Vatican museum is a good day out, make sure you go to the top of the Basilica, a long climb!
Trastevere is the spot for nightlife, within walking distance of the Vatican.
You wonât be bored in Rome!
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Rome notes from this weeks Sunday Times.
Clever classics
The Roman Forum and the Colosseum
Youâll need a plan when you tackle these glorious ruins. Arrive at the Forumâs Palatine Hill gate, on Via di San Gregorio, at 8.30am â it will be deserted at this time of yearâ and buy a dual-entry ticket. Itâs also valid for the Colosseum: thatâs where the real queues are, and this means you can skip them. Alternatively, arm yourself with a Roma Pass â see panel.
For an English-speaking guide, head down to the Arch of Titus: thatâs where they hang out, offering free taster tours. Thereâs no obligation to sign up for a longer tour â just take the freebie if you wish. Then marvel at Caracallaâs terrifying frieze, the Arch of Septimius Severus and the Basilica of Maxentius, as well as the newly reopened church of Santa Maria Antiqua.
The majesty of the Colosseum is best appreciated late in the afternoon, when the crowds are thinning and the sun is going down. Happily, the scaffolding has finally come down after the 2,000-year-old amphitheatreâs lengthy facelift. Skip the queues with your joint-entry ticket, and if youâve picked up an authorised guide in the Forum, strike a deal. That way, youâll be allowed into the basement cells â which are strictly out of bounds for normal folk (tickets ÂŁ10; coopculture.it).
Caravaggio in the Pinacoteca
ALAMY
The Vatican
Start your tour the âwrongâ way round with a visit to St Peterâs Basilica, the most spectacular example of Renaissance architecture in the world. Itâs quiet in the early mornings, as the crowds head for the Vatican Museums instead â so nowâs the time to nip up the 551 steps to Michelangeloâs magnificent dome (ÂŁ4 on the door).
The museums offer a skip-the-line option for ÂŁ3.50: take it, then spend the afternoon in the Pinacoteca with Caravaggio, Leonardo and Raphael, rather than fighting the crowds in the Sistine Chapel. You can make a break for the glorious frescoes, along with those in the Raphael Rooms, at 5pm, when everyone else is heading home (ÂŁ14-ÂŁ17; museivaticani.va).
@Raylan if you are into the paintings there is a little church off some square with some class paintings by one of the big artists.
If you need any further info let me know.
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There is little or no queue to get into St Peters around 5pm if you just stroll up
You are probably thinking of the âConversion on the Way to Damascusâ by Caravaggio in the Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo, you roaster.
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Scopello and surrounds.
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Itâs Conversion you clown.
And no thatâs not what I was thinking of.
Itâs the three paintings chronicling the life of St Matthew in the church of San Luigi Dei Francesi off Piazza Navona.
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Does that have pineapple on it?
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Thanks for clarifying. Cunt.
I can picture you in your battered old Shawâs jersey roaring at the gelato sellers for a 99 with syrup on it.
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Why couldnât you have been a bit more pacific in your first post?
It was October when we were there so itâs hard to judge
It all sounds fairly Mediterranean to me.
Hoping to head to Hue/Danang next month for a long weekend but might be stuck with Langkawi.
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Following on from earlier Sicily discussion, does anyone have any Palermo experience? Flying into there on an early morning flight in a few weeks and wondering if itâs worth staying for a night or two and then working down through smaller towns / villages / beach / coast etc or whether Palermoâs shit and we should collect our bags and head on immediately from airport?
Palermo is lovely and well worth a few days.
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Spent a week in Langkawi about 12 years ago, it was nothing special then
Yeah thatâs the back-up if we are stuck for time. Might be better just to save the money if Vietnam falls through.
From memory there isnât a whole pile in Da Nang.
I really enjoyed Hue though. The citadel is very impressive. Got a very good guide when I visited which helped. The reasons why is was built where it is are pretty fascinating.
A few of the old tombs of the kings there are well worth a visit too. One in particular, built by an incredibly vain king, is breathtaking.
The town itself is well stocked with bars and that too. It also has an insanely high concentration of lads attempting to sell weed. Literally everyone I passed there was offering to sell me some. I donât smoke though, so I canât vouch for them.
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