LuvToRoam

Denisea, we will be in Rome from the 6th to the 23rd, can't wait! The trip to Ostia is very easy and well worth it! It so easy to walk in Rome you can eat & drink to your hearts content...no weight gain The Trip Report is the most difficult to get too.....but so worth it. We stil reference out trip reports when talking about trips or current events, amazing how wonderful it is to have that documentation! Anxious to hear about your food tour with Elizabeth. We have a food tour with Walks of Italy and an outing to Casperia for the Johnny Madge Olive Oil Tour. Hoping it cools off a bit. Do read AJ's trip report if you haven't already, informative and entertaining. Have a super time, I know we plan on it! My suitcase is already half packed!

denisea

LuvtoRoam...truthfully, I write my T/R ASAP upon return. I am usually so excited by the trip (past few yrs, it has been Paris) and I enjoy re-living the trip through writing about it. My husband was just re-reading last Thansgiving's T/R from Paris a few weeks ago!

We are looking forward to the food tour with Elizabeth, we are going to Tivoli with Daniella Hunt as our guide and then two tours with Walks of Italy....I think they will all be good. Glad to hear Ostia is an easy trip...we will do that and Orvieto unassisted! (God I hope we get on the right train)! AJ's report is on tap for weekend reading. 35 days to go!!!

LuvToRoam

My hubby and I are just freaks when it comes to planning and learning about where we are planning our next trip. I have piles and piles of trip reports (some awesome, some not so entertaining) that I print out and read aloud on our car rides out of town....almost always pick up a tip or two. Trust me, if we can get to Ostia, you will have no trouble. Between the two of us we seem to be quite directionally challenged Oh well, love my travel bud so getting lost isn't that big of a deal, just another adventure! Good thing we have the Coliseum tour on our lists, sounds as though it is going to be under wraps for repairs for several years soon. Safe travels...we are 33 days and counting!

ggreen

denisea, doing the food tour on your arrival day sounds... perfect! Like you said, it will be a good intro to the city - and doing something you love will certainly help with the jet lag!

As I'm sure you're aware, I always enjoy your trip reports. I get to relive the places we've both been to - and add your delicious restaurant reviews to my wish list for future visits.

denisea

Thanks everyone and more good news....we are confirmed with Daniella Hunt for Hadrian's Villa late Sat. afternoon and apertivo in Tivoli, followed by the evening hours at Villa d'Este!

Daniella was a bit surprised to hear she has fans on Fodors-I told her she came highly recommended!

(LuvtoRoam-Glad to hear there are others who are super planners....it is my JOB before we go on a trip, I really love the planning!)

Green many thanks....we have heard great things about Elizabeth and I really think we will be glad we did the tour on arrival day.

Super excited to see VdE at night....anyone have suggestions for point and shoot cameras for lower light? We need a new camera and I know nothing about photography!

TPAYT

denisea-----I'll be looking forward to your TR and also your comparison of Rome to Paris. Not that they are comparable, they're both so different from each other. I know you'll give us all the wonderful details along with some humor.

Have fun and I hope that there are no sssssssnakes on the plane this time out.

ggreen

No recommendations for a point-and-shoot specific to lower-light conditions. But I do like my Sony W-series, and wish I had a Panasonic Lumix even more! I use dpreviews.com for very good camera reviews and comparisons.

Most important for shooting in low light is a way to steady the camera. Those small guerilla tripods are great (they can be bent to work on lots of different surfaces, wrap around a pole, etc.). So's a weight attached to a long line or string for a smaller-in-your-pocket DIY approach - though of course not malleable, just straight up and down. (I think there's even been a discussion somewhere on Fodor's recently about how to create the latter.) And I always hold my breath just before pressing the shutter...

Actually, there have been discussions of cameras on here, too (probably in the Lounge?). See if a search brings up anything worthwhile!

denisea

Hi TPAYT- SSSSSurely there will not be snakesssss! I am getting quite conflicted about not seeing Paris this year! I am anxious to make the comparisons, good and bad, between the two!

I do get a little Paris fix in a few weekends...will see gracejoan and friends, Florent and Michael from Paris, for a long weekend in Asheville.

ggreen...interesting tip! I am a horrible photographer and need all the tips and advice I can get! Thanks!

taconictraveler

Denise: you can do the following, which we did for Ostia Antica: take the metro to Pyramide, where you can see the Pyramid, mentioned above, as well as the Protestant Cemetery, where Keats and I think Byron(?) are interred. The train to Ostia Antica is right there at that metro station.
I think you can take the 20 minute ride for only one Euro, because OA is considered part of Rome!

We learned this from the very knowledgeable young man at reception at our amazing little hotel (daphne Inn)

You will have a wonderful trip, and I can't wait to visit Rome again (vicariously) through your trip report!

Gina_07

Denise:

Great plan. Maybe I missed it but I do not see any mention of gelato. There is great gelato in Rome and you shouldn't miss it. My favorite is Giolitti not far from the Pantheon. Nowehere else I have tasted fruit flavors tasting almsot like the real fruit.

denisea

Hi Taconic....thanks for the info on the area near the station...interesting to have something else to see in that area....I am glad you mentioned that it is essentially part of Rome, I haven't worked out the travel yet.

Will definitely be sampling gelato...there are lots of things I didn't include above (espresso, pizza, gelato and shopping are a few). Have several places to check out from the Eat Rome food app, and will gladly report on all of it!!!

Leely2

<i>I am getting quite conflicted about not seeing Paris this year! I am anxious to make the comparisons, good and bad, between the two!</i>

I love Paris and Rome both, though personally I might give Rome the edge ever so slightly. Just to contextualize a bit, I had an Italian tutor from Rome, and she used to tell me before I was leaving on a trip, "Remember, in Rome it's good to be a little bit tough," [slamming fist on table, and she was a young, willowy artist]. "Rome is for the strong."

Different cities, different kinds of beauty.

stephCA

Just got back from Italy. We stayed at Roma Cavalieri..always do when in Rome and yes, its free and thats what matters! Great hotel...its a Waldorf Astoria. Unfortuantely though, if you are a gold/diamond hilotn members, Cavalieri does not have an "executive lounge" anymore..they did in 2010 and it was great because after a long walk in the city...a nice cold coke light with unlimited ice is just pure heaven. Now, they will give you a voucher for 1 drink on your entire stay. Still, the hotel is amazing.

Cavalieri has a free shuttle to the city and the drop off and pick up point ( Piazza Barberini ) is near on everything... youc an also ask to be dropped off at Piazza del Popolo...this is a short walk to Spanish steps which is a short walk to Trevi....

We were in Italy from july 16 till aug 2 and it was hot, hot, hot...just amke sure to check the weather when you go to pack accordingly. 90% of the people are in shorts and tank tops...anything to make it comfortable. We would be out and about in early mornings till about 1 pm to catch the last pick up for the day time, stay in the hotel and at the pool till about 4.30 which starts the shuttle bus again till last pick up at 9 pm.

If you plan to take the taxi, make sure you take it at the Piazza Barberini and it is about 15 euros. This is just tsraight up to the hotel. We made a mistake of taking a taxi about 5 mins walk from barberini on our first day and the taxi driver took us a tour of the city and cost us 26 euros...annoying! but it happens..nothing beats the taxi drivers in Rome when it comes to "robbing" tourist specially when they hear " hilton cavalieri"

denisea

Leely, good perspective...I know I will love Rome...I am expecting it to be a bit gritty and more lively than Paris (and harder to cross the street safely)! I have friends who love Rome more than Paris, so I can't wait to see where I land on this important issue!!

Well, steph, thanks for the info on no exec lounge at the Hilton...can't believe they don't have a lounge. I am a diamond Hilton member (and spend lots of nights in Hilton properties no where near as nice as the Cavalieri.)

Great info on the cab destination being Barberini....I have heard lots about the cabs in Rome, and we will expect to be ripped off a little here and there, but it's great to get advice to limit the rip offs. We have friends who stayed at the hotel last year, so are pretty familiar with the services, etc...They have agreed to make our dinner reservations for us at restaurants that only accept bookings by phone (virtually no Italian spoken here). Very glad about that!

think we will enjoy the hotel, even without an exec lounge, especially with it being paid for by points. I will be bummed not to have access to Coke light easily, which I require in mass quantities!!

denisea

Wallks of Italy Pristine Sistine booked just now...they tell me the VIP Coliseum availability has not been confirmed by Coliseum officials. If like last year, they should know by mid-August and open up the bookings then.

DinPa, if you are still following, you can email them about the VIP tours and they will notify you when they become available.

So now just tickets for Borghese Gallery and Coliseum left to book! I am a planner and can't wait to get it all confirmed! 33 days!

stephCA

when we were in Rome in 2010, the only advance booking I ever did for my family was the Vatican to save us from waking up early to get in line for hours and hours. Colosseum, Palatine Hill...we just bought the ticket right there, same day. There are tour guides that will charge 10 euro per person and we did that. That was enough.

Be aware that in Rome, there are so many "opportunistic" vendors holding flowers on Spanish steps and Trevi. They will literally put these flowers ( 3 long stem roses) in your hands and if you refuse, they will "INSERT" them in your purse, shopping bag or hand. Then say to you "thank you". DO NOT make a mistake of even touching those because they will ask you to pay for them. I dont know how much but back in 2010, they were asking for something like 5 euros. Once you hold them, you can never give it back. Fortunately, my husband is half italian and he knows how to deal with these people. We were in Trevi just this last Tuesday, one of this flower guy shove the roses to me and I said NO, and ignored him and he insisted and almost slap me with those roses on the face. I started screaming at him and told him I will call the POLIZIA. That sent him away. So beware.

At the Trevi, there are these people who will ask you that they will take your photo. You will know them because they are dirty looking with a camera around their neck. You make a mistake of saying yes to them, and they will take your photo with your own camera and after that, they will take your photo with their own camera and will never leave you alone until you pay them. I dont know for how much. Again, polizia.

My husband has been a diamond member for years and those exec lounges are great. Cavalieri used to have a lounge back in 2010 and we were disappointed to find out that the hotel policy changed, who knows, what policy is that. But I am guessing, there are not enough gold/diamond booked for them to set up the lounge which was in one of their function room by the hotel lobby floor. But it could change by the time you get there because as of this month, it is considered low season in Rome since everyone is out of Rome.

Our room was not ready when we arrived which was around 3 pm, so, the lady who will check you in specifically for being a gold/diamond member that we can wait by the lounge hotel lobby and will receive 1 free drink which is separate from the 1 drink only for entire stay that we would get. Imperial Club is only accessible for booking of their their suites and imperial rooms, so, if you got the points hotel booking, then, you will not have access to Imperial Club.

The view from our room was great but its not exactly like the ones in their website. First time, we had the view of the city and the Vatican. Now, we had the view of the city and Colosseum but mind you, these city view is far..really far,but still, city view. You Can see the top of the Vatican, a itsy-bitsy Colosseum, but its a view.

annhig

Hi Denise,

an area you may enjoy after your forum/colosseum day is found by walking north from the colosseum past the forum and up the via dei serpenti. loads of interesting shops, craft workshops, a nice square with bars and gelaterie, good local restaurants. carry on walking and you come out on the via nazionale where you can catch a bus back into the centre of town.

PS - i'm "thirding" the galleria doria-pamphilji - really interesting, with lovely pictures and very uncrowded.

denisea

Always some annoying scammers in the tourist areas in every city. Good to know what to look for (I hate the Sat. Night flowers sellers in restaurants in the US...they count on the guy feeling like a jerk for not buying his date/wife a rose....and I am not a flowers person anyway). I don't mind being a "be- yatch" to unwanted intruders on my trip! Thanks for all the tips.

Annhig....sounds like a good area to wander and check out. Maybe we will hit Galleria Doria-Pampiji on Wednesday.

Can anyone remind me of the name of the church where you can go down to a small chapel or crypt and you use a key they give you when you enter to get into the chapel?? I read about it in a T/R and now can't remember who posted it or the name of the church (another sign of my advancing age).

annhig

Can anyone remind me of the name of the church where you can go down to a small chapel or crypt and you use a key they give you when you enter to get into the chapel?? >>

not sure about that one, but one crypt worth exploring [which gets ignored in favour of its more famous sister, Santa maria di trastevere] is Santa Cecilia, also in Trastevere. you pay about €3 to go down into the crypt, walk past some excavations [not very exciting, truth be told] and then enter a most beautiful mosaic chapel dedicated for some obscure reason to Santa Agnese.

well worth a wander across the river to find it.

ref the flower sellers, [and other hawkers] i have always found a "non, grazie" coupled with no eye contact, works well.

AJPeabody

The Palazzo Doria Pamphilj (this time I googled the spelling) includes an audio guide in the admission price.