Rome

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I'm taking my daughter to Rome in October. I haven’t travelled abroad for 25 years so in need of some top tips and general guidance!!

TIA

How old is your daughter, and what sort of things do you both like?

It’s wonderful
Busy but brilliant

youll need to pre book certain things like the colosseum etc

She will be 13
she’s relatively easy to please as long as I factor in pasta and gelato!
we like history, museums, beautiful things and walking

Ive got an explorers pass for 4 attractions and really want to make the most of it. We’re there for 4 nights but I’m thinking we probably should have done longer! Good excuse to go back 😁

I loved Rome and wished we'd had longer there. We combined it with Naples and Pompeii which was easy to get to on the fast train.

-Wear comfortable shoes because many of the streets are cobbled. We walked everywhere. I think only used to metro once to get to the Vatican.
-We went off season, but agree with booking up museums you want to go to, otherwise the queues can be very long
-Check your phone plan and whether you will be paying ridiculous roaming charges there. I'd personally take a pocket map, because I hate having my phone out in public to follow google maps.
-You can get cards which you load money onto and pay no/less fees. I always take some local cash with me too. Never get cash at the airport! https://travelmoney.moneysavingexpert.com/
-Like any city, pick pockets and scams can be rife. Especially at touristy areas, I carry my backback on my front. One scam was someone grabbing your wrist who then started tying on a cotton bracelet thing whilst making chit chat- then asking for money. Handing you flowers- then asking for money. You just need to be aware of your surroundings. I'd return tomorrow and it didn't put me off at all.
-I recall there being lots of (I assume Roma) older woman with a stick and bent over, limping, walking up and down the queues outside museums, shaking a cup with coins in. I saw one go down an alley, whip off her head scarf, stood up straight and started walking along normally!

We arrived in Rome yesterday afternoon and started with an open top bus tour. It was a great way to get an overview and we kept seeing amazing sites like the Colesseum that we’d only seen on the internet or in books.

Rome is going to be perfect for you two!
We went last year. Walked everywhere.
Ate tons of pizza, saw the sights, was fantastic.
Comfortable shoes, a bag that’s hard to pickpocket, water bottle (to fill for free at the fountains at the major tourist locations).
We got the train from the airport to the city, was really easy and quick.

Museo Martini is a bit off the beaten track but really worth it. Loads of classical sculptures and the Pope's official train carriage all in a former power plant. Ostia Antica was a brilliant day trip if you want to get out of the centre for a bit.

Oh superb! You'll have a lovely time.

Do you know what area you'll be staying?

Rome is great for wandering around especially that time of year. I've always preferred the Forum and the Palatine over the Colosseum but if it's your first time you should try to do both.

For art, I always enjoy Galleria Doria Pamphilij - but there are loads of quirky galleries and museums.

Giardini deglia Aranci on the Aventine Hill is lovely for views.

Agree that the hop on/hop off bus tours can be a great way to navigate a city if you don't know it - I did one in Rome years ago and it was really helpful!

The usual suspects are busy and you'll need to book in advance. Some like the forum asked to see our passports so a round the neck pouch is a good buy. We loved the golden villa Nero's Palace they opened up to the public last year. If you don't want to queue for the colleseum book a tour, we did the underground one and you cant see that otherwise.

It’s amazing! My tip would be just to wander around and go in churches to look round. They are absolutely amazing , have breathtaking artwork and as a non religious person, really moved me. We did all the sites, and the random churches we went in were my favourite part. My kids most enjoyed a bike ride down the Appian way , there was a bike hire place right near the start.

Brilliant! Thank you so much!! This has really made me realise I’ve made the right choice!! Can’t wait!!

We’re staying not far from Rome Termini. We’re a 10 minute walk from colusseum!

I’ve read each and every comment and you’ve all just made me 😁😁😁 can’t wait and thank you all so much!!

Someone on here told me to go to the Ivo Sports bar for pizza, we went twice: it was really good.
The Trastavere area is really nice, lots of restaurants and little tourist shops. It’s really family friendly, we stayed in this area, it’s not far from the sights.

I’m taking my 8 year old in October and staying a 10/15 min walk from the Colosseum - in the Monti district. I’ve not been before and have been Googling like mad!

I’ve read that bookings and early morning visits to tourist spots are recommended. some places eg. Colosseum must see your passport as proof of ID - no entry without it. Comfy shoes! Free water stations around the city so take a water bottle. Some restaurants shut on Sunday’s, some Monday’s. Train is quick and easy from the airports to Termini.

I like the look of every tour on offer on Liv’s Tours website - lots geared for children.

Golf cart tours look fun (especially to cover a lot of ground/sites with kids).

Pasta and pizza making classes sound great.

Castel Sant’Angelo looks really interesting.

Also love the kid friendly art tours here https://www.ajslittleartists.com/ - really tempted to do one, my son would love the drawing/painting!

Your daughter may be too old but I’m thinking of doing the Museum of Illusions and/or Explora kids museum if the weather is bad. And Villa Borghese for a bike or boat ride if the weather is nice. Also going for 4 nights and no idea how we’re going to fit all this in!

Controversial opinion but the Vatican museum is not a must do. Tickets are not limited so it is unpleasantly overcrowded to the point of feeling unsafe and there is no air con for most of it so it can be really unpleasant when crammed in. Sistine chapel can be cancelled at the last minute (within hours) with no recourse on entry fees as we found to our cost. I would save the Vatican for a much longer trip. Equally St Paul’s - it is vast and when I saw it first it could be visited like the Pantheon quickly and easily. It took 2 hours of queueing (easily) in October with a timed slot and 15 mins to visit with a poor auditory aid which didn’t match the route on the day. I found my first visit 20 years ago more awe inspiring where people queued quietly and filed around with their own guide more respectful.

Highlights of our trip with two teenage girls.
Colloseum and the Forum/nearby area. With a guide. Go as early as you can bear, you won’t regret that.
Castel Sant Angelo. It was glorious to get to the top at sunset. Incredible views.
Galerie Borghese - again with a guided tour. Managed entry and visitor numbers meant it was expensive but very memorable. The kids have revisited the comprehensive website since we returned off the back of pictures taken and commentary.
Pantheon - it is awe inspiring and easy to access.

We did pizza and tiramisu making which was nice but touristy. The big fountains/statues by Bernini which are nice to see particularly late at night when influencers have disappeared.
Wandering around - predictably a couple of hours of unsupervised shopping was a highlight for the teens. Try not to imagine “Taken” at every opportunity.

Apero - pre dinner drinks and icecream/snacks before dinner at end of day before getting cleaned up.

There are some excellent youtube videos full of useful advice about visiting Rome. Definitely go and visit some of the beautiful churches. Check and double check the opening times.
You must carry your passport with you and produce it if asked by police or officials. Pick pocketing is rife so I keep mine in a money belt under my jacket.
If you use buses it is better to use a debit card like revolut or similar. Buying tickets is a bit of a hassle. You have to buy them from a kiosk then go to a bus stop. You then have to validate the ticket using a machine on the bus. There are 2 machines on the bus. The one at the front is for cards, you just tap it. The one at the back is to validate tickets and you have to put the ticket through the machine the right way round/ up. If the bus is crowded you will not be able to reach this machine. The police board buses frequently to check that tourists have validated their tickets. The fine is 100 euros per person, more if you cannot produce your passport.
Trains are easy because you validate your ticket as you walk onto the platform.
A walking tour is worthwhile.
A visit to the catacombes just outside the city is really interesting.

Agree that the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museum is really not worth the huge queues. By all means do go to St Peter’s, if you can. Annoyingly, we weren’t even able to access that, as they’d shut it off for some service.

The Basilica San Clemente is wonderful … just down the road from the Colosseo. The church of San Cosimo and Damiano is also worth a visit; all this is in the area by the Forum.

Bocca della Verità is fun, and free.

Easy to get around on bus and metro; you will walk a lot, but use transport when you can, as you’ll get very tired, especially if it’s hot. You can pay by tapping your phone or card.