Porter Darwin - Frommers Rome

Frommer's Rome 20th Edition

by Darwin Porter & Danforth Prince

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Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774

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ISBN 978-0-470-88727-1 (paper); ISBN 978-0-470-45121-2 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-00312-1 (ebk); ISBN 978-0-470-45191-5 (ebk)

Editor: Linda Barth

Production Editor: Eric T. Schroeder

Cartographer: Elizabeth Puhl

Photo Editor: Richard Fox

Production by Wiley Indianapolis Composition Services

Front Cover Photo: Temple ruins at the Forum Jacob Halaska / PhotoLibrary / AGE Fotostock, Inc.

Back Cover Photo: Caf on the Via della Pace in the Piazza Navona district Ren Mattes / Hemis / Alamy Images

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About the Authors

Right out of college, Darwin Porter wrote the first-ever Frommers Complete Guide, and it was devoted to Italy. (Up until then, the title had been designated as one of the Dollar-a-Day guides.) Since then, this devotee of all things Italian has covered The Peninsula from its Alpine peaks to its toe and has kept abreast of the enormous changes the country has experienced over the years. In 1982, Porter was joined in his journalistic efforts by Danforth Prince, formerly of the Paris bureau of the New York Times. This Italian-speaking disciple of Italys art, architecture, history, and cuisine has also been personally experiencing and reporting on the glories of Italy since that time.

How to contact Us

In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful placeshotels, restaurants, shops, and more. Were sure youll find others. Please tell us about them, so we can share the information with your fellow travelers in upcoming editions. If you were disappointed with a recommendation, wed love to know that, too. Please write to:

Frommers Rome, 20th EditionWiley Publishing, Inc. 111 River St. Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774frommersfeedback@wiley.com

An Additional Note

Please be advised that travel information is subject to change at any timeand this is especially true of prices. We therefore suggest that you write or call ahead for confirmation when making your travel plans. The authors, editors, and publisher cannot be held responsible for the experiences of readers while traveling. Your safety is important to us, however, so we encourage you to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Keep a close eye on cameras, purses, and wallets, all favorite targets of thieves and pickpockets.

Frommers Star Ratings, Icons & Abbreviations

Every hotel, restaurant, and attraction listing in this guide has been ranked for quality, value, service, amenities, and special features using a star-rating system. In country, state, and regional guides, we also rate towns and regions to help you narrow down your choices and budget your time accordingly. Hotels and restaurants are rated on a scale of zero (recommended) to three stars (exceptional). Attractions, shopping, nightlife, towns, and regions are rated according to the following scale: zero stars (recommended), one star (highly recommended), two stars (very highly recommended), and three stars (must-see).

In addition to the star-rating system, we also use seven feature icons that point you to the great deals, in-the-know advice, and unique experiences that separate travelers from tourists. Throughout the book, look for:

special finds those places only insiders know about

fun facts details that make travelers more informed and their trips more fun

kids best bets for kids and advice for the whole family

special moments those experiences that memories are made of

overrated places or experiences not worth your time or money

insider tips great ways to save time and money

great values where to get the best deals

The following abbreviations are used for credit cards:

AE American Express DISC Discover V Visa

DC Diners Club MC MasterCard

Travel Resources at Frommers.com

Frommers travel resources dont end with this guide. Frommers website, www.frommers.com, has travel information on more than 4,000 destinations. We update features regularly, giving you access to the most current trip-planning information and the best airfare, lodging, and car-rental bargains. You can also listen to podcasts, connect with other Frommers.com members through our active-reader forums, share your travel photos, read blogs from guidebook editors and fellow travelers, and much more.

Chapter 1: The Best of Rome

Rome is so packed with attractions that its hard to know where to start. Thats where we come in. In this chapter we present our personal, opinionated list of what we consider to be Romes top highlights. This will get you started and point you toward some of the possibilities for designing your own vacation. Whether this is your first trip or your tenth, youre bound to come away with your own favorites to add to the list.

Frommers favorite Rome Experiences

Walking through Ancient Rome: A vast, almost unified archaeological park cuts through the center of Rome. For those who want specific guidance, we have a walking tour in chapter 8 that will lead you through these haunting ruins. But its fun to wander on your own and let yourself get lost on the very streets where Julius Caesar and Lucrezia Borgia once trod. A slice of history unfolds at every turn: an ancient fountain, a long-forgotten statue, a ruined temple dedicated to some long-faded cult. A narrow street suddenly opens to a view of a triumphal arch. The Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill are the highlights, but the glory of Rome is hardly confined to these dusty fields. If you wander long enough, youll eventually emerge onto Piazza della Rotunda to stare in awe at one of Romes most glorious sights, the Pantheon.