Carole Tidball and her husband enjoy a pre-cruise tour of the eternal city
Can you do Rome in a day? Especially when your travelling companion uses a wheelchair? I was about to find out. I had never visited the Eternal City before and watching reruns of the BBC series I Claudius had made me hungry to tread in the footsteps of the barbaric and beautiful Romans. So as my husband and I were due to sail from Civitavecchia to Barcelona on a Mediterranean cruise with Azamara, I booked us a two-night pre-cruise hotel stay in Rome to explore the city.
Hotel Lancelot
We were fortunate in finding a wonderful, reasonably-priced city-centre hotel with accessible rooms, close to the Coliseum. Family-run Hotel Lancelot has excellent reviews and is a real hidden gem set on a peaceful side street. Many of the iconic sites are within easy walking distance and the hotel’s rooftop terrace provides far-reaching views across the city.
Having contacted the helpful hotel receptionist for advice on tours and transfers, I was delighted to learn that their driver Michael could meet us at the airport, take us on a half day tour of Rome and transport us to Civitavecchia. Moreover, he has a port licence enabling him to deliver us directly to the ship for the start of our cruise. (It can be a long walk from the port entrance where non-licenced taxis have to drop off passengers).
As we were travelling with my husband’s manual wheelchair, it was important to have an accessible vehicle. Michael’s limo turned out to be a luxurious minibus with ample space. He could not have been more helpful and was proud to share his excellent knowledge of the city and its history.
The Coliseum, the Temple of Venus and Roma, Circus Maximus and the Palatine Hill
As we had arrived in the late evening, we had just one full day to explore Rome. With our accessible tour booked for the afternoon to allow my husband time to recover from the journey, I set off to discover as much as I could by foot in the morning.
I was hit with a wave of emotion when I rounded a corner to face the iconic Coliseum. Incredible to think that it was built between 72-80AD and able to hold up to 80,000 people. I could sense the ghosts of the emperors and gladiators in whose footsteps I followed and almost hear the roar of the crowd baying for blood.
After circumnavigating the world’s largest amphitheatre and taking a quick look at the towering Temple of Venus and Roma, I set off though the Arch of Constantine to the Circus Maximus. This vast arena once held chariot races and could seat 300,000 people. I was in my element walking around the tracks with the Palatine Hill as a backdrop, imagining the thunderous pounding of hooves and the rattling of the chariot wheels.
An ancient lie detector, the oldest marble building in Rome and the oldest bridge in Rome
My route continued past the Mouth of Truth: an ancient lie detector. Allegedly any liar placing their hand inside the marble mask’s mouth would instantly lose it! Nearby, the impressive 17th century Fountain of the Tritons stands before the Temple of Hercules Victor, the oldest preserved marble building in Rome. Believed to have been built in the 2nd century BC, this small circular temple sports 20 splendid Corinthian columns.
From here it was a short walk to the River Tiber which I crossed via the Ponte Palatino so I could look down at the remains of 2nd century Ponte Emilio, the oldest stone bridge in Rome. As I hastened back to the hotel through the Roman Forum with historic sites at every turn, I felt a growing sense of frustration that I had not booked a longer stay.
An accessible tour including Hadrian’s Mausoleum, Vatican City, the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps
In the comfort of the limo, we more or less retraced my morning walk, but it was nice to share the sites with my husband. I certainly could not have pushed him round the route in his wheelchair. We passed the Castel Sant’Angelo, originally built as Hadrian’s Mausoleum and now a museum worthy of a visit. We were unable to stop in Vatican City as police were moving on all traffic but we had a glimpse of the Vatican and St. Peter’s Square.
Next stop was the Trevi Fountain which was absolutely rammed with tourists and posing influencers. I respectfully elbowed my way through to be able to take a few clear shots and toss in a coin to ensure I would return to Rome. Apparently around a million euros worth of coins are fished out of the fountain each year!
A short drive took us to the Spanish Steps. These were actually commissioned by Louis XII and gained the name through the Spanish Embassy being based at the foot of the steps behind the Fountain of the Ugly Boat! (So-named after an ugly boat was left stranded on this spot after the Tiber flooded in 1598). Evening was drawing in and the restaurants tables and chairs spilling out onto the pavements and roads would soon render the narrow streets impassable by car.
Family style meal, Trajan’s Baths, Nero’s Villa and the Basilica of San Clements
There are nearly 100 restaurants within easy walking distance of the Lancelot Hotel but we took up the offer, along with other guests, to join the hotel owners in their family style meal of pasta followed by port followed by tiramisu. Wine was freely flowing and included in this very reasonably priced meal, along with some great company.
As our driver had assured us, we would not need to leave the hotel to join our cruise until midday, I secured a late checkout and enjoyed an additional few hours of exploring. Queue times to get inside the Coliseum were sadly too long so I took a stroll through the Parco del Colle Oppio with Trajan’s baths and the ruins of Nero’s grand villa complex. With more time, a guided tour would have been a wonderful way to see inside the Domus Aurea.
As I returned to the hotel, I just had time to pop into a church that our driver Michael had recommended: the Basilica of San Clemente. Here you can walk through three eras of civilisation. Beneath the current 12th century Church lies a 4th century church with some of the world’s finest medieval frescos from the 8th-11th century. Below this is a 1st century Mithraic temple and the flowing waters of ancient Rome. WOW! Entering through a rather dull exterior I was stunned by the beauty of the interior and stopped in my tracks by a crowd of German tourists who had gathered in the pews to sing a hymn in perfect harmony. It was a moving and memorable moment. Sadly I had no time to buy a ticket and take the underground tour – another reason to return to Rome. I rushed back to check us out and set off to the port for the start of our Mediterranean cruise with Azamara.
So, would I recommend trying to see Rome in a day? Yes and no. If you have never visited the city and have limited time, it is certainly possible to whizz around many of the main sites and get a sense of the delights that await inside. But, like me, you’ll quickly get a sense of frustration at all the additional experiences you’re missing and chuck a coin in the Trevi Fountain to return for a longer, more immersive experience.
I would recommend at least three to five full days and to pre-book tickets to any sites you wish to visit. If you have limited time, I thoroughly recommend staying in a central hotel like the Lancelot Hotel and either carefully plotting out a couple of circular walks to ensure you see all the main sites or booking their driver Michael to ferry you around in style.
Rome must-sees
- The Coliseum
- Nero’s villa Domus Aurea
- The Palatine Hill
- Circus Maximus
- Roman Forum
- Pantheon
- Hercules Temple
- River Tiber
- Spanish Steps
- Trevi Fountain
- Castel Sant’Angelo
- Vatican City -Vatican Museums
- Sistine Chapel
- The Basilica of San Clemente
Next steps
If you’d like help planning and booking a Rome city break or a pre-cruise break, call our team of advisors on 0800 412 5678.
