Greetings Travelers!
My 70 year old mother (in very good health) is taking our 7-year-old daughter to Rome for five days the first week of April. We are living in Frankfurt and they will be traveling from there. We are looking on suggestions on districts/neighborhoods and hotels that would be good/safe for these two. Ideally, they would have breakfast, a front desk fluent in English, and assistance with transportation and tours. Ideal tourist locations for these two and safety tips would be very welcome.
Many thanks for your suggestions.
Mark from San Jose doing a tour in Germany:)
Posted by
Pa and Italy
4152 posts
You don't mention a budget so it's hard to give suggestions for hotels. Rome is a very safe city so as long as your Mother uses normal precautions they will be fine, even late at night. Most hotel clerks will speak English though not all hotels will offer breakfast. I would arrange their tours and transport from home to save money. If you say which sites they are interested in we can help you with the websites for booking.
Donna
Posted by
693 posts
www.pinocchiotours.com. have excellent private tours in Rome with a focus on children. Not cheap though.
Posted by
Indianapolis
247 posts
Can I just say she's the coolest grandma EVER?
If your daughter likes to read or watch movies, definitely help your daughter find some kid friendly books/videos about Rome/Ancient Rome/Romans that will help her appreciate what she sees while she is there. Hands-on activities (like crafts) focusing on something she'll see while she's there would also be great.
Although dated (from my childhood in the early 90's), David McCaulay has some wonderful books/PBS movies for kids that tell how Cathedrals and Roman cities were built. you can find the books and DVD's on Amazon.
Piazza Navona always has artists creating paintings, and street performers who play music, dance, wear fun costumes (My favorite was one that painted himself to look like part of a lamp post, and then would move a bit as people walked by. They would jump back because they didn't realize he was a person and not a statue!) Some people might think these are cliche or touristy but I feel like they are endlessly fun to watch...if only for the entertaining reactions of others around.
Rome is a very safe city but the area around Piazza Navona and the Pantheon is particularly well located for sightseeing (less walking/tiring for little feet!). Rick Steves also has one in his book that would be a great fit for travelers with children (it has a playground/play area) and would likely have families with children staying there. http://www.iqhotelroma.it/
Booking.com and Hotels.com are a great place to find verified reviews (the reviewers can't leave a review unless they actually stayed in the hotel).
Many Romans (particularly those working as hotel staff and waiters) speak English very well and are happy to offer their suggestions for their favorite sights.
If Grandma does not yet have a copy of Rick Steve's Rome guide please be sure she does get one. It has great information about how to get to the sights, suggested tours/tour guides and a section dedicated to visiting Rome with kids.
Posted by
Georgetown, OH, USA
33 posts
What a fortunate child! Here's hoping they have a marvelous time.
Posted by
Sydney Australia
40 posts
I took my 8 year old grand daughter to Rome in October 2104. We stayed at the "Beehive", 5 minutes walk from Roma Termini. This was a perfect location for us, as it was easy to access all modes of transport and to catch the early train for our trip to Naples and Pompeii. The hotel is quiet, safe and has super friendly staff. There is breakfast available which costs extra. I enjoyed it so much I am staying there in April. Contact Steve or Linda at the Beehive- they will answer any questions you may have.