Rome SOS

[travelingthew0rldbeforeim40]

Hi lovely MNetters! 💋

Posting in AIBU for traffic.

On Sunday I'm leaving in Rome... alone. Was supposed to leave with a friend however, due to severe family problems, can't come anymore.... so it's me myself and I. First I was pissed (obviously on the situation-not her), now I find it as a "finding myself journey) after a very rough and emotionally challenging year.......

What did you visit/buy/eat in Rome and loved it? Please give me some advice;

On my list I have- Jo Malone shops (we don't have them in the country I live now)
-Kiko & PUPA cosmetics
-zara temple (lol)

Visiting- Colosseum
-vatican
_fontana di trevi
-st peter's basilica

Please help!:-)

Eat carbonara or cacio e Pepe here - next door to the pantheon but not 100% not a tourist trap - you generally need to book a day or so in advance but your hotel can help with that.

Oops - just saw squoosh already recommended Armando's! Great minds think alike

Somebody already linked to my recent thread on the same topic - I was going to say the same! I'll be picking up more tips from here!

travelingthew0rldbeforeim40 You'll have to let me know how it went and if you have any tips of your own afterwards!

I've done Paris by myself and loved it - so peaceful and you can do whatever you want and be completely selfish! I loved people watching and reading in quiet gardens

As previously stated, watch out for pickpockets etc. I've been to Rome twice - the first time a gang of street kids swarmed round us waving sheets of cardboard to try to distract/rob us, and the second time my cross-body bag was slashed from underneath while my hand was on it on the subway.

Rome is somewhere I definitely want to revisit. Last time around, stayed in a nice hotel, but a bit away from everything. It was fine, but meant getting the metro every day, and there was nothing much around the neighbourhood in the evening.

Next time, would love somewhere more central.
If anyone has recommendations I would be very grateful.

P.S OP, have a lovely time!

Trieste Pizza is amazing if you fancy a small yet utterly amazingly delicious pizza

Ps: nip into the observatory! We happened upon it by accident and it's magic x

Oops - just saw squoosh already recommended Armando's! Great minds think alike

😄

Great minds indeed! The food there was just fantastic.

Re travelling alone, get an absorbing book set in Rome (something about the Borgias?) and walk a while, settle with your book a while. Openly people watch and smile
If you like markets, there is a flea market in trastavere on Sunday am, really good for a rummage.

Great bar called the thirsty scholar, air conditioned, good food and lots of priests and priests in training hang out there. It will be v hot so a nice cool place to hangout/go on mumsnet.

I enjoyed the open top buses to get a feel for the geography and sights

Got back from Rome last night. Highly recommend dinner at Hostaria Al Boschetto
Via del Boschetto, 30, 00184 Roma, Italy
+39 06 474 4770
goo.gl/maps/cCvJM3u7hqN2

Not sure how long you are there but had a fab time at the market that starts by Porta Portese on a Sunday morning. Vast but great to explore.

Oh and if you get a bus tour do NOT use the Green Line Tours!

@sunshinemeg where did you stay, please? Am looking for recommendations. Thank you.

Not sure if it's already been said but the Gianicolo park. You get an amazing view across to the Vatican.

Drinks are really expensive if you sit down - 5/6 euros for a cup of coffee! On the plus side, if you buy a soft drink/wine, you get a big bowl of crisps with it, so that might keep you going for a bit. When we last went we stayed somewhat outside town, so we ate at lunchtime and went back to the hotel in the evening and had a drink and crisps in the bar. Breakfast was included so we ate fine.

If you speak Italian well you've got a great head start. My GCSE Italian is rather rusty but a lot of people spoke English (or German).

We stayed in the Crowne Plaza. Really good but 3 miles out. It was ok for us as it was probably quieter than staying in town, and the staff were really nice, but it probably wouldn't suit most. We got the metro. You can walk but it's quite a long way.

Thanks Mulledwine.

Rachel0Greep I have stayed at the Forum Hotel, it's in a fab position and has lovely cocktail terrace. Pricey though but I do recommend it.

My DH went to Rome on a work trip, hated it and won't go back. I'd love to visit.

Hope you have an amazing time!

Villa Borgehse- some amazing artworks!! If you are still around in the early evening you might find some lovely locals feeding the wild cats in the park.
I did 2 days in Rome about 18 years ago... it was great. Didn't have a dull moment. (... and taking the whole family later this year!)

Comfy walking shoes 😊

RachelOGreep we stayed here www.hotelquirinale.it/en it was just the most special of places. Faded grandeur, bedrooms with balconies, beautiful music drifting up from the gardens and reasonably prices, very centrally.

I cant wait to go back, it was one of those special hotels itswim

There's a restaurant in Trastevere where they serve a 1st century recipe Pork Stew (apparently written by Julius Caesar's chef) and their wine cellar was a 10th Century Synagogue. Each step is 75yrs into the past: www.ristorantespiritodivino.com/

Found that on this: www.eatingitalyfoodtours.com/rome/tours/twilight-trastevere/

Thanks Paradise and Awks!

Cocktail on the rooftop bar at the Rafael near Piazza Navona - and the street place closest opposite has great food and not expensive.

Apologies it's spelt Raphaël