Rome Travel Answers

I like the area around the Spanish Steps. At least it's fairly quiet if you get up near the Via Veneto. A great hotel is La Residenza.. one of the best breakfasts I ever had in Italy.

Thank you, zuriga. Is it safe to walk around that area in the evening?

It's far from metro stops, but Rome is remarkably compact and has a decent network of buses. Unless you have a physical impairment you should be able to see on foot everything possible to be seen in a weekend. Around S.M.Maggiore isn't particularly nice. The Centro Storico is more expensive but offers a corresponding increase in charm. Piazza di Spagna doesn't impress me--it's too much of a scene of overpriced designer shops, ripoff cafes, and overdressed underaged posers. (IMHO)

It looked safe to me. We tended to eat dinner in different areas and would take a cab, so that wasn't a real concern. I don't like the Rome subway at all, but there was a stop close by and we used it once for going to the Vatican. I'm used to the NY subways, and thought Rome was a nightmare. :-) If you want one special dinner, try Agate e Romeo - it's superb.

I stayed around Santa Maria Maggiore. It's a little rough around the edges the closer you get to the train station, but I walked around at all times of day. The location is good in terms of its proximity to major sights. I wouldn't recommend it though, because it's loud with traffic. I didn't find the Metro all that bad.

Just as June suggested, I prefer the spanish steps area. It was also February this year when I was there and it was sooo nice. Very safe to walk around at night. I remember one night around midnight the spanish steps were deserted and had a lovely time taking pictures. Good restaurants and hotels in that area. Check out La Locanda di Van Gogh and Hotel Piazza di Spagna. I liked both :-) Enjoy! :-) Syl

I liked the Campo di Fiori area .. within walking distance of many sights e.g Vatican, Piazza Navona, Pantheon etc. Felt quite safe there too

I second the recommendation for the Campo de' Fiori area. This is has a great location and the main sights are easily accessible. Also, Piazza Navona and the Spanish Steps are good areas with plenty going on. There are many great areas to stay in in Rome and the transport system is fairly good so you should not have much trouble getting around. Natalie www.nlbtravel.co.uk

Where to stay for a weekend in Rome? It depends on what part of Rome you want to see. If you want to be near Classical Rome, stay down near the Colliseum, which is near the Forum, the Circus Maximus, the Colliseum (duh), etc. If you want to be near Catholic Rome, you might stay very close to the Vatican, to be near St. Peter's, the Vatican Museums, Castel Sant'Angelo, etc. If you want to be near walkable Rome, you might stay near Piazza Navona, with its shops, bars, restaurants, and lots of little side streets to walk in. If you want to be in "real" Rome, stay in Trastevere across the river from the Centro Storico, with lots of small streets and atmosphere, and the eastern part of Trastevere is just a short walk away from the Circus Maximus. Piazza di Spagna can be a very attractive area - when not overrun with tourists and non-Italians selling junk on the streets. The area around Santa Maria Maggiore isn't very interesting - you have to walk a while to get anywhere. And the Quirinale is full of thieves - oops! I mean politicians. Sorry! Actually, staying betweem Via Veneto (all the embassies and fading glory from its heyday in the 60s) and Piazza di Spagna could be interesting, if you could find something not outrageous in price. Bill

We stayed in the Hotel Aprile, near Santa Maria Maggiore area. It was very charming with a wonderful breakfast.