Rome/Venice

Lido is a nice flat water beach which is a commute to Venice like commuting from Bainbridge Isl to Seattle. Among the best things to do in Venice is to stroll the 'hoods after a late dinner; nothing anywhere is more atmospheric. Basing on Lido Island could reduce that for you.

Thanks for the advice. I have bought the RS books but I know I want to be by the main sights and go down to the Roman Forum/Colosseum one day. Is there anywhere further North that is quiet I'm ok with noise unless its really crazy. I will look at those hotels. As far as budget we are ok with anything.

You may want to consider the Dorsoduro area of Venice for your hotel location. It is quieter than the main tourist areas yet still walkable from the tourist attractions. We are staying at the Centurion this year.

There is frequent vaporetto service between Lido and San Marco. The number 1 goes regularly, and it is also served by the night route.

You will certainly be able to find clean hotels in both cities. You can use venere.com for hotels in the spanish steps, trevi, navona or pantheon areas of Rome. These are the most central, though I'm not sure they're the quietest. You don't mention a budget which makes it very difficult to make hotel suggestions but you might want to check out the Albergo del Senato, hotel grand de la minerva, hotel Smeraldo, Hotel Forte or Hotel Sistina. I've had friends and family stay in all of these hotels and they all say wonderful things about them. Donna

I can speak from personal experience on the Lido v. Venice question. We've been to Venice three times now, just returning earlier this week from our third visit. The first two times we stayed at Pensione Guerrato near the Rialto Bridge. This time we decided to save money and to have a different experience by staying on the Lido (Hotel Helvetia). I have to recommend against staying on the Lido, especially if this is your first time to Venice. The rhythm we've developed in our travels to Italy is that we walk around seeing sights starting in the morning until mid to late afternoon. By then we're fairly tired, so we go back to our lodging to rest for a while before heading back out for dinner. This also helps us match more closely with the Italians and their late dinner schedules. When we did this on our most recent trip (staying on the Lido), we found it just too tiring to think about hopping back on to the (very loud and crowded) small vaporetto back to the main island for dinner and the evening just to have to take the same small loud vaporetto back a couple of hours later. And one of the most charming things about Venice is wandering around in the evening. If you do decide to stay on the Lido, you may end up having a similar Venice experience that the daytrippers have - one that short-changes this magical city.

Also, if you want a quiet area in Rome, you do NOT want to be very near the Spanish Steps. It's party central there in the evenings. Have you bought the RS Italy book to see his lodging recommendations for both Rome and Venice?

I just got back from Venice and I would not have wanted to stay in the Lido. I stayed in the Castello quite close to St. Marks Square but when I go back I'd like to stay in the Dorsoduro because it is quiet and less crowded yet close to where all the action is.

Here's another vote for Dorsoduro in Venice. It's a great neighborhood, not flooded with tourists, and convenient to the main sights. As for quiet areas in Rome, it really can make a difference if you're just a couple of streets away from noise/traffic. Don't give up on an entire neighborhood - just be aware of exactly where the lodging is, and whether your windows open out onto traffic or a busy piazza.