Rome gets better after every visit
 

Rome
The time of year : second week of October
Duration : 4 nights

The journey : The train from Lucerne to Rome Termini
Advantage : It’s a 6 hour 15 minute easy and comfortable train ride to downtown Rome. I book the Italian part on line a few months in advance and it was cheap.

Disadvantage: one needs to be careful which trains to book. Some are notoriously late and others are usually on time. I got my information from a SBB desk and it was sound. I also booked the Italian part of my trip on line because it was much cheaper than booking through the SBB. Because I booked a few months in advance, our train ride cost us about $170 roundtrip.

The time of year: 2nd week of October
It was snowing in Switzerland and we walked around in T-shirts in Rome. There were a few short scattered showers but all in all, the weather was perfect.

Our accommodation : a rooftop apartment near Campo di Fiori for 5

Advantages: Central. No noise from the neighbours. Lots of room in the apartment. The roof top terrace was beautiful. We used http://www.romehome.de and were completely satisfied with their service.

Disadvantages:
- Breakfast. Finding reasonable breakfasts are hard.
- No daily cleaning and no daily clean towels.
- No front desk advice on where to go.
- No place to put your bags after check-out time.

The best insider’s tip for Rome :

- Book the colosseum and the Vatican Museum in advance on-line. We literally just breezed past the lines and walked through the entrance. Seriously… this will make your stay in Rome a success.

- Walk as much as you can

- Bus tickets are rarely inspected

- Sitting in the front seat of a taxi is like being on a carnival ride…. Be ready to suck in your breath a few times.

- Invest in and wear GOOD walking shoes. I can’t stress this enough.

- Many recommended restaurants and cafes in your guide books do not live up to expectations or have become tourist traps. Just meander around until you find something that appeals to you and eat/drink there. If you see lots of Americans sitting in a restaurant/bar, then skip it and find a place where you see locals. I was VERY disappointed with Cafe Eustachio il Caffe... it's overrated and overpriced. I'd ban them from guidebooks if I could.

- Have a good map. Most hotels offer good maps for free.

- Have a good guide book. I invested in a more expensive/more inclusive guidebook and was glad I did.

- Carry as little with you as possible. The chances of you going back to your hotel during the day are not high so carry enough with you for the day’s weather but not more.


Instead of telling you what we did, I’m going to offer advice on what to do for first-timers:

Location for your hotel:

To be honest, I think having a comfortable hotel is more important than the location. I enjoyed being near Campo di’Fiori because of its vicinity but all areas in Rome have pros and cons. Find a hotel with clean, quiet rooms and a good breakfast. A rooftop terrace (or any terrace) in good weather is a fantastic feature as well. If you’ll be using the train out of Rome Termini, having a hotel nearby can also be advantageous. If you’re a walker, choose a hotel that is accessible to Trastevere, the colosseum, the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. If you enjoy shopping in Prada, choose a hotel near the Spanish steps. If you like a quaint local feeling, choose Trastevere, the area around Santa Maggiore or the area between Piazza Navona and the river.

- Do some advance reading on which local buses to use. If you are a group of four, consider a taxi. A taxi ride cost us 13 euros from Rome Termini to Campo di Fiori.

- The hop on/off bus: An excellent way to get an overview of Rome if you’ve never been there. If you know Rome, are good at reading maps, or love to walk, then ditch the bus.

- The colosseum is easy to visit if you have an on-line ticket. The website http://www.coopculture.it/en/ticket_office.cfm (the official website for the colosseum) offers tickets that can be used at anytime during your stay. No need to decide on which day in advance. Just go to the beginning of the line, show your reservation and walk right through. It’s as easy as that.

- The Vatican: There is no church entrance fee but there is an inspection of all baggage so expect long lines. However, the lines go quickly so don’t be put off if you find yourself standing along the main street.

- The Vatican dome: We went after 16.00 (4 pm) when there was only a short line. The second half of the climb is in tight corridors so be prepared. The views on top are phenonomal.

- Friday Night at the Vatican Museum: I’m a fan of this because there are less people and the lighting offers some fantastic pictures. However, if you are tired after 7.30 pm, you will be exhausted by 10 pm. Again, on-line booking in advance is highly recommended.

- A bike tour: We used Top Bike Rental (www.topbikerental.com) for a four-hour bike tour which included the Aventine hill and Gianicolo hill, Trastevere, the Vatican and, because we had already been to the Pantheon and Piazza Navona, we went through the Campo di‘ Fiori and the Jewish Quarter areas. We loved our guide, we had good bikes and really enjoyed our afternoon.

- Do the walk that takes you from Piazza Navona, past the Pantheon, past the Minerva church, past the Trevi fountain and leads you to the Spanish steps. It's gorgeous during the day and even more so at night.

- Walk through the small streets of Rome. They are gorgeous and offer many surprises. Don't be afraid of getting lost because the locals will be glad to help you.

New areas I found during this trip :

- The Jewish quarter. It offers a few good restaurants at reasonable prices. Not too many tourists either. It’s a place where the locals go.

- The area between the Tiber and Piazza Navona (Ponte) : We loved all the little alleys in this area. Lots of shops and atmosphere. Good restaurants too.

- Trastevere is always a good place to visit for a local feeling, good prices and gorgeous pictures.

- The area between the Colosseum and Mercati Traianei and Santa Maria Maggiore (I believe it’s called the Monti area). Lots of locals and very lively.

- The market on Via di Teodoro (between Circus Maximus and Forum Romano). It offers produce from local farms and was filled with locals. According to one website : The Circo Massimo market is located at Via San Teodoro 74. It runs every Saturday and Sunday from 10:30am-7pm.

- Bar San Calisto in Trastevere. Cheap prices and lots of locals. Good ice cream too.

I hope this will help you plan your next trip to Rome.

<< Bus tickets are rarely inspected >>

I hope this is not a veiled invitation to dispense with bus tickets.

<<I hope this is not a veiled invitation to dispense with bus tickets.>>

Of course it's not. Tickets are 1.50 and can be bought at ticket machines and kiosks.

Thanks for taking the time to read through my long trip report and finding something to criticize.

Thanks Schuler. We are interested in staying in the Jewish quarter on our next trip to Rome, any more thoughts on that, specific recs?

Also: "If you see lots of Americans sitting in a restaurant/bar, then skip it and find a place where you see locals."

Why only Americans? Why not tourists in general? A restaurant full of British, Australian, German, Chinese etc tourists would have the same drawbacks as a restaurant full of Americans.

nice report, schuler - thanks for taking the trouble to post, along with links and helpful tips.

I agree that every time you return to Rome, there is something new and interesting to explore. so far we have stayed in 3 different areas and enjoyed every one, but never had a problem getting breakfast!

one point [rather than a criticism!] - i knew what you meant by this:

<<- The Vatican: There is no church entrance fee but there is an inspection of all baggage so expect long lines. However, the lines go quickly so don’t be put off if you find yourself standing along the main street.

- The Vatican dome: We went after 16.00 (4 pm) when there was only a short line. The second half of the climb is in tight corridors so be prepared. The views on top are phenomenal.>>

but I think it might be clearer if you referred to St. Peter's rather than the Vatican, as that's how most people would think of the Basilica as opposed to the Museum. IME getting there really early or really late is the best way to avoid the queues; I agree entirely about pre-booking the colosseum and vatican museum.

<<We are interested in staying in the Jewish quarter on our next trip to Rome, any more thoughts on that, specific recs?>>
Unfortunately, not really. Just make sure your room doesn't overlook a busy street. It's a fantastic location that puts you in walking distance of almost everything. Note there is no metro nearby but you can use buses and even the tram for public transportation. You might want to use a taxi upon arrival to get you to your hotel. It just makes it easier after a long trip.

<<Also: "If you see lots of Americans sitting in a restaurant/bar, then skip it and find a place where you see locals."

Why only Americans? Why not tourists in general? A restaurant full of British, Australian, German, Chinese etc tourists would have the same drawbacks as a restaurant full of Americans.>>

Being an American, Americans are easy to spot and hear for me and there are lots in Rome. Of course there are many other tourists but it was usually the Americans that had their guide books in their hands and were at the recommended guidebook restaurants. I was travelling with Europeans and even they remarked on how many American tourists were in Rome.

Rome is an incredible city filled with history and atmosphere. I hope you'll love it as much as I do.

>>but I think it might be clearer if you referred to St. Peter's rather than the Vatican, as that's how most people would think of the Basilica as opposed to the Museum. IME getting there really early or really late is the best way to avoid the queues; I agree entirely about pre-booking the colosseum and vatican museum<<

Of course, you are correct. Thanks for clearing that up.

Thanks for sharing useful links and tips. Rome is one of favourite places to travel. You are right I have been to Rome many times and every time there is something new here to see.

I'm sorry if you thought my reply over critical but you must admit that giving as a "best insider's tip for Rome" that "bus tickets are rarely inspected" could lead SOME people to the same conclusion I reached.
I live a stone's throw from Rome and know how many tourists try it on and how surprisingly many get caught and pay a fine.

<<I'm sorry if you thought my reply over critical but you must admit that giving as a "best insider's tip for Rome" that "bus tickets are rarely inspected" could lead SOME people to the same conclusion I reached.
I live a stone's throw from Rome and know how many tourists try it on and how surprisingly many get caught and pay a fine.>>

Fair enough. Thanks for your input.

Great report! Could you give us the link to the Vatican Museum website? Thanks.

By the way, the demand for an audience with the pope has increased dramatically since the election of Francesco.

Yes, watching the live webcam from St Peter's Square on Wednesday morning you can see people queuing and trying to get the best seats from the crack of dawn, around 6 am - 4 hours before the start of the audience. I am talking about ticket holders. Those without tickets are held back a long way from the proceedings near the entrance to the piazza, but when the overcrowding gets excessive, the guards are known to let people in without ticket and there is a surge forward to fill any available space.

Great suggestions -- you make me want to book my airfare tonight. Alas, I think it will be a little while before I will return -- but, I will!

Great TR schuler, am bookmerking it, thanks for all the useful tips and suggestions. We're spending 4 days in Rome next June and though we've been there several times before am looking forward to seeing the Eternal City again. One question, did you get the Roma pass, I hear the price has recently gone up quite a bit and it is no longer worth the bucks.

Am also looking for a vacation rental in the Navona area and will certainly check out romehome, thanks again:)

Nice report but I am sorry to hear that seeing a bunch of "Americans" in an eating establishment automatically means it will be a less-than-pleasant experience.

Yes, I realize that some of my countrymen can be less than pleasant to be around when they congregate.

"Nice report but I am sorry to hear that seeing a bunch of "Americans" in an eating establishment automatically means it will be a less-than-pleasant experience.

Yes, I realize that some of my countrymen can be less than pleasant to be around when they congregate."

Dukey1: That's twisting my words and unfair. My intention was to warn people that just because a restaurant/cafe/bar is in your guidebook, it doesn't mean it will be good. The best places were the ones where we saw just as many locals as tourists.

We stayed in Hotel Arenula in the Jewish Quarter which was very much a last minute decision. In February 2 years ago we received an email from the hotel in Trastavere on a Monday to tell us that our booking for that weekend could not go ahead.We had booked 10 months before!
We rang several places and found the Arenula.Whilst we had no choice whatsoever, we all (there were 6 in our group) said that we would be happy to stay there again.
One room which was facing the main road was a little noisy but that is the only thing we could find that was wrong.