Girls... if you've been to Italy Need UR Help.

DH and I are booking a trip next year end of March/early April for an early Anniv Gift for each other. We're looking to go to Rome and Florence. Anyone who's been there please suggest things to do and what was your favorite hotel...

We're finalizing everything w/ the Travel Agent tonight so I wanted to make sure I don't miss anything.

TIA!

we love the area between the spanish steps and the pantheon..... I've been to rome a couple times, and was happiest at a hotel within walking distance of the spanish steps... You have to taxi to the vatican, but a lot of intersting areas are within walking distance

cafes are amazing... but you a lot pay more if you sit outside than if you sit inside.... don't be surprised if the menu outside has much higher prices

don't restrict yourself to touristy areas... and always wear your purse over the shoulder (NEVER NECK!) that is away from the street. Italy is filled with purse snatchers... if you just keep your NY attitude, you'll have no problems...

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Posted by portjeffbride

we love the area between the spanish steps and the pantheon..... I've been to rome a couple times, and was happiest at a hotel within walking distance of the spanish steps... You have to taxi to the vatican, but a lot of intersting areas are within walking distance

cafes are amazing... but you a lot pay more if you sit outside than if you sit inside.... don't be surprised if the menu outside has much higher prices

don't restrict yourself to touristy areas... and always wear your purse over the shoulder (NEVER NECK!) that is away from the street. Italy is filled with purse snatchers... if you just keep your NY attitude, you'll have no problems...

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Thanks!

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Posted by portjeffbride

we love the area between the spanish steps and the pantheon..... I've been to rome a couple times, and was happiest at a hotel within walking distance of the spanish steps... You have to taxi to the vatican, but a lot of intersting areas are within walking distance

cafes are amazing... but you a lot pay more if you sit outside than if you sit inside.... don't be surprised if the menu outside has much higher prices

don't restrict yourself to touristy areas... and always wear your purse over the shoulder (NEVER NECK!) that is away from the street. Italy is filled with purse snatchers... if you just keep your NY attitude, you'll have no problems...

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ITA - we stayed at Sole al Pantheon which I DO NOT recommend but it was a great location. we walked everywhere from there..to the spanish steps, colosseum and the vatican. We had a Rick Steve's book of Rome and did a lot of walks and stops he suggested.

We went to Italy on our honeymoon at stayed at the Hotel Savoy (within walking distance of the Spanish Steps) and it was pretty nice, it was in a really nice area. everything in Rome is pretty much within walking distance, the only thing we used the metro for was to go to the Circus Maximus and the Colleseum. We went to Florence and Venice as well. I however don't reccomend the hotel we stayed at in Florence (stay away from Hotel De La Pace) and if you want to do things like the Uffizi Gallery and the Galleria Acadamia (where the original David is) make reservations WAY in advance, sometimes the wait just to get in is almost 3 hours.

We spent 8 days in Rome and we are in love! We can't wait to go back, for me, I didn't really enjoy Florence (we were there for 4 days) and we also LOVED Venice. So next time we go, we'll spend more time in Venice and Rome and skip Florence. That was just my opinion though, DH loved Florence.

You'll have a great time, Italy is an amazing place

I lived in Rome for several months when I was in college (in an apt) so I don't really have any hotel recommendations. I lived right by St. Peters & Vatican City (beautiful). As far as the sites in Rome, some of my favorite were Piazza Spagna (Spanish Steps), the Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona and the Colosseum. There is also some great shopping on Via del Corso. And the food is amazing!!

Whatever you do, you will have a great time!! Enjoy! I know I can't wait to go back!

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Posted by JulyBride14

I lived in Rome for several months when I was in college (in an apt) so I don't really have any hotel recommendations. I lived right by St. Peters & Vatican City (beautiful). As far as the sites in Rome, some of my favorite were Piazza Spagna (Spanish Steps), the Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona and the Colosseum. There is also some great shopping on Via del Corso. And the food is amazing!!

Whatever you do, you will have a great time!! Enjoy! I know I can't wait to go back!

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Awe... thanks! When we get closer to going I'll have to remember to FM you for restaurant and shopping suggestions.

i love italy as well but we had bigger problems with gypsies than purse snatchers... they would come up to us with children and babies looking for handouts but it was only a distraction, they would actually take wallets out of people's back pockets and unzip their pocketbooks - one even unzipped my grandfather's fanny pack! and then when you yell at them to f-off, they yell and curse back!



i loved the touristy sites in rome but that left a bad taste in my mouth. if you are planning on going shopping in rome leave your bag in the hotel safe and just have DH bring a credit card, that's it!

my favorite part of italy was lake como, it was gorgeous and quaint and i would go back in a heartbeat. my second favorite was venice - loved shopping there! (ooh and florence too!)

I feel like I have answered this same question at least 3x this week... Do a search on here. There is TONS of info.

In short, we LOVED Hotel Davanzati in Florence and would stay there again in a heartbeat. DIdn't care for the location of our Rome hotel or the staff at all.

FM if you want info on the FABULOUS wine tours we took while we were in Florence. A day trip to Tivoli is totally worth it while in Rome, as is a trip to Pompeii.