We are seasoned travelers. We have visited Sienna and Florence but have never been to Rome.We are thinking ahead to visiting there in 2004.

We are looking for a hotel near the Spanish Steps in the $150/200 range. We are curious about the best time to visit (other than August).

Please share your personal experience, o websites please.

Grazie.

Anthony

Hi
I did what you did, I went to other places in Italy before finally getting to Rome. I loved it, but it is large, noisy, spread out, and demanding of time and energy. The metro stops are relatively few and far between so that getting from one place to another took me longer than I would have predicted.

I highly recommend that you schedule some walking tours with a good company.
My own preferred agency is Scala Reale, but there are others.

I have visited in late Sept and early October. Still quite warm during the day (around 80F), pleasant at night, drizzle once or twice.

If you can, plan on at least 5 days, a full week will be better. You won't run out of things to do, and if you want a break there are pleasant daytrips to consider.

I have a long file on Rome; if you'd like to see it, email me at
[email protected]

Hi,
I can give high recommendations to the Hotel San Carlo, and to Casa Howard. Both are within your budget, and very close to the Spanish Steps.

I have very much enjoyed Rome during the "off-season" and have visited the city in January, February, March and early April. The weather is great, especially in March and early April, and depending upon when Easter falls, the city is not as crowded, so fewer lines in general at museums and in restaurants. I come from a relatively cool part of America (Michigan) and don't enjoy Italy the way some other folks do in the summer months, as I find the heat too oppressive.

Buon Viaggio,
BC

Our first trip to Rome many years ago was in August and it was very hot which impacted our appreciation and we let it put us off for several years. However, we have since been many times and will be living near Rome next year.

Get hold of the Fodor"s guides of course, but also Eyewitness Rome for the basics.We love Rome in the shoulder seasons October/November and March/April.

Our pics in hotels tend to be nr. Termini because of work-related travel so can't help with that aspect, but many on this forum will plug in the gaps once you have narrowed your hotel search down a bit.

While, it si ttrue that metro.subway stops are far apart, bus stops are frequent and accessible and an all-day pass for one works on the other.

As far as "musts" are concerned: do the Scavi tour under St Peter's, visit Trastavere for the markets, go to a opera chorale/concert at St. Paul's on Via Nazionale if you can't manage a full opera, picnic in the Gardens and wander away from the tourist areas to find you personal private Rome and then tell us about it!

LJ,
Can you please tell me if you are familiar with the Hotel Virginia which is close to the train station. I would also like to know if it is safe to walk or take a bus from this area at night to go to the Trevi Fountain?

I just came back from Rome the last week in May. This is a great time to go. Not nearly as crowded as later in the summer, the flowers are in bloom and the weather was perfect (75-80 and sunny every day). Make sure you go up to the Cuppola of St Peter's Basilica around 5 pm. There is a 5 o'clock mass every day and the sounds of the choir inside the dome is enough to make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. If you want to avoid crowds, visit the Museum (Sistine Chapel) at 8:30 am and the Basilica after 4:30 pm. We'll be going back in 2 years. Can't wait.

I'm also interested in any replies to JandaO's questions, as my daughter and I will be staying near the train station this summer. How safe is it for young women to walk there after dark?

Janda & Carol, before heading to Rome the first time two years ago, I'd considered some hotels near Termini (we ended up staying elsewhere.) For what it's worth, I recall reading that the areas to the east and south of Termini are dicier than the areas to the north and west. I'm not familiar with the Hotel Virginia, but I see that it's on Via Montebello, somewhat northeast of Termini.