With only a day to sightsee in Rome which museum would you choose and why? Later in the week we’ll be at the Vatican and St Francis of Assisi. I know some museums suggest buying tickets in advance and since time is limited I want to be prepared.
Thanks -
One more question - any travel tips for men? I know women need to have their knees and shoulders covered to go into churches so that would mean long pants for men. What about more casual wear - are longer shorts ok? Could you wear them to casual dinners or are long pants more of the norm? Trying to pack really lightly for a 9 day trip.
This makes me sound like an uncultured git, but with only one day to tour I’d skip the museums (especially since you’ll be at the Vatican later on) and do a tour of the ancient sites (maybe a hop on hop off bus tour).
In cities, American men wear shorts, most Europeans don’t. So if you don’t mind looking like the typical Yankee tourists, wear shorts. My husband always prefers to blend in, and tends to dress like the locals.
I recommend the Pantheon - it’s not every day you see a 2000 year old (beautiful) concrete roof!! The interior is beautiful & very tactile marble. I could sit there for hours wondering all the people & activities this lovely building has seen during its life.
On the dress sid, I would stick with long pants. In many cultures shorts are only for young boys & very poor… Don’t forget Romans are snappy dressers, you don’t want to look out of place…
Agree, I’d skip the museums and go to the Coliseum/Forum and other ancient sites. Go with a guide if possible (or at least read up on thigs with a good guide book) because you will get so much more out of the visit.
Rome is our favorite city! We are heading back there for the fourth time in 3 days! One of our absolute fantastic experiences of our entire lives was hiring a driver/guide to tour a group of seven of us through the major sites on a stretch golf cart. A smaller cart is great for two. Open air, cruising along, stopping just long enough to see the major sites. During summer, I would suggest three hour tour from say 5:30 to 8:30pm. Start in the Villa Borghese Park after a two hour pre-booked tour of the Villa Borghese Gallery from 3 to 5 pm. Ask your guide to take you to these sites in this order- Trevi Fountain to the Pantheon to Piazza Navona up to Aventine Hill(views) across the Tiber through Trastevere up to Piazzale Garibaldi(views) down to Ponte Sant’ Angelo for sunset along the river and dropping you off at the Spanish Steps. End the day with a great dinner in that neighborhood. An experience you will never regret, nor forget.
One day, you should be able to do a lot if you want.
For this short of a trip, I would hire a guide or book a whole day tour. See the colosseum and the Roman forum, don’t miss! Then go to the pantheon and piazza Navona, both are close together. The colosseum is maybe a 20 minute walk from the pantheon, wouldn’t you think?
Rome is much more than the museums, the museums are what you see after you see the colosseum and forum and pantheon. There are amazing churches on every corner, practically, you can just stop in and see them when you walk by.
If you want to go to a museum, the Borghese we thought was the best. Well after the Vacitian museum but much less crowded.
We spent 10 days in Rome last fall, it was wonderful. My sil and bil are going in a couple of weeks. I am trying not to be insanely jealous! I am failing though.
i would look for a pair of lightweight pants for your H. You could go for linen or convertible pants which zip off. Italians are dressy and don’t wear shorts as a rule. Contrary to what I read though, lots of people were in tennis shoes. Not usually running shoes like you might see here.
The website is my best tour dot com email is mail@mybesttour.com The tour I suggested is a customized one and they are happy to do them. Late afternoon to evening is such a nice time of day. it’s starting to cool off. You can read reviews on tripadvisor. We had the time of our lives!
I completely agree - do a walking tour instead of going to a museum. I was caught in Rome in Feb 2012 during a freak snowstorm and spent what was seriously the most glorious day of my life just walking around the city. My Facebook cover photo is a picture that was taken at the foot of the Spanish Steps.
I highly recommend Caitlin Miller as a guide - you can find her via google or linked-in. She was recommended to me by another CC’er and I’ve recommended her to other CC’ers. I would spend the money for a package that includes a driver plus her, so you don’t waste time in traveling from site to site.
Good advice above. I love the Borghese Gallery, but as others have said, with only one day, I might skip it. If you do decide to go, it is essential to have pre-purchased tickets/reservations, easily available through their website. They restrict the numbers allowed in at any one time. Last time I was in Rome, 3 years ago, a very irate, very well dressed pair of European women were being told that they absolutely could not enter and that all the time slots were sold out for the rest of the month. These women did not look like they were often denied anything they wanted, but the Borghese folks are serious! Buy your tickets early, as soon as they come available on-line if you decide to go.
Pantheon is not to be missed, but does not have to take a lot of time. The Forum, Palatine Hill, Coliseum and Baths of Caracalla are best visited with some advance preparation or a tour, at least in my opinion. My first visit many years ago, I totally missed the significance of much I was seeing. So glad I got to rectify that in later life. I love the Baths of Caracalla which were less crowded than the Forum and Palatine Hill. You might check websites to see if this is of interest. Many tours don’t go there, so perhaps my enthusiasm for these ruins is misplaced. I have never been overwhelmed by the interior of the Coliseum, but I know people who have had guided tours that they found fascinating. I’d suggest doing a bit of research to determine your level of interest - lines can be long to go inside.
I should mention the Capitoline Museum which is a major one. I enjoyed all the Roman busts and sculpture much, much more than I anticipated, but with one day, I’d skip this.
My Hubby has tropic weight pants for summer city touring. Can be hard to find, but he always feels more properly attired than in shorts.
I agree with all of the above. But if you do find yourself in search of a museum, we thoroughly enjoyed http://en.museicapitolini.org (located near the forum)
I would certainly do the Borghese Gallery and Museum (get timed tickets ahead of time- they are limited) if you are looking for a museum - one of the bests- and take some time walking around Villa Borghese (amazing views of the city) - from there you can walk to the Spanish Steps. I would then head to the Colleseum/Forum and then to the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain in the evening.
We walked around Rome–Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, other fountains. We also saw outdoor attractions where there were no lines. I personally wouldn’t want to spend my one free day in Rome in a museum. We also happened upon quaint places to eat and have gelato. It was a lit of fun just wandering.
I seriously am not exaggerating when I say that my 8 hour day of walking around a snowy Rome and just exploring the outdoor sites (the museums were closed due to the storm) was the best vacation day I have ever had in my life, bar none. There is no other word to describe it. I loooooove museums with a passion, but with one day, I really wouldn’t do a museum. You’ll get your museum / indoor attraction fill in spades at the Vatican.
Now I think your next decision is whether you want to bring me in your carry-on or in your suitcase Enjoy!
The Borghese Gallery gives you a LOT of bang in a little time. The art work is spectacular. The location is amazing. It is not a large museum but the masterpieces are many. The timed tickets keep the crowds low and you can see the entire thing in 2 hours (the highlights in much less time). For all of those reasons it is our favorite museum that we visited while in Europe (including powerhouses in Paris, Germany, and other Italian cities). If you want a museum experience it can certainly fit it in one well organized day in Rome.
If time in Rome is short, my top 2 time-value bets:
Capitoline Museum at the Roman Forum That’s where the Romulus & Remus w She-Wolf bronze sculpture is. The Museum is co-located w the Roman Forum which is adjacent to the Coloseum. There’s a Metro station at Coloseo.
Suggest doing a couple of hrs in the museum then wandering thru the Forum & touring tbe Colosseum. Then dinner near the Pantheon or Piazza Navonna.
For convenience (right next to the Rome Termini train station): Museo Nazionale Romano - Palazzo Massimo alle Terme
It’s got great frescos & mosaics. A real gem of a museum!
I am all about avoiding lines, and when we went to Rome two years ago in July it was peak tourist season and OMG, the crowds! I did a ton of research before we went and tried to get as many advance tickets/admissions as possible. Look into the Roma Pass, which gives you entry to many of the attractions (Forum, Coliseum and others) and allows you to bypass the lines. If you are going to the Vatican, buy your tickets to the Museum ahead of time - again, you will walk right past a HUGE line. (Rick Steves also has a trick for getting into Saint Peter’s from the Vatican Museum so you can avoid another line.) The entrances to these attractions can be very disorganized as well, especially with mobs of people. Pay close attention to the different lines, which are not always well-marked.
Enjoy!