bvlenci

I'm not an art historian, nor an art critic, but there are plenty of those who don't care for Bernini either. He is certainly technically a giant, but he reminds of those virtuosi of the pianaforte who dazzle you with their brilliance but severely lack in expression.

ekc

I love the Via Margutta area and would stay in that apartment in a heartbeat! We stay at a hotel nearby and really enjoy the location.

Iahawk

from an earlier trip report:

Food: Great dinners at La Fortunato, Tempo Bacco, Tempo Perso, Ristorante Toscano, La Buschetta, Pizza at San Marco and Pommodorino (which also does take out); good lunches at Angeli Borgo, Pizzeria Luzzi and Marios. We also found a couple of places that did 'take away' coffee in the mornings along with pastries; there was a little place with just the name 'bar' on it along via sardegna off via veneto that had really good pastries and a deli. One evening, we bought a bottle of wine there and the darling lady who helped us in the morning assembled a variety of antipasti for us to take back to the hotel. Great stuff!
BEWARE of Babington Tea House near the spanish steps. We wanted a short break before the Christmas Walk/tour and the prices were ridiculous with poor service....as in 29e for two cups of tea, one latte and a bottle of water - no food, no snacks. the tea as 12e!!


Tours: we engaged Guia (and I'll send anyone who's interested her contact info) for three private tours. The first was a Christmas Walk that began at the spanish steps, to the 100 Presepi exhibit in Piazza Poppolo and then to some really neat, off the beaten path churches with unique presecpi. The entire walk was three hours - began at 2:30pm and ended at 5:30 when all the lights were on. Our boys returned to the hotel before the tour was officially over since one had a phone call interview so Guia treated my husband and I to espresso with a dollop of liquor infused gelatto. Very tasty indeed!

The second tour we did the Guia was the Vatican Museum; she suggested we get our tickets for a 2:30 entrance and it was perfect. No lines at all!! Guia's background is art history so she not only gave us the basic info on the works of art but the back story, social environment, acceptance by society, relationship of the artist to the patron, pope, etc. She also was very good at reading our family's degree of interest and when we needed breaks. We were probably the last people out at 6pm (good thing she knew the back route back to the coat check!).

Our last tour with Guia was the Borghese Gallery and again, her knowledge of art history made the works come alive. Since we only had 2 hours, she picked things that were 1)extremely key in the collection, 2)had really important historical or technical significance and 3)would be interesting to the family. By this time, we were getting 'madonna and child'ed" out so keeping the mood light and moving along was really great.


Other tours of interest in Rome:
We toured the Catacombs of Priscilla after the Borghese Gallery - it was a 6e cab ride there and we walked back. The catacombs were fascinating. When we arrived, there were only 2 other english speaking people there waiting for a tour to start...SCORE! Unfortunately, the nuns had been told that a larger group would be arriving soon and so we ended up with a huge group of close to 40 people. This made the guide difficult to hear as the memebers of the group continued to talk amongst themselves and since the catacombs are a bit 'narrow' with dead ends (no pun intended) we had to double back a few times so everyone could see the chambers. Entrance was 8e/person - cash only.

We also did a third ring and lower level tour at the colosseum which was great. Our guide was very knowledgeable and seeing the lower level was really fascinating - 600 slaves, under a wooden platform, no natural light, using oil lamps which a)could catch things on fire and b)consumed what minimal oxygen was already there and you can sense the potential for disaster. Be aware that you cannot buy these tickets online and only after buying your entrance to the colosseum. There is no posted schedule that we saw as to when tours in English were offered so we arrived at 8:50, got the entrance tickets and then were told that the next english tour was at noon. Three hours is a long time to (as my sone said) walk in circles. Any longer and we would have passed on the idea. There is no re-entrance so if you leave for lunch, or to just get outside, you're stuck.

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cmeyer54 on Jan 15, 14 at 8:04pm
Side Trips - since we had 10 full days excluding the travel on each end, we had time to do a couple of side/day trips.

Our first excursion was agreed upon as a favor to me - Anzio. My uncle and my dad's best friend both fought there so it was very special. Both survived; my uncle was infantry and the friend was a doctor who operated on the beaches during the shelling and slept in holes dug into the sand.

Reaching Anzio is easy - take the train to Nettuno and its an 800 meter walk to the Sicily/Rome Cemetery. The train took about 75 minutes, ran totally on time and cost 12e each. The day was overcast and drizzly which was fitting. Guide books will tell you to exit the train station and get a taxi; what they don't say is that there are zero cabs available in winter or off season. Luckily, we had google maps and were able to easily walk the short distance.
If you've been to the American Cemetery in Normandy, you are prepared. If not, the beauty, reverence and calm surrounding the grounds will knock you out. They are building a new visitor's center that will be ready within a month. The docent there when we visited is retired US Navy. Walking from the entrance and visitor center back to the Chapel and exhibit building is gorgeous even in winter. The names of all those MIA are inscribed on the walls of the chapel and if remains have since been found (yes they are still finding them), there is a small rosette next to the name. Between the two buildings is a courtyard of sorts with a bronze statue of two 'brothers in arms' - one army and one navy. The other building has maps and a timeline of the campaign.

A few things the docent told us really stuck with me: 1)the soldiers were buried as they fell without regard to race, creed, rank. Captains are next to corporals, etc. 2)Black and white are shoulder to shoulder long before the civil rights movement of the 60's. 3)there was no separate sections for army, navy or air corps - they were all brothers or sisters in arms. 4)23 sets of brothers are buried there 5)13 nurses who likely were in the medical tents on the beaches are buried there. Its a somber place but so full of respect and in my mind, a must see

Following our visit, we walked back into town and had a wonderful lunch at Mezzo al Mare. Its a local fish cooperative so you get whatever was caught that morning but in a white table cloth atmosphere with views of the harbor. We all had the seafood pasta, followed by a massive platter of whitefish, prawns, calamari, etc all grilled and finished off with tiramisu, two bottles of water and a bottle of wine all for 90e. Amazing!!

Our second day trip was to Ostia Antica. Easy train ride with a quick transfer at piramide. We used the rick steves guide downloaded to our cell phones and were able to wander easily and take our time. Its well done, easy to follow and quite nice on a sunny day. Be aware, the bathrooms at the coffee shop and also at the entrance are not well stocked or cleaned. It might be that things slip during off season but it was a bit off putting for me.

A few random thoughts and observations....
Packing or what to wear seem to be lively conversations on this board so I will chime in. I took 4 pair of jeans/slacks with a bit of stretch in them in black, brown, navy and khaki along with one pair of skinny jeans. The dark colors could easily pass as nicer slacks for restaurants. I also took 6 solid colored, cable turtleneck sweaters to mix and match along with several scarves for color. My coat of choice was a car coat (not exactly 3/4 lenght) quilted lightweight jacket with a belt. It was very lightweight, could be used as a pillow and kept me warm down to 25F. I saw so many other women and men wearing similar jackets so any concerns about 'looking so American' were unfounded. Rather than worry about what shoes to wear, find something very comfortable and stick with it. The cobblestone streets can be killers and from my vantage point, I'm there to enjoy the sights, not hobble along and try to look fashionable.

Laundry.....over 12 days, we knew that doing laundry would be a must. Our hotel charged a "mere" 9e for a man's shirt so we immediately looked for an alternative. There is a little drop off laundry just off piazza Barberini that was great. The hours say 7:30am to 9pm but its really 9am to 9pm. I dropped off three hotel sized laundry bags stuffed to the top, had 5 mens shirts starched, ironed and folded along with everything else for 28e. Great deal and so convenient. Service was same day as well.

Manners...this REALLY gets me going. Parents...PLEASE tell your children to remove their hats in restaurants. Baseball caps, worn backwards or frontwards are inappropriate at home or abroad. The lighting is rarely so bright that a cap needs to be worn to shield your eyes. Same goes for those adults who wear cowboy hats in museums or restaurants. Please, have some sense and remove the darn things.

Funniest or saddest comments we heards: "the concierge's English isnt' that good" (its better than my italian, believe me)

"we just flew over with our two children (they looked 8 and 12) and have no idea what we're going to do, I bought a guide book at the airport and we'll just wing it" (in a week, with massive jet lag and no plan, your kids probably wont' remember much beyond being tired and grumpy)

"a taxi is 48e to the airport, a private car is 50e, which would you prefer??"....hmmm, cramped dirty taxi or mercedes sedan?!

"we have no change, our credit card machine no works" - daily at a small coffee shop on via veneto. we gave up after three tries with them and found options. funny...diners in the rear restaurant had no problem; it was just those who wanted a coffee and pastry who could not get change!

Observations...if you're going to climb the dome at St Peter's, get there early. You wait in line to enter the basilica, then another line to climb the dome. Exact change is 'demanded' to climb the dome but I wondered why, if everyone ahead of someone had the exact amount, why change wouldn't be possible in a pinch? Anway, you then can either walk the entire way up or take an elevator and just walk up 320 steps. PLEASE, if you are overweight or out of shape or not in physical condition for any reason, don't start up the stairs from either place. Its narrow and allows only for single file so you can only go as fast as the slowest person ahead.

When we arrived at the dome, the people were crammed 8-10 deep to get to the railing for the view or photos. Again, get there early and avoid the crowds (yes, I am getting crabby by this time). It was beautiful and the day was crystal blue clear skies but we literally could not move at the top. It might make sense to have the Vatican start limiting the number of people going up at one time (like gallery borghese??)

maitaitom

...that the lamb chops at two separate restaurants would have virtually no lamb.

egrizz423

Hello all!

First time poster. I am headed to Rome in January and had a few questions.

1. Which airport is the best to fly into in Italy? I am flying from the US and want the quickest passport control and luggage pick up line.

2. Has anyone taken Uber to get around in Italy? If so how was the service and did the drivers speak any English?

3. Similar to above, how well was english spoken in Rome, Naples, and Palermo? I know some spanish, but I know 0 Italian. I've been in almost total non speaking countries and it was a slight issue, but didnt know how Italy faired.

4. Has anyone been to Palermo (Sicily), are the welcoming to tourist?

5. What is the best way to exchange US dollars for Euros??

Thanks!!!!

ekc

egrizz, you really should start your own thread.

Tabernash2

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this yet, but it was a great tip we were happy to use.

Book a tour guide through the Vatican website. You will tour the Museum first, then end in the Sistine chapel where you can stay as long as you please.

The tip is this: from inside the Sistine chapel, you have access to St Peter's Basilica without going back outside to stand in line.

Ask the tour guide which door to exit the chapel in order to walk directly to the Basilica, don't follow the crowd. (I think it's the door on the left as you face the back of the chapel.)

annhig

egrizz - your questions have now been answered on your thread.

welltraveledbrit

bvlenci - I was really interested to read your take. On our last trip to Rome I must admit I had no desire to see any of the major sites but the secondary sites you mentioned were very manageable.

It's as if it has become two cities one where everyone goes and piles of other sites which remain highly desirable but quite quiet. I'd add the Palazzo Colonna, the quirky Mario Praz and the Villa Guilia to your list.

I agree that the crowds make certain locations entirely off limits.

bvlenci

The Villa Giulia (site of the National Etruscan Museum) is one of those museums where the guards outnumbered the visitors when we were there. They have superb exhibits of Etruscan art and culture. So does the Vatican Museum, and they've expanded the exhibit space since I wss last there. The Egyptian collection at the Vatican Museums is also fantastic. You can reach these two collections by going up the circular staircase near the entrance, thus missing the worst of the hordes. If you can resist the stampede to the Sistine Chapel, you could actually have a pleasant visit there, well worth the ticket cost.

Three other places in Rome that merit a visit, and that aren't overcrowded are the Palazzo Farnese, the Villa Medici, and the Galleria Doria Pamphilj. All three are splendid Renaissance homes which have worthwhile art on display, but are interesting just for for their grandeur. The Villa Medici is on the southern edge of the Villa Borghese park, and the Villa Giulia (mentioned above) is on the northern edge.

welltraveledbrit

bvlenci - I believe there are some wonderful ethnographic collections at the Vatican too which are on my to do list for another trip to Rome. I think the staircase is on your right as you come in? An anthropologist I know has been telling me to go for years but I've never made it. He did a lot of research in the Vatican archive which are apparently incredible. The the Villa Medici, and the Galleria Doria Pamphilj are still on my list. As I remember it the Villa Medici is the French Academy, is it open to the public?

Here's a blog post on the Villa Guilia, given the quality of the collection it's a crime this place is so quiet.

http://www.somuchmoretosee.com/2014/...q=villa+giulia

Reading your list of all these lovely places makes me want to hot-foot it to Rome!

annhig

WTB - I went to see the Canova exhibition at the Museum of Rome on the Corso Vittorio Emmanuale and I was just about the only person there. Even the Capitoline museums were relatively empty when we were there at Easter and the museum of the Risorgimento in the Vittoriano was deserted, even though it is free. [mind you, it could do with a duster going round!]

and of course the Doria Pamphilij gets a big thumbs up from me - and don't forget the cafe on the ground floor. Very nice.

Staying away from the tourist hot spots is definitely the way to go.

Taltul

I think someone mentioned this but you can drink the water at any fountain on the streets. I think I read this tip on Fodor before we went. The water comes from underground springs and it is safe and delicious. We were in Rome in the summer and we never bought bottled water. We just kept filling the empty bottle (a lot)!
Maybe this only happened to us, but during our 7 day visit, 3 restaurants made "a mistake" in our bill. So check every bill you get at restaurants and kiosks.

annhig

Taltul - you're right about the water, it might have been me who mentioned it before.

ditto the bills - and they are always so apologetic! [strange that they are always in favour of the restaurant - if they were accidents, you'd expect them to be in favour of the customer about 50% of the time]

STEFANIENY

We did 4 days in Rome in May. Grab a map, you can walk everywhere, the traffic is horrific, so walking is your best mode of transport to see the sites. We signed up for Hop on & Off, but the traffic was so bad, that we just sat in traffic, and just got off and walked to the sites.

I agree, you do get lost. Grab a good map, the hotel will provide you one, but the street names are so small and hard to read on the map, that you will get lost. We got lost a few times, but encountered some wonderful sites that were unplanned but seen in the piazzas, horn players, tickets to an opera that night. Be prepared to get lost. You probably will.
We stayed in the Hotel Nationale near Piazza Montecitorio, 131, Rome, RM, 00186 which put us on the main strip but quiet surrondings as we were near the government/Parliment offices, so foot traffic and cars were limited. Grand older hotel with wonderful staff. Easy access to the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Novena, Compo De Fiore, and from here an easy not getting lost walk to the Pantheon, Coliseum, and the Vatican and the Castle Angelis (the pope's castle) and Spanish steps.

Do go to the Jewish Ghetto for the bistros and peace and quite and also Trastevere for the art. It is a short walk from the Coliseum down the hill from the wedding cake/typewriter white government building, a nice walk along the Tiber. We did that our last full day and it was such a joy to get away from the traffic and the noise and the peddlers! Yikes! they are everywhere and very aggressive.

Advice Tours: Do a Coliseum tour with the underground. It is worth it, as you get access to the gladiator quarters, and also the upper viewing platforms, that are blocked off from other visitors. We did ours thru RomeTours.

Vatican: purchase a jump the line ticket, they get you in and you explore on your own, this you can do at your own pace. Save hours in line and yet you go at your own pace. The Vatican is so crowded, and moves a snails crawl, and be wary of pickpockets there. Tours are usually 4+ hours in steady cattle moving pace, so we opt for our own pace and stayed in rooms we liked. The Sistine Chapel is so crowded, and there they make you move quickly thru it. We were there in May and there were 30,000 people there that day and that wasn't considered peak!

A must! Get out of the city and do the Amalfi Coast tour. We booked a small group tour thru Viator, expensive but well worth it. Away from the crowds and traffic, you are taken in a small group in a van and visit two seaside towns, lunch at one, the roads are so winding and small that you are glad you are not driving. It is beautiful drive with such beautiful scenery and then on the way back you stop and do a small tour of historic Pompei, what a site, and a small group tour is perfect to learn the history. Excellent guide!

To be honest we were not a fan of Rome, too loud, too many peddlers, too much traffic, even a little dirty. We did find the food, not all that expensive and most serve the price fix or have specials. Coming from NY it was less expensive than we thought. Just beware of the peddlers when you sit outside. Ladies, bags in the front of you, and under the table by your feet. don't leave camera/phones laying on the tables.

Must do trips: the Coliseum (with underground) and the day trip to Amalfi coastal town was our best days, and to have the last day sitting in the peace of the small streets of the Jewish Ghetto and a walk thru the streets of Trastevere was the best way to end the days in Rome.

Rome's airport is a bit of a disaster, if you can come in via train, do so. Go to the white taxi stands, do not take the cabs that your "greeter" will offer to take you to. Those are the gypsies. be careful. I have heard tales of baggage been held at ransom for a higher cab rate, always ask the rate before you go in and use those white cabs that are in lines on the street.

Euros: We changed some money before we left, as there are no hidden fees. Check out BOA for information.

Operas and Tenors shows: the tickets that they hawk outside the Colisseum is actually legit. We took a chance and purchased tickets to a show that night. We were hesitant, but the tickets were legit and are small venues, was worth it. Make sure you buy from the vendors/students/artists with the name badges with the brochures. take the white cabs to and from the venues to your hotel, look for the taxi stands for the ride back (we asked our driver to point it out when we were dropped off). Just don't look like a lost tourist late at night.

Language: most vendors speak English, but always attempt some Italian as greetings or asking for help. It goes a long way. Thank your waiters/servers as well. Graci.

Tips: Eat like the locals, find local restaurants and eat the specials. Get away from the crowds and touristy places for a little bit, it will keep you sane. If you get lost, embrace it, there are hidden gems along the way. THe names of the streets are on the buildings on most corners, others will not so find the closest one and backtrack from there.
Stay away from the peddlers/hawkers, they will not leave you alone if you make eye contact, you are done.

Do a lot of walking, it is closer than you think, and help walk off that gelato and pasta.
Do eat the pasta, it is wonderful.
Embrace whatever country you are visiting, they will respect you for that. Attempt a word or two in the language - hello, please and thank you. Dress up a little for dinner it shows respect, no hats in restaurants, speak slowly and do not talk loud.

bvlenci

I saw the Villa Medici, which <b>is</b> the site of the French Academy, when it had a special opening for the occasion of the Bicentennial of Italian unification. Since then, it's opened for regular visits, with a guided tour.

The Palazzo Farnese, site of the French Embassy, and once open only by appointment (with preference given to scholars), now also has regular visiting hours.

Another incredible palazzo, which I haven't managed to see yet, is the Palazzo Colonna. It'Then there are the Palazzo Spada and the Palazzo Venezia, both of which have art galleries.

It would be easy (and rewarding)to spend more than a week in Rome just visiting palazzos and villas.

annhig

I agree bvl. to this I think we should add the Qurinale which is of course a palace and has a great website - I suspect that it is very under-visited - I've only read of one person here who's been there.

bilboburgler

ghetto kinda predicates "Jewish"

sarge56

Much great advice. I agree with MaiTai on both his fave spots. I have to add St. John Lateran (one of the four basilicas in Rome). I loved it more than St. Peter's.

Marigross' suggestion about keeping coins is a good one. Not just for restrooms. But churches that hold great art use "light boxes" that operate with coins, that allow you to better see that art. And, finally, many vendors prefer coins, especially if you're buying gelato three times a day.

My hint is, if you are not staying right off a main square, take a piece of "sidewalk chalk" with you and mark the corners of the intersections with arrows from/to your apt/hotel to the main plaza/street. If it rains, well.. but May should be lovely.

Yes, having been there in mid-May just two years ago, it will be crowded. I loved my Roma pass. Since you can use it at the Colosseum, if you have that, you actually bypass all the lines, as there is just a turnstyle you use to put you card in. Like a train station.

Trastavere is a lovely place to stay and the tram can take you to the Central Storico. However, you should also look at Campo de Fiore. That is central, also.

There is an app you can get for your phone (free) that will show you where every single free water fountain is in Rome. It is called Nasoni. Love it. Speaking of free apps, Rick Steves has dozens of free downloadable "walking tours" for Rome. We find them to be very convenient, especially if you'd rather enjoy what you're looking at than read the guidebook as you go.

For wandering, get up early! Far less people roaming the streets before 8am.

I could never spend just 3 days in Rome (I've been 6 times and April will be #7). But I suspect you will realize how much you won't get to see.. and will plan a return trip.

Buon viaggio!

Indogirl1

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