I will be in Rome on New Year's Eve and have no idea what to expect! I am a single female traveler and would love to be out in the festivities but am clueless where to go or where to have dinner, etc
Does anyone have any suggestions for me?
Thank you

This is what happens in Rome at new Years Eve: many restaurants have the so called CENONE DI CAPODANNO (= New Year's Eve Dinner) which can be quite expensive, depending on where you want to go, and usually there is a fixed menu that you pay for, which also includes some musical entertainment afterwards, where you can dance waiting for midnight. Lots of people though LOVE to wait for midnight in the main piazzas where concerts are held. For many years in Piazza del Popolo there has been the New Year's Eve Concert with many italian bands playing on the stage and which is usually broadcasted on the italian Tv channel RAI 1. In these cases you can see thousands of people crowding in these piazzas, having fun. When midnight comes, people like to light firecrackers, break bottles on the ground, or if they are celebrating in some apartments on the high floors of buildings it is not unusual that they start tossing not only firecrackers but also glasses, bottles, plates and other stuff. It is quite a tradition this one of throwing something old outside the window, it is a symbol of the old year that sets the path to the new one. So if you find yourself on the streets at midnight... just pay attention....many people can DO get hurt many cars parked along the streets under the buildings are damaged by "flying objects"...
Now, I don't know if you like to hang around in the streets or if you prefer to go in a restaurant instead... I would try to get some help from my hotel concierge, who, being a local of Rome, will be able to help you find the best solution or the best restaurant to go (should you want to go of course). I think though that some basic italian would be good for you, mainly to be able to socialize with the other people at your table, or it would be difficult to have fun alone.
Third alternative would be to go in a disco. I did it a couple of times in the past years (when I was a teen-ager actually... not anymore now... I get sleepy after 1 am now and after a few glasses of wine.... yawn.. and I am only 34...) and it was FUN, if you like this kind of entertainment of course! It is a good way to get to know guys, too.

The restaurant or ristorante/trattoria thing can be an issue in Rome because as the last post said, the merchants see it as a big night and make it an evening event. The ristorante's are a little more pricey than the trattorias of course. We ended up in a Chinese restaurant not far off the Piazza del Popolo. Sounds crazy and it was. We ended up with a group of medical students from Milan singing oldie but goldie American Songs......after much to drink of course.

But, you can have a great time New Year's Even and safely. Always more fun with someone else....as the previous post indicated.

Go for the parties in the piazzas. In my experiences at restaurants on New Years Eve... the quality is not all at good and the quantity is overbearing remember they are cooking (and thus serving) mass portions for the fixed menu, and besides, it was always way overpriced. The idea is to start eating at 8:30/9pm and continue eating through the lentil and pig feet platter with spumante toast of midnight (supposed to bring good luck). Aboveall, you might feel lonely at a restuarant alone on New Year's Eve. More chance of meeting people in the piazzas. Make sure you wear red underpants (another good luck tradition).

Oh yes, the red underwear! I remember when I was in Naples for Capodanno, and saw a vendor who had nothing but red brassieres for sale. It was a very funny experience, because all of them were the exact same size (what was he thinking?) and I got into a laughing conversation with 2 italian ladies over this fact, of course, to him, WE were all the wrong size to fit them!
It's great fun, luvsmacca, even as a single traveler, as I was too! It's easy to mingle with the crowds in the piazzas, as all are in such a party mood-
But I have heard (never seen) stories of people throwing all kinds of things, even furniture, from the windows, so watch out for flying sofas!