Recommended in Rome

In Rome, I recommend a stay at Casa di Santa Brigida (Piazza Farnese 96, 00186 Roma, Italy; phone +39 06 6889 2596 or 2497, fax 6889 1573 or e-mail piazzafarnese@brigidine.org). It overlooks the elegant, quiet Piazza Farnese, with the Campo dei Fiori market a block away. Ask for the room that overlooks the piazza.

The nuns who run Casa di Santa Brigida are caring and speak English. I was there May 13-17, 2010, and the nightly cost for one person was €110 (near $142) — more if paid by credit card, but I always pay in cash to get the best rate.

The roof garden is delightful, and at 4:30 p.m. Vespers is sung in the attached church — calming and restful to hear.

Bus No. 116 stops in front and takes you to St. Peter’s for €1. The No. 87 bus, three blocks away on Victor Emmanuel, takes you to the Colosseum, with Basilica San Clemente farther on. You can walk to Piazza Navona and the Parthenon.

Campo dei Fiori was the best restaurant I found on Campo dei Fiori piazza; it’s on the corner behind the flower vendor. It has a good menu and they pour a full glass of wine. I went every night for my five-night stay and developed a wonderful rapport with the waiter, choosing with him different wines and selecting dinner each night. The cost of two courses, a glass of wine and bread was €15-€20.

The patio was enclosed in greenery and had an overhead heater, so when it rained I could sit outside and enjoy watching people on the piazza; other restaurants were enclosed in plastic and had shooting flames for warmth. It’s is open all day, so one can eat early in the evening if desired.

ARLEEN SHIPPEY

Ukiah, CA

(This letter was printed twice, once in this issue and as "Sitting pretty in Rome" in the December 2010 issue, pg. 32. —Editor)