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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Rome or Dublin - Where would you go?

35 replies

FoghornLeghorn · 23/08/2006 08:55

DH and I are looking to go away for a long weekend next year.
I really fancy the idea of Dublin, DH does too but he also things Rome or the like would be much more romantic.

We need suggestions on where to go and where to stay - Have been looking at Dublin and know Temble Bar is the main sort of area so would like to be quite close to that but not right on top of it, The only places I know of in Rome are the Vatican and Trevi Fountain so completely clueless there.
We will probably spend most of the weekend shopping, eating, walking - would like somewhere that is quite classy without being poncy

OP posts:
HyacinthB · 23/08/2006 09:06

Dublin is great, and so is Rome. Rome would be more romantic if that is what you are after, and it is steeped in history and visually beautiful. I'd do Rome.

(Have done both, and enjoyed both)

hulababy · 23/08/2006 09:11

I have been to Dublin. We had a great time, but I wouldn't say it was romantic. Temple Bar is very lively at night - good for drinks/meal out.

Not been to Rome, but that would be much more romantic. I'd go for Rome.

Gingerbear · 23/08/2006 09:14

have been to Dublin - it is not particularly cheap anymore. Wouldn't say it was romantic. For a romantic city, you can't beat Florence IMO (squeezyjet/ Ryanair do cheap flights to Pisa - you can get a train to Florence from there
Never been to Rome so cannot comment.

CarolinaMoon · 23/08/2006 09:22

Rome is way better for a break imho (sorry any dubliners reading this!) if you're after something classy and nice food etc.

Piazza del Popolo is handy for the posher shops, but I really like the old bit around the Campo dei Fiori.

Original poster
FoghornLeghorn · 23/08/2006 09:55

Thanks guys.
Have been looking on the internet this morning and although I would love Dublin I do agree Rome is much more romantic for our first wedding anniversary.
Now I need recommendations on where to stay ?

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oliveoil · 23/08/2006 09:56

Not been to either but have always hankered after Rome.

WellaWellaWellaHuh · 23/08/2006 10:11

I went to Dublin with DW, and Rome with mates!

However Rome was before I met DW. I would go to Rome - more to see, better weather. Just sitting outside, at a cafe next to a major road junction is entertainment in itself. Wacky Races Italian style!

LIZS · 23/08/2006 10:17

ds is our souvenir of Rome -

DelGirl · 23/08/2006 10:34

Have been to both and like them for different reasons. If it was me however, i'd pick Rome over Dublin every time.

Original poster
FoghornLeghorn · 23/08/2006 10:39

Ok, you've sold it to me. Think we will go for Rome, anyone got any suggestions on good hotels ? Good central area ?

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expatinscotland · 23/08/2006 10:46

I'd go to Dublin, hire a car, and drive in the countryside.

Or I'd go to Cork, hire a car and drive to Cashel.

CarolinaMoon · 23/08/2006 14:15

what sort of budget, foghorn leghorn?

Twinkie1 · 23/08/2006 14:20

Rome is lovely and the Hotel Raphael just near to the Piazza Nirrona (sp?) is wonderful and v classy.

The shopping is great, architecture too and the food - well book ahead because so many places get really busy.

Original poster
FoghornLeghorn · 23/08/2006 15:38

Thanks Twinkie - will have a look at that one.
Have found a couple that look quite nice, reasonable locations etc - Hotel Barocco, Hotel delle Nazioni, Concordia & Daniel?s hotel.

Budget, anything under £500 for the 4 nights - could possibly stretch to £600 but hoping to do the hotel & flights for around £800 and have found some good flights coming in at under £200.

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CarolinaMoon · 23/08/2006 15:46

we stayed at the Hotel Campo dei Fiori for about that much a couple of years ago. Nice hotel (though you don't get much space for the money), with a little roof terrace with views over the city.

Several v nice restaurants nearby too. Yum!

Original poster
FoghornLeghorn · 23/08/2006 15:50

Were was it location wise ? Have been looking and it seems Collussium & Trevi are pretty central to the city, would that be right ?

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CarolinaMoon · 23/08/2006 16:38

it's here .

The area is called the Centro Storico, and is basically a lot of lovely old honey-coloured buildings on winding streets and squares. You can walk to the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain, but it's not particularly near them, and they aren't particularly near each other either.

The metro and buses are ok IIRC if you don't feel like walking.

aitch71 · 23/08/2006 17:28

here
i can't recommend it too highly. a lovely family hotel near the colosseum. we had our wedding there and they couldn't have been nicer about it.
it's central but not too central, and they cook in the evenings so you can get a meal there if you are knackered or simply wish to spend an evening in bed...
also, it's not very expensive...

Original poster
FoghornLeghorn · 25/08/2006 11:49

They both look lovely and have good reviews.

Have found most of the bad reviews people are leaving are due to lack of space in the rooms, but that seems to be the case with most of the hotels.
Are Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Collosseum etc all within a reasonable distant from each other ?

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satine · 25/08/2006 11:53

Have done both and would say Rome, without a doubt. Dublin is lovely, but Rome is breathtaking - in every way (beautiful, mad, chaotic, romantic, stuffed full of museums, churches, fabulous architecture and the food and wine are just wonderful! Plus you get to listen to all those Italian men! Mind you, I'm a sucker for an Irish accent, too!)

aitch71 · 25/08/2006 12:08

rome is really, really small. it's the perfect weekend destination in that regard. spanish steps and trevi are a five minute walk. from the trev to the colosseum is about ten-fifteen minutes. if you are taking a long weekend then don't leave the vatican too late as i think it might be closed (!) on mondays.
for the record, the lancelot hotel is just behind the colosseum which is a slightly quieter, more domestic area so the restaurants round there are cheaper and used by italians rather than tourists.

aitch71 · 25/08/2006 12:14

oooh, i used to live in rome, i love it. you're making me very nostalgic and .
i'm taking a note of the campo di fiori hotel as well. that's a great, lively, eating and drinking area so it kinda depends what you want. although a cab ride from both hotels wouldn't take more than five or ten minutes.
we took over most of the rooms for our wedding at the lancelot so i've seen loads of them and i definitely wouldn't have described them as too small.

Original poster
FoghornLeghorn · 25/08/2006 12:17

Aitch you are proving to be a great help

What sort of area would we need to look at being in then. We are looking to be pretty much in the hustle and bustle, as we will be going without the children we will take full advantage of eating out and having a few drinks each night (a few ! PAH!), we will probably spend most of our days sightseeing and shopping

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QueenPeaHead · 25/08/2006 12:19

roma roma roma roma roma

haven't read the thread but if anyone is saying anything different then they either (a) haven't been to rome or (b) own a hotel in dublin

aitch71 · 25/08/2006 12:23

honestly, it's tiny. you can choose anywhere...
campo is great but some of our wedding party were there and their only complaint was that it was too noisy too late at night, but that might just have been where their hotel was.
i got married from the lancelot, the place couldn't have been more perfect as far as i'm concerned so i'm obviously going to recommend it to anyone. when i say that it's a quieter area i just mean that there are real human Romans living there who eat and drink, so you get local restaurants and bars which don't charge quite such rip-off prices.
but truly, you can stay anywhere in Rome and still be central. i've also stayed on the via sistina which was great but not a good hotel. stay withing the col, campo and sistina and you won't go wrong. i personally wouldn't stay up the vatican end but that's only because i like a bit of ancient rome.