Do-it-yourself-ROME

Hi everyone,

We talked a while back about starting Do-It-Yourself threads for different countries in Europe so everything wouldn't be so repetitive. I still haven't found anything for Rome so am starting a thread.

Anyone with any good information, links, websites for Rome can post here. I find myself wasting a lot of time trying to access information because there are so many threads. Seems to be working for the other do-it-yourself cities/and countries.

Anyone with any information on Rome transfers, tours, hotel accommodations can post it here. I see the same information posted on so many websites. Hopefully, this will eliminate flip flopping all over the Europe boards. Feel free to add any suggestions.

Mary

Links on Rome tours, transfers and general information:

http://www.romelimousines.com/index.html (Bob's Limos highly recommended)

http://www.limoinrome.com/home.htm (Claudio Caponera is highly recommended)

http://www.enjoyrome.com/main.html

http://www.contextrome.com/cart/tours.php

http://www.romaturismo.com/v2/en/main.asp

http://www.guidesrome.com/index.html

http://www.thingstodo-rome.com/

http://www.romashuttle.com/default2.asp

http://www.odyssey-tours.com/default2.asp

http://www.nerone.cc/romemtm/nuovosito/index.html

(this site has an Angels & Demons Tour that sounds great!)

All of the above sites have either been recommended by others or I have discovered on a search of my own.

Hope this is helpful.

Mary

Here's another link that has been recommended.

http://www.driverinrome.com/

For transportation in Rome:

You can purchase a BTI (Integrated Tourist Ticket) - Valid for three days for an unlimited number of journeys on buses, metro and urban trains. Cost Euro 11,00.

Tickets are sold at tobacconists, newsstands, cafés, travel agencies, hotels, vending machines at bus terminals and metro stations and at dealers in railway stations in Rome and Lazio.

For further information visit http://www.atac.roma.it or call 800 431784 (toll free number in Italy)

Tickets must always be validated

 when getting on buses

 before getting on metro and trains

The bus and metro system is not free! Validate your ticket before boarding the metro; on buses, look for the orange stamping machines. If you are caught without a validated ticket, the fine to be paid ranges between Euro 50,00 and Euro 500,00.

For more information about transportation in Rome see: http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/rome_transportation/index.htm

Vatican City:

http://www.vatican.va

The museum and basilica are connected by a staircase. As you enter the Sistine Chapel, if you go to the far end and take the door to the right, this will exit you from the museum down to the portico of the basilica and directly next to the ticket window for the cupola. Technically this is reserved for guides and their groups. However, the guards really don't care who leaves thru that door. Take note, that you can not exit this way if you have a museum audio guide. Also take note that once you pass thru this exit, you can not reenter the museum.

You may not re-enter the museum once you leave. Well, actually you can, but you need to buy a new ticket.

There is a very large cafeteria area located below the Pinacoteca. As you enter the museum, you will go up a very large escalator and then a small flight of steps. After the steps go to the right and follow the signs.

There is also a very small cafe located right next to the Sistine chapel. If you are coming from the Raphael Rooms or the Gallery of the Maps, as you come down the stairs, do not make a left into the chapel, but continue to the bottom of the stairs and hang a right. If you are coming from the Modern Religious art section due not head up the final flight of stairs to the chapel but continue straight. There are plenty of signs directing to the cafe. It is not hard.

For information about visiting the SCAVI (excavations below St. Peter's Basilica) see: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/institutions_connected/uffscavi/documents/rc_ic_uffscavi_doc_gen-information_20040112_en.html?GRAB_ID=142\&EXTRA_ARG=\&HOST_ID=42\&PAGE_ID=728832

Rome tourist informatioin:

http://www.romebuddy.com

http://www.stuardtclarkesrome.com

4 Walking tours of Rome can be found here: http://www.frommers.com/destinations/rome/0064010008.html

Here's an interesting site in Rome that is not often heard about:

Cripta dei Cappuccini (the Capuchin crypt in Rome)

http://studenttravels.com/mag/03-02/rome.php

http://allan.hise.org/photos/italy2002/11_cappuchin/index.html

More great pics of Rome can be seen here:

http://www.fortogden.com/rome-slide-1.html

here:http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/general_contents.html#Italy%20-%20Rome

And here - Basilicas: http://www.ourfaithjourney.org/day09.htm

Guided walking tours of Rome:

http://www.vinorossotours.com/grouptours.htm

http://www.romanpromenades.com/vatican.htm

http://www.travel-italy.com/tours/rome/

http://www.eternaltourist.com

Great sites but does anyone have any info on getting to & from the port by train?

Here's another good thread that I am taking the liberty of posting here.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=144500

Mike...I E mailed for a reservation a few days ago. I think they just MIGHT have a few other things on their collective minds right now, however I do want to see the scavi.. I remember when I was turned down it took a few weeks. I have plenty of time...not sailing until JULY!

finally found it!;)

We will have 2 full days to spend in Rome. We're planning on doing everything ourselves. I would appreciate some advice on when to go to which attractions.

I saw someone mention that they were at the Vatican early in the day and that it worked beautifully.

Any more suggestions on a 2 day itinerary? I'm overwhelmed at the moment!

Many Thanks Mary For Setting This Thread In Motion. We're A Familt Travelling On Splendour This Summer And Can't Really Afford Ship Trips

We will have 2 full days to spend in Rome. We're planning on doing everything ourselves. I would appreciate some advice on when to go to which attractions.

I saw someone mention that they were at the Vatican early in the day and that it worked beautifully.

Any more suggestions on a 2 day itinerary? I'm overwhelmed at the moment!

Hi supernaturalblonde,

We were also thinking about doing the Vatican on our own but after reading so many posts here on cruise critic, it appears that you can waste your entire day waiting in the long lines to get in and then you really don't know what you are looking at once you get into the sites. I found a really good tour company on the internet that offers walking tours for 2-3 hours of the Vatican and also different sites in Rome. They buy the admission tickets in advance and they get you into places through doors only meant for tour guides. No lines. Look on the internet for them at: romeinsight.com. Click on the walking tours and read them. If you get another couple to join you, the price per person gets cheaper.

Ciao, Leslie

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll check it out.

hi guys the people we used in rome were priceless,they handled everything for us,so i really have to recommend these guys(limoinrome.com) and also (driverinrome.com)(especially) if your going to see the vatican,they got us in,when there was at least 150 people lined up(driverinrome)just an idea:)))

Hi Traveljunkie. We're also a family traveling on Splendour. Our sail date is May 14th, and our family is 8 people. Like you, we wanted to keep costs down as much as possible, and won't be taking any ship excursions. Actually, my husband and I did a similar cruise on the Legend back in 2001, and did mostly ship excursions. We feel comfortable this time around not doing so. Since we're leaving in two weeks, I've got most of my "file" complete. I'd be happy to share any suggestions/ways we've learned to cut costs. Below are just a few notes:

We're going into Barcelona a day before the cruise, and staying two days after. Because most Barcelona hotels only allow double occupancy (with a small few allowing triple/quad), plus they're so expensive, we've opted to rent an apartment for both pre and post stays. An apartment for all 8 of us is running about $250/night. Avg. double occupancy hotel is about $150...and we'd need four of them!

We're taking the train in each city. In Civitavecchia/Rome, we're meeting a local tour guide at Rome's Termini Station, who is taking us around the city using a one-day public transportation pass. Train, local transp, guide, admission fees and lunch will run about $100pp vs. ship excursion at about $189.

In Livorno/Florence, we're also taking the train, stopping first at Pisa. No guide (just some pre-researched material and guide books), and lots of self-touring. Of course, we plan on going into the Accademia.

In Naples, we've arranged for a local professor of archeology, who is also a licensed tour guide for Pompeii. We're meeting him at the entrance to the ruins. He charges $150 (E120) for approx. 2 hours....regardless of the number in your group....so bring others to cut the cost if you want.

Villefranche: Same thing....taking the train into Nice, then into Monte Carlo in the afternoon.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask for details....either here, or email me direct if you'd like: lpl@allaboardcruises.ORG.

Happy planning!

Lauren

AllAboard - your plans sound terrific - you have really done your homework. Finding an apartment in Barcelona was brilliant! Please share the name and contact info of the guide you are meeting in Rome.

Julie

Hi AllAboard

Thanks for checking in. We're a family of 4 and this is our first crusie. We are just so excited. In the past we've only ever had 'budget' holidays - always self-catering. this will be such a treat!! We feel brave enough to do monte carol etc on our own but are a bit wary of Rome as I've read so much about train strikes etc. I'm hoping that this is not just a trip of a lifetime but that we will get another chance to return and maybe be a bit more independent and adventurous. My planning file so far is mainly of cruise reviews which I find so useful. Many thanks for your email address - i'll try and save all my queries for the one posting!

Hi everyone,

I am very glad that everyone is finding useful information on this site. I was frustrated trying to assimilate things on Rome & was jumping back and forth on different threads. Hope that everyone will post any useful information they may find.

Enjoy your trip to Rome. Please do a post here when you return so we can enjoy your experiences.

Mary

Julie: The service we are using in Rome is called "Through Eternity." The person I have been emailing with is Angela Ellis, and she has been extremely helpful and quick to respond to my questions. Actually, I even took the liberty of asking her questions unrelated to our arrangements with them (other things about Italy), and she was always willing to answer my questions. The thing I liked most was their willingness to be flexible and accommodating regarding our group. Two examples are that we are taking the train. They will send our guide to the train station and meet us at the track. Also, with the guide's assistance, they will help us purchase the local daily transportation pass. Normally, they utilize taxis, but with a group our size, requiring three taxis (a lot to coordinate, and potentially costly), they were more than happy to suggest using buses and metro. Since they know the city, and the routes, I don't have look up bus and metro schedules.

The website is http://www.througheternity.com. Although we have not yet gone, I did tell her that if their services met our expectations, I would be happy to recommend them to others. So, if you do contact them, perhaps you could drop our name as a reference. Of course, I'll try to remember to give a full report once we return.

If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to let me know.

Lauren

Thank you Lauren! Sounds like they are very flexible and accomodating. We'll be in Rome 3 days post cruise and will build plans around whether/when we get tickets for the Scavi. Once we know about that, we may use a walking tour guide for part of our time in Rome. Will drop your name if we contact througheternity.

Julie

www.througheternity.com[/url]. Although we have not yet gone, I did tell her that if their services met our expectations, I would be happy to recommend them to others. So, if you do contact them, perhaps you could drop our name as a reference. Of course, I'll try to remember to give a full report once we return.

 

If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to let me know.

 

Lauren

Lauren, when are you sailing? I'm having a hard time deciding which way to go. We're sailing 7/23 so if you are going before then, I'd love to hear how it goes.

Lauren and anyone else,

Can you post a trip report when you return? We are going on Galaxy in Oct. & visiting some of the places you mentioned. Would be interested in some feedback from everyone.

Have a great and safe trip!

Mary

Hi Amy and Mary: Actually, we fly out a week from this Thursday! (Can't wait!). Our cruise begins in Barcelona on May 14th, then we're doing a two-day post stay, back to the States on May 23rd.

I own my own business, so things will be a bit hectic trying to catch up for the first couple days. But as soon as things settle down, I'll put in my report.

Lauren

Great! Thank you. Have a wonderful trip. You'll enjoy Barcelona!

Mary

Hi Amy and Mary: Actually, we fly out a week from this Thursday! (Can't wait!). Our cruise begins in Barcelona on May 14th, then we're doing a two-day post stay, back to the States on May 23rd.

 

I own my own business, so things will be a bit hectic trying to catch up for the first couple days. But as soon as things settle down, I'll put in my report.

 

Lauren

Thanks, Lauren, I'll look forward to it. Have a wonderful trip!

Hi Mary and Amy

We're travelling in June on Splendour. I will certainly report back after our trip. I'm not a very wordy person but I'll get as many facts to you as possible.