Rome 2010

Best and worst sights, experiences and destinations:

Best: hotel aberdeen
Why: THIS IS A CONVENIENT HOTEL IN ROME. THE STAFF AND MARIANO WERE LOVELY . STREET WAS QUIET AT NIGHT BUT THE HOTEL ITSELF WAS VERY NOISEY! THERE IS A BAKERY IN THE LOWER BUILDING AND THE BAKERS ARE THERE A 2 A:M - MAKING LOTS OF RACKET!!!!ALSO STAY AWAY FROM ROOMS NEAR THE BREAKFAST ROOM AREA.. OTHER THAN THAT.. CLEAN AND WELL KEPT HOTEL.

KATHLEEN in BERLIN , CT USA 11/14/2009

Best: Borghese, Forum Walk, Pilgrims Rome, Night Walk
Why: The Borghese is one of the best sights I've seen. Having that kind of access to those unbeliveable Bernini statues is an experience that cant be topped. The Forum Walk puts a meaning behind the stones and rubble that you see. It is great for anyone. I love Santa Maria Maggiore and Santa Prassade. Both gems! I've done the Night Walk 4 times. Its a great way to familiarize yourself with the heart of the city and watch the real Roman nightlife happen. I think it is a must-do!

Brian Freund in Keego Harbor, MI USA 11/11/2009

Best:
Why: Our experience with your company was wonderful! When we arrived at the airport our driver/tour guide, Giorgio, was waiting for us. After taking us to the hotel to check in, we began our tour. Giorgio had an excellent command of the English language. He was also well versed in the history of Rome and enjoyed sharing this information with us. After our long flight from the United States, this was the perfect way for us to see the highlights of Rome before beginning our cruise the following day. Our driver that day was GianCarlo. He arrived promptly at the hotel and took us to our ship. Both men were very courteous and helpful. Congratulations on a well organized operation with a very competent staff. I would recommend your company to anyone without reservation. Thank you for helping us make the most of our brief stay in Rome.

Claire Sheekey in Wall, NJ USA 11/09/2009

Best: Chiesa Sant'Andrea della Valle, Palazzo Farnese & Castel Sant'Angelo.
Why: I am a big Puccini fan, and was thrilled to see the actural sites where the opera takes place.

Bob H. in San Diego, CA USA 11/09/2009

Best: Gaetano Manfredi as THE Pompeii guide.
Why: We engaged Gaetano for the full 3 hours, and not only did he bring Pompeii and it's people to life, his insights and observations were very useful for interpreting many of the sights of Rome in the following days.

John and Debra Gall in Sequim, Wa USA 11/06/2009

Best: Borghese Museum
Why: Thanks to the reservation system which limits the number of people, you could take your time and see everything.

Worst: Vatican Museum
Why: We ignored your advice about a rainy day - it was so uncomfortablely crowded and hot, an d we were there in October. Due to construction, you couldn't exit anywhere so like rats in a maze, we pushed on.

Susan Handloff in Steamboat Springs, CO USA 11/02/2009

Best: Jason Spiehler, tour guide, Rome
Why: We only use your books when traveling (other than a map now and then). We want to applaud your suggestion of a private tour guide in Rome. While we have never used a "guide" before, we hired Jason Spiehler for his night tour and Vatican Tour. He is an outstanding guide. Very knowledgeable, personable and accomodating. He is worth the money...

Worst: None
Why: Jason Spiehler is an outstanding guide in Rome. Very knowledgeable, personable and accomodating. He is worth the money...

Jim McCloy in Tallahassee, Fl USA 11/02/2009

Best: Colosseum, Vatican
Why: Amazing history and art. Also surprised at how beautiful the Trevi fountain is at night.

Worst: Vatican
Why: Incredibly crowded and surly staff

Sherri Campbell in Katy, Tx USA 10/18/2009

Best: Vatican Museam & Sistine Chapel
Why: The art was amazing and the tour book really helped explain everything and make it richer! Loved the shortcut out of the Sistine Chapel! I could not of walked another 30 mins around! Great trick! I did wait for the door to open and than knew that was my chance to get out. I than went right into St. Peter's! Such an awesome tip!!!

Jennifer in NY, NY USA 10/10/2009

Best: the Vatican
Why: Your commentary on the Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica made these overwhelming sights manageable and enjoyable.

Worst: the Holy Steps and San Giovanni Lanterno
Why: These sights were phenomenal, but not nearly enough about them -- and their significance -- in your book.

Laralyn Sasaki in Columbus, OH USA 10/09/2009

Best: Vatican Museum
Why: Just my personal preference -- I was blown away by the Vatican Museum and really appreciated your explanations of the various rooms, the Sistine Chapel, etc. There were four of us (two couples), and we each had different favorite experiences in Rome. But if pressed, I would have to say mine was the Vatican Museum. We were able to purchase tickets before we went, and as a result we waltzed in ahead of the crowds at 8:30am and were allowed into the museum before it officially opened. Fantastic!

Worst: Galleria Borghese
Why: Well, "worst" is overstating it. We actually enjoyed Galleria Borghese, but were probably too dead on our feet to give it the attention it deserves. I wish their gift shop had offered a small book of photos of the rooms of this beautiful villa, especially since they don't allow photography. I'm glad we went, but it was a bit distant from everything else -- not your fault!

Cindy in Saint Louis, MO USA 09/30/2009

Best: Espresso granita near the Pantheon
Why: It was delicious.

Barry in Florence, OR USA 09/27/2009

Best: Colosseum and National Museum of Rome and Testaccio market
Why: Colosseum is amazing inside and outside. Cannot believe it is still standing after all this time. National Museum has some amazing statues and cool coin museum in lower floor. No lineup when we went in the morning. Testaccio market was so cool, and no tourists.

Worst: Borghese Gallery
Why: Found it uninspiring, especially after a difficult time finding it. And wear bug spray when you go! You have to walk through the garden to get to the gallery. Got 4 bites that day.

Sally in Vancouver, BC Canada 09/20/2009

Best: The Roem Night Walk
Why: Very well laid out

Timothy E. Tidmore in Albertville, Al USA 09/07/2009

Best: driverinroma.com
Why: This was a great experience we had with Remo& all his drivers.Words can't discribe the great time we had with them.They were very knowledgeable about Roma, Florence,and the Amalfi Coast.Would recommend them to everyone.When we go back they are the first ones we will call.

Al Esposito in delray beach, USA 08/22/2009

Best: Borghese Gallery
Why: You can get up close to the art at the Borghese Gallery like at no other museum and the rooms themselves are stunning.

Worst: Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps
Why: Just plain crowded. These are the only places in Rome that I felt unsafe.

Laura Logan in Kirkland, WA USA 08/04/2009

Best: Borghese Gallery, Colloseum, Forum
Why: Fantastic sites, art, history.

Worst: Trevi Fountain
Why: Beautiful fountain, but it was crowded in the daytime and nighttime. Plus the guys shoving roses at you are annoying.

Dave in Milwaukee, Wi USA 07/14/2009

Best: Tips on skipping the lines in Rome
Why: The tips provided on avoiding lines at the Vatican & Colisseum were life savers and made our trip so much more enjoyable. Don't miss the secret exit from the Sistine Chapel as well!

Beth in Northridge, CA USA 07/10/2009

Best: Catacombs of Prisicilla
Why: Wasn't really the best, but I thought that the book made it under rated. It was a great tour for only 6 euros a head. Plus it seemed alot longer than the tours on the Apian way.

Worst: Altar of Peace
Why: Could have seen the whole thing from the outside.

Russell in Metaire, La USA 07/08/2009

Best: Roma pass and ordering tickets to the Borgese online
Why: The Roma pass worked just like Rick described we were able to bypass the lines at the Colosseum and travel on the bus with ease.

Worst: Not recommending the Victor Emanuel monument and the museum inside it
Why: We stumbled upon the museum and even though the signs were not in english really liked it and the connection to more recent history.

Crystal Young in Swanton, Oh USA 07/05/2009

Best:
Why: I have had a great experience in Rome. I strongly recommend it for uniquess! An antique aristocratic building in the heart of Rome, a luxurious epoch residence, top quality comforts and impeccable services. www.palazzodelduca.com Thanks palazzo del Duca!

Lia in Berten, Ca USA 06/17/2009

Best:
Why: I have had a great experience in Rome. I strongly recommend it for uniquess! An antique aristocratic building in the heart of Rome, a luxurious epoch residence, top quality comforts and impeccable services. www.palazzodelduca.com Thanks palazzo del Duca!

Lia in Berten, Ca USA 06/17/2009

Best: National Museum of Rome, Vatican tour & 'Sunday in the city'
Why: National Museum of Rom (see favorite discoveries above). We hadn't planned to see it this trip, but it was a trip to celebrate our nephew's college graduation, and he picked this museum. Walked in with no wait or reservation and almost felt like we had the place to ourselves on a Friday afternoon. Vatican tour is absolutely best done with a guide. What a thoroughly daunting, unspeakably magnificent place. The guide we'd hired actually (Sarah May) was sick that day but still made the effort to take the train into town to meet us and ask if we'd mind joining another small group led by a guide she knew well, and it was fine. We could never have gotten through that place without a guide - too many fascinating distractions! The wireless headsets the guide used were a godsend. We were a bit dismayed at the crowds, which can be exhausting, and rude tourists (who ignored requests for silence and no pictures in the Sistine Chapel), but these didn't detract from the magnificence of it all. On a future trip, we'd like to go to the top of St. Peter's dome and perhaps explore the crypts as well. Afterward we ate at a lovely little trattoria that struck our fancy, to the occasional interruption of sirens, motorcades & hovering helicopters. Perhaps Berlusconi dropped in for the day! We walked out of the trattoria into the midst of a fairly sizeable street demonstration - lots of people on bicycles carring banners, drums, horns. Something about Pakistan and immigration, from what we could discern. All very loud and energetic but peaceful! Police had closed the street for that, too.

We also really enjoyed 'walking Rome' all day Sunday. The main street was closed for a big cycling event, so we got to see some of the local cycling fervor, while enjoying window shopping at the various trendy clothing stores (ALL the retail stores were open, to our surprise).

Cecilia in Dallas, Te USA 06/15/2009

Worst: the book is written sloppily
Why: It appears as if the researcher (Rick?) is rushing through Rome, grabbing info from signs, copying info from the audio guides he has rented (his descriptions of items in the Borghese are word for word off their audio guide) - it's hit and miss.

sarah in rome, italy 06/05/2009

Best: Getting into the Colesseum via Palatine
Why: It was very hard choosing one BEST from the book as it was packed with great advice, but avoiding the line at the Colesseum on a 93 degree day was worth the price of the book

Maggie Flynn in Florissant, MO USA 06/01/2009

Best: Appian Way Tour
Why: We loved the catacombes (much to my surprise). Some of my best pictures are from the walk down this road.

Jeni in Beaver Dam, WI USA 05/31/2009

Best: Private Guide-- Carla Zaia
Why: Earlier this month we hired Carla Zaia,mentioned in Rick's Rome book, to provide guided tours for our family group of 6. We utilized Carla on two different days for tours of the Vatican Museum, the Coliseum, Palatine Hill, and the Forum. She was excellent and knowledgeable! Highly recommend her to anyone wanting a private tour guide.

Jim Johnston in Portland, OR USA 05/29/2009

Best: Coloseum
Why: It is just so amazing how they were able to build it.

Matthew A. King in Brighton, CO United States 05/20/2009

Best: Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill
Why: Amazing to be in the center of so much history.

Worst: Borghese Gallery
Why: Decent, but not nearly as impressive as the Vatican Museum. Don't bother with the Borghese Gallery unless you're a hard-core art fan.

Steve Z. in Hartford, CT USA 04/12/2009

Best: Roma Pass, Shortcut from Sistine to St Peters
Why: The Roma pass is a great deal, worth its price to blow past lines at the Forum & Colosseum. The 3 day transport pass saves steps--learn & use the buses. Short cut to St Peters from Sistine Chapel works well. Security only seems interested in stopping those trying to get to the chapel from St Peters without paying the museum fee.

Steve Raffensperger in Leola, PA USA 04/11/2009

Best: location, security,
Why: short walk to Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, great choice of local restaurants, on small side street-safe, secure hotel

Dianne Camp in Phoenix, AZ USA 04/05/2009

Best: Borghese Gallery
Why: Incredible sculpture. Nice grounds. We were really glad we took advantage of the English speaking tour, which needs to be booked separately. The grounds were nice as well We also enjoyed the Palatine Hill-peaceful and great view.

Worst: Vatican Museum
Why: We did enjoy the Sistine Chapel. Even though we were there at the end of March, it was incredibly crowded. We waited for over an hour to get in. I wish I had had enough time to see St Peter's on a different day. I can't believe the Catholic Church is having money problems...the cash they took in just on the day we were there was huge!

Suzy Pare in Cleveland, OH USA 04/04/2009

Best: Roma Pass
Why: FANTASTIC DEAL! because of your book we used it to our advantage including using it for The National Musuem of Rome and The Colisium, Palantine hill with NO WAITING. The Colisium was a bit confusing with the two lines.. so to anyone reading this that buys the Roma Pass STAY TO THE LEFT and zip right in!!! We also rode the metro over and over for three days so we basically did all that for free.

Worst: Dark Rome Tours
Why: I do not remember where we found this tour group but I want to warn everyone that they SUCK. We bought it for The Vatican and yes it was nice to jump the line (even though it was not that long) but the guide was sooo bad we left the tour after 45 minutes. I wrote a letter to the company and basically got a defensive, horribly rude letter from the *Customer service manager* that basically told me to bad, so sad no refund for you.

Darcie Clark in Richlands, NC USA 02/24/2009

Best: The Restaurants!
Why: There are so many restaurants that it can be overwhelming deciding where to go. Italy has some of the BEST food anywhere in the world, but we followed Rick's suggestions all throughout our trip and we were NEVER disappointed! Places that you would normally not find on your own. Food and ambiance was fantastic everywhere Rick recommended!

Evelyn Fernandez in Jericho, NY USA 02/03/2009

Best: The night walk
Why: We enjoyed all the sites, but the night walk of Rome was magical. This was not our first visit to Rome, but it was the first time we were able to fit in the Catacombs- very enjoyable.

Worst: The metro during rush hour
Why: It was soooo stuffed with people. Plan your arrival and departure around rush hour (like we did) We quickly learned that we would need to take a very early train out of town or wait until later. There is no way we could have squeezed on with luggage-even a Rick Steves pack. My husband was so jammed in he literally would fall out when the doors opened at each stop. One time I thought he would not make it back on. I just pulled on him with all my strength (probably squishing someone behind me).

CA Adams in Everett, WA USA 01/10/2009

Best: Pantheon, Context Rome Tour
Why: You just stumble upon it. It is not as though you can view it above the surrounding buidlings, so suddenly you just turn a corner or look down the street and surprise! There's the Pantheon. Plus, it is so gorgeous at night.

The Context Rome tour was worth every penny.

D. in Dallas, TX USA 12/31/2008

Best: Ostia Antica
Why: This was one of the most beautiful and intriguing places we visited on our trip. Rick Steves highly recommended it and it is 100% worth the excursion! What an experience in ancient life. It made Rome even more exciting for us.

Worst: none at all
Why: How could you possibly improve on Rome?!

Marina Rizo-Patron in San Antonio, Tx USA 12/23/2008

Best: Using Rick's pod casts in Rome
Why: I used Rick's pod casts during my recent trip to Rome. Not only are the entertaining and interesting, but they allow you to listen to the information and walk around the sights instead of trying to read the book while in the sights.

Enjoyed the Archeological Museum in Naples. We almost did not go in because Rick described it as ramshackle, unkepmt, and dumpy, but it seemed in good condition the day we were there. It was clean, well lit, and the exhibits were well presented. Hopefully this is a permanent improvement.

We used Rick's Rome and Italy books each day. He makes it relatively easy to get around busy, confusing places in Italy.

Jim Perschbacher in Mableton, GA USA 12/07/2008

Best: Vatican Tour with Brenda Bohen
Why: I was in Rome in September 2008, planning my wedding when I was referred to Brenda for her excellent Vatican Tours. Little did I know what was in store for me! Going on a tour with Brenda Bohen is seeing the Vatican through an insiders eyes. She was AMAZING! Myself and two friends met Brenda outside the Vatican Museum entrance at 7:30 and were the first people in the museum. We followed her straight to the Sistine Chapel where we were delighted to discover we were the ONLY ones there! Simply incredible. The last time I was in the Sistine chapel I was fighting w/one hundred other people straining to see the beauty of the chapel. With Brenda, not only did we have the actual feeling of being inside a working chapel (which it is) but her explanations of the paintings and their hidden meanings, and believe me there are plenty, made my trip so memorable. She knew everyone there because of her research on the Vatican. Her passion for the subject and her enthusiasm for sharing all her knowledge was intoxicating. She had us captivated from minute one. But besides being such a fantastic tour guide, she welcomed us as long lost friends. She invited us to share a dinner with her and her friends. It was so much fun. I can't stop raving about her. Please, if you want to REALLY see the Vatican Museum contact her: Brenda Bohen at brenda.bohen@gmail.com 00 (39) 349.689.5947 and or through www.romeforjews.com

Kim Masson in Brooklyn, NY USA 12/05/2008

Best: Ostia Antica
Why: We were pleasantly surprised by how much this site had to offer. We'd anticipated spending an hour or two there as time didn't permit a Pompeii excursion. Instead, our boys (ages 13, 10, and 8) enjoyed half a day meandering the site. Easy to access from Rome, I'd highly recommend people include this in their Rome itinerary.

Worst: Train from Orvieto into Rome
Why: We drove down to Rome from Switzerland and rather than take the car into the city, opted to park in Orvieto and catch a train. The experience left something to be desired, though, in part because we arrived in the wee hours of the morning and the station wasn't open. When it did open, getting tickets proved somewhat difficult, and the train itself was absolutely filthy.

Another challenging point was Termini Station itself. The TI center was difficult to find. The one public restroom we were able to locate didn't open until 8 a.m. Little things one can overlook when in Rome, but annoying nonetheless.

Colleen in Wolfisberg, WA USA 11/17/2008

Best: Residenza Aexo Dei Tolomei
Why: I can;t give enough glowing praise to all of the staff at Arco dei Tolomei. It is a cozy, warm, and inviting haven nestled just blocks away from the tiber. I especially enjoyed our morning breakfast visits with marco who shared with us some of his favorite hidden dining sports. We were not disapponted. I will absolutely stay here again.

Kathy Polikowsky in Rochester, mn USA 11/15/2008

Best: The Pantheon
Why: It is in the best condition of all the ancient monuments and it is just amazing and breathtaking. The night walk was so much fun we did it all 3 nights we were there!

Erica Ryan in Bakersfield, CA USA 11/10/2008

Best: Through Eternity Tours, Galleria Borghese
Why: We took the tour of the Vatican/St. Peter's with Brandon of Through Eternity tours. The tour was very informative and interesting--Brandon definitely knew what he was talking about since he is a young Canadian Oxford-educated in the classics. In fact, he knew so much and spoke so well about everything in the Vatican Museum, the tour went over the allotted time and we had to leave early before even getting to the St. Peter's part of the tour because we had reservations for the Borghese Gallery. THE BORGHESE GALLERY IS A MUST-SEE. BERNINI WAS A GENIUS! Anyway, I digress... If you want to see the Vatican Museum, try Through Eternity tours. It was nice. There were only 13 people in our group. They provide you with headsets, so you can hear Brandon talking, but you are free to wander around to look at other things which he encourages you to do. The headsets are a good idea because you can hear your guide talking right in your ear which is great especially when you in the middle of the Map Room or the Raphael Rooms when it can be VERY crowded.

Worst: Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona
Why: Bernini's fountain has been under renovation for two years! The only thing you see beneath the scaffolding is a leg here and there. Fortunately that was the worst part of our fantastic trip to Rome!

Barbara Murphy in Chicago, IL USA 11/08/2008

Best: Relais Palazzo del duca, Navona square, Rome - A true Gem!
Why: My fiancée and I stayed at the Relais Palazzo del Duca in October 2008 for the first 2 nights of our 3 week Europe trip. We have been to Rome before so I chose this place because of its amazing atmosphere and uniqueness.The Saloon is HUGE! It has an amazing breakfast room that we rarely used unless we were eating breakfast. The sitting room was really nice for us. It housed your complimentary Romalo wine and a library of books on Rome. The bedroom was wonderful as well. But above all for us it was an amazing cultural experience and allowed us to live like royalty in Rome for a weekend. Words really cannot describe the experience adequately but if you are wanting a special visit to Rome definitely consider the Palazzodel Duca over a lot of the other big 5 star places because the atmosphere is unmatched. www.palazzodelduca.com

Bert in Richmen, Il USA 11/06/2008

Best: The BEST TIP EVER~ To purchase the Colosseum Tickets at the Forum
Why: Saved us a 2 hour wait in the Colosseum line to purchase tickets. Walk a few 100ft down to the entrance of the Forum to purchase tickets. Then turn around and walk right past that 2 hour line and into the Colosseum. Most Awesome Tip EVER<><

Cindy in El Dorado Hills, CA USA 11/03/2008

Best: Rome Walks guided tours
Why: We took the Colosseum and Forum tour and this was the best money we spent in Rome. Our group was small 8 people, and our guide Julia, was so knowledgeable and passionate about ancient Rome, she brought the history to life! The Forum is so overwhelming in size and history that without a guide it would be impossible to figure it all out. Plus with a guide you skip the long lines to the Colosseum. This tour is a must for your trip!

Carol in Westerville, Oh USA 10/25/2008

Best: Piazza Navona
Why: Great for people watching, dining in sidewalk cafes and getting good gelato.

Randy Clark in Menifee, ca USA 10/22/2008

Best: Piazza del Popolo
Why: Its very open, allowing people to wander all around. The obelisk is amazing. Great place to "people" watch.

Margaret Hall in Knoxville, tn USA 09/23/2008

Best: Francesca Caruso, a private tour guide in Rome
Why: She brought the Palatine and the Colliseum to life for us, and she is very reasonably priced. We would not have had the same experience without her!

Joanne Longobardi in Denver, Co USA 07/25/2008

Best: Borghese Gallery, The Colisseum,
Why: Borghese Gallery because you highly recommended that we go and how to make the reservations in advance. Also buying the Roma Pass which saved us a lot of time in line at the Colisseum, we breezed past several hundred jealous people!

Worst: We were disappointed that we could not enter the Forum at the Arch of Titus
Why: It would have saved us alot of time to walk in at that entrance. There was alot more walking involved and we were already tired and very hot.

Cheryl Monteith in Houston, TX USA 07/20/2008

Best: Micaela Pavoncello's tour of the Jewish Ghetto
Why: Informative, vibrant--exceptional examination of the history of the area leading up to the present--and she guided us to good kosher food in the area.

Worst: Taxi to Vatican City
Why: Always ask the cabbie to take you to the back of the Vatican where the ticket center for the Vatican Museum and Sistene chapel is--otherwise a very long walk in the summer.

Jeffrey Whitman in Dallas, TX USA 07/14/2008

Worst: Homelidays apt reference #165756
Why: We booked an apartment in Rome with Homelidays and found the information provided to be very misleading; resulting in an unpleasant experience. The place was described as central and very quiet but the reality was that it was central to the party district so very noisy throughout the entire night. City workers collected garbage etc. so crashed their trucks up and down the street below, in the wee hours of the morning. The ad also boasted a double bed and two bedrooms however we were only provided with one bedroom inwhich two old roll-away cots were pushed together to form a most uncomfortable bed. The owner of the property wanted a 30% deposit up front (via bank transfer which cost an additional 35 Euro) then (after refusing to answer our emails asking for confirmation of receipt of funds) said not all the money had arrived (contrary to our bank documentation) and demanded we pay the difference (which we refused to do but it did cause us alot of stress). Finally, when we provided a negative testimonial on the Homelidays website, it was never printed with the other testimonials on the owner's listing. We sent an email directly to Homelidays and they just ignored us. I wouldn't use Homelidays again.

Roberta King in Calgary, AB Canada 07/13/2008

Best: The ContextRome.com Vatican tour!
Why: We used the tour group recommended in the Rome guidebook, Context Tours. It was the most wonderful experience. I can tell you that our guide, John, was passionate about the museum as well as St. Peter's. The max number of people in each group is 6, and it is no less personal than a private tour....but dramatically cheaper. Fabulous, I cannot stress how wonderful this was. It was also easy to make the reservation on-line.

Worst: Borghese Gardens and Reservations
Why: Partly my lack of perserverance.....the web sight for reservations and tickets was not user friendly, and e-mails are not acceptable for making reservations and time differences from home to Rome was just big enough that I was constantly calling after hours....or after the ticket office closed. So, it was not handled in advance, and we were not able to get into the museum....too bad for us... We did do the gardents, and it was a nice change from the maze of streets in town, but not exciting, as the gardens is a park, not "gardens".

Joanie and George in Orlando, FL USA 07/12/2008

Worst: Vatican tour, Angel Tours, Rome
Why: It's not their fault apparently, but they said the rules have changed so that all their tour group people have to enter the Vatican together. Our charming guide met us promptly at our apt. for our private tour but then we wasted an hour waiting for all the Angel Tour groups to assemble so we could all go in together. I could have let our teenagers sleep another hour.

Anne Rosenfeld in Seattle, WA USA 07/10/2008

Best: Through Eternity Tours
Why: We are crazy about these tourguides. As a professor, I am a bit more knowledgeable about history than most, but these guides were excellent, ebullient, helpful, and full of fabulous information you could not get from a book--even yours! We waited in 0 lines with this tour group--none at the Vatican and none at the Colosseum. They took excellent care of us. Worth every Euro. We also very much enjoyed the Galleria Borghese. Well worth the reservation, though the website was challenging to get through in English and the audiotour had several "removed" works on it.

Worst: navigating the many streets that often do not have street signs.
Why: The maps in the guidebook were good, but we needed additional maps with all the streets so we would not get lost. We did like the simplicity of your maps, but when you get lost, it's hard to get back on track.

Wendy A. Paterson, Ph.D. in Buffalo, NY USA 07/09/2008

Best: all of Rick's guided tours described in the book
Why: My husband and I travelled with our two sons, ages 9 and almost-5. The sights were brought to life for them by my reading Rick's tours to them. My 9-yr-old in particular stayed engaged at every church in the book. He would ask, whenever we entered a church, "Is this one in the book?". While I tried to keep my voice down so as not to disturb others, one woman in St.Peter's asked me to take her photo with the bronze statue of the saint himself. When I said sure, she replied "I loved your narration, by the way. I had no idea what I was looking at!". This was the same sentiment of my kids!

Worst: Spanish Steps
Why: it's true Rick doesn't highly recommend it, but for some reason we felt compelled to check it out. Super crowded and uninteresting. Didn't check it out at night, when it supposedly is better.

Zandy in Seattle, WA USA 07/07/2008

Best: Ostia Antica
Why: It's one of the few places in or near Rome where you can get a decent sense of the way the place looked back in the Roman era. Most of the ruins in Rome proper are just too ruined to get more than a vague sense, sadly. Ostia provided a nice sense of the sizes and shapes of the various buildings.

Worst: Mouth of Truth
Why: It's not really much recommended, but the Mouth of Truth is pretty far out of the way for what it is. (Granted, we also went to see it at 1 in the afternoon on a hot, hot day. This may taint my perception.)

John Weiss in Boulder, CO USA 06/23/2008

Best: Exit out of the Sistine Chapel
Why: It saved us a long walk back to the Vatican entrance and led us to where we wanted to go next--St. Peter's Square. There is a gift shop there as well.

Worst: Guided Tour of the Vatican, where to buy tickets to the Colosseum and Rome bus transportation
Why: Normally, I am a huge and loyal fan of Rick Steves' guide books and own the Paris, France, Italy, London and Spain books. I highly recommend them to all my friends and often loan them out, along with my Streetwise maps.

However, the Italy book is by far the most poorly organized, and I was thoroughly disappointed in its lack of detail, particularly the Rome portion. If people plan to purchase it, then it should be used as a supplement to a more detailed book, perhaps with more drawings, because the ruins are impossible to decipher on your own since the attractions aren't labeled.

The recommended Vatican Tour, while it saved time, was not a tour of what we wanted to see. It's nice if you have more than one day in Rome, which we didn't, because we were on a cruise. Transportation to and from the Civitavecchia port would have been a huge help also.

The main draw of the Vatican if you only have a day in Rome is the Sistine Chapel. So, if time is an issue, reserve the Guided Tour in advance but skip the tour and go straight to the Sistine Chapel. When you make your Vatican reservation, however, you should also specify a time because the recommendation in the book did not say that you needed to do this. If you don't, they give you a time that may not work for your schedule. In our case, ours was at noon and wasted a lot of our time in commuting. Not to mention, that by the time you are done, it’s 3 p.m., which means that you are out of luck for restaurants that are open.

Our tour guide was a also bit difficult to understand. Just return your audio equipment to the security guard at the Sistine Chapel entrance (they are given to you to make the tour more audible). Then go to St. Peter's Basilica.

My second gripe is buying tickets to skip the long lines at the Colosseum. This could have been explained in more detail. For instance, buying tickets at Palatine Hill are a significantly shorter walk than buying them at the Forum, if you are coming from the Colosseo Metro stop. Having both ticket booths mapped out on one page in the guide book, versus two separate pages, would have been helpful. We walked down Via San Gregorio towards an Arch and weren't sure if it was the Arch of Titus or the Arch of Constantine. So we turned around mid-point and wasted more time.

The streets are not labeled over there, so it would have been helpful to have a drawing of the Arch of Titus on your map as well to differentiate the two. Historians know the difference, but admittedly, we didn't. We wasted a lot of precious time walking to the further ticket booth at the Forum.

Our worst experience was catching the #40 Express bus near St. Peter's Square. The book doesn't indicate where to catch buses (street details or street corners), which would have been helpful. Nor does it recommend picking up a bus route map because the bus drivers do not announce stops. Our bus driver, although very young and fluent in English, could not be bothered to make any announcements and refused to even tell us where to get off, even though we begged him as a personal favor. So while the buses may be a good way to get around, it should be noted that they are good if you know exactly where you are and where you are going, without any help. Otherwise, a tour bus might be the better way to go. At least the stops are announced. So we wound up at the same place we were at in the beginning of our day--the Colosseum.

Since we didn’t have time to make it to the Pantheon for a late lunch, we looked for a restaurant in the Colosseum area that was recommended in the guide book, but only the name was listed and not the address--Caffe dello Studente. This was another example of lack of detail.

Overall, another helpful hint would have been ticket prices for children for the main attraction, where applicable. We looked up a lot of it on our own online.

In Florence, we had an easier time, but finding addresses should have been explained better. For instance, we walked up and down Via dei Servi to find the recommended eatery Pasticceria Robiglio but never had any luck. The building numbers go up and down without logic. So it should be noted somewhere in the book on how to decipher it. We ended up at another recommended spot, Ristorante il Ritrovo, but the pastas were lukewarm (not hot at all). The prices were high, but the portions were small compared to other places we passed on Via dei Servi. I should mention that the fixed-priced 10 Euro lunch with pasta and secondo is really just for pasta with marinara sauce and no other pasta dishes.

Rosemary in Forest Hills, NY USA 06/19/2008

Best: Borghese Garden Tour
Why: So much beautiful art was within reach (of course we did not touch!); Bernini is a new favorite artist, I need to read about him.

Worst: Santa Maria della Immacolata with Crypt
Why: The decorative display of bones - many looked too small to be adults - was a little morbid; not on our "must see" list for next time.

Jean Hoffmann in Pleasant Prairie, WI USA 06/05/2008

Best: St. Peter's Square
Why: Spotting the Pope's residence, the spot where al the columns align, reading about the obelisk...

Worst: the Forum
Why: The change of entrance meant we never actually made it to the Forum proper. Possibly recommending a different entrance would rectify this.

Triona in Cork, Co Ireland 05/18/2008

Best: Vatican tour w/ Through Eternity
Why: Very thorough! Morning part of tour is St. Peter's square & Basilica. After lunch, the tour takes you to the Vatican Museums. Finished around 3 or 4 in the afternoon. We've also used Enjoy Rome Vatican tour. Their tour is good, but faster & not as thorough.

Worst: none
Why: We followed the book recommendations for the most part & were not misled. Note: if using bus #118 from Metro Circo Massimo to visit Appian Way sites, you may have to wait at the bus stop for a bit on Sundays. It will come, but you need to be patient!

Amy in Wiesbaden, Germany 05/17/2008

Best: St. Peter's Basilica, Scavi Tour, St. Giovanni de Laterano, Campo de Fiori
Why: St. Peter's never ceases to amaze me when I first enter due to the beauty and vastness. The Scavi tour to the excavations of Peter's tomb deep beneath St. Peter's was awesome. Although one must reserve in advance through the Scavi office, and some day reservations are hard to get, we were given the exact time we requested, so it is worth a try. St. Giovanni de Laterno (St. John in Lateran) may not be tops on many sight-seeing lists, but we loved this cathedral and its steps from Pilate's palace, believed to be those ascended by Christ the day of his death. After a long day sightseeing, having wine and bruschetta on the Campo Fiori is a great experience - do a progressive wine-tasting and try several places.

Melanie in Houston, TX USA 05/13/2008

Best: Jewish Ghetto Walk
Why: The history and landmarks, and it was very well written

Meredith Esham in Bethesda, MD USA 04/30/2008

Best: Taking Taxi's in Rome
Why: Chaotic driving at high speed down streets too narrow for a Vespa.

Julia in San Francisco, CA USA 04/28/2008

Best: Rick's restaurant suggestions
Why: We found this very helpful because of all the detail Rick provides. EVERY restuarant we chose from Rick's book was outstanding in value and taste!

Worst: The maps
Why: We had a hard time when we used the maps in the books. As Rick recommends, buy yourself a good map when you arrive

Cathy Garvey in Baldwinsville, NY USA 04/27/2008

Best: Angel Tours
Why: Walking tour of Vatican that also allowed us to skip the line was well worth the price just for that- and Alex, our tour guide, was very knowledgeable and made it interesting. We also used them for a walking tour of the Colesseum & Forum - good tour, informative. Both were relatively small groups and definitely worth the price.

Sue in Newport Beach, CA USA 04/26/2008

Best: Piazza Navona
Why: I visited the Piazza Navona on Sunday morning. Even though I was approached by an Italian trying to pull the "bracelet scam" on me, and saw two tourists actually fall for it, it was nice to just sit and watch the Romans strolling amidst the artists, musicians, and vendors.

Worst: Etruscan Museum (Villa Giulia Museo Nazionale Etrusco)
Why: Although the descriptions on the wall are in Italian and English, explaining how the Etruscan tombs were found and excavated, the artifacts in the display cases were described only in Italian, so it was impossible to know what you were looking at. And forget about taking pictures; I snapped five pictures and was fussed at twice (No photo! No photo!) even though there are no signs saying photos are not allowed.

Joseph in Harlingen, TX USA 04/18/2008

Best: Night Walk
Why: What a great way to experience Rome! We collapsed at the end of one day by chance in the square where the night walk starts and once we'd dined and refreshed decided to try the walk. Our best experience in Rome. Very romantic and lovely. It gets a bit tricky in parts following the "map" and directions in the RS Rome guide, but we just muddled through it and made a lovely evening of it.

Jenny in Highlands Ranch, CO USA 04/11/2008

Best: Pantheon
Why: Impressive in scale and complexity, well preserved - really awe inspiring

Tim Johnson in New Castle, DE USA 04/08/2008

Best: Easter Vigil Mass in San Pietro on Saturday night
Why: A moving experience for the Catholics in the group. Others enjoyed all 4 of the Vatican churches (Peter's, Paul's outside the walls, Maria Maggiore, and Giovanni en Lauterano). I especially liked Paul's outside the walls - quieter, more reflective, and older - and I'm not Catholic (or even Christian).

Worst: Appian Way
Why: While the catacombs are worthwhile, it is a long ride from town - a EUR 20 taxi ride from Campo di Fiori, not EUR 10. We got stuck at the catacombs unable to board the bus 118 back into town because we didn't have a ticket; and couldn't buy a ticket because the catacombs ticket window and store closed from 12-2. We ended up wasting a couple of hours wandering around and down to the other Catacombs before everything opened up again. Once we bought a ticket we waited almost an hour before bus 118 showed up. It wasn't a good use of the time required.

Robert in Longview, wa USA 04/06/2008

Best: Old Appian Way Walk with Catacombs
Why: We followed the suggestion and took our picnic. We were able to sit outside the Catacombs and have a lovely lunch looking over a field of grazing sheep.

Sheryl in Fort Worth, TX USA 03/20/2008

Best: Tour of the Jewish Ghetto with Macaela Pavoncello
Why: Macaela brought the Ghetto and Rome to life. Her knowledge of the Ghetto and the City was superb, but, more importantly her enthusiasm for her city and her heritage, was contagious. It all set the stage for what was a great trip to Rome.

Ed and Deena in Los Angeles, CA USA 03/17/2008

Best: the podcasts for Rome are fabulous.
Why: They follow the book beautifully, point you to the highlights and make history come alive. With some promotion, I think the podcasts will make you sell a lot more books.z

Lynne Carpenter in Chicago, IL USA 03/17/2008

Best: Guest House Arco dei Tolomei
Why: Great place, very nice rooms, good location, and warm welcome : everything to visit Rome. I'll be back whenever I'll get the chance to do it.

Ponce de Leon in Paris, France 03/05/2008

Best: Baths of Caracalla
Why: Not enough praise is given to this outstanding sight.

Barry Troy in Dublin, Ireland 03/04/2008

Best: Vatican Museum
Why: We used the expanded hours to arrive at around 2 pm. The crowds were modest (obviously, many people don't know the museum is now open late). Your self-guided tour greatly enhanced our experience -- just the right amount of stuff to particularly look out for. The tip to exit through the "secret" tour-group exit from the Sistine Chapel to the St. Peter's Basilica (the savior of sore feet).

Worst: Nat'l Museum of Rome
Why: OK, but not really a "three triangle" stop for most. Those suffering from "ancient statue overdose" can definitely miss it.

Dave in Philadelphia, PA USA 03/04/2008

Best: After one week, knowing my way around
Why: After just a week, we felt like we could navigate this city pretty well and enjoyed just wandering for a while only to come accross a monument that we knew. So never lost.

Worst: Piazza Navona
Why: Tacky street scene with people selling bad art and sad looking musicians.

Liz Phelps in Pittsburg, CA USA 02/18/2008

Best: The Archeologia Card and Ostia Antica.
Why: I got into seven museums on the 22 euro card-awesome! If you want to expierence the Roman Empire in it's true essence outside of Roma-Ostia Antica was it. I planned five hours and spent 10. That was a better trip outside Rome than even Florence since I don't like shopping...

Worst: Vatican
Why: I went in the downtime of January and still the lines were atrocious. I wouldn't even mention it were it not for the Sistine Chapel. An absolute waste of time.

Rocco Curro in Newark, DE USA 02/14/2008

Best: Borghese Gallery and Gardens
Why: A wonderful museum. The interior was a bit over-the-top, but the art was well chosen, and the museum is manageable in size. And unless it is raining, save some time for the gardens, the best green space in Rome.

Worst: Ara Pacis
Why: For 6.50 euros, I expected more. The altar is nice, but with so many great Roman collections in town - in particular at the National museum - the modern building, not the altar, ends up being more memorable. Not much information inside either.

Brian Gulledge in Woodbridge, VA USA 02/11/2008

Best: Pantheon
Why: World's greatest column, the pillar of light from the oculus.

Worst: Vatican Museum/Sistine Chapel
Why: I managed to make a reservation for a guided tour, so I didn't have the long wait in line. But I lost the guide/group within minutes, it was like NY's Grand Central Station at rush time.

Near closing time, I literally ran through the corridors to get to the Sistine Chapel in time. I was in a mob and despite repeated requests, in several language to not take photos people, few obliged. Thankfully, no one was trampled to death, particularly as some individuals gazing upward, tripped on the three steps leading into the Chapel.

Praise God and Rick, I knew the short cut out.

Cynthia Rapak in San Francisco, CA USA 01/26/2008

Best: Micaela's Jewish Rome Tours
Why: Because she is an extraordinarily knowledgeable guide, she is a passionate historian and on top of that she the most charming person you could ever meet. Sei la migliore Micaela!!!!

Azeneth in Fredericksburg, TX USA 01/25/2008

Best: Micaela Pavoncell
Why: Micaela took us on a tour of the Jewish Ghetto. She arranged for tours of the Vatican and the Jewish Catacombs. She and the other tour guide, Katerina, were informative and entertaining. The Vatican tour given by Katerina really zeroed in the important sights there. The tour of the Jewish Catacombs must be privately arranged and was a real gem. Micaela has real insight into historical and modern Jewish life in Rome.

Mireet Wolf in Raanana, Israel 01/23/2008

Best: Letting us know to beware of various holiday closings and which places required reservations in advance.
Why: Very helpful for Borghese Museum which was booked for days.

Worst: Using Rome Walks tour group to skirt Vatican's long lines
Why: Paid more for small group (2-10 people) as listed but ended up with 15 people on Dec. 31,2007 tour. Spent at least 2hrs. of the 4hr. tour waiting in the same lines as everyone else! Felt rushed through the tour once we finally got in. Tour guide stated at the beginning of the tour that St. Peter's Basilica was included in the tour but she was uninformed that it was closed that day. Very pricey (time and money), could have done better on our own reading Rick Steves' guidebook while waiting in line and getting an earlier start!

Soo Jung Lee in Decatur, GA USA 01/19/2008

Best: Through Eternity
Why: Our guide, Sarah, picked us up at our hotel and promptly took us to the Vatican where she really brought the art and history alive, and with our teenage daughters had fun by quizzing them on Roman myths. We feel we got more than what we paid for. She also recomended a restaurant in the Jewish Ghetto for authentic Roman food, which was fantastic. Sarah also gave us tips for our stay in Tuscany for wine and food, so our day trip to San Gimignano was also great, even without a guide, due to her restaurant hints.

Worst: Venice
Why: Sad, but true. It is an open air museusm, with less charm than Disneyland. But it seems to be one of the Must-see-before-it-disappears

Cindy in Denver, CO USA 01/01/2008

Best: Catacombs of St. Callsito
Why: So much history, the size, depth, and number of tombs; and just knowing that they were all carved out by hand (with picks). It was amazing.

Worst: Vatican museum and Sistine Chapel
Why: So crowed, even in early December. A little bit of a letdown for anyone who has been to the Louvre or British Museum.

Adrian Sligh in Amory, MS USA 12/10/2007

Best: Rome Walks
Why: Called at last minute and got a live voice and was able to rescue short trip by booking two tours with them. They followed up to be sure we got fax of meeting point. Tour guides were knowledgeable and interesting.

Worst: Through Eternity Tours
Why: Registered on-line for three guided tours. Never got a return confirmation and did not get any live response on mobile number listed when called. Guide did not show for tour.

Dennis Swartz in South Orleans, MA USA 11/29/2007

Best: Tartufo at Tre Scalini
Why: Truly "death by chocolate"

Maryellen Pienta in Catania, Italy 11/16/2007

Worst: Impromtu locating a bus to Sora from Roma
Why: I was extremely tired and out of it, so I don't know how much was exhaustion. My flight was 4 hours late to Roma (whole other story!) and missed my train to Sora (Italy Farm Stay - wonderful!). At suggestion of farm stay and looking at RS Roma book, decided I could just hop the metro to the bus station and get a bus instead. Got to Tiburtina Stazione ok. Found the buses but couldn't find a bus to my destination. Not sure if it was language barrier or wrong place for buses. I suspect the latter for my destination. Went back to train station and presented my ticket. They told me which train I needed and I did get to my destination.

Stacie in Olympia, WA USA 11/04/2007

Best: Trastevere Walk and Pantheon
Why: Stumbled into all kinds of interesting people, places and shops in Trastevere. Pantheon was a wonderful surprise.

Worst: Spanish Steps
Why: Not worth the effort. Too many in-your-face vendors.

Michael Sherwood in Prescott Valley, AZ USA 10/29/2007

Best: Trajan's theater
Why: It has been recently excavated and re-opened to the public. The archeological displays were tastefully done and the videolinks are excellent.

Mary Passeri in Oakland, CA USA 10/24/2007

Best: Through Eternity Tours
Why: We took both the Vatican tour and booked the Colliseum Tour due to the great Vatican experience. Our time waiting in line at St. Peter's passed quickly due to our guide Jennifer's Roman History talk, and her selection of venues and art works to discuss made it possible to learn a great deal from these huge collections, instead of the almost nothing one often experiences when trying to do a huge museum on one's own. Don't miss this company.

Worst: The #110 Rome orientation bus.
Why: This bus does not actually pass most of the sites in which we were interested, such as the Spanish Steps, or the Trevi Fountain. Instead, one must get off and walk (just a few blocks) to see them. Most of the buildings pointed out on the way are not of interest. Then trying to get back on after getting off is a real hassle. Signs for the stops are missing or hidden in a maze of other signage, and Carabineri and consular corps parking in the bus zones mean the buses may skip stops. Very unrewarding to say the least.

Jim & Megan Taylor in Seattle, WA USA 10/09/2007

Worst: Roman Odyssey Tours
Why: We spent 5 days in Rome last June. We had booked four tours with Roman Odyssey before we left the US, and confirmed them twice. The morning of our first tour they called our hotel to let us know the tour was cancelled because they did not have enough people on the tour. There was 5 of us, and their website indicated that the average group size was 6 (or 7?), so we were not really that far off filling the tour by ourselves. They also called the morning of our Vatican City tour to cancel. They said that Jun 29th, being St Peter and St Paul Day, was a holiday and the Vatican was closed for tours. I'm sure they knew this when we booked our tour one month in advance, and yet said nothing until a few hours before our tour. This caused us to reschedule and miss a day tour to Florence because we ran out of days. When we go back to Rome, I'll make sure we DO NOT book with Roman Odyssey tours.

Carolina in San Diego, CA USA 08/30/2007

Best: Coliseum in Rome
Why: We purchased the Roma Pass as you suggested and cruised by the LONG, LONG line of people waiting to purchase tickets. Best advice for those going to that sight! That experience alone made your book worth every cent we paid.

Christine Morrissey in Campbell, CA USA 08/23/2007

Best: Vatican Museum Guided Tour
Why: We took your advice and faxed ahead a request for the guided tour. It was an excellent tour and when one saw the absolutely unbelieveable lines to enter the museum (blocks long and six people across)it was well worth the extra charge and was quite informative.

JoAnne Sulak in Leesburg, VA USA 08/16/2007

Worst: Roman Odessey Tour Group
Why: We booked 4 tours in Rome with this group on-line and got the email confirmations well in advance of travel. When we arrived the first night for an evening tour no one was there to lead the tour! I called and a very nice young woman answered and said the owner had a family emergency and she was helping him out. We were bummed to miss our first tour, but she called us back and said she would give us a free tour for the evening, which she did including buy us Gelato. That was nice but she reassured us that the next day someone would be leading the regular tours at the Colloseum that we had booked and the Vatican the next day. When we got to the Colloseum, again no one was there! No phones were answered this time. Luckily another group recruited us and we got a tour on the spot at the Colloseum. We decided that we would definitely not risk counting on them for a Vatican tour, but instead go with the group we met at the Colloseum. That worked out great. We simply never did the underground tour we had originally planned on the following day since it was obvious that things were completely messed up. I thought you should hear this since you recommended them in your books. My friends liked them as well, but this was inexcusable. Apparently they had us booked for May instead of June. This was a bad mistake and hard to believe since our email confirmation had the June dates. Also we booked a limo driver to pick us up at the Airport through them and he was there to pick us up! Anyway, it was a big dissapointment that luckily worked out for us.

Amy Scherer in Menlo Park, CA USA 08/13/2007

Best: Borghese Gallery/Villa Borghese, Vatican/St. Peters, Pompei
Why: Borghese - Beautiful, large, colorful, dramatic paintings, statues, and ceilings! The park was nice to relax in and rent a row boat (6 Euros for 30 min) on the lake.

Vatican/St. Peters - Lots of famous art and St. Peter's is huge & beautiful!

Pompei - Very interesting to see ruins of an old city.

Worst: Restaurant Recommendations
Why: Most were OK. We ended up finding restaurants on our own or through the hotel.

Kate in Redondo Beach, CA USA 08/11/2007

Best: vatican museum, tour of roman forum
Why: rick said to go around 2pm. we listened and had no line at all. plus, and it was the day before ascension thursday when they were to close. we also went to sneaky way to st. peters from he sistine chapel. great tip. huge time saver. genius!

roman forum tour: we would find the spot and huddle up to read what we were seeing.

paige woodman in los altos, ca USA 08/11/2007

Best: Night Walk from Campo de' Fiori to Spanish Steps and Tips on avoiding lines, etc.
Why: We did this walk a few times and soon new our way by heart. We enjoyed the evening scene on the Campo de' Fiori and the restuarants near the Pantheon, and the Trevi Fountain at night was lovely. The tips in the book about how to avoid long lines at sights, such as the Coloseum, Vatican, etc. were helpful.

Devin in Olympia, WA USA 08/08/2007

Best: Jewish Ghetto Tour--Micaela Pavoncello
Why: This tour is a must for everyone. It offers a glimpse of history and culture that is easy to miss in Rome. The guide is entertaining and informative. You'll learn a lot and won't be bored for a second.

Anna in NY, NY USA 07/30/2007

Best: Micaela Pavoncello and colleague
Why: Micaela's Jewish Ghetto Tour, as well as the Ancient Rome tour with her colleague, brought these areas alive for us. Instead of just buildings and streets, and ruins, we learned about the people and their stories. It added a whole other dimension to our visit.

Pamela Braun in Columbus Junction, IA USA 07/30/2007

Best: Coliseum
Why: Amazing place!

Jan Nugent in Pennington, NJ USA 07/28/2007

Best: Tour of Palatine Hill organized by ticket office at entrance
Why: Done by a knowledgeable archaelogist, who really knew her Roman history.

Worst: Tour of Jewish ghetto by Micaela
Why: Is very little left of the original ghetto. Tour is mostly of the small Jewish museum (entry price not included). Is very expensive tour.

Marie in Oak Park, CA USA 07/27/2007

Best: Galleria Borghese
Why: bernini sculpture is fantastic, and thanks for the tip about going upstairs first.

Brian in Cleveland, OH USA 07/26/2007

Best: Night Walk in Rome - the Pantheon
Why: The monuments are spectacular when lit up at night. My favorite was the Pantheon at night, eating at a cafe in the Piazza d Rotonda overlooking this awesome monument.

Worst: Sistine Chapel - Vatican Museum
Why: Beautiful chapel and awesome artwork but the noisy crowd and guards constantly yelling at people to be quiet and stop taking photographsof the ceiling blew it for me.

Jim Naylor in Everett, WA USA 07/23/2007

Best: Castle Sant'Agelo
Why: You get the best of everything. Its older than medieval but it feels like a medieval castle, which it was also: A little of ancient tomb, a little of Roman architecture, a little of prison fortress and an excellient view of the city.

Worst: Etruscan Museum, Should be called Villa Giulia
Why: This entire Museum is designed to bore you to death. Most everything here was found in ritual graves. So its all the same, repeated displays of the same things found in graves.......over and over and over again. Once you've seen the first display case, you've pretty much seen the whole museum. The one high light, The Sarcophagus, was surrounded with scaffolding.

Francis Saffell in Springfield, OR USA 07/22/2007

Best: Tour of Jewish Rome with Micaela Pavoncello
Why: Micaela is absolutely fascinating. She made history come to life and every member of my family loved her tour more than anything else we did in Italy!

Amy USA 07/18/2007

Best: St Peter's and the Vatican Museum.
Why: Utterly amazing and overwhelming. But Why did they cut back on the museum hours??!!

Worst: Trevi
Why: It is crowded!!!

Marsh Mendez in Fremont, CA USA 07/12/2007

Best: Micaella of Jewish Roma tours
Why: Absolutely fascinating tour with Micaella, who is so at home in the ghetto that she makes you feel as if you are a part of it also....wonderful facts and stories kept our whole group involved...the way she knew everyone and everyone knew her was amazing..highly recommended!

Stan Weiss in New York, NY USA 07/11/2007

Best: Archeologica Card
Why: Able to get into the Colosseum without waiting in a long line.

Selma Pierce in Salem, OR USA 07/08/2007

Worst: Rome Walks Tours
Why: Five of us signed up for an evening tour called La Dolce Vita. On line it read 3 and a half hours of good wine with good dining weaving through Rome's most romantic piazzas and fountains. It was to end with a three-course dinner. The cost for this was 75 Euros per person. We met the guide in Campo de Fiori. She was fine. The bar was full of smokers, sticky tables, no cloths on tables, and generally dirty. She asked for the cash immediately. Most tours ask for it at the end. I asked exactly what she had planned. It was a walk around this area and then Trastevere. No gorgeous piazzas and fountains! Then we would have one more drink in a bar and then pizza!! We had planned this evening to celebrate a couple's 10th anniversary. We objected and asked for our money back. She called the office. The person in charge told me the plans had been changed and no longer matched what was on the website. We refused to continue, took our cash, and had a grand time in Piazza Navona! I do not recommend this group. If you go with them, be sure you know what you are getting.

csw TX USA 07/03/2007

Best: Herculeum
Why: The ruins are much better preserved, than Pompeii the audio explanations are more interesting and also more conciese; easier to understand. So much more to see in a smaller space than Pompeii.

Worst: The Reception Desk and Gift Shop at Herculeum
Why: The employees there so obviously hated Westerners. They had no interest in being helpful and were even mocking toward English and especially american visitors.

js in los angeles, ca USA 06/29/2007

Best: Vatican Museum
Why: This trip fulfilled a spiritual personal quest. With the excellent directions of the Rome guidebook, I was able to book a tour via fax that skipped an incredibly long line on a religious holiday week.

JoAnn Bishop in Santa Fe, NM USA 06/21/2007

Best: St. Peter's
Why: Based on Rick's recommendation, we were there in the late afternoon during mass as the sunlight poured through the windows. Absolutely heavenly!

Worst: Naples
Why: Pompeii was amazing. But the Circumvesuviana Train was a NIGHTMARE! We were returning in the late afternoon just as all the teenagers were coming back from the beach. The boiling hot train was packed with far too many people. About a quarter of the way back, two teenagers began fighting in the area right next to us. It then spilled into our car with two rather large guys swinging and kicking at each other right next to us. I feared for our safety. At each stop, these kids held the doors open to perpetuate their fight, lengthening our ride by at least 30 minutes. I was all about enjoying the local color of Naples, but when we fear for our safety like that, it can create a rather negative view of a city.

Darrin in Glendale Heights, IL USA 06/21/2007

Best: Duomo
Why: I never would have known on my own that you could walk the steps to the top. It was so beautiful. The tips were great.

Janice Palmer in Phoenix, AZ USA 06/20/2007

Best: Jewish Rome
Why: We loved our tour of Jewish Rome by Macaela at Jewish Roma Walking Tours. She is a fantastic guide and one we would use any chance we can get.

David in Atlanta, GA USA 06/14/2007

Best: Tres Scalini's tartuffo/Galleria Borghese/St. Peters Basilica
Why: This was so good we went back to Piazza Navona twice on our weeklong trip to Rome in May 2007. The second trip was so my wife could get another chocolate tartuffo at Tres Scalini. On Galleria Borghese, I think square foot for square foot this was the best museum we saw in Rome and we saw pretty much all the biggies. The Vatican Musuem collections are just overwhelming frankly, and we spent 5-6 hours in the Vatican Museums while most tourists do the 2 hours blitzkrieg tour. St. Peters was incredible. We spent 4+ hours just on the basilica's main floor, then did the walk up to the top of the dome, then the crypt tour, so essentially one full day just on St. Peters basilica. Truly awe inspiring on the one hand while on the other I was appalled thinking about the money spent to build the place vs. having been put to good works in the church's ministries around the world.

Russell H Wilder in Foster City, CA USA 05/31/2007

Best: Micaela Pavoncello's Ghetto tour
Why: We traveled to a number of Ghettoes and Synagogues in the north of Italy and nowhere else did we actually get a sense of what life as a Jew was like. The rest were just cold buildings with no sense of a human element. Micaela's willingness to share her family’s stories and initimate knowledge of the community was extraordinary. Everybody knows Micaela and she knows everybody. We even got a chance to have a casual chat on the street with the former Chief Rabbi of Italy as he left the fish shop. Just extraordinary.

Jeff Shender in Philadelphia, PA USA 05/29/2007

Best: Night walks
Why: Especially Trastevere - Campo di Fiori/Piazza Navona. But you might have to drag it out over a few nights. There's so much happening we couldn't (wouldn't) move fast enought o get in done in one evening. We started at Santa Maria Trastevere. There were all of these local teenagers hanging out in the square and they all at once started going inside the church. Turns out they were all going in for a vespers service! It was so unexpected! We stayed, watched, listened to the music. I don't think we ever finished the walk.

Lewis Family in Federal Way, WA USA 05/25/2007

Best: Sistine Chapel
Why: Your description made it a lot more interesting, thanks for the in museum tours.

James Tierney in kirkland , WA USA 05/19/2007

Best: Jewish Synagogue and ghetto tour with Micaela Pavoncello
Why: She is thoroughly charming. Her knowledge and love of the area were unsurpassable. We could not have done this tour on our own. It is well worth the cost. Everyone in the ghetto knows her and obviously loves her.

Judy Baker in Jenkintown, PA USA 05/04/2007

Best: Roman Forum Walk
Why: Your map and self-guided walks were very clear and did give us a "moving picture of Rome."

J P Pardini in Philadelphia, PA USA 05/04/2007

Best: All of Vatican, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Forum, Colsseum, Campo de Fiori, Night Walk Across Rome, Pizza, Gelato
Why: History, art, culture, friendly locals & tourists too, good food, good drink, relaxing atmosphire, (April) and advice from guide book made for no lines or mobs. We didn't need to take tours, we had your book and did better without them. We took the time at all the sights as we wanted and took breaks at leisure at al frescos at each of the sights.

Mark E. Lamb in Melbourne, Fl USA 04/26/2007

Best: Vatican City
Why: With the use of you as our guide through your book Rome 2006, we walked directly into the Vatican Museum and Basilica with absolutely no lines. We also saw the Pope twice without requesting an audience. Thanks so very much!!

Lee Lamb in Melbourne, FL USA 04/23/2007

Best: The Forum, Ostia Antica
Why: It's so easy to see, feel and understand the history at these spots.

Worst: Pantheon
Why: A let-down, too many people waiting to make their donations, half the building was blocked for cleaning.

Michelle Garcia in Tacoma, WA USA 04/19/2007

Best: Francesca Caruso!
Why: My husband, son and I were fortunate enough to be able to tour Rome with Francesca Caruso. She was absolutely fantastic! Her knowledge and love of Rome really helped our understanding of the many sights we were able to see with her...we went on the Ancient Rome and Vatican tours with her. She doesn't simply recite a string of dates...she makes the ruins and sites come alive by providing context and a description of the culture of the Italian people. She also works very hard to tailor the tours around one's particular interests. I recommend her highly and look forward to working with her again in the (hopefully) near future!! Most importantly, she taught us how to order gelato correctly...if you are asked "con panna", the only answer is "si"!!

Karen Dvorak in fort wayne, IN USA 04/19/2007

Best: ThroughEternity tours and EnjoyRome tours
Why: We took two tours with ThroughEternity. The Vatican and Ancient Rome. Both guides were knowledgable, friendly, appriciative and interacted well with the group. Amanda the booking admin communicated promptly and correctly. EnjoyRome suggested an alternative day bus trip to Pompeii with VasTours to fit our schedule. For the price/value it was worth it.

PAUL BESSINGER in TINTON FALLS, NJ USA 04/13/2007

Best: Jewish Rome Tours
Why: We had a great morning with Micaela Pavoncello (www.jewishroma.com) touring the Synagogue and Jewish ghetto in Rome. She is passionate and extremely knowledgeable. Highly recommended.

Carla in Sydney, Australia 03/26/2007

Best: St. Zeno chapel - St Theresa - Villa Borghese
Why: St. Zeno - unlike St. Peters FELT religeous - wonderful mosaic - no crowd St. Theresa - very expressive Bernini - no crowd Borghese - crowd but much better than Vatican Museum, and what a collection!

Worst: Mamartine - Piazza Navona
Why: lower part of Mamartine closed - cause of death list cool

Piazza Navona in February - fountain and St. Agnes both under repair

Gary Carson in Aransas Pass, tx USA 03/24/2007

Best: Micaela Pavoncello/Brenda Bohen/Jewish Roma Tours
Why: My five year old daughter, her father and I toured the Vatican Museums/St Peter's with Brenda and the Jewish Ghetto with Micaela a few days ago. It was definitely a highlight of our two week trip to Europe. These two ladies are so knowledgeable and engaging and really knocked our socks off with the history lessons!!! We only had a day and a half and saw much more with them than we could have ever figured out on our own. My little girl was just about worn out and tired of looking at Pompeii, Epheses, the Acropolis, Olympia, ANOTHER church, etc., and both Brenda and Micaela took extra time to capture her interest and include her. They were really wonderful with her. By the way, we are not Jewish, but that does not matter--if you are a lover of history and enjoy learning from your travels (not just "sightseeing") you will really enjoy them. I cannot say enough good things about their private tours. You will say it was well worth the money!!!!

Rhonda in Dallas, TX USA 03/19/2007

Best: Pompeii Tour with Gaetano Manfredi
Why: In two hours Gaetano gave us a wonderful insight into the history, daily life and the future of Pompeii. He walked us through Pomepeii and we were amazed at the quality of life people enjoyed two thousand years ago. Instead of spending hours looking at ruins, we walked with Gaetano back in time. His enthusiam is contagious.

Maria in Long Valley, NJ USA 03/19/2007

Best: Palatine Hill, Forum, Collesium
Why: Rome from the early days of the Empire - they really knew how to build things!

Worst: getting back from Appian Way
Why: used the Metro to Colli Albani, then the #660 bus (great so far). After walking north to the Catacombs of San Sebastian, we couldn't find a bus stop for #118 (street is one-way there). Dangerous walking along this stretch when there is much traffic (late afternoon was awful). I'd recommend it only on weekends.

Bruce in Simpson, CA USA 03/07/2007

Best: Warning of pickpockets, shortcut from Capitol Hill to Victor Emmanuel
Why: taking the metro and getting off at the main station of termini, there were 2 guys standing at the door and not moving, while the train was packed and people were trying to get off. one guy actually touched my dad's pocket, luckily we were aware and he had his hand over his pocket.

the shortcut was great, i don't think i would have made it up all those stairs if we didnt know about the shortcut.

Annie in Chan, NY USA 03/03/2007

Best: Climbing up the Dome of St. Peter's
Why: Good way to be active after all the passivity of the museums and basilica; the view is the only way to get a good photograph of the city.

Christine in Sacramento, CA USA 03/03/2007

Best: ThroughEternity Tours
Why: We arrange to have ThroughEternity tours give us a tour of the Vatican Museum. They sent Marle and she was great. My nieces are from 8 thru 17 and they enjoyed listening to her. She was informative and interesting. I had been through the Vatican Museum before but this time was the best. We had someone who pointed out things that I had never thought of. I would reccommend to everyone.

RobertC in Sandy Hook, CT USA 02/28/2007

Best: Jewish Rome
Why: My family went on tour of Jewish Rome with Michaela Pavoncello and had a wonderful time. She is a charming and highy energetic tour guide who has a passion for the more than 2000 years of Roman Jews history and an eye for revealing and interesting details. She also seems to know everyone who eitherlives and works in the Ghetto although, as she made clear, Roman Jews do not call it the Ghetto but rather "the Piazza" since it is the central meeting place for Roman Jewry.

David in Rosen, NY USA 02/27/2007

Best: Scavi Tour
Why: Not given a lot of mention in the book but the best thing we did. You need to email the Vatican well ahead of time and reserve because only 120 people per day are let in to the excavations (groups of 10 or less) and that covers several language groups. The tour was about 1 hour and the tombs were truly unbelievable. Our guide, Carmela was interesting and gave a comprehensive history of both the Scavi and St Peter's in general. Plus you get to go into the Clement Chapel at the Grotto level which is stunning!

Worst: Piazza S. Maria in Trastevre
Why: Definitely sketchy at night! Lots of street people and peddlers, some very aggessive. There are many great restaurants in Trastevre but they are off the square, especially coming from Ponte Sisto and Ponte Palatino (Rick Steves recommends this too). Also, we had great meals in the quiet streets south of Campo de Fiori but north of the Ghetto - there is a great wine bar/restaurant on Piazza Margana.

Joanna in Milwaukee, WI USA 02/19/2007

Worst: Appian Way on a Wednesday
Why: Catacombs closed leaving only the extremely crowded, dangerous two way street to walk on. Can't believe we got back alive. No where were we told not to go on any day but Sunday!!!!!

Penny Russell in Rochester, NY USA 01/31/2007

Best: Roman Odessey Tour Guides
Why: They arranged a pick up for us at the airport in Rome, Gave us a teriffic tour of the Vatican and because we were only in Rome for two days, arranged a private tour with James Gilpin of all of the major sites. We couldn't have enjoyed Rome more.

Nancy Otto in Austin, TX USA 01/24/2007

Best: Jewish Ghetto tour with Micaela Pavoncello
Why: We had such a wonderful time on our tour of the Jewish Ghetto with Micaela. She was both incredibly knowledgeable and fun to be with. Everyone in our family enjoyed the time with spent with her, the adults, teenagers and our 12 year old son. I highly recommend spending time with Micaela in the ghetto if you are at all interested in the history and current situation of Roman Jews.

Sabrina in New York City, USA 01/05/2007