Rome

[gozzy]

Agree regarding the spaghetti. Try the shapes rather than hoops.

Trevi fountain is touristy but only cause it's so nice.
Eat in a street off piazza navona rather than on it for much better food and walk in the piazza afterwards.

Skip Pompeii. Too far from Rome and Rome has history on every corner. Spend time in the forum instead.
Eat pizza for lunch. Cheap but possibly the world's best.

It's on my bucket list so I've booked the trip. Taking the high speed train connection to Naples

Some cutting edge tourist advice inthis thread lads.

Try different shapes of pasta.

I have to write that one down.

Wondering if they have spaghetti hoops.

You can never be too classy.

 

[gozzy]

I've done that very trip. You will have to switch to a local train in Naples station to bring you to Pompeii. That entails going to a shop in the station and purchasing a local train ticket. You could possibly be met with actual employees offering you assistance who will then try to hustle you for a few quid, so I would recommend that you do some research and know exactly which train and platform you need to transfer to.

Pompeii is fantastic. Seeing Mt Vesuvius ominously overlooking the site really adds to the experience. While I'm not sure how much of a hard-on you get for Roman ruins, if you want to see really well preserved ancient Roman homes, then I would highly recommend a place called Herculaneum on the other side of Vesuvius. There you will find homes with their original frescoes and upper floors in tact. It's also a much more compact site and less crowded. It's an amazing place.

Finally, while it probably doesn't have to be said, make sure you get yourself a pizza in Naples. The standard is exceptional and you won't eat a pizza like that anywhere else.

We did all of that in one day and arrived back in Rome by about 10pm.

Unreal day.

Great advice, thanks Jimmy_Y. Don't think we will have time for Herculaneum to be honest, even though I'd love to see the place.

I have a major hard on for Romans Jim.



Major.

 

[Jimmy the Gent]

Great advice, thanks Jimmy_Y. Don't think we will have time for Herculaneum to be honest, even though I'd love to see the place.

I have a major hard on for Romans Jim.



Major.

Sorry, I deleted my message by accident as I intended to add to it.

There is also a podcast called 'Rick Steve's Audio Europe' which has audio tours of sites in Rome and Pompeii which you can download and listen to if you don't fancy getting a walking tour. He also has a link to a downloadable map for each of the sites to guide you.

 

[gozzy]

Sorry, I deleted my message by accident as I intended to add to it.

There is also an app called 'Rick Steve's Audio Europe' which has audio tours of sites in Rome and Pompeii which you can download and listen to if you don't fancy getting a walking tour. He also has a link to a downloadable map for each of the sites to guide you.

Brilliant.

Thanks Jimmy

 

[Pepe]

Usual trick is to see where the locals go. It can save you a fortune.
.

What kind of stupid advice is this?

Why would you do as the locals do?


In Rome of all places????

 

[One]

Brilliant.

Thanks Jimmy

Hey Goz, you will have a fantastic time in Rome, the eternal city is awesome.
Been twice, went with a few lonely planet dining recommendations and wasnt steered wrong.

Pompeii is amazing. The train from Naples drops you the doorstep and is cheap as chips. We spent hours roaming about. The place near the train station does a lovely pizza.


Enjoy.

 

[gozzy]

Hey Goz, you will have a fantastic time in Rome, the eternal city is awesome.
Been twice, went with a few lonely planet dining recommendations and wasnt steered wrong.

Pompeii is amazing. The train from Naples drops you the doorstep and is cheap as chips. We spent hours roaming about. The place near the train station does a lovely pizza.


Enjoy.

Jawb.

I've been wanting to visit this place for years.

 

[gozzy]

Just back - lads, get to Pompeii, mindblowing.

 

[Henri LeHat]

Just back - lads, get to Pompeii, mindblowing.

Nice one gozzer. I was in the environs of Pompeii but skipped it to come back at some point when i could give enough time to do justice to the place.

Synopsis there please, the whet the appetite.

 

[gozzy]

Nice one gozzer. I was in the environs of Pompeii but skipped it to come back at some point when i could give enough time to do justice to the place.

Synopsis there please, the whet the appetite.

I was there in 35 degree heat so loaded up on the water and made sure I had the hat on all day.

Got to see the theatre, all the takeaways some still with amphora, the bath house, the houses of the rich (one fella had a upstairs garden) the forum (you can still see all the scorch marks), the whorehouse (it was cordened off but you could see inside fine), the temple, had a packed lunch sitting on an actual Roman footpath, saw the graffiti, the election 'posters', the body casts, refilled the water bottle from a tap used at the time of the eruption (take note Irish fucking Water), saw the frescos, wall art, household items, a charred loaf of bread...

The place was unreal and I only saw a fraction of it.