Rome & Florence

Redhighking

Hi all,

I am going to be on holidays in Rome for 4 days and Florence for 3 next week, I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions of what to see/visit/where to eat in either (welcome both obvious and obscure suggestions!).

Any tips in general would also be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

nhunter100

Love both these cities. I would suggest getting a guide book for each and make your way around, religious or not you have to see the Vactican and the museum's there. . As for restaurants you'll be a spoilt for choice. I have always found staying away from the main tourist thoroughfare and going down side streets where the locals usually go offer some gems and reasonable prices for food. Rome in particular on public transport be wary of pickpockets.

Redhighking

nhunter100 wrote: »

Love both these cities. I would suggest getting a guide book for each and make your way around, religious or not you have to see the Vactican and the museum's there. . As for restaurants you'll be a spoilt for choice. I have always found staying away from the main tourist thoroughfare and going down side streets where the locals usually go offer some gems and reasonable prices for food. Rome in particular on public transport be wary of pickpockets.

Thanks Hunter, I think I will pick up some guide books.

I have heard from a few that pickpockets are rampant, might have to invest in a fanny pack!

stargazer 68

Definitely move a couple of streets over from the main tourist sites for eating and drinking - a pint is 8 euro or 4 a couple of streets over!


Just remembered the name of the restaurant we ate in a couple of years ago in Rome and went looking for it again earlier this year! Lowenhaus. Its German but their Italian food is excellent as well. Downstairs in a kind of cellar but they have outside tables too. Staff were excellent - didn't bat an eyelid when I asked for my pasta to be cooked for an extra 5 minutes

Redhighking

Dovies wrote: »

Definitely move a couple of streets over from the main tourist sites for eating and drinking - a pint is 8 euro or 4 a couple of streets over!


Just remembered the name of the restaurant we ate in a couple of years ago in Rome and went looking for it again earlier this year! Lowenhaus. Its German but their Italian food is excellent as well. Downstairs in a kind of cellar but they have outside tables too. Staff were excellent - didn't bat an eyelid when I asked for my pasta to be cooked for an extra 5 minutes

Brilliant, sounds like my kind of place! Thanks Dovies

samdick33

hello dudes. i love rome

BetsyEllen

I was in Rome for a week last year, I put a few bits of info in this thread:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057690981

The highlight of my visit was the food tour I done in Trastevere one evening and the Colosseum.

coylemj

Bring your best pair of flat (for cobbled streets) walking shoes, especially for Rome. The underground (metro) in Rome is very smelly - I mean really smelly - of soot so be prepared.

In Italian cafes (casual diners) in tourist towns there are typically three prices - standing indoors (lowest prices), seating indoors (medium) and seated outdoors (highest). So when you walk into a cafe and the waiter invites you to sit outside, he is not being particularly polite and hospitable, he is attempting to maximize the prices you will pay. You won't meet any resistance if you simply ignore him and sit down at an inside table. If at all possible, try to go to bars and cafes not within sight of a major tourist attraction - if you sit outside a cafe with a view of St. Peters or the Coliseum for example, that view will cost you.

Beware the hustlers dressed up as centurions outside the Coliseum, they will attempt to invade your photos and then aggressively demand a 'tip', you need to wave them away well before they get near you.

A lot of churches and other religious establishments enforce some kind of 'modest dress' rule which varies from place to place (and on who is on duty that day) but it often means no shorts, miniskirts or sleeveless tops.

Redhighking

BetsyEllen wrote: »

I was in Rome for a week last year, I put a few bits of info in this thread:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057690981

The highlight of my visit was the food tour I done in Trastevere one evening and the Colosseum.

Thank you Betsy, I have a look into the Scavi tour you mentioned in that thread, hopefully not too late to get a place!

Redhighking

coylemj wrote: »

Bring your best pair of flat (for cobbled streets) walking shoes, especially for Rome. The underground (metro) in Rome is very smelly - I mean really smelly - of soot so be prepared.

In Italian cafes (casual diners) in tourist towns there are typically three prices - standing indoors (lowest prices), seating indoors (medium) and seated outdoors (highest). So when you walk into a cafe and the waiter invites you to sit outside, he is not being particularly polite and hospitable, he is attempting to maximize the prices you will pay. You won't meet any resistance if you simply ignore him and sit down at an inside table. If at all possible, try to go to bars and cafes not within sight of a major tourist attraction - if you sit outside a cafe with a view of St. Peters or the Coliseum for example, that view will cost you.

Beware the hustlers dressed up as centurions outside the Coliseum, they will attempt to invade your photos and then aggressively demand a 'tip', you need to wave them away well before they get near you.

A lot of churches and other religious establishments enforce some kind of 'modest dress' rule which varies from place to place (and on who is on duty that day) but it often means no shorts, miniskirts or sleeveless tops.

Thanks very much Coylemj, really appreciate the tips and advice!

BetsyEllen

Another place that I LOVED was the Capuchin Crypt.
You'll only be in there half a hour but if you are in the area (close to the Borghese Gallery, also well worth a visit by the way - the gardens are fab) and have the time, do pop in.

It's only €8.

It was so interesting - rooms made entirely of human bones. Very surreal and a bit creepy!
And there's a very beautiful church on top of it.
It's on a street that has lots of restaurants so you could grab a bite to eat whilst there.

http://www.romeing.it/museum-and-crypt-of-the-capuchin-friars-rome/

Other tips:

- I struggled to find anywhere decent to eat around the Vatican area so eat a good meal before you go.
- Comfy shoes are the most important advice you can be given - I took lots of sandals etc with me but just ended up living in my memory foam runners, I couldn't have cared less if they looked good - the walking I done was unreal.

- Trastevere is the nicest place to head to in the evening for food and a bit of evening atmosphere. Very laid back.
- If you are looking to eat Gelato whilst in Rome (you'd better be!) the tip I was given was look at the colours to see if realistic - ie, pistachios are NOT bright green, they are more of a khaki/brownish colour - same as bananas are NOT bright yellow, they are a pale creamy colour.
Keep this in mind when buying gelato, anywhere with fluorescent and unnatural colours are not selling the proper stuff.

I done a lot of research before I went to Rome and crammed a lot into my 7 days so if you have any questions feel free to PM me.

Loveinapril

I loved Florence and will definitely go back but if you can, book a trip to a Tuscan vineyard from there. We did a trip to one with my husband driving one of those teeny old Fiestas, lunch in a vineyard with lots of wine, then the beautiful scenic drive back to the bus. You can also do it on Vespas or horseback. It was a highlight- we travelled around Italy for our honeymoon.
The Trevi fountain in Rome is way smaller and less impressive than you think so don't go out of your way to see it.

miamee

Great tip about the friary BetsyEllen, heading to Rome next month and I've added that to my list of places to see, it sounds very interesting.

BetsyEllen

Loveinapril wrote: »

The Trevi fountain in Rome is way smaller and less impressive than you think so don't go out of your way to see it.

I liked it, but it was SO crowded with tourists it was ridiculous.
Had to use a selfie stick and hold it above the crowds to get a half decent picture!
Couldn't get close enough to throw a coin in, plus I was super paranoid about my bag etc as it's such a hotspot for pickpockets.

I went out of my way on day 1 to go down to the fountain but during the 7 days I was there, I passed it about another 10 times.

Speaking of selfie sticks, I swore I would never be the kind of tourist that used one. Well, I changed my mind on that pretty quickly! You need one in my opinion to get nice pictures in Rome.
I got some amazing shots at the Colosseum using one - so you might feel like an idiot but I do have to (sadly and begrudgingly) recommend a selfie stick!

BetsyEllen

miamee wrote: »

Great tip about the friary BetsyEllen, heading to Rome next month and I've added that to my list of places to see, it sounds very interesting.

Oh I'm so jealous - it's my favourite place in the whole world.
Let me know how you get on!

Hrududu

I know you only have 3 days in Florence but hands down the best thing we did there was a day trip to the Cinque Terre. Google for pictures of the place. Absolutely stunning. But you are sacrificing an entire day away from Florence

Redhighking

Hrududu wrote: »

I know you only have 3 days in Florence but hands down the best thing we did there was a day trip to the Cinque Terre. Google for pictures of the place. Absolutely stunning. But you are sacrificing an entire day away from Florence

Thanks Hrududu, will definitely have a look into it!