When in Rome | Travel staff answers reader questions

Vacation rentals

Q: Do you have a recommendation for an apartment in Rome in the Trastevere area for two older women who plan to stay for two weeks?

— Loretta Sharp, Needham, Mass.

A: A vacation rental is a great way to enjoy a stay in Rome and will give you more space and be more economical than a hotel, especially since you can cook some of your own meals.

Some things to check out before you book:

Is the apartment on a quiet street or square? Trastevere, one of Rome's historic neighborhoods, has a lot of nightlife; some streets are very noisy.

Are heating or air-conditioning charges included in the rent? (That's an extra charge in some Italian vacation rentals.)

What are the arrangements for getting the key and local assistance if needed?

Be sure to check the apartment's location on a detailed map; some parts of Trastevere are much more attractive than others. In general, the nicer parts are close to Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere, but avoid anything facing Viale Trastevere or the Lungotevere (along the Tiber River), which are busy roads.

A helpful resource for finding a rental is the Web site Slow Travel, which has recommendations on Italian vacation rentals: www.slowtrav.com/italy/listings/rome.asp.

Here are some vacation-rental agencies you could check with:

• The Tuscany-based Cuendet, www.cuendet.com.

• Two Rome-based agencies: Sleep in Italy, www.sleepinitaly.com — which does have some rentals in Trastevere — and Roman Homes, www.romanhomes.com.

• Seattle-based My Italian Vacation has some Rome rentals: www.myitalianvacation.com.

• And you can always search on Vacations Rentals by Owner, www.vrbo.com, to rent directly from an owner.

Many companies offer vacation apartments near Campo de' Fiori and Piazza Navona, two lovely squares in the heart of Rome. They're a pleasant 10-minute walk from Trastevere (on the other side of the Tiber River) if you can't find what you want in Trastevere. Just be sure not to rent an apartment directly facing Campo de' Fiori; it's very noisy with a morning market and bars/clubs at night.

— Kristin Jackson, Seattle Times Travel staff

Planning a trip

Q: My husband and I are going to Italy for the first time. We have done all of our own planning, so far. I have so many questions! I have heard that in Italy you have to pay to sit down at a cafe — how does that work exactly? Do you recommend taking formal tours of the major sites in Florence, Venice and Rome, or is it better/just as good to do it on our own? We've traveled in Europe several times but never made it to Italy before now. Is the driving any worse than, say, Ireland? We've been reading up on sights but wish we knew the most important things to see; two weeks just doesn't seem long enough.

— Kitty Harrison, Auburn

A: In general, you pay a higher price to sit down and have a drink at a cafe than stand up at the bar. And generally, you'll pay even more to sit outside. The theory is that once you do sit down, the table is yours to enjoy for as long as you wish. You will see prices for various drinks posted at most cafes, and some will show the price for standing up vs. sitting down, but if you're in doubt, ask, because you will pay substantially more in most cases, especially in tourist areas.

I don't think you'll find the driving difficult, especially once you're off the autostrada (the freeway) and away from the main cities. Italians do drive fast, and you'll notice that the most on the freeways. I like to avoid the peak rush hour times when I know I'll be in a main city — driving in a normally busy area between 1 p.m. and around 3 p.m. is always fine because this is the time when many Italians are off the streets and at home or at a restaurant for lunch. Traffic picks up around 4 p.m., and that's generally not a great time to be driving.

I think you'll do fine and have more fun without an organized tour of the cities you mention. All are great for wandering around, and you'll be freer to make your own discoveries. You might consider adding Assisi to your itinerary. It's a beautiful hill town, great for walking. My advice would be not to worry so much about hitting all the "important sites," but rather give yourself some down time to just be in Italy, enjoy the food and soak up the local atmosphere.

— Carol Pucci, Seattle Times Travel staff

Sightseeing by ship

Q: I am 75; my lady is 68. We want to visit Italy but are not sure about the time to go. We are still somewhat spry, but we feel that a tour with guides might be better than trying it on our own. We have been searching land tours and cruises. Do you have any advice?

— Ronald Brantner, Port Townsend

A: A tour can be a very nice way to go. And a cruise can be restful since it's essentially a floating hotel and you don't have to keep packing and unpacking. You can always add time at the end for yourselves, such as a few nights in Rome.

I'd suggest avoiding July and August, since it's very hot and crowded with swarms of tourists throughout Italy. Go instead in May/early June or mid-September/October. I'd also suggest taking a smaller cruise ship; it can be more enjoyable than the 2,500-passenger ships that can overwhelm a small port with visitors.

A travel agent could give you advice on cruises; one medium-sized cruise line you could check is Oceania Cruises, www.oceaniacruises.com, which has an Athens-to-Rome sailing in early June with stops at Italian ports in the south, along the Amalfi coast and Rome. Other cruise lines sail to Venice and other Adriatic ports.

One thing to know: When cruise lines say they have a Rome port call, they actually dock at Civitavecchia, which is about a 1.5-hour drive from the city. Also, don't forget to calculate the cost of shore excursions when you're figuring your trip budget.

— Kristin Jackson