My husband and I are going to Rome for 8 days and Sorrento for 6 days next May. If all goes according to plan, we will have one day in Rome that I am not sure what do with. We will have seen Florence on a day trip, Ostia, the catacombs, and all the other sites in Rome. Does anyone have any suggestions for this extra day? I am considering Orvieto or Assissi. Or maybe we will be churched-out by then. We are not much for Art (with a capital "A"). Our interests tend more to historical sites. Thanks for your suggestions.

Stop planning! Allow yourself one day to "get lost" in the Centro Storico and simply wander with your eyes wide open. Stop for a gelato when the urge hits, stick your head into unpretentious neighborhood churches, and eat lunch at a trattoria that isn't listed in the guide books.

Later, back home, you may discover that this unplanned day was one of the highlights of your trip.

Del, Where is the Centro Storico, I can't find it in my guide books & how can I get there from the Piazza Del Popolo? We have not done a lot of traveling (this is our first independent travel trip) & are new to gettting around on our own. Thanks, Jean

Hi Jean R,

Where will you be staying while in Rome? The Centro Storico is the historic center of Rome where you will find most of the archeological monuments; the Forum, the Colisseum, the Pantheon, etc...all written about in great depth in every guide book of Rome. You will not lack for sites to see or things to do while in Rome. In addition to seeing the Forum, etc., I would suggest that you book a guided tour of the Vatican museums, book reservations at the Borghese Museum and just plan on strolling, visiting the Spanish Steps, the Piazza Navona, Campo de Fiori, Trastevere area, peak into every church that's open, stop for capuccino at outdoor cafes and spend leisurly hours eating lunch and dinner at the many, many wonderful restaurants in Rome. With such a short amount of time there, you really need not leave the city for day trips on this trip...save those for another time! (Ostia is pretty fantastic so I would do that...) Please let us know where your hotel is so we can get a better handle of where you will be based while in Rome and we can help better...

Donna Marie

"Centro Storico"="historic center." All of the crooked little streets and by-ways around the Pantheon, the Piazza Navona, Campo dei Fiori, down into the Jewish Quarter, over to Trastevere, etc, etc.

Just head south from the Piazza del Popolo...although one of the charms of old Rome (assuming you stick to the more interesting back streets) is that it's impossible to "head south" or any other direction without getting lost in a maze of streets that don't seem to going anywhere in particular. That's the whole point!

We are planning on staying at the Hotel Locarno near the Piazza del Popolo. I have several all day walking tours planned for Rome - the Old City including the Piazza Navona & Campo de Fiori, the Forum area, the Vatican, the Catacombs. We're not really into art museums. I really don't want to wste time sitting around my hotel room wondering where to go, I'd rather at least have some ideas. Thanks for your help.

Bill

Gazetteer of Rome

I'd spend the day just 'being in Rome.'

Be. Savor. Wander. Read. Write. Drink. Eat. Gaze. Ponder. Count blessings.

Let me add my voice to those who espouse no agenda for the day - what a great way to end a trip to Italy. No rushng around, just wandering and letting Rome seep into your senses. A surefire way to be sure you come back!

Doris

Jean, I also vote you leave the day as your wonderful surprise. We just returned from our first family trip to Italy, and we spent 4 wonderful days in Rome. The last day I left unplanned, and trust me, we had enough ideas left for that 1 day to fill a whole week in Rome. By the time you reach your last day, you won't be sitting around wondering what to do in your hotel room. Rome will have become familiar enough that you will each know exactly how you long to spend your time!

For example, on our last day, I wanted to seek out a nice piazza I had visited earlier, and write in my journal. My teens went back to St. peter's with my husband because they just wanted to see it one more time, and to climb the dome.

Another vote for leaving the day unplanned. And I promise you, you will not do everything you planned on your planned days...Don't worry, that won't bother you because of what you did see and do.

Joelle

Unplan even more days. Forget guodebooks for at least a few days and wanter in Rome. Get lost, hit hidden surprises so that in the evening you have to go through your guidebooks just to find that that wonderful little thing you have seen is not listed anywhere, and feel you have made a great discovery. Or go back to your favorite places: they don't get stale on a second (third, fourth...) visit.

I agree with Bill. And Sally. There is no such thing as "I've seen rome"! You could be in rome for months and still discover great stuff every day. A day trip is not essential at all. If you near Piazza del Popollo, check out the Web for listings. They often have special events or concerts there. Rome is a trip on its own and deserves AT LEAST 2-3 weeks!

And have some gelato at San Crispino for me, will ya?!!

Hi

As they say here: 'Roma non basta una vita'.
A lifetime is not long enough to see all that Rome has to offer.
I have been living here for almost three years and barely a day goes by when I don't see something I haven't noticed before.

hi Jean -

Stephanie (WebFabbrica) created a website (in English) listing all sorts of events in Rome - What's on in Rome.

As your trip gets closer, you might want to check it out for possible activities for your "extra day."

quote:

---

Originally posted by Alice Twain:
Unplan even more days. ... Or go back to your favorite places: they don't get stale on a second (third, fourth...) visit.

---

I wholeheartedly concur! On our 2003 trip to Paris, I had planned out every day in detail. We ended up with a free day since we decided not to spend a second day at the Disney Paris Resort (actually, we didn't even spend a first day there...but that's another story for the France section). The point is, we awoke to our last day in Paris with one question on our minds: what do we really want to do on our last day here? (We knew it would probably be some time before we returned again.) Hubby wanted to visit the Louvre one last time; I wanted to see the de Orsay at a slower pace (our first visit happened to be 5 minutes before closing time due to the transportation strike). We were even able to walk past the Luxor Obelisk in Place de la Concorde (also due to the transportation strike). It turned out to be one of our most memorable days in Paris (ok, I'll admit it - the whole two weeks were pretty memorable!) The point I am trying to make is: save the day for either revisiting your favorite place, or sitting at Piazza Navona eating gelato and watching the world go by. You'll be back in the rat race soon enough!