Serious answer

Went there last year for the nth time, this time with daughter in tow.

We spent a day doing Sights (walk from Trevi Fountain to Pantheon ? nb closed Sun mornings ?thence to Colosseum, Forum, Palatine Hill - tip is to get your day ticket to all three at the entrance to the Forum which is halfway along the straight road with the colosseum at the end, it's on the right and there's never a queue, queue at Colosseum or the other Forum entrance can be hour+), a day on the Appian Way (get the Archeobus out there which leaves from Terminii place the far side from the train station, it's the green tour bus and is hop-off-hop-on kind of deal), the catacombs are all within walking distance of each other and are well worth the trip and they stagger their closing days so that every day at least two of the three is open), a day at the Vatican (first thing in the morning there's huge queues so go late morning/lunchtime when there's no queue, and ignore all the touts and just go in and get your ticket on site - NB when you get to the Sistine Chapel there?s the door you're *sposed* to exit from two thirds of the way back on the left, and also a door at the very back on the right ? you can?t go down there unless you?re with a group but wait for a group to pass and kind of tag along - you get straight into St Peter?s Basilica, otherwise you exit the museums and have to queue *again* and go through security *again*, this tip will save you loads of time) ? we also paid the extra ?5 to get up to the cupola which affords marvellous views; and a day at Ostia Antica (NB closed Mondays - a million times better than Pompeii, just acres of genuine Roman buildings and you can run around, play hide?n?seek, clamber within reason ? total cost ?1.50 to get there each on the Metro (go to Pyramide and change to the Urban train which your Metro ticket also covers) and ?8 to get in (H was free)). You need another ?1.50 ticket to come back.

I wanted to do the scavi tour (necropolis) but couldn't due to young daughter - if you're all over 16 check out User Posted Link - you basically go down to St Peter's tomb (and if you do the cupola you go right up to where the sun beam comes in that shines all the way down, it's A Thing).

If you like beaches the same train that gets you to Ostia Antica goes to the Lido (and it's the same incredible fare deal) but we didn't bother with that.

Never eat anywhere with menus in six languages. Spar supermarkets are plentiful and reasonable and e.g. Trevi fountain's a great place for a picnic, as is Ostia (there *is* a canteen but it's stupid prices).

Posted By: Old Man on January 22nd 2013 at 14:01:42

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