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Chicago, Ill.: Hi. We'll be in Rome in late March with a group of 4—2 30-somethings, 1 50-something, and 1 65-year-old. We'd really like to get a glimpse of the Pope, but we've found conflicting and confusing information. We'd like to attend the outdoor mass on Sunday the 30th of March. Are tickets required? If so, how do we get them? Can you tell us anything else about the Sunday masses? How long do they last? When is a good time to get there? Do you recommend any place in particular to try to stand to get a view of the Pope? Thanks in advance for any answers you can provide.

Anne Hanley: As you seem to have found out already, getting reliable information about the Vatican is not always easy. Unless the pope is worn out after his Easter exertions, there will, presumably, be the usual mass at 10am and angelus at midday in St Peter's square. These are open to all and there's no need to obtain tickets. Bernini's marvellous colonnade in the square was specially designed so everyone could see everything; the mega-screens placed around the square help too. If the weather doesn't permit an outside event, the mass moves inside the basilica. As far as I know, there are no tickets: it's just a case of elbowing your way in. If you're stuck outside, the mega-screens still show the mass.

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Norman, Okla.: I'm flying into FCO, on 16 MAR 2008 @ 7:30 a.m. I have two options for getting to my hotel Holiday Inn, Rome-Fiano, which is approximately 40 miles from FCO. One is take the 85 Euro shuttle, I've already booked. Or two, take the FR1 train to the Fara-Sabina station, and hope I can find a cab, on Sunday morning, at a Suburban Station (estimated price of 5 mile cab ride is 25 Euro). So should I take the sure thing, or live dangerously, and hope for cab, to save about 43 Euro. Oh yes, I speak Italian. Thanks, Ragan

Anne Hanley: The first thing I should do, perhaps, is ask why you're staying at the Holiday Inn in Fiano. Because if you are hoping to use it as a base for exploring Rome, it's time to cancel your booking and make another. Fiano is a bit of a wasteland, well outside the city. There is nothing there except (if I remember correctly) a multiplex, a seedy shopping mall and some bargain furniture warehouses. Oh, and the rather wonderful minor Roman site of Lucus Feroniae, but they're so short-staffed there these days that it rarely opens. If, on the other hand, you're planning to hop in a car and drive north, it's great: the hotel is right by a major motorway junction...

The Fiumicino-Fara Sabina train service is fine and cheap, though slow. I very much doubt whether you'll find a taxi at Fiano on a Sunday morning. If I were you I'd contact the hotel about that, and maybe get them to arrange a car.

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Pittsburgh, Pa.: I love the ancient ruins in Rome, but how does a traveler (without a PHD in history) gain access to some of the more fascinating ruins hidden under the city? Thanks!

Anne Hanley: The city council has a great new information service which you can call (060608) or consult on line (060608.it). It's in Italian and English. If you click on 'Culture and Leisure' then choose 'Cultural Heritage' > 'Archeological Heritage', you'll find a pretty exhaustive list of ancient monuments—visible from the street; always open to the public; and visitable only with special permission. All the information you need on how to get into them is given here. Similarly, the 'Discover Rome' area of the romaturismo.it site has a page called 'Municipal archeological sites that may be visited on request'. Again, all you need to know is here.

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Miami, Fla.: Nine of us (all adults) are taking a cruise leaving from Civitavechia on Sept 1. What is the best way to go from Rome, where we will be staying the previous two days, probably at a hotel at the airport, to the port? We don't want to spend a lot of money.