Rome

Oh dear, I'm sorry to hear all the bad experiences in Rome.

We visit every Autumn and this year was our 30+ visit. We always stay in the same hotel in the centre and are treated like royalty. The same taxi driver has picked us up for the last twenty years and takes us back to the airport, no hassle at all.

Already our flights are booked for next September.
I do agree, it has become quite dirty and a tad neglected. However, we love going and are hopefully pretty savvy about everything.
My mobility isn't great now , so it's buses for us, instead of walking.

If you are keen, Kitty, choose a quieter time to go, we never go in high season.

PM me, if you would like to know more.

Yes, nowadays it’s hardly ‘Roman Holiday’ or ‘Three Coins in the Fountain’.

We went in late April last year. It was very hot and crowded. I wouldn't rush to go back. Fortunately we stayed with a friend who lives about 20 miles outside the city. There are some delightful places to visit away from tourist hot spots.

My overwhelming memories of Rome ( a couple of years ago) are dirt/noise/rip off prices.

Lymington!!!! Got a river and all the boats.

Kittylester, I recommend 'Four Seasons in Rome' by Anthony Doerr. It is not a where-to-go book, but a beautifully written, atmospheric celebration of Rome and might give you some ideas.

I thought Lynmouth was in Devon. Was it perhaps Lyndhurst?

Gonegirl, are you sure it was Lynmouth in the New Forest?

I should have added that we stayed in the Best Western Hotel Piccadilly which was comfortable and clean plus offered a ginormous daily buffet breakfast as part of our package so we were well set-up for the day. (The breakfast room was on the top floor and offered great views across the city). It's about 5 minutes walk from a metro station and, from memory, there are bus stops right outside.
The drawback was ambulance sirens screaming past day and night because it's not far from a major hospital but, overall, I'd recommend it.

I'd always wanted to visit Rome since I was in my teens. OH and I finally made it 5 years ago. What a disappointment!

It was November but still overcrowded, scruffy, noisy and most things seriously over-priced. We felt like poor relations as we studied restaurant menus, bar prices, etc.

The good bits? Excellent city bus services to get around and you can buy a tourist bus pass in newsagents, corner shops etc. The metro is good, too. The general helpful friendliness of other passengers when they saw a confused tourist was a welcome surprise, too.

The off-putting? Most of what others have said plus the manic drivers. Even my OH, who takes most places in his stride, was rattled and said he'd be terrified to hire a car and set wheel on road there! Oh, and don't try to cross the road after the green man goes off. They will run you down!

The food - unless you go for a top notch 5* restaurant, most of the offerings are pretty dreadful. I had the nastiest lasagne I've ever eaten in Rome.

Quite honestly, I'd say if you have happy memories of Rome, cherish them and don't go back.

One our friends is Italian and born in Rome. Last year he returned to visit family and described it as a dump!

Florence is my favourite Italian city. It was just as lovely this year as it was when we were there years ago.

That's the one nonnaussie.

We had our honeymoon in Lynmouth in the New Forest. It's just the same now, including the ancient hotel that turned out to be more like an old folks home.

Trevi Fountain!

I hated Rome, you were hassled from the minute you arrived there. You really do have to watch yourself. Neither myself or my husband are in a hurry to go back. Everywhere was mobbed, if you want a peaceful holiday don't go there. We found the street sellers intimidating and we are not shrinking violets, but I just didn't feel safe in that city. Florence was nice and felt better there.

Visited Rome in September as on the itinerary of our coach tour. We have been before. Warnings from coach drivers about pickpockets so advised to leave valuables on coach. On our return, we passengers were horrified to find the coach had been broken into, some had passports, phones, credit cards, currency, cameras stolen. ( I had left nothing worth anything, just taken a bit of currency with us).
Leaving aside how secure the coach had been or if the drivers had remained with it as we had been told! it ruined the day and tainted the remainder of the holiday.
I don’t want to sound a wet blanket, and I know most places have their issues, but I would not be in a hurry to return again to Rome.

We were in Rome last Christmas and while I enjoyed it and I am glad I went, I would agree with the above posts.

Isn't there a saying "never go back".... it won't be the same as your honeymoon.... why not try somewhere else and make some lovely new memories, to compare and contrast.

You can always avoid the queues by buying tickets in advance on "Skip the queues" websites.

I would go again, even though I did twist my ankle painfully on the approach to the old ruins and spent the rest of the day hobbling.

There was scaffolding round that big fountain (can't remember the name) when we went. Be nice to see it without that.

Might not bother with the Cistene (sp?) Chapel again. Found that underwhelming (!) and all the chairs round the edge were taken so it was tiring.

I agree Rome is a bun fight, lots of queues, pickpockets and vendors wanting to rip you off!
Venice is pretty much the same sadly.

We have had a fabulous break in Turin. It’s a beautiful city with lots to see and do. Not nearly as touristic as Rome or Venice.

We were in Rome last year, many years after I first visit. We were glad we'd already been inside all the main attractions as the queues to get in everywhere were huge. Every couple of steps we were hustled by people trying to sell us things or promising to help us jump the queues if we went on their tours. It was May, very busy and very hot!

Having said that we enjoyed wondering around by ourselves, stopping off for a coffee to people watch etc.