LeahHebson

My daughter will be going to school in Rome starting this January. She will be staying in Trastevere area and studying outside Vatican City. I will go to visit for a week in February and am not sure where I should stay (using VRBO). Is Spanish steps (in February) a congested area ? How far is it from Spanish Steps to Vatican City? Wondering if I should stay, having her commute to school but in a better location OR stay near Vatican City so her commute won't be too long.

kja

I believe you can use google maps to calculate distances by foot, car (taxi), or public transportation.

xcountry

Sure can. A little less than 2 miles between the Vatican and the Spanish steps.

xcountry

That’s walking.

MmePerdu

What's wrong with Trastevere? I love the area, stayed there again early this month. Much of it is walking distance to VC.

basingstoke2

I agree with MmePerdu

LeahHebson

MmePerdu - looking at maps, I see there is a river between Trastavere region and Rome. I hear it is a beautiful area and happy my daughter is staying there. I've heard it is further away from the typical Rome destinations (which I will want to see).

Leely2

Not a VRBO, but I stayed here in Trastevere this July. It was very comfortable. Beautiful grounds. The hotel is in a former 16th-century monastery.

http://www.hoteldonnacamillasavelli.com/

MmePerdu

Leah, I have no investment in you staying in Trastevere. Stay where you think you'll be happy. My reaction was to a seeming implication that Trastevere isn't suitable somehow and your daughter might be better off not staying there, "in a better location...". Rome isn't that big, Trastevere is walkable to much of it. If you aren't a walker then, obviously, stay close to what you want to be close to. I'm not sure there such a thing as "typical" destinations, but certainly something for everyone. Find them & stay there.

mjs

I am not sure I understand your last sentence. Are you asking where you should stay or where your daughter should stay? The Trastevere is actually quite close to the central part of Rome, just across a river and a very decent place to stay.
The Spanish steps area is a good walking hike to the Vatican area but you can take the subway.

annhig

Leah - I suspect that you have a slightly false idea of central Rome, which is actually quite small. Many people stay in Trastevere and walk to everywhere in Rome that they want to see, including St Peter's and the Vatican or there are frequent buses and trams. As a test, I just put St Maria in Trastevere into Google maps and then asked for directions to St Peter's Basilica - it says it's 23 minutes walk and 16 minutes by bus.

I then did the same for Piazza Navona [16 mins whether you walk or take the bus]

the colosseum [30 mins to walk, 21 by bus] .

You can do the same. The "typical' things you are likely to want to see are the Piazza Navona, Campo di Fiori, Colosseum and Forum, Piazza Venezia, the Campidoglio, the Pantheon.

Personally if my DD were living in Trastevere I wouldn't want to stay by the Spanish steps; I would either stay in Trastevere or if that didn't suit for some reason in the Piazza Navona area which is convenient for virtually everything you would want to see. But really there is nothing at all "wrong" with Trastevere for the first time visitor.

StCirq

Of course there's a river; that's why the area across the river is called Trastevere (across the Tiber). It's a very short haul, whether on foot or by tram, into central Rome. I'm thinking you need to look at a map.

Pepper_von_snoot

If your daughter is staying in Trastevere, why would you want to stay near the Spanish Steps.

Look for something near the Via Giulia if you want tourist access to the Vatican and Pantheon-Piazza Navona area.

You can then access Trastevere by the Ponte Sisto.

I love to walk down the Vialle Trastevere .

Thin

Pepper_von_snoot

Spanish Steps?

I need a good editor.

Thin

massimop

You might find this helpful

http://www.cross-pollinate.com/blog/...in-trastevere/