One of my best "tricks" for traveling, especially in a busy city in high season, is to hire a private local guide for at least a few hours. Not only will they buy your tickets in advance and navigate you through the crowds like a professional, but they can help you understand exactly what you're looking at (which is helpful when you're facing a pile of rubble that belonged to this emperor or that temple to some goddess we can't remember). They can also point you in the direction of a great trattoria or find the name of a shop that sells more comfortable pillows (if, like us, you're staying in a great apartment with cardboard-flat pillows). The other nice thing is, a guide can take pictures of all five of us!
Allora... The Grand Tour. We didn't go to all of these sights with our Roman guide Grazie, but she really helped us get a feeling for the ancient cities within Rome.
 |
| The Roman Forum with Grazie |
 |
| Piazza del Campidoglio |
 |
| The Coliseum |
 |
| Coliseum |
 |
| Trinita di Monti (top of the "Spanish Steps") |
 |
Piazza del Quirinale - the Italian version of the White House,
where the Prime Minister lives. It's also a kick-ass place
to view the Roman sunset. |
