Rome

Rome is the capital of Italy and part of the Lazio regon. It is home to over 2500 CouchSurfing members.

Tips
CouchSurfing hosts in Rome are in constant demand. The city has an average of more than 20 million tourists per year.
 * The easiest way to get a couch would be to look at possible hosts outside of the center, even in the little towns outside such as Ciampino, Guidonia, Palestrina and Tivoli (we have 3 neglected members out there!). Tivoli is a gorgeous hill town with a good train connection into the Tiburtina Station.
 * Remember that the couches that come up on the first page are usually bombarded with requests, so try looking through the whole search, not just the first 10-20 people.
 * Also, make yourself seem interesting. It is usually easy to tell which requests are copy and pasted and which ones are sincere.

Please remember, CouchSurfing is not intended to be just a free place to stay! Find someone you think you will connect with and enjoy spending time with so that everyone benefits!

Check the How to Write a Couch Request page for ideas.

Meetings
We are having a weekly aperitif every Tuesday starting at 8 pm at the Pepato Wine Bar, in Via del Politeama 8 (Trastevere) - map. First drink and abundant buffet food: € 8.

Annual Events
Rome is home to many great events that happen every year. See what's going on during your visit here!

Rome's events, happenings, festivals, shows during the summer season are here: http://www.estateromana.comune.roma.it

Eating, Drinking and Gelato!
Rome is full of great places to eat and drink, but there are some places that are simply there to rip you off-and possibly give you a stomach ache! Here are recommendations of good places to get your eat on!

Restaurants and Pizzerias
Chagat at 66th Take Away

Via Santa Maria del Pianto, 66

Roma

(Behind the Synagogue)

This is one of the best place you can find to eat Shawerma, Pitta & Co. as well as salads, sandwiches and pizza. It’s Kosher.

Very friendly atmosphere and... it’s cheap!

Cafe's
Sant' Eustachio

P.zza Sant'Eustachio n. 82

Roma - Italia

(Near the Pantheon)

This cafe is one of the most famous in Rome. They have been producing roasted coffee beans since the 1930's. The house specialty is the GranCaffè, a shot of espresso mixed with sugar and cream, but the exact recipe is said to be a guarded secret. They sell ground coffee in the bar to take home, as well as chocolate covered espresso beans and other candies. There is always a good mix of Italians and tourists inside.



Gelato
Il Gelato di Claudio Torcé

Viale dell'Aeronautica 105

(near Laurentina metro stop, closed on Mondays - always open during summer)

The shop is simple but you'll find they have some of the best gelato ever! The 'Gelataio', Claudio Torcé, has the ambition to transform everything edible on earth into gelato. You'll find 100 different types of gelato varying from 20 fruit, 60 cream, and 20 cremolato and semifreddi flavours. All are made without artificial colouring and preservatives.

To give you an idea of different combinations available here are some CouchSurfers suggestions:
 * Chocolate with Paprika
 * Pear, Chianti and Raisins
 * Zabaione with Passito di Pantelleria or Marsala
 * Peperonata (sliced peppers cooked with oil, tomatoes and onions), soft cheese with walnuts, strong cheese with pepper, mortadella with pistachio nuts.

Don't twist your mouth - get creative and try them first!

Places To Stay In Rome
Rome is a very big city and hosts a lot of CouchSurfers. Sometimes in the high tourist season you may need to stay in a hostel or other facility. Here are some recommendations from CouchSurfers in Rome:

-The Yellow Hostel:

Via Palestro 44

00185 Rome, Italy

Phone +39 0649382682

The Yellow Hostel is definitely geared for a younger crowd that likes to party. They recently did a complete remodel and the facilities are really hip looking and trendy. If you want a nice, peaceful place, this probably isn't your hostel. They also offer free internet access and free wifi for guests. The hostel also has their own bar. The rooms are cleaned everyday and the staff is really young, friendly and are encouraged to party with guests. The six bed dorms with a private bathroom cost 32 euro per night and the 7 bed dorms with a shared bathroom are 28 euro per night.

-Hotel Colors:

Via Boezio, 31

(near the Vatican)

Phone: +39 06 6874030

Fax: + 39 06 6867947

This Hostel/Budget Hotel has recently opened. It’s located North of the Vatican and has native English-speakers staff. All rooms are provided with linens. For those wishing to cook for themselves, there is a fully equipped kitchen, and the staff is ready to point out the nearby markets. All rooms are air-conditioned (service available from June 1st through September 15th). There is no curfew/lockout. Very clear instructions about how to reach the hostel are on the website.

-ChezLiviana B&B:

Largo S. Alfonso, 5

(near S. Maria Maggiore)

Phone: +39 06 4461778 (or 4461563) or +39 3290694444

Very good location. 30 € per person in double room with good breakfast included. Rooms have private bathrooms. The place is clean, nice, quiet and close to Termini and the Colosseo. The staff is friendly.

- Termini Station has a lot of hotels around it. It is the most central location in Rome. If you exit on the north side and try hotels there you can find double economic rooms with shared bathroom from €50 (found quite easily June 2011 including the €2 pp hotel tax)

Book Recommendations
Wanting to learn more about Rome? Perhaps travel vicariously through a book? Here are the Rome CouchSurfers' favorite books about their city!

Special Tips
Vatican Museum massive morning queues

You don't need to pay to beat the wait. There are 2 simple options. - The key thing is that everyone has the same idea .."I must get there first thing in the morning"

1. You can turn up in the afternoon ..(it now closes at 6pm.

Or 2. Walk across to the far side of St Peters's Square to the info desk at the Vatican post office and you can buy an advance ticket for later the same day or say 10am the next day quite easily. Then at the museum you just walk past the lines straight to the entance. The cost is €18. (the normal ticket price is €15, but most agencies charge €26)

In the summer except August there are Friday night tours at 7pm and 8pm until 11pm €26.)

Work
Jobs in Rome - Job site for English speaking professionals seeking employment in Rome.

trash:Rome hitch:Rome