Rome - any advice?

Cadiz Seagull · Nov 22, 2016

Looking for a few days in Rome, I've never been before so I don't know the city. Any suggestions as to what to see. Looking for a good hotel within walking distance of main bits.

NSC knows everything about everything, so over to you guys.

whitelion · Nov 22, 2016

The usual:

Spanish Steps
Trevi Fountain
Coliseum
The Vatican
Via Veneto

Tom Hark Preston Park · Nov 22, 2016

Do as the Romans do :thumbsup:

Gwylan · Nov 22, 2016

Just be careful crossing roads. Look both ways several times and cross yourself

Springal · Nov 22, 2016

We stayed here, very good / cool little boutique hotel in a good part of the city. Excellent 'breakfast in bed' every morning.

http://www.casamontani.com/

jakarta · Nov 22, 2016

DO NOT hire a car and try to drive around the place...

Seriously it's a great City to wander around to look at the sights and food & drink is wonderful almost everywhere you go but keep a good eye on your wallets/cameras/phones etc.

Tom Bombadil · Nov 22, 2016

I really liked the Pantheon .

CHAPPERS · Nov 22, 2016

Don't buy football tickets off a tout or you'll end up in the away end with a Lazio scarf surrounded by Regina fans with flick knives.

Springal · Nov 22, 2016

jakarta said:
DO NOT hire a car and try to drive around the place...

Seriously it's a great City to wander around to look at the sights and food & drink is wonderful almost everywhere you go but keep a good eye on your wallets/cameras/phones etc.

Great advice actually, I'd say don't even use the metro system. It is pretty compact and you can easily walk round most of it

Napier's Knee · Nov 22, 2016

This is a great hotel for location. The rooms are not overflowing with luxuries, but the roof top bar has great views and you are right next to ancient Rome: http://www.hotelforum.com/

Just walk around and go through pretty much any door that is open to the public - something amazing will be inside. Don't eat in the obvious tourist places.

But take good walking shoes - it's hillier than you think. The advice about taking care crossing roads is excellent - you need to walk across confidently and don't stop - they will drive around you. It's terrifying but somehow works.

Might be an idea to take one of the city tour open top buses on your first morning just to get an idea of distances. It really is an amazing city. If you've got the time go for a wander around the Trastevere area.

BBassic · Nov 22, 2016

Check out the Capuchin Crypt.

Creepy but well worth a visit.

mikeyjh · Nov 22, 2016

Use these guys, they work for tips and are excellent:- http://www.romefreewalkingtour.com/

If you can, plan to visit the big ticket places on a week day and buy your tickets in advance to skip queues. Specifically for the Vatican and Colosseum. You must set out 1/2 a day or so to take in Palatine Hill, and buy an audio guide.

Relatively cheap travel from/to the airport here:- http://www.rome-chauffeur.com/

Like any big city, if you go off the beaten track a bit, you'll find much cheaper bars and cafes etc.

Guinness Boy · Nov 22, 2016

Napier's Knee said:
This is a great hotel for location. The rooms are not overflowing with luxuries, but the roof top bar has great views and you are right next to ancient Rome: http://www.hotelforum.com/

Just walk around and go through pretty much any door that is open to the public - something amazing will be inside. Don't eat in the obvious tourist places.

But take good walking shoes - it's hillier than you think. The advice about taking care crossing roads is excellent - you need to walk across confidently and don't stop - they will drive around you. It's terrifying but somehow works.

Might be an idea to take one of the city tour open top buses on your first morning just to get an idea of distances. It really is an amazing city. If you've got the time go for a wander around the Trastevere area.

Trastevere is where we stayed. Can't remember the name of the place but it was brilliantly odd, a sort of boutique hotel come youth hostel. There was a lovely, local restaurant just round the corner too, best Italian meal I've ever had. I would recommend it not just as an authentic, interesting area of Rome but as a good location to base yourself. We got to all the main sites easily from there including the Vatican.

I went with my wife on a three-city backpacking tour, starting in Venice and then moving to Florence and then Rome, all travel and hotels independently booked by ourselves after a bit of research on the net and in Lonely Planet guides. I have to say I preferred Rome to Venice though Florence was my favourite, but it was the best and most interesting holiday I've ever had. We went for fairly cheap accommodation and spent what we saved on food and wine over there. As far as Rome goes do the main sites first and you won't be disappointed. And watch out for the Indian photographers at the Spanish Steps.

jakarta · Nov 22, 2016

Forgot to add don't go in High Summer unless you really like the heat, we went early May and it was lovely, don't think it would have been anyway near as pleasant wandering around in July or August.

Foolg · Nov 22, 2016

Went in August, echo most of the above. Was very hot (34/35 degrees) so walking was quite a chore - more excuse for gelato/beer break.

Be prepared (if going with mrs) to be offered Roses every 20 yards. Literally. To the point it becomes borderline unbearable. Oh, and if they aren't selling roses they'll be trying to flog you wooden fans or squidgy balls.

Walk, don't take the metro, it's shit and full of pickpockets.

Eric Youngs Contact Lense · Nov 22, 2016

Definitely one of my favourite places to visit.. the open-top bus tour is well worth a go..hop-on/off as you get taken to everything you would expect to see.. additionally someone already mentioned the Pantheon, walk alongside the river and cross the bridges and definitely take some time to sit and take it all in over a coffee/beer..

El Presidente · Nov 22, 2016

Don't, under any circumstances, try to build it in a day.

LamieRobertson · Nov 22, 2016

Tom Hark said:
Do as the Romans do

Watch Gladiator should give the poster a few clues

NooBHA · Nov 22, 2016

One of the most beautiful cities in the world.

I stayed in a hotel near central station. Really old and has those old phone boxes you used to see in 1940s films in night clubs. Really nostalgic in décor but modern with it but unfortunately I can't remember the name.

An absolute must is the Re-unification Building below

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altare_della_Patria.

Just the sheer scale of it is impressive but you must go up to the top of it, which has a really nice modern café at the top and you can see the whole city and one main street if you look up right to the end of it you can see right up to the Spanish Steps. To be honest they are just a set of steps but all around there is beautiful but don't buy ice cream near the Spanish steps without taking out a mortgage.

In the Jewish Quarter there is a little ice cream shop which sells tobacco flavoured ice cream. Wierdest thing I have ever tasted.

BrightonCottager · Nov 22, 2016

Guinness Boy said:
Trastevere is where we stayed. Can't remember the name of the place but it was brilliantly odd, a sort of boutique hotel come youth hostel. There was a lovely, local restaurant just round the corner too, best Italian meal I've ever had. I would recommend it not just as an authentic, interesting area of Rome but as a good location to base yourself. We got to all the main sites easily from there including the Vatican.

I went with my wife on a three-city backpacking tour, starting in Venice and then moving to Florence and then Rome, all travel and hotels independently booked by ourselves after a bit of research on the net and in Lonely Planet guides. I have to say I preferred Rome to Venice though Florence was my favourite, but it was the best and most interesting holiday I've ever had. We went for fairly cheap accommodation and spent what we saved on food and wine over there. As far as Rome goes do the main sites first and you won't be disappointed. And watch out for the Indian photographers at the Spanish Steps.

Agreed - I went to see Fulham in the Europa League and wandered around. In Trastevere there are great pizza restaurants and real/craft ale bars.

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Rome - any advice?

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