Quick bit of background to start: this was my third trip to Rome, but first time not in a tour group. My first visit was as a high school student and while I loved what I saw in Rome, it wasn't my favorite Italian city overall. Last October I went as part of a pilgrimage group for Mother Teresa's beatification and absolutely fell in love with the city. Older and wiser I guess...

I was determined to see it properly this time (i.e., not on a bus), so booked a trip solo to explore as I wished. Intentionally I kept it as unstructured as possible, making only reservations for the Scavi tour and Galleria Borghese. I have strong interests in history and art and had studied Latin in both high school and college, so I particularly wanted to stress those aspects of the city.

Thanks to all the great reports on this board, as well as Slow Trav and a number of guide books, I was well armed with information. I ended up compiling the info in a notebook, broken down by neighborhood, so while in a particular neighborhood, I could take a quick look and see what restaurants or sites were nearby, sort of a cheat sheet. Generally that worked quite well. I also enjoyed reading City Secrets Rome as the enthusiasm and passion of the scholars comes across so well (and one of my college Latin profs was included in there!).

I had entertained the options of doing a day trip or two outside the city, but never did.

Day 1: Arrived in Rome and transferred through Limo Service Rome to the Relais Banchi Vecchi. Only took a few minutes to find the driver as there were many waiting but eventually I came across my Italianized last name "McLaughlino"! Just like everyone being Irish on St. Patrick's Day...

No problems checking in at the B&B as I arrived about 12:45. I had room #6 on the top floor which I found large and nicely decorated, and with high ceilings. Anxious to get out and explore so off I went and was surprised to find that the Ponte S. Angelo was only about 2 blocks away. Took a tour around the museum and had lunch there. Walked to Piazza Navona and paid the first of several visits to Tre Scalini (creamy lemon this time). In the evening, I took another stroll (never walked so much - and this is coming from someone who lives in Boston and doesn't own a car anymore!), visited the Campidoglio and Forum near sunset, had dinner (probably the least memorable one of the trip, just average) and generally took in all the charms of the city at night. It was working its power over me again! Visited Trevi and Pantheon for the nighttime photos. Got lost on the way home (later finding I was literally one street off from the one I was trying to find) - must be jet lag - and crashed at 11:30. The B&B entrance is on a small alley just off Via Banchi Vecchi now and since I was traveling alone I was a little leery. Turned out I needn't as there was a restaurant next door open only for dinner and had plenty of people around whenever I got back.

Day 2: Explored a large section of Trastevere in the morning. The hotel is close to the Ponte Sisto and it turned out to be a short walk. Thoroughly enjoyed the area, wandering through small streets to enter suddenly into large piazzas - loved the little surprises of exploring and being able to truly look at everything as I went and stop as I wished. I visited Santa Maria in Trastevere and Santa Maria della Scala. Stopped for a banana (a specialty) and strawberry gelato break at Viale di Trastevere and Via San Francesca a Ripa (missed the morning hours to visit S. Francesca though). Note: when a gelato shop lists a flavor as its specialty, believe it. The banana was excellent. I had an afternoon reservation for the Scavi tour. Fun to have to show the reservation to the Swiss guards and have others standing around wondering how you can get by. They obviously don't read these boards.

I did enjoy the tour; however, I think the gentleman at the ticket desk was correct when he said that our group of 12 was too large and it'd better if a few didn't show. It's so popular though that I doubt that'll happen. But I'm going again in November to celebrate my birthday and may try again in the hopes that the off-season will make it a smaller group. Then off to mail my postcards which took one week exactly to get home and climbed the dome. All week I was fortunate to have great weather, 80's every day and no rain until a quick rain shower on the drive to the airport on the way home, but I will say the extra euro for the elevator for the first set of steps was worth it! Took a bunch of photos from all directions for the top, climbed down and paid a quick visit inside St. Peter's to revisit the Pieta and the statue of St. Peter. Walked out just in time to see the changing of the Swiss guards.

In the evening, I was going to try to get tickets to the Accademia of St. Cecilia but never made it over there, ended up having dinner in the Borgo area. Very pleasant meal on Via Borgo at Ristorante Marracone (sp?) outdoors. It met the test of having few tourists and several priests and nuns who know their restaurants in the Vatican area. Had a large water, prosciutto and melon, saltimbocca, and pineapple for dessert for about 26 euro.

I'll post the rest in parts - hope this is helpful to a future traveler.

Day 3: Got an early start - today was ancient Rome day. Stopped along the way to visit Sant?Andrea della Valle and Il Gesu which were both on the way and open. The ancient tour started at Palatine Hill, buying the combo ticket which was 22 euro. I probably went to about half of the sites but thought it was worth it. From there to the Coliseum, which was a relatively brief visit as we had taken a good tour there last year. I had lunch at Ristorante Pasqualino, listed in City Secrets and located on via dei Santi Quattro Coronati. Very pleasant meal, good service and reasonable price. Started tour again at the Via Sacra end and walked into the Forum - - so amazing to walk around there and think of what it all used to look like, who the people were and how they lived. It was very hot though so I took a break after that, sitting in a shady bench in the Campidoglio and admiring the view and order of it. Made dinner a quick one at the pizzeria around the corner from the hotel, and a gelato of chocolate and nocciola. There are demonstrations in Rome today for the two women teacher/volunteers who were kidnapped in Iraq, a sit-in in Piazza Venezia and a candlelight demonstration.

Day 4: Probably the best day so far. Cabbed it to the Galleria Borghese. I had a 9 am reservation and the two women staffing the counters were both late, compounded by the problem of the woman forgetting to give me both my paper ticket and my change....Ugh. But I signed up for the guided tour which started at 9:10 and so everything as resolved by then. Found the tour worth it, led by an excellent guide with a slight accent but no problem understanding. The museum was the highlight of my trip! Always find it to be such a thrill to see works that I studied in my art history classes years ago but in person - the Caravaggio Bacchus self-portrait, Pluto and Proserpina and my overall favorite Apollo and Daphne. At the end of the guided tour, we had about 20 minutes more and I went back to the Caravaggios (also the boy with the basket of fruit) and the Bernini statues. Looks like I?ll book two visits on my return trip. One note was that the room containing the Aeneas and Anchises statue was partially blocked off while a portion of the room was being repaired.

Had a quick breakfast and visited the gift shop after time was up, then took a stroll through the park. Eventually made my way down the top of the Spanish Steps, paying a visit to Trinita dei Monti (which was enforcing a dress code by the way, with shawls available). Headed down the stairs to the inside the Pantheon visit. The work being done is all inside at this point. A small section o the oculus was blocked (top right if you are looking at it from the front door). I was imaging how wonderful it must be to be there when it is raining (or the rare snow) as everyone says. It was a two gelato day, one at Bar Cecere near Trevi (zabaione) and Tre Scalini (After Eight and chocolate). While walking around Piazza Navona, I became part of a street performer's act, but it was all in good fun. From there, a visit to nearby Palazzo Altemps with my combo pass and Santa Maria della Minerva. While wandering also came across Tazza d? Oro and got a caffeine jolt to keep me going. I finally stopped at Ponte Umberto for a break, just sitting on a wall and watching the world go by. Ah Roma! Dinner that evening was the first of two at Galeassi in the Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere. I arrived relatively early and got a seat nearly in front of the fountain., perfect for people watching. The meal included tortellini in brodo, caprese salad, eggplant, small bottle of chianti and water, plus macedonia for 43 euro. That may have been the best weather night of the trip and it was lovely to watch the sky behind the church tower turn an almost sapphire/navy color . The nice weather also made it a popular destination that night and it was full or reserved by 8. From there, I walked to the Castel S. Angelo and St. Peter?s to take night photos. Ended with a gelato of mandarin and pineapple at the corner shop on the way back to the hotel.

Great report. I'm getting some good last minute info==we leave on Friday for my first trip to Italy!

Thanks for posting your report, maryell. We just got back from Rome, too, and it sounds like we're not the only ones going through gelato withdrawal!!

Isn't the City Secrets- Rome book great? We used it a lot, too.

I noticed there were alot of sites under scaffolding or being worked on in addition to the Pantheon - the church on Pizza Novona, the church at the top of the Spanish steps and Lady Magdelene. Also Ostia Antica was closed on Monday.

Great trip report!! Trastevere sounds like a lovely part of Rome. Last time I visited Italy was back in '97. At that time, they were doing work on the Piazza in front of the Pantheon. But it was still possible to enjoy the scenery.

Worse time was on a city tour of Rome, we had visited the Colosseum on a day when it was shut.. Not good!!

Maryell,

Thanks for the great, detailed report. I look forward to the rest, please keep up the good work! My next trip will include 5 - 6 days in Roma, probably by myself, so I'm very interested!

Mille grazie!

Thanks - glad it's proving helpful. Squeaky88th, I noticed the church (St. Agnes?) in Navona as well, but I mentioned the pantheon specifically because there was a question about the restorations a few weeks ago. Of course, with all those ancient buildings and art, there is probably always something under restoration.

Here's the rest of my trip report, jet lag and work tasks having been conquered....

Day 5

On the weekends, breakfast is brought to the room at the hotel, then I was off. I first stopped at Campo dei Fiori, just to take a stroll in and around, to see what was there. From there, more exploring of the city on foot: wandering through Quirinale, visiting St. Maria Maggiore and St. Andrea al Quirinale churches, yet another encounter with a different street performer (this time being kissed on the cheek), a Tre Scalini gelato stop (all fruit this time - wild berries, apricot and orange). The highlight of the day was the afternoon visit to Palazzo Massimo (Museo Nazionale) across from Termini station. I concentrated on the top and bottom floors, beginning with the frescoes on the top floor. Note that when you pay for your ticket (or it is one of the sights included in the combo ticket), you are given a time for the next tour of the top floor. For security reasons people are not allowed though there without the guide. I also rented the audio guide, which I found helpful and worthwhile. The group I was in was probably three quarters English-speaking and the other quarter Italian-speaking, so the guide first said everything in English then in Italian. My favorite was the fresco from Livia?s room, which had amazing hues of greens and blues, and was in an underground room which is believed to have served as a living room in the summer months. Also the frescoes has all types of (definable) flowers; interestingly, all the types of flowers would not be in bloom at the same time of year. The tour was about 45 minutes in length. Then I moved to the basement level to see the coins and jewelry. The audio guide was particularly helpful with the coins and in understanding how they were used for different purposes besides the obvious at different times in Roman history, even as propaganda at one time. The area with the jewelry is much smaller but I also found it very interesting. Then back to the hotel for a bit of rest.

I stopped for an early dinner because I attended a performance of La Traviata on Via del Babuino. Enjoyed the performances very much. If you do attend, however, the church (all Saints Anglican Church) was very warm that night and at intermissions, everyone seemed to step out in search of bottles of water. I had purchased the ticket for the show at the Pantheon the day before.

Day 6 So sad....last full day in Rome! It was Sunday and so I made it a church visit day. First stop, San Giovanni in Laterano, where we had attended Mass last year while on the pilgrimage but left immediately thereafter. This time, I spent quite a bit of time there, including Mass. Also saw a baptism of a little girl which was a special, unexpected treat. Then visited Santa Croce in Gerusalemme but was disappointed to find that the chapel containing the relics was being repaired. Took the metro to Cavour but missed the open times for St. Peter in Vincoli that day. Ah, but these repairs and closings are part of my ?excuse? for another trip!

Dinner that night was back at Galeassi in Trastevere since I was too tired to go far. It turned out to be the most eventful dinner of the week. I had a different waiter from the previous time, and this one was much more attentive. Too bad I didn?t meet him earlier in the trip! It was another good meal. After that, I wandered around the Trastevere and Castel areas, saying my goodbyes to the city. My flight out was at 7 am and I managed to flag down a taxi around the corner from the hotel at about 4:30.

I have to say that it was the nicest vacation I?ve ever taken, and it was fine traveling by myself. I thought the dinners might be a bit awkward but eating outside allows one to pass the time people-watching and it wasn?t uncomfortable for me. After the first night?s meal, I didn?t bring a book. Because it was in mind for almost a year (before we left Rome for the AC last year, I was thinking about how soon I could get back!), I was afraid it wouldn?t live up to my expectations and memories, but it really did. I managed to see most of the things I?d hoped to see - along with those side tracks which were equally as memorable. The city has not lost any of its magic to me, just the opposite.

Maryell, thanks for that report. It is very useful to me.

How much did the ticket for La Traviata cost? Was it a full-scale production held inside the church?

WillTravel, it was 30 euro to sit in the front half of the church (category A) or 20 euro for the back half (category B). It was full costume and partial (very little) set. I took a look at the brochure, and the other performances are on 9/18, 9/25, 10/2, 10/9, 10/16, 10/20 and 10/27. There was another program offered on different days that were songs from various operas (that one had performances in September-November).