Preparation for the big trip

Hi Shar, As I promised, here is a little advice about the shopping I found in Rome. And a little about my favorite places too! SHOPPING: 1) Via Nationale: mid-level shopping, more mainstream but some good things. 2) Via Babuino and Via Sistina: more expensive shopping, boutiques, and interesting souvenirs, as well as exquisite, one of a kind finds. I liked these streets, but they were a little over my already overstretched budget (did a little too much shopping in ROmania and Milan--remember, Rome was my last stop!); I highly suggest these streets; for reference purposes, they are both around the Spanish Steps (as is Via Condotti and surrounding streets--see next number) 3) Via Condotti and the surrounding few blocks: VERY high end shopping, with everything from Gucci to Prada to Versace, etc.; remember, Rome is the HOME of Gucci! :D 4) Via dei Giubonnari and another street very close to it that I will leave you another message about, once I get home and look it up! :P: these two, especially the street I can't remember, have vintage stores (not super great, but you can have some fun browsing) but most importantly have nice boutiques that are not as expensive as the ones on Via Sistina and Via Babuino. My friend Anna got two purses for 20 euro each, although, yes, they were on sale from like 40 euro (which is not bad in itself). YOu can find these streets around Campo di Fiori and Piazza Navona. 5) Piazza Navona: in the Piazza itself, at night, there are many vendors of hand made jewellery, hand made shoes and everything else. Quite cheap but nice, and you can also stop and rest your tired shopping feet and indulge in an icecream or a tartufo (or both!) from the famous and YUMMY cafe Tre Scalini. It boasts the best tartufo in the world and I don't think they're kidding. And the icecream is just about as good. :D OOh and if you are around on a Sunday, or are an early morning riser, check out some of the markets, which sell everything but the kitchen sink. You can ask at your hotel where they are held, I think there is one in Campo di Fiori, but they all end around 1pm, and most are only on weekends. Look for leather, although Florence is better in that department, but Rome is not bad either!! Now, for spots to hang out in and not to miss: 1) Campo di Fiori is a good spot for hanging out at night, it is a piazza full of bars, mostly tourist hangout but a fair bit of locals. If you want some nice restaurants on a pretty square, go across the street from Campo di Fiori to Piazza Farnese. 2) Trestavere: if you want to hang out with locals, go across the river to Trestavere, an old area of town full of restaurants and bars on small cobblestone streets, where you can find eye candy (at least I thought so... but I like men that dress euro and look a certain way--i.e. hugo boss model look--, while my friend Anna did not) and most importantly GELATO, every 50 meters, until friggin 5am. :D Also, there is a pizza place that serves crazy good pizza if you feel like something like that at 4am. Unfortunately, I cannot give you exact directions, all I know is that it is in a little piazza, close to the water. Meh, all pizza in Italy is good so it's ok. 3) Spots not to miss (if you can help it): a) Piazza Santa MAria di Popoli: at the end of Via Sistina: as you stand with your back to the Spanish steps, Via Sistina starts to your RIGHT, and the other end ends up in this very beautiful Piazza. b)Imperial Forum, Colloseum, and Piazza del Campidoglio (with the giant head of Constantine (first Christian emperor) statue): right by the Collosseum, Imperial Forum is a free archeological site, the centre of Roman Rome, which you can walk among the ruins and be transported back 2000 years. The Piazza del Campidoglio is right behind the Palazzo dei Conservatori (big giant white 19th century Palazzo in Piazza Venetia) and it is just a really nice square, with the aforementioned statue. Also, best view from above of the Imperial Forum is from this viewpoint right down from the Piazza del Campidoglio, you can't miss it. c) St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican: if you can, go see it (I know you won't have time to see the Vatican Museum, which includes the SIstine Chapel, since lineups are fucking crazy and you are only there for a little while). But St Peter's is usually not that bad of a line-up, and the interior is GORGEOUS. Just a word of advice tho, wear a top with sleeves, at least covering the shoulders, and that is not too low cut: if you have a tank top, bring a shawl to put over it, and wear a skirt or pants that go below your knees, because otherwise, you will NOT be let in, they are really serious about that: there is a guy in a suit, mean-looking, that scrutinizes everyone and is really picky!!! They actually made my friend Hans pull his shorts a little lower so that they covered his knees before letting him in!!! :S But the hassle is worth it, and if you go between 6pm and 7pm when it closes, the lineups should be almost nonexistent. Ooh and the Swiss guards, the guys in the funny purple and yellow uniforms which have not changed since Michelangelo designed them in the 16th century, are really HOT!! :D d) Fontana di Trevi: try to go both during hte day and at night: while during the day you can see it well, at night, esp if you go after 1am, there are almost no people and it is lit up in the most amazing way. It is almost magical at night; we used to just pass by on the way back from CAmpo di Fiori every night, on the way to our hotel, and I think Via Varese is also close to where I was, so you can do the same! :) AND DON'T FORGET: throw in a couple of coins, BACKWARDS, so that you return to Rome in the future!!! :D Anyway, I think I will stop here: these are the places I liked best of the best in Rome,although in no particular order, and there are many others but you are there for so little time; at any rate, I am sure the guided tour will take you around too. The only problem with covering all the shopping streets I mentioned is that they are somewhat far apart, so you might want to be selective based on my description. HAVE A TON OF FUN AND REMEMBER TO FLIRT WITH THE HOT MEN!!! XOXO Oana PS: Oh, and when you go to Capri, GO to the Villa San Michele: the man who built it, a Swedish doctor before the first world war, wrote a book based on his life and his love for that island and how he actually built the villa after he saw a ghost of the Emperor Tiberius who told him he should do it... it sounds crazy but it is amazing: if you have time, go borrow "The Story of San Michele" by Axel Munthe, from the library and read it before you go, it is my favourite book, and the story takes place not only on Capri, but in Rome, Paris and Naples too!! It is beautiful and will set the mood for your trip just right. You will have to borrow it from a library (public should have it and U of T has it for sure, I checked) since it is out of print, for some silly reason. Unless you buy it off ebay or amazon for under 8$, you can find old copies, and you dont need any more than that. PPS: SOrry, this is REALLY long: while in Sorrento, do not miss Pompeii: while there, go first to the Necropole where all the frozen people are displayed, since it takes a while to find it: we ran out of time and I was pissed off!!!