Looking for advice on holiday to Rome

twopenny

It depends on what you want out of the trip.

Some want to see the same as everyone else, others (me) like to walk around too and see the endless treasures to discover that aren't the crowded 'must sees'

I'd say keep tight hold of any bags and split your money/cards around your bag or person. That way if you do get had (and they're good I watched a pickpocket show off to his girlfriend at a bus stop) they will only take some and not all.

And they are more likely to watch where you put a purse or money so only having a token amount on show thwarts that.

Agree with the eating out idea. Not just cheaper to eat away from the tourist highlights but usually better, more authentic.

Ask the hotel receptionist or whoever you are in contact with.

Or watch the cheffee progs on tv for ideas.

I find guide books better than the net for information. They aren't led by advertising or cookies. Your library will have some so you can have several to take notes from. I used Fodors as found they gave a good mix of pricey to budget and noted some of the lesser known gems.

Barkin

la531983 said:

Yes i clearly misread your post.

But yes we had no interest in queuing all morning for the Colliseum, or standing by the Trevi Fountain for 2 hours etc, a whistle stop tour was enough 

Well, if 3 hours was taken out of your day in getting there & back, I guess a whistle stop tour was all you had time for 😂

HouseMartin567

I fall somewhere between the previous 2 posters. I spent 4 nights in Rome and felt that was about the right length of time. And I agree with the point about eating away from the main tourist attractions unless you want to pay a small fortune (granted this is no different to any other tourist attraction in any other city!).

la531983

Barkin said:

la531983 said:

Yes i clearly misread your post.

But yes we had no interest in queuing all morning for the Colliseum, or standing by the Trevi Fountain for 2 hours etc, a whistle stop tour was enough 

Well, if 3 hours was taken out of your day in getting there & back, I guess a whistle stop tour was all you had time for 😂

Incorrect. Arrived in Rome at 8am after a 80 minute trip, left at 6pm for the same 80 min trip back. Plenty of time (10 hours, how long do you think we were there for, two?) and a lovely glass of prosecco in business class on the train on the way back too.

Much more preferable than paying Rome accommodation prices and the train was dirt cheap, not really sure why you are pooh-poohing the idea. People do that length of trip as a commute into London every single day. And I preferred Naples tbh.

la531983

HouseMartin567 said:

I fall somewhere between the previous 2 posters. I spent 4 nights in Rome and felt that was about the right length of time. And I agree with the point about eating away from the main tourist attractions unless you want to pay a small fortune (granted this is no different to any other tourist attraction in any other city!).

We actually found a very reasonable place about 1 km up one of the side streets from the Trevi Fountain, a place called Pizzeria Rionala Agape. Fantastic pizzas and reasonably priced by what we saw on other menu boards in the city

Barkin

Twas meant to be a light hearted quip.
Chill - different strokes, and all that... Eh? 

FWIW our last trip cost us approx. £40 each for flights.
A nice Airbnb on a lovely narrow cobbled street with a couple of very nice reasonably priced restaurants, away from the usual tourist mosh-pits but within a 10 minute walk of the Colloseum, was £60 per night.

I don't call that expensive...

I thought the trains were good too. IIRC a 48hr Rome metro ticket was 12 euros, and we were surprised to find that it was also valid for a trip that we did to Ostia Antica.

We've flown to Pisa previously, and on by train to Florence, and that was also very easy and cheap.

I like Naples too - it doesn't have to be one or the other!

I can do without the prosecco though - yuk! 

Voyager2002

Barkin said:

I can do without the prosecco though - yuk! 

Perhaps you need to try the high-quality Prosecco served in the posh parts of Italian trains. Careful: it could transform your life.

Barkin

Voyager2002 said:

Barkin said:

I can do without the prosecco though - yuk! 

Perhaps you need to try the high-quality Prosecco served in the posh parts of Italian trains. Careful: it could transform your life.

Nah, I can't do anything with bubbles!

I have, however, found that the "house wine" in Italian restaurants tends to be much better than I'd expect here 👍

But nowhere does a decent cup of tea.