Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Do-it-yourself-ROME

cruisingmimi
 Share

Recommended Posts

cruisingmimi

cruisingmimi

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Ciao Vetrella,

 

Thanks for the website info. Nice site! I just glanced at it but will go back and read it more fully. How lucky you are to be living in Italy now!

 

My husband used to work in Chelmsford many years ago. We now live close to the RI border.

 

Perhaps we will meet someday. I can't wait to go back to Italy and spend more than just 2 days there! I want to visit the Tuscany area.

 

Mary (my grandsons call me Mimi!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
cruisingmimi

cruisingmimi

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I was browsing through some travel magazines and found this website for tours, transfers,etc. There is an 800# to call also (may only be when you arrive in Italy).

 

http://www.colosseumtravel.com/index.php

 

Thought that someone might be interested in checking them out. I notice that it is getting difficult to get the really well-recommended tour guides because everyone is booking w/ them.

 

Maybe someone has used this company that can give some feedback - Colosseum Travel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
vetralla

vetralla

Posted
Posted

Hi Mimi , what a small world. I've had lots of friends -and relatives-from MA visit over these past 40 years. It makes the "foreign" country more meaningful when there is someone who can explain things , dont you think? They all are interested to see the inside of an Italian home.

Great to see so many people preparing for their trips, you only get out of it, what you put into the preparation. It becomes so much more meaningful and the anticipation is part of the fun.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
cruisingmimi

cruisingmimi

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hi Scampi,

 

Small world, isn't it? I know where Haverhill is. Been through there lots of times on our way to NH.

 

Vetrella, what prompted you to move to Italy? It is certainly a beautiful country. I hope that we can go back there and spend more time exploring. Perhaps we will meet one day.

 

Mary

Link to comment
Share on other sites
vetralla

vetralla

Posted
Posted

How much fun to meet up with people from my "old home". I've been in Italy for 40 years (originally from Chelmsford,MA) as you will learn from *****) .

I am happy to share my insights & some articles , written for the press and guidebooks over the years. I hope they help you understand Italy better.

Assuntina was my webmistress until her beautiful Fontana del Papa guest house and cooking school became so popular . She and wine expert husband, Claudio, pick up their guests at the dock and return them there . Check www.fontandelpapa.it or the cooking website, www.cookitaly.it They also offer a special l day cooking class, lunch, the chance to live like an Italian for a day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
scampi

scampi

Posted
Posted

Hi Vetralla, we're going to consider Fontana del Papa when we return to Italy for just a land tour & are not rushed. It sounds wonderful. It would be like returning to my childhood with my grandparents who were all from Italy. My grandfather made his own wine from the grapevines on our little farm in Ward Hill, and my grandparents, my father and 2 uncles had their own Italian restaurants in Mass. We raised & sold vegetables, fruit, flowers, chickens, pigs...It was a good life. I'm looking forward to getting and reading your books.:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
vetralla

vetralla

Posted
Posted

You can order my books directly through my site ***** if you need to have them before spring/summer cruises . If you are in the MA and NH area I' ll be doing some presentations in June.

Let me know if you have a group interested in travel in Italy and maybe we can organize a presentation in your area.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Felice

Felice

Posted
Posted

Does anyone know where the Via Del Teatro Marcello is? I tried superimposing 2 maps and it looks like it's near the Forum. But I'm not sure. I'm told it's in central downtown Rome. But I'm going to be a stranger in a strange land - and it sure looks like there are a lot of downtowns!

 

Help!

 

Thanks.:confused:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
cruisingmimi

cruisingmimi

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I just got my map of Italy out that I bought w/ a Frommer's guidebook. If you find the Colosseum on your map, then look at Via Dei Fori Imperiali (the road which goes right into the Colosseum) and follow that west, Via Teatro di Marcello merges w/ Via Dei Fori Imperiali. It's almost over to the Tiber River and right near the Capotoline Museum.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Mary

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Felice

Felice

Posted
Posted

Thank you all so much. It's hard to get oriented to a place when you're not there - and when you know you'll only be there for a day, you want to get everything squared away in advance. And it's not easy! Your suggestions (and links) really helped.

 

Thanks a million.

 

Felice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
photorere

photorere

Posted
Posted

Thanks for this thread...it sure can save tons of time looking for information on Italy.

 

I need help finding a hotel room for three people close to the port in civitavecchia for one night. I only know of the Hilton Airport Hotel with a free shuttle to Rome (in case you want to sight-see). We plan to stay one night and board our ship (the Grand) on September 1. We will arrange limo transfer to the ship (thanks for all the tips on that). The Hilton is pricey and it doesn't seem to have rooms with two double beds...only Kings and Twins.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Marie

Link to comment
Share on other sites
cruisingmimi

cruisingmimi

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Marie,

 

From Rome center, it is about an hour to hour and a half to the port. Civitavecchia is a small little town and people usually stay in Rome, then get a transfer to the port from there. If you want to sightsee in Rome, then you don't want to stay in Civitavecchia.

 

If you look for a roll call for your Princess cruise, then perhaps you can connect w/ others who will be looking for transfers to the ship also.

 

When are you flying into Rome? From the airport to the center of Rome, it is about a 1/2 hr. trip by limo, bus, etc. Several people on our cruise stayed at the Sheraton Roma, which is about 7 miles from the center of Rome. They also offer airport pickups for about E5.00 (which is very reasonable) and free shuttle into the center of Rome.

 

Here's their website:

 

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton/search/hotel_detail.html?propertyID=497

 

I just did a brief check on prices & they are offering specials for late August of E180.00, which is an excellent price. We had friends stay there last year and they loved it. Have a nice buffet breakfast also. That's an excellent price. I would suggest that if you want to book there you do so ASAP as that price will change and you will pay lots more. Also check out the following website:

 

http://www.venere.com

 

We booked our stay at Crowne Plaza St. Peter's through Venere and had no problems using their services. You don't pay til you checkout w/ them either. They show pictures of hotel, rooms, map of area, etc. It's a nice website to check hotels out.

 

Our room at the Crowne Plaza had 2 double beds. It was a very large room. However, the Crowne Plaza is on the Vatican side and about 2 miles from the Vatican itself. They do offer a free shuttle service into the center of Rome and to St. Peter's Basilica also. We took the free shuttle (limited hours of availability) to the airport in the morning also. Worked out great for us. We took taxis to and from the Vatican for our tour.

 

The Hilton is very pricey. Several people stayed there also.

 

Hope this helps. Be glad to give you any other information on tours, etc.

 

Mary

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ennegram

ennegram

Posted
Posted
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

Would love to know the tour company you used. We'll be in Rome precruise this June. Avoiding standing in line would be wonderful.

 

Thank you,

 

enneagram

saokay@yahoo.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 months later...
ehogan

ehogan

Posted
Posted

We used Through Eternity tours on our cruise in May 2005 and were very impressed with their service. Our tour guide Danny, took us through the Vatican and St. Peter's - this was a five hour tour and was excellent. I don't see how you could have any understanding of the Vatican without some expert guidance. Our other tour with them was the Roman Forum and Coliseum, again an excellent tour.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
photorere

photorere

Posted
Posted

Don,

You can always stay at the Hilton right at the airport. They have a free shuttle into Rome and back and you will be right there for your early flight the next morning. I've done it many times.

 

Sounds like your cruise ends in Rome...right? My next cruise begins in Rome and we hired a limo to take us to the port. Maybe you can find other people going to the airport and you can tag along with them but instead of going on a plane, you go to the airport hotel. You could also take the ship's transfers to the airport.

 

Hope this helps.

Marie

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 months later...
  • 2 months later...

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...