Singleton in Rome

thisistough

Hi guys

I'm going to Rome alone for a week in February (young single female). Plenty of people think I'm mad going away alone but I'm honestly looking forward to a bit of quiet time.

I want to do a good tour of the Vatican and maybe just wander the rest of the major sites.

Does anyone have any experience of doing Rome with very little plan in place? Can anyone recommend a good tour of the Vatican that won't bankrupt me?

corkleo

This is the official site for what you're looking for www(dot)museivaticani(dot)va

Don't follow non-professional folks offering you tours or non licensed taxi drivers, as you could end up being scammed. On the other hand, physical violence on tourists in Rome is absolutely unlikely to happen, so don't worry about traveling alone.

Don't worry about not having a plan: so much to see in Rome that you'll end up visiting stuff full time anyway.

IsMiseJoe

Travelling on your own is great. I prefer it to travelling with friends any more.
Rome is great, loads to see & do! It might be a good idea to get a Roma pass.

Drexel

The girlfriend and I rocked up to Rome with no clue. There is so much to see there. The place is dripping in history.

The Vatican was great. We got a guided tour but it was an American doing the tour and he drove us mental so went headed off on our own.

We took a day trip to Pompeii too. It will take up a full day but we got to see some sights in Naples as well. Pompeii was fascinating. Bitter cold tho. Was February we went

poochiem

Been there tons of times on my own for football and tourism. If you've not booked accomm already then I'd recommend venere.com . Small guest house type hotels are littered around Termini, the main train station and that's where the transfer airport coaches drop as well. From there everything is walkable. Head south west down via nazionale to the forum and then left for a grand walk to the Colloseum or right and up via del corso to dissect the main sites on your way to piazza del popolo and the villa borghese.

Termini can be a bit rough looking, homelessness and poverty can be a bitof a shock but just keep your wits about you and I've never seen any problems with street crime there. Actually upstairs has a couple of decent eateries you wouldn't expect in a train station.

You won't have any problem eating alone, it's a big popular tourist city so restaurants are used to solo rtravellers. There's an irish bar about two hundred yards west of the piazza Venezia if you're inclined, they'd probably have a bit of info about what's on currently etc.

sarkozy

There's little nightlife in Rome outside some small areas. If it's wandering around, eating and maybe hitting a bar/club, then Trastevere is the place to go.

To be honest, there's no shortage of things to keep a single person occupied. But if it's meeting people that's the plan, then maybe stay in a hostel known for social life and/or a singles operated tour.

thisistough

Hi guys,

Thanks so much for all of the advice, it's really helpful when I'm going somewhere I've never been before!

corkleo wrote: »

This is the official site for what you're looking for www(dot)museivaticani(dot)va

Don't follow non-professional folks offering you tours or non licensed taxi drivers, as you could end up being scammed. On the other hand, physical violence on tourists in Rome is absolutely unlikely to happen, so don't worry about traveling alone.

Don't worry about not having a plan: so much to see in Rome that you'll end up visiting stuff full time anyway.

Someone should get the Vatican a new web designer! It looks perfect, I think I will go with them, its nice to go with the official thing so I don't get confused!

poochiem wrote: »

Been there tons of times on my own for football and tourism. If you've not booked accomm already then I'd recommend venere.com . Small guest house type hotels are littered around Termini, the main train station and that's where the transfer airport coaches drop as well. From there everything is walkable. Head south west down via nazionale to the forum and then left for a grand walk to the Colloseum or right and up via del corso to dissect the main sites on your way to piazza del popolo and the villa borghese.

Termini can be a bit rough looking, homelessness and poverty can be a bit of a shock but just keep your wits about you and I've never seen any problems with street crime there. Actually upstairs has a couple of decent eateries you wouldn't expect in a train station.

You won't have any problem eating alone, it's a big popular tourist city so restaurants are used to solo rtravellers. There's an irish bar about two hundred yards west of the piazza Venezia if you're inclined, they'd probably have a bit of info about what's on currently etc.

Thanks for the advice Poocheim, I actually have accommodation booked just off Piazza Navona which I picked more for its location than anything. Is the area around Termini dodgy in the evenings or anything? I imagine the only time I'll have reason to be in that area will be for travelling to/from the airport anyway.

sarkozy wrote: »

There's little nightlife in Rome outside some small areas. If it's wandering around, eating and maybe hitting a bar/club, then Trastevere is the place to go.

To be honest, there's no shortage of things to keep a single person occupied. But if it's meeting people that's the plan, then maybe stay in a hostel known for social life and/or a singles operated tour.

A hostel is a great idea, I'm a bit of a home comforts kind of girl so I got myself a nice private hotel. I'm not much good at the whole making new friends with random people thing so I think a few good books now might be the way to go.

Are there any areas in particular that are good for just wandering around or somewhere to sit with a book and people watch for a while?

Casualcontrol1

I was thinking of doing the same OP so please let me know how you get on

denis1501

If you're going to the Vatican make sure you go early in the morning to avoid the queues. Don't take the bus from Termini station as it's always full of pickpockets, instead take the Metro A to Ottaviano. The Vatican Museum is a place where you could spend a whole day and still not see everything so make sure to put aside enough time. Termini used to have a bad reputation but it has changed over the years, much cleaner and safer now. Don't eat near places like the Trevi Fountain as you'll be fleeced! Avoid taxis. Be careful crossing roads, it's not like Ireland, they won't stop! And check this place out!
http://scholarsloungerome.com/

La_Gordy

Go to the mummies of the Capuchin monks!!

sarkozy

thisistough wrote: »

Are there any areas in particular that are good for just wandering around or somewhere to sit with a book and people watch for a while?

Navona is a good area to be staying. There's not much to take you to Termini unless you're going somewhere.

As I said anywhere is good for people-watching by day. By night, there's lots of that in Trastevere.