Visiting Rome -be aware.

won't affect me but a lot of people will be disappointed.
Thanks for the heads up.

Thanks for that teetime

We went to Rome on honeymoon and keep thinking we would like to go again but had heard that is was not brilliant now. I think we'll rely on the memories.

I hope you had a good time regardless and lots of lovely lunches!!

How sad and how things have changed over the years. I too will rely on memories and photographs of these places on how things used to be. I'm so glad to have visited these places before restrictions came into being. Not the same excitement or eagerness in going to many places now, sadly.

We are lucky, we can go by train! We would never drive to Rome (apart from the airport).

Hopefully cruise ships next

We were going to go this year for our 50th anniversary but are going to Devon instead! We may go to Rome next year. Thanks for the info.

I hated Rome, mainly because of those pesky broken pavements, which are also very narrow and you can never walk side by side. The streets are filthy, the people are arrogant, the prices are ridiculous, and nothing works. Even if you speak Italian, they insist on speaking (very bad) English to you (this was confirmed by an Italian colleague of mine).

The Italians really need to get their act together. With their rich history, they could make a fortune if they treated tourists properly and presented their antiquities in a way worthy of their Roman ancestors.

There are so many beautiful towns and cities in Italy- they have more historical monuments than anywhere else in the world- I would recommend you avoid the tourist traps such as Rome, Venice and Florence, instead try Treviso, Bergamo, Gubbio, Cremona, Padua, Vicenza, Lago d’Iseo...I could go on, you can see art treasures, medieval buildings aplenty, beautiful countryside, fantastic food and drink. Not many tourists, apart from Italians , and plenty to see and do.

I have to say everyone we met or had dealings with were lovely and helped with my smattering of Italian- I even ordered Metro tickets. There was a lot of litter and graffiti about. I was told off in the Villa Borghese for laughing ' its a museum' I was told - well I never I thought it was Aldi! I can see why people are put off art if that is the attitude and someone needs to take a duster to the Pantheon - thick layer over everything. I bet Leonardo laughed his socks off occasionally. Still love Italy and will go again but Tuscany or the Lakes which have been fabulous on previous holidays.

The banning of coaches is actually meant to help preserve the sites and make life better for the Romans who do live there.

Yes tourism is good, but surely things should work best for locals? There is a very functional metro in Rome.

And really? Complaining about cobblestones? That’s the charm of a place like Rome.

Maybe you’d be better off on holiday In america where things are “shiny and new”.

We love Italy, and have always found the Italians charming. We love America too, and it's not all shiny and new by any means - you'll find plenty of character, and characters, there.

Does anyone know if Rome has similar sightseeing buses to the ones in London or coastal resorts?If so they would be a good way of getting around Rome to see all the sights. We used to like using public transport in far-flung places, gives a good idea of what it is really like. Can remember sharing a bus in Corfu with various small farm animals, chickens etc.

They certainly had when we were there last, Alima, and they were very popular. Tickets were valid for a full 24 hours, which was useful.

Could you not use the local transport and the Metro. There will always be some walking to do in Rome especially round the sites but it would be such a shame not to visit this wonderful city.
Just Google and you'll find lots of information for tourist.

Yes Alima, there are "Hop-on Hop-Off" buses which take you round. If the weather's nice, you can sit on an open-top bus.

Here is one company I have found.

www.bigbustours.com/en/rome/rome-bus-tours/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwzunmBRDsARIsAGrt4mtqIczGXTRaGV0Y8V_KoYQLTW3TOFkUo2zNgpMGBMGfu17RP4WDpYEaAphIEALw_wcB

And I wasn't complaining about cobblestones, Summerlove, but narrow, badly maintained pavements with broken paving stones, cracks, uneven surfaces and huge holes.

There are even pictures of this sort of thing on the internet:

www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/apr/10/filling-a-gap-the-clandestine-gang-fixing-rome-illegally

I wasn't talking about not using publishers c transport which I do on holiday nor was I suggesting its not a good idea to ban ciaches I was merely warning that booked tours like ours with Riviera now involve a lot of walking. I was trying to help.

Public transport.

Thankyou Teetime

Thank you Teetime worth knowing as my DH doesn’t walk well. Wonder if Riviera make it clear in their brochure. We went to Lake Garda with them and it was lovely.

It's a shame about the tour buses, but they do clog up the streets. Traffic is chaotic enough, without the tour buses.

I love Rome and hopefully will be there for the 31st time in September.
A sturdy pair of walking shoes and a stick mean the cobbles are not a problem for me and I have mobility issues. Anyway, those cobbles have lasted two thousand years, better by far than our roads full of potholes.

If you don't want to walk, use the hop on, hop off buses or public transport.
I'm a walking encyclopedia of bus numbers! ?
As walking is becoming an issue for me, we use public transport all the time now, where previously we walked everywhere. You just need to be vigilant and keep an eye on your bag or wallet. I wear a secure bum bag.

We have made a number of good friends, as we always stay in the same hotel, where they are so kind to us and we have a favourite restaurant, where we are always spoiled.
I even get the big, brass key to the owner's opulent marble bathroom, to save me using the stairs to the public one. ? He obviously realises that I am a lady!

My biggest worry is that due to my current health issues, I may never see it again! ☹️It is like a second home to us. We never cease to be amazed by the wonders, each visit we discover something new.

I'm sorry to hear you did not have a very positive experience, * Teetme*.

I didn't say I didn't have a positive experience I said be aware if you go on a tour there is more walking than described in the brochure due to the new ruling re coaches in central Rome. To be clear I used the Metro when we weren't with the tour but the tour includes walking from the hotel to the major sites and then on to the next one so I am just giving everyone the information that there is more walking than you may think!!!!!

Sorry Teetime, I mixed you up with another poster, who appeared not to have enjoyed it.
Glad it WAS a positive experience.
I'm just passionate about Rome!

Marydoll wow! 30 visits! I lived in Rome in my twenties- one of the best times of my life. Italy is going through its own recession, so potholes and broken pavements are a symptom of this, as here. I think we need to consider the impact tourism is having on cities like Rome and Venice, and I guess the ban on buses in the centre is in part to address pollution and damage to the infrastructure. Even in the seventies, when I lived there, there was an attempt to reduce traffic in the centre. Venice may soon be too fragile for the number of tourists it attracts, and the super liners, which dwarf the mediaeval and Renaissance buildings, are a serious threat to the very architecture those tourists want to see. It would be nice to think our grandchildren will still be able to visit Rome, Venice, Amsterdam etc in the future, but we need to think now how we manage tourism.

We hope to go to Rome next year. Venice is the place for me We're lucky enough to have been four times. An ex colleague went and when I asked how she liked it she said 'it stinks'. The girl has no soul. It doesn't by the way.