Visiting Rome (Part 2)  



Another long queue to enter the St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City (also called the Holy See). Photo is taken at the Piazza San Pietro (St. Peter's Square). It is here that the Pope delivers his blessing to the crowd from his window. Vatican City became independent from Italy in 1929.
If you are keen on ancient ruins and are not afraid of long walks under the scorching sun then you might want to visit Ostia Antica. But when you get off at the station don't be surprised if you are the only one around. Since you have come all this way go two stations further to Ostia Centro for a swim in the sea.
The spacious garden of the Ostello Foro Italico, the only IYHF (Hostelling International) youth hostel in Rome. It's a bit far from the town centre but is near to the Olympic Stadium. Take Bus 32 from the Ottaviano metro and tell the conductor you are getting down at the ostello or the bus-stop Cadorna.


Public swimming pools are few and far between in Rome so if you want a swim you would have to go to the beach. To go to the nearest beach for a swim take the local train from Roma Termini for Civitavecchia and get off after an hour's ride at a station called Santa Marinella (ticket costs slightly more than four euros). All the beaches in Italy are private - you have to pay from 3 euros to 10 euros to get in. In fact each restaurant owns the part of the seashore that faces it so if you want to have a swim you either pay an entrance fee or be a client of the restaurant (make sure you have your restaurant bill with you when you go down to the beach as you might have to show this to a guard). Of the dozen or so spots there, one of the best is the one belonging to the open bar at La Sirenetta

USEFUL LINKS:
1. Tourism in Rome
2. Weather outlook for Rome
3. Map of underground/subway stations
The basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore as seen from the fountain across the road. This church, on the Open Bus Tour route, is quite near to the main railway station and is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. There is a Tourism Office kiosk near here where you can buy the Roma Pass if you haven't bought it yet. To go to Roma Termini from here just walk down Via Gioberti.
SURVIVAL VOCABULARY:
Good morning = Buon giorno
Good evening = Buona sera
I do not understand = Non capisco
Thank you = Grazie
Excuse me = Mi scusi
Do you speak English? = Parla inglese?
Please = Per favore
OK = D'accordo
How much? = Quanto costa?
Where is it? = Dove si trova?


Great photos and interesting narrative by Keith Paterson (joint Internet Champion 2012 of Age UK and webmaster of Silverhairs website, on his visit to Rome in November 2013 here.

These travel pages are left here as archives. I have removed all dead links but please note that with the passing of time certain information might have become outdated. Thank you. - Webmaster (24/02/2026).

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