Going to Rome!

[Mary-Kathryn]

[quote name='Dust's Sister' date='Apr 7 2006, 09:55 PM']Any tips on going to Rome such as places to stay ? My agenda is to see all I can about our church history.
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This was 2 years ago, so who knows if it is the same now...

When you get the Rome airport to leave the country, security is tight and will send you through a line. Your carry-on bags are hand searched by a person sitting at a nearby table. Then you are sent to another person nearby who "wands" you ...I believe this is done before [ or was it after???] the regular security checks.

So take care of what you put in the carry-on bag if you don't want someone else touching it--they do wear gloves though.. They were very discreet and the one who checked mine was a Catholic lady who stopped and made the sign of the cross when she saw my religious items. :

Maybe someone who has been there recently can tell you if they still do this...

Edited April 9, 2006 by Mary-Kathryn

[JudgedByGod]

[quote name='Mary-Kathryn' date='Apr 8 2006, 09:53 PM']This was 2 years ago, so who knows if it is the same now...

When you get the Rome airport to leave the country,  security is tight and will send you through a line.  Your carry-on bags are hand searched by a person sitting at a nearby table. Then you are sent to another person nearby who "wands" you ...I believe this is done before [ or was it after???] the regular security checks. 
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When we arrived in Rome there was absolutely no security. We had our passports checked and we walked right through customs. Granted, none of us spoke a word of Italian so we just walked through, but no one stopped us or anything. When we were leaving, it was just as easy. The hardest security was when we landed back in the US. We had to fill out paperwork on the plane (not hard, just about what you bought and stuff) and then had to transfer our bags through a security point, but they don't check all of them (just like any domestic flight) and they don't do it in front of you. My carry-ons were never searched, they just put them through the scanners. As for the wands, that would have been fun! But none of us were searched this way.

[adventure]

I lived in Rome last semester so I can't give any help as far as housing ... though I lived just north of San Pietro & there are a few hotels up that way that are pretty cheap and some GREAT gelato @ Millennium on Via Candia. (There was a running competition with people in my program as to which was better, Millennium or Old Bridge, which is the one JudgedByGod was talking about, which is between the entrance to St. Peter's Square and the Vatican Museums.) If you choose not to hang out in that area, the Romans agree that the BEST gelato is off Via del Corso ... I can't remember the name of the place but it's about 2 blocks north of the Column of Marcus Aurelius, ask for good gelato to anyone nearby & they'll point you in that direction.

In terms of churches - St. Philip Neri made a list of 7 must-see pilgrimage churches which include the 4 Basilicas (already mentioned), San Lorenzo, and San Croce, which is literally up the street from Lateran (that's the one with many pieces of the True Cross). There's a 7th, too, but JP2 switched that one, so you have to decide whose list to follow.
Other great churches: San Pietro in Vincoli (has the chains of St. Peter!), Santa Maria in Trastevere, Santa Maria sopra Minerva (it's so close to the Pantheon and has such beautiful Michaelangelos!), etc. (And of course Santa Maria della Concilazione, aka "the bone church", already mentioned.)

DO try to get Scavi tickets - it's a fascinating tour & even if you don't get them before you go, head to the office your first day in town, they're pretty accomodating. Also go to the Vatican Museums - if you're there for 2 Wednesdays, the guards told us that the best time to go is 10 on Wednesday because so many tourists are at the Papal Audience.
I don't know if it'll still be there but last time I checked there was a fantastic exhibit on John Paul II in Rome just next to the Vittoriano on the Forum side.

Also, I know that Rome is a great place to expand your faith, but don't miss out on the history and the culture. Walk around in the Forum, visit the Borghese Gardens, have a cappuccino in Piazza del Popolo, and even take that picture on the Spanish Steps if you must.
Oh, and a VERY local thing to do if you're there on a Sunday is to wake up MAD early and go to Porta Portese - it's this huge and fantastic outdoor market just south of Trastevere ... I used to go to that around 9-10 (it goes till 2 but the early you get there the safer your belongings will be) then walk to Lateran for Mass @ 5. The key to Porta Portese and ANY street haggling you may want to do is to give your first price at 1/2 what you want to pay and then pretend that you're not interested and walk away. And in terms of crime, I lived there 4 months and never had so much as a bracelet taken, the secret is to always look like you belong. Keep your chin up, don't take pictures on the subway, common sense stuff. I could spot a tourist from a mile away.

Buon viaggio! Ciao ciao!

[Mercy me]

Oh, wow how wonderful! You are going to love Rome! it is incredible. There is history everywhere you turn. A couple words of advise:
1. look in every church you pass. There are sometimes several on one block but do it. You won't be disappointed. Don't be surprised if you do not see Jesus in every church. There are many churches that have empty tabernacles.
2. As soon as you know your dates try to get tickets to a Papal audience. My pastor/bishop hooked me up. If that does not work, I understand that you can go through the American church in Rome, Santa Susanna.
3. Do the scavi tour. These tour are extremely limited and they have been talking about eliminating it altogether. You will need to contact the office directly, give them the date range that you are going to be in Rome and they will contact you back with the date, if it is possible. The e-mail address is scavi@fsp.va.
4. There are convents and monasteries there that will allow you stay. They tend to be cheaper than hotels but they have rules and some have curfews. I have a listing but no e-mail addresses. Let me know if you are interested.
5. The Holy Stairs - St. Helena brought them from Pilate's house in Jerusalem. They have new wooden step over them. You go up on your knees and there are spaces where they have put glass in them so that you can see the blood of Christ. I understand that there is an indulgence attached to going up the stairs but the experience is just so humbling. At the top of the stairs there are other relics from the crucifixion. Oh, yeah, they are located across the street from the Archcathedral of the Roman Catholic Church, St. John Lateran.
6. To reiterate, beware of pickpockets. Contrary to what has been said here it is not just the beggar children. These people are good. They can lift your wallet by just bumping into you. Hold onto your wallet on the buses and subways. On the street also be careful. My best friend had someone rip her purse off of her shoulder from a passing motor scooter. She was injured and he got her purse.
7. Look you your favorite saints. There are relics everywhere. When I was there, I stumbled upon St. Catherine of Sienna's relics which had been removed from their normal location under an alter. Having a Jesuit education, the Jesuits have a special place in my heart. Gesu is where you will find the tomb of St. Ignatius of Loyola and also, St. Francis Xavier's hand which brought the sacrament of baptism to so many. Across the street you can see the relics of St. Agnes.
8. Take a day trip at the very least to Assisi. Stay with the Brigettine sisters while there if you are able to stay overnight.
9. Don't over schedule yourself. Enjoy the time you will have there. Stop in and had a cappuccino at a cafe, gelato is a must and stop at one of the flower carts, enjoy the flowers and just soak up the culture of Italy. It really is wonderful!

There is so much to add but I don't want to ramble. Let me know if I can be of any assistance.

[Mercy me]

I was just looking at the website for the american church in Rome, Santa Susanna. It is loaded with great info. [url="http://www.santasusanna.org/"]This is the link.[/url]

[scardella]

Have a grilled panini... they're great (and cheap) if you like sandwiches.
Eat eat eat! Great food!

When you cross the street, it's a little bit like walking on water.... You just have to keep moving and don't look to either side. Just keep a steady pace and they'll avoid you.

Tell Papa Benedict hi for me.

If you can't get the Scavi tour (I couldn't), you can go to the San Calisto (I believe) catacombs, which are pretty good too.

I'd have to echo a million times the Assisi detour. Way more peaceful than the hustle and bustle of Rome. Actually it was a neat juxtaposition when I visited Assisi right after Rome.

This message has been made possible by the letters F U S and by the number 2002.

[Fides_et_Ratio]

oh yeah! I second (or third?) the Scavi Tour. It's awesome!

[curtins]

Hotel de russie is a very nice place to stay

deffinatly go to the vatican- see the cistine chapel- i didnt get to cause the line was real long

go to the piazza de popolo and u can see the two churches where the kholer comercial was filmed- and the park above it is real nice

eat as much gelato as possible

spanish steps, trevi fountain,

take a guided tour of the forum

check out musolini's palace

if you could somehow get a copy of the may 2005 issue of Bon appetite magazine- theres a huge section on italy and rome and stuff- i think thats the issue

have fun

[Mary-Kathryn]

[quote name='JudgedByGod' date='Apr 8 2006, 08:04 PM']When we arrived in Rome there was absolutely no security. We had our passports checked and we walked right through customs. Granted, none of us spoke a word of Italian so we just walked through, but no one stopped us or anything. When we were leaving, it was just as easy. The hardest security was when we landed back in the US. We had to fill out paperwork on the plane (not hard, just about what you bought and stuff) and then had to transfer our bags through a security point, but they don't check all of them (just like any domestic flight) and they don't do it in front of you. My carry-ons were never searched, they just put them through the scanners. As for the wands, that would have been fun! But none of us were searched this way.
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Lucky You! It was a bit of an ordeal with each kid having a carry-on, getting them to understand what was wanted, and then getting through the regular security checks on top of it...but hey...at least we knew we were very safe that day.