Just back from Rome
 

Hi
just back from a most enjoyable trip to Rome (apart from blisters!) which was planned after a lot of browsing here and also on virtualtourist.com, both sites which I found very helpful.
We stayed in an apartment in Via Germanico, booked through sleepinitaly.com which turned out to be the perfect base for my husband, myself and our ten year old son. It was close to the Vatican and metro stop yet away from the throngs of tourist on a leafy residential street.
This was our first time renting an apartment in Italy and it was great not having to get up early for breakfast, although the church bells woke us the first morning. It was also nice to be able to prepare our own lunch or just take time out to relax from sight-seeing before heading out for dinner.
Most nights we ate in a lovely pizzeria on the same street for just €30 for the three of us, which included wine, beer, coke and ice-cream. On our first night eating there our son was mobbed by a group of teenage Romans who wanted to know if he liked Beckem and if he supported Roma!
We stocked up on supplies in the nearby Standa supermarket (in the basement of Coin) and also the fresh food market.
While we took the metro on some occasions, we did most of our sight seeing by foot, hence my blisters. So, make sure you wear comfortable shoes which you have broken in before leaving home.
We were in Rome during Cultural Week which meant we got free admission to museums which was a nice surprise.
The Colloseum and Roman Forum were our son's favourite spots, as well as the ice-cream parlours, while I simply liked walking along Rome's beautiful streets and soaking in the athmosphere.. Also enjoyed doing some shopping in stores such as Coin, Mango, Oviesse and Zara, where you can shop without having to have a gold credit card.
The weather was perfect, like a hot Irish summer's day, and we're already looking forward to our next Italian trip.....hopefully next year.
Mairead

Hi Mairead04,
Happy you had a lovely time in Rome with your husband and son. What a wonderful experience for a 10 year old. Thank you for posting!

:) T.

I've been back for just over a week and could go again tomorrow to do just what you loved, wander the streets and soak in the atmosphere. Couldn't agree with you more about the shoes--I did manage to avoid blisters, but not sore and tired legs.

Hello Mairead04,
Thank You for your report. I have see the apartment at Via Germanico but not too sure because i did not see any review on that one. Your post confirmed it!
How about renting apartment near Vitto Emmanuel?
We will be in Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan May 2008 and we do not know that it coincide with the Italian Cultural Week when we book our plane tickets.
Are the line ups very long?

Goplanb,

Did you rent an apartment in Florence? We LOVED ours - we just returned on Friday night from Rome, Florence, Montreux and Paris and our apartment in Florence was fantastic.

Thanks for the report. Just wondering if you could tell me if the Fontana dei Fiumi in Piazza Navona is still under renovation or not??

We just returned on Thurs. night and the fountain is still being worked on. The piazza was not crowded during the day, but in the evenings it was mobbed.

Hello all, do note that Mairead04 posted the trip report May 2005.

How about: "Just back from Rome - May 2005"??