Bookmarking as we are going to be there for the same time period!

I'll be going there the week before Christmas! Is there anything special that happens there the week leading up to Christmas?

ANy idea where you want to go for your day trips? You might visit Ostia Antica and Orvieto is a good day trip. Others may have additional suggestions.

We were in Rome a couple of years ago during this same time period. The Xmas market was still up. We enjoyed seeing the fireworks set off in Piazza del Poppolo (? sp). We walked to this area from the apartment that we rented and were glad not to have to deal with public transportation. Most restaurants in the neighborhood in which we were staying seemed to have elaborate NY eve dinners but some did not, so you have to just hunt around.

Rome is great to visit during the Holiday season. You might check a website like InRomeNow for all the events (and there are plenty) during that period. Unless you have BIG bucks and reservations.. MYE is an expensive night to eat out. We usually have a BIG lunch and then hit the town at night. Here's some holiday pic's - and shots of Piazza del Popolo - on NYE. You'll have a great time!

http://tinyurl.com/ycda3w3

Great suggestions, ideas, and thoughts so far--thank you!

jamikins, enjoy a great stay! What a way to ring in the New Year, eh?

SamNYC, we enjoyed the Christmas market in Piazza Navona and seeing the Christmas tree in St. Peter's Square. Oh! And very near the Spanish Steps we stumbled upon Babbo Natale in a beautiful sleigh, taking pictures with the kiddos. In Naples we saw the most detailed, colorful, beautiful array of creches.

mamcalice, Orvieto and Florence are at the top of my list.

artsbabe, glad to hear it, thank you!

rineurope, thanks for the link--great pictures!

I think I might have written a trip report for a visit to Rome I took with family--almost the exact same dates as yours Dec. 2008. I don't recall closures being much of a problem. We went to Assisi for NYE and returned by train on Jan. 1, so I don't think those schedules are too disrupted. We were in an apartment so just had a mellow day on the 1st, walking around, and had dinner in. There are places open, though; we just felt like sticking close to home base that day.

It was a great time to be in Rome. Have fun!

Leely2, what a wonderful way to spend NYE. Thank you, I'll look for your report.

We usually spend almost every Christmas and New Years in Rome. On Christmas Eve, I highly recommend either going to the Midnight Mass at the Pantheon or at Santa Maria in Aracoeli. Be aware that public transportation stops around 9-10pm on the eve and will pretty much be down Christmas day. You can still find a fair number of cafes and restaurants open on each, but no stores, museums or paid sites.

As to New Years Eve, they keep moving the fireworks around, but if it is one of the years where they are having them near the Capitoline, then go up to Piazza Campidoglio around 10 pm, walk behind the Palazzo Senatorio (to the left side) and find a good spot on the wall. The city also does fireworks in other locations like Spagna and Piazza del Popolo. Once again, all paid sites are closed, mass transit is either closed or vastly curtailed, but you can find cafes and restaurants. There will still be lots of street vendors.

It really doesn't matter if things are closed, because the churches are open and these are magnificient. Plus, just walking around you'll find a zillion things to see. We love it there at that time of year.

Unfortunately, we will miss this year, as we are planning a month long trip in February (Rome and Paris).

dave