Jewish Ghetto, Rome, Italy

The guide for Rome Photo Tours suggested we walk through the Jewish ghetto as we left Campo de Fiori. She pointed out that the Roman Empire had conquered Israel and brought many Jews to Rome as servants. Over the centuries much of the Jewish culture was assimilated into Roman culture.

While there we ate lunch at Nonna Betta at Via del Portico d'Ottavia 16 for 29€. It was so hard to find that I had to use my phone's GPS and we were less than 100 feet from it. Their web site is here.

The wikipedia article is here and Nonna Betta's TripAdvisor review is here.

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Campo de Fiori, Rome, Italy

Our photo tour ended in Campo de Fiori. This is a traditional open air market that is packed with bright colorful vendors. Campo de Fiori, translated literally from Italian, means "field of flowers." Remember that the vendors close early, at least by 3:00 PM. We came back by after lunch and most were gone.


The wikipedia article is here.

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Photo Tour, Rome, Italy

We took a photo tour with Rome Photo Tours. I'm just using a point and shoot but thought that this would show us good places to shoot and maybe I'd learn something. I was right on both points.

Our tour guide was an American ex-patriot named Stephanie who had lived in Rome for several years. She knew all the "good" places to shoot. She took us places we would have never found on our own.


We walked over 10 miles that day but didn't realize it until we sat down back in the hotel that night.

Rome Photo Tours review on TripAdvisor is here.

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Triton Fountain, Rome, Italy

We used Triton Fountain in Piazza Barberini as a rendezvous point for our photo tour (more later). Triton is the first of Bernini's Roman fountains.

The Piazza Barberini is a quiet respite in the center of a myriad of shops. There's also a metro stop nearby.

The wikipedia article is here.

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Piazza Navone, Rome, Italy

Less than a kilometer away from the Pantheon is the Piazza Navone, one of our favorite places in Rome.

We ate dinner there and certainly paid too much (68€). While the food was just so-so, the atmosphere was divine. After dinner we enjoyed the street performers and the gelato.

The wikipedia article is here.

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Pantheon, Rome, Italy

Less than a kilometer from the Trevi Fountain is the Pantheon.

We visited there several times on this trip. First on a guided tour with Angel Tours Rome and then again with Rome Photo Tours.

We had scheduled a free tour with Angel Tours Rome. The tour guide was a Brit who gave us a great experience. We tipped him 20€.

Before we went inside we walked around the outside. It had a foul odor. We asked our tour guide about it. He pointed out that the Pantheon is in a bowl, much lower than the more modern buildings around it. This puts the Pantheon basically on the level of the sewers!

He pointed out that there were originally 12 steps up to the main floor of the Pantheon. Now there's barely one step.

The wikipedia article is here and a good web site is here.

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Trevi Fountain, Rome, Italy

Less than a kilometer from the Spanish Steps is the Trevi Fountain. Both times we were there the whole area was absolutely packed with tourists.

On the southeast corner is a church. Climb the steps and you'll have a slightly better view as you'll be above all the tourists.

The wikipedia article is here and their web site is was here.

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Spanish Steps, Rome, Italy

After the guided tour of the Colosseum and the Forum we took a taxi to Spanish Steps for 10€.

While the Spanish Steps are awesome, I had never heard anybody mention the beautiful fountain at their foot.

While there we played a little "Where's Waldo?"

The wikipedia article is here.

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Forum, Rome, Italy

As I mentioned previously we took a combined Colosseum and Forum tour from Tickitaly . It was well worth having a guide in the Forum as so much is just piles of rubble. A guide really makes it come together.

The wikipedia article is here.

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Colosseum, Rome, Italy

What can I say about the Colosseum that hasn't been said? Oh, have you had the Colosseum Underground tour? No? Then there's lots.

In 2010 they opened what is called an subterranean tour. Besides the underground part, It actually includes visiting the top of the Colosseum that is not normally open to tourists. It is a different ticket than normal, limited in volume and subject to weather. ABC News has a good article on the tour here.

As we had been through the Colosseum before my wife didn't want to go back. Previously though we hadn't been through the Forum as it is so rambling we didn't know what we were seeing. I finally negotiated with her that she would go on the Colosseum underground tour if we could get a tour guide for the Forum. We booked a tour with Tickitaly that was wonderful. It cost 67€ for both of us.

By the way the meeting place is right here but the tour guide was not easy to spot.

Incidentally Tickitaly has a good article on the Colosseum here.

The wikipedia article is here.

We walked from our hotel to the Colosseum that morning as we had heard that there was a transportation strike planned for that date. Interestingly the Roman transportation strikes start after everybody gets to work and are over before they get off so as to not disturb the workers. Only in Rome! There's a subway map here.

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iQ Hotel Roma, Rome, Italy

We stayed at the iQ Hotel Roma at Via Firenze n. 8. This is literally across the street from the Rome opera, Teatro dell'Opera. Often we would hear the orchestra. The iQ Hotel is new and very nice. While the lobby is air-conditioned the rooms are not but were comfortable when we were there in early October. There are reasonably priced vending machines available and a nice roof terrace. There is free (for guests) Wi-Fi available throughout the building.

Their web site is here and their write-up on TripAdvisor is here.

We decided to avoid the taxis at Rome's Fiumicino airport and booked a limo with Rome Shuttle Limousine for 40€. That is actually less than taxi fare and we had a driver waiting for us in the arrivals lounge and a shiny new black Mercedes to the front door of the hotel. I strongly recommend this. Rome Shuttle's web site is here. We also used Rome Shuttle Limousine on our departure from Rome to Cinque Terre as it was much cheaper to book a rental car round trip from Fiumicino than to pick it up in Rome and drop it back at Fiumicino.

We had stayed in this area of Rome on our previous trip at Welcome House at Via Nazionale, 230. It appears that they are no longer open. No great loss.

This area is very near Termini station and we again took bus #110 for an orientation ride. The write-up on TripAdvisor is here. Don't be swayed as you walk toward the train station. The sidewalks are full of booths offering bus tours. Most are actually more expensive than the 18€ per person for #110. The #110 tickets are valid for 48 hours so we actually used it instead of a taxi for 2 days. It was not always the most direct route but it was dependable and familiar. The downstairs seating section, while not a good viewpoint, is air-conditioned. From the upper section the view was more exciting.


Someone later made fun of us for buying the #110 tickets. She said that nobody pays to ride the buses. Still navigating the bus routes was too much for us. Another piece of advice she offered was to make sure that the taxi drivers don't have the meter set on zone #2. Every ride in the center city should be zone #1 which is cheaper.

One night we had dinner at nearby Ristorante del Giglio Via Torino, 137 for 60€. Their web site is here.

We often found ourselves here having gelato at the end of a long day. It is so European to sit at a sidewalk table and enjoy ice cream.

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Porta Pinciana, Rome, Italy

Leaving Rome, we rented a car and headed out to Florence. As we drove out, we went through Porta Pinciana, a gate of the Aurelian Walls.

Driving in Rome was "exciting." As we approached Porta Pinciana we observed a near miss (millimeters, not inches) between a bus and a scooter. In the effort to avoid the bus, the scooter almost ran over an elderly lady walking on the side of the street. She never flinched!

The wikipedia article is here and an interesting web page is here.

Be sure to look at the street view.


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Piazza Navona, Rome, Italy

One of my co-workers whose wife owns a travel agency suggested that we visit Piazza Navona while in Rome. I was glad I asked for his advice.

The piazza is small giving a very intimate feel. The Fountain of the Four Rivers stands in the center of it surrounded by street performers at night. Across one side is a strip of restaurants and, yes, they also serve gelato.

Here's the street view.

As we left, we took a taxi. Unlike the other traffic, our taxi driver was stopping at every red light. I asked him why, joking that he just wanted to make the meter run. He said that he wouldn't stop if I'd pay his fine. I laughed and said I would. He proceeded to run every red light all the way back to the hotel.

The wikipedia article is here.

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St. Peter in Chains Basilica, Rome, Italy

As we walked to the Colosseum, we went past St. Peter in Chains Basilica. The was a mass going on so we sat out front and had gelato before going on to the Colosseum.

On our return, we came back by St. Peter in Chains. It was well worth it.

The legend is that the chains that bound Saint Peter when he was imprisoned in Jerusalem are held here. The chains are kept under the main altar in the basilica. There's also a statue of Moses by Michelangelo.

Here is my photo of the ceiling.

The wikipedia article is here.


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Palatine Hill, Rome, Italy

The Palatine Hill is near the Colosseum. The word "palace" comes from this place.

People have occupied this site since 1000 BC.

The wikipedia article is here.

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The Colosseum, Rome, Italy

What can you say about the Colosseum? It's OLD!

We approached it on foot and as we emerged from around an apartment building, there it was. I actually got goose bumps.

The wikipedia article is here.

Arch of Constantine is just outside the Colosseum.

With street view, you can actually "walk" around the Colosseum.

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Vatican Museum, Rome, Italy

The Vatican Museum is just around the corner from St. Peter's but it's a big corner. Often the waiting lines wind back to St. Peter's. Get there early!

Our primary destination was the Sistine Chapel. As you walk through the museum, there are signs pointing out the way to the Sistine Chapel. I believe that they run you all the way through the museum. There has to be a more direct way to get there. But it's worth the walk!

The wikipedia article is here and their web site is here.

There's a pretty neat street view here.

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The Vatican, Rome, Italy

One of our first stops was the Vatican. It's not on the subway route so we walked a little.

Pay attention as you wander around St. Peter's. We went down into the tombs and had to exit outside.

The wikipedia article is here and their web site is here.

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Welcome House, Rome, Italy

We stayed in Welcome House at Via Nazionale, 230, just down the street from train station. There's even a McDonald's nearby! But we ate more gelato than Big Macs.

Their web site is here and their write-up on TripAdvisor is here. Many of the comments are in other languages. I think that gives you a feel that this is not a hotel that is routinely frequented by Americans. Remember that.

Here's the street view.

We walked back up to the train station and caught bus #110. Here's a page out of Rick Steve's Italy describing the bus route.


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