Viva Roma! Summer 2004

Rome takes the imagination--I've been here several times, and truly every time, I start dreaming about Ancient Rome! On this trip, my wfie and I were able to see the Colloseum, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navonna, Pantheon, the Vatican, and many other squares and fountains.

Quick Tips:

Well, I used a great site called bancotel.com, where I saved a lot on hotels.

I recommend seeking out train or metro schedules ahead of time; it will save time and money.

Best Way To Get Around:

Foot, taxi, train, bus--you name it!

Now, for the budget-conscious, you will like this one. It's not fancy but is clean and comfortable. Rooms are small, but then again, this is Europe. Rated as 3-star, it was perfect for us, as we hardly stayed there. Breakfast was good, and the cost was 5 euros, which isn't much considering that prices are really getting expensive.

The best thing was the location; it was about a 7-minute walk to the Pantheon, Spanish Steps, or the Trevi. It was very convenient; we walked everywhere! We got a heck of a deal, and people are going to think I am fibbing, but we paid 50 euros per night!

The staff was okay; in Rome, people are busy and don't really chit-chat, we found out!

Well, you start to see the old Parliament areas of the Roman Empire, and of course, the famous Forum, how it was and what remains of it today. It talked about the the significant emperors and their contributions, as far as what buildings and structures were erected and what purposes they served, such as the Colloseum initiated by Nero.

This was a very vibrant area with lots of cafes and restaurants nearby... A beautiful fountain is in front of this building that was dedicated to the gods prior to Christianity coming on strong shortly after that. It really stands out.

This was a tour that we took in the morning, which isn't as hot as the afternoon, and I advise that. We were able to go to the famous sights by foot, with a focus on the famous squares and fountains, and at the end of tour, we ended up at the Vatican. Because of that, I also advise you to take the tour on a Sunday so you will be able to hear the Pope's sermon. Also, if you are wearing shorts, they won't allow you in to the church, so keep that in mind, or you can buy paper pants for about $5.

The walk starts at Piazza Navonna, which is a really big square with cafes, restaurants, musicians, and of course, a fountain there too. We revisited this square on our own at night, so it was vibrant! We walked to the famous Trevi Fountain. Very nice, lots of photos and lots of people there; whether it is day or night, expect lots of people here! We then also went to the famous Spanish steps and went back there at night. It was a hot enough day that it was tempting to swim in the fountain! But always remember: no matter how hot it is, there's plenty of Italian ice cream in Italy!

On a sidenote, we went to Campo Fiori on our own and had the best ice cream ever--the place was called Blue Ice, and it was awesome. The famous Vatican and its piazza attracted a big crowd too, especially since it was Sunday, which was good.

Overall, for a good tour, be comfy and drink a lot of fluids.

I personally wouldn't recommend renting a car in Italy, especially in the big cities like Rome, Florence, Venice, etc.

Now, if you are done with the big cities and you want to make a trip to the Amalfi Coast or go north towards the beautiful lakes of the Italian/Swiss border area, renting a car isn't so bad.

Train works well if you are short on time and, of course, on a budget. We took a train for our travels from Rome to Florence to Venice and back to Rome. The total trip cost $90 each, and we found it also more affordable to buy single tickets. We even took a train form the FCO Rome Airport to the Termini Station, which was about $22, as opposed to about $75 for a taxi!!!

Of course, it can depend also on the type of luggage you have and how many people you are, but like Manhattan, parking isn’t easy there and gas is expensive!

We traveled by Eurostar a few times, and it was more comfortable than the local train, especially on a hot summer day!

Anyway, the lure of Europe to me is also the train-travel concept, so my recommendation is to try it. You can always plan ahead by looking at schedules online.