Med Cruisers...Let's Discuss Planning!(Updated Tour Info, Links & BCN Info on Page 1)

[tajz90]

Would you suggest do the Colosseum first and then the other sites or the other way around? Sorry for all the questions, all this is so overwhelming for me!
All aboard for us is 6:30, so I was planning getting back around 4:00 or would that be too late?

We ate planning on heading back the same time. I'd take the train to the Spanish steps and then work my way to the Coliseum. That's where we started in 07. We just followed the crowd. Everyone seemed to be going the same place. We grabbed a cab to the Vatican after the Coliseum.

 

[disneycrazy2004]

We ate planning on heading back the same time. I'd take the train to the Spanish steps and then work my way to the Coliseum. That's where we started in 07. We just followed the crowd. Everyone seemed to be going the same place. We grabbed a cab to the Vatican after the Coliseum.

That is very helpful, Thank you very much

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Would you suggest do the Colosseum first and then the other sites or the other way around? Sorry for all the questions, all this is so overwhelming for me!
All aboard for us is 6:30, so I was planning getting back around 4:00 or would that be too late?

I am not planning to be back until 5 or so (leaving Rome at 4)

But...



Rome is a very crowded city and you are going to feel rushed doing this IMHO.

I would not try to do the Vatican and the Colosseum on the same day. If you do realize that both of them are going to be more of a "we were there" then really having time to enjoy them.

The underground tour of the Colosseum probably ran us 90 minutes (you have to get there a little early and she ran a little over...) Then you want to see the rest of it. (The tour goes underground and up high but the main level is up to you) I would figure two hours for this. If it were me I would do the Palentine Hill and other ancient sights rather then the Vatican. I really think it kind of makes sense to do one or the other

As for the Spanish steps... well.... if you miss it, it's not the end of the world. It's a staircase with LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS of people sitting on it.

 

[tajz90]

I am not planning to be back until 5 or so (leaving Rome at 4)

But...

Rome is a very crowded city and you are going to feel rushed doing this IMHO.

I would not try to do the Vatican and the Colosseum on the same day. If you do realize that both of them are going to be more of a "we were there" then really having time to enjoy them.

The underground tour of the Colosseum probably ran us 90 minutes (you have to get there a little early and she ran a little over...) Then you want to see the rest of it. (The tour goes underground and up high but the main level is up to you) I would figure two hours for this. If it were me I would do the Palentine Hill and other ancient sights rather then the Vatican. I really think it kind of makes sense to do one or the other

As for the Spanish steps... well.... if you miss it, it's not the end of the world. It's a staircase with LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS of people sitting on it.

I agree. We skipped Palentine Hill. We headed to the Vatican and rushed through the museum to see the Sistine Chapel. We stayed in there for a while. We also toured the Church and visited the Popes Crypt.

I do have to admit we are a bit faster than the normal tourist. We walk at a brisk pace, but we managed to stay at the sights longer than our walking pace

We saw everything and didn't feel it was a been there done that day, but didn't shop or stroll between sights so we could visit each sight. The only thing we purchased were rosaries at the Vatican.

 

[JimmyJackJunior]

I agree. We skipped Palentine Hill. We headed to the Vatican and rushed through the museum to see the Sistine Chapel. We stayed in there for a while. We also toured the Church and visited the Popes Crypt.

I do have to admit we are a bit faster than the normal tourist. We walk at a brisk pace, but we managed to stay at the sights longer than our walking pace

We saw everything and didn't feel it was a been there done that day, but didn't shop or stroll between sights so we could visit each sight. The only thing we purchased were rosaries at the Vatican.

I would third OCC and Tajz - that is too much. I am doing essentially what you are without the Vatican. I have timed out the transit and consulted with my tour guide and we won't be back to the ship until about 5:20 without the Vatican.

 

[tajz90]

I would third OCC and Tajz - that is too much. I am doing essentially what you are without the Vatican. I have timed out the transit and consulted with my tour guide and we won't be back to the ship until about 5:20 without the Vatican.

We did that on DCL Med 07. We started at the Spanish Steps, we visited the McDonalds (I know, but the kids were little), threw coins into the Trevi Fountain and took a thousand pics We visited the Pantheon. Beautiful. We went to the Coliseum. Toured around the main floor. The underground was not open at the time. We grabbed a cab and headed to the Vatican. We visited the Sistine Chapel. AMAZING!!!!! We visited the Popes Tomb. Then we visited St Peters. Another amazing experience. We dripped by the Vatican gift shop and purchased Rosaries. We made it back to the Spanish Steps with time to spare.

It was lovely. We didn't feel rushed. We spent appropriate time in each place. It can be done. We did it with a 7 and a 13 yr old in tow. We did not visit Palentine Hill.

Our plan is much diff this time as we are skipping most of the hot spots and doing something a little more off the beaten path. We are touring the Coliseum Underground though.

 

[DenverVal]

We are doing DCL's Vatican and Colosseum tour, so if it's overload, bring it on!

 

[disneycrazy2004]

We are doing back to back cruises, for the first one we have booked the DCL excursion - Vatican, Sistine Chapel and the Basilica. So for the second cruise we decided to go on our own and book an underground tour for the Colosseum for 1pm. We were hoping to start at the Spanish Steps, as per tajz90 suggestion, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, the Colosseum and head back after the tour. If we have time left may be the Palentine Hill and the Forum. Is the walk manageable from the Spanish Steps to the Colosseum? I really hope we can do it all, if not, oh well....

 

[lilpooh108]

We are doing back to back cruises, for the first one we have booked the DCL excursion - Vatican, Sistine Chapel and the Basilica. So for the second cruise we decided to go on our own and book an underground tour for the Colosseum for 1pm. We were hoping to start at the Spanish Steps, as per tajz90 suggestion, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, the Colosseum and head back after the tour. If we have time left may be the Palentine Hill and the Forum. Is the walk manageable from the Spanish Steps to the Colosseum? I really hope we can do it all, if not, oh well....

A straight walk from Spanish Steps to the Colosseum will seem far, but not if you break up the walk.

Start at Spanish steps, walk to Trevi Fountain (easy walk), walk to Pantheon, then walk towards the Capitoline Museum. Enter Palatine Hill, walk through and down and exit. The exit leads to the Colosseum. There is a metro stop directly across from the Colosseum if you intend on taking public transportation anywhere.

 

[disneycrazy2004]

A straight walk from Spanish Steps to the Colosseum will seem far, but not if you break up the walk.

Start at Spanish steps, walk to Trevi Fountain (easy walk), walk to Pantheon, then walk towards the Capitoline Museum. Enter Palatine Hill, walk through and down and exit. The exit leads to the Colosseum. There is a metro stop directly across from the Colosseum if you intend on taking public transportation anywhere.

Great information, thank you so much I am looking it up on Google maps right now We are planning on using the Metro/train

 

[SparklesofHope]

We will be on the June 8th Med cruise and had initially planned to do Cinque Terre on our own. However, many of the trails are still closed. Now we are considering Pisa or Florence instead. But we REALLY want to see Cinque Terre. Our 2 boys, 10 & 11 years old, and my in-laws (in their 70's) will be with us. Thoughts/suggestions??

 

[lilpooh108]

Great information, thank you so much I am looking it up on Google maps right now We are planning on using the Metro/train

No problem. BTW they've closed the entrance to Palatine Hill that used to be right at Capitoline Museum, but there's one close by. Can't recall the street name but if you google it will come up.

 

[a1sand]

If I buy my vatican tickets in advance, what is a good time to shoot for? I think we'd like to do that first, just to make sure we see the Sistine chapel, etc. and then if we have time go to the Colliseum. We will have an 8yo and a 10yo so there we won't be spending a ton of time appreciating the art.

 

[JimmyJackJunior]

We will be on the June 8th Med cruise and had initially planned to do Cinque Terre on our own. However, many of the trails are still closed. Now we are considering Pisa or Florence instead. But we REALLY want to see Cinque Terre. Our 2 boys, 10 & 11 years old, and my in-laws (in their 70's) will be with us. Thoughts/suggestions??

How about this?


http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/c...a-spezia-italy/cinque-terre-scenic-boat-tour/

 

[SparklesofHope]

How about this?


http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/c...a-spezia-italy/cinque-terre-scenic-boat-tour/

We did consider the Disney boat tour, but since we are cruising, was hoping to stay on land . The price also seemed a bit steep, $780 for a half-day tour for 6 of us. We may just have to take our chances and take the train to Cinque Terre and actually be spontaneous!

 

[lilpooh108]

We did consider the Disney boat tour, but since we are cruising, was hoping to stay on land . The price also seemed a bit steep, $780 for a half-day tour for 6 of us. We may just have to take our chances and take the train to Cinque Terre and actually be spontaneous!

Is the ferry still running even though the trails are closed? If it's running maybe you can take it from town to town instead of walking the trails. Link to ferry a few pages back.

 

[lilpooh108]

If I buy my vatican tickets in advance, what is a good time to shoot for? I think we'd like to do that first, just to make sure we see the Sistine chapel, etc. and then if we have time go to the Colliseum. We will have an 8yo and a 10yo so there we won't be spending a ton of time appreciating the art.

There are reports of the line guard letting people in early, but not late. So I'd reserve a time that is 30 minutes later than when you intend to arrive.

 

[gatorfreud]

We aren't until 2014, but we are going to train to Pisa to climb the tower. The boys (mine are 8 and 10) really want to do it. I really am dying to go to CT - if we do that we will just wander around and hit the beaches.

Kim

 

[nzdisneymom]

We will be on the June 8th Med cruise and had initially planned to do Cinque Terre on our own. However, many of the trails are still closed. Now we are considering Pisa or Florence instead. But we REALLY want to see Cinque Terre. Our 2 boys, 10 & 11 years old, and my in-laws (in their 70's) will be with us. Thoughts/suggestions??

We are planning to go to Cinque Terre on our own the following week, and we plan to just take the train to the furthest village, spend a little time there, then use the train to make our way back, stopping along the way. We had hoepd the Lovers Walk would be open so we could walk that part, but we'll just take the train if it's still closed.

http://www.cinqueterre.eu.com/en/cinque-terre-timetable

 

[nzdisneymom]

We aren't until 2014, but we are going to train to Pisa to climb the tower. The boys (mine are 8 and 10) really want to do it. I really am dying to go to CT - if we do that we will just wander around and hit the beaches.

Kim

In 2007, our boys were 11 and 9 and the one thing they asked to do for the trip was to climb the tower, so we did Pisa instead of Florence. This time we're going to Florence It's really fun to be able to do it and it makes great memories for them.