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Italy has always fascinated me, from the time I was learning my English History and our conquest by The Romans. At age 13 on a School trip from England, I had the opportunity to visit Tirano in the very far northeastern part of Italy. I never did have another opportunity, until Jo and I went to Malta a year ago. Being that close to Italy, we just had to see Ancient Rome, the Tuscan Hills and Florence.
I do a fair amount of research before we head out on our world-wide excursions. Jo and I are not ones for the "glitz and glamour", but we do like our comfort...so we prefer B & B's, farm-stays or small family-run hotels.
I'd read that Rome was "dirty and noisy" so we didn't want a place in the heart of the City. After reading countless "Accommodation Guides" and "guests recommendations", we booked at 'The Hotel Farnese', which is located in a tree-lined street and away from any main road. It was only about a 10-minute walk to the Tiber River, and across to 'Castel Sant'Angelo', 'Ancient Rome' and 'The Vatican City'.
'Hotel Farnese' did not disappoint. We'd give the hotel and staff an 8.5 out of 10.
If you don't have a lot of time in Rome and would like to see a good representation of Italy's most famous painters, go visit the Palazzo Doria Pamphili (Galleria Pamphili) on Via del Plebiscito, as their collection of "old masters" religious paintings is astounding. There is usually no line-up to get into the Galleria Pamphili, unlike The Vatican, Coliseum or around Trevi Fountain. Line-ups to get tickets into the Vatican can be one kilometer long, and then you line up again to get in. The Coliseum line-up is only half as long. For Trevi Fountain - get there around 8 - 9am, otherwise the crowd is crushing (and pick-pockets love a crowd). My tip - hire a car and guide, or go on a Coach tour: this way you get to the head of the line, right now...no waiting!
For a wonderful drive into the Italian countryside, hire a car and guide to take you to into The Tuscan Hills and the Pope's summer residence at the medieval hilltop village of Castello Gandolfo (it actually sits on the rim of the caldera of an extinct volcano). There is a marvelous restaurant in the village, overlooking the caldera, with the largest selection of wines I've seen in any restaurant, anywhere - at least 10,000 bottles, all stored in tunnels carved into the volcanic rock of the caldera.
Florence will not disappoint you and the Ponte de Vecchio (or Silversmith's Bridge) is worth a few pictures. For a good view of Florence, drive up to the 'Park on the Hill'; a photo taken with the view up the Arno River and it's five bridges(including Pont de Vecchio), will make a wonderful transfer onto plywood for a jig-saw puzzle!
Ken
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