Dear fellow fodorites,

Please advice which of the following two would be a better location to stay in Rome for first time visitor without car.
Via della Lungara, 3 or Via della Lungaretta, 73

Having a car in Rome is simply a nonsense - worse than useless. To get around you walk - or grab a cab (some people use public transit but IMHO it makes no sense since cabs are so cheap for several people).

Sorry - have no idea where those addresses are.

They're within a few minutes of each other on foot. Lungaretta is slightly better, because it's closer to both the Ponte Sisto pedestrian bridge and the No. 8 tram on Viale Trastevere to the historic center. It's also closer to the action in Trastevere and probably noisier.

I love 'streetview' on maps.google for evaluating a location. If you look at the address on Via della Lungara, you'll notice a sea of parked scooters and the entrance to John Cabot University. IMO, there's nothing quite like scooter noise bouncing of the buildings of a narrow street. ("Vespa" is Italian for "wasp.")

The address on Via della Lungaretta appears to be near a private secondary school and at least one small restaurant, so expect some noise from deliveries.

Sorry. Should read, 'bouncing off the buildings.'

As far as I know, John Cabot does not have night classes. On the other hand, Via della Lungaretta west of Viale Trastevere is one of the two main drags in Trastevere, and there is a lot of night life. Voices also bounce off buildings in a narrow street. If the apartment does not face the street or has double-paned windows, noise is less of a factor.

Thanks Zerlina , nytraveler!
Jean..I loved the streetview option in google maps..thanks