Italy/Rome Alone

Rebecca, I also first went to Italy by myself when I was young... and I did a couple of very stupid things but was lucky... all was OK. I would have avoided that, and been safer, if I had stopped to ask myself 'would I do this at home?', 'would I believe that if I heard it at home?' (or, since you're from a small town, ask yourself if you would do 'that' in a large US city). Reading through the relevant sections of the RS Itay guide will also help (incluidng his description of safety/centrality of various neighborhoods). A few thoughts... Using a money belt (under your clothes) is a good way to avoid losing money, credit cards, passport, etc. And bring 2 credit and ATM cards if possible, in case something happens to one of them. Be alert to what's going on around you, and if you find yourself in an isolated place, move on to somewhere where you're around others. I'd suggest reserving your lodging before your trip so you're not wandering around looking for a place to spend the night; the website en.mappy.com will let you print a map of the area around each hotel, which is helpful. If you need low cost, safe housing, convents are really nice. At all the ones I've used, the doors are always locked and you need to be buzzed in (but you need to be willing to live with the rules... most have a curfew, usually around 10 or 11; you need to observe respectful decorum, etc; and there's usually no English spoken and no air conditioning). MonasteryStays.com can arrange such lodging, with a small surcharge. Or you can reserve yourself via e-mail.

Rebecca, you can do it and have a great time. How many days do you have, what is your budget per day, and what places do you have in mind, or what kinds of things are you interested in? I've traveled alone in Italy all of my adult life, and I also look for larger hotels in big cities. Once you give a little more info, you'll get lots of suggestions.

I don't have a set budget I'm not really worried about that as much. I am going to be there for about 8 days I get there on the 30th of may and leave on the 7. I want to see all the ruinsthe spanish steps, the vatican, my basic concern is how to find a reputable sight to book a day or two tour down to Pompeii. And I am not good at public transport so I would like to avoid it as much as possible.

I have never travelled alone to Rome, but would do it in a hearbeat. I have stayed at the Hotel Regno on the Via del Corso, and right around the corner at Albergo Cesari. Both are very nice places, and right in the heart of things. We walked everywhere from that central spot (the Vatican, the Borghese, Spanish Steps, Santa Maria Maggiore - everywhere!), and never took public transportation. Part of the fun of Rome is what you can discover while you are walking from place to place. Both of these hotels are in between by a few minutes of Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon.

Viator is a reputable tour company and they have day tours from Rome to Pompeii. You should have no problem in being by yourself in Rome. others have given you good advice here - I suggest that you take a money belt and use it as well as always wearing your purse cross body and not just over one shoulder. I have a purse hook which I use to hang my purse on the table when I'm in cafes etc. so I'm not tempted to just hang my purse over the back of my chair (which is an invitation to have it stolen or your wallet picked pocketed.). Use the hotel safe to keep your passport and extra cash in instead of walking around with those things all the time. Take a back up credit card and ATM card and keep them safe at the hotel as well just in case. I do these things all the time even if I'm travelling with a group of friends. You may not be able to walk everywhere you want to go depending on where you are staying. Many of the sights are in the central area and you can walk pretty much from Campo dei Fiori to the Spanish Steps and see everything in between without needing public transit. It's a bit of hike from there to the Collisseum and the Roman forum but there is a metro stop at the Colisseum. The metro system in Rome is pretty easy to use - again just keep an eye on your purse and wear it cross body. The buses may be a bit more challenging for you, but I found them reasonably straightforward to use. If you stay at a hotel, they can advice you. You can look up the fastest route online. Here's the website - just click on the flag at the top right to get the English version
http://www.atac.roma.it/ I also found taxis to be pretty reasonably priced. You get them at taxi stands. Also, take a look at www.roninrome.com Ron in Rome has a lot of good info about getting around and also has photographs which are helpful.

After you have decided where you will stay, try to find it on google earth so it will be easier to recognize when you are actually there. I have walked right past many places just because I didn't know what to look for. You are going to have so much fun! Going alone the first time can be intimidating but after you have done it, you will realize that being out of your comfort zone was well worth it for the great experience you had.

You say that you have the Rick Steves Italy book, but I have to say that it sounds as if maybe you haven't read it very thoroughly. He talks all about how to do public transportation, for example. That said, both the Google Maps Streetview tip and the www.roninrome.com websites are outstanding resources that you should spend a lot of time looking into. Happy travels.

You'll be fine. Italy is safer than the US, by a wide margin. Nevertheless you should be always alert and use common sense as you would if you were traveling alone to NYC or any American city. The biggest risk for tourists in Italy is pickpockets in crowded subway trains and buses. So follow the advice already given. Also remember that your hotel safe will be always safer than your pants pockets or your purse, so use that safe. Since you are a young woman you should also use common sense around young men. One of the biggest problem Italian authorities have to face is young female tourists from abroad who get very drunk and get taken advantage of sexually by young males (not necessarily Italian men, most of the perpetrators are, according to crime statistics, foreign migrants). American youth are particularly vulnerable because alcohol in the US is very restrictd (u need to be 21 to drink it) but in Italy its not (legal drinking age is 16 and not even enforced much) therefore some abuse it when they get there in certain social situations (at discoes, restaurants or simply in the streets often with 'friends' they just met). The city of Florence and the US Consulate in Florence cooperate to avoid these incidents and policemen are on the lookout to protect tourists but those are difficult situations to prevent without the cooperation of those youths who come to Italy. So please, wine is cheaper than coca cola, nevertheless be cautious and drink it in moderation.

I am confused as to why you or others thing a big hotel is safer. I have visited Europe solo but always stay in slightly smaller hotels, the staff knows who is coming in and out the front door, you don't get past the front desk without them seeing you, most have very small or non existant lobbies so the desk clerk looks right at you,, in large hotels any one can wander in off the street.
I second the recommendation to look at convents, I haven't stayed in one ( yet) but my stepmother has and said they are fine and she has gone solo to Rome quite a bit.. the key is the no a/c which is why I haven't stayed in them yet, because all my trips were in July or August, you are going in early May, you will survive just fine without a/c at that time .

The best thing any tourist to Rome should do is quickly learn how to negotiate the local bus and subway system. Cabs in the city can be priced out of sight. The bus system is very efficient, and you can get across town in just a few minutes. Otherwise, you'll find yourself very, very tired from walking mega miles. Some mentioned RonInRome.com. You should go online and pay close attention to his travel suggestions on this city that Ron knows so well. He gives good recommendations on accommodations.
Across the board, I would feel safer in a smaller B&B in a residential neighborhood.

Perhaps the idea of preferring large hotels is that they tend to be on major streets?

Rebecca, As the others have mentioned, Italy and Rome are generally very safe, and the largest concern is usually petty crime (pickpocketing). It's a really good idea to wear a Moneybelt and try to be "situationally aware" of those around you. One of the greatest places of risk are on crowded Buses or Metro (the #64 Bus is infamous for that, although I've never had any problems). Be wary of people trying to "help you" buy tickets on the Kiosks (I always tell them I can manage on my own, and then just stand there until they leave). As you have the RS Italy book, I'd recommend reading it carefully, as there are some other things you'll need to know. A few things that come to mind are that you MUST validate tickets on Regionale trains (which includes the Leonardo Express from the airport) or face hefty fines which will be collected on the spot! The same is true for Bus tickets in Rome. The Guidebook has lots of listings for good and reliable Hotels. I wouldn't be too concerned with finding a "bigger hotel". You'll probably find that the customer service is better in a smaller local Hotel. Two Hotels that I would recommend are Hotel Sonya or Hotel Aberdeen, both in the Termini area. If you want to "live on the wild side", you could also consider a Hostel, which is a bit of a "different travel experience". As you're from a small town, one of the recommended hotels would probably be a better choice. Regarding getting around to sites, I'd recommend using a combination of walking and public transit. I often buy a B.I.G. (daily) ticket which is good for most modes of transport, and valid until midnight. You MUST validate the ticket the first time you use it, but once only (again, hefty fines if you don't). continued......

Rebecca - Part 2..... In order to "set an Itinerary", it would help to have some idea on which sights you want to see. There are many things to see in Rome, so it's virtually impossible to suggest something without having some idea on what you want to see. As you're not used to public transportation, the trip to Naples and Pompeii could be a bit of an adventure. As mentioned in the Guidebook, the culture becomes more "intense" as you go further south so Naples will probably be a bit of an "experience". BE SURE to wear a Money Belt! What places do you want to see in Naples? You'll travel from Roma Termini to Napoli Centrale via the Freccia (high speed) trains, which have compulsory reservations, specific to each train. BE SURE to board the train specified on the ticket (ie: Frecciargento 9351), which will also be shown on the electronic board in the station, along with the Binario or track no. that it's departing from. The trip from Naples to Pompeii will be via Circumvesuviana train, which runs from the lower floors of Napoli Centrale. It's a separate rail system than Trenitalia and you can buy tickets there. Don't be apprehensive about the appearance of the Circumvesuviana cars. I usually describe them as "graffiti laden clunkers", but they will get you there. Be especially vigilant for pickpockets and scammers. You'll be disembarking at Pompeii Scavi station as I recall. If your budget allows, you might consider getting local Guides for either the Archeological Museum in Naples or Pompeii. There are suggestions in the Guidebook. When you approach the ticket booth at Pompeii, you'll likely be approached by Guides offering their services (not sure what they charge). Happy travels!

Hi Rebecca, I stayed at Della Torre Argentina hotel, it is on a busy main street, Pantheon is across the road, bus stop is outside the door, can be noisy so if it is a problem, ask for a room in the back. It is very central, I walked everywhere, felt very safe alone. The only time I used the bus, was to get to Vatican and to the train station. You can even walk to Vatican, it's not that far. Campo de Fiori has many outdoor cafes/eateries and I went there every night to have dinner. Follow Rick's walk to Trevi fountain and Spanish steps, you can do that at dark too, it's very safe. Just be aware that some males will be bothering you at times, ignore them and go about your buissness.
Have fun, it's very safe!

Whatever size hotel you stay in, make sure that the reception desk is staffed 24/7. Small hotels can be very safe. As Pat says, you would likely not get past the reception desk if you don't belong there. Last time in Rome, I stayed at Hotel Colors in the Prati neighborhood near Castel Sant Angelo about 6 blocks from the Vatican. Its an example of a small, safe reasonably priced place and away from the main tourist hotels. You can walk easily to the Vatican and across the Tiber to the old city (Pantheon, Trevi, Piazza Navona, etc)

I would think a small hotel to be safer. Our little hotel had a person at the desk round the clock. Very late at night, the outside door was locked. The person at reception had to let anyone in after the time. We stayed at the Hotel due Torri and enjoyed it and the central location. You will be safe if you use your head, and use the same rules as anywhere else.

I have been to Rome twice once on own and once with a friend. On my own I stayed at the beehive it is a small hostel I think they have a few private rooms felt very safe it is near the train station. With my friend stayed near the Spanish steps at the panda. the location was amazing the only reason I did not stay there on my own is the cost great price for Rome but on my own I was in cost saving mode. As well at the beehive I meet people to hang out for the day. felt totally save in Rome, I'm from Toronto so I am use to big cities the subway was easy to use. I used viator for my trip to pompeii.
Enjoy Rome it is a great city

My husband and I enjoyed staying at the River Palace Hotel, in Rome. We were there for seven nights. The hotel receives great reviews on Trip Avisor. The hotel is located in a very safe and convenient area. We could walk to the Fountain of Trevi, the Spanish Steps, the Victor Emanuel Monument, the Pantheon, the famous garden (?). Our hotel offered a lovely lobby and dining room. We ate breakfast every morning in the picturesque dining room.. They also offered a lobby, facing the street, where you can use two different computers for free. We have recommened this hotel to four other travellers and they were completely satisfied.

You should go to Naples and then Capri if you have time. I had 4 very intense days in Rome and loved going to Naples-Capri for a day trip. I went to Rome by myself and I am a short blond girl...Everything was fine! You will have a great time.
I stayed at an hotel near Republica place and near a metro of the same name. I thought it was very safe.