Rome is one of those world cities that is truly iconic. All you have to do is look at all of the prominent films that have been set in the Eternal City to realise that Rome is never far from the limelight. We’ve all heard and seen countless images of the Colosseum, The Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, St Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. This means when you visit Rome for the first time you will rightly have very high expectations for your trip, and never fear, I can promise you that Rome won’t disappoint!
However you do need to be aware of the crowds of fellow tourists who will also be wanting to visit the stunning Italian capital along with you at any point in the year that you might choose to go. That’s why in this ultimate guide to visiting Rome I won’t just give you an idea of the famous landmarks not to miss (and which ones to get skip the line tickets for!) but I’ll also point you to some hidden gems & truly authentic wee restaurants to try out as well. That way once you’ve seen a few amazing sites (and quickly maxed out your people patience) you can sneak away from the hordes into the cute little side streets and enjoy Rome and it’s food the way locals do. #travellernotatourist
How to get to Rome
From London your best bet is to fly into Rome Fiumicino Airport which is connected to the central Roma Termini train station by the regular 32 minute Leonardo Express train service. Vueling, British Airways, Iberia & Easyjet all offer direct flights to Rome Fiumicino out of London Gatwick, and with Easyjet you can also choose flights out of Luton. If you book a few months in advance one way fares are regularly as low as £25. Once you reach Roma Termini station you can catch the metro or local buses all across the city.
How long to stay in Rome
I would at the very least suggest planning a long weekend in Rome. You need an absolute minimum of three days if you want to see the major highlights but four days are probably best if you want to have more time to relax and enjoy yourself.
Where to stay in Rome
There’s not really one right answer when it comes to parts of Rome to stay in. I’d suggest basing your choice on whichever neighbourhood is closest to the main landmarks you want to see. Personally we went for an Airbnb near Piazza Navona as it meant we were nice and central to everything. But that said if you want to stay in a really charming area of town you might think about basing yourselves near Campo de Fiori or in Trastevere; a village-like, bohemian, lively area that is popular with young people.
How to get around Rome
Pack a good pair of walking shoes and you will be set to explore a lot of Rome on foot. You may however want to catch the odd bus or metro when you head to and from further away sites like the Colosseum and the Vatican City, just to stop your tootsies from getting too achy after traipsing over all of those cobble stones!
What to see in Rome
Where to start… I am of the firm opinion that it would be almost impossible to ever see everything that is worth seeing in Rome, indeed I’m not even sure that people who live there for years ever quite experience it all! But there are a few key attractions not to miss, which I’ve grouped into three areas: Central Rome, Ancient Rome & the Vatican City. Each of these areas easily equals half a day to one full day’s worth of exploring.
Central Rome
This is quite an extended area, you can start with Piazza Navona and the Pantheon to the west and then head to Campo de Fiori for some lunch- it was a meadow in medieval times, which is why it’s name literally means ‘field of flowers.’ Today there is a food market held in the square. Then in the afternoon visit the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. As you head further east you will finally reach the very grand Piazza Venezia which is surrounded by renaissance era palaces.
Ancient Rome
The three key things to see here are the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill & the Colosseum, in that order. I won’t go into too much detail so that you can enjoy it for yourself, but suffice to say you’ll be truly blown away by just how much history there is. I would absolutely endorse grabbing skip the line self-guided tickets to all three sites in advance for just €18 all up or you might want to consider upgrading to a guided tour of the Colosseum for ten euros more.
The Vatican City
You can’t miss this city-state with in a city. Start at the fortress of Castel Sant’Angelo that used to be a place of shelter for Popes when they were under attack then walk along the river Tiber towards the Vatican City- just head towards the unmistakable domed roof of Saint Peter’s Basilica. Marvel up at Saint Peter’s from Piazza San Pietro then head right, around to the entrance to the Vatican Museums. Entry to the Museums includes the chance to see lots of amazing artwork and of course the Sistine Chapel. It’s worth buying skip the line tickets if you are going in the warmer months but in the middle of winter we were able to buy ours on the day without any trouble. Once you have explored the museums and reach the chapel spend some time gazing up at all the frescoes.
Pro-Tip: For the non-claustrophobic among us there is a bit of a trick that will allow you to head directly up the dome of Saint Peter’s without having to line up again. If you’re game, instead of continuing on to the next part of the Vatican Museums, just tack yourself on to the back of a tour group and head out the exit in the far corner of the chapel that says it is for ‘tour groups only’. You will eventually get to a little kiosk where you can pay around 10 euros cash to go up to the base of the cupola by either the stairs or the elevator. From there you will wind your way around the dome and up a few corkscrew staircases before being treated to the amazing views from the top of St Peter’s. This is highly recommended if you think you have the stamina to tackle all the stairs!
Where to Eat & Drink in Rome
It wouldn’t be a trip to Rome without having a free for all on all the pasta, pizza, gelato and other local specialities you can get your hands on right? Spaghetti alla carbonara &
Bucatini all’Amatriciana are the local pasta dishes of choice but you might also want to try out Saltimbocca, stuffed zucchini flowers and artichokes which come in two styles; the traditional Roman way or the traditional Jewish way. Here is a few of our favourite restaurants in different parts of the city where you can get your fill:
Trastevere
For inventive cocktails and the most amazing buffet of completely free food for aperitivo (the Italian equivalent of Happy Hour) head to Freni e Frizoni. If you’re still hungry afterwards try out Ristorante Il Ciak.
Campo de Fiori
This area has become quite touristy and sadly lots of restaurants are high on price and low on quality. Generally my policy is to avoid any who have signs all over them saying “roman cuisine” or who employ people to actively hassle you to come inside. If a restaurant’s food speaks for itself this tactic wouldn’t be necessary! However for pre-dinner drinks Il Nolano is nice & low key and for dinner head to either La Carbonara, whose pasta dishes certainly won’t disappoint, or a slightly pricier option that is very popular with locals is Roscioli.
Pro Tip: Remember that Romans often don’t start dinner until around 9pm, so restaurants often open later than in English speaking countries and if you start eating before 8pm be prepared to stick out like a sore thumb.
Pantheon
Café Sant Eustachio has long been a favourite in this area, grab an Espresso or café latte with an aragostine filled with Nutella. For a long lunch or dinner I can’t recommend the CiPASSO wine bar and bistro enough, their meatballs were delish as was the Burrata on a nest of chicory, roman artichoke, anchovy sauce and crispy ham! Another great place to try out for a cheese & charcuterie tasting or for dessert is Mr 100 Tiramisu. As their name suggests they have 100 different flavours of Tiramisu to try, among them are combinations like Ferrero Rocher & White Chocolate, Nutella & Walnut and Strawberry, Balsamic & Mint!
So there you have it, the ultimate guide to visiting Rome and savouring all of it’s food, buon appetito!
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