Joan

Due to plane connections returning to Rome from Spain before departing for the U.S. the following day, I'll have about 5 hours of daylight to explore Rome. This will be at the end of a trip to southern Italy (19 days) and Spain (10 days). Safety will be a factor, since I'll be alone. Will be staying in a hotel near the train station--the Aberdeen, I think. Any comments on the hotel,nearby restaurants, and/or suggestions about what to do with those 5 hours.

Karen

If I had just your 5 hours of daylight (plus the evening, I assume), I would head straight down Via Nazionale (I would walk and feel safe, but the area around the Station is not one of Rome's best, so you could take a bus or cab for the short ride). This will bring you out right behind the ruins of Trajan's market, with Piazza Venezie and the Capitol right in front of you, and the Forum and the Colisseium to your left, down Via dei Fori Imperiali

Walter

Hi Joan: Rome is very safe except for the occasional (non-violent) pickpocket. The most dangerous thing in the area of your hotel would be a speeding limo/taxi/car rushing to the Opera House). Your hotel is located on the side street from the Opera House "to and crossing" Via Nationale. The area is very safe and I really wouldn't consider it in the Termini (train station) area. With 5hrs in the afternoon/early evening maybe take a taxi to Piazza Navona and walk back to your hotel visiting the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, a slight detour and then just walk-by the Forum and Colosseum. Or take the metro (~250m from the hotel) to St. Peter's and walk/taxi to somewhere else. <BR>I've always stayed near Termini but have walked thru this area heading to a pizza restaurant which serves ok pizza but *great* wine (EST!EST!EST!) from large wooden barrels. It opens at 7pm and it's a nice place so if you just want a simple pizza/salad/wine, walk to Via Nationale and head SW *away* from the Piazza D. Repubblica (2 blocks away), walk 4 blocks to Via Genova and turn left the street ends (wall) after 1.5 blocks and EST!EST!!EST!!! is right there. HTH Regards, Walterj

karen

5 hours in Rome, part 2 (I'm not sure how my first reply got cut in half!). Anyway, I would walk up Via dei Fori Imperiali to the Colisseum, and go inside if it was open. If not, I'd walk all the way around it and head back down Via dei Fori Imperiali, seeing the Forum along the way and plucking a couple of bay leaves from the hedges, to get the smell of imperial Rome. I would climb the hill to the Capitol (you'll see it on your left) and enjoy the view of the Forum from there. Then I would walk to the Piazza del Campidoglio (on top of the Capitol) and descend Michelangelo's stairs to Piazza Venezia. I'd cross the Piazza in front of Mussolini's balcony, to Via del Corso, and walk up the Corso, window shopping along the way, to the little side street whose name I can't remember where you turn right to find the Trevi Fountain (it's marked). I'd toss a coin into the fountain with the tourist hordes, then I'd go back to the Corso, risk my life crossing it, and head straight till I got to the Pantheon. I'd have an apertivo at one of the bars there, and then if it were time to eat (not before 8, and preferably 9 or 9:30), I'd treat myself big time to dinner at La Rosetta just around the corner. If I didn't have much money left after my trip, I'd probably just have a gelato at Giolitti's (also very near the Pantheon--just go opposite the parade of people carrying gelati cups). Or I'd pick any of many others restaurants and trattorias in the neighborhood, by reading the menu posted outside. I'd definitely take a cab back to the hotel, since I wouldn't walk unaccompanied in the Stazione neighborhood after dark. I'll bet others will have different ideas for you! This was fun.

howard

My comkpliments, Karen. You given a great five-hour (actually more!) itinerary. It's sure to whet her appetite to return to Rome!

Karen

topping this for the person with just one day in Rome.

ChavaIlana

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