Piazza Navona or Campo dei Fiori?
 

We have found an apartment we really like in Rome in the Campo dei Fiori area - but on a quiet side street via dei Chiavari.

We have also found some through another agency that are "near" Piazza Navona.

Campo dei Fiori looks like a great location - perhaps more going on. Is it?

They are both great and have plenty "going on".
They are also very close to each other.
I'd be cautious of agency's descriptions of where their apartments are located. "Near" can mean a lot of different things.

I agree that either area has a lot going on and would be fine. I, personally, would prefer to stay on the Piazza Navona side of Vittorio Emmaneul, however. Both would be fine, I'm sure...just a personal choice for me in that I really enjoyed meandering that area in the evenings on my recent trip.

I highly recommend Campo de Fiori. It is absolutely wonderful. SLIGHTLY (all relative in Rome...) less touristy than Piazza Navona. It is wonderful, lively, and close to great (and slightly cheaper) restaurants in Trastevere. Historic, interesting, young people...

You will still spend plenty of time in Piazza Navona, it is close by (Rome is small).

If the apartments are indeed "near" either of these spaces, then the location is fine, just concentrate on which apartment is better - AC? how many stairs? tub and/or shower? beds? overall size and furnishings?

Speaking with someone today, they recommended we stay in Trastavere.

How does this area compare to Campo de Fiore and Piazza Navona? Someone had mentioned to me a while back that it was even more touristy. It's seems off the beaten path, but having not been to Rome, that's why I am asking!

p.s. The apartment "near" Piazza Navona is on this street -

Corso Vittorio Emanuele II.

I enjoy walking in Rome and have stayed in all of the areas you mention; I like all of them. My only caveat with Trastevere would be that some areas of it are less charming than others. As with any apartment, the particular street or block carries a lot of weight with me. So it would be nice to know which particular apartments you're considering.

Corso Vittorio Emmanuele is too big of a street for me to enjoy (although in Rome I'd enjoy just about anything).

Corso VE is VERY busy. I'd rent there only if the apartment is spectacular and has AC (assuming you'll be there in warm weather) so you could keep the windows closed if your apartment faces the street.

I too was just going to say that an apartment on the Corso Vittorio Emmanuele is on a very busy and noisy street so if you are a light sleeper unless the apartment has excellant a/c you probably will not be happy.

Both are very central and easy to navigate from. I personally prefer Piazza Navona. I agree with the last 2 posters that the Corso VE is quite busy and could prove to be quite loud.

Good to know.

2 other apartments we are looking at (same agency) are on:

Vicolo di Montevecchio and Via Leonina.

Also would like to know (street-wise) what people think about the apartment on Via dei Chiavari (near Campo dei Fioro).

vicolo de Montevecchio: A+ location, I believe.

via dei Chiavari: I usually prefer Campo dei Fiori to Piazza Navona (although really they are practically on top of each other), but I'm unfamiliar with this "side" of the campo. I have only rented apartments on the opposite end, which has been, in my experience, quite charming. Perhaps someone else can remember this particular street.

via Leonina: Haven't stayed over here, but I'm considering it as a new area to me in the future. I guess for a first time visit, either of the two above might be better. This is not so quite smack-dab in the middle of things. This area intrigues me, though. :)

What kind of atmosphere are you looking for?

We are looking for something as "non-touristy" but central as possible.

When we stayed in Venice last May, we rented an apartment in Santa Croce. We loved it. The aparment was right off Campo San Giacommo dell Orio which had a church, several outdoor cafes, a wine store, a pastry store, a COOP market where we shopped, a bank with ATM, a few good restaurants, a newstand, and bordered a lovely little canal.

At night we would come home and rest, then walk to one of the restaurants in the Campo, eat while listening to the sound of the Campanille bells, and enjoy the sounds of the kids playing soccer in the campo, and the neighbors visiting each other.

That's the kind of environment we like. I never would have stayed in San Marco or Rilato - too touristy.

p.s. We are also looking at apartments on Via dei Leutari, Via Giulia and Via di S. Onofrio, which is across the river near St. Peters.

Don't know anything about that area as far as convenience for staying. Is that even worth considering?

Via dei Chiavari is a fairly narrow street east of the Campo that runs between Corso Vittorio Emmanuele and via dei Guibbonari--the street that leads into the Campo and which is filled with shops. If I recall correctly we used dei Chiavari to go to Piazza Navona when we were in Rome about three weeks ago. It has some nice stores including a great bakery.

I really liked Via Guilia, it is one of the first Renaissance streets in Rome, with lots of palazzos, churches and antique shops. It is between the river and the Campo.

Funny, first time we were in Venice we stayed where Santa Croce meets Dorsoduro--and loved it. Rialto/San Marco would worry me because of the reasons you mention.

I have to seceond SAB's comment: via Giulia is a very beautiful street!

via dei Chiavari: the only downside, I would guess, is that I'm not wild about via dei Giubbonari; lots of tacky shops, not what it sounds like you're looking for. However, there are plenty of great places right near there. I guess it would depend how close the apartment is to Giubbonari.

San Onofrio wouldn't be my first choice on that side of the river, and I'm a big fan of Trastevere. Again, I haven't stayed right there, so perhaps someone who has can chime in. It is, however, still a convenient location. Given that you enjoyed Santa Croce in Venice, the right apartment in the right area of Trastevere might work for you.

via dei Leutari is also very nice, on the other side of Corso VE, closer to Piazza Navona.

I think, without having seen the apartments and their relative merits, via Giulia would be my first choice, followed by Montevecchio.

Rome is great!

These are the 2 apartments we are looking at:

The first (below) is on Vicolo di Montevecchio It is available Sept. 1st to Sept. 13th, 2006 and then
from Sept. 20th to Oct. 7th, 2006.

http://www.domusintl.com/front_end/prodotto.php?ID=2

The second (below)is on Via dei Chiavari and is available from August until Sept. 13th 2006, and then from Oct 28th - Nov 6th, 2006.

http://www.rome-is-home.com/

Curious what others think of these apartments/locations, and maybe even moreso of the weather during the available times of these 2 apartments. When would be best chance of having nice (not too hot or rainy) weather?

The first apartment is 300E cheaper, and is all-inclusive - the 2nd requires payment of a cleaning fee and utilities. I will say though, that money is not the deciding factor. A nice apartment in a nice location during a timeframe when we can enjoy the outdoors of Rome - stroll around at night without freezing, or worry about pouring rain every day - is more important to us.

I also just happened to notice today as I started reading some of my guidebooks that Nov 1 is All Saints Day - a Holiday - will everything be closed that day? I hate to lose a full day of vacation considering we only have a week.

Campo de Fiore has a lot of young teens hanging out on the streets at night in large groups.

Piazza Navona is nicer(my opinion) I like it better.

I stay in an apartment right next to the pantheon. Cant beat the location and the apartment had AC and was real modern and nice.

Look at my past posts if you want info on the apartment.