Rome ideas, not tourist places

[smallworld73]

Family of 4, dds 21 &16, not interested in Roman history (:rolleyes:I've tried to inspire them!) Did the Colosseum underground tour last time we went (which they enjoyed) and have done a bus tour around Rome, stopping at Trevi Fountain. Any ideas for nonhistory/religious/art sites that may interest our daughters? I have suggested they stay on the ship but they want to come with us which is great, but they don't want to be bored. They love Rome but it's me who is fascinated by history/archaeology/art, not them & I really want to give them something to interest & inspire as we are there as a family. I have thought about the catacombs but not sure how easy it is to get there. We have used the train each time we've visited & prefer to diy. Any other places to visit other than Rome? Any ideas welcome, thanks!

Edited June 12, 2016 by smallworld73

[Marisawrite]

Have you been to the Villa Borghese? It's an enormous park: the girls could visit the zoo, enjoy the gardens, sit and sip coffee in the cafes, hire a bike or a rowing boat or ride the little train - while you visit the world's best collection of renaissance art in the art gallery.

 

Just be careful if they want to hire a bike or boat. They will ask for ID - don't give them your passport or credit card as there have been instances of fraud. They will take a driver's licence if you stand your ground.

[Langoustine]

I find the catacombs fascinating, but your daughters may be bored by them. Perhaps shopping on the Via Veneto?

[slidergirl]

I find the catacombs fascinating, but your daughters may be bored by them. Perhaps shopping on the Via Veneto?

 

There is no shopping on Via Veneto anymore. I stay up there at one of the hotels and it is definitely someplace to just stay and not do anything else.

If they want to shop, they need to hang in the area between Via del Corso (lots of the "everyday people" shops) and the Spanish Steps - where the high-end shops are. Use Via dei Condotti as the center point and walk 2 blocks in either direction and they will find everything from high-end name brands to very cool small boutiques. And lots of places to grab a gelato or pastry or cafe in between!

[euro cruiser]

At 16 and 21 they certainly ought to be able to do a little research on their own and come up with some ideas, you are certainly not to blame for their boredom (real or potential).

 

What would you like to do? Is there room for some compromise here, so the folks who are funding this vacation get to enjoy it as well?

 

They should probably read something about the catacombs as it may not interest them.

 

If the macabre is up their alley you might consider the Cappuccini crypt at Santa Maria Concezione on Via Veneto (info here, in english at the bottom of the page: http://www.cappucciniviaveneto.it/il_museo_3.html). This is where the monks have made art out of the bones of dead monks .

 

You could give them the Rome Tourism link and have them dig around a bit, maybe something will strike their fancy: http://www.turismoroma.it/?lang=en

[smallworld73]

Thanks for the suggestions, dds have looked at Villa Borghese & it might be an option. To be fair, they have accompanied us on a number of historical/archaeological/art based trips over the years, so we thought it would be nice to do something different as a family and not just to satisfy my hunger for all things historical, especially Roman! We will check out the catacombs too, and I think euro cruiser's suggestion that they do some research is excellent :)

[rollnoles2]

A couple of summers ago, my family (including our two teenage sons-who were tired of looking at ruins and museums) took the Ancient Appian Way, Catacombs and Aqueduck tour offered by Top Bike (http://www.topbikerental.com/nuovosito/eng/rome-bike-tours.php) and really enjoyed the tour. You bike up the old Roman cobblestone roads, take a tour through the catacombs, and then stopped at a farm for their wine and cheese. We really had a lot of fun on the tour and I highly recommend it!

[phillygirl63]

How about a food & wine tour? Just do an on-line search of "wine tours in Rome," and you will get so many ideas on this.

[sippican]

Check out the "Eating Italy" website - highly rated!

[Hlitner]

The solution is quite simple. Let your daughters do their own research and come up with a port day itinerary. DW and I prefer to travel on our own (we seldom take any kind of tour) because we like having the freedom to do what we want, when we want, with who we want. In your case, you are bringing your daughters which is a decision you have made. So, if they do not want to do what you like, let them choose. Otherwise, you can all go to Rome together..and split up for the day with an agreement to meet somewhere later in the day.

 

Hank

[Host Bonjour]

Family of 4, dds 21 &16, not interested in Roman history (:rolleyes:I've tried to inspire them!) Did the Colosseum underground tour last time we went (which they enjoyed) and have done a bus tour around Rome, stopping at Trevi Fountain. Any ideas for nonhistory/religious/art sites that may interest our daughters? I have suggested they stay on the ship but they want to come with us which is great, but they don't want to be bored. They love Rome but it's me who is fascinated by history/archaeology/art, not them & I really want to give them something to interest & inspire as we are there as a family. I have thought about the catacombs but not sure how easy it is to get there. We have used the train each time we've visited & prefer to diy. Any other places to visit other than Rome? Any ideas welcome, thanks!

 

Agree with many of the posts/members in the thread ;) re: the girls researching, going the "foodie" route, shopping etc. with these thoughts of mine. Also, while indeed many of the shops in/around the Piazza di Spagna, Via Condotti are high end - there are some Italian designer shops like Furla and Coccinelle (Italian for "ladybug") that sell some items NOT terribly expensive and so it's possible to go in and purchase something - plus, it's Italian and a nice thing to have from Italy! (Italian accessories :D)

 

Think about heading to Trastevere, which might combine a few interests, namely the dining aspect as well as being a cool, somewhat bohemian quarter of Rome, not to mention it has some interesting history as well so it'd be a place you might like too. It's not too far from the Vatican either so you might want to tack on at least a walk by St. Peter's Square or what for me is also stunning, the Castel Sant'Angelo and the bridge of Angels leading to/away from it. Gorgeous.

 

Another thought - young ladies - maybe they like movies? So many films have been shot in/around Rome for decades thinking back to the classic "Roman Holiday" with Audrey Hepburn and William Holden up to more modern films like "The Talented Mr Ripley" with Matt Damon and "Angels and Demons" with Tom Hanks, to name just a few. Might just be fun to have the "research" be viewing some films together as a family and then - there you all are together, walking around together seeing some of these places and maybe enjoying a meal or gelato or a picnic, in/near the very same places...taking photos or videos of yourselves there. A lot of the time - isn't that what it all comes down too - even when we DO want to get into the history...it's about standing in the very same places as Caesar did, or where Michelangelo or Constantine and...Sophia Loren?

 

So maybe - for the girls - being able to connect themselves in some way to Rome that way - from home to the vacation, might help them make it theirs too. I think this is what makes the Hard Rock Café and places like it when folks are abroad - it connects them to something familiar that they know from home, plus there's the great music and cool memorabilia. Many people love discovering new things overseas but also things like things that they can relate to when they travel. If it's not movies or fashion or food - all the girls need is something to relate to in Rome...but there's definitely something there. Maybe let them have a look at the Lonely Planet Rome guide which I've linked here:

 

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/rome

 

I've used their guides for a long time when visiting cities abroad - I like history AND doing different things on my own, I never wanted to be bored either. It might give them (and you) and few mutually agreeable ideas.

 

I'm sure you'll all enjoy this next trip to Rome - just a world class, thrilling city with truly something for everyone...we just have to find it :)

Buon Viaggio

[Karennella]

Maybe they could stay in Civi for the day while you go and do your own thing. We actually enjoyed a day there wandering around. Much more of a typical place than Rome ( which has lost its attraction for me after about four visits)

[mydreamvacation]

It's a great movie, or better yet read the book. The book is much better than the movie- Dan Brown is one of my favorite authors!

Then they could do the Angels and Demons tour. We did it two years ago with Stefano Rome Tours with our then 21 year old and he loved it (as did my husband and myself) very exciting "living out" parts of the book!

Here is a link to the tour http://www.stefanorometours.com/tours/angelsanddemons/

[smallworld73]

Thanks so much for all the great suggestions! I will show them the ideas, and they are doing some research too, so hopefully we'll be able to get something sorted. By the way, has anyone visited Portas? I did an online course about the archaeological excavations there, and would love to go, obviously sans dds! it would probably be on a solo trip another time, but I wonder if anyone has been there?

Thanks again for the ideas

[Carolyn R]

Another idea! Everyone loves food! http://www.eatingeuropetours.com

[cruisemom42]

By the way, has anyone visited Portas? I did an online course about the archaeological excavations there, and would love to go, obviously sans dds! it would probably be on a solo trip another time, but I wonder if anyone has been there?

Thanks again for the ideas

 

Are you talking about Portus? I have looked at it with interest but so far have not visited, as it seems there are still rather a lot of things being excavated actively there. I will probably wait a year or two more before visiting it.

 

I don't know if you have looked at the coopculture.it site, but they also list a number of places within Rome that are easily reached (more so than Portus) and yet have been difficult to access independently for years.

 

Through this site I have been able to book visits inside the pyramid of Gaius Cestius, inside two well-preserved tombs (with outstanding plaster decoration and frescoes) on the Via Latina, and interior visits to the two temples on the Forum Boarium (the round temple and the temple of Portunus). As well, I was finally able to visit the Houses of Augustus and Livia on Palatine Hill.

 

The guide usually gives the tour in Italian, but if you do a little research ahead of time, it's not a significant impediment. One of the visits I did only included three Americans, so the guide spoke in English.

[hazeleyez3]

We have used Max Leotta (maxleotta .com) for a few different tours. One of his options is a golf cart tour.

[TAC1582]

Rent a Vespa and ride around town. That's what they do in every sit-com episode that is set in Rome. Of course the teen age girls also end up in a romance with an Italian boy, so maybe not such a good idea.:confused:

[luvtheships]

As the parent of 4 history loving art loving daughters....just leave them on the ship and you go into Rome and see whatever you want!

 

I have no suggestions for them as I can't fathom the disinterest however if they insist on going into Rome just sit them at the piazza navona or the Spanish steps give them money for gelato and retrieve them before you go back to the ship

 

Alternately go to the Castel sant Angelo ....have them watch angels and Demons first though ....so they won't be bored

[smallworld73]

Thanks cruisemom42, I meant Portus-oops! Some interesting information there, I will have to take some time out on my own to visit these places. I would love to do an archeology degree in the future!

 

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions, dds are looking into all the ideas. Not long to go now..:)

[Terpnut]

I'm a little late to this conversation but as someone who was married in Rome, has been there numerous times, and am a father of two kids who tire easily of my love for churches, museums and ruins, here are a few suggestions that worked for us over the years:

 

1. Run, walk or bike riding in Villa Borghese. Maybe sneak into Gallerie Borghese before or after for your one dose of culture? :-)

 

2. Cappucin Crypts (on Via Veneto near Piazza Barberini) - very macabre and super cool! Sadly they are charging €8 for admission now due to the new museum but still worth it!

 

3. The Time Elevator Rome Experience - short but fun. And get out of the heat with a nice air-conditioned visit on a super hot day!

 

4. Near Piazza della Rotonda, visit Chiesa di Sant'Ignaazio di Loyola. While sneaking in the obligatory church visit, check out the painted ceiling that is an 3-d optical illusion!

 

5. If you all are active types, climb the cupola of Basilica di San Pietro!

 

6. Check out the market at Campo dei Fiore (morning or early afternoon).

 

7. Food and wine tour- Trastavere?

Edited July 19, 2016 by Terpnut