Going to Venice and Rome

[New World Explorer]

We are going to Venice and Rome in August.

I have never been to Italy so suggestions are welcome what to do and see ... (4 days in Venice, 4 days in Rome) 

Where to stay in Rome ?????? which suburb?   (Venice already booked)

 

Also visiting Poland, Croatia, Montenegro and Greece (but those places are already organized)

 

Thank you

 

 

[Tortuga]

5 minutes ago, Gregexplore said:

We are going to Venice and Rome in August.

I have never been to Italy so suggestions are welcome what to do and see ... (4 days in Venice, 4 days in Rome) 

Where to stay in Rome ?????? which suburb?   (Venice already booked)

 

Also visiting Poland, Croatia, Montenegro and Greece (but those places are already organized)

 

Thank you

 

 

First thing you need to do is get on a plane and fly to California. 

[New World Explorer]

2 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

First thing you need to do is get on a plane and fly to California. 

I knew it ...

[Pjdriver]

25 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

First thing you need to do is get on a plane and fly to California. 

 

Then swing by New England....

 

Lots of cool stuff to see in Rome. I went there 40 years ago and loved it. Can’t remember all the names of places,  just the colosseum, forum, arch of Titus, few other ruins, and the catacombs. Oh yes the Vatican was interesting too...as history of course.

Edited January 22, 2018 by Pjdriver

[hatcheckgirl]

As Burt said, plenty to see and do in Rome (and Venice).  Here are my quick thoughts:

• You can book the Colosseum and Forum online and avoid any wait in queues
• The Rome metro system is very easy to navigate, and the station is directly outside the Colosseum
• Be very careful of pickpockets (all Europe is like this), and avoid restaurants near the tourist areas as they seem to offer substandard food (been caught out myself).  Trastevere is a good area where locals go to eat.
• I stayed at a small boutique hotel in Re di Roma, which was walking distance to most of the tourist spots, and is in a Roman neighbourhood.  So I got to hang out with the locals in the piazza opposite, which I prefer to do rather than use hotels in more central touristy areas.  But accommodation options are endless according to your budget.
• Best of all, just wander around the streets and get a little lost.  So much antiquity and medieval loveliness to explore serendipitously!
• Venice - the main canal has the more expensive accommodation options, so stay somewhere a few blocks back and save. 
• Venice crowds are at their peak at this time, so be prepared!  Lots of pick-pockets!
• It's easy to spot the brothers and sisters even with the crowds, and that is always a nice surprise.  Look for witnessing bags and well-dressed people in among the crowds.  

 

I know you'll enjoy yourself, sounds like a grand tour!

 

I didn't go there, but Rome Bethel would be nice to do too!

Edited January 22, 2018 by hatcheckgirl

[And_Ray]

6 hours ago, Gregexplore said:

We are going to Venice and Rome in August.

I have never been to Italy so suggestions are welcome what to do and see ... (4 days in Venice, 4 days in Rome) 

Where to stay in Rome ?????? which suburb?   (Venice already booked)

 

Also visiting Poland, Croatia, Montenegro and Greece (but those places are already organized)

 

Thank you

 

 

If you're passing Macedonia when going from Montenegro to Greece(or the other way around), you must make a stop so we can meet and drink coffee/beer. I'll leave the choice up to you !  

[Tortuga]

11 hours ago, Gregexplore said:

We are going to Venice and Rome in August.

I have never been to Italy so suggestions are welcome what to do and see ... (4 days in Venice, 4 days in Rome) 

Where to stay in Rome ?????? which suburb?   (Venice already booked)

 

Do you use TripAdvisor? 

I'm using it to plan my New Orleans trip and it is very helpful. The app has a lot of features and great information.

[Stormswift]

12 hours ago, Tortuga said:

First thing you need to do is get on a plane and fly to California. 

 

No. He needs to take a detour to NZ first, pick Tom and I up then head to california - get it right turtle.

[New World Explorer]

28 minutes ago, Stormswift said:

 

No. He needs to take a detour to NZ first, pick Tom and I up then head to california - get it right turtle.

The funniest comment of the month LOL 

[Thesauron]

Rome: Go to the Colosseum (do not purchase a guided tour) and the Forum Romanum, including the Titus Arc. Eat well and be happy. Rome is not particularly cheap, but getting around does not have to be expensive. Buy a ticket covering all your days and ride the local buses to see everything. You can easily buy the tickets at a metro stop or small shops everywhere. And get lost among the old streets in Trastevere or around Piazza del Popolo. Stop for an espresso at the Stravinsky Bar inside Hotel de Russie. Find a perfect Italian ice cream at Neve di Latte near the Supreme Court (the exotic flavours are awesome, but the masterpieces are the classics, such as the pistachio). Pasta? Well, try the old ladies at Trattoria da Fortunata on Via del Pellegrino. See the Spanish Steps, The Tiber, Villa Borghese, the Pantheon, the Vatican, Catacombe di Priscilla... Are you tired yet?

[New World Explorer]

6 hours ago, And_Ray said:

If you're passing Macedonia when going from Montenegro to Greece(or the other way around), you must make a stop so we can meet and drink coffee/beer. I'll leave the choice up to you !  

That would be so much fun Andrej, but I’ll be on the cruise in that region; disembarking only for day trips 

 

2 minutes ago, Thesauron said:

Rome: Go to the Colosseum (do not purchase a guided tour) and the Forum Romanum, including the Titus Arc. Eat well and be happy. Rome is not particularly cheap, but getting around does not have to be expensive. Buy a ticket covering all your days and ride the local buses to see everything. You can easily buy the tickets at a metro stop or small shops everywhere. And get lost among the old streets in Trastevere or around Piazza del Popolo. Stop for an espresso at the Stravinsky Bar inside Hotel de Russie. Find a perfect Italian ice cream at Neve di Latte near the Supreme Court (the exotic flavours are awesome, but the masterpieces are the classics, such as the pistachio). Pasta? Well, try the old ladies at Trattoria da Fortunata on Via del Pellegrino. See the Spanish Steps, The Tiber, Villa Borghese, the Pantheon, the Vatican, Catacombe di Priscilla... Are you tired yet?

Wonderful...

You know Rome very well thank you 

[Zax]

Hi Greg.
I Live in Rome

If you want i can help You with your schedule. Maybe we can meet too. Let me know.

See You


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[hatcheckgirl]

Ciao Massimo!

Nice to have you join the forum   The worldwide brotherhood makes it special to meet up no matter where we are travelling in the world.  That's my favourite part about travelling - spotting our brothers and sisters.  Last time I went to Rome there were carts in front of the Colosseum and the Pantheon.

[carlos]

Last time we visited Rome we booked a guided visit to the Colosseum, but one that included the undergrounds and the third level which are not usually shown to the public. We had already visited the Colosseum before, but that visit was something else, absolutely enjoyable. Our guide was an archaeologist who had been researching those same facilities, so she knew all kinds of interesting details. You can make your reservation in the Colosseum website (I don't think you can buy that visit at the entrance, just online).

 

The Roman Forums with Titus' arch are a must see. You can visit them with an audioguide.

 

The Pantheon is absolutely amazing. Entrance is free, location is close to everything and opening hours are ample, so there's no excuse not to visit it.   The Vatican is another very instructive visit if you have a good guide.

 

Visiting St. Callixtus catacombs was another highlight of the trip. We chose that one but there are several others to visit. Of course they will be more crowded in August, but still it's a fascinating visit, especially if you have a good guide like ours. I wrote about that visit here: https://jwtalk.net/forums/topic/29540-roman-catacombs-and-christian-symbols/

 

Depending on the amount of time you have and how fan you are of ruins and ancient places, at a 30 minute train ride from Rome you can visit the old city of Ostia Antica, kind of Pompeii although much smaller of course. I loved it.

 

There are lots of things to visit in Rome, but simply walking around and getting lost in its streets and squares is very worth it.

 

Rome is a rather expensive city but you can get a delicious pizza for a reasonable price mostly everywhere. The Trastevere neighborhood is wonderful for a nice walk (both at day and at night) and famous for its reasonably-priced quaint restaurants.

 

[Manwithnoname]

Amazing city to visit. 

I cant offer any better suggestions than those above.

 

I would recommend visiting the Colosseum, Trevi fountain and Spanish steps later on in the day, 8 or 9 pm, as well as the usual day time visit - its quiet and has a completely different atmosphere.

And walk part of the original, actual Appian way (acts 28:15) immediately outside the Colosseum.

 

 Visit the Colosseum and look out for the information boards describing recent archeological discovery's that show that it was likely financed in large part or mayby entirely by the treasures taken from the temple and the campaign against  Jerusalem.......  and then read how the Vatican was built out of the marble cladding taken from the Colosseum.......!

 

Also go to the circus maximus.

It was here (not the Colosseum) that the torturing and killing of the Christians took place.

There's no building remaining, but the oval chariot track is still clearly there.

To stand in the middle of that area and think about what our brothers suffered was one of the most moving moments I've ever experienced in my life.

 

Have a great time.

 

Kevin

 

[New World Explorer]

39 minutes ago, carlos said:

The Trastevere neighborhood is wonderful for a nice walk

This gets mentioned few times already - perhaps I should stay there?

[Zax]

Ciao Massimo!
Nice to have you join the forum   The worldwide brotherhood makes it special to meet up no matter where we are travelling in the world.  That's my favourite part about travelling - spotting our brothers and sisters.  Last time I went to Rome there were carts in front of the Colosseum and the Pantheon.

Usually They are Friends From My old congregation

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[Zax]

This gets mentioned few times already - perhaps I should stay there?

Stay wherever you like, Just avoid train station "termini" surroundings.

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[New World Explorer]

18 minutes ago, Zax said:

Stay wherever you like, Just avoid train station "termini" surroundings.

Inviato dal mio SM-A300FU utilizzando Tapatalk
 

Massimo I will pm you

[New World Explorer]

22 minutes ago, Zax said:

Stay wherever you like, Just avoid train station "termini" surroundings.

Inviato dal mio SM-A300FU utilizzando Tapatalk
 

Is Rome a "walking city" or do I need a lot of transport to get from point to point?

What attractions are close by to walk around? (clustered together?)

I was going to pm you but maybe others will have some hints as well..

[hatcheckgirl]

So many good suggestions in this thread, I am getting truly jealous of your Roman Holiday.  Like Massimo said, you can walk or take a bus.  Plan what you can manage in a day, and then you'll get a feel for how much you can walk.  I took metro home as where I was staying had the metro station nearby.  But I also walked to most places.  You just can't see it all in 4 days  

1 hour ago, Zax said:

Usually They are Friends From My old congregation

 

I was surprised they were brothers and sisters from the Chinese group that day I met them.  I understand you have rosters for different languages set up at main tourist attractions.  Always lovely to see our brothers and sisters!

[New World Explorer]

11 minutes ago, hatcheckgirl said:

You just can't see it all in 4 days  

Try me... LOL

[New World Explorer]

Please include photos from your Roman Holiday.... I would like to see it

[hatcheckgirl]

I'll PM you.  I stayed 4 days in Rome after a Mediterranean cruise back in July 2013.  I did a day trip to Pompeii too.  Carlos mentioned Ostia Antica, which is perfect alternative.

[New World Explorer]

27 minutes ago, hatcheckgirl said:

I'll PM you.  I stayed 4 days in Rome after a Mediterranean cruise back in July 2013.  I did a day trip to Pompeii too.  Carlos mentioned Ostia Antica, which is perfect alternative.

Can't wait for pm.... thanks