This was our second trip to Italy in two years and our first to Rome and southern Italy. It was our pleasure to stay in both the Moon and Sun apartments (two nights each). Both apartments have very good value, but sometimes at night we can't sleep easily because of the noise outside. Via della Fornaci is not a very busy street but scooter and bus noise is obvious at night and early morning. I believe this is an issue in most places in Rome unless the windows are soundproof or the room is not facing the street. The apartment rooms are large and very clean. Rosa Maria is gracious and very helpful. She would be the main reason why you would like to choose to stay here. The reservation process was smooth without any issue.

We used the transfer arranged by Rosa Maria from and to the Fiumicino airport. For 40 Euro, it is about the same amount compared with taking the train from the airport and then a taxi from the train station to the apartment for two people. The gentleman who waited for us at the airport was very confused. He does not know "Al Colonnato di San Pietro B&B" and "San Pietro Inn - 2 apartments" are both owned by Rosa Maria. Since he refused to take us when we showed him our confirmation e-mail, we all waited there for more than half an hour. Worse, he does not speak English and we do not speak Italian. When we "talked" to him for the third time, he called Rosa Maria using his cell phone and instantly everything was sorted out. When he got to Via della Fornaci, he could not find the apartment!! The car circled the area for three times and finally he got off the car and called Rosa Maria again. Rosa Maria later told us that her main driver was not available on that day. The transfer from the apartment to the airport was perfect and the driver does speak English.

Other than that incident, everything went extremely well. Rosa Maria helped us make dinner reservations and gave us a bag of pine nuts to take home (from the ubiquitous "umbrella pine tree"). She made it very easy for us to store our luggage when we went to Sorrento during our stay and waited for us when we first arrived and came back from Sorrento.

We took a taxi many times during our stay to save some walks although adding up all the walks we did, we actually walked all the way from the Colosseo to Piazza di Spagna to Castel Sant'Angelo and back to our apartment. Do not take the taxis waiting in line in front of the Termini station; they are not honest and told us that it will cost more than 30 Euro to go to Piazza San Pietro. It should be about 12 Euro plus 2 Euro termini surcharge (plus one Euro for each luggage). We went across the street and hailed a taxi and it cost us 14 Euro when we returned from Sorrento. Other than that incident, all taxi drivers we used were honest. We also used the bus a few times. Bus #64 goes to the Termini.

We really loved Trattoria da Augusto in Trastevere. This is a small family trattoria with paper tablecloth, the same glasses for both wine and water, and a very long line. We waited about 20 minutes when we arrived at 1:20 PM. When we left at 2:50PM, there was still a long line and someone took our table immediately after we left. The food is supposed to be genuine Roman. It was indeed simple but very, very good. You definitely want to try their meat broth and braised veal. We also ate at I San Pietrini on Via della Fornaci recommended by Rosa Maria. It is also quite good. We ate at Otello alla Concordia when we went to Piazza di Spagna. It is recommended by many guide books and we were not disappointed.

Also at Piazza di Spagna, Caffé Greco is a good place to have a snack, though a little expensive. A lemon ice costs about 8 Euro, and tea is about the same! But the food and drinks are still very good. You can sit on the worn red booth seats, which are the originals.

We sampled a lot of different gelato shops, too. Giolitti’s is very good; its chocolate flavor is very rich. This gelato shop is over 100 years old!! The second one we tried is San Crispino (near the Trevi Fountain). We think that this shop is excellent, and its signature flavor is its name (San Crispino, which is a kind of honey). The flavor San Crispino is very tasty, and all the other flavors that we tried were extremely good, too.

(My daughter and my wife contribute to the content)