Meredydd

Hi --

I am quickly pulling together a trip to London and Rome. London for the nights of Dec 15-20 and Rome for the nights of Dec 21-26, departing Rome on the 27th.

London is sorted, and Royal Albert Hall concert, etc booked.

I would like suggestions for accommodation neighborhoods in Rome that may be especially interesting around Xmas. This is my second trip to Rome, so I will not be dashing to the Forum, Colliseum, etc, but rather exploring slowly by foot, enjoying the holiday season. The only event I have penciled in is joining the throngs at the Pope's Xmas address. This will be a very laid-back visit.

In the past I stayed near the train station. ugh. Trastavere sounds very interesting, but not necessarily walkable to the Pantheon, Campo de FioriI, Piazza Novanna, via Veneto, etc. Other suggestions for hotel neighborhoods, keeping on mind safety when walking in the evening solo in the dark?

Also, perhaps you have suggestions for good casual eating -- cafes, etc? A three hour dinner solo is not something I enjoy but I like good food and casual meals ( think "sidewalk cafe" genre.). pizza on the run gets dull after a few days.

Thank you.

jelopez33

Meredydd:

I think Trastevere is good to wander, but I don' think of it as a place to look for a hotel, but this is just me.
But wife and me are in our 60 s, little arthrosis, and we walked to any place in Rome, even in our last trip.

We were perfectly happy last time at a b&b: Trevi Luxury Rooms. Steps from Trevi fountain, safe at night.

Friends choose Hotel 87 , and found it excellent.

I think you can choose any location fron Spanish Steps to Campo dei Fiori, including Piazza Navonna or Pantheon zones.

massimop

Funny thing is that for a Xmas-time trip to Rome, I would pick the area of the old Jewish Ghetto as a place to stay partly for a guarantee of lots of restaurants and shops remaining open and partly to keep out of the mob scene around the Vatican.

Maybe second consideration for me would be whether I wanted to go to a lot of Christmas concerts in churches, so I might position myself somewhere for the greatest density of that. But actually I think I'd be more concerned about finding neighborhood restaurants open at night.

bvlenci

Trastevere is a big area. Some parts of it are an easy walk from the places you mention, others are not. If you look at a map of Trastevere, you'll see that its boundary with the river looks like a nose. The part from the bridge of the nose to the tip is convenient for walking to Piazza Farnese, Campo de'Fiori, and Piazza Navona, with several bridges connecting the two sides of the river.

Trastevere doesn't have a lot of hotels, but there are a good many smaller structures, like guest houses or B&Bs.

You might want to check out the area to the west of Piazza Navona, between the Corso Vittorio Emanuele II and the river, or north of Via dei Coronari. Friends of mine like the Hotel Ponte Sisto. (I have it on my list, because I like the area, but I've never stayed there.)

Hotel prices tend to go up substantially in the week after Christmas.

The churches almost all will have presepi (nativity scenes) on display, but church concerts are rare, especially so close to Christmas. The Church of Santa Maria Maggiore has a free concert on the 26th, at 5:30 PM. (They have a good choir.)


http://www.fondazionemia.it/it/basil...7-e64d0a27e42c

The only other Christmas concert I can find for your dates is in the church of San Paolo entro le Mura, on the 23rd. It's a symphonic concert, and not free.

https://www.classictic.com/it/great_.../43326/396738/

There's a Christmas concert in Santa Maria degli Angeli on the 20th, but that's before you arrive. Likewise the concert in San Giovanni Laterano, on the 17th. The Vatican also has a Christmas concert in early December.

I wouldn't totally avoid the Vatican area while you're in Rome. St. Peter's Square has a very nice Christmas tree and Nativity Scene. We were there last year in the week after Christmas, in the evening so we could appreciate the lights. There were quite a few people, but it wasn't excessively crowded, and there was a very festive atmosphere.

There is always an exhibit in Piazza del Popolo, called 100 Presepi. There are actually quite a few more than 100, including the traditional prespi of Naples, but also from all over the world, in many styles. This exhibit is one of the few things open on Christmas Day.

Transportation on Christmas Day is greatly reduced, and shuts down altogether between 1 and 4:30 PM. It also shuts down early on Christmas Eve, so if you're thinking of a Midnight Mass, choose a church near your hotel. All the major basilicas have one; the Midnight Mass at the Vatican has to be reserved well in advance.

Up through Christmas Eve, there should be plenty of restaurants, and almost all the shops, open. On Christmas Day, there are still some restaurants open, but hardly any shops. Most shops remain closed on the 26th, but a lot of restaurants reopen.

Many of the restaurants open on Christmas will offer only big set menu meals, which is not what you're looking for. I would do a little research in advance, maybe with the help of your hotel. The Jewish Ghetto is a good idea, but you may need to reserve. If you want really casual, there are a few places open in Termini station, including a self-service cafeteria-style restaurant on the upper level.

Meredydd

Thanks all. I will look at the old Jewish ghetto for hotels, as well as around Trevi and Spanish Steps.

The Hotel Ponte Sisto looks wonderful and is available... but in my price range only as 'non-refundable.' Not quite ready to pull that trigger yet. I will search more in that area.

For 'casual' I meant similar to sitting on a plaza at a cafe table. The self-service at Termini, (or a McD) is waaaay off my radar. Fortunately it sounds like markets will be open on 12/24, so 12/25 may be fruit, cheese, salami, wine in my digs. Not too shabby.

My flight to Seville on 12/27 leaves FCO at 0900. Since this is a within-EU flight, at what time should I be at FCO? 0730?

Leely2

What's your hotel budget? I stayed at a place this summer with a bar and some food available on prem--not inexpensive, of course, but if you wanted to get through Christmas Day &/or Christmas Eve with just some hotel foods rather than splashing out on a reservations, you might look into this hotel.

http://www.hoteldonnacamillasavelli.com/

If it were me, I'd book dinner for Christmas Eve and lunch for Christmas Day. Yes, probably costly, but likely enjoyable and festive. It wouldn't take 3 hours, I don't think. But I don't mind dining solo and don't mind splashing out for a good meal--in fact it is a priority for me. I realize you are very different, so just offering some alternatives.

Have a wonderful trip!

Meredydd

Leely2 --

Thank you for the hotel rec. My budget is max $150-US per night, preferably $125, but it is a high season.

I don't mind "splashing out" for a good meal, and often do so with others both at home and when traveling -- and sometimes on my own. But I cant imagine dining for three hours on my own, and from what I've read, that timeframe seems to be the norm for Christmas day or eve in Rome.

And of course, there is the issue of finding a a place which would take a booking for one person, which is unlikely. i have always found that an uphill battle when traveling solo.

Do you have suggestions for places that are festive and have good people watching (ie, the solo diner isn't stuck by the swinging kitchen door), and might take a reservation for a party of one on either Christmas Day or Christmas? I would love to be out in the Roman throngs.

Meredydd

By the way, for anyone else reading this thread, romewise.com has a lot of information on Christmas season happenings in Rome as well as openings on Christmas day.

Saraho

Casa Santa Lucia Filippini (LAR254) is a convent only five minutes walk from the Pantheon. I have stayed there in a single room and was very comfortable. The price for a single room is 90 euros a night. I reserved it through monasterystay.com
It gets good reviews and is an easy walk to the Vatican, Piazza Navona, etc.

Meredydd

Saraho --

Thanks for the suggestion. Years ago I had made a mental note (clearly not reliable) about staying in monasteries in Italy.

Please let me make a small correction to a typo inthe web address you gave:

www. monasterystays.com

kybourbon

Monasterystays is a reseller and marks up the price. Book directly with the convent to avoid paying an extra 10-15 euro per night.

Leely2

<i>And of course, there is the issue of finding a a place which would take a booking for one person, which is unlikely.</i>

I have been to Rome several times solo and haven't had a problem with this. On a recent stay this summer I dined at Retrobottega (excellent food, rather hip atmo; I walked in early-ish for Rome and I was seated at the bar); Pizzeria Emma (walked in very early, maybe 6pm?); Armando al Pantheon (reserved); Hostaria Nerone (lunch) and Pianostrada (lunch).

I think Christmas/Christmas Eve is the wrinkle for you as so many places will be closed. But I'm sure you will be able to find something.

Saraho

My experience is that the markup at monasterystays was only at most 5 euros a night and well worth it. I just got back from a trip to Venice and Florence where I stayed in a convent in both places. I have used monasterystays for probably five years for one or two trips a year.

Yes, I have occasionally been successful booking a stay by emailing, faxing or phoning, but often the monasteries/convents are so busy that I don't get a reply. I speak some Italian, but it is still daunting to make a reservation by phone if the person answering does not speak English.

Actually this time I noticed that the fee posted on the room door was exactly the same as the fee that monasterystays charged me so the monastery must have paid the extra fee to monasterystays rather than I. I was staying in a monastery in Venice with a view of the Grand Canal for 60 euros a night!