 Walk so in Rome you can walk everywhere! Especially with a great hotel. You are going to walk in Rome and then walk some more and then a little more. No worries though if you have a great hotel to come back to after a long day of walking! I never understand the oh it's just a place to sleep. NO NO NO it is not just a place to sleep. It is part of your experience in a destination. I am an over 50 woman who likes creature comforts. I have spent my life working and I am now an empty nester. I don't have small children, or college expenses I am on cruise control now. It's NOT just a place to sleep. It's part of my experience in a destination. It's part of the culture, the ambiance, and sets the tone for my travel. Yes as always the hotel matters. So I always choose an amazing hotel like the Inn at the Roman Forum which is walking distance to everything I want to see. I will definitely be walking Rome!  Vatican Museum is one of Rome's iconic stops but I is always crazy busy. It's packed and you and your 1000 closest friends are all viewing the Sistine Chapel ceiling at the same time. All the while being shushed by the Vatican Museum Policia. So why? Best thing here is a private tour and even better is an off hours private tour.  Trevi Fountain is free and you can stroll through Roman streets to get there. Yes, no visit to Rome is complete without tossing your coin into the Trevi Fountain and of course capturing that Instagram moment. BUT WAIT let's take it a little further and capture that moment with a professional photographer. You are in Rome at the Trevi Fountain for goodness sake. It's overflowing with memories you can capture and made 100 percent better by a professional. If you would be so kind to use my link I would definitely appreciate it. GET YOUR ROMAN HOLIDAY PICS  Piazza Narvona the place for people watching. Pick one of the restaurants they are all over priced but the view's are perfecto! This is what you are paying for. Sit down have a Aperol Spritz and enjoy my favorite pass time people watching.  Roman Forum history and Romans what more could you want? You can go with the peasants and do a basic tour but again why? You are in Rome and you are at the Roman Forum this has stood for century after century. Skip the line and go with a professional where you can discover the Roman Forum and walk along the path that countless others have journeyed.  The Tiber River Awe the Tiber the 252 mile long river that has witnessed a 1000 lifetimes of history and intrigue. Take a stroll along the peaceful river that I say it is the bain of the Reformation in that many are still crossing over. :)  St Paul Laterern outside the walls one of the 4 ancient, papal, major basilicas and not to be missed. Step into history and discover the story of the Apostle Paul. Not to be ignored and of course filled with the Papal photographs predicted to determine the end of the world.  Join friends for dinner and visit to a wine cellar next to the Pantheon . We had a chance to visit in February and scheduled this. It was a great evening with friends. We joined a whole table with others to experience great food, and company and of course wine. If you happen to be in Rome and want to do this Book it here. Wine Dinner. Now for a private dinner with a local you will need to contact me and I can arrange an amazing experience for you.  Visit the Pantheon at night is such a beautiful experience. So before your dinner stop in a gaze at the ceiling and imagine Roses falling from the opening. It is truly amazing. If you would like a tour at night again just follow the link Tour at night. If you would like more information or have question click the contact button below. You can also make sure you are up to date on all my little free tidbits about travel by clicking the button also. Just hit the "I want to Travel with Grace and Style"
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Travel with Grace and Style is an Italy travel specialist and when traveling to Italy there are 10 top things you should know. There are many more as this list could go on but these tips will not only save you time but may help you enjoy the experience.  Buy Tickets Prior..... If you do anything my top suggestion is to buy your tickets early and prior to your travel dates. This insures you are not standing in line waiting with the rest of the masses. Those who procrastinated or thought they would just wait and show up and buy their tickets in line are often shocked to see the lines. Save yourself and book ahead.  Off Season Travel.....Italy is my favorite travel destination along with the million other's who visit her yearly. In the height of the summer season it is almost packed beyond comfort. Travel off season if you can. In the late spring time the weather is just starting to be lovely but you still may need a sweater. Fall is often beautiful in Italy. Winter the crowds are thinner and unless it is during Christmas holidays your experience will be much less crowded.  Weather....Italy has decent weather any time of the year. Although summer in Rome in August can be brutal according to most, many Italians head out of the cities during this time. Winter yes it can snow, especially in places like The Dolomites and Lake Como and even Rome but the weather is definitely doable. The Average temperature in Rome in February is 52/42 not too bad for a visit. Rainiest month tends to be November for Rome.  There are very few toilet seats...… Yes in and throughout Italy there is a common known problem of toilet seats or the lack there of in public facilities. I will leave it at this.  Coffee... Often enjoyed al banco or at the bar with Cappuccino in the morning, a macchiato for an afternoon pick me up and an espresso after dinner. Quick pointer milky coffee in the morning only.  Breakfast....is often a lite meal consisting of small pastry and cappuccino of course "al banco".  Sundays......in Italy are for family. A day spent relaxing and having brunch after Mass.  Transit... Italy has a very good transport infrastructure. The rail network is extensive, especially in the north, and it includes a high speed rail network that joins the major cities of Italy from Naples through northern cities such as Milan and Turin.  Pick pockets will be in all the tourist sites. They are good. Keep watch and always keep your belongings close. Just as you would do in any other major city.  Hotel...….The hotel is not just a place to lay your head. It's not just a place to sleep. The hotel is part of the experience. The place you return to after a long day viewing the amazing city and countryside and should never be just a place to sleep. It should be part of the experience, part of the journey, and part of your incredible visit to Italy.  So please if you are planning a visit to Italy I would love to assist you. Italy is one of Teresa @ Travel with Grace and Style specialities. My own personal knowledge is fueled by my passion for Italy itself. 
Our trips are specifically designed down to the finest detail around your tastes and interests. We will listen to what you want and then carefully design an individual trip to match, working within your budget and with an absolute commitment to quality. We have true experts for each and every one of our destinations, our expertise comes from having traveled to the destination and securing specialized partners in each of our selected destinations. Our curator will design a trip around you, show you the highlights in a different light, and introduce you to places and experiences that others might miss. Everyone has a different style and the experiences we curate are exactly designed with that in mind. From group travel, to individual, to faith based we have a commitment to excellence. I would love to help you discover Italy just fill out the form.  We were headed to Europe for April and while we were going to be close we chose to take two river cruises along the Danube River. The first portion was one of a really short duration of 4 days 3 nights. It was on Avalon Waterways. They give the option of doing a cruise tour type vacation but for this we chose only the cruise portion. Meaning we opted not to do the on site stay at the hotel portion. The Danube is Europe’s second largest river and is definitely a river cruise to take if only for the picturesque beauty of the region.
The air is crisp and the scents of spice and roasted chestnuts are in the air as you walk through the village inspired Christmas scenes. As you glance around you notice Christmas lights fill the streets with a soft warm glow where bobbles, bows, candy and special treasures await. It’s an old world style atmosphere, markets are often at the center of town squares beneath the spires of the local parish church steeples. Laughter and music fills the air as shoppers pass by snuggled in their winter coats. There is just something about Europe’s Christmas Markets that I don’t feel we have quite captured in the United States. Perhaps it’s the community aspect, the gathering together sipping mulled wine as you let go the stress of the day. Perhaps it’s people coming together and catching up as they experience the warmth of Gluhwein and nibble on delectable pastries. Europe’s Christmas Markets are simply Magical.  It’s the start of Holiday Season as during the first weekend of Advent Christmas Markets begin to pop up throughout Europe. This annual tradition has been bringing happiness to locals and visitors alike for centuries. It’s almost like you have been transported back in time to a place of happy memories and the warmth of the season. Christmas carols surround you as you experience your first glance of the sparkle of snowflakes as they gently fall around the merchants selling their wares. Many of these markets can take over blocks and blocks and are filled with everything Christmas.
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Teresa H.
Frequent traveler, Archives
September 2019
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