Finaly booked a holiday

Yep, after 8 years Kay and me shall be having a proper holiday, IE not a long wet weekend in Cornwall!

1 week in Rome, somewhere i have always wanted to visit. I would of prefered 2 weeks but it can be difficult for Kay to get the time due to her job.
One downside, not going until March. Cost - £310 all in.

We have a hotel in central Rome, close to most of the attractions. On my must see list are - Coleseum, Castle St Angel, Catacombes and the Vatican. Loads more to see aswell.

Anyone else been? anymore must see places?

 

Good one mate. I think £310 is very reasonable, probably because it is during school term time. I'm sure you'll have a nice time. I know a number of people who went to Rome and not one has said anything negative about the city. OK, perhaps their driving habits are slightly different to ours.

 

I have been to northern Italy (around Venice area) quite a bit when i was younger, oh yes the driving is something else.
Amazing how many generations you can fit on a vespa

 

Never been to Rome myself but must go one of these days. Read Dan Brown's "Angels and Demons" before you go

Michael.

 

wassat about then Michael?

edit> looked it up, sounds like a good read. And i could do the Illuminate tour of Rome

 

I went there last year and loved it. Never had a more relaxing holiday.

 

It is a beutiful area, late 80's was the last time i was there.
Stayed near Chioggia. Also San Marino is worth a visit.

 

"Angels & Demons" is the prequel to "The Da Vinci Code" which you must have heard of since about half the country is reading it atm. Alot of it takes place in Rome and the Vatican and it's al to do with the Illuminati.

DaVinci Code was Brown's first megahit and no one had ever heard of his other books but that soon changed Incidentally, A&D is only a prequel in the sense that it has the same character (Dr Langdon) and it comes before DaVinci code but otherwise there's no real connection.

Northern Italy is the area I know best. Used to take a lot of climbing holidays in the Aosta Valley (Italian Alps near the Swiss and French borders). Gorgeous.

Michael.

 

We stayed in the Alps a few times. Absolutly wonderful places. Infact, everywhere i saw in Italy was great.


The book sounds good, i feel an amazon order coming on.

 

How can you guys talk about Italy and not mention food?

 

Do they have Pizza Hut there?

Michael.

 

Believe it or not, I did see a McDonalds in Venice and a number of Americans eating the burgers in St. Marks Sq. There should be a law against that.

 

Street vendors in Chioggia were selling pizza. Dirty big slabs of it, you just say how much you want and they chop it off. Was the best ever, absolutely georgeous.
The whole chicken from the guy next to the campsite was excellent aswell, 1 whole chicken, some pasta and a big bottle of fanta for about 2 quid!

Whatever you do, dont buy ice cream from the beach vendors, spent 2 days in bed, in a boiling hot tent.

TBH, Im just excited about having a decent holiday at last, been long enough. All i have to do now is organise resbite for dad while we're away.
Oh, and maybe a passport

 

Don't need a passport if you have other ID with your picture on it, such as a new Driving License. Joys of EU

 

Not sure i would trust that in the present climate

 

Romes a top place. We've had two great holidays there. If you like pizza make sure you go to a place called Est Est Est it's between the railway station and the Vittore Emanuel monument. It's in Rome's top ten I book I recommend it's one of the Doring Kindersley ones, never let us down once

 

We are staying near the Termini, wich i assume is the rail station

 

I've just got back from Rome, and yes, it's great.

Termini is indeed the rail station and the hub of the (1 euro per journey) metro, so it's handy for everything although you want to be a little careful walking round there at night (supposedly crowded with pickpockets).

I heartily recommend the Dorling Kindersley "Top 10 Rome" guidebook which didn't let us down at all, in particular the "Top 10 Pizzerias" and "Top 10 Cafes and Gelateries".

 

The Termini is the main railway station.

Main tourist area is colleseum, roman forum and palatino - get there early to avoid the crowds (although march may be ok).

If you go to the vatican, its worth climbing to the top of st peter's basilica (lift part way), for a good view.

For 4 euros a day you can get a ticket that lets you travel on all of the buses, trams and underground.

 

Climb to the top of the Vittore Emanuel monument and get a fabulous view of Rome's skyline. You can see from St. Peter's to the colisseum and beyond.

And, don't forget..... the Pantheon, Trevi fountain, Spanish Steps, Hadrian's temple and much, much more.

There's a good cafe behind the colisseum; eat your lunch outside overlooking the colisseum, forum etc.