4.5 / 5tcambron saw things this way:
Overall
4
Great city, September 14, 2010
Reviewer: tcambron
Pros: Walked where Julius Caesar once walked
Cons: Only had two days
Caught the train from the port city of Civitavecchia to Rome. Another couple was with us. We had a very aggressive day of sightseeing. First stop was the Colosseum - one of the most important monuments of ancient Rome. Across the street was the Forum. Cannot believe we walked where Julius Caesar once walked. WOW!!! We walked to the Trevi Fountain...impressive but was expecting it to look like the fountain in the movie "Three Coins in the Fountain." Anyway, it was nice. We stopped for some gelato - delicious. Then we walked to the Pantheon...absolutely beautiful. Had no idea it would look like it does. I should mention that we had downloaded Rick Steves tour guides on our MP3s and had the best tour guide possible in all of the wonderful places we have visited...just a side note. Now we were all so very tired...all the walking is uphill every which way and on cobble stone streets. We found our hotel and checked in - then rested for 30 minutes. We had dinner at a sid walk cafe, of course...it was pizza and wine. Then we walked back to the Colosseum for the nighttime view. The second day in Rome we went to the Vatican. We took the subway and were packed in with commuters like sardines. We had read that the lines at the Vatican would be long so we had made reservations on the internet before we left home. We were able to walk right in with no wait. The Vatican museum is huge with over four miles of displays. Once again, we used Rick Steves as our personal guide. There are many, many beautiful, paintings, tapestries and statues. At the end of the museum, we entered the Sistine Chapel. It is stunning. It had been restored recently and the colors were vibrant. Next we entered St. Peter's Basilica. It's awe inspiring, huge and beautiful. Near the entrance is Michelangelo's Pieta. The Vatican has its own post office. We stopped there and mailed some Christmas cards. We then took the train back to the ship. On arrival, we got peach daiquiris and went to the hot tub. It felt great after two tiring days in Rome.
Quail24 saw things this way:
Overall
5
Can't wait to go back., August 26, 2010
Reviewer: Quail24
Pros: Food, sights, hotels, getting around.
Cons: Pick-pockets
I found Rome to be a wonderful romantic place to visit. With so many hotels to choose from I decided I wanted convenience so I picked the Bettoja Mediterranean across from Termini Station. The staff there were very helpful and the location was great for getting around Rome as well as to the Cruise Terminal in Civitavecchia. Taking the train to Civitavecchia was only 4.5 0Euros vs the 100 Euros and up by shuttle, taxi, etc. Termini Station also has a Market on the lower level for snacks, water, etc. Another great thing about staying near Termini is all the local tour buses start there and there are lots of very inexpensive restaurants close by as well as currency exchange stores. In the three days prior to my cruise I was able to see most of the popular sights in Rome. I walked as much as possible which is a plus because you see so much more than just riding around on a tour bus. I did do the tour bus one day and had a nice time but in August it was very hot so make sure to bring sunscreen and an umbrella. The local hotels have city maps for free, make sure you get one. Also on some of these maps are specials for restaurants, take advantage of these, I did and had a plate of pasta for 5 Euros that was fantastic, the sauce was just like my husband's grandmother made(she was from Scicily). With only three days I saw most of the main attractions but would like to do the museums next time as I did not have time this trip. Hope this helps those that have not gone before. Arrivederci
