Recommendation 4: Rome and Florence

We did one day trip to Rome, there and back by car to the station then trains to and from Rome. Good if you lived there and had a business appointment in Rome, but not really a top way to get the feel of Rome. We indulged ourselves in going to Rome for two nights, to Florence for one night.

In Rome we stayed at Domus Ester, via S Salvatore in Campo 38, Navona, Rome, 00186, located in the most interesting part of Rome and we were able (in February) to get a lovely room for Euros 50 a night (breakfast included). This is a real experience of living in Rome, no elevator, no fancy hotel trimmings, just a very comfortable room in a building hundreds of years old. To be able to get up in Rome and wander through the day and into the evening is a special experience. It was also a special experience to take the little train Mussolini built, from the Porta Flaminia station (not connected to the state rail network), that goes to Viterbo via Soriano. Here is the timetable.

In Florence we had stayed one night in a very similar kind of hotel, Relais il Campanile al Duomo, also very comfortable, friendly and conveniently located. February room price Euros 49. Highly recommended.