Gripping the seat in front of me was funny for a minute, but then shock set in. Could this Italian bus driver really be doing the equivalent of 70 mph in downtown Rome? Following any brief slowdown during our 15-minute ride, he recouped time on the straightaways. We all looked at each other and laughed. For our three guys ages 19 to 30, it was probably a from-the-gut, isn’t-this-a-riot? belly laugh. Our two young ladies in their 20s were wide eyed, and because my husband, cousin, and I thought we might die, our laughter was more the nervous kind.

We eventually and gratefully staggered off the bus at our hotel, the place we had nicknamed “the good-enough hotel.” I’ve always believed money spent on family vacations is a priceless investment, especially for a blended family. Nothing bonds a family like danger and odd lodgings, but this was no low-budget vacation--it just shared certain aspects with a big-budget family vacation comedy.

With our four children scattering across the country and overseas, and with one married, we decided it was time for a family vacation. We also cajoled my cousin Silvia away from Manhattan and her busy hospital job. We debated everything from a classic mountain resort to a cruise before I returned to my maternal side’s Italian roots like a homing pigeon.

Rome met with 100 percent enthusiasm. Large cities tend to be perfect for groups; they have the proverbial “something for everyone,” from fine art to sporting events. What’s not to love about a place with ancient history, dramatic cathedrals, high fashion, soccer, and inspiring scenery for the photographers in our midst? And certainly no one minded pastry for breakfast, pasta every night, and gelato in between.

A “GOOD ENOUGH" HOTEL
My husband Chuck and I intended for this trip to be mainly our treat, and in order to be able to afford four rooms for a week it would not be the kind of place we would book for just the two of us. Despite all the ads online and elsewhere hawking package deals, when it came time to make our arrangements, nada. If I found a good air/hotel package, the hotel I chose could not accommodate all of us. We wanted something with character, and many old European hotels are small. All the “gems” I learned of did not have enough rooms. Finally, I threw in the towel and turned over the search to my son Clayton, a savvy Manhattan advertising executive.

Our hotel had to be downtown, near a bus stop and preferably also near a subway stop. There had to be restaurants and shops in a few-block radius, and a church or two (not a problem in Rome). After considering many options, we went with the three-star Hotel Luxor near the Piazza della Repubblica.

Luxor’s rates are extremely reasonable for a fantastic location and big breakfast spread with unlimited lattes. We paid 130 euros per double, 90 for singles, at a time when there weren’t many options available for less than 200 euros in central Rome. As Clayton and his wife Rebecca discovered when they arrived a day early without reservations, May through June and September through November are now considered high season in many parts of Europe.

COMBO DEALS
We were an eight-pack for special tours and dinner. Otherwise, everyone felt free to explore on their own, catch up on work or e-mail at an Internet café, or search for a new museum or more comfortable pair of shoes. What often happened was that one group would discover something, like the botanical gardens in Trastevere, and the others would go later in the week.

MANGIA, MANGIA
A monkey could find good food in Italy, so one need not go crazy crisscrossing the city pursuing the latest hot spot. There was a fine neighborhood trattoria around the corner from our hotel, and another up the street. We made a habit of returning to places we loved.

One of our favorites was San Marco, near the Borghese Gardens and not far from the Via Veneto. It is strikingly modern, with long cherry tables, salvaged grocery store cabinets, and murals of Andy Warhol quotes. Behind the bar is a long chalkboard scribbled with drawings and daily specials. The food was top notch; we had one lunch and one dinner here.

We made reservations to dine at the oldest wine bar in Rome and twice ended up at L'Enoteca Antica on Via della Croce. It’s near the Spanish Steps, where any visitor to Rome is going to end up early and often.

Regular gelato was delizioso enough for us, and we indulged daily, but after reading and hearing about Il Gelato di San Crispino countless times, and since it was near the Trevi Fountain, we went one night after tossing our coins in with the tourist masses. This gelato is high cuisine: you won’t find balsamic vinegar gelato on every street corner. Beware too-insider food trends: we trekked to much-lauded restaurant Uno e Bino and although it was fine dining, the portions were miniscule and the prices troppo grande.

A CHURCH ON EVERY CORNER
No one would suggest skipping landmark churches, but almost every house of worship in central Rome has an interesting relic and masterpiece painting or sculpture. On a casual morning walk near the hotel, we happened into the baroque San Carlino alle Quattro Fontane (by Borromini) and Sant’Andrea al Quirinale with four chapels and two rooms honoring Polish Saint Stanislaus Kostka, complete with relics. One evening, we attended a candlelight concert at an Anglican-Episcopal church called St. Paul’s within the Walls, a block from the Luxor. Bach, Beethoven, and Liszt sounded divine, and it was effortless. We didn’t need to make reservations and fight the crowds at the more famous church concert off Piazza Navona.

BEST GUIDEBOOK EVER
StyleCity Rome, published by Thames and Hudson, would not serve well as your only guidebook, but it was like knowing the coolest person in town. We never went to one place described in the book that did not live up to its description.

The Galleria Doria Pamphilj was one example. Not only does it have a stunning art collection and no crowds, and not only is it conveniently located off the Via del Corso, a key shopping street, but the recorded guide by Jonathan Pamphilj enchants with his softly-accented voice sharing childhood memories of playing beneath works by Caravaggio, Raphael, and Titian.

NO AGENDA, NO PROBLEM
Some of the best vacation moments result from time spent wandering with no agenda. Five of us were drawn to the Aventine Hill, one of the seven on which Rome was built, for its ancient mosaics and a pharmacy that sells soaps and potions at far less cost than the famous Santa Maria in Novella. One of the most peaceful places in Rome, there we found what we came for and more--a wedding, a rose garden, a terrace lined with orange trees, a view of Saint Peter’s through a keyhole in a convent garden gate. During our only bad weather in eight days, a 30-minute interlude of rain, we found refuge under a glass canopy in the front courtyard of the Hotel San Anselmo where we enjoyed cappuccinos followed by a tour of the property. I admit to pangs of regret when I saw the silk draperies pooling on the polished floors and the large bathrooms, but later I decided it wasn’t so tempting at twice the price and half the convenience.

The next afternoon, after missing our bus stop by one, Silvia and I saw the entrance to the ruins of the Diocletian Thermal Baths. In we went, despite being dog tired and ready for a rest. I was as stunned by the happenstance of our being there as by the enormous Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels and Martyrs, another fine project funded by the Medicis in 1561. Michelangelo was hired, designed the basilica, and died soon after. Here was something three blocks from the hotel that I might never have scheduled.

TOURS WITH GUIDES. . .
At the end of our trip when we asked each of our weary travelers their favorite memory of Rome, they all named our Vatican tour guide, “Enrico!”

Enrico Bruschini literally wrote the book on the Vatican. Vatican Masterpieces is the museum’s first official guidebook with the author's name printed on the front. “Please, sir, may I have your autograph?” said more than one reverent young lady as we walked along the marble halls with Bruschini.

"I love your book," said another autograph seeker who pulled out of her backpack a laminated copy of an article about Enrico. Bruschini was the official art historian and fine art curator of the American Embassy in Rome in the 1980s. He had received considerable publicity after discovering that one of the statues casually decorating the American embassy was a masterpiece: “Venus” by Giambologna, worth $18 million.

Because of his embassy ties and scholarship, Bruschini has toured presidents Bush, Sr. and Clinton and many other notable names. One American entrepreneur was so taken with Enrico he hired him to travel by private jet touring all around Italy for a month. What’s so special?

Kathy McCabe, publisher of the Dream of Italy newsletter, explains it well. “Enrico makes the ancient ruins come alive to such an extent that you can practically hear the roar of the crowds in the Coliseum.” Cokie Roberts said that after spending time with him, it would be easy to believe he was personal friends with the artists and popes in a past life.

As he speaks he doesn’t just use his hands; he touches his heart, his eyes well up with tears. He engages each person in the group and loves to hear visitors’ opinions and theories (is the mantle surrounding Adam on the Sistine Chapel ceiling a human brain in cross-section or a uterus?). He is so enthusiastic one would think our group was the first he ever led. His English is clear and excellent, but he spoke quickly, trying to squeeze it all in.

After just 15 minutes with Enrico, my husband whispered in my ear, “Can we double our time with him?” Luckily, we could, and did, continuing on to Saint Peter’s. Enrico’s fee is steep (his base is 450 euros for four hours), but the experience was unforgettable.

I am a big fan of guides and docents. We hired Giuseppina “Call Me Guisy (Juicy)” Gurrisi, who charged far less than Enrico and gave us a good education at the Forum and Colosseum. At the Galleria Borghese, advanced booking is required; many people were turned away when we arrived for our reserved two-hour slot. Docent-led tours cost just a bit extra. The world’s finest non-royal private art collection includes Bernini’s life-sized Apollo and Daphne, she turning into a laurel tree as the god of light pursues her. Without the docent, we would never have known to walk around the statue and watch the evolution from woman to tree.

. . . AND WITHOUT
We went for the Modiglianis but stayed for the unexpected, comprehensive Sophia Loren exhibit at Il Vittoriano, the Victor Emmanuel complex that is topped by a 39-foot bronze statue of Vittorio on horseback. The vast white marble “wedding cake” is a monument to the first king of unified Italy, which came into being in 1870. It is also a rabbit warren of museums, on steroids. If I didn’t happen to be a good eavesdropper, I wouldn’t have known about the enormous terrace café.

When in Rome, you can sit and be served at a table with linens, or pick up a sandwich and beverage from the bar. This often causes confusion among large groups. Harris ordered a bowl of pasta while the rest of us grabbed pannini. At first, it was annoying that the pasta took so long but we relaxed and enjoyed the view. In every big city, restaurants with views charge small fortunes, but here was a place that was moderately priced, reservations not required.

SOCCER AND OTHER PURSUITS
At a sporting goods store the guys bought soccer match tickets ($45) for everyone but Silvia and I, who opted out. Chuck, Clayton, Rebecca, Tiffany, and James went by streetcar to a huge stadium where the 1960 Olympics were held. The home team fans sang and chanted, and they were rewarded for their efforts with a win for Rome. At the end of the game, police came out and stood between the fans and the field.

Meanwhile, my cousin Silvia and went on a wild goose chase to find a new modern art museum that no one had heard of, and no wonder--we finally learned that MAXXI (Museum of Art for the 21^st Century) was due to open in a week or two. It wasn’t totally unreasonable of us to expect taxi drivers, for example, to be aware of this contemporary public landmark by architect Zaha Hadid. It is quite controversial. Along with a few other buildings, it is signaling Rome’s reluctant acceptance of modern architecture.

THIS TIME NEXT YEAR?
To my tastes, one week is not enough for a villa experience, but my ultimate vacation dream is to rent a villa in Italy for a month and fill it up with a rotating cast of family members. My husband’s role as chief operating officer of a nonprofit is postponing that vision. Still, he says he expects that one of these summers I will go ahead, and he will come for a week, snarling when he has to leave. Arrivederci, darling! 

DETAILS

HOTEL LUXOR
Via A. Depretis 104
www.luxorhotelrome.com

HOTEL SAN ANSELMO
Piazza San Anselmo, 2
www.aventinohotels.com

DREAM OF ITALY NEWSLETTER
www.dreamofitaly.com

ENRICO BRUSCHINI
Private tours from 450 euros for four hours, two people; additional persons over 12 years old, add 60 euros each. Audio guides coming soon. enricobruschini@libero.it
www.profenrico.com
francesca@profenrico.com

GIUSEPPINA GURRISI
Tour guide
giusyland@libero.it

SAN MARCO RISTORANTE, PIZZERIA AND WINE BAR
Via Sardegna 38

L'ENOTECA ANTICA
Via della Croce 76

GALLERIA DORIA PAMPHILJ
Piazza del Collegio Romano 2

GALLERIA BORGHESE
Piazzale del Museo Borghese 5
www.galleriaborghese.it

COMPLESSO DEL VITTORIANO
Piazza Venezia