RomaPolacchi

I have 3 days in Rome coming up and have put together a short but sweet itinerary. I will be traveling with someone who has only been to Rome once, so I have included some must-see sights on this plan. We will also be visiting a few sites that I haven't seen in years. Day 1 : -Leonardo Express train to Termini -Lunch: Colline Emiliane near Trevi Fountain -Afternoon walk in Forum Romanum -Late afternoon visit to Capitoline Museum and a Jewish Quarter Walk -Dinner: Sora Lella on Tiber Island -Walk home through Campo dei Fiori and Piazza della Rotonda (Pantheon) Day 2 : -Morning visit to Borghese Gallery -Walk through Borghese Gardens, Pincio (perhaps a visit to Villa Giulia) -Lunch: Babette in Piazza del Popolo -Afternoon Via Condotti, Piazza Farnese, Via Margutta, etc. -Dinner: Trastevere (maybe-still TBD) Day 3: -8:00 am Vatican/St. Peter's -Villa Farnesina -Lunch in Trastevere at Checco or at Cul de Sac in Piazza Navona -Afternoon Castel S. Angelo, Piazza Navona, Via Condott...

There are ways to see the Sistine Chapel (and Vatican Museums) without 5,000 other people-some of them costly, some more reasonable. The cheapest way is to book your ticket online for the first entrance of the day (8:00 am). Not only will you skip the line, but if you are a fast walker, you can get through the museum and to the chapel before anyone else. You won't be all alone in the chapel, but it will be a much more pleasant experience than waiting in line with thousands of other tourists. Another way to see the Chapel with fewer people is to book one of the after hours visits that the Vatican is hosting every Friday through June. Again, you won't be all alone, but you will see the Chapel in a different light with much fewer visitors. Both of these options cost 15 Euros (the regular price of admission) plus a 4 Euro online booking fee. For a REAL private tour, see Viator.com for their exclusive after hours tour of the Sistine Chapel. For the relatively low price of about ...

Next Friday, the Vatican Museums will be open from 7:00-11:00 pm (19:00-23:00). These evening hours, the first of their kind for the Vatican , have been in place at several other world-class museums (the Uffizi and the Louvre) and have been a great success. If it goes well on July 24th, this could be a regular occurrence. What a great way to entertain kids and keep cool at night in Rome!

A visit to the Vatican Museums , the Sistine Chapel and St. Peters is essential for any first-time (or fifth-time) visitor to Rome. Unfortunately, the line to get into the Vatican Museums is notoriously long-2 hours is not an unusual wait time. There are a few things you can do. If you are willing to pay extra for a guided tour: 1. You can ask your hotel concierge to recommend a tour company and guide to take you in. For a premium you will be able to avoid the line and you'll have the added benefit of an expert's explanations of the sometimes poorly marked galleries. 2.You can fax the Vatican tour office at least two weeks ahead of time to request a guided tour. Guided tours for individuals cost 23.50 Euros and must be confirmed by fax from the Vatican to be considered valid. See the Vatican's website for instructions. If you don't want to work with a guide, you can brave the queue. Two suggestions: 1. Arrive an hour before the opening time (10:00 most days, but che...