As with so many major cities, visiting Rome can be a costly affair. Starting with accommodation… it is near impossible to find a decent hotel for less than £100 per night if you are looking for something nearish the town center. And in addition you will have to pay a city tax of 6 Euros per person per day for the duration of your stay (and this is not included in your hotel fee when booking). But don’t despair. There are ways to see it all, even if you are visiting Rome on a tight budget.
2017
Six flights in seven days – a new record
Doing more than one meeting a week isn’t new. The record here is seven in a week, if I remember rightly, however these were usually done as part of one big tour stretching several days. Going back and forth several times in one week – and actually travelling three countries within that one week – is a novelty… even for me. And not one I am eager to repeat anytime soon I hope.
Shopping Guide to Rome
I am not a big fashionista, but I love to shop. And can do so for hours, given the chance and in the right company. So it might not come as a big surprise that I had to go and explore the shops on offer here in Rome. And put together this handy shopping guide to Rome.
There is no shortage of shops obviously. Handbags, shoes and small leather goods come in plenty. So do the various designers.
How to get from the airport to Rome
If you are travelling to Rome, chances are you will arrive at one of two airports: Fiumicino (or Leonardo International Airport) or Ciampino. And needless to say, neither is right in the center of town, therefore you will need to know how to get from the airport into Rome center.
Flying Club Europe for the first time
Despite flying on a very regular basis, somehow I have never had the luxury of flying Club Europe. Well I did fly Club World last time from New York back to London.
But to be honest, I struggle to see the point of spending extra cash for the upgrade to Club Europe on a 1-2 hour short-haul flight within Europe (neither can I see my client voluntarily splashing out for it).
Two Girls at the Frankfurt Motor Show
Last week’s travel was a rather lengthy one (being away for a total of six days), although not all (or actually almost none) of it work related.
The original plan was to go home just for the weekend to attend my school reunion (still struggle to get my head around the fact that it is 20 years since we graduated), however as plans changed, so did my travel itinerary. So instead my colleague and I flew out on Tuesday to attend the IAA (Internationale Automobil Ausstellung, aka Frankfurt Motor Show) the day after, courtesy of our German automotive client.
Rookie mistakes in New York City – and how to avoid them.
I love New York. And I love being a tourist in New York City. After all, there are loads of things to do and places to see that you know from TV and movies or have read about… so take your time to explore them all. But be careful not to waste time and money. I have already talked about my Top 5 Things to do in New York City a few weeks back, so this time I want to share the other side of the coin. Things that are not worth spending any money on. To help you avoid the same rookie mistakes in New York City that I made.
A Trip to Helsingborg
Well into my big batch of travels, last week saw me travelling to Sweden for a change. No, I don’t speak any Swedish (unless ‘Hej’ and ‘Tack’ counts as language knowledge), but luckily most Swedes speak really decent English, so communication isn’t too difficult.
Apart from a weekend in Stockholm many moons ago, I have never been to Sweden before I started working in my current job. In the past year I have had a few trips, however have not always had a chance to actually see anything. But what I have seen is very pretty and makes me want to go and see more of this country… so maybe a road trip at some point? We’ll see.
Preparing for a trip to Rome
Everyone keeps telling me how beautiful Rome is. And I am not doubting this. But I can’t really comment on it. I have never been (yes I can’t quite believe I am saying that either)… well actually not true. I have been twice(ish).
I took a flight to and from Rome last year for a meeting nearby, however other than the airport and train station I have not seen a thing, so it does not count.
The other time I was just two years old… so again, probably not really worth counting…Since I can’t remember a thing (although some faded photos exist as proof).
Down the Tube – Secrets of the London Underground
The London Underground is one of the oldest in the world. The oldest parts recently celebrated their 150th birthday. And whilst it might not be able to compete with the modern, high-tech networks in some other cities, it surely has its very own charm and identity.
No it does not run 24/7… apart from New Years Eve. Although some lines have started a night tube service on weekends.
Yes it lacks air-conditioning on most of the lines (and only works half of the time on those chosen few)
No it does not come cheap, compared to some others.
But it is still one of the quickest ways to get from A to B when in London. And we do love it, even if we complain about it (we are Brits, that’s what we do).
If you are a tourist in this city, chances are you will use it a lot and completely rely on it.
So let me introduce some tube trivia and secrets of the London Underground to keep you entertained and busy during those rides.