shamar76

[shamar76]

cruising HAL Westerdam on aug 19. staying 2 days in rome, what would you recommend seeing in those 2 days. also want to know if anyone booked hotels thru HAL and results or better to book on my own

[sail7seas]

We've spent at least 6 weeks in Rome (all added up from various trips) and we still haven't seen all there is to see. ;)

Rome is an amazing City....very large, very busy, incredible beauty and art. You have to have the very worst luck to pick a bad place for lunch or dinner. The food is soooo good.

See as much of the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's, Colosseum, Roman Forum, Trastevere, Piazza Navona, Spanish Steps, Vittorio Emanuele Monument, Trevi Fountain, Borghese Gardens, every trattoria in sight,etc etc etc as you can squeeze into your days there. And don't forget a quick peek into Gucci, Fendi and the like. ;)

Have a GREAT time. Rome is an amazing city. We have loved every second we spent there.

Years ago we stayed in an HAL booked hotel and were very satisified with it though not everyone was. It was called Hotel Majestic and was situated very well on Via Veneto. We had a fabulous room but some people had less than great rooms. There wasn't a lot of consistency. They had a comfortable/ cozy bar and a decent breakfast was included. I don't know what hotel they use now but we would be apt to book our own were we to return.

If you can purchase transfers from the dock to Rome, I suggest riding on their bus. It was very convenient to do so. The port is a fair distance out of Rome.

[mushroom]

We used Holland America's two night pre-cruise hotel package in Rome this past September and were very satisfied...but this would not be most people's choice. We were at Visconti Palace over near the Vatican. We were a group of 10 and everyone in our group arrived to find our luggage had been left behind. The hotel had a Holland America rep on-site, and she did a fantastic job of tracking everything down for us during our two days of seeing the sights. Had it not been for her, we would have spent our two days running around looking for lost bags. Also, we arranged with Driver in Rome for a full day tour. This gave us a wonderful overview of the high points of Rome. Part of this tour included an incredible lunch where Remo (our guide) had once worked as a bus boy. Not only was the service great, but the entertainment (Remo plays the accordian and sings) and food were fantastic. This entire day was one of those life-changing days you'll never forget. So...from my point of view...make it easy on yourself and let Holland America take care of the logistics and treat yourself to a guided tour of the city.

[twoatsea]

Rome is one of our favorite cities. If never been there & with only 2 days, I would choose the 2 prominent sites, the Vatican, et al, & the Ancient City (Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill). That will take the 2 days. Any energy left, at nite go to the Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, & the Pantheon. Need pre-planning & organization to maximize time. Leave time for eating a lot of gelato along the way! Are you sure that you cannot get 1 or 2 more days?

A leisurely alternative is the red #110 double decker hop on/hop off bus; about 12E; 2 hours full route; goes to/past tourist sites; head set as board for recorded info about sights you pass. Your hotel can point you to the bus stop nearest you. You can ride the entire route to see everything & then start hopping off & on.

Go to vatican.va for info & if you are interested, you can apply for a special guided necropolis tour under St. Peter's Bascilica; Scavi tour - fascinating & only 18 people per tour; apply ASAP. There is also a new necropolis tour (Triumphalis Necropolis) that was uncovered while digging for a Vatican parking lot; also great; apply for that also. Don't forget the Vatican gift shop; don't have to wait in line; it's on the outside in St. Peter's square. Before we leave, we take orders from friends & family for rosaries. Ask any priest in the square or in the Vatican to bless them.

If you decide to tour the Vatican (which is a definite must for me!), get there very early. At a certain time, the line is stopped & those behind that point who have waited a long time, are just out of luck! BTW, even tour companies must wait in line.

Regarding the Colosseum (another must for me!) - be sure to tour the upper level. Some folks don't know about it & leave without seeing it. Awesome ancient artifacts displays up there, plus the view. Get there before it opens.

We love Palatine Hill. I would choose it over the Roman Forum. Then if time left, wander thru the Forum. A full day can be spent at PHill. The view is awesome (great photos); lovely rose/flower garden overlooking the city; there's a museum - wonderful.

Souveniers for folks back home - a big hit in our family was the very cute teddy bear dressed in gladiator clothes that we got at Hard Rock (dont have to eat there) on Via Veneto. He is soooo cute!

For great info, go to fodors site, click "Talk", go to Italy board. Just reading the previous posts will give you more info than you can use!

Ahhh, Roma!

[hammybee]

The on/off bus gets my vote for a first time visitor with limited time. I would also pick in advance one of the many,mnay fabulous places to linger. I would chose the Vatican/ Egyptian Museum and Sistine Chapel.