I stayed for almost a full year at Francesca’s home while I was studying to get my MBA in Rome. I wanted somewhere that was furnished and that I didn’t have to worry about electricity, WiFi, etc. but also in a location that was fantastic. I got all those things with Francesca. I had a small room with basically my own bathroom unless Francesca’s son was home, which was great. There was also a washing machine in the apartment that I used often. A lot of apartments in Europe don’t come with washing machines so this was such a plus. No dryer but I don’t know any Europeans that have dryers. They all air dry their clothes which is fine by me.
In regards to location, this place was in Trastevere which is one of the most popping neighborhoods in Rome. There is no metro line close by, but there are buses and two tram lines very close by (though relying on Roman public transportation is not the best idea in general). The trams take you also to the trastevere train station where you can be at the airport in 25 minutes. Even though the apartment is in trastevere, it is tucked away in the back of the neighborhood so it is MUCH quieter than the other parts of trastevere which can be quite loud and boisterous due to student life. There is also a supermarket close by as well as wonderful restaurants, gelaterias, and cafes. And even a fantastic French bakery! The location can’t be beat.
Francesca herself is a wonderful host who made me feel so comfortable in my home away from home. She bought be a brand new mattress since she knew I was staying there for a long period of time. The WiFi was fast and reliable. Sometimes she would invite me to join her for dinner in whatever she was cooking (which was always delicious. Her pesto is amazing!).
The apartment was very very clean. Francesca has a cleaning lady that comes every other week and cleans all the common areas including the bathrooms which was AMAZING. I only wish she could have cleaned my room as well but I’m sure if I really wanted that I could have talked to Francesca and she would have been fine with it/made it work.
While clean, it is important to note that this building is old. While it does come with an elevator which saved me from lugging my suitcases up 2 flights of stairs, the building and apartment are old. Old plumbing, old walls, old kitchen. But this is Europe/Rome. If you are looking for an apartment from built in the 2000s with all the latest features and upgrades, then this is not the apartment for you. And Europe in general is probably not the continent for you. Rome itself is old and this is the charm of the city and the building.
All in all it was a wonderful stay and I can’t wait to see Francesca again very soon!