Rome, Italy

[cgr]

I’m not that good at writing, so I’ll keep it to bulleted points with ratings and short notes where applicable.

Background: I was headed to a wedding in Israel and decided to stay over in Italy for a few days to tour Rome. This was a five-day trip in February 2019.

Flights:
•   EWR to FCO on Norwegian

• This was a paid ticket
• I was a bit worried about flying with a low budget carrier, but they didn’t mess anything up on this flight

•   Here I flew FCO to TLV and TLV to FCO on Norwegian
•   FCO to EWR on Norwegian

• This was a paid ticket
• On this flight Norwegian ‘accidentally’ dropped off my carry-on bag (which I originally refused to check until they refused to let me onto the plane with it) at FCO and did not route it to EWR. It took 5 days for them to find and deliver it. They refused to offer any compensation. Luckily the ticket was purchased with my Chase Sapphire card so I was able to get $500 for my troubles.

Hotel:
•   47 Hotel - 4/5

• Nice and clean hotel, with decent size rooms and close to the ghetto (less than a five-minute walk). Only issue was on Shabbos when the hallway lights went on every time we left the room.

Method of Transport:
•   Local trains and busses
•   Uber

Food:
•   Friday Night- Chabad- 4/5

• This was a one-hour walk from our hotel. We took a cab at the zman so we only had to walk back. It was a beautiful experience.

•   Shabbos Lunch- Su Ghetto- 2/5

• The food was rather bland

•   Yotvata- 4/5

• Delicious pasta, gnocchi, and “chocolate pizza”

•   BaGhetto Milky- 4/5

• Delicious pizza and pasta- desserts were very plain

•   Alice Pizza- 3/5

• Wasn’t blown away

•   Cremeria Romana- 4/5

• Delicious gelato

•   Boccione- 4/5

• Their ‘donuts’ had to make do for breakfast, since Italians don’t do that meal of the day

•   Bar Toto

• Not kosher but has CY milk so good for coffee

Activities:
•   Outdoor market- 1/5

• Totally uninteresting

•   Villa Borghese- 3/5

• Nice gardens, park, fountains, and villa (would consider it “extra” if you have limited time in Rome)

•   Doria Pamphili Gallery- 3/5

• Beautiful villa with lots of art (would consider it “extra” if you have limited time in Rome)

•   Rick Steve’s walking tour of the city- 4/5
•   Campo di Fiori- 4/5
•   Spanish steps- 3/5
•   Pantheon- 3/5
•   Trevi Fountain- 4/5
•   Piazza Navona- 5/5
•   Various statues, embassies, fountains, etc
•   Villa De’Este- 3/5

• Day trip from Rome- basic villa with beautiful gardens and fountains- has some singing fountains (would consider it “extra” if you have limited time in Rome)

•   Jewish Ghetto tour with David Walden- 5/5

• Would’ve used him for all tours if I could afford it

•   Castel Sant'Angelo- 3/5

• Old castle inhabited by various Popes (would consider it “extra” if you have limited time in Rome)

•   Rick Steve’s walking tour of Ghetto- 3/5
•   Rick Steve’s walking tour of Ancient Rome- 3/5
•   Colosseum- 5/5
•   Roman Forum- 5/5
•   Arch of Titus- 4/5

[Dan]

Can you share more about dinner at Chabad? Do they do lunch also?

David Walden is the best!

[cgr]

Can you share more about dinner at Chabad? Do they do lunch also?

David Walden is the best!

There were people from all over the world, so that made for an interesting table discussion.
I'd say all in all they had about 100 people over for the meal, with about 50% being local college students.

I believe they generally do host lunch, but I didn't attend so I'm not 100% sure. I do know that for the last month or so they've been away, so more of the restaurants in the ghetto are open to accommodate that overflow.