Franco's favourite ... Roman accomo…districts
Sep 1st, 2007, 03:46 PM
#122
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Peteralan and also geeper (as for your first question, the one about inandout-rome) - I cannot give recommendations for certain accomodations, since I don't simply know enough in Rome, I'm not a travel agency - sorry! This thread is only about location... Peteralan, as far as your question regards the location Aventino, it's definitely not in walkable distance to most of Rome's sights. Practically, from that district, you can walk to S. Sabina and S. Saba (both absolutely worth visiting, both among Rome's really great neglected & unknown monuments), but nowhere else. It's a wonderful, quiet, upscale residential neighbourhood, but it's REALLY far from everything. I recommend it for people coming to Rome with a car, and willing to do much bus travel.
geeper, as for your two other posts, the Colosseo B&B is on via Cavour; see above for that district. It's practicable for sightseeing, but not particularly nice. The Trastevere apartment you've found doesn't give precise directions, but from the pictures, I gather it's near Palazzo Corsini. This is the vivid half of Trastevere, with plenty of nightlife. If you love that, it's certainly fine, and the location is pretty & convenient (the busses along the Tiber are just a few steps away from this half of Trastevere, as well).
travelbug, though this is somewhat distracting from the topic of this thread, there are two things I'm regularly advising against: 1. visiting the same places everybody visits, 2. mixing different regions of Italy - Italy's most fascinating feature is its diversity, every region is a world apart. If you're going from Rome to the Amalfi Coast, you're doing both: mixing Lazio and Campania, and following the beaten path of zillions of other tourists. I would stay in the Lazio region, where nobody ever visits, and which is interesting to combine with Rome: it's a half-empty, very tranquil region, whose oversized capital Rome seems to attract all life like a magnet. And I would combine it with southern Lazio, cause this is the part of the region that was historically connected to Rome (the northern part belonged to Umbria till Fascist times). If it has to be on the sea, I'd choose Terracina if I wanted something upscale, or Gaeta if I wanted something really unspoiled. Ok - back to Roman neighbourhoods!
geeper, as for your two other posts, the Colosseo B&B is on via Cavour; see above for that district. It's practicable for sightseeing, but not particularly nice. The Trastevere apartment you've found doesn't give precise directions, but from the pictures, I gather it's near Palazzo Corsini. This is the vivid half of Trastevere, with plenty of nightlife. If you love that, it's certainly fine, and the location is pretty & convenient (the busses along the Tiber are just a few steps away from this half of Trastevere, as well).
travelbug, though this is somewhat distracting from the topic of this thread, there are two things I'm regularly advising against: 1. visiting the same places everybody visits, 2. mixing different regions of Italy - Italy's most fascinating feature is its diversity, every region is a world apart. If you're going from Rome to the Amalfi Coast, you're doing both: mixing Lazio and Campania, and following the beaten path of zillions of other tourists. I would stay in the Lazio region, where nobody ever visits, and which is interesting to combine with Rome: it's a half-empty, very tranquil region, whose oversized capital Rome seems to attract all life like a magnet. And I would combine it with southern Lazio, cause this is the part of the region that was historically connected to Rome (the northern part belonged to Umbria till Fascist times). If it has to be on the sea, I'd choose Terracina if I wanted something upscale, or Gaeta if I wanted something really unspoiled. Ok - back to Roman neighbourhoods!
Sep 1st, 2007, 05:54 PM
#124
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Ok, so I've identified the neighbourhood precisely. Via di S. Dorotea is REALLY lively, car traffic included. This wouldn't be my first choice... which says nothing about your preferences, though.
Sep 2nd, 2007, 05:48 AM
#127
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I am staying at Suite Oriani at Via Barnaba Oriani 92. I believe it is near to the Villa Borghese grounds. the piazza Euclide is very close to the property ? Is this a good area? We will only be there for 3 nights. we plan to spend a day in the Vatican area and the other day walking around pantheon collisium Trevi Fountanin and hopefully squeeze in the Borghese Museum. Is this realistic? We do not have a car. We will arrive by train from the Florence area and take a taxi ( 15 Euro) from the train station. Comments / help please.....
Grazie...
Grazie...
Sep 2nd, 2007, 07:06 AM
#128
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Hi Franco! You seem to be a great source of information...so I also will avail myself of your expertise. I booked the Hotel President at an excellent rate (146 euros). After reading that the location is seedy, my husband chose the Hotel Lancelot on Capo d'Africa (I think!) beyond the Colosseum. I would like to hear your thoughts on the two choices. Thanks.
Sep 2nd, 2007, 07:21 AM
#129
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msbeavers, your schedule would be doable, yes, provided you'd move the Borghese visit to the Vatican day - but it would also be a pity... it's so super-touristy! I for one, if I had so very little time in Rome, would neither do the Vatican, nor the Colosseum, and certainly not Trevi fountain. But this is to become another deviation from this thread's topic; may I redirect you to my Roman sightseeing thread? http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34792538, to give you a perhaps better idea what to do in Rome. As far as location, this one is a nightmare. It's at the back of beyond to an extent that I've never been in that area, and can't tell whether it's pretty or not, but what I can tell with utmost certainty is that you'd lose half of your time in Rome travelling on public busses. Staying there would be crazy for everyone, but particularly for someone with so little time as you.
babylene, they're so near to each other that it's practically the same neighbourhood. It's the Colosseo/Laterano district that has been discussed widely on this thread, and while I, too, always found that district seedy, some other expert Fodorites contest that and say it has improved greatly since I've made up my mind about it quite many years ago. But the important point is: either the location of both hotels is seedy, or of none of them, there's practically no difference, and if the choice is only between these two, you might base your decision exclusively on which hotel (or which price) you like better.
babylene, they're so near to each other that it's practically the same neighbourhood. It's the Colosseo/Laterano district that has been discussed widely on this thread, and while I, too, always found that district seedy, some other expert Fodorites contest that and say it has improved greatly since I've made up my mind about it quite many years ago. But the important point is: either the location of both hotels is seedy, or of none of them, there's practically no difference, and if the choice is only between these two, you might base your decision exclusively on which hotel (or which price) you like better.
Sep 2nd, 2007, 01:25 PM
#131
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thanks for your tips and post and references ....I have moved our reservation to a nice 1 bedroom apartment in the Via Giulie / Campo dei Fiori area ( supposed to be 5 minutes to
a bridge that overlooks the Vatican 5 minutes to Piazza Navonna and on a quite safe street with antique type shops. Also near Piazza Farnese.... I think we will be happy here!
a bridge that overlooks the Vatican 5 minutes to Piazza Navonna and on a quite safe street with antique type shops. Also near Piazza Farnese.... I think we will be happy here!
Sep 2nd, 2007, 03:59 PM
#132
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msbeavers, congratulations on the new location, I, too, am convinced you'll be more than happy there.
babylene - you're certainly right about the difference between a commercial and a residential part of that neighbourhood. But nevertheless, it's basically the same neighbourhood, and since you asked me about seedy or not, I thought the difference of commercial vs. residential would be less important. But I can certainly confirm that.
babylene - you're certainly right about the difference between a commercial and a residential part of that neighbourhood. But nevertheless, it's basically the same neighbourhood, and since you asked me about seedy or not, I thought the difference of commercial vs. residential would be less important. But I can certainly confirm that.
Sep 3rd, 2007, 03:31 AM
#134
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Yes, babylene, that seems to be the choice. But let's not forget those other Fodorites who had a totally different impression of that (Eastern) part of Rome's historical center. Maybe it's just my memory, or my earlier experiences (and it was definitely a seedy area then) distorting my perception of present-day reality. Nevertheless, I for one wouldn't want to stay there, not in the first and not in the second hotel.
Sep 7th, 2007, 11:22 AM
#135
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Anyone know this apartment or area?
http://www.angelishouse.it/holiday-rental-in-rome.htm
Map comes up Via Della Luce
http://www.angelishouse.it/holiday-rental-in-rome.htm
Map comes up Via Della Luce
Sep 8th, 2007, 03:26 AM
#136
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geeper - of course I know this area, it's the area a great part of this thread is about: southern/eastern Trastevere, my favourite recommendation for where to stay in Rome. Wonderful choice.
Sep 19th, 2007, 05:20 AM
#138
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malleva, sorry, I cannot respond since you didn't specify WHICH airport (Rome has two, in very different locations of course). In any case, you don't need a taxi, you can get everywhere by public transport, and tracing which bus/tram/metro/train to take is easy enough, doing some research on http://www.adr.it/default.asp?L=1 and http://www.atac.roma.it/
Oct 3rd, 2007, 01:32 PM
#139
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Update after a one-week-stay in Rome:
1. the recurrent issue of the area between the Colosseo and the Lateran - I've carefully checked that neighbourhood since it has been discussed so regularly here on Fodor's, and I have a mixed result to offer: Grinisa, one of the eminent Rome experts on this forum, who has contested my perception of that district as seedy, is absolutely right if we're talking about the area south of Via Labicana (e.g. Via Capo d'Africa, where some popular hotels seem to be located). That (rather small) area has greatly improved, and seems in fact a nice and quiet neighbourhood now. It's also part of a different administrative district of Rome than the area north of Via Labicana, so I suppose the improvement might be due to an initiative of that district's town hall. Anyhow, I wouldn't hesitate anymore to book an accomodation there.
The (far larger) northern district, up the Esquilino hill as far as S. Maria Maggiore, though, is as seedy as it always used to be. Of course, it's important to stress that downtown Rome is nowhere as dangerous as American cities can be. But I for one still wouldn't stay in that Colosseo - Laterano - S. Maria Maggiore triangle; for me, it's just seedy enough even in plain daylight.
2. This time, I couldn't choose my district freely, since I came to Rome on invitation by friends who live in S. Lorenzo. Given that experience, I can only repeat how important location is in Rome. Not that S. Lorenzo is unpleasant (it's neither very pretty). But public transport makes it a VERY inconvenient location - I must have lost about two hours a day just waiting for and traveling on the bus, as compared to staying in Trastevere. In one week, that means losing more or less one entire day...
1. the recurrent issue of the area between the Colosseo and the Lateran - I've carefully checked that neighbourhood since it has been discussed so regularly here on Fodor's, and I have a mixed result to offer: Grinisa, one of the eminent Rome experts on this forum, who has contested my perception of that district as seedy, is absolutely right if we're talking about the area south of Via Labicana (e.g. Via Capo d'Africa, where some popular hotels seem to be located). That (rather small) area has greatly improved, and seems in fact a nice and quiet neighbourhood now. It's also part of a different administrative district of Rome than the area north of Via Labicana, so I suppose the improvement might be due to an initiative of that district's town hall. Anyhow, I wouldn't hesitate anymore to book an accomodation there.
The (far larger) northern district, up the Esquilino hill as far as S. Maria Maggiore, though, is as seedy as it always used to be. Of course, it's important to stress that downtown Rome is nowhere as dangerous as American cities can be. But I for one still wouldn't stay in that Colosseo - Laterano - S. Maria Maggiore triangle; for me, it's just seedy enough even in plain daylight.
2. This time, I couldn't choose my district freely, since I came to Rome on invitation by friends who live in S. Lorenzo. Given that experience, I can only repeat how important location is in Rome. Not that S. Lorenzo is unpleasant (it's neither very pretty). But public transport makes it a VERY inconvenient location - I must have lost about two hours a day just waiting for and traveling on the bus, as compared to staying in Trastevere. In one week, that means losing more or less one entire day...
