The last time I was there, in ‘07, I stayed just north of the vatican, on a street called Borgo Pio. It’s a smaller street, with mostly foot traffic, but I suggest you make your way there, and enjoy the many small pizza places, and the excellent pub/bar that is there. I can’t remember the name, for I drank waayyyy too much, but it has a great feel, and I met many interesting people there, and had many great beers. more towards where you are staying there is a place called the “Bulldog Inn”... I think that’s the name. It’s the closest thing to a british pub that Rome has to offer, and it also has a good vibe/feel to it. Feel free to ask me any more questions, and I will try to answer them and help you out.
Have fun!!!!!!

How long will you be here for? When will you be there? Do you speak any Italian?

I’d explore neighborhoods like San Lorenzo (from Trastevere take the 3 and get off a couple of stops past Porta Maggiore). Great working class neighborhood that is definitely in the throes of gentrification. Also very popular with students, as the university is nearby. Eat excellent, inexpensive seafood at Da Franco ar vicoletto, Via dei Falisci, 1; have great pizza at Formula Uno, Via degli Equi, 13; or slightly more upscale but definitely very Roman, Pommidoro, Piazza dei Sanniti, 44 (remember to look up and see the facade of the old pasta factory). It’s also a great neighbor for shopping. The food market is on the piazza by the church, and you’ll find everything from old-fashioned harware stores to contemporary designers of leather and jewelry.

Check out the quartiere Coppedè (stay on the 3 to the Buenos Aires stop), Rome’s take on Art Nouveau architecture. While you’re up there you can also check out sites like the crypt at Santa Agnese and the Villa Torlonia, a great park, with a small house that has been turned into a stained glass museum. The main house was Mussolini’s official residence.

Near Termini, check out multi-ethnic Piazza Vittorio. The Casa dell’Architettura (piazza Manfredo Fanti) is housed in a 19th century aquarium. Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II itself (Piazza Virrorio for the locals) is probably the most perfect example of Umbertino style in Rome. The mercato dell’Esquilino, in converted barracks, is a fabulous food market with products from all over Italy and all over the world. The Montepulciano on tap (stand 56) is very cheap and surprisingly good.

In the nighborhood, there is loads to eat. Try the trattoria Morgana for their very Roman dishes like oxtail, snail stew or pajata (calf intestines) on rigatoni, as well as more ordinary dishes like carbonara and ammatriciana(Via Mecenate, 19/21). The best crisp crust pizza in the neighborhood is at Vecchia Concha (the rest of the food is very good too – Via Carlo Alberto 26/a,). The best pastries are at Regoli (Via Dello Statuto, 60). Or get yourself a picnic at Roscioli (Via Buonarroti,48) and eat it in the park. You can find a lot of decent Indian (via Principe Amadeo) and Chinese (try the one opposite the Fitness First gym on via Giolitti for a very authentic gastronomic experience), too, if you’re tired of pizza and pasta.

While at Piazza Vittorio, stop in at MAS, a Roman institution, a dime-store/surplus store (look out for the €10 Superga shoes, the €5 Benneton sunglasses) with housewares and a fur department. There’s nothing else like it. Right behind MAS is the the Arco di Gallieno on the site of the original Roman walls built in the 6th century BC.

If you speak Italian, this site is a mine of information. They also organize tours of sites that are often closed to the public: http://www.info.roma.it/

Have fun!

Hey, if you like cats there’s an underground (literally under the street) cat santuary in Torre Argentina square. The people are lovely there and will give you a tour and there’s cats lazing about on the ancient ruins :)

www.romancats.com

Hope you have fun! Rome is incredible :D

Hi ~blade, I suggest buy the book “Secret Rome”. It has loads of off-the-beaten-track stuff to look at and explore.

Includes food, art, ancient stuff.

I’ve mapped ten of these in Google maps: check out http://tinyurl.com/mnnkwb.