1st time in Rome Feb. 2012

First sugeestion regarding weather is to go to www.wunderground.com. On that site you can use the "history" function to see what the weather was like during that same time period, in previous years.

I was there a few years ago at the end of Feb. and although it was chilly and windy, the sun did shine. Plenty to do indoors if its too cold to walk around...and if that is the only time of year you can go, there are fewer tourists and a week in Europe on vacation is better than a week home working. I prefer April & May, but again, would go any time I can.

There's a great online app at weather.com that will allow you to compare Boston weather with Rome weather side-by-side. It's a pretty slick tool. And just fyi, the star system for hotels in Italy is not an indication of quality - it's an objective indication of facilities and amenities. For example, whether there is an elevator, parking, 24-hour front desk, etc. There are 2 star places that are MUCH nicer than 3- or 4-star places. You have to do your research. Have a great time. You'll never run out of things to see and do in Rome. Do buy the RS Rome book. It will be the smartest money you'll spend on your vacation, especially for a first-time traveler. Happy travels.

Thank so much for the info guys :) can any of you say where you gys stayed at ???

We haven't yet stayed at a hotel in Rome that I would highly recommend, but I've heard lots of good things about Hotel Oceania. We're at the point where we rent an apartment rather than finding a hotel. The RS Rome and Italy books are loaded with hotel recommendations.

You can use venere.com to find hotels that fit your needs. The pantheon and navona areas are the most central and the most expensive. The colosseum and trevi areas are next followed by the termini and vatican areas being the least expensive. Don't look for star ratings to help you find a good hotel. Look at the reviews. On venere not just anyone can post a review. The reviews are from people who have completed a stay so they can be believed. You can try the hotel Capo D' Africa and the Hotel Smeraldo. They are both wonderful places to stay. Donna

Rome in February will be a bit chilly but nothing like a Boston winter! Personally I think the lack of sunshine is worth the trade off of being able to visit the city without mobs of tourists. Don't pick your hotel by star rating only. The hotels in Italy are "awarded" stars by the number of amenities, not the quality of the amenities. I've stayed in 2-star hotels that are better than 4-stars. Rome has plenty of places to eat so don't pick a 4-star simply because of number of star - it may have received it the high rating because it has a restaurant but the rooms are need of remodeling! Rick's book is loaded with hotels & B&B's and you should find some great rates at that time of year.

sounds like a great time to go. We just got back and loved Rome, but had to strategize a lot to enjoy it without being run over by hordes of our fellow tourists. Just knowing a bit more about what to do before you go makes such a difference in the experience. Lots of places to stay or to visit as a sightseer are routinely recommended in these posts and we found them extremely helpful, so just go back a bit. Ask about activities, too, if you wish, telling us more about what interests you. Avoid Hotel Nardizzi nr Termini. We stayed there (recommended by Rick) and I have never seen so many unhappy travelers in one place. I will spare you all the details of what happened to us and others....it was a real comedy of errors. My daughter and I actually laughed hysterically on the plane back when we reminisced about this place and the various things that happened. We enjoyed other lodgings in Italy..this place was the only real disappointment.
Hope you will have fun. I also checked out Ron in Rome site after people in this blog recommended it....so helpful.

Raphael, As the others have suggested, it would be a really good idea to buy a copy of either the Rome or Italy Guidebooks. The books have a LOT of good information on sightseeing, Hotels, restaurants, transportation, etc. I usually stay in the Termini area, as it's a nice "central" area and very convenient for transportation. Two Hotels that you could look at are Hotel Sonya or Hotel Aberdeen (both are listed in the Guidebook). Both are very comfortable, although if you're booking a single room, you may find the rooms a bit different compared to this part of the world. Using a 3' x 3' shower is sometimes a bit of a "challenge". That seems like a long way to travel for such a short visit. Keep in mind that the first and last days of your holiday will be travel days, so you'll only have five days for actual touring (and you'll be jet-lagged for the first few days, so won't be up to "touring speed"). Happy travels!

We stayed at the iQ Hotel in ROme, and loved it. It's close to Termini, right across the street from the opera. It was an easy walk to the Forum and to the Colliseum. The hotel is new and has a very modern feel which we found a nice change from the rest of the places we stayed in Italy. It's also kind of unique...everything is 'a la carte'. SO, if you want breakfast, for example, it costs extra. But we found great little cafes nearby where we had wonderful coffee and food at a very reasonable price. They even have wonderful vending machines where you can get pretty good cappacino and even wine!

To answer your first question: It's Rome, so any time of year is worth going. Rome is one of my favorite cities in Europe (the world, really), so I would never pass up a chance to visit. As TK says, if the weather is crappy (which it is likely to be for a bit while you're there), then just head inside St. Peter's, the Vatican , the Borhese Gallery, Castel San't Angelo... You will NOT run out of things to do, and you will have a blast. And it will be you and the Romans, as you're not going to encounter many tourists there in Feb. When it's chilly, just enjoy a cafe and take in Rome.
On my last visit, I stayed in a little 3 star (I think) just off Campo de Fiori. If you want the name, PM me and I'll check my journal.

Actually, I just remembered. It was Hotel Smeraldo. Have Fun!