Rome -- Ludovisi - restaurants, distractions, transportation

Suggest you start with a guidebook such as Rick Steves' which is probably in your local library if you don't want to buy it. There are also many YouTube videos about Rome.

Many restaurants do close on Sunday, at least for evening dinner. Have found that in most neighborhoods, restaurants have different closed days. I often use Google maps to search for restaurants in a specific neighborhood. You can click on each restaurant to see the Google ratings and check days and hours open (thiugh I have learned to heck with a restaurant’s website or email because sometimes the open times change). We have always found decent restaurants on a Sunday. Reservations typically advised. Have read good things about Tempio di Bacco.

Thanks Becky. you've given me some information.

Google Maps, or any map app for that. matter, is only that. An app. Does not give the personal experience.

Ponygirl, if everyone can go and read a book, why does this message board even exist? Answer: We want personal and more real time suggestions.

If you ever watch a RS show, do you stop to wonder what was left on the cutting room floor?

If we all followed Rick Steves path how would we discover other things?

Not all who wander are lost.

You read the guide because the intel is extremely practical and useful.

Personal experiences:

Nearly fell to my knees after walking over Palentine Hill under the Arch of Titus and seeing the Colosseum. It was the reality of the history of the place. I was overwhelmed.

Walking into St Pauls my first thought was “ wow.”

Took communion there.

Had the best sandwich and enjoyed a real coke in a bottle in a tiny spot I found wandering. There was a small sign board outside that caught my eye. Owner didn’t speak English but via hand gestures, pointing, smiling, nodding the sandwich was made.

As far as “ real “ not American cooking places to eat. Watch and listen. You hear American voices walk on by. You hear Italian, step inside. One of my best meals was when I saw a group of construction workers walk into a place. I followed. Excellent food, good price.

Did the same in Milan, Florence and Venice.

We have been to Rome twice. We have not stayed in the area you are staying in, (we prefer Trastevere) but in terms of transportation we have done it all except helicopter. While in Rome, we simply used google or apple maps to use public transportation (although you will need to buy tickets must like at tabbachi shop). We were fine on the subway, trams and buses. We travel by train between cities. This year we rented ebikes and loved it. There was a shop by the Circus Maximus that was great, but for convenience, the lime bikes were good because we could leave them when we’re finished and did not have to get them back to the shop.

I am 55 and my husband is 67 and we walk a lot at home, but on the days we need we know we’re going to do a lot of walking in Rome, we would take an Uber or taxi to the site. Then if we still felt ok after touring we would walk back to our hotel, but we did not start the touring day tired. The Vatican is huge, and if you are trying to “see everything” (which is impossible) you will walk miles just at the Vatican.

Restaurants. We used some recommendations from the hotel owner, and just walked around. Sometimes we would go to a place based on recommendations from you tubers, ratings via google and yelp (both the ratings and the number of ratings), the clientele (Italian versus English speakers), aroma and visuals. Using these techniques we went to several places that we really enjoyed (and would return to).

While in Rome, we simply used google or apple maps to use public transportation (although you will need to buy tickets must like at tabbachi shop).

ATAC has implemented tap-to-pay on the Metro, trams and busses. So a credit card is enough. Look for the red kiosk on trams and busses, as opposed to the yellow ticket validator. Metro turnstiles have a separate credit card reader.

it isn't clear how you are arriving and departing from your 2 or 3 days, but if you are driving to that neighbourhood I found that when I stayed just off the Via Veneto at the Sofitel the Ludovisi garage was very convenient for parking the car and very near the hotel. Conveniently one or two streets outside the ZTL.

There is another under the Park Borghese at the top of the Spanish Steps and near the Metro, but we prefered to use the Ludovisi . Do be aware that some of the corners in the carpark are pretty tight, and it isn't cheap, but very clean and pleasant. By doing a little driving around we were able to find a space that was easy to get out of, both for us (some spaces pretty narrow) and for the car.

Sunday and Monday are the two likeliest days for restaurants to be closed, though it would be unusual for a restaurant to be closed for more than one of those days.

7 PM is a pretty common time for restaurants to open, but I think locals eat later, and I believe some nicer restaurants may not open until 7:30 or 8 PM.

There's Neve di Latte gelato place a bit farther north on Via Veneto. I haven't been there, but it's supposed to be good. You're staying in an area full of 4- and 5-star hotels. Many of us stay in less expensive lodgings and will not have any experience with the hotels in that neighborhood.

The receptionist at my hotel in Monti particularly recommended the Old Bridge Gelateria (just outside the Vatican wall on the way to the Vatican Museums), and I know it has been mentioned here as well. I didn't eat there, either.

Rome is blessed with a lot of really good gelato shops. If I wanted gelato in a new neighborhood, I kept my eyes open and checked the rating of any place I walked past. I figure any gelateria with a rating of at least 4.6 out of 5.0 is going to be quite good. I imagine the same is true of many with slightly lower ratings.

Thank you for information so far. Admittedly two days is not enough time. Comes down to spending time at the Vatican or the Roman ruins.

Or, do a quick hit the highlights. Never know if I will make it back.

That's why your comments/tips are worthwhile. We like to explore a little bit after fighting the tourist crowds. The comments here will give me paths to explore.

The Vatican Museums are huge, sardine-like and rather time-consuming. St. Peter's involves a usually-very-long wait in the security line. For both of those sights, you have to make a trip across the river to an area quite distant from most of the other things you probably want to see.

By comparison, you can see the exterior of the Colosseum easily, and you can look down into the Forum without standing in line to do so. (True, the Forum in particular would be more meaningful on a guided tour.)
You can walk the streets of Trastevere or Monti just enjoying being in Rome.

Comes down to spending time at the Vatican or the Roman ruins.

They don't have to be mutually exclusive. Many of the Roman ruins can be viewed from the street at any time of the day or night - no ticket needed. You could start at the Colosseum [take the Metro], walk around it, then head up Via Di Fori Imperiali, viewing the Imperial Forums and Trajan's Market on the right and with glimpses of the Forum on your left. Then walk left past the Victor Emmanuel monstrosity and climb the Michelangelo staircase to Piazza del Campidoglio - from there you can find the elevated viewpoint that gives an amazing view of the Roman Forum, with the Imperial forums as a backdrop.

The Pantheon, Largo Argentina, etc. are just sitting there in plain sight - it will be hard to miss them as you walk around the city. Churches with major works of art are easily accessible as well - just walk in.

Ponygirl, if everyone can go and read a book, why does this message board even exist? Answer: We want personal and more real time suggestions.

You may not know what you don't know. A book will answer questions you haven't thought of asking.