# Rome



## mjolnir (Jan 3, 2006)

Trace and I are heading out to Rome in Mid July. Just wondered if any of you guys had been and if you could let me know if there's anything particular that I really shouldn't miss.

I've been warned to eat away from the tourist traps and that the Trevi fountain and St Pauls are well worth seeing.

What do you recommend? Any nice places, good trips, excellent restaurants? I'm staying in a place near the Spanish Steps apparently.

I thought that there must be a wealth of knowledge here. Any help is appreciated.

I'm looking forward to it but it'll likely be scorching hot and to be honest I don't cope well in the heat. I don't get much choice when I get to take my hols though and I've always wanted to see the place.


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## pauluspaolo (Feb 24, 2003)

mjolnir said:


> Trace and I are heading out to Rome in Mid July. Just wondered if any of you guys had been and if you could let me know if there's anything particular that I really shouldn't miss.
> 
> I've been warned to eat away from the tourist traps and that the Trevi fountain and St Pauls are well worth seeing.
> 
> ...


Last year our cruise finished at Civitavecchia (nearest port to Rome) so Gillian & I spent a night in Rome - we were picked up at the port, dropped off at the hotel where we dumped our bags & then went walkabout with no fixed idea where we were going. We ended up at the colliseum - the first sight of which had our jaws dropping - I don't know how they'd build the thing today never mind how they built it back then (other than on the backs of 1000's of slaves)! It really is an amazing place & well worth the wait & queues. We went mid-August & the city was pretty quiet to be honest (we queued for about 45mins to get in the colliseum), it was also extremely hot & we were really quite tired after the cruise so that's "all" we saw! However if you're going to Rome I think you'd be daft not to take it in (even if it's only from the outside).

Hope this helps


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## feenix (May 27, 2008)

I stayed at the Trevi hotel two years ago, and the Trevi Fountain is well worth seeing imho. If you can get their REALLY early though, the crowds in the day are so dense you simply don't get to appreciate what a great work of art the fountain is. I got there for 7am one morning, and had the fountain to myself. Its not a long walk to the Spanish steps, if memory serves my correctly about 15 mins brisk walk should cover it.

As for trips, if you have the time then treat yourself to the Pompeii day-trip. Its a coach trip and its well worth a day out of your itinerary. There is also a short trip to see the monuments by night, another great trip as you'll not have time to see everything whilst you are there, but at least you'll get to see the coliseum and other tourist spots lit up.

We also did the Vatican tour, I'm not religious but the missus is a Catholic. We both enjoyed the trip, her for the sake of the pilgrimage, and me for the art and history of the city (I know the Vatican is a country, but I feel like I'm stretching the detail in referring to it as a city even).

We booked our trips through Expidia.co.uk, quick, easy and well within what I expected to pay. Have a look before you go, you can save yourself from a lot of stress when you arrive.


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## jaslfc5 (Jan 2, 2007)

try and get a guided tour if possible because you learn so much that way.its a brilliant city the colloseum and the forum can eat up most of a day on its own.my favorite part is the pantheon what a building and the atmosphere around there is amazing.the vatican and all that churchy stuff has to be seen to be believed as well the cisteen chapel is a must too.ive been 3 times now and will never get bored of rome a truly awesome city.


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## mjolnir (Jan 3, 2006)

Thanks very much everyone. Some great ideas. We only booked it today and I was a bit lacking in focus. I just thought it sounded like a great city and thought it would be worth a visit but hadn't thought about the things to do when we get there. By the sounds of it I won't be bored 

The Pantheon and the chapel are definately going on the list as well as the colloseum. I'd been told about the pompeii trip by someone else a while ago and had forgotten about it. It's a fair old coach ride I believe but apparently well worth it. Thanks. The monuments by night sounds good to me too.

Any other suggestions will be well received as well as any nice restaurants you can think of.


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## jaslfc5 (Jan 2, 2007)

rome to pompeii is a right shlep i did it in reverse i was staying in sorrento i wouldnt tackle that on a short stay.as for good resteraunts i dont think you will go wrong its rome afterall.

and dont buy any fake gear off the sellers you can get very arrested for that.there is looads of them around the major tourist sites the police just wait for you to buy funnily enough.

its my favorite place to people watch i love it.


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## handlehall (Aug 7, 2009)

Just so you don't waste time being directed to the wrong place, it's probably St. Peter's

Basilica that you want to see not St. Paul's. otherwise all suggestions given are good but additionally make sure you also walk around the Forum, have a look at Circus Maximus if time permits.


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Id avoid the Spanish Steps, what a let down, but the Trevi is worth seeing as is the colluseum as people have said. Defo check the other old sights and always ask the price of the coffee/cake/icecream etc before you order it. I paid 27 Euros for 2 ice creams once... one born every minute... sigh... Sitting inside is usually cheaper too... pays to ask... LOL


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## Javaman365 (Jul 27, 2009)

the pantheon has already bee suggested, and rightly so - that roof is something else - and as seen on the gogglebox last week, there's some rather skillful stonework around the back.

For sheer visual overload, the Vatican Museums are unbelieveable. Go early, queues start from around 7:30am. I got there at about 8:15 and it took about 40mins before getting in to buy my ticket. take your time, don't forget to look up - the most staggeringly rich and ornate artwork is often on the ceiling!

Seriously, there's a lot of money in that place and it will mess with your head. Some say the Sistine Chapel is 'over-rated', but if you look at it not just as art, bu as history and social commentary, it's sublime.

Water - drink plenty. I went in August last year and got through about 4-6 litres a day walking around in the heat. Thankfully, after the initial purchase of bottled water, there are plenty of water fountains on street corners you can fill up from - cold, clean and refreshing.

Check out the capuchin monks tomb as well - only about two or three euro's to get in, and it's a thought-provoking, if disconcerting, display.

Now, you asked about food.....well.....take a deep breath...

I expected it be different from the â€˜anglicisedâ€™ and â€˜americanisedâ€™ versions of pizza and pasta sauces that the UK market is subjected to, but I really wasnâ€™t expecting what I was presented with at first.

The traditional thin crust pizza, cooked in a wood fired oven, is crispy on the edges, then deliciously soft and pliable. The tomato topping is rich and fresh tasting, not chemically like it had just had a ton of tomato puree shoved over it. Cheese is in evidence, but not over laden in it like something from Pizza Hut or Dominos. Nor are there usually more than two additional toppings, at the most three. Bresaola sat with fresh Parmesan and Rocket; Pumpkin flowers with Walnuts. Fresh Parmesan can be eaten straight away on its own, like cheddar. That's a surprise.

It didnâ€™t taste at all like sweaty socks like the stuff on sale back home. Even the â€˜freshâ€™ blocks in UK supermarkets are dry, nasty chunks of off-white stench.

Hunt out a couple of nice little coffee shops. If there is one thing I appreciate, itâ€™s a good espresso. Youâ€™d think the Italians should be able to get this right.

Go to Tazza dâ€™Oro, a tiny coffee bar and shop tucked up a side street by the Pantheon, that specialises in a Jamaican Blue Mountain blend espresso.

Another excellent place is Santâ€™Eustachio Il Caffe - they roast their beans over a wood fire.

Tip: save yourself a few euroâ€™s and just drink the espresso at the bar; sitting down incurs an additional cost which is loaded into the price of the drink.

This espresso was rich, smoothâ€¦..the crema filled the top half of the cup before getting to the dense black beverage beneathâ€¦â€¦a few more of these and I wouldnâ€™t have slept all week Iâ€™m sure.

Pasta-wise, well, the carbonara is a revelation from the creamy (but usually watery) slop served here. Even my own carbonara recipe, which is light and fresh by comparison, was humiliated by what was served up at a little place just across from the Vatican, the name of which escapes me. I know what youâ€™re thinking. Tourist trap with tourist trap prices to match. Well, the plate was larger than Iâ€™m used to and stacked pretty high with spaghetti, for a reasonable 8â‚¬. I say reasonable, because youâ€™d pay that in the UK GBP and it wouldnâ€™t be nearly as satisfying. Just beaten eggs, cheese, bacon and pepper. No cream. It was so lip-smackingly rich.

Another great experience was at Osteria dell Angelo, situated on the corner of Via Giovanni Bettolo. The owner, Angelo Croce, is a former rugby player, which is sort of obvious when you take in his massively cauliflowered ears, in a far worse condition than anything Iâ€™ve ever seen on a UK player. Angelo himself speaks almost no English, apart from â€œyou make reservation?â€

The fare is classical Roman and fixed price in the evenings of 25â‚¬ plus your drinks. To give you an idea....

After the obligatory crusty Italian bread, bacalla/tonno (cod/tuna, couldnâ€™t work out which one) paste and black olive puree, I had the worlds largest meatball (like an oversized tennis ball) which was simmered in a tomato sauce seasoned hints of cinnamon and roasted peppers, served with magnificently peppery rocket. Someone had the tripe, which was apparently â€˜excellentâ€™. Then came the pasta (or may have been the other way roundâ€¦..canâ€™t rememberâ€¦wineâ€¦..). Iâ€™d opted for spaghetti cacio e pepe, a slightly flattened spaghetti cooked with nothing more than a slug of olive oil, ewes milk cheese (pecorino) and fresh black pepper. Other had the stewed beef, which was consumed before I had a chance to dig in, so I can safely report it was very, very good. You could choose from either chips (not terribly Italian), roasted potatoes (with some herbs) or green chicory, wilted with onions and chilli. Which I did. And ate everyone elses on the table whoâ€™d ordered it too because they werenâ€™t keen on it, preferring the spuds.

Dessert wiseâ€¦..well, it has to be Tiramisu, and I have to say, once again, a world of difference from the sickly crap marketed by all and sundry here in the UK. Light, creamy, just the slightest hint of alcohol, not soaked in cheap booze (are you listening, Tesco et al?!) and the unmistakable hit from espresso and generous amounts of high-grade cocoa.

The meal ended with a sweet dessert wine and seemingly endless plates of aniseed biscuits. Definitely worth seeking out if youâ€™re in Rome, but be sure to book ahead because it was heaving after about 15 minutes after we arrived. Seven people on the set menu, plus about 5 litres of mineral water, 3 litres of red wine came to 191â‚¬, which seamed quite good.


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

If you're on a walking/day tour, it's often wise to watch where the tour guide goes for lunch after he/she has 'conveniently' stopped outside one of the expensive places and checks to see "if there are table". Let everyone else eat there and eat where the guide eats round the corner in the sensibly priced places the locals use. :yes:

It IS always usually cheaper to eat inside, you pay extra to watch the world go by. Standing at the bar is also usually cheaper than even sitting inside :lol: Trevi is good, I like the Spanish Steps, but I last saw them over 50 years ago before they got totally swamped by mass tourism. Also like the Coliseum, but it's a big enough small city to knacker you if you try to do too much :yes: The Vatican is worth it whether you are religious or not!

No way would I tackle Pompeii in the heat and from Rome. Incidentally, Herculaneum is (IMO) much better for seeing how things were, and much less crowded. To do those stay in Sorrento and travel independently on the train, less than ten euros return to both.


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## Benzowner (Nov 11, 2009)

There was a TV program on last week with Gryf Reece Jones something like Great Cities and he was in Rome, maybe worth a look on the playback TV. It was on ITV and can be seen on the ITV player. Trevi Fountain, the Colleseum, Partenon and of course the Vatican, you could spend weeks in there alone. Have a nice trip.


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## mickyh7 (May 21, 2009)

Most definitely, the best short stay trip we have ever done! You have to wonder how they built these things ?

The Fountain was the one for me,I came around the corner and there it was.It really blew me away !

Enjoy yourselves.


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Javaman's long list is wonderful, great stuff. Been thinking about it and yeah the sights and Vatican are great but to be honest I always find Rome a bit smelly and noisy if Ive been spending time in the countryside, buts it's great for a weekend away. My fave place to visit is the Dainese shop when in Rome... for the stuff you just cant find in a UK shop. 

Have fun m8!


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## mjolnir (Jan 3, 2006)

Just thought i've mention that I'd not forgotten about this thread. I've been away taking some of the kids on a DofE expedition for a couple of nights and just got back. I'm absolutely shattered.

Thanks so much for all of the input, especially Javaman. There's such a lot of information here. I'm really looking forward to this now.

Trace tracked down the Gryff Reese Jones Rome thing whilst I've been away and i'm planning on giving it a bit of a watch with her tonight.

Thanks again for all the help fella's :thumbsup:

You all rock unk:


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## mjolnir (Jan 3, 2006)

Hope it's not a problem to bump this back up but I wanted to say thanks to those who made the suggestions of where to go in Rome. Got back a day ago and have pretty much spent the day in bed relaxing since.

The 710 and I had an outstanding time despite the blisters on my feet from walking everywhere and spending Â£300 more than I had planned too  The food was excellent and we only ate at the same place twice on one occasion since there were so many great places to eat.

I thought i'd share a few pictures, although they aren't great they show how nice a place it was. We prety much just picked a place to go that day and meandered towards it taking in the sights along the way. Every other building seems to have some sort of historical significance and it's almost worth popping your head into any church you see just to take in the ceilings and displays.

On the first Day we wandered out of the hotel and went towards the Triton fountain. It's a beautiful fountain that seems to be in a strange place in the middle of a roundabout with the traffic constantly buzzing about it.










Then off towards the Spanish Steps. I have to agree with Jon here, I wasn't that impressed with them for some reason. It may have been that it was packed with tourists or it could have been the weird guys trying to sell you string. "It's for luck" apparently, Yeah and about 5 euro's too 










We visited the Trevi fountain at night time. It was heaving with people but beautifully lit up. One of the guys at our hotel managed to get his pocket picked here on their last day whilst sat at a restaurant. There are that many people bustling about that I suppose it's easy for them to operate. Personally, I found Rome to be a very safe place with a nice atmosphere. It seemed to me that the odd pickpocket is all there is to worry about even when walking at night.










The Colloseum was pretty mind blowing. The area surrounding it with the arches and the Roman forum is also very impressive and worth a look.










I took a few pictures inside and stitched them together. I could really have used a wider lens. I liked the way they have rebuilt a section of the floor so you could see what it would have been like whilst the rooms and corridors beneath the floor are still on show.


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## mjolnir (Jan 3, 2006)

Whilst wandering back to the hotel one day Trace decided to have a look in a church that we were passing. It didn't look anything special on the outside but the decor is amazing. Most of the churches have awesome artwork. This one is, I think, Santa Maria Della Vittoria.










The Vatican is a great place to see. We did the tour and then went to see the Vatican museum. Trace loves museums, art galleries and anything along those lines so we spent a fair amount of time there. It was nice to walk through the Sisteen chapel and I did particularly enjoy seeing the Popemobiles and carriages that have been used throughout the years.










I love the Piazzas. Such great little areas full of restaurants, people painting and performing, Fountains and great looking buildings. These two are Piazza Navona and Piazza del Popollo.



















Things I learned whilst there.

1. Roman girls are hot :yes:

2. You'd be stupid to spend 7 euro's on 2 bottles of coke... :blush2:

3. You can walk everywhere in Rome but spend some time wearing your new sandals in first.

4. Beer tastes better in the sun... and goes down faster too

I'll certainly be going back someday.


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## feenix (May 27, 2008)

Thanks for the update.

Good to see that you've had as good a time as me and mine had when we went. If you like historic cities then Rome really does take some beating imho. :to_become_senile:


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## AlexC1981 (Jul 26, 2009)

I'm going in a weeks time! :clapping:

This thread has been a good read for me.


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## mjolnir (Jan 3, 2006)

feenix said:


> Good to see that you've had as good a time as me and mine had when we went.


I was surprised how much there was to see. I'm not sure what I was expecting but it seems like there is something worth seeing every few steps.



AlexC1981 said:


> I'm going in a weeks time! :clapping:


Hope you have a great time there too.

One thing that I did that I thought was worth mentioning was to buy a Roma Pass before we went and arranged to collect it from he airport on arrival. I think it was 25 euros but it lets you use the buses and the metro for three days and lets you into a few of the attractions like the colloseum, Forum and the Borghese gallery for free. I think I would have spent double that amount on the same stuff without it.


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## Benzowner (Nov 11, 2009)

mjolnir said:


> I'll certainly be going back someday.


How many coins did you throw in the fountain? If it ws three you will return, worked for me


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## feenix (May 27, 2008)

Benzowner said:


> How many coins did you throw in the fountain? If it ws three you will return, worked for me


Never quite understood why anyone would throw money in a pool of water. I guess I won't be going back then?


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## mjolnir (Jan 3, 2006)

Trace threw a couple of coins in although I didn't. Does this mean she will be going back but I will get to stay home and have some peace and quiet


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## rooi neus (Dec 9, 2010)

Prepare to upwards of a fiver for a can of coke in Vatican Square.


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