I'm taking the Mrs to Rome later this year for a city break, but i'm not too sure what's out there (other than The Colisuem and good food)

If there anything that's worth seeing/visiting, and anything to avoid?

Edit to add - we are staying around Piazza Campo de' Fiori

 

"My old man used to say 'When in Rome do as the Romans do...'
That was just before he got locked up in an Italian prison for murdering 20,000 Christians."

Lee Mack...

 

It's a very good title of the thread, to be fair.

Hopefully someone will come in to tell that when in Rome, do exactly as Romans do. End of.

On a serious one, hope people suggest some good stuff to do there; to Moleywrx.

 

"Anything worth seeing...."

I would imagine so , yes !!

 

The Trevi fountain. The ruins, St Peters, (get a tour round the Vatican Museum, there are loads of folk in St Peter's square putting together parties, get someone that speaks English, fascinating, and they get you into the basilica by the back way.)
The Parthenon, the Spanish Steps.

 

The Parthenon is in Athens, presumably you mean the colosseum

Still great though

 

It's the Pantheon, we were there last year:

 

I went to Rome a few years ago. Didn't think much of it tbh apart from the two things you've already mentioned....the colosseum and the food. The Vatican is fairly dece, especially if you go to the top! I've been to a lot of places around the world, Rome would come quite a way down the list if I had to put them in order of best to worst. It rained from the moment we got there until we left aswell, which I don't think helped much haha.

 

Rome is okay, very busy, a bit unclean. There are nicer places to go, Sienna , Florence, San Gimmiano. I prefer smaller towns or beautiful natural sites, Alps, lakes and great Forests.

 

Agree, Rome is OK, but the hill towns of Tuscany and Umbria are stunning

And the food is simply the best in the world

 

We're just outside this town in two weeks; a mates place in the Appenine mountains, Nothern Italy. Properly Italian!

 

Ok, I'll say it - what did the Romans ever do for us?

 

Better sanitation and medicine and education and irrigation and public health and roads and a freshwater system and baths and public order.

 

...

 

Cheers guys.

I'm taking the Mrs there for her birthday as she's always fancied going, we're hoping to go to Sorrento or Lake Garda next year aswell.
I'm not a big fan of cities, would rather have a chilled out relaxing holiday, but gotta keep the Mrs happy!

 

Milan is nice!

 

Italian lakes are stunning, i dont mind Rome but the colliseum is just a big roundabout

 

Sorrento's beautiful (best food I've ever had), I've not been to Lake Garda, but the missus has and she always says good things about it.

 

Of course it depends on what you like, but I find Rome to be place I could go to again and again and again. I have been 4 times, not really scratched the surface.

OK, it's dirty, noisy, you get hassled by Bangladeshis trying to sell you stuff, but if you are even mildy intersested in history, then it simply has no peer.

One thing I would say about the Holy See, is go to St Peters, it's spectacular, but unless you are a die hard catholic or have a burning desire to see the Sistine Chapel, steer clear of the Vatican itself.

it's expensive, like a cattle herding experience, once you get in the chapel itself your feet don't toucht the ground at times (I'm not kidding, it's like sardines) and you can hardly see anything, and when you exit the chapel you come in to a gift shop, it's like being at Alton Towers! (without the broken legs, of course).

And unless you are there by 0800, you will face a queue of several hours.

 

I'd go with this, to be fair.

 

Some good pictures on this thread.

James Taylor's picture is cool, so is Matt's. Matt's pic is ideal to delvelop an art work. Actually, it looks like an art work. Very stillfully captured still.

 

We went in February. I loved the Colloseum, we booked a private tour meaning we went out to the middle, in the basement and up to the 5th floor away from all the common tourists as the guide called them. The Roman forum is also good. You can basivcally write a day off seeing these two.

Vatican I good, again its a good half a day to do the museum and the Sistene Chapel. Do not book a tour here and its so expensive. Just walk round yourself

St Peters square is good but we did not go into St Peters Church as the queue was massive

Trevi Fountain is currently being renovated and is dry with lots of workman sitting in it. They build a temporary walkway which you can use, but rather disappointing IMO

Its a small city so be prepared for lots of walking. Personally I loved it

 

the Coliseum was good, even without the tour - but in August Rome is fvcking hot

and pricy in the tourist areas

 

 

You have a lovely family, hodgy.

Taylor's other images are pretty cool, too. :

 

Good choice Gary, Rome is a great place to visit
Are you following me around Europe by any chance
Sorrento and Amalfi

 

Will give you a call before i go

Thanks for the advice above, much appreciated guys

 

The Colisseum is great, I think it's probably worth paying the extra for tour, I wish I had.

Been a few times, never ceases to impress me. Sadly, all the cats have gone.

 

Forgot to update this......

Well, we loved the place. Amazing city.

Did the guided tours of the Colossium and Vatican, aswell as a bike tour of the city.

The weather was a bit warm (37 degrees) but couldn't fault anything about the holiday.

We've already booked a week back there next year, but this time we are going to take the train to Sorrento aswell.

Thank you for the advise

 

Glad you enjoyed it.