Rome with Teen in Tow

Rome, Italy once housed the most infamous men in the world... the Caesars. While their Empire crumbled some centuries ago, it continues to inspire. One has only to see the Roman Forum in the moonlight to imagine years past when men would kill for the idea of a Republic... or men would seize power and build themselves statues.

Equally, the Catholic church holds sway over millions of people around the world, and the Vatican is the seat of its power. Visitors to Rome may have an audience with the Pope as we did. Regardless of religious fervor, the churches here are worthy of awe. Our jaws certainly dropped at St. Peter's.

The Black Death plunged Europe into years of chaos. The Renaissance saw a resurgence of art, literature, and free thought. The most important sculptors and painters worked in Rome and left their masterpieces behind them.

In truth, if you like history, eventually all roads lead back to Rome.

Quick Tips:

Potable water flows from public fountains. Carry around water bottles and refill them. I normally buy bottled water because I prefer the taste over that found in a tap, but the water in Rome is delicious. You'll have plenty of other things to soak up your Euros. It doesn't need to be your thirst.

Incidentally, the only other city that I personally have ever visited that had public water distributed in this manner was Istanbul. The founders of both Rome and what was another center of Christendom understood that the masses get cranky when dehydrated. This was a source of good will for the government, and it remains so today.

Hotels in Rome are expensive, but pay attention to where you book. Make sure you're not too far away or you might end up throwing money at cabs... or wasting time, your most precious commodity. After all, you could spend only 60 seconds in front of each piece of art in the Vatican museums. If you never slept or ate or used the restroom, you'd still be there for twelve years before seeing it all. You don't want to blow a lot of your precious hours trudging to far away tram stops.

Hop-on-hop-off bus tours can be great if you're with a family. You can ride around and see what you'd like without all that walking! However, remember the top of the bus is burning hot. Pack sunscreen. Maybe even an umbrella? (Portable shade.)

Best Way To Get Around:

You'll be surprised to find only two metro lines in Rome. This is very strange in such a giant city. However, there is a reason. Every time they work on digging out another line, they run across another important historical site that needs to be excavated. This makes for slow work. They ARE currently getting on with it, which means that until after 2010, the metro lines are going to close fairly early in the evenings... Between 9-10 PM. Astonishing.*

With that said, you'll also find that Rome is pretty compact. There's a giant network of public buses and trams. And your feet will get you most places if you're willing to hoof it. You can take a train to the airport.

*Save money on your metro card by purchasing multiple days. It will also give you access to trams and buses.

I wanted to use Hotwire for my Roman vacation, and the Atahotel Villa Pamphili was one of the places I booked. We used it as our base while exploring the Vatican museums on the last couple of days of our trip.

First, let's talk about the pluses.

At around $180 after taxes, the rate was pretty good for a family of three in Rome, and it was cheaper than the other place where we stayed. The hotel is rated as a 4 star on Hotwire, and I think that is a fair rating in Europe. The place has some nice features like a gym, swimming pool, restaurant, and tennis courts. There was evidence of wear and tear throughout the complex, but considering the age of the place as evidenced by its style of architecture, all is nicely presented. Our room was also a good size, much closer to an American standard than the other hotels in which I've stayed in Rome. The bathroom was big and stocked with toiletries. My husband and I had a queen bed, and our son had a basic twin. There was loads of storage space, a good desk, and cable television providing three channels in English: MTV, CNN, and C-Span. We also had a balcony with a little table and chairs and a good view over the pool, which is nestled under a hill covered with pretty greenery. This made me miss an in-room coffee maker because I would have liked to have sipped a cup of coffee out there in the morning. There was a mini-bar, so I guess I could have opted for an evening beer. There is also a free (and essential) shuttle that takes guests back and forth to the Vatican museums, thus the metro and full access to the rest of Rome. Breakfast was included in our rate, and it was certainly robust for Italy. There were lots of baked goods but also scrambled and hard-boiled eggs plus bacon. All was served buffet style in a large restaurant downstairs. The front desk staff was polite and check-in was easy. Of course, the hotel is air-conditioned.

Now, onto the negatives.

For tourists, the location is a definite issue. You're really not going to pop into your room for an afternoon rest after you've managed to get into central Rome. Unlike the other hotel in which we stayed outside of the tourist zone, there is no easy access to public transport here. If you miss the free shuttle bus (runs fairly regularly, every hour), or it's full, your other options aren't great. We walked one night to a tram stop, which was a mile or so away. This would have been fine, but there is no sidewalk on the street, and the Italians drive like mad men... especially on their scooters. In addition, the hills are steep. This is definitely not a walk for kids unless you want to end up carrying them. Option 2? Taxi cabs, which will mitigate your rate savings. Option 3? Wait for the next shuttle bus.

So, how do you get to the hotel from the airport?

You can take a train to the Termini station and then get on the metro to disembark by the Vatican museums to catch the shuttle bus. This is a pain after a tiring flight. Or you have to get a cab. Already in Rome, we used the metro to catch the shuttle bus the first night we were going to stay in the Atahotel. After our vacation, our flight leaving Italy was very early in the morning. We got a cab to the airport in Fumincino. This cost us 48 Euros and took 20 minutes at 4:30 AM. (If you got a cab later in the day, add another 20 minutes for traffic and count on spending another 5-10 Euros.) Using only one cab, we managed to keep the expense of the hotel at a good level. After all, the only reason we chose this place was to save money.

Would I recommend this hotel?

Uhhhh.... That depends on who was asking me. If you're a business traveler who has work on that side of town, I'd say sure. In fact, most of the other guests looked like professional people. If you're a hard-core traveler who wants a cheap rate and doesn't mind the hassle of getting into Rome via the shuttle bus---and who has planned when you need to get to the airport so as you can always avoid a cab---maybe. To a family? Well, if none of the hotels that are more centrally located can accept people with multiple kids, this might not be bad. Keep in mind, children are grumpy when they're tired, and it's a pain to wait for shuttle buses with them.* Yet, it might be nice to have a swimming pool to amuse the munchkins before or after sight-seeing.

The bottom line?

This is a decent hotel that is much cheaper than a similar standard in Central Rome. However, the location is less than optimum. If my primary purpose was to play tourist, I would not stay here again.

*The metro stop where the shuttle bus picks up is one PAST the main Vatican museum stop. The bus stops the corner nearest the church on the opposite side of the hospital. Before you walk there, you can find two wonderful gelato shops on the corner across from the metro exit. One has the cheapest gelato cones we found in Rome... only 1.50 for a small cone. The other serves giant sundaes for 4 Euro each at the cafe tables in front. Gelato always made our waits for the bus seem shorter.

I wanted to give Hotwire a go, so I booked 2 hotels through that site for our Roman holiday. The first was this Holiday Inn Express.

Hotwire called it a "central" hotel. Well... that takes a bit of fudging. It's not. However, it is within close walking distance of the train station and a metro stop, so this is absolutely fine unless you're the type of traveler who wants to pop in and out of your room to rest mulitple times throughout the day. (If so, you should pay the premium for another hotel that is more central.)

Second, I started reading reviews of the hotel once I had its name. Hotwire put the brand at 2 1/2 stars. Other travel sites only gave a 1 star rating for the same place. I found some rather unhappy reviews, and I was getting nervous about the booking... especially the location.

What was the neighborhood actually like?

It's certainly true that the streets weren't sparkling, but it wasn't as bad as all that. Grafitti, unfortunately, is pervasive in Italian cities. Yet San Giovanni has some sites that are worth looking up in their own right. While we walked down the street to find our hotel, there were old men sitting outside and smoking on one corner's public benches. They didn't seem very threatening to me. I thought the area was fine.

How about the hotel?

When we saw the familiar Holiday Inn banner, we walked into a lobby that did--admittedly--look a little worn. A man and woman were drinking beer at a small table in front of a TV showing a football game. (That's soccer, Americans.) Our son plopped into an orange seat while the lady behind the front desk pulled up our reservation. In fact, as soon as I spoke, the girl who was working welcomed me with my name. She spoke excellent English, was fast, efficient, and warm. I could find no fault with the staff.

How was our room?

Hotwire was right with its rating. The room fit a solid 2 1/2 stars. It was small, especially with the single bed that was made up at the foot of our double to suit our son. However, I had a place to hang my clothes, all was clean and functional, the TV had 2 English channels (MTV & CNN), AND it was air conditioned. I was relived to see a hair dryer by the desk since I'd forgotten mine. The bathroom was downright spacious compared to the last bathroom I had in a hotel in Rome. I did notice mold in the shower, something I always hate, but the water pressure was fantastic. There was a stain on the carpet in the hall, but so what? Heavy blue, white and gold curtains covered our room's window, which overlooked train tracks. We could hear the train with the window closed, but it never disturbed us at all. I'm not sure it even ran late at night. The beds weren't great, but they weren't awful. We had fluffy pillows.

Any extra pluses?

Breakfast was included in our rate, and I thought it was pretty decent. There were water streaks on the plates and dishwasher spots on the glasses, but no one seemed to mind. Breads, cereals, bacon, and runny eggs were all available for guests. We filled up on cheeses and juice. A staff member made nice cappucinos with pictures of flowers drawn into the foam. The breakfast room looked over a bright courtyard.

Bottom line?

I would stay here again. It was an excellent value. I understand why some of the people who wrote reviews felt like they did. The same money in America would buy a much higher standard. But I live in Europe. I have more realistic expectations. I don't mind walking to the metro (about 10 minutes.) We enjoyed our stay. It's a good, moderate option.

If you're traveling with kids in Rome, this is a good restaurant to remember. You see, a lot of places close in the afternoons, and they don't open again until 7 PM. This is no good for young American families who are used to eating closer to 6. Wandering around the Piazza Popolo, we ran across this place. All of us wanted to eat, but all of the restaurants were dark. Then we saw the sign on an outside wall: "Always Open." SOLD! We grabbed seats out front underneath an umbrella.

How was the food?

Well, we didn't have high expectations, but we were pleasantly surprised. My son's pizza was pretty good. I had ravioli with 4-cheese sauce, which I enjoyed. It wasn't the best pasta I had during our trip, but it came out fast and hot. Plus I was starving. Other offerings like lasangna are on the menu. Young kids could easily split one pizza. The prices were good for Rome. Everything we ordered was under Ten Euro. Our waitress spoke English well. I noticed a "Top Table Recommended" sticker on the front door. (Top Table is a UK based website.)

How was the atmosphere?

Great. We sat outside in the shade and people-watched, which is always amusing. One boy in a black top-hat, crimson red shirt, and tails walked by us with a pale-faced girlfriend who had too much black mascara around her eyes on his arm. (These were Goths, our son said.) The service at the restaurant was really fairly fast. The wicker chairs were comfortable. The bathrooms were clean. The tablecloths were white and green checked so felt... Italian.

Any negatives?

Avoid the daiquiris and martinis. I ordered the first with a vision of a crushed ice drink like you'd get on the beach in my mind. They aren't served this way. The rim was covered in sugar. My husband asked for a dirty martini. Both drinks were horrible. After one sip, I switched to a glass of wine. My husband switched to a soft drink.

Any extra positives?

We like to go to the cinema in foreign countries when we're traveling with our son. After all, we can't exactly take him on a pub crawl! Very close to this restaurant is the Cinema Metropolitan (Via del Corso, 7), which shows films in their originial English with Italian subtitles. (Most cinemas have films dubbed over in Italian.) "Indiana Jones" was playing at 5:15 PM, so we had an early meal at Al Vantaggio when most other restaurants were closed before walking over to see a movie. Both the restaurant and the cinema are off the Piazza Popolo, to which you can easily walk from the Spanish Steps. Our movie tickets were 5 Euro each. Our 14-year-old is considered an "adult" in Rome. Price breaks can sometimes be had for kids under 12.

One of the funnest things we did in Rome was pick up an inexpensive water colour sketch for 10 Euro that I liked by an artist in the Piazza Navona and then seek out the scene depicted. The piece showed laundry strung up by a lamp-post on Via Scala.

Consulting a map, we learned Via Scala is in the Trastervere section of the city, so we walked across the river, onto the Isola Tiberina, and took a proper wander through a myriad of Italian neighborhoods.

In one piazza, we paused for a few minutes to watch a scene of people walking around a fountain because they were being filmed for a movie!

Once on the proper street, we discovered several restaurants and chose Ristorante Pizzeria La Scala across from a lovely church called the Santa Maria Della Scala. Next to this church, a man was sitting on the steps of a school and playing an accordian. We were in the shade, and a nice breeze was going through. Fresh roses were on every table. The atmosphere was lovely.

How was the restaurant?

Really good. My son's margherita pizza was only 6 Euros, cheaper than any he'd ordered closer to major sites. My husband said his linguini was exceptional. I have to say my risotto con funghi chiodin, asparagi e ricotta salata (risotto with honey mushrooms, asparagus, and salty ricotta) was only okay, but I still liked it. After the praises for the food from the rest of my family, I wish I'd tried the home-made ravioli instead.

When I went to use the restroom, I noticed the inside of the restaurant was dimly lit. The artwork was a little bit tacky, but the red bricks fit my idea of a pizzeria.

How was the service?

This was also quick and efficient. Our waiter spoke enough English for us to order easily. We got the bill as soon as we were finished.

Any other good points?

You have a couple of different choices for where you can pick up a gelato cone after you're finished with your main meal. There's a place across from the church where we grabbed dessert.

Bottom line?

Off the beaten path---but not in an insane way---we enjoyed this restaurant and being away from most of the tourist crowds.

Enjoy!

Ditirambo was the "nice" restaurant we visited while in Rome. It was listed in a "top ten" list my husband found on-line, so we made reservations for 8 PM. Knowing it was near the Campo dei Fiori Piazza, which is famous for its nightlife, we allowed extra time to wander around the pretty streets taking photographs until we located the Piazza della Cancelleria. Even so, it was only a little after 7 PM when we spotted the small front door to Ditirambo. It's hard not to notice all the stickers that recommend the restaurant. Though we were early, it was open, so we asked if we could still take a seat. The staff was very accommodating and ushered us through an arched doorway into a back room decorated with green and white checked linens.

How was the menu?

At first, our son stuck up his nose because he couldn't find a pizza. It was all "fancy" Italian cuisine. It is true that this is not the best place for younger kids, but we guided our teenager to something he might like on the menu... and introduced him to the thought that not all Roman food needs to be tossed into the air! We ordered a nice bottle of pinot grigio per our waiter's recommendation, and I very much appreciated his guidance because he said the first label I pointed to was sweet, and I prefer dry. This was just the beginning of the excellent service we experienced in this restaurant. We would be well attended to---though never rushed---throughout the evening.

How was the food?

It was very good. In fact, the home-made raviolli completely blew away anything else I'd eaten up to that point. The freshly chopped tomatos, the perfectly cooked pasta, the reasonable portion for a first dish.... Perfecto!

Our main entrees were equally as good, and I noticed several vegetarian options for people who don't eat meat were available.

Afterwards, we ordered a crepe dessert with fruit that was light and heavenly. We left dinner completely satisfied and happy with our meal.

Was the meal expensive?

Well, yes. If you order multiple courses as we did, your bill will also be over a hundered Euros. That's not cheap. However, we were in Rome. We wanted to try at least one "high quality" restaurant. The best thing about this one was that the food didn't disappoint at all. Even the kid admitted that he liked all of it.

After paying our bill, we walked arm-in-arm out into the cooling night and had a nice walk in the moonlight. We were full and happy to be in Rome.

A good thing to do with children in Rome is the The Time Elevator. Located near the Trevi Fountain (Barberini Metro Stop), they offer several films a day in English. This is a multi-sensory experience in which you can "ride" through time with a guide. There are several different films at any time, but we were only interested in seeing a show about ancient Rome.

What was it like?

It was a nice reprieve from the heat. We were given earphones to hear the narrative, and we found seats in the back of the room. (Young kids below a certain height have to go on the non-moving seats.) This works a little bit like the Back to the Future ride in Disney World as the seat shakes and lifts as you "move through time", but it's not quite as cool. The show isn't super long, less than an hour, but it's well-suited to children.

Now I must say my son scoffed a bit at the presentation as he is almost fourteen, a lover of Roman history, and... well... "just a bit too mature" for this kind of thing.

For instance, when Julius Caesar is stabbed in the Roman Forum via the film, I got an elbow in the rib because this is a myth perpetuated by William Shakespeare. Caesar was actually murdered in a different section of Rome, and my kid knows it. He wanted accuracy as well as entertainment. (Bless him. Hollywood is going to prove a disappointment!)

Still, I think the simplified narrative is perfect for kids under 12.

The moving seat is good, and I liked the mist of water that you feel during a fountain scene.

Any other negatives?

It's expensive. Just under 20 Euros for an adult ticket. You can get different combos that might give you a better value.

Any pluses that mitigate price?

I think that Rome is a very grown-up place. Yeah, kids love gladiators and swords, but ruins take a bit of historical background and a lot of grown up imagination to be impressive. Crowds jostle families in hours of relentless heat. Lines are long, and museums stuffed to the gills with antiquities aren't exactly your average 8-year-old's idea of a good time. This is a place to take under 12s that will give a basic (though not textbook accurate) account of the city that might get them more interested in the whole trip.

Other suggestions?

Go check the times for the appropriate English show, buy your tickets, then eat at any number of pizza places you'll find in the area before the show. Take the kids over to the Trevi Fountain while you're waiting and have them throw a coin into the water over their shoulder. (This is a tradition for anyone wishing to return again to Rome.) Then go back to the theatre to relax in the airconditioning.

Bottom line?

Yes, the Time Elevator is a wee bit of a tourist trap, but you've gotta do something for the little munchkins that will really please them before you make them stand in line to see the Sistine Chapel.

Rome is very, very dense. If you're traveling here with children, it is essential you plan before you start wandering through the hot crowds. It will make your life a lot easier and your kids' experience a lot better.

Sample itinerary for a "family day" in Rome:

The Colesseo

After a leisurely breakfast, go to the Colesseo in the morning. You can gain entry to here and to the Monte Palantino for 11 Euro per adult combo ticket. We paid an extra 10 Euro each to join an English speaking tour. (Conversely, you can choose to rent an audio tour inside.)

I can't speak for all the tour guides in the area, but ours was wonderful. We were given headsets so that we could hear him despite the crowded spaces, which I thought was marvelous. He gave a great overview of the history of the arena before we went inside. For us, this was essential. If you don't know the background, looking at the ruins is... well... just okay.

Our son, a lover of Roman history, did occassionally lean over and whisper those "facts" with which he took issue. (For instance, he said the Estruscans had arches before the Romans. The Romans improved upon the design. They didn't invent arches from scratch.)

While some of the stories told are gruesome---i.e., The word "arena" comes from the Latin word for "sand", which was used to soak up the blood of gladiators as they fell for the amusement of the masses---they will keep kids interested in this period of history and entertained... kind of like the "Horrible History" series of books. There's talk of why the arena was built on a place once cleared by Nero... sure. But there's also plenty of the "ewww" factor to go around.

Now, I must say, if you have a toddler, be prepared to carry strollers up steps... You're not going to find ramps, and the stairs are steep. Just be warned and ready!

After the Colosseo, wander over to the Monte Palantino. Here we were still on a tour, but our second guide wasn't nearly as good. There aren't a lot of signs to explain things though, so if you go here with kids on your own, bring a guidebook. You'll find the ruins of a great palace with lemon trees in the garden. There's a nice view over the Roman Forum at one point, and that will be your next destination.

Wander through the Roman Forum where senators once met to do the business of Rome. Remember that Julius Caesar was not actually murdered here. This myth was perpetuated by Shakespeare because it was easier to put the dictator in the Forum rather than change the set during the play!

Break for lunch.

Next you can walk by the Piazza Venezia, which boasts the giant marble building erected to the glory of a united Italy. Near here you can see the balcony from which Mussolini used to give speeches, but take a left turn and go down the street towards the Teatro di Marcello. A beautiful crumbling theatre with poppies growing on the grass, this is supposedly where Julius Caesar actually did say, "Et tu, Brute?" and gasped his last breaths.

Now, loop back to the Piazza Bocca della Verita. The kids can refill their water bottles in one of the public fountains. Then stand in line at the Santa Maria in Cosmedian church. Tell your kids the legend of this medallion carved in pavonazzetto marble. As highlighted in the old film, Roman Holiday, the legend is that if you tell a lie when answering a question with your hand in the medallion's mouth, it will bite you. There's a recommended donation of 50 Euro cents to help with the upkeep of the church when you get up to take a picture going through this ritual. It's a great photo op and fun for children. Afterwards, walk through the lovely church itself with its wooden-beamed ceiling.

Now, go back into the piazza and look for tour bus stop signs. After 1 PM, you can get a few Euro off a 24 hour ticket with some of the companies. You can buy a ticket from the hostess on a bus, and the "time" begins as soon as you first hop-on. Now you can ride a circle around Rome with a narrated tour. The buses run until early evening, so you can hop off anywhere you'd like and get back on again to get to a metro stop.

Get close to the Piazza del Popolo. You can walk here from a bus drop off point... or you can take the Spagna metro stop and see the Spanish Steps before you find this. Closeby here, you will find a Cinema to enterain the kids in the evening plus a pizza joint as detailed in the rest of my journal that is opened earlier than a lot of the other restaurants in Rome.

Sites you should factor into a "family itinerary" you build?:

The Trevi Fountain (The Time Elevator is by this... a good reprieve from the heat for children.)
The Piazza Navonna (Let your kids pick out a 10 Euro watercolour to take home as a souvenir.)
The Pantheon (One of Rome's ancient wonders. The Della Palma gelateria is right off a side street near the Pantheon, and it has excellent, reasonable gelato... a great break from the heat.)

The Vatican Museums are beautiful, lovely, amazing. The Sistine Chapel is all that it is cracked up to be. However, the crowds here are intense. When you go there, plan to be there all day. I think it will be the most challenging day you'll have with younger children. If you plan to climb St. Peter's, get there early. The lines are looooonnnnnnnngggggggg.

My teenager truly enjoyed the Vatican as much as I did.