Extended stay in Rome?
We are going on the 9/21/2022 trip from Lake Como to Rome. I’m considering extending the stay one night in Rome. Are there any must see/do for an extra day in Rome
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We are going on the 9/21/2022 trip from Lake Como to Rome. I’m considering extending the stay one night in Rome. Are there any must see/do for an extra day in Rome
Comments
There's plenty to see in Rome, especially if you're into roman history and art. The Capitoline Museum and the Borghese Gallery are both excellent. You could also spend more time in the area of the forum or at the Vatican Museums. You should get Rick's Steve's Rome or Italy book from your library. He always has a list of best attractions that's a good starting point.
Rome is my least favorite European city. I find it to be dirty and overrun with tourists and pickpockets. This is merely my personal opinion, but I would much prefer to add extra days in Lake Como simply because of the sheer beauty of the area.
I must agree. We have travelled to almost 100 countries and people ask me all the time what is my favorite and I only really have one and that would be Tanzania. But, I always say the only city I don’t like is Rome. There is a lot to see there and I like the ruins, but just don’t care for the city.
Our tour director arranged an evening tour for those interested to see some of the major sites at night. We were in groups of 4 to 5 and were driven from site to site. We saw the Victor Emmanuel Monument, St. Peter's Basilica, the Trevi Fountain and St. Peter's Basilica. We enjoyed seeing these sites with the night lighting.
I too am not a lover of Rome, give me Florence instead. Also experienced seeing pick pockets in Rome…though I do love the Pantheon.
While we LOVE Venice and Florence over Rome - I still think if you're there and haven't seen the Vatican, Colosseum, and Forum - those sites would be a MUST. We also did 2 eating tours with EatingItlay which were great. What is Tauck doing with you in Rome? And I agree with the post above, the Rick Steves Italy and/or Rome book is fantastic.
The night time visit to the Sistine Chapel is forever my favorite memory of "A Week in Italy" with Tauck...loved the Colisseum...would not have missed Rome but agree that other places in Italy stole my heart...Cinque Terre, Lake Como, Milan! (all with Tauck) Love the food, the language, the countryside, the music...the history! amo I'Italia
Enjoyed our Classic Italy tour with Tauck and visited many beautiful places. Although Rome had many wonderful things to see, especially the private Sistine Chapel visit, it was our least favorite city. Very dirty, there was graffiti everywhere and awful traffic . Glad we were there but would rather go back to Florence!
Agree with all of the comments about the private tour of the Sistine Chapel. I had seen it on the itinerary and sort of gave it a shrug, but I admit I was completely awed by it. As for things to do on your own, I absolutely loved the Bernini sculptures in the Borghese Gallery. I also went to the Pantheon on my own, and really liked it. As for traffic, Eleonore, I agree...but I have to say that whenever I talk about traffic in Cairo, I describe it as "Rome on steroids." So far, my favorite Italian city is Florence. I've been there twice -- once with Tauck; once on my own.
I read all the comments about Rome and while I agree with them, I'd say...spend more than the two days the tour includes in Rome. There is so much to see. Walk and explore the various neighborhoods. Go across the Tiber to Trastevere. Stop in some of the smaller churches. The artwork is phenomenal! Rick Steves has individual books for each large city or one for Italy overall. They will give you ideas about what you might want to consider. Don't pick too much. Keep it manageable but go beyond the top tourist stops. No matter what you decide, don't miss the Pantheon. Look at the sunlight coming in through the ceiling. It's wonderful.
As far as the comparisons with Florence and Venice... think of it as NYC versus Boston. I grew up in NY but now live in Boston. NYC is large and may be overpowering but is not some place you can say you've seen if you've only been there for two days. You need more than two days to do it justice. Boston is a much more walkable city as are Florence and Venice.
Here's a picture from inside the Pantheon.