Getting to either place is easy from the port. You can read the "train travel in Italy" sticky post in this section for details on how to do this. Its easy. You can swap from train to subway in Rome at the same train station and be within a half mile of the Vatican from the subway station. The Colisseum is across the street from its closest subway station. If you buy a all day train/metro ticket (ask at the train station in Civitavecchia) you can just use the trains to get back and forth.
For tour guides, we just did the self tour with Audio guide at the Colosseum (see the other recent post about this) but you can also pay for a tour there. For the Vatican, you can also just go in on your own (its free to go in but to see the museum portion there is a fee) or you can barter with one of the many tour guides out front. Be careful here, they will overcharge you in a heartbeat if you let them.
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================================================== ========== Carnival Cruise Lines:
Fantasy 90, Celebration 95, Victory 05, Conquest 05, Spirit 6/06, Freedom 6/08, Holiday 7/08, Victory 6/09, Valor 9/09, Dream 6/10, Splendor 8/10,Conquest 8/11,Magic 11/11,Triumph 4/12,Spirit 7/12,Freedom 11/12, Triumph 2/13 - The fire cruise
NCL Dream October 2006, RCCL Mariner OTS June 2007
We are planning on using the train. Norwegian lists our port time as 7am-7pm. We want to book a morning tour for the Vatican. Could we make it there for a 10:30 AM tour?
We're planning on returning from Rome Termini. What time should we plan to board the train to get back with enough time?
Hi Kaitainen. JimC is overseas on business right now, but will be checking in once in a while, so it might take a while for his response. I haven't been to Rome, but 10:30 sounds like a reasonable time. Don't take my word as gospel, someone else can let you know for sure. You will need to be back on board the ship 1/2 hour prior to sailing, so you'll need to be there by 6:30. Wish I could be of more help, but Jim will be back. I'm sure others have done that itinerary, too.
I'm so sorry I didn't respond sooner.. I only now saw your question.
If your ship is in at 7AM, assume you can be on a train to ROME by 8 to 8:30 AM (check the train schedules to be sure in FTROUTE's post on train travel in Italy.) It is about an hour trip into Rome. Then from Rome termini station go down into the Metro (access is in the front of the Termini station) If you didn't buy a combination train and metro ticket in Civ - a BRIG ticket(you can do this and its cheaper), you can purchase the all day Metro/Bus ticket there. Then take the metro to the Vatican station. Its about a 15 min walk from the metro station to the Vatican. So all in all a 10:30 tour is about right. Maybe 11AM would give you more time provided the train schedule from CIV has an 8 or 8:30 train you are in great shape. The latest I would want to leave CIV to make 10:30 is 9AM and that would be tight.
If you don't buy a BRIG ticket in CIV, be sure to by your return trip ticket when you get to the termini station in the morning so that you know you have seats on the return train. If you are taking the commuter type train there are no reserved seats so this is not a worry.
I would leave Rome no later than 5PM to be safe.
That should give you plenty of time at the Vatican an possibly the coliseum if you want to see that also.
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================================================== ========== Carnival Cruise Lines:
Fantasy 90, Celebration 95, Victory 05, Conquest 05, Spirit 6/06, Freedom 6/08, Holiday 7/08, Victory 6/09, Valor 9/09, Dream 6/10, Splendor 8/10,Conquest 8/11,Magic 11/11,Triumph 4/12,Spirit 7/12,Freedom 11/12, Triumph 2/13 - The fire cruise
NCL Dream October 2006, RCCL Mariner OTS June 2007
Hey we are also going on Norwegian Gem may 10, do you want to share a Rome private tour? I already have 4 ppl so if we have 6 then it will bring the cost down to about $110 per person. the private tour website is www.romeinlimo.com
let me know soon ! by email/phone: arbangchan@yahoo.com or call me at 626-696-5155
Bus 110 City Tour Rome
The most convenient way to discover the cultural richness of Rome. Experience three thousand years of art and history from the open top 110 city tour bus!
From Termini Station, departing every day, every 15 minutes:
from April 1st to September 30th, from 9.00 to 20.30.
Tickets can be purchased from the ATAC kiosk in Piazza dei Cinquecento, in front of Termini Station, or cash when you get on the bus.
New luxury full comfort open-deckers with the on board assistance of multilingual hostesses. Over 80 sites of historical and artistic interest included in the route.
The STOP and GO formula, enables you to get on and off the 10 stops along the route, visit the nearby important and interesting sites, and get back on one of the next buses during the day, to discover more wonders of Rome.
The ticket costs Euro 16,00 and children under 6 do not pay.(children 6-12 years Euro 7,00)
List of stops:
Stazione Termini (main stop) - Piazza della Repubblica - Via XX settembre
Piazza Barberini (stop)
Via Veneto (stop) - Porta Pinciana
Piazzale Flaminio (stop)
Piazza del Popolo (stop) - Via di Ripetta - P.zza Augusto imperatore
Piazza Cavour (stop) - Via Ulpiano - Via della Conciliazione
Piazza San Pietro (stop) - Corso Vittorio Emanuele II
Piazza San Pantaleo (stop) - Largo di Torre Argentina - Via delle Botteghe Oscure
Piazza Venezia (stop) - Via del Teatro di Marcello - Piazza Bocca della Verità - Via del Circo Massimo
Colosseo (stop) - Via dei Fori Imperiali - Piazza del Quirinale
Via ****onale (stop) - P.zza di S. Maria Maggiore
Stazione Termini (stop)
Linear Mode
