When in Rome............

It's difficult, the first time you reach a foreign port to now exactly what you should visit. On most cruises you will only get a day in the city, nowhere near enough time to see everything.

So what to do first?
What are the most important sites to see?
What can I afford to miss first time around?
Before setting out on a cruise vacation I would always recommend you do some research on the cities you plan to visit and make a list of the attractions/destinations that appeal to you most. With this in mind I have decided to do a series of blogs about different destinations that me and my colleagues at Cruise.co.uk regularly send people to on our most popular cruises.
You should bear in mind that I am only listing my personal favourites but I would love for people to add to this so others can use them as a starting reference guide to planning their perfect cruise.
I have decided the first city I will include is Rome:

The Colossuem

Ancient Rome's huge amphitheatre, holding up to 55,000 people, was built by Emperor Vespasian in AD 80 and was the scene of many deadly gladiatorial and wild animal fights. Today you may see men dressed in gladiatorial costume as you walk between the Colosseum and the nearby Arch of Constantine, built in AD 315. On Sundays, the Via dei Fori Imperiali leading to the Colosseum is closed to traffic so it's a great place for a stroll (if you don't mind the souvenir vendors). Ticket lines can be long but there are ways to buy tickets faster.

The Forum

The ancient Roman Forum is a huge complex of ruined temples, basilicas, and arches. It was the ceremonial, legal, social, and business centre of ancient Rome (The food stalls and brothels were removed in the second century BC). To get a good view, walk up the Capitoline Hill behind the museums. Give yourself at least 2 hours to wander around.

The Pantheon

Rome's Pantheon, the temple of all the gods, was built between AD 118-125 by the Emperor Hadrian. In the 7th century it was made into a church by early Christians and is now lined with tombs. You have to go inside to believe the spectacular dome could be constructed nearly 2000 years ago. The Pantheon is the best preserved building of ancient Rome and today is surrounded by a pleasant and lively piazza, a nice place to sit in the evening and enjoy a drink if you are lucky enough to be in Rome overnight.

The Capitoline Hill

Above the Roman Forum, the Capitoline Hill was the symbolic centre of the entire Roman Empire and held the Temple of Jupiter. Today there are two museums, the oldest public museums in the world, the Palazzo Nuovo, with Greek and Roman sculptures, and the Palazzo dei Conservatori, with art galleries, sculptures, and frescoes. One ticket gives you admission to both. Just like in ancient Rome, the hill still has the best view of Rome's centre.

As I say, all destinations are down to private choice so if anyone thinks there are any 'must sees' that I have missed I would love to hear back from you.

Happy Cruising