mobilemc

Hello Franco. I’ve learned so much from your responses and hope you can advise me for my upcoming trip to Rome in November. My wife and I (early 60’s and healthy) have visited Rome before but have always stayed in a hotel. We’d like to rent an apartment in an area that provides the following:

•Convenient by metro and buses to Termini and the historic center. We’ll also spend one day traveling to Ostia Antica.

•Quiet at night – away from young people bars and clubs.

•Safe to walk in the evening. It will be dark early when we visit in November.

•Nearby markets, restaurants, cafés.

•Central Rome (within the old walls) to receive the 40 euro taxi rate from FCO.

•Not too hilly.

So far I've narrowed it down to ...

apartment north of Castel S. Angel
http://www.tripadvisor.com/VacationR...ome_Lazio.html

Monti, north of Cavour metro
http://www.tripadvisor.com/VacationR...ome_Lazio.html

Trastevere, on Manara
https://www.sleepinitaly.com/en/show...d_appartam=568

I'll appreciate your thoughts and any other suggestions.

Thanks. -- Will

franco

Hello Will, as you may have guessed from this thread, I'm going to advise to choose the Manara apartment, not very surprisingly since it's in Trastevere. North of Castel S. Angelo is a big no-no IMO since that's a boring, undescript district; and while more and more people seem to love Monti, I don't, as you've certainly noticed on this thread. The Manara apartment is in a wonderful location, though. Enjoy Rome!

mobilemc

Franco, thanks for your quick reply! Trastevere sounds like a great area for us. Although all posters on Fodors agree that Trastevere is attractive and convenient, many of the posters warn of late-night noise from party bars. Can you advise me on how noisy it might be in the Via Manara apartment? Thank you again. -- Will

franco

First of all, I notice that I created a new word in my last post; originally, I wanted to write "unattractive", then changed my mind, but not my prefix, and there you have it: "undescript".

As far as Via Manara, as I said above (March 2008), it's marking the border between the lively and the tranquil part of Trastevere, so I can't guarantee for the noise. Personally, I wouldn't hesitate to rent there.

ksddfam

franco,

We are looking at this apartment, in the Monteverde district..
http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/adv...761&force=true

I have read the thread and don't find much discussion of this neighborhood.
We are currently booked into a hotel in Trasteverde, but the owner of a B and B in Spoleto also owns this apartment and will give us a good deal.

Thanks for your thoughts..

franco

Actually, that neighbourhood has never been discussed since it's so far from the center - that I don't even know it, I've never been there! So I can't tell whether it's nice or not; all I can say is that even though it might be a glorious neighbourhood, I'd never stay there: you'd spend at least half of your holiday on the bus (or, more precisely and even worse, waiting for the bus - timetable intervals tend to be eternal at the periphery).

annhig

phew - I hesitated to join in with my comment as i don't know this area at all, so i thought i would wait to see if franco responded; and I am heartened to see that he said what i was going to. [well, i would say that, wouldn't I?]

She who must not be named and I had a right old ding dong about the "right " place for 1st timers to Rome to stay; my POV was that it was sensible for them to stay within the centre [for which Trastevere just about qualifies] so that they are within walking distance of most of what they would want to see.

of course, wherever you stay, even in the centre, you are going to have to get on a bus/metro/tram sometime, but being able to walk to a substantial number of places will help a lot with your enjoyment, not least because of the wonderful things you will come across on the way to where you are going. also being able to pop back to your accommodation with a purchase that you made in the lovely shop you came across, or to have a cup of tea in the afternoon, or just to have a nap, is very nice too.

so sometimes [or even often] spending a bit more to stay nearer the centre can prove more worthwhile both in time and money.

ksddfam

Thanks to both of you for the clear and very sound advice...definitely making me inclined to plant ourselves in Trastevere, which was our first choice until this presented itself.
Now I may look for an apartment there...