How to avoid the line into the Colosseum.
How to avoid the line into the Colosseum is not a hard as you may think.
I have been living here in Rome for 5 years and never once had I to stand in line at the Colosseum. The entrance fee into the Colosseum and the Roman Forum is 12 euro but few people know that it is the exact same ticket. If you go to the Roman Forum 1st around 9am there is never a line to buy tickets. Even if you have little interest in visiting the Forum you can still purchase your ticket there and when you see the long line to buy tickets in the Colosseum you can walk directly past it. You will feel like a V.I.P walking by what is usually a 1hour and 45 minute line. The ticket itself is valid for 24 hour.
If you would lke to learn more about Rome and avoiding lines into other tourist sites you should join us on a Colosseum and Forum tour. You can also see our 5 star reviews on tripadvisor.
Enjoy avoiding the line into the Colosseum.
Spanish Steps Map
Where are the Spanish Steps?
The Spanish Steps are located in the centro storico (historic center) of Rome, Italy. The steps lead up to the Church of the Holy Trinity, in Piazza di Spagna.
How to get to the Spanish Steps:
The easiest way to get to the Spanish Steps is to take Metro A. Get off at Spagna. When you exit the metro station, take your first left. You can’t miss them!
There is also a taxi stand Spanish Steps if you would prefer to travel by car. There’s no need to take a taxi, though. The steps are within easy walking distance of the Trevi Fountain and many other Rome landmarks.
The Spanish Steps are just one stop on our Rome City Tour. Come take an evening stroll through the eternal city with us!
Spanish Steps Map:
For a full Rome Map, click here.
Top tips for your summer trip to Rome
I first went to Italy when I was 13 years old. I then went again to go to school there for 3 months when I was 16. I was in Verona and although the language was completely alien to me, everything else felt strangely familiar as if from another life, I was born there. I don’t look remotely Italian or feel remotely Italian, but there is something about the culture, the history and beauty that gets right inside me. Italy has had a profound effect on my life ever since and I will be eternally grateful to the old place. Anyway enough lamenting, now down to the what this post is supposed to be about.
No doubt summer is a great time to go, if you can handle hot weather. The weather in Rome can be overbearing on certain days and nights, but it was never as bad as people made it out to be. So, if you hear people talk about how crowded Rome is and how hot it is, that is because they are not prepared for it. If you are smart in Rome during the summer your stay will be wonderful as any other time of the year. Here are my tips for your trip.
1: Don’t get a taxi from the airport – they will try and rip you off. Get the bus or train in, it is much cheaper.
2: Make sure your room has air conditioning. Most hotels have this but make sure, you need to sleep well after your long days of touring, drinking and dining.
3: Do your Vatican tour in the afternoon. Everyone thinks the morning is the best time, but they are wrong. The Vatican is a much more pleasant place in the afternoon and your guide will be able to show you so much more than in the morning. We do our tours in the afternoon and we skip the line so if you are interested in finding out more about our tours, you can find out here.
4: Never have lunch in a restaurant on a main square or a busy tourist street. The prices will be twice what you would pay around the corner and the food will be the same quality.
5: If you want to eat the finest pizza in Rome, you need to visit the family run Da Francesca. Great value for all the family and staff extremely friendly.
6: If you want to see how the well to do Romans enjoy their evenings, enjoy a nice cold beer or gin and tonic in Cafe Della Pace. Also great for a drink during the day and doing that very popular Italian past time – people watching. See below.
How enticing does this look?
7: This last tip is derived directly from my experience. If you are traveling on metro and it is very busy, do not have bumbags showing. The metro in Rome is safe 90% of the time safe but you need to not stick out like a tourist and have all your things in bumbags. Be smart and keep it closer. You do not want to be trekking up to the American Embassy (beautiful as it is) to explain how you got your passports stolen.
Rome for kids
I have had the pleasure of taking a family with three young kids around Rome for a whole week. Each day we went touring to discover different parts of Rome. It was incredible as not only did I actually grow very close to the kids over the week, I saw the wonder in their eyes as they discovered Rome for themselves. They liked some stuff and not other stuff. So here are my top tips for things to do in Rome for kids.
Dos:
1: Underground tour of the Colloseum is brilliant for kids. The Colloseum can be underwhelming for kids as they expect it to be in much better condition but bring down down under the arena and they really feel the ambience of the place
2: It is possible for kids to make ice cream in the most famous ice cream parlour, Giolitti but you need to ask the owners very nicely. Don’t expect them to eat their dinner as they will scoff down what they have made.
3: The zoo in Rome is not the best in the world and some of the animals look a bit depressed, however the monkeys are always chirpy and the kids enjoy getting up and close to them. Look out for the horny rhino!
4: The Swiss Guards, for some reason kids have a real fascination for them and always want to get a picture with them. We know a lot of the guards from the pub (no joke) so if you come on a Roman Empire Tour of the Vatican you will get to speak to the guards.
4: The Maritime prison has a great interactive experience that kids love and they love the spooky ambiance.
5: Tivoli – they love playing in the waterfalls in the garden in the Villa d’este. Hadrian’s villa was also popular but not for too long in the heat.
Don’ts
1: This is a hard one in Rome but don’t over do the churches, kids think they have seen one and have seen them all. They love churches with relics inside, St. Peter in Chains is an interesting one.
2: If you want to do the scavy tour, kids are not allowed in who are less than 13 so be warned.
3: Shopping – the crowds on Rome’s bustling shopping streets are a nightmare for kids and they quickly tire.
Top 5 Museums in Rome
Here is a list of the top 5 Museums in Rome brought to you by Roman Empire Tours.
1. Vatican Museums.
Technically the Vatican Museums are not in Rome(the Vatican has been a separate state since 1929). The Vatican Museum is one of the largest and most important museums in the world. If you covered all of the Vatican Museums you will have walked over 8 miles in total. There is over 2,200 years worth of art work in the Vatican Museums.
2. Galleria Borghese
Galleria Borghese really is a hidden gem in Rome. It houses some of the worlds most important paintings and sculptures by giants such as Caravaggio, Raphael, Peter Paul Rubens and Bernini among others. It really is a must see as far as museums go in Rome. You must book your tickets in advance which can be done by going onto their website.
3. Capitoline Museum
The Capitoline Museum has some of the most important works of art from the ancient Roman times and like the Vatican Museums it has over 2,200 years worth of art. It also holds the famous statue of Romulus and Remus(the founders of Rome) being fed by the “She Wolf”. Again some of Caravaggio’s most famous paintings are on display in the Capitoline Museum.
4. Galleria Doria Pamphilj
The Galleria Doria Pamphilj is a museum that is not overly well known in Rome which is a pity but the Museum never gets overly crowded. The paintings on display are incredible, the most famous being Diego Velasquez’s “Pope Innocent X” which ended up being a huge inspiration to the Irish painter, Francis Bacon. Again this museum holds a number of Bernini sculptures and Caravaggio paintings.
5. Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna
The Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna is one of the most important modern art museums in Europe. It has 2 incredible Vincent Van Gogh paintings on display along with paintings by Renoir, Degas, Monet, Goya, Klimt, De Chirico and sculptings by Rodin.
Thank you for reading about the top 5 museums in Rome. Each of these Museums are world class. Also if you are interested you can also join Roman Empire Tours on a Vatican Museums tour which takes place a 2pm, Monday to Saturday. You can also see our 5 star reviews on tripadvisor.