roman holiday

in a few weeks, as a newlywed, i will be running around rome and venice with my "husband". there is nobody with whom i'd rather have this adventure. but i need some helpful advice. i mean, i know we need to wear a toga, some comfortable sandals and a laurel wreathe upon our respective betrothed heads.
but other than that....anyone have any fantastic snippets they'd like to share with us? we haven't settled on hotels yet so that would be enormously appreciated. think: opposite of youth hostile.
(and thank you, karen for setting us up so right with your recommends)

Comments

Anonymous said…
Ahh Italia!

That country demands to be wandered-- although, I'm slightly biased as thats how I roll. Only so many cultural points before I lose myself in the backstreets.

After spending 5 weeks in Italy-- with Venezia as our homebase, for a summer course abroad, I do have some suggestions.

Venice:
-The Peggy Guggenheim museum is small(er) and easily digestable.
-Check out the grounds of the Venice Biennale, its the "Giardini Park" at one end of the city. There are 30 some odd pavilions designed by various (famous, or not so) architects, and its a nice walk down the boardwalk, etc.
-everyone will have their favourite gelato place, mine was right beside our apt in Campo San Rocco. Go explore and find yours (the farther away from the Piazza San Marco, the better undoubtedly)

Other:
-as an architard-in-training still then in school, all I can say is: Carlo Scarpa. A famour Italian architect whose Castelvecchio Museum in verona is worth a brief trip (and yes, theres romeo and juliette, etc), and Brion Tomb and Sanctuary in San Vito d'Altivole (a site in the middle of nowhere, worth it if you have a car)is phenomenal.
-The Ligurian coast is stunning-- Cinque Terre, but I think you'd love Portofino the most. Think stunning meditteranean hill town of the rich and fabulous.

I never got to Rome, as I was sidetracked far too easily, and I'm sure you're faithful readers will supply you with more than enough hints!
72 and sunny said…
oooh. love. love love. thank you so much. it's great to hear a lot of different ideas. i'm printing this
out and adding it to my compilation.

thank you!
Megan-this is what I keep forgetting to mention: when in Florence the must do is Maremma for dins.

http://www.ristorantelamaremma.com/

Just one big night of fantastic food in a terrifically romantic setting.

It's right near Piazza Santa Croce, which will likely be on your to-do list with all of its Giotta frescoes and 14th century little this'n that.

xxoo!
k
Anonymous said…
Rome is beautiful! Piazza Navona is lovely for an "alfresco" lunch, but simply wandering the tiny streets is a treat in itself. Don't forget that atm's only take 4 PIN numbers there, and some don't even work, so don't rely on these for cash.
GloucesterMary said…
Megan...we were in Rome 2X last Spring and we stayed both times at Hotel San Francisco http://www.hotelsanfrancesco.net/ adored it. Check it out! Fabulous breakfast, small but very nice little romantic rooms...with great bathrooms! It's in Trastevre which is the Greenwich Village of Rome...great restaurants, tiny little windy streets with lots to look at, fun shops etc. Not as touristy as the rest of Rome. Of course...when in Rome...do the Colliseum, Forum, Piazza Navonna, Spanish Steps, St. Peters and we adored the Pallatino which is between the Forum and the Colliseum. In fact, buy your Colliseum entry tix at the Pallatino and save yourselves lots of time. The view from the Pallatino is fabulous and you'll love the gardens/orange trees etc.
We've stayed at Hotel Modigliani in Rome -- small boutique hotel, great service, and excellent location.
Oh am so envious! We went to Rome on our honeymoon and thought it was the most romantic thing in the world. We stayed at the Hotel de Russie, which is super chic and has a fantastic location near the Spanish Steps. We were there the week after the great Pope turnover of 2005, so there was lots of interest in seeing the new guy. My favorite "attraction" (besides the Sistene Chapel) was the church of San Clemente which is several churches built on top of one another and is like climbing through a timeline of religious and architectural history. Most of the time we just had fun wandering around and getting really lost.
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Anonymous said…
I'm a lurker who loves the Sofitel Roma.

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