Rome Forum: Unique activities for trip :-)

I agree with BVlenci!

Everything you will see about Gladiators, ancient Rome experiences, ancoent Rome atmosphere will be completely fake!

At the Colosseum there are men dressed like gladiators who are available for taking a picture, but of course you have to pay them.. I find them ridiculous..

There was a restaurant called Quo Vadis where all waiters were dressed like Romans... but has been closed for bankruptcy..

There has been Ben Hur Live for two months but now is over...

I suggest you to enjoy the city as is and discover it in the normal daily life...

Maybe if you want some mistery you could go to visit the catacombs or Capucines Crypt; if you want baths you can go one day to Viterbo to the "Terme dei Papi" which where the Popes baths;

there are some restaurants in Trastevere (called Meo Patacca or Ciceuracchio) which are set in the time of Pope's state with singers.. but sorry to say, we Romans don't go there...

Thanks for the info!

I hadn't thought of going to the Catacombs and may add that to my list.

Can you guys suggest any UNIQUE Roman experiences?

BVlenci,

Where are the Roman Baths you speak of that I can visit? TIA

Baths of Caracalla (near the Coloseeum) and Baths of Diocletian (near Termini).

If you've never been to Rome, just to experience the extensive history is 'unique'.

Did you get a guidebook with map yet?

There is no UNIQUE Rome "experience" involving people costumed as gladiators or ancient Romans, but St. Peter's Basilica is UNIQUE; it's the largest church in the world. The Colonnade of St. Peter's Square is UNIQUE; there's no other like it. Piazza Navona is UNIQUE; there's no other like it. And so on and so on.

There is no water in any of the ancient Roman baths. The Baths of Caracalla are a ruin; the Baths of Diocletian have been repurposed in part as a museum, the Roman National Museum at the Baths of Diocletian, and in part as a church, Santa Maria degli Angeli.

May I suggest that you buy a guidebook?

Even in Bath England where there is water in the Roman baths, you can't bathe in them.

I agree with Zerlina -- a tourist trap 'be a gladiator' sounds pathetic -- whereas there is only one Pantheon, Piazza Navona, St. Peters, San Clemente, MIchelangelo statue of Moses in the world.

Some things your friends might not have done: the Aqueduct Parc where you can get up close to aqueduct ruins; Ostia Antica and the ruins of a two thousand year old Roman town; Tivoli with the Villa d'Este Gardens whose fountains have apparently been recently restored and Villa Adriana, a wonderful ruin.

If you want to bathe in a hot spring -- the waterfalls at Saturnia in a public park are fantastic -- sitting in a naturally hollowed out limestone tub with hot water cascading down the hill side and the view out over the countryside is pretty special -- and it is free.

I've already sorted out my sightseeing, now I am looking for activities. There is a difference.

I think you guys are missing the point. I am looking for ACTIVITIES that I can PARTICIPATE in that are UNIQUE to Rome.

Thanks for info and suggestions!!!!

As bvlenci says, "Rome is not Disneyland!" You can't fight a gladiator or a lion, you can't have a decadent feast with entertainment and dancing girls like Nero, you can't race a chariot in the Circus Maximus, you can't spend a day in a Roman bath (unless you do it in your room), and you can't spend a nice afternoon by the fireside with the Pope.

You can enjoy a wonderful city and visit the ruins and remains of the past. You can see some of the greatest art in the world. You can have some wonderful food and wine. You can visit and explore the Vatican, the Basilica of St. Peter, and the Vatican Museums. You can ENJOY being in the "Eternal City."

If I go to England can I participate in the changing of the guard at Buckinham Palace? If I watch the Thunderbirds in the US can I pilot one of the planes?

@Jerryott, was that your way of saying "no, you can't DO anything but you can look at tons of thing."

I'm not asking for Disneyworld, I'm asking for unique activities that are unique to Rome. Let's focus on the question at hand.

Thanks to everyone that answered my question and didn't go on random tangents about Disneyworld :-)