Fabrizio’s hospitality was wonderful and his home was five star. He met us at the train station and drove us the short distance to his building. There is a lift so there was no problem getting up to the fifth floor. He told where everything was locally and how to get around the city.
The flat was better than described. Modern and contemporary. The AC worked flawlessly, the bed was comfortable and we had a balcony overlooking the old roman wall. We has no problem with water pressure and we never ran out of hot water. We used the kitchen for breakfast and we even cooked dinner there.
It’s a five minute walk to the metro, trains and buses. Easy access to the colosseum by metro and the Vatican is only one bus ride away. The local neighborhood was a little dirty but we felt safe walking even at night. There is a supermarket on the ground floor and there are others in the neighborhood. We didn’t try any of the local restaurants other than to grab a pizza at a Kabob.
Our visit to Rome was mid-August which overlaps with an Italian national holiday so the sites were crowded. Make sure you book your skip-the-line tickets online at least 3 weeks in advance. The Trevi fountain was disappointing. It wasn’t running due to a drought but there was still a zoo of people surrounding it. All other major sites we visited were enjoyable. We did the colosseum and the Forum in one day but the Forum really needs a full day.
As with any first time visitors to Rome you have to be on the defense of pickpockets. Especially in the train from the airport. Let’s just say lesson learned.
Overall our stay in Rome and at Fabrizio’s home was our most enjoyable part of our Italian vacation.