Help!!! Whose been to Rome???

[MilkTray22]

I'm planning a girls trip to Rome at the VERY last minute. I think I'll try and book a air bnb. Questions, please help! None of us have ever been before.
Where abouts should we stay?? There seems to be loads of different districts and none of them mean anything to me!!
What to do when we're there? They'll be eating and drinking as a given but any particular recommendations.
Will it be okay going for 2 nights and 3 days.

Thanks so much in advance, in desp need of guidance!!!

I haven’t been for a few years, but I would say look at booking ahead if you want to go to the Vatican and coliseum. Both worth doing, but queues can be huge. And no screaming in the Sistine chapel.

We found restaurants generally disappointing and very much for tourists. Tripadvisor could be useful, subject to usual caveats.

Coffee costs more if you sit at a table rather than stand at the bar.

You could also try posting on the Travel board; less traffic there, but threads don’t get pushed down as quickly as they do here.

It’s a gorgeous city, you’ll have a great time.

Oh, and when we went, the area around Termini was apparently very dodgy at night, so I wouldn’t stay there, though it might have changed.

If you want to go to the colosseum- buy the tickets beforehand and include the underground tour. Use the metro- very very easy and cheap. Don’t stay in the centre if you’re on a budget. I stayed in Bologna and took very little time to get into the centre. Went to the Vatican and to avoid the queues I booked tickets where you enter with a tour, but you don’t take part in the tour.

My daughter and I stayed here:
www.booking.com/Share-Ns8xa2d
It was a nice area, and a minute walk to the metro, then about 15 minutes to the centre of Rome.
Definitely book ahead for tourist sites, too.
Restaurants near the guest house were pricey, but nicer than the mainly pizza/pasta places in the centre imho!

Only been for a day trip, but the hop on hop off bus was great so everything was very accessible, to add to @WarmSausage said, the obvious restaurants were disappointing but we did find some nice little pizzeria down side streets particularly near the Spanish steps.

Oh and be careful on the Spanish steps easy to trip and hit every single bloody one on the way down.

Pre book skip the line tickets for anything you want to see but especially The Colosseum, which is incredible.

We found the Sistine Chapel underwhelming - it takes hours to get there, shuffling along with lots of other tourists and then you are herded into a crowded room where guards shout at you to be quiet.

Stay centrally if you can. It’s a beautiful city, have a lovely time.

We went 2 years ago with easy jet cost around 140.- each for 3 nights B&B just around the corner from the Colosseum. I think it's moti district... was very central to most attractions.

This should give you ideas - revealedrome.com/2012/08/neighborhoods-of-rome/

I’d avoid anywhere near the railway station, as there are lots of pickpockets there.

As for what to do, you’re spoiled for choice! Walk. Wander. Stop for a coffee in the piazza navona. Visit the Spanish steps. Must-sees are the colosseum, Vatican City, the Roman forum and Palatine Hill - see www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/italy/rome/articles/the-best-things-to-do-in-rome-and-where-to-stay-hotel/ for more ideas.

Have a fab time!

When I went, we stayed in Trastevere which is over the bridge from the city (west side). It was a walk into the city for the sights but we were far enough away that it was quieter. Lots of really nice bars and restaurants there too, plus air bnbs are slightly cheaper there.

"Ristorante Carlo Menta" is my fave place we are there too.

I'd recommend a free walking tour on the first day, this way you get to see the sights and get your bearings, plus it helps you prioritise what you want to see in more detail.

Hope this helps!

We went in October. Stayed in the Trastevere neighbourhood which was lovely, real Rome, loads of cobbled streets with tons of eateries, live music and not the same prices as central Rome yet still walkable to the attractions.
Pre-book everything you want to do. The queues are huge otherwise. And consider visiting the Baths of Caracella (doesn't need pre-booking). Lesser known but amazing.
We were there four days and walked almost ten miles per day but saw loads. Prioritise what you want to see in two days, don't waste time by 'winging' it.

I did this last year. We looked for places close to Piazza Navona. I found an amazing place, 15th century merchants townhouse for 4 of us, 5 mins walk to the Vatican and on one of those little cobbled streets you see on Instagram. Little jewelry shops and antiques shops on the street and some very good restaurants. I found it on Booking .com.
Look around there? None of us wanted to get buses or trains into the centre so this suited.

We used EasyinRome through booking.com to book an apartment near Piaza Navrona . As others have said it's relatively central to the attractions but sufficiently removed to have some nice inexpensive restaurants on the side streets nearby.

Travastere is lovely. Do a night walk about if you can, all over the city. It's so different and gorgeous at night.

Trastevere or Campo de Fiori

Trastevere Has been mentioned and I’d third or fourth recommend, great area, easy to get to using the train, fabulous bars and cafes,

There is one bar that’s really good near the church in the square, very cheap beer and great atmosphere

Enzo is delicious food, if you can get a table well worth it

We walked over the bridges into the Center or got the bus

We rocked up at the tourist sites at 4pm without a ticket and walked in quicker than the skip the queue. All the cruise lines bus there people out by 4pm so the queue disappears and so do all the people inside, so you can actually see better

Rome is wonderful

I love Rome.

Book a guide for the Vatican. Unless you're an art historian, it's too much and too overwhelming otherwise. We booked a guide, it was only an extra £30 and we skipped the line.

She stuck to the really interesting bits of the Vatican museum then took us to the Sistine Chapel and the Basilica. She brought it all to life and it was the single most incredible and fascinating experience of our trip. If we'd gone without a guide we would not have appreciated any of it and I would undoubtedly be wondering what the fuss is about.

I would also not miss the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill, Pantheon, Colosseum, Galleria Borghese, Trastevere and of course, the Trevi Fountain.

We stayed right next to the Spanish Steps which is a great, central spot.

Oh I LOVE Rome. I’m so jealous! I went end of January last year on a super last minute booking and fell madly in love.

We stayed close to Termini (the big train station) and although it was a bit more run down than the other districts (lots of fast food places and people selling flashy light up toys on the street) our hotel was down a quieter street and I never once felt unsafe. It was a great base location wise. The leonardo express train from the airport stops at Termini and we were at our hotel in 3 minutes.

If you’re going to do the Vatican book a guided tour, there’s so much to see and you can overlook amazing things if you don’t have a guide.

I got a lot of brilliant tips and info from this site although I didn’t book anything through them.

Look at a Romewise pass, could save you a lot of money.

Food wise I found bar snacks and street food ticked our boxes more than a sit down dinner. Try Suppli it’s gorgeous. Most bars do a little evening buffet that’s cheap and lovely. Pizza by the slice and gelato too.

Go walk the city at night. It’s stunning in the dark. Gelato in hand. One of my best memories is sitting outside a bar sipping a Bellini opposite the Pantheon.

Enjoy!

Definite recommendation here for trastevere too. It's absolutely lovely. Away from the manicness of the traffic. Some very reasonably priced restaurants and bars. Street entertainment. Its not far to the other attractions either.