Maxentius, ein kleines Juwel im Herzen von Rom, das Kolosseum.

This is a little gem in the heart of Rome. Quite literally footsteps from the Forum and other Antiquities. Capitoline Hill and Circus Maximus are also easy walks. Luciana, the lovely landlord, showed us the nearby specialty grocery and also the warm, welcoming restaurant Normale, which again met our needs nicely. This apartment invites a couple or small family to embrace the rhythms of urban Rome, and thus to be open to appreciate the richness of the extraordinary surroundings which are literally footsteps or easy rides away.

We as a couple would return in a heartbeat.

Has all the amenities for home cooked meals and is right in the center of the most ancient part of Rome. Local cafe and grocery are definitely convenient. The price is great too.

We loved the high ceilings in this property, which has a lot of history and character. The location was fantastic, close to nearby historic attractions. Luciana was helpful and accommodating.

If, like me, you travel to Rome to immerse yourself in the history of the Roman republic and empire, you could not choose a better spot. Walk down the block and you are overlooking the Forum. Walk another block and you are on the Tarpeian Rock. Up a block and you are on the Capitoline Hill. Down the hill and you are at the Curia and Ceasar's Forum and Trajan's Column, and so on. It's utterly magical.

You would think for this kind of access to the history you would be surrounded by tourists. But somehow the apartment itself is on a quiet little street, in part because it is on the other side of the Palatine Hill from the Colosseum where the crowds are. Around the corner is a little market with a young man who can discuss wine and olive oil knowledgeably in Italian or English and down the hill -- right across from the Circus Maximus -- is a great cafe, a weekly farmers market full of local produce, cheese and salume, and a shop to rent a bike and ride the Appian Way. The Theater of Marcellus and the Ghetto are a 10 minute walk away, and Trastevere is just across the Tiber.

The apartment itself is pretty, with a lovely, quiet little courtyard. The kitchen has a full-sized fridge, a stove that you can actually cook a meal on, and a toaster and microwave. The bathroom shower is small, but has great water pressure, the master bedroom is nice, and there is a second bedroom with a single bed. Best of all, this apartment somehow stays cool even in the blazing heat of the Roman summer. I barely had to use the air conditioning.

The owner, Luciana is kind, patient and helpful, and speaks perfect English, so you can either practice your Italian with her or just communicate anything you need easily.

I had a marvelous time, and felt like I was vacationing in Ancient Rome. If that's your dream too, this is the place for you.

We thoroughly loved our 5 day stay, and wish it could have been longer. Lucy showed us a terrific market around the corner for groceries and incredible sandwiches by a very funny guy, Lorenzo. We were mere blocks from the Circus Maximus and Capitoline Museum / Piazza del Campidoglio. That last bit means you can take the back route up the Capitoline Hill and back down to the Forum / Coliseum, instead of walking the long way around. My only possible quibble was the oddly placed shelving in the bathroom that makes you sit sort of sideways on the toilet. LOL