A little disappointed by this trip. It was still heaving at the end of September, excessive amounts of street vendors, and quite frankly the Colosseum should really be doing something with all the money we are giving them. Cash is king in Rome, the Colosseum is cash only and the nearest cash point not easy to find. Spanish steps are just steps. The metro seems to stop running at around 10:30pm and whilst you have to buy bus tickets before you get on a bus, there are never any tabacchis close by. Buses don’t stop long enough to let the elderly on, or even to let you ask the driver which way they are going.
On the other hand, the Pantheon and the Trevi fountain were great. We went to Vatican City but the queues were ridiculous. There are police everywhere which makes you feel safe, but remember you can’t take a picture with them in it, so avoiding them in photos can be tricky. We hired a car to see other parts of Italy we wanted to but unless you’ve driven in Italy before, don’t risk it as a first time experience. We had Sat Nav which was a invaluable.
