First off – highest possible marks for Michael and this wonderful location!
Our first visit to Italy commenced at this wonderful Airbnb – terrifically located just blocks from many of the most famous ancient sites (the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, etc.).
It’s also in the very cool Monti neighborhood, so dive in past the main thoroughfares for fun strolls and late night dining with the locals.
Michael’s top floor apartment is wonderful: with an elevator, TWO bathrooms, quite a lot of space (large living and dining rooms), fully appointed kitchen (including laundry), a rooftop deck, spectacular sunsets from both windows & deck, tons of light, and beautiful furnishings.
Michael’s family has hotels, so there’s nothing that has not been thoroughly thought through and provided.
Michael was a wonderfully gracious and welcoming host – in fact, we liked him so much that we invited him out for drinks to meet our friend in Rome (Evan, mentioned in more detail below).
Michael was delightfully responsive to our questions on how things work in a European setting, he had numerous restaurant and bar recommendations, and he’s a fascinating conversationalist (attended university in Edinburgh). We could not recommend him and his Airbnb more highly!
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Additional thoughts regarding travel in Italy:
If Rome is your first stop from the States (especially flying from the west coast) you may be exhausted when first arriving, so consider following Michael’s directions to a nearby supermarket and pick up a few items to have available in the apartment for whenever you wake up. When buying fruits or veggies, remember while still in the fresh produce area to bag, weigh, and label items – otherwise the person at checkout may send you back! :-)
Rome is a big city with crowds of people and vehicles. However high up you are, almost anywhere you’ll be above streets and first-floor pubs & restaurants. So bring earplugs (Nancy highly recommends Loop Quiet plugs) and get onto the local schedule as quickly as you can. With them in we had no trouble falling asleep.
At least once, be sure to wake up and see the Rome sunrise from the Airbnb’s upper deck – you will not believe how beautiful it is!
We can also highly recommend www-RomeIlluminated-com for personalized walking tours in Rome and other cities. Rome Illuminated was founded by American expat Evan Firestone who has lived in Rome for 22+ years and is originally from Oregon.
He and his specialty guides are incomparable – delightful, widely knowledgeable, and easily fluent in English. In the Roman Forum we overheard numerous tours ostensibly being led in English that were nearly incomprehensible. We used Evan and his team in both Rome and Florence and cannot speak highly enough of them.
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