When in Rome? - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 28-135mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM

10/31/2008 11:57:12 AM · #1

So I'm thinking about going to Rome. The one in Italy, not the one in New York. I've been to the one in New York, and other than a pretty good pizza place and harness racing, there just isn't a lot to do there. I understand the one in Italy is a bit more of a happening kinda place.

Anyone have recommendations for accomodations? And yes, I already know not to put anything in my back pockets, and not to carry a purse. Though I was wondering if there are really small mouse traps one could stick in one's back pockets....

Kelli

Canon EOS-D60

10/31/2008 12:01:19 PM · #2

Can't help you with where to stay, and I'm so jealous! But you could put one of these in your pocket... a little shocking fun

Azrifel

Nikon Coolpix P340

10/31/2008 12:13:45 PM · #3

I was there in April.
I would recommend late April, early May. June to August can be very hot.

Frankly I think Rome is overhyped. Venice was a lot better. :)

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

10/31/2008 12:17:02 PM · #4

I'm a sick puppy and want to do Venice during Carnivale, but only if

SilverScreen is going.

Dr.Confuser

Nikon D800

10/31/2008 12:17:47 PM · #5

Rome is nice, but I like Florence better. In either case, go between September and April to avoid horendous tourist crowds.

10/31/2008 12:19:31 PM · #6

I'm planning on going in two weeks. May be kinda cool, possibly wet, but definitely fewer tourists. I'm all for the fewer tourists bit, though it does cut back on one of my primary subjects for photography. Hopefully there are still plenty of pigeons.

jaysonmc

Nikon D200

Nikon MF 105mm f/2.5 AIS

10/31/2008 12:29:38 PM · #7

Have fun Deb. I love Rome. I took my wife through Italy and was nervous about ending the trip on Rome (I'd been there once before). She had heard stories about the crime and the dirty streets. But she loved it, it was one of her favorites stops.

Really the only place your have to watch your things closely is at the main train station, sometimes they will send up little kids to give you hugs. Other than that it is a safe city, just as any other you would go to.

I have stayed the Angel Hotel in Rome. Nothing fancy, but in a very nice location. My wife and I pretty much walked everywhere from there but fairly close to the Vatican. I'd say it would not suit most Americans, but more typical of a European hotel if you get my drift. Check out booking.com if you haven't already. It is more of a European geared Hotel site than the likes of Expeida or Orbitz.

Have fun and enjoy everything. I'm jealous. can't wait to see the pics.

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

10/31/2008 12:31:26 PM · #8

I'll check that one out, and yes, I already use the European booking sites. And am used to European hotels. :-) I figure even if it is a tourist trap, while I'm here I should see it. And it beats going to work for a week. Anyone want to have a get together there??

bobonacus

Canon EOS-7D

10/31/2008 12:32:53 PM · #9

Originally posted by Melethia:

Anyone have recommendations for accomodations? And yes, I already know not to put anything in my back pockets, and not to carry a purse. Though I was wondering if there are really small mouse traps one could stick in one's back pockets....

I went last May and stayed here

It's not the Hilton but is clean and functional, by far the most reasonably priced accommodation we could find and is 3 minutes walk from the Colosseum. I'd totally recommend it.

eta: If you go to the Vatican prepare to queue for an hour or so, maybe less this time of year and it there are big queues to get in the Colosseum then go for a guide as you bypass the queue and the guide cost about 10 Euros!

Message edited by author 2008-10-31 12:34:57.

alanfreed

Nikon D6

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

10/31/2008 12:43:18 PM · #10

Originally posted by bobonacus:

It's not the Hilton but is clean and functional, by far the most reasonably priced accommodation we could find and is 3 minutes walk from the Colosseum.

This cracked me up because when we went to Rome, we actually did stay at the Hilton! We had to take a taxi to the Colosseum, and the taxi drivers were on strike when we were there. You could easily get TO various places from the hotel, but it was very, very difficult to get a cab to bet BACK to the hotel! I wish we had more time to spend there -- we enjoyed a tour of the Colosseum, and the Vatican was remarkable, even to the non-Catholic. We also enjoyed Trevi Fountain, and a few other landmarks, but it would be wonderful to go back and really spend some time there.

Rino63

Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II for Canon

10/31/2008 01:38:08 PM · #11

[quote=Azrifel] I was there in April.
I would recommend late April, early May. June to August can be very hot.
I agree. june to august is really too much hot(and the prices are higher!). i don't know where are tourist traps but some useful counsil could be: 1) don't lunch in the most famous way in rome, the romain kitchen is excellent everywhere choose a little restaurant outside the center(but if you have a great credit card no problem) 2) the metro work, no great problems for go in the most famous place. 3) the prices are in euro hence you'll don't have problems with the change. precautions but not faer, the thieves are everywhere in every country of the world but wait you need only be prudent. if you look the streets in my portfolio all the photos are captured in the most "dangerous" area of naples but i go with the camera,the bag with the lens and other without problems, often or better nearly ever there is police(that you don't see!) for tourist protection. 4)Language, remember that probably not many persons speak english and nobody speak dutch! hence a little vocabulary Deutsch/italian is useful :) Last summer I had a little vocabulary in germany and was an excellent idea, damn is impossible that in the reception of an tourist residence the frau don't know any word in english or in italian.

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

10/31/2008 01:43:01 PM · #12

Good tips! I'll pick up an English/Italian dictionary tomorrow so I can pick up on a few words. (I don't speak much German - I'm an American living in Germany.) Mostly I need to know how to order in restaurants, but the good thing is Italian food is in Italian everywhere! How far are you from Rome? Edit - never mind - not all that close!

Message edited by author 2008-10-31 14:27:42.

Valdo

Canon EOS-40D

10/31/2008 02:35:20 PM · #13

Hi Melethia if you haven't booked a room I will try to post later on during the weekend the hotel we used. It was close to Termini Station but in the nicer side cause there is one part of the Termini area that looks pretty dodgy. Close to the hotel we had a supermarket, a nice place to eat (1/2 litre of red wine for �3 and it was good), and I found a good place to burn DVDs to empty my CF cards. I will try to post it here but if you are interested you may also sent me a PM so I don't forget.

BTW I stayed at the hotel with my family and thought it was good enough (specially for European stds).

Pentax DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6ED AL [IF] WR DC

10/31/2008 02:38:01 PM · #14

I'll investigate all recommendations. There's a USO (US military-related) near the Vatican City that offers free internet, so I may try to stay somewhere near there if the place I choose doesn't have internet. How else will I keep track of what all you miscreants are up to??

Message edited by author 2008-10-31 14:38:24.

tnun

Ricoh GR III

10/31/2008 02:48:02 PM · #15

Have fun. (Hope all the pigeons haven't gone to Venice).

Rino63

Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II for Canon

10/31/2008 03:03:41 PM · #16

I am far 200 km. what order in restaurants? In Rome is preferable order meat not fish. here there are a lot of plates :)

geinafets

Nikon AF-S DX 18-105 f/3.5-5.6 ED VR

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

10/31/2008 03:04:18 PM · #17

I've only been to Rome once, and it was for a week at the beginning of June. I stayed here:
POP INN HOSTEL
Via Marsala, 80
00185 ROMA
Tel. +39 06 4959887
FAX +39 06 49383697
Email: info@travelingrome.com
web site: www.travelingrome.com
web site: www.popinnhostel.com

It's a cheap, very hip (not at all as "hippy-ish" as the website makes it look!) hostel on the same block as the train station. The buses are right there too, so it's very easy to get around. All the workers there were incredibly nice and fluent in English.

Originally posted by Melethia:

I'm a sick puppy and want to do Venice during Carnivale, but only if SilverScreen is going.

Highly recommended! BUT you need to have a costume, 'cause that's half the fun! I went as "Identity Crisis" (stuck about 100 "My name is __________" all over me with various identities filled into the blank). The costume cost me maybe $10, but I had at least 5 people take my picture, even when I was standing next to a $20,000 costume! Venice is lovely (and much less crowded!) any time of year though!

I hope you have a wonderful trip! Say hello to Italy for me!

JimiRose

Nikon D90

10/31/2008 03:21:44 PM · #18

I lived out in Italy last year and did a fair bit of travelling around. Rome is a great town, there's loads to see and a phenomenal amount of history. I stayed with a friend in a student flat so I can't really help with accommodation. My only thought would be your time constraints, Rome is a huge city, and there is so much to see that you really need to be there for a few days to a week. If you're wanting to do a bit of travelling around, Florence is worth a look, but it's VERY touristy, not really "pure" Italy. I went to Florence 4 times and never managed to get into the Uffizi Gallery because the lines we're hideously long and it's very overpriced. I would definitely recommend Siena, pretty touristy again but I lived there for a month and loved every minute. Venice is my favourite of the "Tourist trail" cities, I lived about an hour away, visited over 20 times and it never lost it's sense of grandeur and occasion. It's really like no where else in the world.

If you want to see proper Italy (and not the big city Milan-Napoli-Rome-Turin style Italy) I'd recommend visiting a smaller historical town like Ferrara (where I lived, shameless plug!), Perugia, Bari, Verona, Genova etc!

J

10/31/2008 03:45:58 PM · #19

Really appreciate all the tips and suggestions!! I'm planning to spend 5 days or so and may look into a day trip out of the city to a smaller town nearby. And like I said, Venice is still on my list, but a trip on its own.

Rino63

Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II for Canon

10/31/2008 03:48:30 PM · #20

Originally posted by JimiRose:

If you want to see proper Italy (and not the big city Milan-Napoli-Rome-Turin style Italy) I'd recommend visiting a smaller historical town like Ferrara (where I lived, shameless plug!), Perugia, Bari, Verona, Genova etc!

J

this is an interesting thing, effectively in italy there are many smaller city where you can see a lot of interesting things. but are these really interesting for a tourist? If you remain few days in Italy probably is better to see the best that Italy can offer.

Azrifel

Nikon Coolpix P340

10/31/2008 03:49:08 PM · #21

I don't have any hotel info, because I stayed at family, just outside of Rome. I was quite pleased with the public transport. Trains, metro, etc. We never took a taxi, because we could walk or use the metro.

jaysonmc

Nikon D200

Nikon MF 105mm f/2.5 AIS

10/31/2008 03:52:04 PM · #22

Deb, if you are doing a day trip outside of Rome, look into:
Civita di Bagnoregio.

It is a very cool little town, with a lot of character! Not much to do per say, but a terrific photo opp both in and out of the city.

I could name countless other places to visit, but Italy is a big place. :)

Azrifel

Nikon Coolpix P340

10/31/2008 03:53:26 PM · #23

Originally posted by Melethia:

For Venice you should use at least 4 days I think. We did 5. Stayed at a hotel on the Lido Island. Russo Palace, a decent hotel for a good price in a calm neighbourhood with pleasant staff. For hotel booking I like venere.com In Venetia you should spend one day as an absolute tourist and all the other days wander through all the little streets of the Islands, where only likeminded people can find their way.

Message edited by author 2008-10-31 15:53:37.

Beetle

Canon EOS-5D Mark II