ParadiseLost

Perhaps on your next trip you should begin your trip report photos with a shot like this
http://tinyurl.com/itsthatway
Regards, Walter

Gwendolynn

Thanks for the laugh, Walter... at the end of a trying day.

denisea

LOL.....thanks Walter! The sad, but funny picture for us would be that we would be in agreement on which way to go! (With a map, but we would still be wrong).

annhig

Denise - loving your report, and I'm so glad you enjoyed the doria pamphilji so much. that accent, BTW, isn't just english - it's a very upper-class public school accent - I'd guess Eton.

denisea

Thanks annhig...pretty sure you were one of the reasons we even knew to go there. We absolutely loved it and I have no doubt that's a very well educated accent!

tomarkot

Denisea, thanks so much for your fantastic report from your Rome trip!!! As we read it, we reminisced about some favorite experiences from our trips to Rome. And we got some ideas for a future trip. As you mentioned, for those of us who love to travel, there are so many places on our wish lists. Paris and Rome, though very different, are two of our favorites, and we find ourselves wanting to return to both.

You guys certainly had your share of "mishaps" in Rome to make up for a number of years. But you seemed to weather things with good humor and not let the incidents get in the way of your enjoyment. Your whole report, including your recounting of these experiences, was very entertaining. You have a great writing style!

It's taken us some time to respond, as we've been traveling, though not to Europe. We've been enjoying the beautiful foliage in NH and the coast of Maine. This time next fall we hope to be in Europe again; not sure where yet. But, as you express, the planning is fun.

Thanks again for sharing your wonderful trip to Rome!!!

denisea

Great to hear from you tomarkot! We definitely made the best of all the wrong turns and goof ups in Rome. I am already ready to go back to Rome and have been missing Paris for months!

I have never been up to New England and would love to do that (and about a million other things I don't have the time or $ to do)!

Thanks for your very kind comments!

tomarkot

Denisea, I've been re-reading your great T/R and again thoroughly enjoying it! We, too, have some home projects requiring $$ and time, affecting travel plans. But, like you, we have our list of places we'd like to visit. And it's fun to reminisce about some of our favorite places. We've been toying around with using some FF miles for a mid-March trip to southern Spain, hoping to combine some warmer weather with cultural experiences. We've been to Spain, and really liked it. But considering the threats of strikes there, we may just put those plans on hold.

Until we touch base again online, we wish you guys a "Happy Thanksgiving"!

denisea

Thanks! We are looking forward to Thanksgiving although we are jealous of some of our Fodorite friends who will be in Rome and Paris over the holiday. We are starting the Christmas trees this weekend- god, help me! Saw a bottle of Orvieto Classico at the store today and had to buy it.....will reminisce a bit over our great day there! (Had a pain au chocolat for breakfast this AM, so I am in the mood to love and miss Europe today)!

All the best to you for a warm, and pleasurable holiday! So great to hear from you....I love all my Fodorite friends!

Bokhara2

Gosh this is good! I'm really enjoying your trip Denise, thank you so much for all the details & links.

denisea

Thanks! Always good if a report is enjoyed or if it helps someone. We had a great time in Rome and the surrounding areas.

Kurosawa

What a great trip report! I was just going to add to the "why can't I fall in love with Paris" thread that I feel that way about Rome. But then I read your trip report and decided that I need to visit Rome again with more time to spare so that I can get lost in the miriad of streets.

SusannahT

Fantastic account of your Roma adventures. There was so much vicarious enjoyment for me - and lots of others. Rome became my most unfavourite city some years ago, after our minibus was stolen at a supermarket. The Mafia also took all our belongings for a family of 8's camping trip for 3 months. We found out it was the Mafia, as they used it to rob a bank, for which Interpol interviewed us! So, a few years later my family dragged me back to Rome for a day plus Tivoli. It was OK but I still found Rome disconcerting. However, your report has inspired me that our trip to Rome in January for a few days may even be enjoyable. So thank you.

denisea

Rome is just a tougher, grittier city but I did enjoy it. We had to laugh at how much we got lost and how much dumb stuff I did! We not have anything stolen (quite the opposite) or have any interaction with the Mafia...but we do want to go back and revisit it! So, Kurosawa we both have to go back and Susannah I do hope you enjoy your trip in January.

lrock

Denise,

We just got our confirmation and paid for our Scavi tour last week. We are going to book the Vatican Museum tour through Walks of Italy also. Thanks so much for the recommendation and for all of the great information in your trip report. I am excited about Rome and Sicily but I CANNOT wait to be back in Paris!! Come on March.

denisea

Oh, lrock I am so glad you got it all sorted out! We loved our Vatican/Sistine tour! I am dying to get back to Paris even though we just got back from Rome! It's just never enough! I love having a trip to look forward to and right now there is nothing on the horizon so I look forward to hearing about your trip!

yestravel

Hi Denise! Great TR as always. Did I miss your description of your food tour with Elizabeth Minchilli in Campo de Fiori? I saw that you went late afternoon 5:30 for ~3 hours, but may have missed any description you had of the tour itself. We're thinking about doing one on our upcoming trip. Any information you remember would be appreciated. Thanks!

denisea

Wow- I was surprised to see this topped off.

Hmm, the food tour was fantastic. It may be a bit different than some, as we were alone with Elizabeth.

She is great to work with. We met at Camp die Fiori. We hit two cheese shops...one for soft cheeses like Burrata and another shop for hard cheeses. Then to Forno for Pizza Bianca. Watching the baker manipulate that bugle length of dough was impressive. We ate the pizza and cheers at the ext piazza over from Camp die Fiori.

Next, the pork store in camp die Fiori. My favorite. The store was beautiful and loaded with prosciutto, bresceola, salami, etc....they had a platter waiting for us and served a cold homemade redone with the pork. Perfection as the cold wine helped cut the fattiness of the pork.

Then to the Jewish neighborhood for more wine and cheese. I will have to look up the name of the cheese shop but the selection was extensive. Some wine to go with the cheese and after tasting and chatting, Elizabeth left us to finish the wine.

We did not go for gelato or espresso but I believe with a full group, you do visit those places.

The tour is not inexpensive if you go as a private tour- but for us, it was worth it. It was a great way to see and do on our first night in Rome.

yestravel

Thanks for the info!

denisea

You are welcome and my apologies for the all the typos in the response---maybe I had more wine than I thought last night! Jeez.

The pork store is: Antica Norcineria Viola

The cheese and wine shop in the Jewish ghetto is: Beppe e I Suoi Formaggi

I don't have the names of the 2 cheese shops in Campo dei Fiori, unfortunately.