Hi, We've been to Rome before, What are some of your favorite restaurants, must do's, and off the beaten path things to do or see. We'll be near Campo dei Fiori in Sept., Best way to travel around Rome and how to get tickets to things. Your secret tips.Thank you. Joan

ttt

It would be kind of silly to repeat stuff that is available in any good guide book or by using the search function on this forum.

The three things I think may throw you are the fact that many attractions (especially churches) are not open during their advertised hours, that lunch is available for a relatively short time, and that many restaurants don't even open for dinner until 7:30 or 8.

I liked the Scavi tour at the Vatican.
Il Sorpasso.


http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/ShowTo...ome_Lazio.html

For restaurants, watch out for the bread and water charge and don't accept the basket of bread they bring unless you clarify that it is at no charge. We enjoyed our meal at Costanza in Campo dei Fiori but they charged us that BS bread and water charge and I only caught it later.

The Pizza at Forno and Roscioli both in CDF are delicious!! Pomodoro at Roscioli and the Bianca at Forno....heaven.

We also loved Glass and La Gensola in Trastavere.

We used the subway to get around but it is not as extensive as in other cities...all those ruins! Best to accept that you will get lost a few times...we got lost a lot!

We did a few small tours through Walks of Italy (Colisseum and Vatican museum) and booked the Scavi and Borghese Gallery tickets online. Best unexpected visit was Doria Pamphilij villa. Uncrowded, great art and right in the middle of everything. It's the only place we bought tickets to right on the spot. Also, a great way to cool off. We were also there in Sept and it was still quite warm.

Restaurants often have placards at the door offering lunch specials. Also often, the waiter does not hand out this menu. You will have to ask, but it's worth the bother because the deals are good.

Joanw:

Some things we enjoyed during our last visit were Il Gesu, Piazza Navona early in the morning almost empty, fragole di bosco and porchetta panini from the market at Campo dei Fiori.

In our radar for a future visit: Palazzo Colonna, a day. Trip to Orvieto.

Enjoy your visit, our last stay was in september and the weather was perfect!

Thought I replied but it got lost in webspace. We spent 7 nights in Rome on our second trip to the ciy, midSept 2011 and thoroughly enjoyed the return because we felt less rushed to get it all in. Here is a link to my trip report here...good tips on shopping, eating and getting around http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ls-to-rome.cfm

Thank you all. These are some really good tips and I appreciate your help. It's great to find things that are not in the top 5 things on most lists. Any more?

Joan:

Just take a look and consider other jewels we have in our must see list for a future visit to Rome:

Galeria Doria Pamphilij , great palazzo, classical music on saturdays.

See and compare the two "extasis" sculptures by Bernini (Santa Teresa and Beata Ludovica Albertoni);
located in separate churches, you'llbe surprised how "erotic" those sculptures are.

The church of San Stefando Rotondo, if open, is amazing: huge frescoes of the martyrdoms of the saints. Our taxi driver didn't know about it and walked around with us, marveling.

We liked to go jogging at the Pincio (on the Pincio?) in the morning. A beautiful park within the Borghese Gardens. Very beautiful and good people watching. Also good for an afternoon stroll.
Our favorite restaurant is Girrarosto Fiorentino on Via Sicilia.

we truly enjoyed our class (and an amazing meal) at 'cooking classes in rome' last year. a wonderful social and learning experience. the owner/chef is a doll. i wll never make a salad again without thinking of him saying "no! no garlic! you would have to shoot me to make me even rub it on the bowl!"

fun day. delicious meal. great company. check them on t.a. -- with all the grumps in the world, i don't think anyone even gives them an 'average' rating.

Hi!
I went to Rome in August. I loved the food at Cul de Sac near Piazza Navona. (So much that i went back twice!) They even make half portions if asked - i was alone so this meant i could have two courses without getting insanely full. I also fell in love with Piazza Navona at night. A great mix of people and so much to do and look at!

I took a day trip to Tuscany with DarkRome and it was amazing, as was my VIP colosseum tour with walks of Italy.

Good luck!

We enjoyed a good meal and lots of free limoncella at Vergilio on Campo de Fiori (yes - I know it was probably covered in the margin, but it kept coming even after we received the bill, so assume that there was a bonus having the waiting staff trying to impress our two daughters!)

If you didn't go before, be sure and go to the catacombs.

We really enjoyed a visit to the Crimonologico Museum at Via Galfone 27. It was very interesting. Showed instruments of torture in the middle ages. There was also a section about well known Italian criminals, someone’s brain in formaldehyde, skeletons of people. In addition, there was also a section on contraband, forgery, and the mafia. While some signs were in English, many were not, but still very interesting. There was also a trunk in which a man(spy) was smuggled in on a plane, trying to fly from London to Cairo but discovered at Rome airport.

We were just in Rome in March for our 3rd visit and did an evening Segway tour with RexTours (www.rex-tours.com/‎). It was fabulous seeing the city by night, and our guide Max was HILARIOUS - it was a wonderful evening and the highlight of our return trip to Rome.

Best Eats:

Armando al Pantheon.
Forno Campo de' Fiori.
Hostaria Romana.
Hostaria - Pizzeria Dino & Toni.

We were just at Palazzo Colonna. It was wonderful. My kids (17 and 22) spent the rest of the trip calling each other Mangiafagole! We stayed in the outskirts of Trastevere and loved a restaurant in our neighborhood, C'era Una Volta. It was good and reasonably priced.

San Pietro in Vincoli to see Michelangelo's Moses. Stunning

Leaving for Rome in 2 days...found this just in time!!!