Civitavecchia/ Rome Port Review
Overall- A- Rome is a world-class destination with sites that rival any place in the world. You could spend a week in and around Rome and not see everything. Fitting everything you'd like to see in one day can be a challenge, but it is possible to see all the biggies.
Ease of Travel- The train from Civitavecchia to Rome is very easy to catch. The BIRG ticket which allows you transportation around the city all day and back and forth to Civitavecchia is a great value at 9 euros. The metro is not the nicest and is very crowded. It also doesn't always go where you need it to since everytime they start digging, they find more ruins and history. It can get you very close to the Colosseum and St, John's Lateran. Buses are plentiful and decent, just stay aware of your surroundings as on the metro. Walking is easier than you might think (when it isn't burning up). We walked from St. John's Lateran all the way to St. Peters this time in one day, stopping at the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon.
Quality of Sites- Do I really need to address this? Everyone has heard of the big sites like the Colosseum and the Vatican Museum, but some smaller sites are just as good, if not better. We were able to visit San Clemente church this time which has three levels of history underground including a third century Christian church and, under that, an earlier Mithric temple along with a house that might have belonged to Clement himself (3rd pope). It was mindblowing, and I had never heard of it until I did a little research. Not to mention all the things you can see outside the city like Hadrian's Villa and Ostia Antica. This is one of the things that makes this port so good. You could come here every year and still see something new.
Safety/Comfortable- So, I would say that the safety is better than Naples, worse than Barcelona. There are still hardworking pickpockets in this city and crazy Italian drivers, but it is more tourist friendly than you might expect. There is more English spoken, or at least understood. Still don't expect toilet seats in restrooms. The crowds can be overwhelming at times. This is not really a place you can relax unless you get off onto a side street away from the tourist attractions.
Food- I think the food in Rome is more hit or miss than almost anywhere because of the over abundance of tourist traps. Everyone posts these signs stating that they speak English and advertising things we are familiar with, and the food is just not very good because they have no local following. It doesn't have to be good; they get tourists through everyday. The pizza is entirely different from Naples, with a thicker crust and baked long and rectangular, then they cut off a square (or two) for you. It is not my preference, but I know people who love it. Try to eat at places where you see locals and hear Italian. You are likely to have a much better meal.
My 2 Cents- I like Rome a lot, but I don't love it. It isn't a beautiful city like Florence or Venice, but it has character. Like New York, it almost pulsates with energy. The history and sites are hard to comprehend, they are so jawdropping. Getting there from the port is a breeze, and I think everyone should do Rome on their own just to get that feeling of walking down an ancient street by yourself, then turning a corner and seeing something amazing that you didn't expect. I can't quite describe that feeling of turning a corner and, behold :the Pantheon. A quick sidenote: get a good map before you go. Streets change names and can be confusing.
Ease of Travel- The train from Civitavecchia to Rome is very easy to catch. The BIRG ticket which allows you transportation around the city all day and back and forth to Civitavecchia is a great value at 9 euros. The metro is not the nicest and is very crowded. It also doesn't always go where you need it to since everytime they start digging, they find more ruins and history. It can get you very close to the Colosseum and St, John's Lateran. Buses are plentiful and decent, just stay aware of your surroundings as on the metro. Walking is easier than you might think (when it isn't burning up). We walked from St. John's Lateran all the way to St. Peters this time in one day, stopping at the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon.
Quality of Sites- Do I really need to address this? Everyone has heard of the big sites like the Colosseum and the Vatican Museum, but some smaller sites are just as good, if not better. We were able to visit San Clemente church this time which has three levels of history underground including a third century Christian church and, under that, an earlier Mithric temple along with a house that might have belonged to Clement himself (3rd pope). It was mindblowing, and I had never heard of it until I did a little research. Not to mention all the things you can see outside the city like Hadrian's Villa and Ostia Antica. This is one of the things that makes this port so good. You could come here every year and still see something new.
Safety/Comfortable- So, I would say that the safety is better than Naples, worse than Barcelona. There are still hardworking pickpockets in this city and crazy Italian drivers, but it is more tourist friendly than you might expect. There is more English spoken, or at least understood. Still don't expect toilet seats in restrooms. The crowds can be overwhelming at times. This is not really a place you can relax unless you get off onto a side street away from the tourist attractions.
Food- I think the food in Rome is more hit or miss than almost anywhere because of the over abundance of tourist traps. Everyone posts these signs stating that they speak English and advertising things we are familiar with, and the food is just not very good because they have no local following. It doesn't have to be good; they get tourists through everyday. The pizza is entirely different from Naples, with a thicker crust and baked long and rectangular, then they cut off a square (or two) for you. It is not my preference, but I know people who love it. Try to eat at places where you see locals and hear Italian. You are likely to have a much better meal.
My 2 Cents- I like Rome a lot, but I don't love it. It isn't a beautiful city like Florence or Venice, but it has character. Like New York, it almost pulsates with energy. The history and sites are hard to comprehend, they are so jawdropping. Getting there from the port is a breeze, and I think everyone should do Rome on their own just to get that feeling of walking down an ancient street by yourself, then turning a corner and seeing something amazing that you didn't expect. I can't quite describe that feeling of turning a corner and, behold :the Pantheon. A quick sidenote: get a good map before you go. Streets change names and can be confusing.
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