Piazza Garibaldi
 

We will be staying at an apt on Via Corsini, in the Trastevere area, the 28th of April and would like to know; (1) is there an outlet from the rear of the Botantical Gardens that would allow you to walk on up to Piazza Garibaldi from the Gardens? (2) if not, is there a taxi stand located at the piazza? I would love to take sunset photos of Rome from the Piazza, but being 69, I really don't want to walk up the hill and then back down. Or should I take a taxi up and then walk down at this time of the evening? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Does your apartment owner/landlord speak good enough English to help you with this? -- Or how good is your Italian?

I know where you are talking about, but I'm not sure you can reliably get a taxi stand. But I would imagine there is a bus -- but you need to know the schedule. Usually they are on line, so maybe somebody here could help you with that.

I'm hesitant to tell you to take a taxi up and then walk down because the area is really a park, and I don't know if it's safe to walk there in the dark. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't, just because it's rather isolated and not being at all sure of what the norm is there, it really would be taking a chance. Any public park of that size attracts some vice, and you will obviously be a tourist.

Last but not least, you might consider re-posting with the words "Rome, Trastevere and Botanical Gardens" in the subject line. Since Garibaldi was the single most important military hero of Italian unification, there is scarcely a town in Italy that does not have a Piazza Garibaldi (and I'll bet there are some in France too!)

Good luck -- oh, and my last suggestion is: If all else fails, treat yourself. Ask the driver to wait for you and pay for the time.

Here is a link that describes a walk that includes Piazza Garibaldi, and it says that the 270 bus goes up there.

One thing you can also do if you are not terribly pressed for time in Rome is take the bus up in the middle of the day and see how you feel up there and whether it looks safe, and also find out when the buses run back down the hill. If you think you can do it all by bus or the walk down is safe or easy, come back again, by bus or taxi on a different day near sunset. Just be sure when you read the posted bus schedules at the bus stops that you are reading the schedule for "Feriale" if you are using the bus on a weekday or a Saturday, and "Festivo" is Sunday.

Here's the link:

http://www.howtobooks.co.uk/abroad/i...ome-things.asp

OK, here is a really useful link that shows the walk from the via Corsini to the Piazzale Garibaldi panoramic point

http://infopoint.atac.roma.it/naviga...9b399-4966afce

as you can see, it appears that so long as you don't actually cut through the garden, you can be on public streets most of the way -- but that is still something you need to look at carefully in terms of safety if you are thinking of walking alone there after dark, at the periphery of the park. Trastevere has always had a reputation for being theif and vice prone, and not the ritziest area of town.

OK --

The bus you want in Rome is the 870 (that other website had a typo).

To find the route of bus 870, use this link

http://www.atac.roma.it/

On the top bar, to the far right, where it says "Find your bus" you should type in the numbers "870" and click "cerca"

You then be taken to a page with hot links for both directions of the bus 870. Click on either link.

The map is interactive, so you can click on the map to get it enlarged. You are looking for via Garibaldi and Piazzale Garibaldi in the Gianocolo (the smaller of the vivid green areas).

The bus does NOT stop in front of the entrance to the botancial garden or your hotel. You would have to pick up the bus closer to the hospital.

The map gives you the option to print it using the icons at the type of the image.

Hope that helps!

(And now I know where to find the bus map of rome, which I didn't before.)

PS You can also see to the left of the image of the map of the 870 route that the bus runs every 15 minutes or so, all day long, from 5:30 am to midnight.

Thanks Zeppole, this is very helpful information. I had not thought of the bus and was not aware that the piazza was in fact in a park itself.

Thanks

I know the area but I didn't see many taxi while over in that section. I did however see some buses.

Answer to first question is no, there is no outlet from top of botanical gardens to piazza Garibaldi. Didn't see any openings in wall either which at that point is actually a retaining wall. Leaves choice of bus/cab or walk. I don't recall seeing a taxi stand at the kiosk near the monument.
A not too grueling path up can be afforded by stairs near the end of via Luciano Manara (where we lived for 3 weeks) and stairs at the end of Vicolo del Cedro both of which will put you onto Via Garibaldi and a slow meander up the hill to the Piazza. The walk down would be pleasant enough but the traffic can be swift especially in the morning commute along Viale delle Mura Aurlie which runs at the crest of the hill. Via Garibaldi is rather winding and benign and takes you past some great sites including the Fontana dell'Acqua Paola and Bramante's sublime Tempietto at San Pietro in Montorio.
All that said, I am not so sure that the sunrise view over Rome might not be better than that at sunset from Monte Gianicolo. The sunset view might be best caught on the nearby Aventino Hill or particularly across town from Monte Pincio. That is if you want to get the sun in your shots. The sunset glow, however, on the bricks, plaster and stones of Rome is something to behold from any prospect.

Our family took the 870 bus up to the Piazza and walked down. A taxi would also work.
We were there in late February in the afternoon and there were very few other tourists
The view of the city is spectacular

For anyone taking the trip during the daylight hours, on the way down back to Trastevere you can see tje Fontana dell'Acqua Paolo, a monumental baroque fountain and Bramante's Tempietto at San Pietro in Montorio.

Take the bus or a taxi. Here's an excerpt of the walk from my Jan 2007 trip report:

Got a quick coffee for stamina for the impending walk up – up- up Via Cosini to the steep and winding Via Garibaldi. If you choose to walk this road, be very careful as it is one lane each way, many blind spots because of the curves and no sidewalks to speak of. You have to inch your way along the shoulder very close to the cars at times. You will eventually make your way to the top of the Gianicolo and to the Piazza Garibaldi.

Once there, you’ll be treated to a breathtaking view of the city. The angle of this view does not include St. Peter’s unless you walk across the street to see it on the other side. None the less, a view you will not tire of..the walk is another story.

LVev769375: I think you are staying at the same apartment we stayed in last March. We rented from sleepinitaly. I loved the location. It was quiet, yet there was foot traffic and car, bus, and motorscooter traffic from the large police barracks located right next to the apartment. I thought that it made things quite interesting at times.

The apartment was clean and comfortable. It was furnished in an IKEA style, which suits me. The bedroom was good sized as was the bathroom.

The area has many restaurants and pizza-panini places. I enjoyed walking all over Trastevere from this location. You could get across the river quickly and over to the Tram on viale trastevere as well. It was an easy walk up to St. Peter's.

We enjoyed the Botanical Garden. We almost had it all to ourselves the day we were there. You can actually look up the side of the Garden at the top and see the statue of Anita Garibaldi. I didn't see anyway to walk up there. There were fences that shut off what may have been a walkway at one time.

As to taking a taxi, it depends on how long you would like to admire the sunset and view of Rome from the Giancolo. There is the bus. We never went up there at night, but walked up twice from opposite directions.

Hope you enjoy your apartment and neighborhood. John Cabot University was right around the corner, so you did see American students around more than other areas we toured.

Thanks for all the replies. I believe all the questions were answered. We will probably save the walk up the hill until late the 2nd evening and either take a bus or call a cab to be back to the Testevere area for a walk and dinner. We have been to Rome several times, but have never visited the Tastevere area and look forward to spending 4 of our 7 days explolring this area. Thanks Opaldog for your update on the Apt. It is the same one you left a review on for Slow Travel. I believe we will enjoy our stay there and in the Tastevere area.

Thanks everyone