of day trips that are very easy to do would be to Tivoli for the Villa d'Este and fabulous gardens + Villa Adriana, the ancient Roman settlement of Emperor Hadrian.

The other is to take the local train to the coast at Ostia Lido for the day, lovely spot, or (on the same train line) stop off at Ostia Antica, a fabulous Roman site that's far better (to me) than Pompeii.

Or just stay in Rome, eat in Trastevere, wander around, and be romantic. Enjoy your Silver Anniversary!

Thank you all and the wishes from Wantom

I was in Rome last week and there was no queue at all for St Peters (free entrance too)
Trastevere is lovely for eating out.