*👉🏻 Best Tours & Experiences in Rome:* 🏛 Colosseum Underground, Arena & Forum Tour - gyg.me/xK7TNvn3 🏛Pantheon Small-Group Guided Tour with Entry Ticket - gyg.me/lMz05g2i ✝ Basilica of St John Lateran & Holy Steps 1-Hour Tour - gyg.me/92SKNUA0 ✝Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Tour - gyg.me/u9wfMrd9 🚶 Rome Walking Tour Through Castel Sant’Angelo’s History - gyg.me/W9dALfJL *🛌 Find accommodation in Rome:* booking.stay22.com/romewise/UJmzjjat57
Your energy and exuberance are infectious! Wonderful video. I suspect that Rome wishes you and your husband would air even more videos. :-) I’m very much looking forward to visiting the city again. (Great hat by the way!)
We just got back last night and you are spot on! Laterano was beautiful and we walked twice from Ottaviano to St Peter’s. Our first visit to Roma and we fell in love with it. The city is amazing and your videos helped us so much in preparing for it. Kudos to the city for its planning, because they are doing it right.
We arrived in Rome yesterday and already visited St.Peter’s Basilica at 5pm. We didn’t wait a minute in line because there weren’t many people and it was amazing. Thanks for the great advises Elyssa!
Great to hear! Now is one of the best times to visit Rome - it's probably the least crowded it will be this year. Glad you are enjoying my beautiful city!
Well I can’t wait to visit Rome this year 😂 it will be my first time visiting and you’re very helpful and thank you so much for the tips on getting around the city! Just subscribed 🎉
Elyssa, you do not lie, I have never seen Roma like that! Love these updates. And you're so right, I have been everyone year since 2021 post pandemic and it'll only get busier, but people should always focus on fringe seasons to get the best experience. Rome doesn't need hot sun, go when the wether in inclement, it's best.
Dont blame the Italian people if you dont have a wonderful experience; pick pockets, scammers, feeling of beign in Africa in certain neighboorhoods, blame the complicit politicians
Ho 67 anni, sono nato e cresciuto a Roma. Ho visto tanto della mia città ma avrei ancora una infinità di musei, gallerie d'arte, giardini, strade consolari, parchi, chiese, fontane, piazze, palazzi storici e meravigliosi monumenti da visitare. A Roma troverai sempre, sempre, sempre, qualcosa di bello da fare e da vedere! È un museo a cielo aperto, dove c'è sempre posto per tutti (...e quindi siamo anche preparati per gli eventi eccezionali). Felice d'incontrarvi!🙂
Grazie mille per i tuoi gentili commenti. Come puoi vedere, anch'io amo Roma. Come dicono i Romani, non basta una via! E ne sono d'accordo. Grazie ancora!
Thanks for the update! I will be there at the beginning of March for my 3rd visit and I cannot wait. I have a nice long visit planned and tickets for my top priorities. A long list of places I have not seen and a couple of optional day trips possible. I haven't been to Rome since 2005, so I do expect lots of changes. I am so excited to see all the fountains sparkling clean! I have enjoyed so many of your vlogs and your suggestions have added so much to my list of possibilities. Grazie mille!
Thank you so much, I feel your excitement too. I heard pedestrian pedestrian pedestrian, I am so looking forward to arrive in Rome after Via Francigena.
Congrats on a superb update...and you got so many views and comments already, rings the bell. I've been there 25 times leading tours, and wrote a guidebook, but have been disappointed lately at how crowded it got, so maybe suggest deep off-season!
Thanks so much - coming from a Rome expert like you, it means a lot to me! I am enjoying this wonderful low season we have right now and you are right, this is a great time to be here!
Hi Elyssa, I just wanted to take a moment say two things. Firstly, I think you have a superb speaking voice that makes your videos extremely engaging. Random, but my wife and I both said this to each other. Secondly and more importantly, I have just today returned from a short trip to Rome to celebrate a mile stone birthday. All the advice in your videos was superb and made the trip extremely memorable. We basically copied your 48 hour itinerary as we arrived late on our first day and it made our trip and the sight seeing so easy and not stressful. We even dined at your Colosseum restaurant recommendation La Taverna dei Fori Imperiali for lunch and it was delicious! No reservation, turned up and got a table. I would highly recommend for people to visit Rome literally now, like this month. The weather was mild, actually 17 degrees and sunny and it was not that busy. I can imagine how chaotic it must be in peak season. It felt like we were alone when we arrived to the Vatican early on Friday morning! Thank you again for all you share 😁
Thank you so much for your kind comments. I'm glad you enjoy my presentation and find my advice helpful. Also nice to hear you had a good experience at the Taverna dei Fori Imperiali. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Thanks. I fiddled with the settings and eventually got the excellent presentation in English. Google search shows that it’s a new and intrusive feature from UA-cam.
Hello Romewise viewer from Sydney,Aust here and I have been watching your vlog for a year now and finally decided that we (my daughter and I) will travel to Italy this year staying 7 days in Rome! Thank you for your wonderful videos and your voice is so soothing, I replay some of them in the background while I’m working. I wonder though if the Pope still does his papal audience on Wednesdays? We’re thinking of travelling May 2025 and in Rome by last week of May.
Thank you for your kind comments. I really appreciate it! I'm glad you enjoy my videos. Yes, the Pope gives the papal audience every Wednesday when he is in town. You can check his schedule on the official Vatican site: www.vatican.va/content/vatican/en.html I wish you and your daughter a wonderful visit this year! You may find my page about how to spend a week in Rome useful: www.romewise.com/7-days-in-rome-italy.html
Thanks so much Elyssa, we are soooooo excited to experience the Jubileaum this year. Thank you for all you do for this community, Grazie 🥰 What is a golf tour encompass? Any recommendations for a golf tour?
So glad you enjoyed the video. Golf tours are a great way to visit Rome. You can relax and get around in comfort, great especially for covering big distances and if you have small children or older people with you, or just want to rest your feet. Here is my preferred golf car tour: livtours.com/tours/golf-cart-tour-of-rome-semi-private-experience?af_code=7QLR30Q
Si può visitare Roma in piena solitudine anche nell'anno santo. Ci sono almeno 500 chiese con importanti reliquie religiose e eccezionali opere d'arte che sono poco conosciute e quindi si possono visitare in tranquillità. Un esempio: nella chiesa di Santa Pudenziana è custodita la colonna della flagellazione di Gesù. Nella chiesa di Santa Maria della Vittoria è custodito un capolavoro assoluto di G.L.Bernini ( l'estasi di Santa Teresa) . Poi ci sono musei importantissimi e poco frequentati: il Museo Nazionale Romano , uno dei musei archeologici più importanti del mondo, il Museo Nazionale Etrusco, il più importante del mondo, la Galleria Nazionale di arte antica di Palazzo Corsini, la Galleria Nazionale di arte antica di Palazzo Barberini,il Museo della Centrale Montemartini, con le SCULTURE FRONTONALI DEL TEMPIO DI APOLLO SOSIANO, il Museo Barracco, la Galleria Nazionale di arte moderna ecc.ecc.
Yes you are correct, that's where the fountains came from. And yes, Palazzo Farnese is amazing and worth a visit. They also recently opened their underground to visitors.
Thank you so much for making these videos! Are the public rest rooms also part of the renovation? And are more being added for tourists’ convenience? Thanks !
Glad you enjoy my videos. There are public restrooms throughout Rome. These were not part of the renovations. You can look for an app called WC Roma that shows you where all the public restrooms are located. I have details here also: www.romewise.com/bathrooms-in-rome.html
Please stay tuned for my upcoming video this Sunday - all about visiting Rome in February. February is a winter month and you should pack for winter weather. More in my video coming soon!
You had a video that talked about turning left at the top of the spanish steps and it took you through a nice walk through town ... I didnt save the video but would love to take that walk -any ideas which video it was?
Turning left at the top of the Spanish Steps takes you to the Pincio. Nice walk, great views, and you can then go for a stroll in the Borghese Gardens.
Like many big cities, Rome has pickpockets. Nobody can get rid of them entirely. As you would in any big city, be aware of your surroundings, keep your items safe and close, and don't get distracted when you are in crowded places. There is a lot of fear-mongering on the internet but I hope you will not let that put you off or keep you from coming to this beautiful city.
Elyssa, We plan to come early Nov. We are living in Germany (wish it was Italy!) for 2 years, so we could come in 2026, but I am studying Caesar, and I hate to put it off. We visited Rome last in June 2019. It was busy but we fell in love with it anyway. Will Nov 25 be much busier than that? Should we put off our trip until 2026? We don't really care about seeing the Vatican and will focus mostly on the Forum, Apia Antica, Largo Argentina , etc. Thank you for your advice, I really value it. ❤
November should be considerably quieter than June, especially the latter half of November. I do not believe in putting off a trip you have planned if the only reason is worrying about crowds. Rome will always have visitors. You may be interested in these two videos about Julius Caesar in Rome: ua-cam.com/video/Ore9DIoCWiY/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/eKSGyLvbYEo/v-deo.html Have a great visit!
another great video. Question: i've read that registered pilgrims can check in at piazza pia and head in to St Peters Holy Door together. Does doing that mean one would get ahead of the main entry line to the Basilica? I am registered and am doing the museums in am, but need to be in Basilica for a seminarian tour at 230 and my holy door time is 1pm. What have you seen or heard regarding pilgrims getting in? Thanks!
Thanks so much! Yes registered pilgrims can check in right near where I am sitting in this video. Pilgrims also have to go through security, but those in this line have something of a priority over people going through the regular security lines. My friend Mountain, aka The Catholic Traveler, explained it well here: thecatholictraveler.substack.com/p/the-2025-jubilee-and-what-to-expect
St Peters Basilica appears to be selling timed entry tickets with audio guides. Can you please aee if this is a "skip the line" ticket similar to the Vatican Museum?
Here's what I think that system is about: They are trying to manage the crowds because in this year of the Jubilee, with 35 million pilgrims coming to Rome, they expect the Vatican to have way more visitors than usual. And by giving people a chance to "book" ahead, they can better predict the flow. With the basilica, what you are booking is the audio guide, which you COULD get on site anyway. The booking allows THEM to know more or less what time you plan to come. But it does NOT allow anyone to skip the security line. This being said, I'm hearing that they MAY allow for a separate security line for those who have booked in advance. This is a new system and many of us are still learning about what it means. As for booking the dome in advance, it's great to be able to purchase tickets in advance, but I think the only thing that does is allow you to skip the line to buy tickets, but not the line to go up in the elevator, which is first come first served.
@@Romewise That is disappointing to hear since the website states the reservation includes; "Customized visit schedule: choose your preferred day and time Free visit without a guide Basilica tour with the Digital Audio Guide" It is very misleading to say the reservation includes a customized visit schedule that you get to choose your preferred day and time. Why book a custom visit schedule with a preferred day and time if I have to wait in line for hours with everyone else who didn't book a ticket that provides me with a custom visit schedule? I hope the rumors are true and they set up two security lines similar to how it is handled at the Vatican Museum. I've already reserved a time in June, but if it turns out I have to wait in line for 3+ hours (which is likely considering when I plan on visiting) then I'll just have to come back to the Vatican early in the morning the next day to get in around 7AM. I suppose if I'm there around 5:30AM, I'll get in soon after they open.
@@DIYWeekend Well as I said, this is a new thing, and there is still a lot we don't know. Guides I know are also trying to figure out what this all means. I plan to investigate and will likely make a dedicated video about it so stay tuned!
online on the official web page :) I would suggest you get the tickets online for any of the attractions/museums looooong beforehand. There's museums that are fully booked for months. Like the Galleria at Villa Borghese for instance.
I wish we had some news about that and also the Museo della Civiltà Romana. Both are sites that many of us in Rome are waiting to see again but there is no concrete news about either site yet.
@Romewise No problem, but thank you for taking the time to get back to me. I think I was hearing some misinformation, so it also helps to know nothing is certain yet.
@@Romewise Looking forward to it! I'm heading to Rome for the first time in May, and your videos have already been super helpful in planning. Thanks again!
I'm hoping to come back to Rome in 2026 for my 70th for a long stay of at least 2 weeks. I miss Rome, my Great Grandfather studied Art the Académie de France in the 1880's Nice to see a lot of Pedestrian Friendly areas now. France is turning into a disaster for Pedestrians, way too many Bikes and Inline scooters making it very dangerous for pedestrians
That's great! I hope you'll have a wonderful 70th birthday celebration in my beautiful city. We have a lot of bikes and scooters, too, but these new changes are helping alot! Supposedly there will be more rules for the use of these bikes and scooters. Either way, I hope you'll have a very happy birthday next year!
On 21 May 1972 a mentally ill Hungarian man called Laszlo Toth climbed over an altar railing in St Peter's Basilica and attacked Michelangelo's Pietà with a hammer. It was badly damaged. He was hospitalized, then deported. Once the sculpture was restored, they placed bulletproof glass in front of it to protect it for any possible further vandalism.
The project involves the construction of the "Venezia" station on line C of the Rome metro, where there will also be interchanges with future line D. Inside the station, a museum will also be created for the archaeological remains found during the works. To do this it is necessary to dig into the ground more than 80 meters deep, the same as a 26-storey building. The whole operation is expected to last ten years
@@lilpenny1982 She mentioned the Colosseum station of Metro C that is almost complete. It will be the interchange with Metro B. The "Venezia" station will be the next station and they just started working on it.
Ci mettono molti anni per fare le linee della metropolitana a Roma, perché quando scavano, trovano sempre reperti archeologici dell' antica Roma e le belle arti, fermano i lavori per recuperare tutto quelli che emerge dal passato.@@branc2658
Do you find Romans on the rude side? I went from Florence to Catania and everything in between and Rome in particular seemed 8/10 people acted like ‘why are you here?’ The further south I got the more friendly everyone was. Sicily they acted like I was a long lost relative.
I am married to a Roman and most of my friends are Roman. I consider myself an adopted Roman after living here nearly 25 years. I consider that some humans can be rude no matter where you are on planet earth. But overall, Romans are wonderful people and I love them.
@ of course there are rude people everywhere. Just curious if there is a reputation for it like there is in NYC. Also I did want to say thank you for your video on the early morning key master tour. Because of it I took the tour and got picked to u lock the Sistine Chapel. A memory I’ll always have.
Xchè visitare ROMA? semplicemente xchè è la città più bella e importante dell'umanità Il più grande museo a celo aperto del mondo Xchè è la nonna di tutti noi, se non c'era Roma il mondo che conoscete non c'era vivevamo secoli indietro e facevamo tutti una vita d'inferno. Basta studiare la storia.
Mi trovi completamente d'accordo! Roma è la città più bella al mondo! Non mi stanco mai di esplorare tutti i meravigliosi siti, monumenti, musei e piazze della mia splendida città. Grazie per i tuoi gentili commenti!
@@Romewise I was just irritated. I thought you were Italian. However, you pronounced Michelangelo's name the way native English speakers (mainly Americans) usually do. 🙂
@@tubekulose Dipende, quando parlo italiano, ovviamente uso la pronuncia italiana. Quando parlo inglese, a volte uso la pronuncia italiana e a volte uso quella americana. Lo faccio inconsciamente.
I'm so impressed with our mayor, Roberto Gualtieri. He has been on top of a lot of the issues we've faced in Rome in recent years. Even the garbage situation has improved by a lot. We have new bins and more of them, including many that are like trash compactors. Check out his instagram to see all that he does. Most of the clips are in Italian but you can still see what he's been doing to improve our city. instagram.com/robertogualtieri
Roma ha avuto 51 milioni e mezzo di turisti lo scorso anno !!! E ci sono persone incivili anche terra questi !!! Certa gente dovrebbe avere più rispetto . Non si sa perché dicono di visitare un posto. Ci vanno per fare casino. Quelli dovrebbero rimanere a casa.
Sorry to hear that. It seems to be a bug in Google. Searching online leads me to discussions about this problem but no solution. Perhaps try logging in on another device? I hope you can watch the video in English as I recorded it.
We booked our early April trip to Rome not knowing a thing about this pilgrimage. We are there for 4 days and fortunately are not Catholic and not interested in the Vatican. Planning on very early morning touring and a day trip out of the city.
It looks good, but even in an ordinary year Rome is unpleasantly overcrowded. So with the Giubileo most folks that I know are staying away because the overcrowding will be still worse, accommodation costs are sky high and there is a higher terror incident risk.
The Vatican and Italian secret services are capable of dealing with any type of terrorist threat. Frankly, I don't understand you: would you like deserted cities?
You simply have to know where to go to avoid the crowd: Rome is not only St. Peter, Coliseum and Pantheon, there are 3000 years of history to discover. And by the way: Rome is still much more safe than many other big cities.
Of course this is a matter of choice and some people will stay away, but I think if someone is planning to come this year, they will still be able to enjoy this beautiful city.
That's what I meant when I said that Rome is a big city and there is so much to see. I have a whole video about how to avoid the crowds, and one way is to visit monuments besides the Colosseum and Vatican. I've lived here nearly 25 years and I still have not seen it all.
Una volta finita l'abbuffata di soldi pubblici , torneranno i problemi quando bisognerà manutenere. La manutenzione questa cosa sconosciuta. Ci vediamo tra 3 anni
Wow it does look amazing 🤩 Can not wait to come back this year 😬 even with all the extra people it’ll still be well worth it. I’ll plan ahead like I did last year with the help from your videos and website which made life a lot easier.
If my history serves me correctly, Octavian wasn't the only Emperor enterred in this mausoleum. I'm guessing his successors who's related to him were also buried here ⚰️
Btw, what happened to the corpses of Augustus and Hadrian in their respective mausoleum? 💀💀 I mean they were able to find the corpes of Seti, Ramses and Tutankamun in Egypt 🔼
@@lilpenny1982 Ancient Romans cremated their dead. Inhumation burial wasn't typical until the 4th century on. The accepted story is that during the 410 CE sacking of Rome by Alaric the Mausoleum of Augustus was broken into, the urns stolen and the ashes scattered unceremoniously.
The two monuments are similar in that they began as circular imperial tombs, but they are very different as to what they turned into after that. Also, the visiting experience is very different, or it will be when we can visit Augustus' Mausoleum again.
Can't give you the trick for the Pantheon. The Pieta is STILL way over there. You need a small binocular to see. It is good if they now allow visitors near the alter area. Have they removed the divider running down the spine of the basilica?
For the pietà, if you just stand near it and wait, the crowds move and often fluctuate. I have never once been unable to get up to the front row right in the center to admire it and take photos from there. I was in the basilica last week and the center nave was completely clear of barricades.
As a project in the decade of 2020's, they should rebuild one of the temples in the Roman Forum 🏛 In Athens, they rebuild The Stoa using modern day cement and it looks awesome. No one is complaining that it was restored. Thoughts on this? 🪚🔨⚒️⛏️
Io penso che non sia bello rifare nuovi i monumenti antichi ...meglio che siano solo resti, piuttosto che diventi o parchi a tema !!! Perdono il senso di quello che erano.
I don't believe this will ever be a project in Rome. Greece may have a different policy regarding their antiquities. I understand it might be interesting but I personally hope they never do this in Rome. That being said, inside the Roman Forum, they have indeed restored parts of some ancient structures such as the Temple of Peace and the Temple to Vesta. But I can't see them completely redoing anything to look as it once did in Ancient Rome. And if they did, by the way, they'd also have to paint it in garish colors, which is how many buildings and statues looked in antiquity.
@Romewise se si parla di fare interventi per evitare che si rovinino o che vadano a pezzi, si !! Ma usare il cemento per rifare monumenti antichi , al posto della pietra o del marmo ..mi dispiace, ma è come una ricostruzione cinematografica . Perde valore . Preferisco una ristrutturazione, come per esempio con la torre di Pisa per non farla cadere, piuttosto che trasformare una cosa preziosa in un qualcosa senza significato e senza valore !!! Poi, se i greci preferiscono così , ben per loro. Anche perché , sinceramente , ad Atene, se togli l 'acropoli.....non rimane nulla. Non è una bella città. A me non piace per niente.
@@EmanuelaCherubini Esattamente, ecco perché ho detto (sopra) che ero d'accordo con te. Per me, cambierebbe tutto. Per esempio, anche se l'hanno fatto per conservare il monumento, neanche mi piacciono gli interventi sul tempio di vesta nel foro romano, o quelli sul tempio della pace. Non credo che qui a Roma farebbe mai una cosa come quello che hanno fatto ad Atene. Lo trovo molto strano.
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🏛 Colosseum Underground, Arena & Forum Tour - gyg.me/xK7TNvn3
🏛Pantheon Small-Group Guided Tour with Entry Ticket - gyg.me/lMz05g2i
✝ Basilica of St John Lateran & Holy Steps 1-Hour Tour - gyg.me/92SKNUA0
✝Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Tour - gyg.me/u9wfMrd9
🚶 Rome Walking Tour Through Castel Sant’Angelo’s History - gyg.me/W9dALfJL
*🛌 Find accommodation in Rome:*
booking.stay22.com/romewise/UJmzjjat57
I m going to Rome in april with my family.I Just can't wait😅. ❤ thanks for the vídeo. São Paulo- Brasil
Your energy and exuberance are infectious! Wonderful video. I suspect that Rome wishes you and your husband would air even more videos. :-) I’m very much looking forward to visiting the city again. (Great hat by the way!)
Thank you, Ralph! Glad you enjoyed the video (and my hat, which I got in Torino). Alessandro will be making more videos with me this year. Stay tuned!
We just got back last night and you are spot on! Laterano was beautiful and we walked twice from Ottaviano to St Peter’s. Our first visit to Roma and we fell in love with it. The city is amazing and your videos helped us so much in preparing for it. Kudos to the city for its planning, because they are doing it right.
That sounds wonderful! So glad you found my advice helpful. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Just back from 6 days trip to Rome, and thank You for all! We were simply following your advice, and succeeded in seeing almost all sites! And more.
Great to hear!
We arrived in Rome yesterday and already visited St.Peter’s Basilica at 5pm. We didn’t wait a minute in line because there weren’t many people and it was amazing. Thanks for the great advises Elyssa!
Great to hear! Now is one of the best times to visit Rome - it's probably the least crowded it will be this year. Glad you are enjoying my beautiful city!
Well I can’t wait to visit Rome this year 😂 it will be my first time visiting and you’re very helpful and thank you so much for the tips on getting around the city! Just subscribed 🎉
Thanks so much for subscribing! I hope you have a wonderful visit!
Elyssa, you do not lie, I have never seen Roma like that! Love these updates. And you're so right, I have been everyone year since 2021 post pandemic and it'll only get busier, but people should always focus on fringe seasons to get the best experience. Rome doesn't need hot sun, go when the wether in inclement, it's best.
Can’t wait for my trip in April ❤❤❤
Dont blame the Italian people if you dont have a wonderful experience; pick pockets, scammers, feeling of beign in Africa in certain neighboorhoods, blame the complicit politicians
SHOOTING “SO GLAD I FOUND YOU!!” I’ve been invited to spend a week in Rome with friends. Never thought I’d get there. Your content is perfect for me.
Thank you so much! Have a wonderful visit!
What a fabulous video! I'll be there in a month and this was invaluable. Thank you Elyssa.
Thanks so much - I'm glad you found the video helpful!
Ho 67 anni, sono nato e cresciuto a Roma. Ho visto tanto della mia città ma avrei ancora una infinità di musei, gallerie d'arte, giardini, strade consolari, parchi, chiese, fontane, piazze, palazzi storici e meravigliosi monumenti da visitare.
A Roma troverai sempre, sempre, sempre, qualcosa di bello da fare e da vedere! È un museo a cielo aperto, dove c'è sempre posto per tutti (...e quindi siamo anche preparati per gli eventi eccezionali).
Felice d'incontrarvi!🙂
Grazie mille per i tuoi gentili commenti. Come puoi vedere, anch'io amo Roma. Come dicono i Romani, non basta una via! E ne sono d'accordo. Grazie ancora!
I'm coming on Tuesday....really looking forward to it
Great! I hope you have a wonderful trip!
@ thank you
Thanks for the update! I will be there at the beginning of March for my 3rd visit and I cannot wait. I have a nice long visit planned and tickets for my top priorities. A long list of places I have not seen and a couple of optional day trips possible.
I haven't been to Rome since 2005, so I do expect lots of changes. I am so excited to see all the fountains sparkling clean! I have enjoyed so many of your vlogs and your suggestions have added so much to my list of possibilities. Grazie mille!
Thanks for watching. I think you will love your visit and love seeing Rome like this! Thank you again for your kind words.
You're making me so excited!! Thank you for all of the amazing info & insights!!❤
Thank you so much!
Thank you so much, I feel your excitement too. I heard pedestrian pedestrian pedestrian, I am so looking forward to arrive in Rome after Via Francigena.
Thanks for watching, I think you will be happy to see this beautiful new Rome!
Love this video, thanks so much!
Glad you enjoyed it!
New subscriber here ❤️. Thank you for all the information and bringing us to Rome through your vlog! Loved it
Awesome! Thank you!
Congrats on a superb update...and you got so many views and comments already, rings the bell. I've been there 25 times leading tours, and wrote a guidebook, but have been disappointed lately at how crowded it got, so maybe suggest deep off-season!
Thanks so much - coming from a Rome expert like you, it means a lot to me! I am enjoying this wonderful low season we have right now and you are right, this is a great time to be here!
Wow! Thanks for letting us know!
I watched your Videos before my trip either this month. Your insights and advice made my trip a wonderful experience
Thanks so much for your kind comments!
Hi Elyssa, I just wanted to take a moment say two things.
Firstly, I think you have a superb speaking voice that makes your videos extremely engaging. Random, but my wife and I both said this to each other.
Secondly and more importantly, I have just today returned from a short trip to Rome to celebrate a mile stone birthday. All the advice in your videos was superb and made the trip extremely memorable. We basically copied your 48 hour itinerary as we arrived late on our first day and it made our trip and the sight seeing so easy and not stressful. We even dined at your Colosseum restaurant recommendation La Taverna dei Fori Imperiali for lunch and it was delicious! No reservation, turned up and got a table.
I would highly recommend for people to visit Rome literally now, like this month. The weather was mild, actually 17 degrees and sunny and it was not that busy. I can imagine how chaotic it must be in peak season. It felt like we were alone when we arrived to the Vatican early on Friday morning! Thank you again for all you share 😁
Thank you so much for your kind comments. I'm glad you enjoy my presentation and find my advice helpful.
Also nice to hear you had a good experience at the Taverna dei Fori Imperiali. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Will be there two weeks from today. Your videos have been very helpful.
So glad to hear it! Have a great time!
Such a beautiful city & looking even more striking with all gleaming. Can’t wait to visit again. Thanks for your artistic & informative content ⭐️🌸
Thanks so much!
Damn talk about perfect timing them I’m headed there March 🇮🇹
Awesome!! I'll have an updated Rome in March video coming out soon. Please stay tuned!
Ohhhh my husband and I will be there on May on our 26th wedding anniversary! Soo excited!!❤❤
How wonderful! I hope you have a fabulous trip and happy Anniversary!
@ Thanks ever soo much!😃👍 and your vlog helps!👍
Thanks. I fiddled with the settings and eventually got the excellent presentation in English. Google search shows that it’s a new and intrusive feature from UA-cam.
Yes, that's a bit disturbing! Glad you found out how to get the original version!
😭😭😭 I was really looking forward to seeing Pizza Venezia in April. Guess I have to come back
Sorry for that but so much of the rest of Rome is looking amazing!
Great video, thanks! I will be back for a week in March!❤
I'll have an updated Rome in March video coming out soon. Please stay tuned!
Visiting in February/March - can't wait!
Wonderful! Have a great visit!
Your channel is so helpful and entertaining.
Thank you so much for your kind comments!
I'm coming in June and I can't wait.
I'm going in April. I can't wait
Have a wonderful visit!
Looking to make my first visit in July before taking a cruise. Spending 2 days in Venice before arriving in Rome.
Have a wonderful visit!
28 days and counting! Im so excited!
Have a great visit!
@ Thank you! ☺️
30 days and counting! Tome in March!
Have a wonderful time!
Great video. Thanks
thx wonderful video 🥰 will visit in March 🍀
You're welcome 😊. Have a great time!
Amazing info!
I’ve planned a trip to Rome for the first week of April and I can hardly wait!
You look so beautiful, friend! (& so does Rome 😍)
Thank you my sweet friend!!
Hello Romewise viewer from Sydney,Aust here and I have been watching your vlog for a year now and finally decided that we (my daughter and I) will travel to Italy this year staying 7 days in Rome! Thank you for your wonderful videos and your voice is so soothing, I replay some of them in the background while I’m working.
I wonder though if the Pope still does his papal audience on Wednesdays? We’re thinking of travelling May 2025 and in Rome by last week of May.
Thank you for your kind comments. I really appreciate it! I'm glad you enjoy my videos. Yes, the Pope gives the papal audience every Wednesday when he is in town. You can check his schedule on the official Vatican site:
www.vatican.va/content/vatican/en.html
I wish you and your daughter a wonderful visit this year!
You may find my page about how to spend a week in Rome useful:
www.romewise.com/7-days-in-rome-italy.html
Thanks so much Elyssa, we are soooooo excited to experience the Jubileaum this year.
Thank you for all you do for this community, Grazie 🥰
What is a golf tour encompass? Any recommendations for a golf tour?
So glad you enjoyed the video.
Golf tours are a great way to visit Rome. You can relax and get around in comfort, great especially for covering big distances and if you have small children or older people with you, or just want to rest your feet.
Here is my preferred golf car tour:
livtours.com/tours/golf-cart-tour-of-rome-semi-private-experience?af_code=7QLR30Q
I came back from Rome today, it was very busy, but beautiful
Glad you enjoyed it!
I've just come back from Rome. It is indeed gleaming. And the Jubilee year crowds are already in evidence.
Bellissimo racconto di Roma
Grazie di cuore! Sono felice che ti piace!
excellent video with many interesting new facts ( well, new to me anyway) Thank you for your hard work.
My pleasure! Glad you enjoyed it!
My cousin lives in Torino. I haven’t been there in years. Definitely on my revisit list. Cheers.
Torino is an under-visited, wonderful city!
I am traveling there for the 1st time in April. I am so excited. I have never been to Europe.
Have a wonderful visit!
Thanks for showing it all.
Thanks for watching!
You rock.
Thank you!
Thanks so much!!
Si può visitare Roma in piena solitudine anche nell'anno santo. Ci sono almeno 500 chiese con importanti reliquie religiose e eccezionali opere d'arte che sono poco conosciute e quindi si possono visitare in tranquillità. Un esempio: nella chiesa di Santa Pudenziana è custodita la colonna della flagellazione di Gesù. Nella chiesa di Santa Maria della Vittoria è custodito un capolavoro assoluto di G.L.Bernini ( l'estasi di Santa Teresa) . Poi ci sono musei importantissimi e poco frequentati: il Museo Nazionale Romano , uno dei musei archeologici più importanti del mondo, il Museo Nazionale Etrusco, il più importante del mondo, la Galleria Nazionale di arte antica di Palazzo Corsini, la Galleria Nazionale di arte antica di Palazzo Barberini,il Museo della Centrale Montemartini, con le SCULTURE FRONTONALI DEL TEMPIO DI APOLLO SOSIANO, il Museo Barracco, la Galleria Nazionale di arte moderna ecc.ecc.
Congratulations on 50K well earned subscribers...here's to 100K! Rome looks super clean...what happened to all the cats?
Thank you so much! I'm nearly at 50k and will be so excited to get there! It's thank to all of you
Piazza Farnese is an underappreciated gem! Those big tubs made into fountains oiginally came from the baths of Caracalla, I believe.
Yes you are correct, that's where the fountains came from. And yes, Palazzo Farnese is amazing and worth a visit. They also recently opened their underground to visitors.
@@Romewise
Thank you so much for making these videos!
Are the public rest rooms also part of the renovation? And are more being added for tourists’ convenience? Thanks !
Glad you enjoy my videos. There are public restrooms throughout Rome. These were not part of the renovations. You can look for an app called WC Roma that shows you where all the public restrooms are located.
I have details here also:
www.romewise.com/bathrooms-in-rome.html
We're so happy to the Eternal City looks more beautiful than ever. Congratulations and thanks for this vídeo. A big hug from Brazil.
Thank you so much for watching and for your kind comments!
How's the weather during February? Do you suggest summer clothes or winter ?
Please stay tuned for my upcoming video this Sunday - all about visiting Rome in February. February is a winter month and you should pack for winter weather. More in my video coming soon!
I went on a weekend trip there two weeks ago. There were big train strikes and mine got cancelled.
Sorry to hear!
La versione in italiano è assurda, tutti i nomi storpiato! Pacto di Borgo, e tutte le Piazze sono pazze
Non ho capito, quale versione in italiano? Hai imposto un doppiaggio? Io non ho creato nessuna versione in italiano - se esiste, l'ha fatto Google.
i am going there on 6-9 March
Have a great time!
You had a video that talked about turning left at the top of the spanish steps and it took you through a nice walk through town ... I didnt save the video but would love to take that walk -any ideas which video it was?
Turning left at the top of the Spanish Steps takes you to the Pincio. Nice walk, great views, and you can then go for a stroll in the Borghese Gardens.
Here is the video you are asking about:
ua-cam.com/video/CW63UeUbanA/v-deo.html
Hope that helps!
How about the pickpocket? Has it taken care of? I am sorry, but it really make me unsettled for my planned journey on March.
Like many big cities, Rome has pickpockets. Nobody can get rid of them entirely. As you would in any big city, be aware of your surroundings, keep your items safe and close, and don't get distracted when you are in crowded places. There is a lot of fear-mongering on the internet but I hope you will not let that put you off or keep you from coming to this beautiful city.
Hello Elyssa… appreciate if u can recommend hotels in Rome pls. Will be there for 4 days next month. Thank you
Sure thing! All my best tips for where to stay in Rome are here:
www.romewise.com/where-to-stay-in-rome.html
Elyssa,
We plan to come early Nov. We are living in Germany (wish it was Italy!) for 2 years, so we could come in 2026, but I am studying Caesar, and I hate to put it off. We visited Rome last in June 2019. It was busy but we fell in love with it anyway. Will Nov 25 be much busier than that? Should we put off our trip until 2026? We don't really care about seeing the Vatican and will focus mostly on the Forum, Apia Antica, Largo Argentina , etc. Thank you for your advice, I really value it. ❤
November should be considerably quieter than June, especially the latter half of November. I do not believe in putting off a trip you have planned if the only reason is worrying about crowds. Rome will always have visitors.
You may be interested in these two videos about Julius Caesar in Rome:
ua-cam.com/video/Ore9DIoCWiY/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/eKSGyLvbYEo/v-deo.html
Have a great visit!
Thank you. I have watched your Julius Caesar videos before, but will definitely watch them again! 🎉
another great video. Question: i've read that registered pilgrims can check in at piazza pia and head in to St Peters Holy Door together. Does doing that mean one would get ahead of the main entry line to the Basilica? I am registered and am doing the museums in am, but need to be in Basilica for a seminarian tour at 230 and my holy door time is 1pm. What have you seen or heard regarding pilgrims getting in? Thanks!
Thanks so much! Yes registered pilgrims can check in right near where I am sitting in this video. Pilgrims also have to go through security, but those in this line have something of a priority over people going through the regular security lines. My friend Mountain, aka The Catholic Traveler, explained it well here:
thecatholictraveler.substack.com/p/the-2025-jubilee-and-what-to-expect
Hello We will be in rome in late May. We only have 1 full day we have been trying to see the Vatican and Colosseum Any Ideas? Thank you in advance
Yes, it's possible. Start here:
www.romewise.com/vatican-and-colosseum-in-one-day.html
St Peters Basilica appears to be selling timed entry tickets with audio guides. Can you please aee if this is a "skip the line" ticket similar to the Vatican Museum?
Here's what I think that system is about: They are trying to manage the crowds because in this year of the Jubilee, with 35 million pilgrims coming to Rome, they expect the Vatican to have way more visitors than usual.
And by giving people a chance to "book" ahead, they can better predict the flow. With the basilica, what you are booking is the audio guide, which you COULD get on site anyway. The booking allows THEM to know more or less what time you plan to come. But it does NOT allow anyone to skip the security line.
This being said, I'm hearing that they MAY allow for a separate security line for those who have booked in advance. This is a new system and many of us are still learning about what it means.
As for booking the dome in advance, it's great to be able to purchase tickets in advance, but I think the only thing that does is allow you to skip the line to buy tickets, but not the line to go up in the elevator, which is first come first served.
@@Romewise That is disappointing to hear since the website states the reservation includes; "Customized visit schedule: choose your preferred day and time
Free visit without a guide
Basilica tour with the Digital Audio Guide"
It is very misleading to say the reservation includes a customized visit schedule that you get to choose your preferred day and time. Why book a custom visit schedule with a preferred day and time if I have to wait in line for hours with everyone else who didn't book a ticket that provides me with a custom visit schedule? I hope the rumors are true and they set up two security lines similar to how it is handled at the Vatican Museum. I've already reserved a time in June, but if it turns out I have to wait in line for 3+ hours (which is likely considering when I plan on visiting) then I'll just have to come back to the Vatican early in the morning the next day to get in around 7AM. I suppose if I'm there around 5:30AM, I'll get in soon after they open.
@@DIYWeekend Well as I said, this is a new thing, and there is still a lot we don't know. Guides I know are also trying to figure out what this all means. I plan to investigate and will likely make a dedicated video about it so stay tuned!
Heading to Rome in March what is the best way to buy tickets for Vatican museum please?
online on the official web page :) I would suggest you get the tickets online for any of the attractions/museums looooong beforehand. There's museums that are fully booked for months. Like the Galleria at Villa Borghese for instance.
www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en.html
You may also find this video helpful:
ua-cam.com/video/jBUlLY5FYTE/v-deo.html
Any word on when the Crypta Balbi will reopen?
I wish we had some news about that and also the Museo della Civiltà Romana. Both are sites that many of us in Rome are waiting to see again but there is no concrete news about either site yet.
@Romewise No problem, but thank you for taking the time to get back to me. I think I was hearing some misinformation, so it also helps to know nothing is certain yet.
@@coolkevin5433 I'm happy to help if I can! Believe me, when these sites reopen, I will be talking about it here on this channel!
@@Romewise Looking forward to it! I'm heading to Rome for the first time in May, and your videos have already been super helpful in planning. Thanks again!
I'm hoping to come back to Rome in 2026 for my 70th for a long stay of at least 2 weeks. I miss Rome, my Great Grandfather studied Art the Académie de France in the 1880's
Nice to see a lot of Pedestrian Friendly areas now. France is turning into a disaster for Pedestrians, way too many Bikes and Inline scooters making it very dangerous for pedestrians
That's great! I hope you'll have a wonderful 70th birthday celebration in my beautiful city. We have a lot of bikes and scooters, too, but these new changes are helping alot! Supposedly there will be more rules for the use of these bikes and scooters. Either way, I hope you'll have a very happy birthday next year!
2:27 Wait.....why is there bulletproof glass to begin with?
On 21 May 1972 a mentally ill Hungarian man called Laszlo Toth climbed over an altar railing in St Peter's Basilica and attacked Michelangelo's Pietà with a hammer. It was badly damaged. He was hospitalized, then deported. Once the sculpture was restored, they placed bulletproof glass in front of it to protect it for any possible further vandalism.
@Romewise oh ok well thank you very much.
Need to get rid of the hawkers, scammers and pickpockets
One problem at a time...
Ti ricordo però che quelli che tu dici ..non sono italiani. Bisognerebbe poterli rimandare a casa loro. In questo sono pienamente d'accordo con te.
What's the project in Piazza Venezia that's taking 10 years to build? 😮😮😮 ⌨️ 🎂
The project involves the construction of the "Venezia" station on line C of the Rome metro, where there will also be interchanges with future line D. Inside the station, a museum will also be created for the archaeological remains found during the works. To do this it is necessary to dig into the ground more than 80 meters deep, the same as a 26-storey building.
The whole operation is expected to last ten years
@branc2658 TQ 🙏 I thought the underground train station is nearly complete 🚇
@@lilpenny1982 She mentioned the Colosseum station of Metro C that is almost complete. It will be the interchange with Metro B. The "Venezia" station will be the next station and they just started working on it.
@@arichis OK 👍
Ci mettono molti anni per fare le linee della metropolitana a Roma, perché quando scavano, trovano sempre reperti archeologici dell' antica Roma e le belle arti, fermano i lavori per recuperare tutto quelli che emerge dal passato.@@branc2658
Hi , I am One Of Them Though The Best Time For Us To Return Would Be 2026. Due To Over crowded and overcharging.
I understand! I hope you have a wonderful visit in 2026 :)
🇮🇹❤❤🇮🇹🌹🌹🇮🇹
Do you find Romans on the rude side? I went from Florence to Catania and everything in between and Rome in particular seemed 8/10 people acted like ‘why are you here?’ The further south I got the more friendly everyone was. Sicily they acted like I was a long lost relative.
I am married to a Roman and most of my friends are Roman. I consider myself an adopted Roman after living here nearly 25 years. I consider that some humans can be rude no matter where you are on planet earth. But overall, Romans are wonderful people and I love them.
@ of course there are rude people everywhere. Just curious if there is a reputation for it like there is in NYC. Also I did want to say thank you for your video on the early morning key master tour. Because of it I took the tour and got picked to u lock the Sistine Chapel. A memory I’ll always have.
@@sptomase So glad you got to do the Key Master Tour! I definitely think it's worth having such a unique experience.
It was not as nice to be near the pantheon with all this construction going on last summer.
Yes it was annoying for a lot of people, but now, it's stunning!
Great video and so much great news about removing stupid cars from such a beautiful city! THANKS!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Xchè visitare ROMA?
semplicemente xchè è la città più bella e importante dell'umanità
Il più grande museo a celo aperto del mondo
Xchè è la nonna di tutti noi, se non c'era Roma il mondo che conoscete non c'era vivevamo secoli indietro e facevamo tutti una vita d'inferno.
Basta studiare la storia.
Mi trovi completamente d'accordo! Roma è la città più bella al mondo! Non mi stanco mai di esplorare tutti i meravigliosi siti, monumenti, musei e piazze della mia splendida città. Grazie per i tuoi gentili commenti!
2:22 "Maichelengelo"? 🤔🤔🤔
Sorry I don't understand your question...
@@Romewise I was just irritated. I thought you were Italian. However, you pronounced Michelangelo's name the way native English speakers (mainly Americans) usually do. 🙂
@@tubekulose Dipende, quando parlo italiano, ovviamente uso la pronuncia italiana. Quando parlo inglese, a volte uso la pronuncia italiana e a volte uso quella americana. Lo faccio inconsciamente.
@@tubekuloseShe is speaking English!
Maybe the unpleasant bags of open rubish around some streets will have been cleared for now
I'm so impressed with our mayor, Roberto Gualtieri. He has been on top of a lot of the issues we've faced in Rome in recent years. Even the garbage situation has improved by a lot. We have new bins and more of them, including many that are like trash compactors. Check out his instagram to see all that he does. Most of the clips are in Italian but you can still see what he's been doing to improve our city.
instagram.com/robertogualtieri
No ! Gualtieri non è un buon sindaco ... è il governo che gli sta dietro !!! Se lui se ne va, è un bene. È un incapace.@@Romewise
Roma ha avuto 51 milioni e mezzo di turisti lo scorso anno !!! E ci sono persone incivili anche terra questi !!! Certa gente dovrebbe avere più rispetto . Non si sa perché dicono di visitare un posto. Ci vanno per fare casino. Quelli dovrebbero rimanere a casa.
I cannot understand because your voice has been overdubbed in Spanish which I cannot turn off.
Sorry to hear that. It seems to be a bug in Google. Searching online leads me to discussions about this problem but no solution. Perhaps try logging in on another device? I hope you can watch the video in English as I recorded it.
We booked our early April trip to Rome not knowing a thing about this pilgrimage. We are there for 4 days and fortunately are not Catholic and not interested in the Vatican. Planning on very early morning touring and a day trip out of the city.
Don't worry, you will still have a great time. Just plan ahead and enjoy!
It looks good, but even in an ordinary year Rome is unpleasantly overcrowded. So with the Giubileo most folks that I know are staying away because the overcrowding will be still worse, accommodation costs are sky high and there is a higher terror incident risk.
Everyone should stay home for sure
The Vatican and Italian secret services are capable of dealing with any type of terrorist threat. Frankly, I don't understand you: would you like deserted cities?
You simply have to know where to go to avoid the crowd: Rome is not only St. Peter, Coliseum and Pantheon, there are 3000 years of history to discover. And by the way: Rome is still much more safe than many other big cities.
Of course this is a matter of choice and some people will stay away, but I think if someone is planning to come this year, they will still be able to enjoy this beautiful city.
That's what I meant when I said that Rome is a big city and there is so much to see. I have a whole video about how to avoid the crowds, and one way is to visit monuments besides the Colosseum and Vatican. I've lived here nearly 25 years and I still have not seen it all.
Una volta finita l'abbuffata di soldi pubblici , torneranno i problemi quando bisognerà manutenere.
La manutenzione questa cosa sconosciuta.
Ci vediamo tra 3 anni
Capisco quello che dici ma preferisco rimanere ottimista - come dici, vediamo tra qualche anno. Spero per il meglio!
Dillo al tuo sindaco
Wow it does look amazing 🤩
Can not wait to come back this year 😬 even with all the extra people it’ll still be well worth it.
I’ll plan ahead like I did last year with the help from your videos and website which made life a lot easier.
Thanks for your kind comments. I appreciate your continued support! I hope you'll love your visit this year as much as ever!
I'm looking forward to seeing the Mausoleum of Augustus 🪦 I think this is highly underrated because people mostly go to Castel San Angelo
If my history serves me correctly, Octavian wasn't the only Emperor enterred in this mausoleum. I'm guessing his successors who's related to him were also buried here ⚰️
Btw, what happened to the corpses of Augustus and Hadrian in their respective mausoleum? 💀💀 I mean they were able to find the corpes of Seti, Ramses and Tutankamun in Egypt 🔼
@@lilpenny1982 Ancient Romans cremated their dead. Inhumation burial wasn't typical until the 4th century on. The accepted story is that during the 410 CE sacking of Rome by Alaric the Mausoleum of Augustus was broken into, the urns stolen and the ashes scattered unceremoniously.
@@alanzeleznikar Thanks for the info 👍
The two monuments are similar in that they began as circular imperial tombs, but they are very different as to what they turned into after that. Also, the visiting experience is very different, or it will be when we can visit Augustus' Mausoleum again.
Can't give you the trick for the Pantheon. The Pieta is STILL way over there. You need a small binocular
to see. It is good if they now allow visitors near the alter area. Have they removed the divider running down
the spine of the basilica?
For the pietà, if you just stand near it and wait, the crowds move and often fluctuate. I have never once been unable to get up to the front row right in the center to admire it and take photos from there.
I was in the basilica last week and the center nave was completely clear of barricades.
As a project in the decade of 2020's, they should rebuild one of the temples in the Roman Forum 🏛 In Athens, they rebuild The Stoa using modern day cement and it looks awesome. No one is complaining that it was restored. Thoughts on this? 🪚🔨⚒️⛏️
Io penso che non sia bello rifare nuovi i monumenti antichi ...meglio che siano solo resti, piuttosto che diventi o parchi a tema !!! Perdono il senso di quello che erano.
Sono d'accordissimo con te, Emanuela. Sono già bellissimo come sono.
I don't believe this will ever be a project in Rome. Greece may have a different policy regarding their antiquities. I understand it might be interesting but I personally hope they never do this in Rome.
That being said, inside the Roman Forum, they have indeed restored parts of some ancient structures such as the Temple of Peace and the Temple to Vesta. But I can't see them completely redoing anything to look as it once did in Ancient Rome. And if they did, by the way, they'd also have to paint it in garish colors, which is how many buildings and statues looked in antiquity.
@Romewise se si parla di fare interventi per evitare che si rovinino o che vadano a pezzi, si !! Ma usare il cemento per rifare monumenti antichi , al posto della pietra o del marmo ..mi dispiace, ma è come una ricostruzione cinematografica . Perde valore . Preferisco una ristrutturazione, come per esempio con la torre di Pisa per non farla cadere, piuttosto che trasformare una cosa preziosa in un qualcosa senza significato e senza valore !!! Poi, se i greci preferiscono così , ben per loro. Anche perché , sinceramente , ad Atene, se togli l 'acropoli.....non rimane nulla. Non è una bella città. A me non piace per niente.
@@EmanuelaCherubini Esattamente, ecco perché ho detto (sopra) che ero d'accordo con te. Per me, cambierebbe tutto. Per esempio, anche se l'hanno fatto per conservare il monumento, neanche mi piacciono gli interventi sul tempio di vesta nel foro romano, o quelli sul tempio della pace. Non credo che qui a Roma farebbe mai una cosa come quello che hanno fatto ad Atene. Lo trovo molto strano.