Hank referred to on this board:

"Monday is a strange day in Italy with many things closed...so keep this in mind when doing pre-trip homework."

How should plans in Rome be adjusted? We have a 7a-7p port call in Cittavechia this is our proposed plan. Thanks for your ideas or feedback.

If we do the Vatican Musuem and St Peters in the morning and because of time constraints (wanting to be at the train station by 3:00 pm)you could only choose one more thing in rome what would you choose? (did I mention she likes to shop)

Heres what were thinking (and soliciting advice and opinions for)

Getting off the ship as early as possible and heading to the train station getting the first train possible to rome getting off a the roma
S. Pietro stop. Going right to the Vatican musuem then heading over to St Peters basicilica.
Walking up to metro station cipro-musei vatican and taking the metro to san giovanni stop. Walking to the Via Sannio market mentioned in Rick steves europe as open from 8:00-13:00 (I did mention she likes to shop didnt I?)

if time allows a quick trip to the colesium or someother site of historical signifigance possibly the church of st peter in chains.

Then back to the ship.

Does this plan sound too agressive for a day in rome on your own? how would you adjust it?

If you get off at St. Petro you have two choices to the vatican. Walk out the doors directly to the street, turn left walk down the hill and you are on the Via Cavalleggeri, or if your lazy like me walk from the platform to what looks like a bomb bunker walk down 1 flight of stairs then take the lift down to street level where you will turn to your right and walk 2 blocks to entrance to St. Peters Sq.
However, do you realize that the entry to the Vatican museum etc. is around the back?
You will have to either hike up the Via Aurelia and it’s a hike then walk around with cars flashing (no sidewalk part of way) by, or the preferred route is as you enter St. Peters sq. you will walk across it pass the Obelisk, though the Pillar walk down along the street (Porta Angelica) walking along side by side with the Vatican wall and walk around back to the entrance. This is a good brisk 20-25 minute hike from St. Petro Station. Cabs are hard to find at the station.

Go on line and take a good look at the map of Rome and the Vatican area. You will see the entrance is at the rear of the Vatican not the front. Entry to St. Peters is at the front.

quote:

If we do the Vatican Musuem and St Peters in the morning and because of time constraints (wanting to be at the train station by 3:00 pm)you could only choose one more thing in rome what would you choose? (did I mention she likes to shop)

Vatican rule change - Heads UP! Just saw this on the slow travel update list. For those of you who are planning on visiting the Vatican:
In trying to deal with constant lines & overcrowding, the Vatican Museum has announced a new admission policy and price increases. Here's a summary of the new policies and prices, effective from the beginning of January 2007:


Access to the museum at 8am and 9am will be limited to groups booked by or through tour agencies registered at Italian chambers of commerce. Such agencies will have deposited a large sum of money with Vatican Museum authorities (6000 euro) and will have made reservations for entrance at least 30 days in advance.
Most foreign tour agencies and even Rome's authorized guides will be excluded form this scheme
Those wishing to enter the Vatican Museums independently (without a tour agency) will have access only from 10am onwards.
The price of tickets will rise from 12 euor to 13 euro & those booked through tour agencies will pay another 2 euro reservation fee atop the 13 euro entrance.
The cost of private, after-hours visits will also rise. For groups of up to 30 people, the cost will be €2,500 for a two hour visit, plus a €15 ticket for each member of the party (as against the present €1,800 plus €12)
Very large groups (several hundred) making a private visit will pay 20,000 euro (rather than the present 7000 euro) plus the individual ticket price.

I'm sure there will be more news about this as the policy is implemented. As mentioned in the Wanted in Rome article, it's hard to understand how this policy can possibly improve things for the independent visitor, who will be able to enter in winter hours only from 10am to 12:20pm.

Perhaps the idea is that large crowds will have already passed through the museum, but unless it is required that they do so (and no indication of that in this article) I doubt that every large group will be handled at 8am or 9am.

One of these days I would love to have a long lunch with Rick Steves (as long as its not at a restaurant recommended in his books) to chat about his popular books. He does a great job laying out walking tours, but sometimes I think he puts in something different just to be different...even if these "special" things are really not that special. The via Sannio market is indeed a flea market, but its a flea market that is about 20 years past its prime. These days it can be a fun place to find some 2nd hand clothes, but its generally not high on many lists. If you go straight to the Vatican Museum, and you are lucky with the lines, you might be able to enter by 10:30. Trying to get through this great tour with its amazing Sistine Chapel and spending some time in St Peters, will not give you much time to get to Mercato di Via Sannio before everyone starts to pack up their stalls. I suggest you have some alternative options in case this schedule turns out to be non-workable.

Hank