Rome on a cruise? Let’s see how you can organize a do-it-yourself trip to the Capital of Italy arriving at the port of Civitavecchia.

How to get to Rome?

The quickest and cheapest way to reach Rome from the port of Civitavecchia is definitely the train.

The port management makes available free shuttle buses that take you just outside the port.

The shuttles of the port of Civitavecchia

The shuttle service follows the call times of the cruise ship.

As soon as you get off the ship, be careful getting on the shuttle bus exactly.

Don’t get confused with the bus reserved for cruise excursions.

The bus will take you, without intermediate stops, outside the port. Exactly at the service center Largo della Pace.

How to reach Civitavecchia train station?

If it’s a good day, I suggest you take a nice walk around the village.

 

It’s not very close, but I think it’s better than waiting for the city bus.

If you want to take the bus.

The nearest stop is Park Isonzo and is about 900 meters from the parking lot.

It’s not very comfortable!

You can take any line, as all those that pass through this stop, also stop at the train station.

The train to Rome

Once you arrive at the train station, you will need to buy your ticket at the ticket machines or at the newsstand.

I suggest you take the regional train so you don’t spend any more money unnecessarily.

The ticket has a cost of 5€ per way. For Intercity and Freccia trains the cost increases considerably, starting from 11€ per way.

The time taken to reach Rome Termini by regional train is about 1 hour, while with Freccia and IC trains is about 40 minutes.

How to move around Rome?

Once you get off the train in the centre of Rome, if you are a skilled walker (as I did most of the time), you can walk around by foot.

Otherwise with the means I recommend the daily ticket that will allow you to take bus or metro whenever you want. It currently costs 7€ and can also be purchased at newsstands. The reference site is ATAC, the transport company of the city.

What to see in a day in Rome?

Rome is a huge city with many interesting places.

In one day it is really impossible to visit it all.

I’ll list you, then, the most important points you won’t have to miss.

Vatican

As the first stop of your day in the capital, I advise you to go to the Vatican.

If you can catch up early in the morning, you can queue up and visit the famous St Peter’s Basilica.

At least once in your life, it has to be seen because it is spectacular.

You will be enchanted by the beautiful decorations and the height of the ceilings.

There is also the possibility, paying an entrance ticket, to access the dome and see from above the whole city of Rome.

The other point certainly famous of this State is the grandiose Saint Peter’s Square with the colonnade.

Colosseum and the Imperial Forums

The Colosseum I believe is one of the most famous building in the world of the Italian State.

In 1980 it was declared World Heritage Site and it is, also, included among the Seven Wonders of the World.

It’s a must-see at your next stop in the Capital of Italy.

Its construction was begun in 72 A.D.

Its real name was Amphitheatrum Flavium (Anfiteatro Flavio in Italian) and, only in the Middle Ages it was called Colosseum. The word comes from the colossal terminal to indicate its enormity compared to the simple two-storey houses of the medieval era.

In 2015 it was the second most visited archaeological site in the world (6.5 million visitors), preceded only by the Great Wall of China.

Another great wonder to be admired simply walking around, are the Imperial Forums.

It is a great emotion to walk among the ruins of the ancient city of Rome, the central point of a vast empire that ruled the World for centuries.

The Imperial Fora consists of a series of monumental squares built between 46 B.C. and 113 A.D. by the Roman emperors.

The main ones are:

• the Forum of Julius Caesar;
• the Forum of Augustus;
• the Temple of Peace;
• the Forum of Trajan.

Altar of the Homeland

The National Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II, or simply Altar of the Homeland, is a very majestic moment.

This is the work of the architect Giuseppe Sacconi.

After the First World War, this place was chosen to house the tomb of the Unknown soldier: a soldier who died during the war and who, due to his serious injuries, could not be recognized. He represents all the young boys and valiant men who died and continue to die in war.

Another very famous detail of this site is the equestrian statue of Vittorio Emanuele II.

It is 12 meters high and for its realization 50 tons of bronze were melted.

The statue was made by Enrico Chiaradia and dominates the whole square from above.

The palaces of the Italian Government

The city of Rome is the main seat of Italian institutions, so a visit to their majestic palaces is a must.

The most fascinating and important is certainly the Quirinal Palace.

Until 1871 it was the summer residence of the popes, then of the kings of Italy and, finally, now the seat of the President of the Republic.

It rises on the top of one of the many hills of the city, so it has a very nice view.

Then there is the Palazzo Montecitorio, seat of the Chamber of Deputies, and Palazzo Madama, seat of the Senate of the Republic.

A complete tour must also include Palazzo Chigi, the seat of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.

Rome on a cruise: a touch and flee

Rome is a city rich in monuments and sites to visit, these are only the main ones. There are many others things to see, such as the Pantheon or the Baths of Caracalla.

Unfortunately, in the very short time you will have at a cruise port, you will certainly have to make choices (sometimes difficult) and these are, in my opinion, the places not to be missed.

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Kiss Kiss,

Cassandra