Robert Rosario

Thinking of taking the missus out in a couple of weeks for a mid week break, some good deals on lastminute.com at the moment.

Anybody been there, and if so :-

1) Is it expensive to eat out? Obviously it will be more than some chav hole, but is it as bad as everyone says?
2) Anything recommended to see or do?
3) What is the shopping like?
4) Anything to avoid?

Cheers

FlightMan

1. No more expensive than London, and the food, pretty much wherever you go, is superb.
2. Everything.
3. Not a woman so can't comment.
4. Crazy tax drivers. Oh, they're all crazy, so good luck.

Enjoy!!

JerryTerzo

I can recommend going on the open top bus tour from the termini. It costs about 13 euros. It takes you to all the tourist parts and you can get on and off at the stops all day.

Eating out, I found to be best away from the tourist trail, you can find some superb little places.

Shopping - There isn't (or I didn't find one ) a shopping mall, just shops spread out in the high street, but with good weather, a bonus I'd say. Some clothes bargains to be had, but you've got to look.

Things to avoid?
I'd say the chaps selling knock off Gucci and Prada handbags. Not that there's anything wrong with the bags, the blokes get on your nerves after a while.

Dunk

iTrader: (1)

I've been a few times, last time was for valentines, which just happened to "clash" with Italy / England in the 6 nations

1) Is it expensive to eat out? Obviously it will be more than some chav hole, but is it as bad as everyone says?
Not at all, eat off the beaten track or a street or two back form the key sites, & you'll have a great meal...cheaper than you'd have here.

2) Anything recommended to see or do?
Central Rome is quite small, so once you're central you can walk pretty much between all the key sites relatively quickly. (Vatican is probably the exception.) In the park behind the spanish steps there's a tethered ballon that's well worth the view of the Tiber snaking through the city from a few hundred feet.
Go see : Spanish Steps, Forum, Colesseum, Patheon, Quirnale, Capitol, Navona, Trevi etc. as per the guides.
Take a look at what's on at Stade Olympico (saw Lazio play there on spec a few years ago, I'm not a great footie fan, but loved it & appreciated the fireworks - don't sit in the "curves" it's where nutters go )

3) What is the shopping like?
Avoid the two roads that lead down from the Spanish steps unless you're feeling flush or want to show off !

4) Anything to avoid?
DO NOT stay anywhere near the station, just make sure your hotel is central, (Between Spanish steps & Navona).

Watch your pockets at the main attractions & don't pi55 the misses off by letching at all the Italian females.

Go, you'll love it.

D

Goochie

We found some really nice little shops just a short walk from the Forum. As the others have said, places of the beaten track are great and reasonably priced. One van next to the forum was selling 1/2L bottles of water for 5 Euros !

As a general rule, if the menu has English on it the food wont be so good and it'll be expensive

Horse and carrige rides from the vatican work out at nearly £10 per minute!

Open top bus tour is great.

Dont be fooled by the gorgeous american girls touting to take you on a tour of the collesium - they dont actually do the tour... some ugly bint does

There is a great Irish bar on the banks of the river. I really cant describe where it is very well but its on the lower walkway on the west side.

Dont expect the traffic to stop at zebra crossings - it wont! just step out in front of the cars and then they will stop (we found safety in numbers was best)

ian_sadler

Roma is one of my fav places.

You'll love all of it

555 Markus

I'm sure you'll have a fantastic time. We spent two days there last November (coinciding with Chelsea's champions league game against Lazio ). As already said, its quite easy to walk around most of the centre of Rome... just watch out for the slightly mad traffic, and keep your valuables in a safe place.

We visited the Colleseum, Forum, Spanish steps, Trevi fountain on our first day there, and then the following morning walked from the centre out to the Vatican. That took about 30 minutes, but its not that far, and you see more by doing it that way.

Otherwise, as for prices, you get what you pay for, as in most top European cities.

Photos are here: http://markus8581.fotopic.net/c70850.html

Enjoy

Mark

Robert Rosario

Cheers to all of you for some excellent replies. In particular to Mark, as your photos look superb. Liverpool looks pretty good too!!

All booked up, going November 7th, looking forward to it.

ozzy

Yep, Rome is a superb city. Shopping can be expensive, especially the small streets at the Spanish Steps. £500 for a scarf was something that stuck in my mind