Going to Rome, Italy!

Go to the Vatican, definitely worth it! Rome is a beautiful city, but will you also get a chance to check out Venice or Florence? Definitely worth it as well.

 

Yeah, think that's true. I did the same thing. You should definitely do that. Ten days in Rome is a bit long... it is worth it, though. Are you staying with friends/family? Is that why you are just doing Rome?

 

Do you like movies about gladiators?

 

Nice, have fun!

 

Joey, have you ever been in a Turkish prison?

 

Spend a good morning in a Capp bar in Piazza Navona just people watching.

Aventine Hill has some great looks of the city.

Find all the Michealangelo's you can.

Take a bus out to a small town Albano, walk up the edge of the volcano and go swimming in Lake Albano.

Rent scooters at a place close to Borghese Gardens.

Take in all the history you can because this is the most wonderful city on Earth.

I'm going there for my honeymoon. It's going to be sweet.

 

Go to the Piazza del Popolo to people-watch. Maybe somebody already mentioned this, I forget the name; there is a park next to it (just walk up a hillside) with wide views of the city all around.

10 days gives you time to relax and enjoy it all. Are you going in the summer? Heat and crowds.

Take comfortable walking shoes, to be sure. A lot of enjoying Rome is in discovering out-of-the-way places for yourself, little bars and restaurants, etc.

Lots of gorgeous women over there. Not necessarily better than here, because we have slightly more variety, but there's just something about them over there.

 

Make sure you go to see the Vatican, which is simply amazing, and spend an evening at an outdoor cafe in Piazza Navona, which is the nicest town square in Rome.

IMO, The Trevi Fountain and Colisseum are just tourist traps. The Spanish Steps are nice to chill out on though, and have some nice shopping on the adjacent streets. I don't remember the name of the area now, but if you make an immediate right after coming down the steps and walk straight for about 5 minutes, you will come to a really nice little piazza of good restaurants and bars where mostly locals hang out.

I would make a 2 day trip outside of Rome as well. Go north to Florence or south to the Amalfi Coast, which is a spectacular drive along cliffs with the ocean below. But make sure you take the train or bus directly to Sorrento and bypass Naples altogether. Naples is the equivalent of HELL ON EARTH

 

The Borghese Gardens are amazing. All good suggestions. Try eating at Da Meo Patacca on, I hope I have this right, Dei Mercanti 30, Telephone# 586-198. It's been 20 years since I ate there last, but it was there over 20 years before, and was/is fabulous. Doesn't look like much from outside, but inside, there are strolling opera singers with several musicians playing, fountains... just a great atmosphere and great food. The two of us had about 10 courses, and 3 bottles of wine for less than $50 bucks. That was in the early '80's, so I don't know what it costs now. This was my Dad's favorite place to eat in Rome, and he went many times over the years, because Rome was his favorite city, perhaps after Paris, perhaps not.

Hey, 10 days is not enough time to see and do what you can there, and in the area. Go see the ancient port, now land-locked and miles from the sea. I'm in a hurry and the name escapes me, but it's another good spot to see. We saw a play put on by school children at the amphitheatre there, on our last visit. The Catacombs can be fun and creepy... lots of skulls. Too much to do, too little time.

 

Rome is a dirty, congested city where people smell bad, blow smoke in your face and will rob you. Have fun!

 

Also, if anyone here remembers, I want to recommend to Vik the world famous gelataria that is in a small alleyway just a few yards from the Trevi Fountain. I don't remember the name of it, but that place is just insane. It has like 80 different flavors and is open till 2am. Vik, if nobody here remembers, just ask around for the place when you get there. It's the largest and most popular one by far.

 

Naples is worth the trip; it is interesting to see the archeological museum and Mt Vesuvius. It is only 2 hours train ride from Stazione Termini.

 

You realize that you can say the same thing about Houston, right? I highly doubt that he's leaving the US to go to Rome just to see another congested dirty city where people smell bad and will rob him and blow smoke in his face. I'm pretty sure that'd be qualified as a waste of money.

EDIT: what noemi said.

 

Speaking of Italy, I'm going to be studying abroad in Milan this upcoming fall semester (late august till early january). Anyone ever been? What's it like?

 

I spent a brief period of time working in Milan about a year and half ago. Just 4 days in person, but I spend ~3 months working with people from the Milan office via phone/email etc. There is some major hot box running around that town. There was tons of talent running around the office I was working from. I had a good time there, the shopping is amazing if you're into that, the Duomo (cathedral) is a must-see. Very nice. It's a lot better when you get to meet and get to know the people (either through work or school in your case) than just going around to the tourist sights. You'll have a totally different experience than a tourist would if you're there for an entire Fall semester. Don't listen to the tourists' opinions - they'll be of little use.

Northern Italy > Southern Italy in terms of wealth, cleanliness, etc.

 

Milan gets really cold....colder than NYC, so make sure you take some warm clothes. You could also buy them there, as its one of the fashion and shopping capitols of the world, except for the fact that's it's prob more expensive than NYC too! The city itself is more modern and industrial than Rome, but just a couple hours to the east is Venice, a couple to the west is the Italian Riviera, and a couple to the north is Lake Como, which is real nice.