Hi: My husband and I are planning to be in Rome in September and want to take an apartment. We are considering one in the Via Veneto area (on Via Flavia - off Via Settembre near Via Piave). We aren't "late night" people and the quietness appealed to us but we are wondering how easy it will be to access sites such as the Pantheon; the Colosseum and Piazza Navonna. Can anyone tell us how long it would take to travel to the core of the historic area - on foot or by bus? Thanks a lot.

To say that the Via Flavia is "in the Via Veneto area" is a bit of an exaggeration. If one takes Piazza Barberini as the midpoint between the historic center (Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Campo de' Fiori, etc.) and the Colosseum, Via Flavia is on the far side of Piazza Barberini, AWAY from both the Colosseum and the historic center.

I looked up Via Flavia on my map of Rome, but you might want to go to

www.multimap.com

to check out the location.

Hi redheads - I stayed (10 years ago) at a hotel on Via Veneto way up at the top - near the gardens and we walked everywhere. Your location doesn't appear to be any nearer to the sites than mine was. My traveling compaion was not all that keen on foot travel and she did fine. A lot of people don't like to walk around Rome because it isn't as compact as some cities. However, we were in a meandering mode and visited all the major sites with walking but got to them in an off-hand sort of way. If you are committed to seeing everything, you might want something more central, but if you have already chosen an apartment, you might be of a mind to get the "local" experience rather than what you would get as a tourist in a hotel. If that is the case, then the meandering that gets you, finally, to Vatican City or the Palatine will probably work. Rome has SO MANY delightful spots that you come across without planning it. What a wonderful city. My first trip I stayed outside of central and had a great hotel with rooftop dining (can't remember the NAME!! Hey - 1972!) and rode the buses everywhere. That is really great fun - much more so than subway. But I can't tell you about times - I was not really paying attention, except that it didn't seem at all excessive. Are you using an apartment service to get your place? - or are you getting it on your own? Oh - gosh, now I'm getting excited!!! Thanks for the chance to pull out my maps and dream!!

You'll be a stone's throw from Porta Pia on the north-eastern side (opposite of the city center) of the train station. It's a comfortable walk to Borghese Gallery but you'll be nowhere near the city center. I love to walk but this location would be too out of the way for me.

Thanks a lot for your replies -- Shanna and NYC Food Snob. It is twenty years since I've been in Rome and I can't remember walking times. I think that we will try to find something more central. I really appreciate your help.