Monday 19 June 2017

Why I choose Rome For The Family Holiday

Rome the eternal city.

It's somewhere we've always wanted to visit as a family and in particular I love the film Roman Holiday with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. To me watching that film from when I was young I was not only captivated by the style and elegance of the actors but taken back also by the majesty of the city. They say Rome wasn't built in a day and I know we will only scratch the surface of this city but we will return . You have I believe to return to the city if you throw a coin in the ... fountain.


We've opted to stop in the Vatican and we will have views of the Basilica from our hotel , Rome is so a magical and romantic place we just can't wait to visit as a family , we've been conditioning ourselves in this heat !! The Vatican City gets over 17,000 visitors a day so I'm glad we've booked ahead to visit the Vatican and Sistine Chapel including lunch ( not alas with the Pope )

 

Booking ahead for the Vatican means we get to skip the long lines that are always around the Vatican and literally we will be able to roll out our hotel to the Vatican.

 

With so much opulence and grandeur in the Vatican I know I'm going to fall in love with the city and it will be such a wrench to leave.The Vatican actually only cover half a square kilometre but it looks every inch the religious superpower with its monumental buildings  and lavishly decorated halls housing many an art work.

We know as a family we are going to have to dress appropriately in order to enter the Vatican as it is a holy area and to enter the museums and the Basilica you must dress appropriately ~ covering shoulders, thighs ,necklines and midriffs. This means no shorts and no tank tops. long shorts and t ~ shirts are alright for men. Women will need to wear longer skirts /dresses ( or trousers ) and bring a shawl to cover their shoulders. All rucksacks and umbrellas will need to be checked as you enter the museums so on these days I won't pack the kitchen sink.

It's going to be a really special holiday as it's the last family holiday before the Teen goes to York university to study archaeology , he's lucky as he's rolling in  from his first parent free holiday to our family holiday ~ eek.
!


We are also planning on going to Pisa when we are in Rome , we will will be going by train as from what I've seen it is really cheap to do so. It will be refreshing to step outside of Rome for the day only to be lovingingly welcomed back into Romes embrace.

 

The Vatican I'm sure will culminate in a sensory overload and we will have to recover with refreshments but oh my what a fabulous assault on the senses and memories it will be. I'm all about making memories and living in the moment this is why I do love forward planning so it makes the holiday more straight forward , of course I'm always up for the unexpected too.


And here’s from the lovely Melissa some information about Rome she wish she’d known before travelling there and to know the dos and don’ts in travel is essential.





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13 comments:

  1. Lovely - one of my favourite moments in Rome was having a plate of strawberries and a glass of champagne at the foot of the Spanish steps (just a little up the road, anyway).

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  2. Rome is a fantastic choice for a family holiday - there's just so much to see and do there, you'll never get bored, plus of course, the food is incredibly fantastic. :) Our little one has been 3 or 4 times already, and last time we went to Vatican, we had to stand in line for 2 hours!! Good call pre-booking. Enjoy!!

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  3. I cant wait to return to Rome. Last time I was there it was the last stop on a backpacking tour of Europe. We've been exploring a lot of Italy lately but not Rome. It's well overdue! You've got me thinking... #citytripping

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  4. Rome is always a good ide!! #CityTripping

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  5. Rome is a city you can visit 20 times and you still feel you need to go back to visit all the sights you missed out on. But indeed the long lines, especially in the summer heat, are not a lot of fun.
    #citytripping

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  6. Love Rome and love Roman Holiday too! I'm quite envious your 'little' one is off to study archaeology! I nearly went down that route! So fascinating!
    #familytraveltips

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  7. Oh gosh, what an amazing holiday! I didn't even know you could stay in the Vatican, you're going to have an amazing time. I went to Rome a few years ago pre-kids and my husband proposed in the Sistine Chapel. He handed me a note because you're not allowed to speak in there. I tried to give it back to him about three times because I thought he was giving me his rubbish. My recommendation for Rome - especially with your teen being interested in archaeology - is to visit the Catacombs. I found them fascinating. Thanks for linking up to #familytraveltips.
    Nat.x

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  8. We spent 9 days in Rome a few years ago over the Christmas holiday and it was so lovely! In fact the best holiday decorations I've seen almost anywhere! Enjoy! #citytripping

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  9. Rome is such a nice place to spend holidays. This place is listed on my wishlist. All the pics are so impressive and making me excited to make a trip as soon as I can.

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  10. You'll have a wonderful time. Rome is beautiful. I haven't been with children but I will in the future. Can't wait to hear all about your trip! #citytripping

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  11. Ah, Rome! One of my very favorite places! We took a Vatican tour too, before it actually opened. That's the best way to see it, without crowds and with a guide explaining all the various art and architecture. We also loved climbing the dome at St Peters and taking in the view of the square and the Vatican. I'd go back in a minute!

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  12. Rome is such an amzing city so I'm not surprised you chose it. Can't wait to read more. #MondayEscapes #CityTripping

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  13. You sound like you've really got it organised. Make sure you know that in Rome they don't eat t the same times as us, always have money for the toilet - don't converse with the people trying to sell you things. Yes the train is really easy to use, cheap and fast. Any questions just shout we flew to Pisa and travelled to Florence and then Rome just this last Easter.

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