HAPPY BIRTHDAY to ME (: (:
 

I am so excited. On Sunday I was just sitting around playing on
my computer, and saw on the DELTA
site that round-trip airfare from
Central Florida to Rome was only
$575. I jokingly asked my hubby if he would send me for my birthday,
and you know the rest! We were just
there 4 months ago and have already reserved our Italy trip for October,
I feel a little guilty going again.
Our 18 year old son is going with me
so it will be a very special trip
for us, since he leaves for college
this August. We leave 2-23 and return 3-1, staying the whole week in Rome. Needless to say, we are thrilled! Any advice on winter clothing would be appreciated, and also any tips on good pizza, we have to eat cheap. Appreciate any
advice on "fun" mother-son outings
of course. Thanks !!!

Uh-oh. Just breathe deep and say





My name is Genie and I am an Italy addict.

Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Happy Birthday to you....

Genie, you so deserve it. Now just go with it baby.

Theresa in Detroit.

My kind of birthday present!!!

<<I feel a little guilty going again>>>

Perish the thought! Pish posh! You go and bask in the glory! Happy Birthday!

We just returned 2 days ago and we would leave again tomorrow if we could!

We ate very well, very reasonably, click on my name for all the restaurant reviews and enjoy!

Don't miss the pizza margherita at La Sagrestia near the Pantheon - melts in your mouth!

Yeah for Genie!

What a great opportunity for you to spend time with your son. Lucky son, too! Have fun, and feel guilt-free. This will be a special trip with your 18 year old, for sure.
:)>-

Travelnut - I think you have given the correct diagnosis - LOL
Theresa, Scatcat, MaureenB, thanks
for the kind words
Tiff - I will certainly read your
restaurant reviews and try the pizza
at La Sagestria, thanks also for your sweet words. (: Genie

Hey....I just had a birthday too. I think we should start a birthday club and anyone with a birthday gets a trip to Italy!! Getting old wouldn't be so bad. :D

I am fortunate to be going next month (not for my birthday)..maybe I'll see you in Rome Genie. I hope you and your son have a wonderful trip.

Well, if you've gotten your son to 18 and heading to college than I think you deserve this treat! have fun!

g.

Hi, Genie. We were in Rome those exact dates in 2007. We had beautiful weather when we were there, and during the day we usually just wore light jackets.

I brought silk underwear with me, but I didn't need it on that trip. I would take it again, though, in February.

In the evenings it was cool enough for a jacket, hat and scarf.

Have a great time!

our family was also in Rome last year in late Feb/early March when there was wonderful, unusually warm weather. In the evenings we used coats/jackets but didn't think we needed hats and scarves. I suspect this is because we are from northern Vt and thought it was quite pleasant even in the evenings. I think you should prepare for a fairly wide range of temperature possibilities. Silk underwear seems extreme to me but again I am from Vt -- you have to factor in what you are used to for winter temps in Florida

Happy Birthday!

How nice you and your son are able to take this trip together during his last year at home. I know there have been threads describing places for good pizza so try doing a search

Hey, Vttraveler, you are so right about the weather. We're from Georgia, and so I'm sure we're not used to really cold weather.

One day we were in the Borghese Gardens, and people were having picnics barefoot! I realize that it was unusually warm last February, and it was great!

Lucky you! Go and enjoy!

Wish me the same luck. I just found a week I can take off, as long as I find flights before my schedule is booked up. Woohoo!

Hi GEnie! Happy bday!!

We just got back from Rome a couple of weeks ago. It was FREEZING! But great weather, sun-wise.

I would bring a thick scarf, good mittens or gloves, and a hat for sure (though we were there 12/30- 1/4.... you might be in for warmer weather at the end of FEbruary).

Pizza rec- our favorite pizza was at a place right around the corner from the Colliseum called Anfiteatro (My Bar) - Via S. Giovanni in Laterano, 12.
www.anfiteatro-mybar.com

We had the vegetarian pizza and were delighted with the crust and the quality of the vegetables.

There was also a pizza joint around the corner from the Spanish Steps called Pizza Rustica Birreria, but I'm afraid I didn't take note of the address! We bought by the slice, where they sold it by the gram. BEST value.

Both places were inexpensive and delicious!

Samsaf--We certainly lucked out on the weather last February. We were excited enough about escaping the snow and expected temperatures in the 50's, so we were ecstatic when we got the beautiful warm days. We spent Sunday afternoon at Ostia Antica and figured we probably had the ideal experience there--great weather and not at all crowded.

Genie--this thread about inexpensive restaurants mostly in Trastevere includes some pizza recommendations
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35031888

on that thread I recommended Il Portico on Via Portico d'Ottavia 1e in the Jewish ghetto neighborhood. We stayed at an apartment nearby and ate there several times. Our son liked the pizza and there were lots of other options at a reasonable price. We all enjoyed the fried artichokes and other local specialties.

I don't know where you are planning to stay but the ghetto is an interesting place to wander, with good restaurants, and is a short walk from either Trastevere or the Piazza della Rotunda/Piazza Navonna areas

I have been trying to think of good mother/son suggestions since we visited Rome last year with our then 16 year old son. Our son was very into the ancient Roman sites so we concentrated on those and didn't insist on many art museums. He really enjoyed the street scene at the Piazza Navonna and Piazza della Rotunda area and enjoyed going back there at different times of day.
I do feel a little guilty about not taking our son to a soccer game since I know he would have enjoyed that--if your son has any interest in soccer I am sure it would be fun. I believe matches at the Olympic stadium in Rome are regularly scheduled on Saturdays

Thank you everyone for your kind remarks regarding my trip to Rome with my son. Yes, it will be a special time for us, full of wonderful memories I hope. I'll really try to write a trip-report
when we return, I have yet to do one
in the past. Again...thank you
Genie