NFR Rome

[cookieg]

Trevi Fountain was in scaffolding in March this year when I went.

And in July.

[Burt]

Please note that the locals drive on the right.

MIND THE MOPEDS!! Mental as anything.

[Shredhead]

I was there for our game in the Europa League and had a great time in Trastavere, including finding 2 bars that sold real ale and a brilliant pizza place. I wrote about it here:
http://3gog.blogspot.co.uk/2009/11/rome-real-ale-pizza-and-footie.html

[spikey norman]

I was there for our game in the Europa League and had a great time in Trastavere, including finding 2 bars that sold real ale and a brilliant pizza place. I wrote about it here:
http://3gog.blogspot.co.uk/2009/11/rome-real-ale-pizza-and-footie.html

s
I will let my son know about this as he is in Rome today to watch Roma v Barcelona in Champions League tonight

[One James stannard]

Thank you all so much for your brilliant suggestions and advice so far on where the best bits of Rome are.

Ive been looking up most of them on the Internet and noting them down for when we go, I knew you lot would come up trumps.

Once again thank you all for spending a little bit of your time replying, it really is appreciated  082.gif

[Stefano Okaka Chuka]

Being from Rome my advice would be to avoid the tourist traps of the city center, there's plenty of awful restaurants and horrible gift shops. My positive advice would be to try and eat something truly roman (imho the best cooking in Italy, but it's quite debatable) in the ghetto: try some carciofo alla giudia (a traditional jewish fried artichoke), some proper pasta alla carbonara, alla gricia, all'amatriciana or cacio e pepe.
There's loads of things to see in Rome, but after dusk the city center can be a bit dull: I would advice you to go and see the San Lorenzo area (if you are not afraid of the pushers; you can even eat really well and cheaply there and there's loads of interesting little pubs like the Sally Brown. The place was bombed during WWII and it still has some scars. It's a big hit for students and left wingers) or the Testaccio area (if you are in a car good luck to you for parking). In the city center there's some buzz in the gay street nearby the Colosseo, in Colle Oppio and Monti too, but try and go see Trastevere which is lovely by night. I wouldn't go to Campo de Fiori because there's usually trouble and loads of local chavs hanging there and making a mess (go there during the morning, there's an  excellent market for groceries and stuff). If you want a proper pint you should go to Scholar's Lounge (close to Piazza Venezia) or The Abbey (Close to Piazza Navona). For real ale try the Tree Folk's (close to the Colosseo). For local beers try the crafted Birra del Borgo (you'll need to find a decent shop or pub that serves it though;  Ma che sete venuti a fa and Open Baladin are the best spots for italian craft beer in the city center).
And even if you are only mildly interested in arts you should definitely book a visit to Palazzo Borghese: you can see some of the best things Canova, Bernini and Caravaggio ever did.
My favourite place in Rome is the Pantheon which usually goes fairly amiss among the other monuments the other fofers mentioned.
As for the football, I wouldn't waste my time going to see  Lazio or Roma, italian serie A is always painfully boring to watch and you'll need binocular glasses to see something up from the stands of the Stadio Olimpico.

[Scrumpy]

Have been 3 or 4 times and it is an unbelievable place. So many times you find yourself walking down a street, with high buildings on either side, then you turn a corner and there's an amazing Piazza / Church / Fountain. Literally hundreds of beautiful places and monuments around the whole City.

Your only problem is going to be fitting it all in.

[cmg]

Enjoy yourself. Magical city with some wonder around every corner.
I had a bit of luck as a kid. Went there on a school trip. The day before departure the Italian Railways went on strike and we were marooned there for an extra 10 days and were given emergency billets in the, then fairly new, Olympic Village. The teachers more or less gave up on us and we roamed the streets - fantastic fun. The Stadio Olympico, no roof then, was nearby so we got in Lazio and Roma matches plus some sort of Serie C fixture at the Stadio Flaminia one night, which was a total riot. We also played regular knockabout matches against local layabouts in the area around the Castell San Angelo.

If I had to make one recommendation of a perhaps lesser known place I'd maybe go for the pretty little Baroque church of San Ignazio di Loyola, just round the corner from the Pantheon. Fancy enough inside, look up and be gobsmacked at the (flat!) ceiling. Make sure you see the Sistine before this one or you'll find Michaelangelo's job a bit of a let down.

[The Equalizer]

Please note that the locals drive on the right.

MIND THE MOPEDS!! Mental as anything.

I don't know that one. I only recall them doing 'Live It Up'

[nose]

rome is wonderful, most of the above suggestions are correct save for the ice cream... there are many brilliant ice cream places... trust your instincts as to which is best.
Also the food, generally amazing everywhere, hard to get poor food in italy. if it's crowded and people look local and happy in a cafe/restaurant then it's probably good ALSO in authentic Italian restaurants often the waiter will not bring a menu at first but offer a suggestion, I advise take that suggestion because usually it is what is freshest and best that day!

Last thing, get the eyewitness guidebook, pretty reliable! Buy tickets for the sites in advance. Walk as much as you can, you should not need to much public transport.

AND enjoy the small stuff, don't hesitate to stray from the big sites, there are loads of intersting nooks and crannies... beware the shops, they are seductive, your female familly will fall under the spell of all the shoes and fashions from ridiculously expensive to very reasonable, there is everything.... eat the fried rice and mozzarella balls (all over the place) and as somone else said eat the 'Jewish' deep fried artichokes if you get the chance (not commonly available everywhere).

Rome is wonderful i am jealous, enjoy!

[nose]

Who was it who said, " I am Spartacus ", all those Centuries ago. ?

was it spartacus

[kevin]

Rome underground
All the tunnels and crypts are fascinating....not too touristy either...well worth it for doing something a little different...just google underground Rome or tunnels