Italy - Roma With a View
Staying in the Campo de Fiori area of Roma is a terrific place to base your sightseeing. A long time ago, I stayed at the Hotel Campo de Fiori at Via del Bisione 6. The best thing about this place is the two level roof top garden patios with views of all the other roof top gardens of Roma. It brings a perspective to Roma that you can’t get by walking the streets or taking tours. From the rooftop you can also see the Vatican, Venezia Piazza, Pantheon, etc. -- what a sight -- great place to relax and eat the food you have bought at the outdoor market a block away.
The Campo de Fiori (field of flora) was a lively medieval market place and today’s market retains much of the traditional lively atmosphere. In the centre of the square is a statue of a hooded figure -- philosopher Giordano Bruno, who was burnt at the stake for heresy on this spot in 1600.
All the rooms have been renovated, so the hotel is no longer the cheap and cheerful pension it was when I was there. It is now a “boutique hotel.” The 6 stories high hotel had no elevator but did have interesting marble stairs to climb. I can’t seem to find out if there is an elevator now. www.hotelcampodefiori.com
The main street Corso Vittorio Emanuel has buses to the Vatican and to the Forum area if you aren’t a walker. The Tiber River is not a far walk away and the Pantheon isn’t too far either.
So get yourself some food at the market, climb the marble stairs, and enjoy the most marvelous view of Roma!
Side Bar:
I highly recommend the book Mona Winks by Rick Steeves. Take your own tours of the Forum, Coliseum, and Pantheon. The Vatican (Sistine Chapel) is the climax of your Renaissance education that you should begin in Firenza (Florence).
Directions to hotel: From the train station: Bus 64 to Museo de Roma/Museo Braschi. (The first stop (fermata) after Largo di Torre Argintina) From there, head back along Corso Vittorio Emanuel to Via del Paradiso, marked by the Banca Commerciale Italiana on the corner, where you turn right. Via del Paradiso spills into piazza del Paradiso and continues as Via del Biscione to Campo de Fiori.