Leaving Florence, we stepped into the bigger, busier energy of Rome—full of history, movement, and life around every corner. 

Trip at a Glance - Umbria/Rome

Day 7 - (Umbria → Rome): Winery tour & lunch + transfer + Rome at night • Local guide: No • Free time: No • Walking: Moderate (2–6 miles)
Day 8 - (Rome): Pantheon + Doria Pamphilj + Trevi • Local guide: No • Free time: Afternoon & evening • Walking: Strenuous (2–8 miles)
Day 9 - (Rome): Ancient Rome/Colosseum/Forum + farewell dinner • Local guide: Yes • Free time: Afternoon • Walking: Strenuous (2–8 miles)
Day 10 - (Rome): Tour over after breakfast 

Rome Free Time Tips & Tricks 

• Rome was another place where planning ahead really mattered—especially for major sights. 

• We learned that not every Colosseum experience includes the same access. Our local tour guide covered the outside, but going inside was an extra ticket, and some special access areas (like the underground area where gladiators and animals were held before entering the arena) had limited tickets that needed to be purchased well in advance and were very expensive. 

• The same was true for St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museums, and the Sistine Chapel—this was one of the days it was absolutely worth getting our skip-the-line tickets ahead of time, which we did. In our case, we purchased a voucher from a company near the site and then had it converted to tickets when we arrived, which worked fine (and was a good reminder to understand how the process works before you go). 

• We also found that cabs were a big help in Rome—you will likely need them—so it helps to be prepared for that. We used Uber, and it worked fine. Rome is also easy to get turned around in, so studying maps before your free time is really helpful. It made navigating on our own easier and made free time a little less stressful. 

Umbria Winery Stop — A Welcome Pause Before Rome

Before arriving in Rome, we stopped in the rolling hills of Umbria for a wine-tasting lunch at Tenuta Le Velette Winery near Orvieto. We were given a tour of the winery and its cellars, and we learned about the history of this family-run business. It was a relaxing and memorable stop—and a nice change of pace before heading into the energy of Rome. 

Arriving in Rome — First Impressions 

After our stop at the Tenuta Le Velette Winery, arriving in Rome was a real change of pace. Florence had felt more compact and easy to settle into, but Rome felt bigger, busier, and constantly moving. The traffic, the crowds, and the energy were noticeable right away—but that was also part of the excitement. Even before we reached the major landmarks, we could tell Rome was going to be a very different kind of experience. 

Back Streets of Rome — A Local Guide’s View of the City

Our local guided walk through the back streets of Rome gave us a more intimate look at the city. Our guide was excellent—she really knew the history and brought it to life in a way that made each stop more meaningful. Though we visited several places, two especially stood out to us: our stop at Piazza del Collegio Romano and our visit to Sant’Ignazio di Loyola Church, both of which were memorable for very different reasons. This was also a great reminder of how much a strong local guide can add to the experience, and we were very thankful for another excellent Rick Steves tour guide choice! 

Free Time in Rome — Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and a Lesson Learned 

That afternoon, we used our free time to visit the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, and this was one of the days when planning ahead really mattered. We were glad we had arranged skip-the-line access in advance. In this case, we had purchased a voucher and then picked up the actual tickets from a location about a block away from the Vatican, which worked out very well. But this was also one of our best examples of overplanning. We had also purchased tickets for St. Peter’s Basilica and planned to visit afterward, but it took longer than expected to get through the museums and chapel, and we simply ran out of time (and energy). It was a good reminder of one of our Italy travel lessons (and a point we mentioned on the home page): don’t overbook your free time. 

Monuments of Ancient Rome — Morning Discoveries 

Our morning was all about ancient Rome. We started at St. Peter-in-Chains Church to see Michelangelo’s Moses, and then moved into the heart of the ancient city with a walk around the outside of the Colosseum and through the Roman Forum. We wrapped up the morning at the remarkably preserved Pantheon, which somehow felt both ancient and completely alive. 

St. Peter-in-Chains — Chains of Saint Peter & Michelangelo’s Moses 

We started our morning at St. Peter-in-Chains Church, home to two unforgettable treasures. First, we saw the reliquary that holds the chains of Saint Peter, the church’s most important element. And then we saw Michelangelo’s Moses in person—one of those moments where seeing really is believing. It was a meaningful and memorable way to begin our day exploring ancient Rome. 

Ancient Rome Walk — Colosseum, Forum, and Pantheon 

After St. Peter-in-Chains, we stepped fully into ancient Rome. We walked around the outside of the Colosseum, made our way through the Roman Forum, and ended at the remarkably preserved Pantheon. Seeing these places in one sweep made the scale of ancient Rome feel very real—and it was one of those stretches of the day where “seeing is believing” kept happening!

Inside the Colosseum — Our Last Free-Time Adventure 

We used our free time to go inside the Colosseum, and it was absolutely worth it. As we mentioned in our Rome Tips & Tricks, this is one of those Rome experiences where planning ahead matters because there are different ticket levels. One ticket gets you into the Colosseum, but the special underground access is a different ticket option—it includes entry inside and access to the underground area where gladiators and animals were held before entering the arena. Those underground tickets were limited, very expensive, and needed to be reserved well in advance. We didn’t do every level of access, but simply being inside the Colosseum—looking up at the scale and imagining the noise and spectacle—was once again a true “seeing is believing” moment! 

A Special Thank-You to Ferdi 

As we look back on this trip, we’re especially grateful for our Rick Steves tour guide, Ferdi. With 28 years of experience with Rick Steves, he brought steady organization, deep knowledge, and a calm presence to every part of the tour. He kept everything running smoothly, helped us understand what we were seeing, and added so much to our experience in every city. We know there are many excellent Italy guides, and we feel very blessed that Ferdi was ours. 

Thanks for following along on our scrapbook from the Best of Venice, Florence & Rome in 10 Days tour. Putting this together helped us relive so many wonderful memories, and we hope it gave you a taste of the experience too—maybe even inspires you to take the tour yourself someday!!

 Arrivederci! 

-Craig & Susan