What is your favorite thing you did in Rome...

wow, that's cool. i love the random encounters you have while traveling.

Regarding beggars, I had a similar experience. I had missed the shuttle back to the hotel (was with a tour group but hotel was just outside the city center) so decided to give the metro a try since the hotel was on the F1 line at Magliana. When I was on the platform there were beggars with puppies distracting tourists. Their thing was to distract with cuteness and another would come along and pick pocket. I don't know how succesful they were because they had pretty much just set up (it was at the Colosseo stop) because I was being harrassed by one of the metro workers who was trying to give me his phone # and email address. I guess my asking for assistance to figure out how to use the metro was an invitation of some sort. I still have his phone# and email address on the metro map he gave me LOL kept it as a souviner. Anyway, that was 5 years ago and I'm going next month (excited cause now I can say next month!!!) but doubt I will get so lucky to me hit on by some random guy in the metro LOL

Favorite...Just getting out and walking along the Tiber at first light. Least favorite... being woken up by the big earthquake in 2009.

Watching a dog take a sneak lick off of his mistress's gelato cone when whe wasn't looking.

Watched a man and his "mistress" make out (heavily) behind a tree in the Borghese Park while we picnicked and watched on. Quite a show!

good stuff! keep it up.

The first time we were in Rome, we almost literally stumbled across Largo di Torre Argentina. It's a relatively small archaeological dig right in the middle of Roman traffic, and it's also a cat sanctuary. We had no idea it was there until we turned a corner and almost fell into it. The contrast between old Rome and new Rome couldn't be more visible. More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Largo_di_Torre_Argentina

Cripes, there are so many...Having lunch in one of the tourist places facing the Pantheon, one of the best meals I've ever enjoyed simply because of the view. It was the one time I didn't care to be seen as a tourist and still to this day the best meal I ever had (pizza and vino), again, simply because of the view. A close second would be getting behind the bar in the Bulldog Pub of Rome pouring pints of Beamish Irish Stout for unsuspecting tourists. Funniest memory would be back in '98, I was walking to the Druids Den (Irish Pub) with an Aussie guy I'd met in the Pensione and I suddenly felt a hand brush across my, ahem, private region. I looked back and saw a tall, well dressed black woman and her friend smiling at me. I love Rome.

Proposing at Trevi Fountain

showoff! just kidding. very nice.

Outsmarting beggars after we just arrived in Rome from the States. They came up to us in a group and one held a baby whom she thrust at us, but we knew what was going on and backed away from them. One lady I was with started yelling to attract attention and the beggars went away.

that's kind of weird, i posted after joe, but my post is above his...

I was on the infamous 64 bus and offered an elderly looking priest my seat. When the seat next to him opened, he asked me to sit with him. We had an amazing conversation about Rome (he was the one who told me that on 64 pickpocketing was an art form). He also gave us a tour of his office area in the Vatican (past the Swiss Guards and all), and ensured that we had awesome seats for the Papal Audience.

I always set aside time to just wander - sometimes in a particular area, sometimes aimlessly - that way you see off-the beaten-path things or famous things that you come upon unexpectedly. I was in Rome around Mardi Gras several years ago exploring some of the more residential areas when I noticed little kids in costumes – fairies, butterflies, etc - walking with their parents. Whenever these kids came across each other they threw confetti and glitter on each other. It was so cute! I was told later that in Rome Mardi Gras is more of a kids' holiday. Another time I found myself watching a local soccer match being played literally in the shadow of a very famous site. I hadn't noticed at first where I was, I just stopped to get a picture of the players. I shifted position a little and there beyond some trees across the street and down the hill a bit was the Colosseum. Wow! It's one of my favorite pictures. I often come upon a famous site when I'm not looking for it; somehow it always seems more special that way, like it's my own discovery. By the way Joe, very romantic:)

Bumping into a coworker. Neither of us knew the other was going to be in Rome.

Took the boat to Ostia Antica.

I just enjoyed walking around watching the people, stopping in the different ancient sites, museums, cafe's, department stores, and of course, stopping for coffee. There are so many things you can enjoy and not really cost much. I stayed near the Via Nazionale, and walked to Victor Emmanuel Monument, Via Del Corso, Spanish steps and back to Via Nazionale. Of course, had to see the old Via Veneto. The other thing I liked was to stop at a Gelato shop, there is a great one, by the Pantheon. However, I haven't found a bad gelato shop yet. I am sure you will find a lot to do, if you like to walk around. Seeing Rome at night is also very nice, since it gives the city a different character. Enjoy your trip.

Can't narrow it down! Going running to St. Peter's in the early morning. Also, running past Ara Pacis and up to Piazza della Popolo in the morning. Watching my daughter's face when the waiter put a tartuffo in front of her at Tre Scalini, on Piazza Navona. She loves chocolate! It's in the guidebooks, but walking around Rome, and it seems that every other street has ruins from ancient Roman times. Each time I visit, the signage seems better, so I can actually read now about what I'm looking at.

The meal at Renato e Luisa. Riding bikes in Appia Antica. Making lifelong friends with our flatmate.

On my first trip with my older sister - climbing to the top of the dome of St Peters and to Castel Sant'Angelo and sharing the amazing beautiful views of Rome. Then, around Christmas time, walking through the Christmas market in Piazza Navona.

I had the same thing happen that Michael did. We had just arrived in Rome from the U.S. After settling into our B&B, my husband and I took the metro to Termini. It was our first trip to Italy and I was a bit paranoid about pickpockets in Rome. We got off the train, and from behind a man grabbed my arm. My husband was just about to punch him, when the man said my name. I had not yet seen the man. I turned around, and saw a man I used to work with. He was there with his family, and had gotten off the same train. My husband often teases me that I always run into people I know, wherever we go. Who knew it would happen so far away from home!!

So many! Finding little churches on our wanders with some amazing art inside them, going to Sunday mass at the Pantheon, the view from top of the dome at St. Peter's, finding the odd dig sites in the middle of the city by just wandering, just sitting in the Forum at the end of the day when others were heading off to other areas (this was before it was part of the combo ticket with the Colosseum and Palatine Hill), talking to people we had just met in a side street restuarant, gelato...

Outside of the main tourist stuff, my favorites were exploring Ostia Antica, climbing the dome at St. Peters, seeing Trevi fountain at night, drinking the outstanding water from the Nase fountains. My daughter loved all the cats at the temple ruins mentioned above. My biggest regret was not visiting more small churches - but my family was churched out by the time we got to Rome.

Walking up to the top of St. Peter's dome late one winter's afternoon...when I finally reached the top and looked West, the sun was setting, casting a dreamy golden-pink glow over entire city. I will never forget seeing the Colliseum for the first time on my way in to the city from the airport. We asked the cab driver to circle around two more times, it took three passes to take it all in.

Believe it or not it was a guy trying to rob me! He pulled over, tried to pull a scam acting like a lost tourist and we.. to say it nicely after trying to help him and he wanted money claiming he had none for gas told him to get lost. I stood back as my friend did most of the talking to watch for anything, I was fairly proud of myself that day. I'm normally very soft hearted (I will give money to beggars) but I could see what that was!

Sitting in the Villa Borghese park watching people while eating gelato. There's nothing better than this park.

When we toured the Catacombs of Priscilla our guide said that during WWII a lot of the American GIs had visited the catacombs and written their names on the walls of the catacombs. She then randomly shined her flashlight on one of the names. The GI had written his hometown underneath his name. He was from the same tiny town in Oklahoma where I was born and raised. The world seemed really small at that moment.

Just being there is one of my favorite things to do. Really the place is over the top. Every corner you turn there is something fascinating. But one thing that I always find myself doing is visiting the Pantheon's piatzza at night. I can just sit there for hours and stare at this most magnificent of buildings.

On a misty, magical day, stumbling upon a wedding at the church within the Forum. Then, later the same day, watching a newly wedded husband and (very attractive) bride parade around the Spanish Steps to a chorus of good-natured whistles and cat calls. A lot of happiness in the air!

Biking the appian way. There are cheap bike rentals at the catacombs church office close to the beginning of it. It was a wonderful day.

Wandering around Rome into the Jewish Ghetto neighborhood and finding an Irish Pub named Mad Jack's whose bartender was from Ecuador -- very handsome man named Diego. All this while listening to the Spanish MTV. Diego gave my husband and me a free second glass of wine and promised to make us dinner on our last night in Rome, but we didn't go back! After that is when we stumbled onto the cat sanctuary someone else mentioned earlier -- very cool sanctuary doing great work of spaying/neutering and placing kitties.

This morning after visiting the Galleria Borghese we rented a golf cart and drove all over the massive park...so much fun! So many people on wheels, from bikes to carts to skates to Segways, and I think it was a lot more Italians than foreign tourists!

Also eating late like the Italians, 7 or 8pm, then strolling through town with the masses. Warm, beautiful nights in this magical city, with everyone out and about...bellissima.

I didn't realize it beforehand, but I ended up being there over La notte Bianca in September. So I went up to the hill above Piazza del Popolo and watched the sunset over St. Peter's, then walked down and had dinner, then joined the parade through the streets and got a gelato and soaked it all in. Fantastic experience!

We had all these preconceptions about Rome and thought we wouldn't like it. Just see the must sees and then get on the train.

We LOVED it.

There are so many highlights, but my favorite was the day we spent just wandering. Our son pulled us into a toy store. We munched chestnuts while people watching at the Spanish Steps. We threw coins in Trevi. The kiddo finally got to have a burger at McDs and we spent almost 20 minutes chatting with the Italian kids in line--great cultural exchange! Gelato! It was wonderful. Finished with a picnic of amazing treats we grabbed at a grocery store. Then up and on to Vernazza.

Chatting with the Carabinieri in Campo Dei Fiori during aperitivo time; Trevi Fountain at dawn, just the two of us, three British women and the Polizia Municipale; Pantheon at opening with only a smattering of people; Seeing a priest on inline skates zooming down the street at Largo di Torre Argentina; Visiting the Cat Sanctuary; Seeing the mosaics in St. Peter's brought tears to my Lutheran eyes. So glad I learned SOME Italian!

People watching at Piazza Navona while eating lunch at Caffe Bernini. We just sat there, enjoying our day.

This is a Catholic thing. We attended Pope Benedict's Wednesday audience at St. Peters. While we were waiting my wife struck up a conversation with a gentleman from Sweden. He notice that our home parish was named St. Maximilian Kolbe. He mentioned that St. Max celebrated his first Mass at St. Andrea Delle Fratte in northern Rome. With his direction we found the church the next day and attended Mass 92 years to the day that St. Max had celebrated his first Mass. We were awe stuck with the good fortune and coincidence.

favorite thing we did in Rome... was LIVING THERE!

We were fortunate to spend three years in Rome and most of YOUR experiences were OURS – that's why we moved there! Living in Rome, we were able to assimilate into the culture and become "locals."

Our best experiences were the unscripted and unplanned events – much like yours. To be able to stop at any café for incredible expresso, run by the Mercado Trionfale for fresh meats and vegetables, grab a slice a pizza (anywhere), sit in a piazza sipping an inexpensive yet wonderful wine, walk through a different country (Vatican) on your way home, be a tourist and see the sites, hop on your motorino and head to the beach or Lake Braccciano, master the bus, metro and train system even though you NEVER really used mass transport in your life, learn Italian from your non-English speaking landlords and become best friends, eat at a different restaurant every night if you like... but when you eat on your street, the owners know your name, and always add some "free food," watching the World Cup (at any bar, restaurant, café, etc.) with Italians, taking a picnic basket, plenty of wine and meeting your friends at Villa Borghese or Villa Ada, drinking out of the nasoni, learning to shop Italian-style (store by store with you cart in tow), bargaining with the vendors at Porta Portesa or the bancarelle, enjoying summers along the river, XMAS in Piazza Navona, and New Years' Eve in Piazza Popolo, celebrating Rome's birthday in April and the wine festivals in the fall, eating gelato every day, walking to dinner 20 minutes through beautiful Rome and then back home at midnight knowing you're safe – and content, being in the Pantheon when it's sheeting rain – or in brilliant sunlight.... And on and on and on...

I'd recommend you take your time and the magic of Rome will catch up with you. Resist the thought of running from place to place, crossing them off your list. Despite three years of living in Rome I still have 100+ spots on my list to visit... so you won't see it all. You'll have to go back ... or move there. Now that we're living in Copenhagen we will be back in Italy two weekends in November (and we've already been back to Rome once!). So plan on going back... take your time... and Rome will enchant you! And your favorite thing will be.... Magical!

great post, thanks!

Ron, great to hear from you again on the forum.

I just returned from Italy this week and one of my favorite things in Rome was being lucky enough to do the Scavi tour under St. Peter's. Saw what was almost certainly St. Peter's burial place (yes, the bones themselves are questionable, but they are pretty certain that Peter was really buried there). It was very awesome and moving, and I'm not Catholic.

Just returned from Rome yesterday...can not say enough good things about Chef Andrea Consoli and his
"Cooking Classes in Rome" www.cookingclassesinrome.com

We had a ball and my traveling friend doesn't even cook! Chef Andrea is AMAZING, and so knowledgeable and would weave all kinds of info into the "class." Although called a class it was an event!!! 50 Euro was never so much fun!!!

And he has emailed the recipes so we can host a party for our friends!!!

i wanted to do that cooking class, but he doesn't do classes over the christmas holiday season...

My dad had a hard time reading the rome map and guided us the wrong way to the colosseum, if we were going the right way it would of only taken us about 10 minutes to walk there, but my parents and I went the long way and ended up walking through the non tourist area and saw many houses and apartmnets while walking an extra 3 miles to get to the colosseum. It was worth walking that far to see the non touristy part on Rome.

The smartest thing you could do before going to Rome is visit Ron's website - www.roninrome.com

We're going back in May (third time) and are getting all sorts of helpful information from Ron's site. Ron, the Rome tourist bureau should give you an award!

New Years Eve 08- 2nd unit IMAX photography at night over Rome with all the monuments lit up, the streets swarming with people, fireworks going off with a 81 year old Catholic priest and a nauseous policeman and his drooling dog onboard as 'chaperones'.."please please, not too close to that, not too low here, could you please return to the airport and put the doors back on the helicopter, gratzi, gratzi....up...up..UPPPP!NOW! UPP NOWWW! Never seen a party in my life like New Years Eve in Rome.

paid for a tour - with limited time on a vacation the best thing we did and one of our favorites was the Rome walking tour through www.througheternity.com.

We were walking back to our rented apt in the Veneto area one night, when we heard singing comming from the local church rectory. My wife wanted to keep on going...but not me. I saidd "come on.... lets go see what happening!". We entered the door, and wandered down the halls until we came to the room where the local children's choir was practicing for a local event. They were awesome! We tried to quitly slip in the back of the room, but were spotted. We got to sit there for over an hour and listen to their repertoire. When they finished the choir leader came down to talk to us. One look and he could tell we were Americans. In perfect English he explained what they were doing, and the history of the group. Then he went back up, introduced his "friends from America", and had them perform an encore. What a night!

Everyone gave good advice above, but just be safe and wear a money belt that way when the pickpockets come around they get nothing from you except maybe your pocket money for the day. Also don't accept "taxi" rides from nice well dressed men at the train station (advice from an Italian women on our train from Pisa) as they will rip you off and exit a side door out the station and you can get a cab without waiting in the line in front of the station and dealing with the gypies. Then just stroll through any and all neighborhoods, that's the best as you will discover so much.
enjoy