markland

As usual, I think I've spent WAY too much time looking at EVERY possibility for an apartment.

I've narrowed it down to these areas, narrowed the apartments down, now it's just those intangibles that I can't measure that will help me decide.

A couple of the Pantheon apartments have terraces/balconies which might be nice.

Campo dei Fiori sounds like it might be a bit too "young" and loud.

Piazza Navona sounds charming.

So, all other things being equal, tell me which area really speaks to you, which has a good, safe "feel" to it. Is one really "it"?

Or maybe they're both a good choice, and it will come down to a coin toss? And then I'll be looking for help in deciding which apartment

Many thanks.

annhig

hi mark,

personally I would go for the piazza navona/pantheon side of the corso vittorio emanuale, but that's only because we stayed near there in February and really enjoyed it. I've also read plenty of reviews of apartments around the campo dei fiori and they have usully been very positive.

on the whole, I would go for the apartment that appeals most -both areas will be fine.

boom_boom

We stayed near Campo dei Fiori two years ago and loved it (we're late 50s). At night it can get pretty hip, but it isn't much of a problem unless you are right at Campo dei Fiori, we were about 2 blocks away but ate there most nights. Realy enjoyed the mornng farmer's market. As annhig says, decide based on the apartment you like best.

zeppole

When are you going? On hot nights, the balconies/terraces will be a plus.

I really dislike the Campo dei Fiori at night, and even during much of the day. The piazza Navona is just too tourist-clogged for me. Most of the piazze around the Pantheon are molto touristy too, but I find it better situated for slipping off in all directions. But if you have already scoped out a bunch of restaurants you would like to try for dinner, pick the apartment that is the easiest walk to and from your target restaurants.

All the areas are safe.

Ackislander

Seconding Zeppole. See Zeppole, sometimes we agree!

We stayed in the Campo once, right in the Campo dei Fiore rather than in the neighborhood, and crowds of young men stood below our window drinking and amusing themselves until very late (or early).

markland

We'll be there mid-October.

I hadn't given much thought to restaurants in either area. My assumption (perhaps erroneously) is that there will be lots to choose from no matter which area. Please tell me if I'm wrong, because that will be a consideration also. I'm not looking for touristy places, small trattorias would be ideal.

Zerlina

The whole area is full of restaurants.

Chances are the apartment you choose will not be *on* Piazza della Rotonda, Campo dei Fiori or Piazza Navona - and the restaurants you choose should definitely not be - but we're not talking major distances here: Navona to Campo or Rotonda is five minutes on foot; Rotonda to Campo is about 10 minutes.

Zerlina

And if you're not staying on the piazzas themselves, I find that one narrow street in the historic center looks pretty much like another. Via Giulia is an exception and particularly lovely.

zeppole

I have an Italian friend who lives within spitting distance of piazza Navona and she complains about the lack of good restaurant choices in the immediate vicinity. Quality goes down when tourism gets intense.

I'm with Zerlina in pointing out that if you haven't already picked restaurants, the places you've zeroed in on are going to be pretty much equidistant from all the trattorie that end up on your target list. However, I actually do feel the streets of the centro differ in character (and I prefer the piazza della Rotunda area) and of all your choices of piazze, I tend to feel the piazza Navona offers the biggest challenge in finding a trattoria right at your doorstep that isn't a touristy place. (And after a long day of sightseeing in Rome, it's nice to be able to eat right at your doorstep.)

ackislander -- do we frequently disagree? By and large, I don't look at posters' names when I enter a thread, and my memory for who said what is a sieve. Some posters try to distinguish themselves as "experts" or have a cheering squad -- but even then, I often don't realize it's the 3rd time I've blown a hole in their "expert" advice that day!

pookymimi

Too bad I read this just now.
I've rented an apartment in Plaza Navona area for July, check map.
Should I change the reservation?

http://www.sleepinitaly.com/en/show-...id_appartam=47

Leely2

pookymimi, why would you change your reservation? I assume this apartment meets your critieria. If so, go for it. We all have different preferences but you won't know which area (or micro-area) you prefer until you've visited a few.

My fave is to be "above"/north of Campo dei Fiori by several blocks but I have also stayed by the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, and in Trastevere in the past. In all cases I had a great time. If I'm do any serious dining, I just get a cab and go wherever.

Have a great trip!

TinaLee204

I'd definitely say Piazza del la Rotunda - Pantheon. Do NOT eat in Piazza Navona - only place in Rome we felt like we got ripped off - and the food was very touristy! Much better places to find... wander a bit and look at menus. My daughter was dying for ravioli of all things so we ended up at the back door to a restaurant, where the owner sat us outdoors... we never even saw the front of the restaurant, but the food was amazing! We may never find it again - but we'll certainly try!

One added bonus to the Pantheon area is the vicinity of the Tazza D'Oro for coffee!

aussiedreamer

Markland, may I ask what apartments you are looking at around the Pantheon? This will be our second trip to Rome and we really want to stay in that area again, just so easy for everything, my favourite coffee shop is there

annhig

pookimimi - if you look at the map on the sleepinitaly website, you'll see that your apartment is NOT on the piazza [not plaza] navona itself, but a little west of it. walk north/west from there, and you'll end up in a maze of streets with plenty of local restaurants and cafes.

i agree that you probably don't want to eat/drink on the piazza itself, but the area is fine. we stayed near there for a week in february and found plenty of nice places to eat.

for more details, click on my screen name and you'll find my trip report.

have a great trip,

regards, ann

ekscrunchy

If you plan to cook in the apartment, you might want to be close to a market area. Obviously, there are tons of food shops near the Campo dei Fiori. There is also a very small food market a few streets north of the Pantheon; kind of tucked away and you might not find it while wandering unless you were looking.

I don't think any of those locations are necessarily great for restaurants and if you do dine in the historic area, you can probably walk to anyplace you choose from any of those locations.

That entire area is safe.

Why don't you give the links to the apartments, or the actual addresses..

charnees

Pooky, that apartment looks OK to me. I would go with it.

Markland, I think the area around the Campo is noisy until the middle of the night, which is why I prefer to to rent there. I understand even the via di Giubbonari is noisy because it is a street people take on their way out of the area after hours.

colduphere

We stayed just off Piazza Navona last year and absolutely loved it. As for restaurants we were eating all over the place - not just around our apartment. Walk, eat, walk, eat - it is such a great city to walk around at night.

colduphere

Pookimimi - looks like we stayed about 50 feet from where you are staying. We thought it was fabulous.