Visiting Rome Off-Season
It might not look off-season at the Trevi Fountain but this is considered to be not crowded
AUTHOR: ARTSY CHOW ROAMER
ROME, ITALY
VISITING OFF-SEASON
Thinking about heading off to Europe like so many thousands have been doing since the lift of the travel bans? If you are, you might give some thought as to when to go on that trip. After listening to many friends say that Europe was swamped everywhere making it a miserable experience during the spring, summer and fall, my husband and I decided to go off-season and settled on Italy as our destination of choice.
The trip was rescheduled after a cancellation two years ago with a lot more stops in mind. We smartly decided to keep the itinerary simple and were very glad we did. Deciding to make it a festive holiday shopping experience, we landed in Rome the first week of December to enjoy the decorations, food, wine and a long weekend religious holiday.
A few things you might want to know
What we noticed right off the bat was our plane was not completely full going over or coming back two weeks later which is a very good thing. It meant we could stretch out more and our little travel buddy could sit with us outside his carrier.
It meant a little faster service and easier bathroom breaks as well as an eerily quiet plane. One could actually sleep some. Not the experience my friends had on all the in-season trips they took. My husband winked at me and said “…this December thing just might have been brilliant on our part.”
WHERE TO STAY
Rome can be very expensive so instead of staying in a hotel, we opted to rent at the Sant’Ivo Apartments in order to have more room, an excellent center location minutes from the Piazza Navone and our own kitchen for breakfasts.
While this saves you some money, it also gives you the opportunity to explore the neighborhood and find all sorts of wonderful shops to buy those staples so you can eat like the Romans do. (When in Rome…as the saying goes).
The views on the rooftop terrace at sunset were the stuff of dreams
The biggest reason we opted for this property were the killer views from the spectacular rooftop terrace which is where we spent a good bit of our morning coffee and happy hour drink times. They were simply stunning with great groupings of comfortable seating as well as a dining tall-boy set up if you wanted to bring a picnic. Yes, it was December, but still warm enough to enjoy the outdoors especially with heat lamps.
WALKING THE NEIGHBORHOOD
One of the things we enjoyed most was walking around exploring the neighborhood where we stayed. We stopped at La Baguetteria for fabulous bread, croissants, empanadas and sandwiches on a daily basis. The owner was kind enough to make us ice understanding that the small little freezer tray in our fridge was not going to work for Americans!
Daily splurges on gelato and tiramisu at Gunther Gelato became a habit I still haven’t managed to walk off after returning home. Often times we would sit and read or write in our journals while enjoying an espresso with an afternoon glass of red wine at one of the many neighborhood cafes.
All offered wonderful menus of lunch-time specials usually including a slice of pizza or a favorite handmade pasta with a variety of sauces. Fresh seafood was often on offer as well as some cozy winter dishes like ox tail and beef cheeks.
I had made reservations at several restaurants, but I quickly realized that with an average cab ride running $10-15 dollars a shot, why not just eat at the local places that were in our own area. Casa Bleve was right next door and was just the spot to celebrate our first night with a lovely white wine, vitello tonnato, chestnut custard and espresso with grappa. Fabulous indeed!
THE spanish steps
Almost everyone wants to see the same famous spots which is why they are always crowded. While it does help to go off-season, they are a draw no matter what and will seem a bit overwhelming to those of us unused to the crowds.
The day we visited The Spanish Steps, there were a lot of folks gathering because it was a long weekend holiday where people were coming to Rome to celebrate and hear the Pope speak outside of the regular tourists visiting. Crowds were already forming, roads were being closed for security purposes and gates were being put up to control traffic. But it didn’t keep us from snapping a few great shots of the steps with a festive white and gold tree and the Fountain of the Boat at the bottom commissioned in 1623 by Pope Urban VIII.
The Spanish Steps were still crowded but this was also a holiday weekend
Everywhere we went there were such pretty decorations with beautiful music playing to celebrate the holidays. The stores had colorful boxes of panettone stacked everywhere. This is a traditional sweet cake with dried fruits that we love for Christmas and New Years. We popped into a cafe for a slice of pizza and a glass of wine after picking up more than a few gifts on our list at special markets and shops.
THE TREVI FOUNTAIN
Our third day we ventured out to the Trevi Fountain to do some more picture taking, shopping and a bite of lunch. While there were still lots of people there, it wasn’t impossible to get close enough to throw in a coin as tradition would have it.
Designed by Italian architect Nicola Salvi and completed by Giuseppe Pannini in 1762, it stands 86 feet high and 161.3 feet wide. It is the largest Baroque fountain in the city and one of the most famous fountains in the world. Just be a tourist and go. It is worth seeing what you only saw before in movies and it is even more stunning in person.
The Trevi Fountain is a must see for everyone including throwing in a coin
THE COLISEUM
I will be honest and tell you that we ran out of time before moving on to the coast and thought we would pick up The Coliseum on our return to Rome before flying home. The tickets to just see it and go inside are around $25 a person. If you want a more extensive or guided tour it goes much higher.
What actually ended up happening is we got an on-the-fly view between buildings at sunset on the way to dinner. That turned out to be OK because we decided that the place is much better closing into night with the dramatic lighting from inside shining through. While I didn’t capture as great a shot as I would have liked, another did and I offer it here.
The best time to see the Coliseum is sunset into evening for dramatic photo ops Photo: Chino Rocha
The 411 on winter visits
VATICAN CITY
After returning to Rome from Florence, we opted to stay in the Hotel Bloom near The Vatican complex so we could walk the neighborhood and see St. Peter’s Square for our last day in Rome. The hotel was in a nice quiet residential area with beautiful views of St. Peter’s Basilica in the distance.
The view to the Basilica from St. Peter’s Square Photo: Gabriella Clare Morino
This quirky little hotel was cozy with a retro interior design vibe and a calming color palette that was a draw for the younger people staying there. The breakfast room doubled as a fun gathering spot to bring drinks, play some games or shoot a round of pool. It was a perfect location with restaurants and shops within walkable distance.
After an impressive breakfast that was included with our room, we grabbed a cab and had him dump us in the square right below The Vatican walls. We then walked up to St. Peter’s Square for pictures and to explore the famous spot that we most associate with the Pope, especially at this time of year.
The square is huge in person. So much bigger in scale then you could have imagined from seeing it on TV. There are large beautiful fountains and stone architectural details that simply take your breath away. Even with all the people on it, it felt uncrowded as a long line queued up with tickets to see inside the Basilica and The Sistine Chapel. While those tickets begin around $50 a person, you can spend the day exploring the complex for free just by walking around, following the map of the area and staying on the outside of the various buildings and gardens.
It truly was magical and festive to spend the holiday off-season in Rome, Italy
CONCLUSION
While many people might think Italy is only worth visiting during warm weather, I found that the tourist numbers are so high in-season that it almost begs the case of planning your trip during the winter if you want to really enjoy it.
My husband and I love slow steady walks without dodging in and out of crowds. We like to be able to move around in shops without waiting in lines to pay. It is much more pleasant to walk into a restaurant or bar and be able to get a table without a reservation.
Add in the beauty of the decorations, the Christmas market stalls and the holiday spirit we found everywhere and our visit to Rome in December was just about as perfect as it gets. Don’t be afraid to stay away from the maddening crowds when planning your visit. I highly recommend it.
If you enjoyed what you read, you might enjoy other posts under Explore the World. There you will find my tips and guides on exciting places to visit with an emphasis on art and food as well. I also give you a taste of some fabulous spots under Snap Shot which will help you add to your bucket list. Until next time…
Cheers!
ArtsyChowRoamer
Follow me on You Tube, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter
TRAVEL
If you liked what you read, click on the button below! Why? You’ll get my free list of favorite travel products that cover fashion, gear and tech plus other great stuff I promise you’ll want!