A crash course in Roman history would make the trip more fun. I missed my sons to explain things- A little preparation really helps.
Book your tickets months in advance through the official website. These places are reasonably priced, but most tour operators buy tickets in bulk, so when you try to book online, nothing is left.
Carry a water bottle and a backup battery for your phone!
In Rome, the Colosseum is a must-see. I’m so glad we had a 9 AM check-in. I booked through GetYourGuide, and they contracted it to Crown Tours. The people at the reception were very professional — clearly knew the best way of doing it. It was an awesome experience, and next time I’ll book directly with them.
Oh wait — the whole point of writing this is to say that nobody should buy tickets through any tour company; always book directly from the official site! May be this should be the in the list right after booking the flight.
Our tickets were stamped for 9 AM, and since it was a “skip the line” ticket (which I paid little too much), entry was smooth. You can’t enter earlier than 15 minutes before your slot, and you shouldn’t be late by more than 15 minutes either.
We spent some time exploring, but Mr. Husband was done with Colosseum quickly, so he sat outside while I went to the Roman Forum. I missed the Palatine Hill ,it would’ve taken longer and I didn’t want to keep him waiting.
From there, we took the bus to the Vatican — big mistake! We thought the bus would be a better way to see the city, but with bus change, traffic it was not fun. We somehow managed a quick lunch.
The Vatican was another story — hundreds of people in line, dozens of tours running at any given time. I’m not sure it’s for everybody.
I had bought the ticket again from GetYourGuide, but it was operated by another company called In and Out of Italy. It was also a skip-the-line ticket, so they dropped us at the museum gate, and then we were on our own.
By then, we were tired — too many people, too much rushing. The Vatican just wasn’t fun for us. I think I can handle only one big thing a day, or maybe it was just the tail end of our trip and we were worn out.
After the Vatican, we came back to the hotel, rested a bit, and later took a bus out for dinner. The restaurant Polese is a lively, family-owned place with amazing food. We ordered rice balls, meatballs, and white pasta. The house wine was excellent, and the service was warm and friendly — the perfect end to a long Roman day.
The bus ride back was quiet; my heart and stomach were full. I felt grateful for a busy, loud, beautiful, and historical Rome — with its many told and untold stories.
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