Return to Rome--short trip, long report
Jun 1st, 2005, 03:48 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 4,222
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Return to Rome--short trip, long report
First, thanks to all who contribute info about Rome (and of course elsewhere) to this site. It was instrumental in my planning.
Background:
This was my third trip to Rome, my sister�s first. We didn�t have much time or money, so we just extended Memorial Day weekend. This was to be our last sister�s trip before she and her husband welcome their baby in the fall, and we decided on Rome because a) I love it and b) when we were in the 5th grade her term paper was �The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire.� She was the first person ever to tell me about Romulus, Remus and the wolf.
Apartment:
We rented through Real Rome. Studio on via dei Cappellari, off Campo dei Fiori, 97E a night for 5 nights. Basic but nice. Loved the location. Big bathroom, hair dryer, no a/c but the building stayed cool and the fan worked wonders. Descriptions/reviews on slowtrav were spot on. Off course we didn�t cook, but used the fridge for wine, cheese, salami. I had a pre-coffee coffee every morning.
Weather:
Beastly hot to this San Franciscan. I have no idea what the temps were, but I�m guessing somewhere around 1 million degrees (Celsius).
Two thunderstorms. These were quite exciting. In one we were trapped at a café in Piazza San Salvatore in Lauro, where we had stopped to cool down with a prosecco for me and a water for her. Within 15 minutes there was thunder, lightening and then the deluge. The waiters were holding down the umbrellas. The other storm detained us at Castel Sant� Angelo. It was less enjoyable because I wasn�t drinking.
What we did:
First day:
We just walked around to all the usual places to get the lay of the land: Trevi, Piazza Navona, towards the river, and so on. My sister�s first gelato. Her first Roman pizza. Etc. It was all wonderful in spite of the heat and crowds.
Second day:
We had reservations at 11 for the Borghese. We walked from our apartment. Got to the Borghese at 10:30 as instructed. Strike. But they could take us at 3 or 5. We chose 5.
Ambitiously we walked to the Colosseum. By the time we got there we decided it was too hot. Tried Saint Peter in Chains�closed �til 4. Boiling, aching, not looking too sharp, we decided to have lunch. Then we walked home, took a nap. Left for the Borghese. I got the dread blisters about 4 blocks away from the apartment.
I have never experienced any blister/foot trouble while on vacation before and I always do tons of walking, often in heels. In fact, when I�ve seen all these threads on comfortable walking shoes I�ve always thought �Oh my word, what ARE they going on about?� My sincere apologies to all. I have learned my lesson. The culprits? Very cute violet/lavender suede flats. The open-toe wedge shoes I had brought were agonizing in a different way. The gold ballroom dance heels? Didn�t work with the cobblestones. And it was too hot for my black Converse high tops (yes, ladies, I still wear them). None of these shoes were new, and I�ve worn them all to work, out to dinner, running errands. But not walking all day long in Rome in beastly hot weather.
Temporary solution: bandaids. We trundled off to the Borghese and loved it (again, not my first time, but I don�t really tire of art).
Afterward while we were sitting in the park, me with my deformed feet up on the bench, we were approached by two Italian guys. One asked me to go out dancing with him that night. Ha-ha, very funny. My Italian isn�t good enough to say �Can�t you see my dogs are barking? Are you making fun of my affliction?�
Made it home (ugh, my kingdom for a taxi, but nothing in sight) and went to dinner by the Pantheon.
Third day:
In the a.m. Santa Maria in Trastevere followed by the best 8 euro orange juice we�d ever had. We did a lot of stopping in shady spots, on quiet piazze to cool down and relax. We also did a lot of gelato sampling �because it�s so hot.� My fave combo this trip: pistachio and bacio. She liked lemon and chocolate but then again she�s pg.
Afternoon: Vatican Museums and Saint Peter�s�we were there for nearly 6 hours. Didn�t take a tour, but while in line the couple in front of us had a very erudite private tour guide so we eavesdropped. She was great and if I knew her name I would highly, highly recommend her.
I always rent audioguides: I love things explained in that clipped British accent the speaker inevitably has.
My feet were killing me in all kinds of new and unimaginable ways, so between the Vatican Museums and Saint Peter�s we searched the neighborhood until I found some cheap flip-flops. Don�t sneer--those flip flops were the best friends I had for the remainder of the trip. I love my sister, but I would have sold her down the Tiber for a pair of comfortable shoes. I was feeling so groovy in my flip-flops we climbed the cupola.
Fourth day:
Colosseum, the Roman Forum and Palatine. Hours and hours. The flip-flops held up well although I have to admit my feet were looking a little�dusty. After we did all this we were too beat to try Saint Peter in Chains again. Next time.
We did more stuff this afternoon but I can�t remember other than we went in search of an internet café and got caught in the storm on the way home.
Fifth day:
Jewish ghetto (there was a wedding at the synagogue, very nice seeing everyone all gussied up). Isola Tiberina, visited the church there. Lunch in Trastevere. Castel Sant� Angelo.
Restaurants we liked and some we didn�t:
Da Francesco near Piazza Navona. Good pizza, very casual atmosphere.
We ate outside. My sister gagged on the prosciutto�did I mention she�s not much of a foodie and her tolerance is waaay down due to the pregnancy? I liked the prosciutto and arugula, but it�s the kind of thing I�d like. She couldn�t handle waiting in line for Da Baffetto so we ended up here. It was cheap, I think. We were satisfied. Sat outside and it was nice, but very smoky for her.
Osteria del Nerone (?), on via Terme di Tito by the Colosseum.
We actually ate lunch here twice because of our aborted attempt to squeeze the Colosseum and Forum in before the Borghese. Then we were hot and exhausted after we really the Colosseum and Forum, so we stopped in again. The first time we had the cold antipasto buffet and enjoyed it (caveat: we would have enjoyed anything cold at that point). Second time we got there at 1 and the place was really packed. The elderly man just kept saying no and muttering to us. Then our (handsome, nice) waiter from the other day spotted us (two beautiful and glamorous women, one in chic flip-flops) and set up an extra table for us. I later mistakenly led him to believe we�d be back on the day we were flying out�one of the problems with not really speaking the language.
Whoops, I guess I should tell you what we ate. Insalata mista each (fine, we like salads), she had lasagne (excellent), and I had ravioli with Bolognese (v. good, but not as good as her lasagne). A quarto of wine. Water. Soda for the pg girl. Maybe it was around 25 Euros total?
Trattoria da Olindo in Trastevere: Yum. We had the best traditional Roman food of the trip here at dinner one night. Basic. As my sister said �They�re here to feed people.� And that�s it. We loved it! Antipasto misto consisted of potatoes, a quiche-type thing and fava beans with peas. Salty goodness. She had chicken with butter and sage. I had bucatini all�amatriciana (my quest for the trip but I kinda wimped out on it b/c it was so hot). Both were excellent. Wine. Water. 35 Euros tops?
Place near Piazza della Rotunda:
I have the card for this place somewhere�We liked it. Or, more accurately, I liked it more and my sister less. Food was very good, service friendly, but it was a little more formal than my crunchy/active sister normally cares for. (Thus we didn�t revisit some places I liked from the last time I was in Rome. Sad face here.)
Didn�t like Da Giggetto in the ghetto. Food was okay-to-pretty-good (my carbonara was actually quite good as were the fava beans with guanciale) but the experience just wasn�t very pleasant and we weren�t treated all that well. I can see why, if you were seated outside among the ruins, it might be a very nice place to eat. Wasn�t our experience, however. 100 euros.
In general: We ate at other places but I honestly can�t remember their names. We had great pizza wherever we stopped. This was less of a food-lover�s trip than my other trips to Rome. It was so hot we tended to eat wherever was most convenient but I was on a steady diet of coffee and gelato so I was happy.
My sister loved Rome and that was really gratifying for me. I already loved it and still do. Five days went by in a flash. What a joy just to hang out in Rome. I could stay a month.
Thanks to all for tips and anecdotes that I collected from this site beforehand. And sorry for typos and just plain bad spelling and grammar. Mea culpa. I�m still jetlagged.
Background:
This was my third trip to Rome, my sister�s first. We didn�t have much time or money, so we just extended Memorial Day weekend. This was to be our last sister�s trip before she and her husband welcome their baby in the fall, and we decided on Rome because a) I love it and b) when we were in the 5th grade her term paper was �The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire.� She was the first person ever to tell me about Romulus, Remus and the wolf.
Apartment:
We rented through Real Rome. Studio on via dei Cappellari, off Campo dei Fiori, 97E a night for 5 nights. Basic but nice. Loved the location. Big bathroom, hair dryer, no a/c but the building stayed cool and the fan worked wonders. Descriptions/reviews on slowtrav were spot on. Off course we didn�t cook, but used the fridge for wine, cheese, salami. I had a pre-coffee coffee every morning.
Weather:
Beastly hot to this San Franciscan. I have no idea what the temps were, but I�m guessing somewhere around 1 million degrees (Celsius).
Two thunderstorms. These were quite exciting. In one we were trapped at a café in Piazza San Salvatore in Lauro, where we had stopped to cool down with a prosecco for me and a water for her. Within 15 minutes there was thunder, lightening and then the deluge. The waiters were holding down the umbrellas. The other storm detained us at Castel Sant� Angelo. It was less enjoyable because I wasn�t drinking.
What we did:
First day:
We just walked around to all the usual places to get the lay of the land: Trevi, Piazza Navona, towards the river, and so on. My sister�s first gelato. Her first Roman pizza. Etc. It was all wonderful in spite of the heat and crowds.
Second day:
We had reservations at 11 for the Borghese. We walked from our apartment. Got to the Borghese at 10:30 as instructed. Strike. But they could take us at 3 or 5. We chose 5.
Ambitiously we walked to the Colosseum. By the time we got there we decided it was too hot. Tried Saint Peter in Chains�closed �til 4. Boiling, aching, not looking too sharp, we decided to have lunch. Then we walked home, took a nap. Left for the Borghese. I got the dread blisters about 4 blocks away from the apartment.
I have never experienced any blister/foot trouble while on vacation before and I always do tons of walking, often in heels. In fact, when I�ve seen all these threads on comfortable walking shoes I�ve always thought �Oh my word, what ARE they going on about?� My sincere apologies to all. I have learned my lesson. The culprits? Very cute violet/lavender suede flats. The open-toe wedge shoes I had brought were agonizing in a different way. The gold ballroom dance heels? Didn�t work with the cobblestones. And it was too hot for my black Converse high tops (yes, ladies, I still wear them). None of these shoes were new, and I�ve worn them all to work, out to dinner, running errands. But not walking all day long in Rome in beastly hot weather.
Temporary solution: bandaids. We trundled off to the Borghese and loved it (again, not my first time, but I don�t really tire of art).
Afterward while we were sitting in the park, me with my deformed feet up on the bench, we were approached by two Italian guys. One asked me to go out dancing with him that night. Ha-ha, very funny. My Italian isn�t good enough to say �Can�t you see my dogs are barking? Are you making fun of my affliction?�
Made it home (ugh, my kingdom for a taxi, but nothing in sight) and went to dinner by the Pantheon.
Third day:
In the a.m. Santa Maria in Trastevere followed by the best 8 euro orange juice we�d ever had. We did a lot of stopping in shady spots, on quiet piazze to cool down and relax. We also did a lot of gelato sampling �because it�s so hot.� My fave combo this trip: pistachio and bacio. She liked lemon and chocolate but then again she�s pg.
Afternoon: Vatican Museums and Saint Peter�s�we were there for nearly 6 hours. Didn�t take a tour, but while in line the couple in front of us had a very erudite private tour guide so we eavesdropped. She was great and if I knew her name I would highly, highly recommend her.
I always rent audioguides: I love things explained in that clipped British accent the speaker inevitably has.
My feet were killing me in all kinds of new and unimaginable ways, so between the Vatican Museums and Saint Peter�s we searched the neighborhood until I found some cheap flip-flops. Don�t sneer--those flip flops were the best friends I had for the remainder of the trip. I love my sister, but I would have sold her down the Tiber for a pair of comfortable shoes. I was feeling so groovy in my flip-flops we climbed the cupola.
Fourth day:
Colosseum, the Roman Forum and Palatine. Hours and hours. The flip-flops held up well although I have to admit my feet were looking a little�dusty. After we did all this we were too beat to try Saint Peter in Chains again. Next time.
We did more stuff this afternoon but I can�t remember other than we went in search of an internet café and got caught in the storm on the way home.
Fifth day:
Jewish ghetto (there was a wedding at the synagogue, very nice seeing everyone all gussied up). Isola Tiberina, visited the church there. Lunch in Trastevere. Castel Sant� Angelo.
Restaurants we liked and some we didn�t:
Da Francesco near Piazza Navona. Good pizza, very casual atmosphere.
We ate outside. My sister gagged on the prosciutto�did I mention she�s not much of a foodie and her tolerance is waaay down due to the pregnancy? I liked the prosciutto and arugula, but it�s the kind of thing I�d like. She couldn�t handle waiting in line for Da Baffetto so we ended up here. It was cheap, I think. We were satisfied. Sat outside and it was nice, but very smoky for her.
Osteria del Nerone (?), on via Terme di Tito by the Colosseum.
We actually ate lunch here twice because of our aborted attempt to squeeze the Colosseum and Forum in before the Borghese. Then we were hot and exhausted after we really the Colosseum and Forum, so we stopped in again. The first time we had the cold antipasto buffet and enjoyed it (caveat: we would have enjoyed anything cold at that point). Second time we got there at 1 and the place was really packed. The elderly man just kept saying no and muttering to us. Then our (handsome, nice) waiter from the other day spotted us (two beautiful and glamorous women, one in chic flip-flops) and set up an extra table for us. I later mistakenly led him to believe we�d be back on the day we were flying out�one of the problems with not really speaking the language.
Whoops, I guess I should tell you what we ate. Insalata mista each (fine, we like salads), she had lasagne (excellent), and I had ravioli with Bolognese (v. good, but not as good as her lasagne). A quarto of wine. Water. Soda for the pg girl. Maybe it was around 25 Euros total?
Trattoria da Olindo in Trastevere: Yum. We had the best traditional Roman food of the trip here at dinner one night. Basic. As my sister said �They�re here to feed people.� And that�s it. We loved it! Antipasto misto consisted of potatoes, a quiche-type thing and fava beans with peas. Salty goodness. She had chicken with butter and sage. I had bucatini all�amatriciana (my quest for the trip but I kinda wimped out on it b/c it was so hot). Both were excellent. Wine. Water. 35 Euros tops?
Place near Piazza della Rotunda:
I have the card for this place somewhere�We liked it. Or, more accurately, I liked it more and my sister less. Food was very good, service friendly, but it was a little more formal than my crunchy/active sister normally cares for. (Thus we didn�t revisit some places I liked from the last time I was in Rome. Sad face here.)
Didn�t like Da Giggetto in the ghetto. Food was okay-to-pretty-good (my carbonara was actually quite good as were the fava beans with guanciale) but the experience just wasn�t very pleasant and we weren�t treated all that well. I can see why, if you were seated outside among the ruins, it might be a very nice place to eat. Wasn�t our experience, however. 100 euros.
In general: We ate at other places but I honestly can�t remember their names. We had great pizza wherever we stopped. This was less of a food-lover�s trip than my other trips to Rome. It was so hot we tended to eat wherever was most convenient but I was on a steady diet of coffee and gelato so I was happy.
My sister loved Rome and that was really gratifying for me. I already loved it and still do. Five days went by in a flash. What a joy just to hang out in Rome. I could stay a month.
Thanks to all for tips and anecdotes that I collected from this site beforehand. And sorry for typos and just plain bad spelling and grammar. Mea culpa. I�m still jetlagged.
Jun 1st, 2005, 04:02 PM
#2
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,472
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Leely:
I'm just leaving work for the day, but I think I'm staying in the same apt. this fall. There are six of us and we have three apts. On the buzzers one is Govoni and the other two are Interno 2 and 3, on Via dei Cappellari through Real Rome. This is the third time I've rented through Real Rome and I've been very pleased with the last two times and with Tim Pearson. I'm glad to hear you liked the apt. Is there lots of light? That was a main concern for me, also I know there is no lift, are there tons of stairs? Any other helpful info you can tell me about the apt. I'll check back tomorrow a.m. Thanks - BTW I've printed out your report so I can read it over a glass of vino when I get home.
I'm just leaving work for the day, but I think I'm staying in the same apt. this fall. There are six of us and we have three apts. On the buzzers one is Govoni and the other two are Interno 2 and 3, on Via dei Cappellari through Real Rome. This is the third time I've rented through Real Rome and I've been very pleased with the last two times and with Tim Pearson. I'm glad to hear you liked the apt. Is there lots of light? That was a main concern for me, also I know there is no lift, are there tons of stairs? Any other helpful info you can tell me about the apt. I'll check back tomorrow a.m. Thanks - BTW I've printed out your report so I can read it over a glass of vino when I get home.
Jun 1st, 2005, 04:16 PM
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 4,222
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Barb,
I'll be away from work, so here goes: yes, they are dark, one window only. We kept the curtains closed, however, because it was very warm and we wanted to keep the apartment cool. Frankly the thought of any more sunshine would have sent me screaming into the night.
We were in no. 6. Good for a couple or close friends (or sisters). I didn't think it there were too many stairs--two sets?
The front door key sticks.
I've also stayed on via Pellegrino (a block away) with another agency before. dei Cappellari itself felt a tiny bit grottier. For my sister and me that was no big deal, but it may not be for everyone. However, as you've been to Rome before I doubt you'd find anything wrong with it.
I had been concerned that it would be noisy at night being so close to the Campo but once we shut the windows and shutters it was perfectly quiet.
I thought the apartment was a great value. And like you, I have nothing but good things to say about Real Rome.
I'll be away from work, so here goes: yes, they are dark, one window only. We kept the curtains closed, however, because it was very warm and we wanted to keep the apartment cool. Frankly the thought of any more sunshine would have sent me screaming into the night.
We were in no. 6. Good for a couple or close friends (or sisters). I didn't think it there were too many stairs--two sets?
The front door key sticks.
I've also stayed on via Pellegrino (a block away) with another agency before. dei Cappellari itself felt a tiny bit grottier. For my sister and me that was no big deal, but it may not be for everyone. However, as you've been to Rome before I doubt you'd find anything wrong with it.
I had been concerned that it would be noisy at night being so close to the Campo but once we shut the windows and shutters it was perfectly quiet.
I thought the apartment was a great value. And like you, I have nothing but good things to say about Real Rome.
Jun 1st, 2005, 05:11 PM
#4
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 121
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Your trip report was great...thanks for sharing!
I am leaving for Rome in 18 days, and was wondering what is "Saint Peter in Chains"? and also did you have reservations for the Borghese Gallery?
Thanks
I am leaving for Rome in 18 days, and was wondering what is "Saint Peter in Chains"? and also did you have reservations for the Borghese Gallery?
Thanks
Jun 1st, 2005, 05:52 PM
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 4,222
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
iloveitaly,
Good for you. Make sure you make time to take it easy--Rome can be awfully hectic. Saint Peter in Chains--real name is San Petro in Vincoli. It is the church, pretty close to the Colloseum, where they keep the (supposed) chains that St. Peter was shackled with while in prison. It also has Michelangelo's tomb of Pope...umm, I'm spacing on the Pope. I've hardly been to any churches in Rome, and this was on my list. Didn't make it!
Yes, we reserved for the Borghese online. You are told to then show up 30 minutes before your scheduled time. We did it through the museum's web site. It's easy. If you need it, I can poke around and find the web address.
Have a wonderful time in Italy. Bring comfy shoes!
Good for you. Make sure you make time to take it easy--Rome can be awfully hectic. Saint Peter in Chains--real name is San Petro in Vincoli. It is the church, pretty close to the Colloseum, where they keep the (supposed) chains that St. Peter was shackled with while in prison. It also has Michelangelo's tomb of Pope...umm, I'm spacing on the Pope. I've hardly been to any churches in Rome, and this was on my list. Didn't make it!
Yes, we reserved for the Borghese online. You are told to then show up 30 minutes before your scheduled time. We did it through the museum's web site. It's easy. If you need it, I can poke around and find the web address.
Have a wonderful time in Italy. Bring comfy shoes!
Jun 2nd, 2005, 08:09 AM
#10
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,472
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ok, that does it, I have put that restaurant on my list!! Where exactly is it? To heck with Roman ruins, I want to see those blue eyes, lol. I must admit, I have a thing for cute Roman waiters - wink, wink.
Jun 2nd, 2005, 08:22 AM
#11
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 6,052
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Leely, I loved your trip report and I feel your pain about your feet! Same thing happened to me. We (my husband and two younger brothers) went to Rome for a long weekend in December. I don't usually have problems with my feet aching on vacation but oh, did they ever hurt! I had blisters on top of blisters and my bones actually ached in my feet from walking on all the uneven surfaces. The icing on the cake was the trek to Ostia Antica on the final day...I thought I was going to cry they hurt so bad! Still, I had a wonderful time in Rome and have nothing but fond memories...except for the occassional ache I felt for my feet! It was my second trip and we are already planning our third. I'm glad you had a great time!
Tracy
Tracy
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
julies
Europe
34
Dec 23rd, 2007 04:00 AM
