ROME-Advice please

[jardy]

Please will you help this nervous traveller/booker?Flying to Rome 2nd August 2010 and returning 4th/5th Aug.Purpose is to spend a couple of days with dd who is working in Italy.We then all fly back together.
I have arranged a bank loan of £1000 to make this a lovely memorable trip.(long story).
My dh and I will fly out from a NW airport PROBABLY with Ryanair from Liverpool.I will need to book an extra flight for dd so she can return.The old threads on Rome have been so helpful regarding places to stay in Rome and various advice.However before I make a ghastly mistake which I have been wont to do in the past can you tell me TO WHAT airport I need to book from Liverpool,as there seems to be a few in Rome,and surrounding area.If you can tell me your itinary of your dream Rome break,ie where you stayed and what you did,bearing in mind that we will be spending 3 nights there I would really appreciate it.I have to go look after my mum tonight,but please be assured I will read all your replies.Thanking you very much in anticipation.I am budgeting for about £500 for the airfares and £500 for the Hotel/B&B or whatever will be a nice place for the three of us to stay in.

Jardy I live in Rome and am from the North West and usually go back to the UK via Ryanair at Liverpool. They only go to 1 airport in Rome which is Ciampino. The only other airport in Rome is Fiumicino and you can fly there from Manchester with Jet2. They are the only 2 options direct from the North West in my experience. Both have connections to the city. If you are staying in the centre then there are fixed rates with the taxis. The rule is 30 euros including baggage (they normally charge 1 or 2 euros per piece of luggage) from Ciampino and 40 euros from Fiumicino for a maximum of 4 people. Make sure if you get a taxi you make it clear to the driver you know this is the rate before you leave as they can try it on! This rate is for max of 4 people and applies to anywhere within the old city walls - let me know which area you are looking at staying in and I can see if is covered. Alternatively you can get a direct train from Fiumicino to Termini station. Costs around 11/12 euros-cant remember exactly. If you then get a taxi though from the station you would be looking at 10-20 euros even for the centre. Ciampino have the Terravision buses which go direct to Termini station. Alternatively you could do the whole trip for about 3 euros if you get the bus to Anagnina metro stop outside the arrivals hall and then take the metro to Termini. Anagnina is end of the line so you'll always get a seat.
Re where to stay I would go central if you are only there for a few days. A lot of the hotels will have deals on as August is not a popular time due to the heat. Be prepared for a lot of the local shops, bars, chemists to be closed as they close for Aug as Romans depart en masse to the sea and mountains. That is another reason why central will be good as there will still be places open. Re what to see- St Peters is wonderful, a must and also lovely and cool so respite from the heat. I wouldnt fancy doing the tour of the Forum in August heat so maybe just stick to seeing the Colosseum. I would do your walking early, before 11 and after 5 due to heat and do the siesta thing or cool off in Villa Borghese park under a tree in the afternoon. You need to see all the piazzas so maybe do a walk round the centre and take in the Trevi, Spanish steps, Piazza Navona. Try and end up at the Pantheon so you can cool off inside!Other things, Rome has loads going on in the summer- go down to the river banks near Trastevere in the evening www.lungoiltevereroma.com/. They have stalls all along the banks, restaurants, cocktail bars, entertainment etc - it's lovely . There is a summer "village" set up near the Colosseum with a pool www.allombradelcolosseo.it/?page_id=51
Let me know if you need more info on anything, if am not around am usually on the Little Italy thread. Have a lovely time!

Banana,what a fantastic and helpful reply.I think it covers everything!I think I will probably use a taxi to save the faffing around.
Thank you very much Banana,I am going to refer to your reply lots,as I am sure many others will!

You are very welcome! Any other questions just let me know.

Will do!Thank you very much again.

Hi BananaGio,I have been researching things on mumsnet and the Hotel Fotana Roma grabbed me by the throat as it looks so atmospheric.They also have a triple room available.However TripAdvisor does give it mixed reports,with one calling it The worst hotel in Rome
What do you think,or can you recommend anywhere?It is for myself,DH and student dd.A triple room would be ideal,or an apartment,nice B&B.I am limited by a £500 budget.Also,coming back on the RyanAir plane back to Liverpool means the plane leaves at 10:50am from Ciampino Airport.I dont want to have a last minute panic.If any other mns reading this maybe they can throw in a few suggestions.Many thanks.

BananaGio,having reread that I am sorry it sounds a bit cheeky expecting you to give me the lowdown on the Hotel Fotana Roma.It looks beautiful and I will book it in the next couple of days,thank you again for your kind help.

Not cheeky at all! To be honest unless you fork out quite an amount then hotels can be a bit hit and miss in Rome. The rooms tend to be small and basic, one of the reasons being is a restriction of space as the historical centre isnt that big. They also know they will also always have a constant stream of guests as tourists will always come to Rome.To be honest I would be careful getting anything round the Trevi fountain. It is one of the most popular areas and the chances of being ripped off are higher!
Have you thought about a B&B? Some of the B&B's are lovely, based in gorgeous typically Roman old buildings and are better prices and value than hotels. Have a look here and
here and here
Re B&Bs this one I know as my friend lives in the same building and often uses it when family visits. It has triple rooms and is located just off Via Cola di Rienzo (one of main shopping streets)in the Prati district. There is a pizzeria/restaurant just downstairs and it takes 10 mins to walk across the bridge to the historical centre. You are 5 mins walk from the castle and about 10 max from the Vatican. The Trip Advisor reviews are here
Anyway am sure wherever you stay you will have a lovely time, it's just a base isnt it. Oh and regarding the Ciampino flight I usually get a tax around 7.45/8ish in the morning and always have plenty of time for that flight. It's not a mad panic plus at that time of the year the roads should be empty as everyone will be on holiday.

BananaGio,you are SO lovely!Just rushed reading that reply as getting everyone out to work etc but will really study it later.Thank you!

we stayed here a couple of years ago, it was lovely, very well placed for getting to most things

Hi plus,looks fab,thank you.Is it feasible to get to Ciampino airport easily by taxi from there?

we flew in to the fiumicino one so dont know, but then we got the train into the city from there. we also knew about the fixed fare thing when we got the taxi from the train station but still managed to get diddled!

it would be really easy by taxi from there to Ciampino. Hotel looks lovely, have book-marked it for future visitors thanks Plus. Location would be fab as well as you are only a few mins walk from Trastevere and the island (where ds was born ) where all the stalls and restaurants by the river are. Plus Trastevere is fab place to go out at night, lots of restaurants and bars in a concentrated area whereas in the historical centre they tend to be more dotted about. Trastevere is so pretty as well, real old Rome.

we went to a lovely restaurant in trastevere, cant remember the name but its directly opposite the american embassy. not cheap but SO lovely

Have emailed a couple that Banana and plus have recommended.Thank you,I will let you know how I will get on.Also the lovely restaurant directly opposite the american embasssy I will look at.Mumsnetters are so helpful because I find the guides overwhelming.

BananaGio your baby boy born in Greece

The one plus recommended closed in Aug

We stayed here a few years ago. It's right by the Vatican and very handy for central stuff, walking around, and was nice. Didn't have DC then but they offer 'family packages' on the website.

what a shame re that hotel. The one Eighties chick has recommended is near where I live so I can tell you some good restaurants if you go there
The only other one I know by experience is
this in Trastevere. My parents stayed there a couple of times. It's got a nice breakfast terrace outside, air con in rooms and is clean although quite basic and old fashioned. Location is fantastic, right in the heart of Trastevere. My Mum still waxes lyrical about it as she spent her first night in Rome with some guy serenading them under the window with a mandolin and O Sole Mio

Eighties and BananaGio,the Best Western looks excellent and I like the way that they can arrange pick up and drop off by taxi although you have to pay extra 50 euros each way.They also have a triple room available.Unfortunatly I cant get into the latest one BananaGio recommended due to the translation facility been down.Banana,you are been so helpful,would you mind looking at the Best Western one and casting your experienced eye over it.I dont mind paying 50 Euros for the convenience of taxis to and from the airport,although I note that this is 20 Euros more than you quoted.Do you know the name of a reliable taxi service that would take the three of us to the airport.DD is going to have a big suitcasebut also,she is 20 years.
Is Ciampino airport still reasonably close?
Finally,assume by 8/2/10 it is the Greek way of putting 2/8/10?Thank you so much!

I will be back about 3 pm

I wouldnt spend the extra on the taxis to be honest. there is a taxi rank at Ciampino right outside arrivals. The hotel will call you one on the way back and will be the city taxis (so equivalent of a black cab in London. Just in case you get caught make sure you ignore the oh so helpful often non licensed taxi drivers touting for business as you come through arrivals. My Mum was taken with one pleasant chap one time and ended up spending 80 euros!! The licensed city white cab drivers will wait outside at the rank by their cabs in a group chain smoking so you'll know who they are! As a back up the taxi number I use is 3570. It is all in Italian but basically wait til someone answers, then tell them in English what you want then you will get a recorded message in Italian saying wait til they find you one. It will then beep and say "arriva il taxi numero xxxx in x minuti". At that stage when you hang up you are accepting the booking, if you wait you will be transferred back to the booking person.
Re Great Western-looks great. Location is good as well although am biased as my neighbourhood!
here is the link to trip advisor for one in Trastevere

re dates they will just be using the American formatting

Fantastic information,thank you BananaGio,I will be noting down all of it!

BananaGio,I am just about to book the Best Western that EightiesChick recommended.Sorry,it
IS Ok to take a Taxi from Ciampino Airport to the Best Western.I have this silly niggle that I will book it only to discover it is 3 hours away from Ciampino Airport.Can you reassure me please? Many thanks!

no dont worry it's fine honestly. Have a look at the map here at Ciampino. You are going to the Citta del Vaticano area. They should take you through the town (best route because wont be loads of traffic plus that way you get a bit of a sightseeing tour on the way! You go down the Via Appia, you'll go past the San Giovanni church (original head of Vatican), past the Circus Maximus where they used to race chariots, along the river so will see the stalls etc out on river banks I said about, past the Isola Tiberina and past the Vatican. The other route in is motorway so dull!
The longest it has ever taken me to get in from Ciampino in a taxi is an hour when traffic was horrendous. Usually its 30-45 mins max.
To reassure you re money why dont you print out that link I posted which says re fixed taxi prices, you can then show them when you get in the cab so they know not to try it on.