will visit rome in November , 5 nights.

Although not particularly near the Vatican, we took a bus and it took no more than 15 minutes. We stayed at Residenza Argentina and absolutely loved it. It was small (only six rooms) and personal. The staff there is very friendly and bent over backwards to help out. Great breakfast - but best of all, fabulous location. Walking distance to Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Venezia, etc. Check out the reviews on TripAdvisor - everyone loves it and this is what sold us. You won't be disappointed!

Hello May--I'm not sure if you will be there in early November or late November--that makes a big difference in the weather. I've been in early November, and the key is to pack things you can layer. You may have a cool morning followed by a warm and sunny afternoon followed by a chilly, rainy evening. I wore sweaters over plain tees (that way you can wear a sweater more than once, too) and had a wrap that I threw around myself on days that were really windy and chilly. The wrap doubled as a blanket for the flight over. Bring extra socks; cold, wet feet are miserable, and you'll want to change out of wet socks as soon as you can. Bring a travel umbrella (or buy one from one of the many street vendors you'll see). On the flight over I wore a pair of comfortable trousers that could be dressed up, and I packed one pair of black jeans and one pair of blue jeans for a week. No skirts--just too chilly. You can find online weather "vacation planners" that can give you an idea of average temperatures for the time you will be there.

As for hotels, we like staying near campo dei fiori (have also stayed near Termini, which we didn't like as well, although some people prefer it because it can be cheaper). We like being close to the old city center, and you can walk to the Vatican as well as most of the main tourist sites. We stayed at Smeraldo, which we found through Rick Steves' book. The Hotel Due Torri is another good choice, near Piazza Navona and also walking distance to the Vatican. If you cross the river to be nearer the Vatican, you'll be farther away from everything else. Piazza Navona or Campo dei Fiori areas are good choices if you want to be near the Vatican and near other sites as well.

November is a hard month to predict the weather. It can be hot or winter can come early and you'll need a jacket. Check Weather.com closer to your arrival date to see what the temps are like.

Is there a reason why you want to stay near the Vatican? It's not the area I would choose to stay for 5 nights. What is your budget for a place to stay? It's hard to recommend a place without knowing how much you want to spend.I recommend Nicolas Inn near the Roman Forum/Colisseum. Very helpful hosts and excellent bathrooms with great water pressure.

Scott, Elizabeth and Samsn
I really appreciate your input.

My family and I will celebrate Thanksgiving week there. Not sure if it is the right time to visit the place but we would like to celebrate this special holiday in the area for many reasons.

So, thanks again for the tips- I'll start researching on the properties recommended.

Hi May--If it's your whole family,consider renting an apartment. We've never rented in Rome, but a search on this website will turn up lots of recommendations. Again, I would recommend the campo dei fiori area because of its morning market. Here is a link to weather in Rome in November: http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/vacationplanner/vacationclimatology/monthly/ITXX0067?from=vac_cityoverview

Of course, the warmer days at the beginnng of the month bring that average up! You'll want a coat at the end of the month, and you should expect some rain. This will be a great time to go because the crowds will be minimal, but remember to check hours for museums since most have shorted hours in the winter. If the Vatican is the main thing you are interested in seeing, consider taking the Scavi tour of the excavations underneath.

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May,

There are many small hotels and apartments near the Vatican. We live across the street from the museum entrance. The Vatican is a good spot to locate because you are out of the hustle and bustle of the tourist traffic but with the Metro Line A (Ottaviano and Cipro stops) and the bus routes (271, 492, 64, 40, 81, and others...) you can get anywhere very quickly.

On the Via Andrea Doria, a few blocks from the Vatican, is a huge local's market. It runs about 4-5 blocks and is far larger than most markets in town. It's also less touristy and you'll get a great flavor of the Italian lifestyle. Campo Fiori has become very touristy and the prices there are extremely high compared to other markets in town.

Thanksgiving is different here because Italians do not celebrate Thanksgiving... but you can find a whole turkey in the markets or grocery stores. The American Schools are out Thurs-Sunday, just like in the States, so we had a huge group over at our apartment for a great time (We did miss the football games after dinner!).

The weather IS a mixed bag in November, as explained. Thanksgiving last year was breezy, with temps in the high 40's and low 50's as I remember. It did rain one day of our long weekend - Most folks headed to Florence on Saturday as a group for a day trip. Definitely a different holiday feeling!

You should have plenty of opportunities to find an apartment or hotel throughout Rome that time of year. There will be a more limited selection of tour groups that time of year so if that's a plan for you, make arrangements early. Have fun!

Ciao,
Ron