[Travel] Reflections on Rome

[LamieRobertson]

I didn't go to Ajax away, just the other 3.

Best in Stadium atmosphere was Marseille, hands down the best in my lifetime, but thought the city itself was a bit of a dump.

Best overall was Athens, great weather, fantastic time in city, walking to stadium and chatting to AEK fans, though game itself was a bit meh even though we won and qualified so all good.

Rome, is tough to judge as the loss really cut and made me feel flat and miserable, but it's probably my favourite city in the world anyway, as its a stunning historical/culinary paradise that's full of soul.

What was cool, and when does this ever happen! On arrival to our group of 3 Air BnB near Vatican, the owner Roberto turned up between midnight and 1am on his vespa to do check in, cool fella, Robbie Williams ringer, you can smell a bit of booze on his breath and he mentions hes had a few Lemoncellos,...... he let's us in, shows us the apartment, we mention we're here for the game and he's says hes a mad Roma fan/STH, travels abroad too... we ask if there's any local bar still open at 1am, and first he starts to show us on maps where it is, so we ask him if he wants to join us, he duly obliges and after short walk, we spend the next hour having a few in an Irish pub, and when that closes at 2am, we walk across road to some late night sandwich place with draught beers and drink there until 3am, after beers Roberto is back on the Lemoncello, all sharing football stories and chewing fat on both clubs, he was a proper hardcore Roma fan who knew about us. As we left he insited on buying a round of Sambuccasz one of our 3 went for it (i bottled!). He invited us to meet up with him on the Thursday evening with some of his Roma mates at 5pm, but we got the busses earlier to ensure we got in.

All random and spontaneous but a fabulous couple of hours with a top fella and Roman footie nut / air bnb landlord!!

…..No just about it…well done you

 

[Oh_aye]

I arrived home yesterday and been reflecting on this recent trip; I’m of the view this was my favourite out of Marseille, Ajax and Rome. Rome is an incredible and beautiful city where football seems to be a religion. Literally every single person who discovered we were from Brighton (hotel staff, taxi drivers, cafe, bar and restaurant staff) immediately mentioned the game and then declared which side of the Roma football divide they are on. One guy helping me at the airport even told me he will be at the AMEX on Thursday for his first trip to see Roma outside Italy. The city can even sustain a daily sports (football) newspaper which is further testament to their love of the beautiful game. It’s a proper football city.

I loved the bars, the cafes and the restaurants I visited, many of the buildings are just insane eg Victor Emmanuel building and there’s history on every corner. People were super friendly and helpful.

The game itself was disappointing but the stadium is historical and the atmosphere was great, especially a full house of romans singing that song at the start.

All this whilst watching the Albion!

What do others think?

Seconded. Great trip somehow not ruined by shìte football.

Had a great time with supremely friendly locals. Worth remembering amongst the concerns about behaviour, reprisals etc

 

[Eeyore]

A bit off topic but if I had a Time Machine I’d love to jump back to that sort of time and do an away with everyone just once. No internet, just turn up on the train you’d arranged the week before, bang the tinnies in a locker, pub for opening time, game in some kind of daze not really caring about the result, tinnies out, drink on way home. Rotherham, Barnsley, Port Vale, Blackburn, all great days out in a shithole.

Not Oldham though. Oldham can f**k off,

For those trips it was always the 06.17 for opening time. I'm not sure what that time meant for you at Portslade though. The Doc striding through the station with a copy of WSC, me huffing and puffing at my last minute arrival after the sprint up Trafalgar Street.

I think Port Vale would be my one of choice as it was the scene of the great Christmas pub crawl of 1990. But Blackburn can do one. My worst ever away trip has been documented enough. As for Oldham, we seemed to stop going there just as it was my turn to take the next biff in the gob. Sinclairs in Manchester was good on those away days.

 

[Seagull Saz]

It was certainly a great opportunity to return to a favourite city. We were very lucky that travel worked very well for the four of us. However, with the match being a disappointment and with me feeling rough most of the time I was there, I don’t think I can say it was the best trip for me. I think I enjoyed Marseille the most. Didn’t do Athens.

 

[Brian Fantana]

I did Marseille, Ajax and Rome. Rome was bottom of the pile for me - not just because of the result.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I did Marseille, Ajax and Rome. Rome was bottom of the pile for me - not just because of the result.

Same trio as me. Why Rome at the bottom?

 

[Brian Fantana]

Same trio as me. Why Rome at the bottom?

Partly my fault for picking a hotel in an annoyingly difficult to get to and from part of town, which just created a load of hassle. Sitting in a bar on Wednesday night, with groups of Roma fans dressed in black and holding moped helmets standing outside making gestures really make for a relaxing experience either.

After the match on Thursday, trying to find a taxi that would take me back from the centre to my hotel without charging me double/triple the rate of the night before was a massive pain too. When I finally managed it, the taxi driver was a Roma fan who couldn’t have been more of a dickhead, insisting that our place in the competition was a waste of time and Roma shouldn’t have to play teams like us.

The beauty and history of Rome goes without saying, but everything else I experienced this time can get in the bin.

 

[patchamalbion]

Guess it’s tough as everyone has different priorities on a trip - the result, the ease of travel, hotel, booze/nightlife, who you go with, safety, good, attractiveness of general population.

Athens for me. (Didn’t do Marseille)

a city I’d never visited and was so impressed. With a great group, lovely weather, cheap food and drink, amazing historic city. More passionate fans but never really felt intimidated despite the silly tear gas incident. Not the best match but a big win. It just had everything for me.

 

[London Irish]

I arrived home yesterday and been reflecting on this recent trip; I’m of the view this was my favourite out of Marseille, Ajax and Rome. Rome is an incredible and beautiful city where football seems to be a religion. Literally every single person who discovered we were from Brighton (hotel staff, taxi drivers, cafe, bar and restaurant staff) immediately mentioned the game and then declared which side of the Roma football divide they are on. One guy helping me at the airport even told me he will be at the AMEX on Thursday for his first trip to see Roma outside Italy. The city can even sustain a daily sports (football) newspaper which is further testament to their love of the beautiful game. It’s a proper football city.

I loved the bars, the cafes and the restaurants I visited, many of the buildings are just insane eg Victor Emmanuel building and there’s history on every corner. People were super friendly and helpful.

The game itself was disappointing but the stadium is historical and the atmosphere was great, especially a full house of romans singing that song at the start.

All this whilst watching the Albion!

What do others think?

Totally agree - incredible place. I found the Romans really friendly people

 

[Eastbourne Stripes]

Got done by pick pockets on the day of the match wallet gone, totally ruined the trip for me! Been to Rome before it is a great city despite these scumbags! My best experience by a long way was Athens going to the top of the Acropolis on Dec 1st in temperatures exceeding 20c was marvelous! Also went to Ajax special to witness our first ever win in Europe.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Partly my fault for picking a hotel in an annoyingly difficult to get to and from part of town, which just created a load of hassle. Sitting in a bar on Wednesday night, with groups of Roma fans dressed in black and holding moped helmets standing outside making gestures really make for a relaxing experience either.

After the match on Thursday, trying to find a taxi that would take me back from the centre to my hotel without charging me double/triple the rate of the night before was a massive pain too. When I finally managed it, the taxi driver was a Roma fan who couldn’t have been more of a dickhead, insisting that our place in the competition was a waste of time and Roma shouldn’t have to play teams like us.

The beauty and history of Rome goes without saying, but everything else I experienced this time can get in the bin.

We weighed up various post-match options but was told taxis would be very difficult. How long did it take to get a taxi? Did you flag one down or use an app or call?

 

[Napper]

Athens , Ajax , Rome in that order

 

[Munkfish]

I arrived home yesterday and been reflecting on this recent trip; I’m of the view this was my favourite out of Marseille, Ajax and Rome. Rome is an incredible and beautiful city where football seems to be a religion. Literally every single person who discovered we were from Brighton (hotel staff, taxi drivers, cafe, bar and restaurant staff) immediately mentioned the game and then declared which side of the Roma football divide they are on. One guy helping me at the airport even told me he will be at the AMEX on Thursday for his first trip to see Roma outside Italy. The city can even sustain a daily sports (football) newspaper which is further testament to their love of the beautiful game. It’s a proper football city.

I loved the bars, the cafes and the restaurants I visited, many of the buildings are just insane eg Victor Emmanuel building and there’s history on every corner. People were super friendly and helpful.

The game itself was disappointing but the stadium is historical and the atmosphere was great, especially a full house of romans singing that song at the start.

All this whilst watching the Albion!

What do others think?

Agreed my favourite away game so far in Europe. Not giving up hope.

Awful what happened to those on here. But what a place. Had a similar experience everyone was interested in us and the game. Not a mention of the egg chasing. Sat outside bars on the Friday and the owners of the cafe gave us free food, free shots and were fantastic hosts.

History on every corner too.

 

[Brian Fantana]

We weighed up various post-match options but was told taxis would be very difficult. How long did it take to get a taxi? Did you flag one down or use an app or call?

In the end, I called our hotel for advice and they sent one for me from the company they partner up with. Probably took about an hour from getting dropped off by the shuttle bus to getting into a taxi.

 

[dazzer6666]

I arrived home yesterday and been reflecting on this recent trip; I’m of the view this was my favourite out of Marseille, Ajax and Rome. Rome is an incredible and beautiful city where football seems to be a religion. Literally every single person who discovered we were from Brighton (hotel staff, taxi drivers, cafe, bar and restaurant staff) immediately mentioned the game and then declared which side of the Roma football divide they are on. One guy helping me at the airport even told me he will be at the AMEX on Thursday for his first trip to see Roma outside Italy. The city can even sustain a daily sports (football) newspaper which is further testament to their love of the beautiful game. It’s a proper football city.

I loved the bars, the cafes and the restaurants I visited, many of the buildings are just insane eg Victor Emmanuel building and there’s history on every corner. People were super friendly and helpful.

The game itself was disappointing but the stadium is historical and the atmosphere was great, especially a full house of romans singing that song at the start.

All this whilst watching the Albion!

What do others think?

Agree with all of that. Athens was similar, Rome was a little bit better.

 

[dazzer6666]

This could be a fun idea. Maybe next season I choose an away game, look into the area’s culinary history and report back. I think I’ve gone as far as I can with the offal theme so I need something new.

I gave feedback to the hotel (Holiday Inn - probably the least apt name for a hotel in any town ever) in Burnley (on their usual post-stay electronic questionnaire) that they should have black pudding at breakfast. Got a personal reply from the manager agreeing with me and saying he was going to take it up with Head Office

 

[Dave the OAP]

Was hearing some horrible tales of throat slashing gestures, cars stopping and our fans being abused and threatened. Couple of people, who once they had settled into their hotel, walked outside to find a bar/ restaurant and were threatened no fewer than 4 times by the time they jumped on a tour bus to get out of the way.

I remember seeing England play in Rome and vowed never to watch another game in Italy.

 

[NorthstandRacoon]

Best one. Loved it all, apart from the result. Their fans were twats mind.

 

[father_and_son]

Certainly feel like I did Rome wrong.
Left Portslade at 7.17 on Thursday morning Gatwick to Milan. Airport to city was slower than I expected and so only made my train to Rome with about 3 mins to spare. Arrived in Rome at 5.25pm (local time - reminding you this was thursday).

The hotel was invisible, no signs, no buzzer, no reception, fortunately one of the 3 ladies in the shop underneath had a number. Don't believe the "hotel" I booked really existed because he took me two streets down to a room in a house that looked like a DHS hostel (or possibly a room normally paid for by the hour!).

Taxi driver I then flagged down was a star! Initially reluctant and adamant that he couldn't get me anywhere near the North end of the ground, found some mystical shortcut that wasn't on Google maps (literally through the carpark of some museum and out what looked like a pedestrian entrance shaving 20+ minutes off google's estimate). Some heroes don't wear capes because he got me right by the first (of many) police lines for the passport checks and pat downs. Found _and_Son (who travelled with his mates and had been there all day) with about 2mins to go before KO.

Game, obviously, disappointing but atmosphere great (right by the barriers next to some over animated wannabe ultra Roma fans)... lots of laughs and beers.

Back to hotel by uber (5 of us so best option given coaches we already full to overflowing) and in bed for a relatively early night as on 7.30 train out of Rome to Milan to do the whole thing in reverse and be back at Gatwick for 3.30pm.

Shattered and disappointed and spent best part of 2 days travelling just for 90mins of disappointing football but really hoping there is another chance to do it again before I get too old to be so dumb, waste so much money (though think I bagged the whole thing as a bargain really) and be able to stand the hectic, stressful travelling.

Just my thoughts... loved every second. Sorry not everyone had a great experience but for me it was comically ridiculous, stressful amd tiring but well worth it.

 

[studio150]

I seem to have got lucky, having read about the violence, threat of violence and pick-pockets, I never witnessed any of that.

Maybe having my wife with me, means we just look like normal tourists and not worth bothering with.

For me, I preferred Athens (less religion) over Rome. If I hadn't got soaked virtually everytime I went out in Amsterdam, I would have enjoyed that more.

Would I go back to Rome for football, possibly but only if we draw Lazio.