Little more help please! Where to stay in Rome and Itinerary ...

We are Rome for five nights recovering from jet lag and our boys want to go there the most. Then Seina for a couple nights out of the way. Then Florence for three nights, then we have three days, then Venice, then Lake Iseo, then home. Total of 23 days! HEAVENLY! Ok, so Pesaro looked expensive and not that great, I just heard Levanto was nice, thinking Cinque Terra is too crowded and touristy? LOVE the suggestions - keep 'em coming!! And feel free to comment on my itinerary. Checking out Trastevere as we speak! Thanks.

We are staying in vrbo near the Pantheon. I think it will be good to be central so we can pop out easily and see a couple things. We are getting a 2 bedroom, about... $200+ a night I think? Something like that. Kim

Staying near the Vatican in Prati is an excellent choice. There is good transportation and you can walk to Piazza Navona in 15-30 minutes depending on location. We have had guests stay there even though it is a bit of a trip from our apartment because it is convenient for them. The restaurants in Trastevere are now overrun with tourists and over priced. Some are fine... but it is increasingly full of people looking for the "real" Rome while real Romans go elsewhere.

So Laurel, where do the real Romans go now to find the real Rome, and are we allowed to follow them?

The Centro Storico is probably the most expensive and central. Personally I like Trastevere (a district so called because it's on the other side of the Tiber, which is Tevere in Italian). Not necessarily walking distance to all sights, but that's the real Romans' Rome. Best restaurants too. Coliseum area is not my favorite, and it's not even close to anything, other than the Forum and the Colosseum. Vatican area is kind of a broad definition. Is it Vatican, Prati, Montemario?? Those areas on the northern side are more upscale (Prati, Montemario, Parioli), but more residential.

Prati - two beds, one bath VRBO for 5 nights for 770 Euros. I think inexpensive and there are only two reviews so I am a little hesitant.... Seems less touristy. Great note on the Coliseum area! THANKS!!!

So you have 3 days in Florence, then 3 days to be allocated somewhere, then to Venice. Did I get that right? Both Pesaro and Levanto are somewhat out of the way from your itinerary. Is Levanto really that fabulous? I don't know. Not in my book. If you absolutely must be on the coast, you could go to the Cinque Terre which in my opinion are much prettier and closer (by a couple of minutes). Another possibility would be to head to Veneto after Florence and visit Verona and Lake Garda (or maybe the Dolomites mountains) before heading to Venice. Pesaro would not be at the top of my list, it's also somewhat of a major detour.

We love Trastevere but it really is increasingly crowded with other tourists. Nowadays, more "real Romans" go to Testaccio for restaurants. And if you want to go shopping where you'll find what one of our waiters referred to as "i romani romani", or "the Roman Romans", you can go to Viale Guglielmo Marconi, south of the Trastevere train station. I did that one afternoon this past May and saw not one single identifiable tourist along a very long drag of shops and stores. Better speak some Italian if you're planning to go there. (And of course, real Romans go everywhere in Rome. There are just some places where they're less likely to be surrounded by tourists.)

So - where to stay in Rome? Near Vatican ok sounds like?

Do you have the Rick Steves Italy book yet? It's loaded with helpful information on the various neighborhoods in the major tourist destinations.

Trastevere has fewer tourists than other areas in the city center and it's not as far as Testaccio. If people are too bothered by tourists, then they should go to Tor Bella Monaca or the Magliana. There they will find no tourists, just a South Bronx type environment.

@ Julie - yes, near the Vatican is a good choice. @ Larry - This is where one needs to find a "back door" even in a well-known city like Rome. There are places in Trastvere, Testaccio, and even a stone's throw from P.za. Navona where one can find a refuge from tourists shopping and dining. You just have to seek them out. It takes time, though, and familiarity with the city, something that is hard to do in a 4 day stay.

$200 a night in Rome (or anywhere else) is out of my price range. Last year, our most expensive accommodation in Italy was 70E.
We stayed in an agriturismo in Zagarolo and rode the train 20 minutes into Rome Termini. And our host cooked for us every night.

Jewish Ghetto is a great location. Close to everything, across the bridge from Trastevere. You will be able to walk everywhere! Largo Argentina, a major bus/taxi/tram stop is at your doorstep!

When we go to Rome we stay in the Piazza Navona area. It is between the Vatican and the Colosseum. I find it to be an easy walking distance to all the main sites.

We have stayed in the Prati area many times, the last in a rented apartment. Our apartment was fantastic, close to markets and transportation and very reasonable. The Prati area is quite residential, so very quiet at night, something that is hard to find in Rome. i prefer it to the Trastevere area, but that is a personal choice. Do have a wonderful trip wherever you stay.

If you already have a car in the Siena area, you might consider extending that time and staying at an agriturismo. When I traveled with my kids to Italy (many times) we always stayed at an agriturismo with a pool for a few days. It was absolutely essential for us esp our kids and it was always their favorite part of the trip. Many have kid friendly activities and it was a perfect change of pace after all the cultural stuff.