"Rome in 14 days" Rome by american_tourister

Rome Travel Guide: 11,939 reviews and 26,463 photos

A Family Holiday in the Eternal City

So much to see! So much to do! So much to eat!

THIS PAGE UNDER MAJOR CONSTRUCTION

My wife and I planned this trip for months. It was her first foray into Europe and our first trip with Tanner. It was also my first R&R from Bosnia so it was taxing on everyones nerves. She flew from LA and I came from Zagreb.

We chose to stay in an apartment rather than a hotel and for us it was the best decision. We had a family life after a day of site seeing and she cooked dinner for us several nights. In fact a lrage part of our day was spent deciding what we would have for dinner and then shopping for it.

Rome is flat out overwhelming. We went out every day and still did not see everything we wanted to see. There is just so much to it.

I will continue to build this page a piece at a time.

Wandering everywhere

Meandering through Rome

We had the D&K guidebook with us and a couple of good maps. I carried these at all times plus a compass. My wife makes fun of me for doing this but I almost never get lost, except in Hungary, but you have to read that page for that story.

We had a lot of fun just wandering the areas and going down different streets. You never know what you will run into and half of our purchases were from little shops that we did not even know about until we came upon them.

Great public transport

Finally, a seat!

The guidebook was right. You don't need a car here. The bus took us everywhere. It is clean and fast but beware of the crowds during rush hour. It gets so packed that the doors have a hard time closing. We tried to time our journeys where we avoided this.

Every guidebook we read warned us about petty crime and pickpockets. I am happy to say that we had no such experiences.

Pros and Cons

Pros:More historical sites than you can imagine in one place
Cons:Dirty in places,a grimy feel to it
In a nutshell:Everyone has to come here at least once

Last visit to Rome: Mar 2003
Intro Updated Sep 21, 2003
Add to Trip Planner (?)
Report Abuse

Reviews (20)

Gladiators at the Forum Tourist Traps (2)

It is and it isn't a tourist trap. There are fellows dressed as Gladiators who will willingly and agressively join you... more travel advice

Late afternoon sun Off The Beaten Path (3)

I love the way the sunlight makes the colors jump out at you. I took this photo late in the aftrenoon and the colors... more travel advice

A nice day out Things to Do (6)

Villa Borghese is the Roman version of Central Park. It has rolling hills, museums, a zoo, and a nice park. We took a... more travel advice

Communist Party Propaganda Off The Beaten Path (3)

Even though the communist ideology is dead in Russia and other former "socialist" states, it is alive in Italy. Italy... more travel advice

Comments (5)

Reply
- Report abuse
Manara Aug 11, 2009 at 7:39 AM

I love the way you write about Rome!
Reply
- Report abuse
craic Mar 29, 2009 at 8:23 AM

oh i know Via dei Serpenti - I walked up it many times - great area!
Reply
- Report abuse
Pawtuxet Mar 2, 2007 at 5:44 AM

Great idea to rent the apartment and shop in the local stores. You really get the feel of the city that way. Smart move. I totally agree with you about that wonderful late day light..awesome.
Reply
- Report abuse
Marpessa Mar 19, 2006 at 3:47 AM

Thanks for your comment on my Rome page - I like your insights into this city as well! You have some excellent tips here! :) Cassie
Reply
- Report abuse
nepalgoods Apr 12, 2005 at 11:26 AM

I love Rome, when I visited the Eternal City in 1972. I think I have to visit it again. Great page!