Weekend in Rome

Thanks for the tips- I'll be sure to visit next Culture Weekend when entrance is free!

Wow, all in a day as well!!

I'm off to Rome next week so I would like to thank you for your tips.
I will be eating down the side streets as our hotel is by the Spanish Steps and said to be an expensive part of Rome.
How did you get to your Hotel from the airport?

Having visited Rome in August & November last year November was much more pleasant less crowded and without the high tempetures. A lovely place to visit.

im off to rome for the bank holiday weekend and def cant wait now, it sounds amazing and im looking forward to the hot weather too, especially after all the rain we've been having!!

As a resident from just outside Rome here are a few tips to visitors.

There is a bus from the 2 Rome airports, often bookable on your flight and it's a bargain. There is also an express train from Fiumicino airport to Termini station in the centre of Rome, altho' a long walk down the station platform.
Taxis are white, usually air conditioned and not ridiculously dear on the meter.
It's v hot in Rome at this time of year so try not to cram in too much.
Rome hotels are generally expensive and some are very good. Go on personal recommendation or use the better chains eg Best western.
Beware of the 64 tourist bus to the Vatican, do not wear conspicuous jewellery, and don't carry around large amounts of money in yr wallet and never in a back pocket.
Fill up yr small mineral water bottle from the many drinking fountains not from the decorative fountains!
Why not avoid the main tourist traps and as Rome IS its churches visit some of the less well-known ones, nevertheless magnificent eg San Clemente, San Ignazio, The Gesu.
Get a good guide book before you go eg DK, Key to Rome, BECAUSE most Rome attractions, icluding the churches have erratic opening hours - long lunches for the staff - v civilised but not much good for the tourist, also many close Mon Tue or Wed or even all three!
Check out opening times in advance!
A lot of the smaller specialist shops are closed between 1 and 4.30!
As for food, there are little supermarkets in the most unlikely places and why not have a picnic in one of Rome's shady parks? Do not sit on the grass you will get bitten.
Rome is a brilliant city and what is more there are brilliant places to visit nearby I would recommend the Villa d'este at Tivoli. Ask at a tourist office for the best way to get there.
Buona Fortuna!

I visited Rome in November and had a most wonderful four days. The weather was perfect, still warm and sunny with long shadows, so at 2pm in November it felt like a summers evening in London!

The people were amazingly friendly and the city itself is like walking around a huge living monument, there's so much to see. Around every corner there is something to discover.

As there were 5 of us we booked a cab from the Airport to the hotel for a fixed price. The driver took us in via a scenic route and suddenly we were alongside the Colosseum - wow! We visited everything over the four full days we had there. We were lucky to have a friend who lives in Rome and he took us off the beaten track to some beautiful churches and best of all to some fabulous restaurants most tourists will never go to, he also told us the ones to avoid! I can recommend "Tootsies" but am unsure whereabouts it is because we got a cab there and back, look it up cos it's worth it! Our hotel (Hotal Max) was right by the main terminal so getting back to the airport was easy and if you fancy an afternoon by the beach, it's less than an hour away. I can't recommend this wonderful city enough and am looking forward to returning this November.

Im fortunate enough to visit Rome 5/6 times a year. I agree with your comments on pick pockets and the Vatican bus (I was unlucky enough to have my bag emptied on it). I have never paid high prices for food - there is a range of eating places to cater for every taste and budget (much cheaper to eat out there than here in the UK)

Its a wonderful and beautiful city ...... a place everyone should see at least once in their lifetime.

Saluti.....

just got back from Rome scenery and buildings fantastic,but afraid to say smells disgusting.Get on a rover bus quite cheap and you can get on and off where you like all day.