Rome: My visit to the Eternal City (Day 3)

This was my last day in Rome before boarding a train on to Naples.

I booked a tour for the Colosseum and Roman Forums with Dark Rome (City Wonders).

The Colosseum (map) is only a ten minute walk from my accommodation but if you opt for public transportation, the Colosseo subway station is within close vicinity.

The tour started at 8:30am and included skip the line entry, underground access and arena floor access. It is significantly more expensive as opposed to a basic tour but ultimately worth it.

The tour guide for my tour was a historian whose knowledge and insights into ancient Rome was most impressive.

Standing on the arena floor where many a gladiator once stood was a spine tingling moment and another highlight of my trip.

About an hour was dedicated to the Roman Forums (map), it serves as a great introductory guide. Julius Caesar's cremation site, the temples of the Roman Gods and the Roman Senate amongst many things covered in the tour.

However for the history buffs, I would recommend staying behind after the tour ends (which you are given the opportunity to do) and exploring a lot more. You could easily spend another four or five hours exploring the Roman Forums.

I stayed for about another hour, but that was more to do with time constraints than willingness to leave.

After that, it was time to say goodbye to Rome and off to birth place of Pizza.

Rome: My visit to the Eternal City (Day 2)

An early start for the day to make sure I got a view of the sunrise over Rome.

If the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps are on your 'must-see' list but the experience of being crammed into a small place like sardines is not, than I highly recommend visiting both places early morning.

If you want to go one step further, I recommend visiting on a Sunday morning. The logic being that most locals are going to church or the tourists/party-goers will be late risers from a big Saturday night.

Trevi Fountain

I walked to the Trevi Fountain (map) first, which was about a ten minute walk from my accommodation. There were only three other persons when I arrived (about 7:00am) and I could hear the fountain before laying eyes on it.

My wife to the right, sitting alone and enjoying the view

Photo opportunities, coin tossing and simply enjoying the views took up about half an hour.

Spanish Steps

The Spanish Steps (map) are a ten minute walk from the Trevi Fountain, walking to Piazza di Spagna will take you to the bottom of the steps which I recommend as the best way to approach the Spanish Steps.

Unfortunately the fountain (Fountain of the Old Boat/Fontana della Barcaccia) at the bottom of the steps was under restoration at the time of my visit. When I arrived there was only one other person at the Spanish Steps, besides a few fitness junkies who utilised the steps as part of their jogging route.

Having the Spanish Steps to myself was one of the highlights of the trip. Nothing like re-enacting a scene from Rocky by running up the steps. The view from the top is quite amazing, with a great view of the dome of St Peter's Basilica.

Re-enacting Rocky

The view from the top

For poetry lovers, the house where John Keats lived and saw out the last of his days is located at the bottom right (facing toward the steps) and is now set up as a memorial house.

Tip 1: If you're going to visit early morning on a Sunday, make sure you have bring something to eat or have a bite before leaving. Most cafes will not be open until late morning. 

Capuchin Crypts

The Capuchin Crypts (map) open from 9am until 7pm everyday.

For entry and service costs visit their website (scroll to the bottom for English).

There are tours offered, some offering 'skip the line' privileges. I personally don't think it necessary, I was able to gain entry straight away (bearing in mind I visited when it opened at 9am and not during peak tourist season). The audio guide offered was sufficient and informative.

Tip 2: The Capuchin Crypts, Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain are all located within close vicinity from one another. If you plan on visiting all three, I recommend visiting them one after another to make the most out of your time.

After the Crypts I returned to my accommodation before setting out to view one of Michelangelo's greatest works of art.

St Peter in Chains Basilica:

The namesake of this basilica comes from one of the two treasures it houses. San Pietro in Vincoli Basilica (map) was built approximately in the 5th century (it has undergone several restorations since), it is the home to the chains that imprisoned Saint Peter when he was jailed in Jerusalem and Michelangelo's statue of Moses.

Whether you believe the authenticity of the chains or not, it makes for an interesting story regardless. The real attraction in this authors humble opinion, is the statue of Moses.

Statue of Moses

What is more astounding is that to view the statue: you do not have to pay any entry fee, you are free to take photographs of the statue and you don't have the swarm of tourists/admirers to deal with. This is in stark contrast of trying to get a view of the statue of David.

Opening hours are 7am - 12:30pm and re-opens 3:30pm - 7pm (6pm in Autumn/Winter)

Entry price is free as previously mentioned.

For those interested in the history and architecture, this page makes for an informative read.

Tip 3: The walking route to getting to the Basilica involved walking along a lot of backstreets. Within reason, do not be deterred by these small alleyways. Through the mazes contains some of the best cafes and restaurants that Rome has to offer, often the small alleyways open up to amazing open courtyards as well.

Food recommendation: During the walk to St Peter in Chains I happened to stumble on a quaint little chocolate store, La bottega del Cioccolato (map). If you're in the area I recommend a visit, amongst the best chocolate I have tasted. The shop owner doesn't speak English, if you don't know Italian than pointing and indicating will see to a successful transaction.

Pantheon - bigger than I had imagined

Pantheon 

Cafe breaks in between, the next stop was the Pantheon (map). 

The Pantheon is open from 8:30am to 7:30pm. Entry is free.

I completely botched my visit, by the time I arrived (about 1pm) the Pantheon was closed for a special mass for several hours and was crowded in the courtyard outside.

If I had my time over again I would have made it a morning visit.

Piazza Navona

A large open courtyard built on the ancient site of Stadium Domitian, the main attractions of Piazza Navona (map) include:

• Fountain of Neptune (northern end)
• Fountain of the Four Rivers (central)
• Moor Fountain (southern end)
• Saint Agnes in Agone

It is also home to a large concentration of tourist traps (overpriced restaurants and merchandise stands). 

Personally, it did not appeal to me. It was over crowed and too touristy for my liking. But if you feel the need to tick it off the list, a short visit will suffice.

Food recommendation: Following on from Tip 3, I stumbled upon Casa Coppelle (map). They specialise in Roman cuisine, the price could be considered to be expensive however you do receive quality for money. A short walk from there is arguably the most popular gelato store in all of Rome - Giolitti (map).

In the afternoon I ended up walking back past the Trevi Fountain to find a few more people had congregated since my morning visit:

Trevi Fountain in the afternoon

The rest of the day was spent resting, eating and shopping.

Rome: My visit to the Eternal City (Day 1)

I visited Italy in April 2014 and like most people who visit Italy, kicked it off in Rome. The peak tourism period in Italy is during their summer (June - August).

The positives of visiting during mid-spring are the odds of fine weather are in your favour and there are less crowds to deal with. You may also find hotel prices are cheaper during this period. I must stress though - ensure your visit in Rome is not during the Easter period as there is a large influx of pilgrims for the events held at Vatican City and throughout Rome.

Brisbane to Rome. Three flights. 32 hours later. I arrived at about 11am feeling a bit jet lagged.

After catching the train into central Rome and checking into accommodation, it was already the afternoon. The first sight on my list was the Vatican City.

Vatican City
I had arranged an afternoon tour through Green Line Tours, they do have some terrible reviews. Truth be told this tour was satisfactory. My main motivation for booking this tour was the skip the line benefit, as the line to get into the St Peter's Basilica is nearly as infamous as the disciple himself. If it hadn't been for that, I would have foregone the tour and done my own thing.

The tour does offer a bus transport from their office (which is two streets down from Roma Termini), but wanting to do a test run of the subway system, I caught the nearby Metro subway from my accommodation to 'Ottaviano'. It is only a short walk from there.

Going back to the quality of the tour - the guide was informative and fluent in English. I would recommend this tour to anyone wanting a basic tour and guide of the history and also for the skip the line inclusion. Without that, I would have been waiting at least an hour before gaining entry.

Looking at some of the reviews on Trip Advisor, most of them don't relate to the specific tour of the Vatican or complain about rude counter staff when wanting to book a tour for that very day off the cuff. Take from that what you will.

After the tour the guide expects you to get back onto the bus to be transported back to where you were picked up from. I declined the offer and took the opportunity to wander around St. Peter's Square (Piazza San Pietro).

Saint Peter's Square in the late afternoon. The seating is for the Good Friday festivities occurring in a few days

Trastevere
From St. Peter's Square I went on foot to Trastevere - taking the scenic route by walking along the footpath of the Tiber River. The leisurely walk took about forty minutes before reaching Sisto Bridge (Ponte Sisto) just outside of Piazza Trilussa.

Trastevere is a suburb just across the Tiber River from central Rome. It has a long history dating as far back as approximately 750B.C and had fallen into a dilapidated state but has recently enjoyed a period of gentrification. It is contains narrow cobbled streets and is host to a large amount of restaurants and pubs, mostly frequented by locals. And as they say, when in Rome...

Across the Tiber River. Ponte Sisto to the right.

Any review or explanation I could give would not do it justice, but I would glowingly recommend visiting this hidden gem of Rome if only for the food, culture and atmosphere.

For Christians and history buffs alike, Bascilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere is an appealing choice. It is one of the oldest churches in Rome and is debated to be one of the first to openly practice mass. If that doesn't appeal to you, the people watching enthusiasts will enjoy the courtyard outside. Beware though, the PDA between some couples can be quite alarming.

I had dinner at Sette Oche. The ravioli and gnocchi dishes I tried were unlike anything I have tasted before. After completing my trip in Italy several weeks later, and eating many a pasta dish - I consider the pasta at Sette Oche the best I tasted.

Tip: Know this about Italians: they eat dinner late. Most restaurants do not open until about 8pm. Embrace it. It is a sure fine way to distinguish between an authentic Italian restaurant and a tourist trap which will open much earlier to cater to the western tourists.

There are buses and a main station from Trastevere (goes straight to Roma Termini) or a taxi is an option. My accommodation was near Roma Termini and I had always planned to walk back to my accommodation so I didn't research the bus network in Rome.

Courtyard outside Bascilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere

Rome is meant to be seen on foot and walking at night only increases viewing pleasure. The main streets are well lit as are the monuments. Along the way I walked past some of the Roman Forum ruins and the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II.

Rome is relatively safe to walk at night, it is always preferable to travel in a group where possible but the main crime tourists get exposed to is pickpocketing. I never experienced any issues but always apply a common sense approach.

Rome: where to stay and getting around

Where possible, I attempt to do all my sightseeing by foot, and if that's not possible - rely on public transport. 

To do so, I rely on two golden rules when it comes to choosing accomodation:

1. It has to be close to public transport

2. It should be central to the sights I want to see

Most of Rome's main attractions are spread throughout Municipio I (Rome is separated into fifteen administrative municipalities), and can be easily explored on foot. In saying that, it depends on your perspective, fitness level and time limits whether walking to all sites is desirable. 

"Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time" - Steven Wright.

Accommodation:
I used airbnb.com when staying in Rome. Being mindful of the luggage I'd have to be carrying, I chose to stay about a ten minute walk from Roma Termini nearby Piazza del Viminale.

If you plan on visiting main tourist sights such as the Colosseum; Roman Forums; Piazza Navona; The Pantheon; Trevi Fountain, The Spanish Steps and Capuchin Crypts this is an ideal area to stay in.

There are a number of small hotels within the area, or if you are an enthusiast of airbnb.com or willing to take the plunge I highly recommend the place that I stayed at.

There is also a number of restaurants and cafes in the area that will tempt you to disregard the sites and enjoy pastries and coffee.

Getting around:
The main public transport service in Rome is the Metro.

It consists of regional trains and a subway network. The subway network primarily runs through central Rome. Given that most sites of interest are within central Rome, the subway network is all that you have to concern yourself with.

There are three subway lines contained in the Metro:

• Line A
• Line B
• Line C (recently opened in November 2014 - was not operational at time of stay)

I found this site useful as a step-by-step approach on how to use Metro network.

Here are the closest subway stations to some of the main sights in Rome:

• Capuchin Crypts - Line A - 'Barberini'
• The Colosseum / Roman Forums - Line B - 'Colosseo'
• The Pantheon - Line A - 'Barberini' (1.3km distance)
• The Spanish Steps - Line A - 'Spagna'
• The Trevi Fountain - Line A - 'Barberini' (600metre distance)
• Vatican City - Line A - 'Ottaviano'

Rome: Getting from the airport to your accommodation

The main airport in Rome is the Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (Aeroporto internazionale Leonardo da Vinci).

The main tourist attractions are located in central Rome, which is approximately thirty kilometres from the airport. The best and cheapest transport option is the train. The Fiumicino Airport train station is located within the airport.

There are two options for trains:

1. The Leonardo Express Line (Leonardo Linea Espressa) runs direct from the airport to Roma Termini, located in central Rome. The trip is approximately half an hour to get from the Airport to Roma Termini. The cost of a ticket is €14,00 per person.
2. The FL1 Regional Train runs from the airport and stops at main stations throughout Rome, including Roma Termini. The regional train takes longer and costs €8,00. Ideal for anyone staying in regional areas of Rome.

Getting to the train station

Locating the Fiumicino Airport train station within the airport is quite simple:

1. After collecting your belongings from baggage claim, walk out to the next corridor (this may sound vague but will make sense on arrival, the airport is set up to 'follow the bouncing ball')
2. There is plenty of signage, look for blue overhead signs containing 'Train station' (yes, written in English) or the illustration of the train.

Buying a ticket

Once at the train station you can attempt to play around with the ticket machines, I personally go to a manned booth and order a ticket (quote the train line as per above you want to travel along).

Most employees speak English, but it can't hurt and is only courteous to attempt to learn and speak a little Italian (more on this another day). If you only memorise one line then I suggest: 'Scusi, parla l'Inglese?'--'Excuse me. Do you speak English?'

Important

Validate your ticket. As you approach your platform there are light blue stall machines erected just before entering, make sure you put your ticket into the machine to validate it. If you don't validate your ticket, you will be fined! I am yet to go on one train in Italy where staff have not checked my ticket along the way.

Useful links

Trenitalia - official website of the operating train company. You can book through this website as well.

Rome for visitors - a step by step guide to catching the Leonardo Express. It is a little outdated.