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Just booked Rome for Feb-Mar of '18

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So I booked a trip for the wife and I, it will be her first time to Italy but I was stationed there from 94-97 and lived in a small village at the edge of the Dolomites. We're doing 8 days (6 nights) in Rome with an itinerary that will cover the Vatican, Colosseum and some other attractions but I think our main plan it to find some cafes and bars, drink some vino and relax.

I've started relearning my Italian and everything is coming back pretty quickly so I'm hoping I'll be able to use a minimal amount of English while I'm there. I used to go to Venice every other weekend when i lived here before because the rail was only about $12 round trip and it was an hour train each way so getting around isn't an issue.

If there are any people who are also going to be here around this time please feel free to drop a line so maybe we can connect while we're there. We've met some amazing people in our travels that we still speak and meet up with when we can. Also, any tips on good cafes or bars that are off the beaten path would be greatly appreciated.

Looking forward to hearing from some of you soon.

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2124 posts

Chad--

I gotta tell you, if I had the money I'd be visiting Rome every February and March!

Long story short--on our first trip to Italy in 2010, we opted to concentrate on Florence and spent only two nights in Rome, really only a fly-by, literally using the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus to ride by the attractions. I wasn't that thrilled.

Fast forward five years later, in late winter when we met some fellow Chicagoans at a B&B in Salerno, Romans but had emigrated to Chicago back in the late 1960's. Now retired, instead of being 'snowbirds' to Florida, Texas or Arizona, they spend their winters in Rome! They waxed poetic on the temperate climate in the winter, no tourists, etc.

Sounded pretty good to us, so when they invited us this year we accepted and rented an apartment the end of February into March, for six nights. I wish it could've been sixteen. Not that we had so much to do, but we got a bus/Metro pass and utilized that to visit our friends at their place up by Porta Pia, and curiously traversed the city back and forth in search of non-touristy attractions, of which there are dozens. So many neat neighborhoods, cafes, various cuisines (we found a wonderful Sicilian joint by our apartment at Campo De' Fiori) and I can say we truly embraced the 'vibe' of Rome. It felt like home.

Hope you get to experience this next year--FYI we had only the occasional sprinkle of rain, and while morning temps were quite chilly, in the hi 30's/low 40's, it would usually warm to about 60 during the day, just perfect for being out and about. If by some stroke of luck we end up back there then, I'll get in touch!

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