Rome

[altariel]

We're going to Rome! Not next weekend, not the weekend after, the weekend after that! Friday to Monday.

Any suggestions?!

Comments

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Yay indeed!

[executrix.livejournal.com]

Leave it a city of marble?

Uhh, I got nothin' but I hope you have a wonderful time.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Can't I sack and pillage instead?

:-)

[executrix.livejournal.com]

She'd pillage a village and kill everyone
But I still love Altariel the Hun!

[kendokamel.livejournal.com]

Ooooooo!!!!


Eat some gelato!

[jomacmouse.livejournal.com]

Oooh! Gelato! I'd second this mightily if I didn't suspect our esteemed host wasn't after advice more along the lines of must see destinations within the city...

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Feasting ideas welcome too!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Eat some gelato!

On the list!

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

Wow! That's fantastic! I hope it's going to be a wonderful weekend.

As for suggestions: do as the Romans do?

[trixieleitz]

Dagnabbit!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

do as the Romans do?

Heh!

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

The only part of Italy that I've been to is Sardinia, so my advice must be confined to: have a good time!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :-D

[kathyh]

It's so long since I went that I can only remember doing all the standard touristy things, but I do remember it's a great city and I really want to go back. Have a great time (and beware of the traffic).

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Have a great time (and beware of the traffic).

Thanks! As well as the threat of traffic, I have also picked up a vague impression that I'm bound to get my handbag snatched. I don't use a handbag, but I'm still convinced it's going to get somehow snatched.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Cool suggestions, thank you! *adds to list*

[altariel.livejournal.com]

No worries - I love your excitement!

[oursin.livejournal.com]

Catacombs! Also, I remember some former Roman noble family house that was open to visitors, but alas, details have faded, except for the painted ceiling of gods, heroes, etc etc plus the rather pudgy head of said house in a toga, or what the Renaissance considered classical garb, anyway. Also, the Vatican: it's wicked rip-off expensive as I recall, and over the years popes have collected a lot of crap and kitsch as well as the Really, Outstandingly, Great Stuff, but the latter is worldclass ROGS, after all.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Eek, I'm sorry it has taken so long to thank you for this, I've had a hell of a couple of weeks. We'll be spending some time this week deciding what we're going to do, so this is all really helpful, thank you! I think the plan is to go looking around for the Really Old Bits - I got a fair amount of Catholic kitsch during 3 (count 'em) 3 trips to Lourdes as a teenager (don't ask). But at least a short visit the Vatican is a must, given that I collect capital cities and this is a two-for-the-price-of-one deal. Also, I want to do Gregory Peck in The Scarlet and the Black, and stand with my toe hovering over a painted line on the road.

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

Eeeeee!

I hope you have a fabulous time. I don't have any useful suggestions, but I could always re-read that chapter from What Katy Did Next and tell you what Katy, Amy and Mrs Ashe did in Rome.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

re-read that chapter from What Katy Did Next and tell you what Katy, Amy and Mrs Ashe did in Rome.

Oh, now that's a good idea... *potters towards shelf*

Suggestions for Rome

[sugoll.livejournal.com]

Don't fiddle?

And if in doubt, remember this handy phrase: "Step away from the matches."

Re: Suggestions for Rome

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Don't fiddle?

;-D

[edge-of-ruin.livejournal.com]

Woh! Fantastic!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Yes indeed!

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

Ooh! I've only been to Rome once (I've always had a peculiar resistance to it, comes of being an Athenian and then a Florentine by inclination), but yes, the Pantheon is best, and you have to applaud it, a la Greenaway! I wonder if the bits of Nero's Golden House that they've dug up are viewable yet?

[mikekellner.livejournal.com]

Take in a gladiator match in the Colosseum, or some races at Circus Maximus. Check out the auctions in the slave market.

Some of this may have changed, my travel folder is a bit dated.

BTW: The map in the icon is neither Rome nor Italy, I believe it is called The Land of The Gift, and is out in the Western Sea somewhere. Don't try to visit. A nice place, but the immigration policies suck.

mk

[altariel.livejournal.com]

my travel folder is a bit dated

Hee!


A nice place, but the immigration policies suck.

Not to mention the drainage.

[tyellas.livejournal.com]

Stay at this place here, The Beehive, if it's at all possible. Great people, great location. I stayed with them in one of the "apartments", which was tremendous fun. All their locations are near the train station and the only real grocery store in Rome, so you can self-cater somewhat. If you can't stay there, walk in and politely ask for a copy of their local travel guide. TRUST ME ON THIS ONE. Never, never did their travel guide steer me wrong, with gelato, museums, restaurants, anything. THE BEEHIVE KNOWS ALL!!!!

Last Sunday of the month is free day at the Vatican! Get there by 7:30 and the line only goes around the block once! Amuse yourself by taking turns to go on cornetto runs and counting nuns.

If at all possible, exchange money at the Vatican money exchange. Best rates in Rome.

There isn't much that's good in the Vatican neighborhood except the Vatican - it's strangely empty of any cafes that aren't blatant tourist traps. Also, I found it hard to find something good to eat near the Spanish Steps. Don't know why, maybe all the fashionable stores put everyone off their food. The area near the Trevi Fountain is full of good places - touristy as all get-out, but still good.

Go to the catacombs under a church near the Coliseum - you go down through the Renaissance layer, the Medieval layer, and the Mithraic/pagan layer. Also, the Coliseum neighborhood has some places that are good for dinner, if you go after 7:30, and do NOT eat anywhere with a VIEW of the Coliseum. Go around the corner or hit the back streets, the food's better and the prices are lower.

If you eat meat, eat some pasta alla amatriciana. The local specialty of salsi i pepi (salt and pepper) pasta is just boring.

I repeat: stay at the Beehive. The Beehive knows all!!!!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Thank you hugely for all of this - and sorry I've taken so long to thank you. We were already booked in a hotel (part of the deal on the travel, I think), but it sounds like the Beehive is definitely well worth a visit for the travel guide. And thank you for all the extra detail on prices and so on - all very much appreciated.

[trixieleitz]

I second the gelato. Also, pizza. Although I think my pizza memories are more Naples, but hey.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

My main pizza memories are New York!

[sherlock1.livejournal.com]

I'm so jealous. There's so much to do there, but probably nothing I could suggest that isn't obvious: the Colosseum, the Pantheon (have to go inside, to see the oculus), the Catacombs, the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain. The Vatican if only to see Michelangelo's La Pieta, which is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen - photos don't do it justice. Would recommend the Piazza Navone/Navona (spellings differ) as someone to eat/have a snack (you'll probably recognise it from The Talented Mr Ripley and Roman Holiday). Speaking of Roman Holiday, there's the Mouth of Truth too. Maybe you should rent it before you go.

There are some beautiful parks (and theme parks!) too:
http://www.rome.world-guides.com/parks.html

Have been a few times - only experienced one (attempted) pickpocket, when a woman shoved a map in my Dad's face and tried to nick his wallet from his shirt pocket...

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Sorry it's taken me so long to thank you for all this, hell of a couple of weeks. We're planning what we want to do this week and I'm scribbling these down - thank you!

[ithilwen.livejournal.com]

My only suggestion is to enjoy it! Somehow I don't think that will be very hard...

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I'll struggle somehow ;-D