From practicalities to interesting historical Rome facts, when you start planning a trip to the Eternal City, there are some things you should keep in mind.
Whether you need inspiration for what to include in your travel plan or decide how to move around, this simple list of interesting facts about Rome is a great starting point to kick off your planning.
Rome is huge
Do you know Paris? Rome is eleven (11!) times bigger. What does this mean? Planning is mandatory.
Unless you are fine with just walking around and spending your time without any specific site that you absolutely want to visit, arriving with landmarks’ entrances booked and even some restaurants reserved is a good idea.
I know this takes time and energy, so if you wish to have your custom itinerary planned and everything booked for you, you can check out my tailor-made vacation package services, where I take care of all the logistics for your custom trip.
Public transport is key
There are many ways to get around Rome. If your hotel is in the city center and your holiday will mainly take place in the central neighborhoods of Rome, walking is your best bet.
Walking in Rome is extremely pleasant (unless it’s stifling hot!) as you will be literally strolling the alleys of an open-air museum, traveling in time from imperial times to the Renaissance through Baroque.
If you have to go somewhere further away, though, making a wise use of local public transport will make you save time and money. Check out my guide to Rome’s public transport for help.
Saint Peter’s dome is Rome’s tallest building
Take an aperitif on a rooftop in Trastevere or book a top-floor room in the historic center, the building you will always see without a doubt is the beautiful dome of Saint Peter.
Testimony to the supremacy of the Papal Kingdom that ruled over Rome and much of central Italy for more than a thousand years, Michelangelo’s dome is a true symbol of Rome’s skyline.
Rome’s surroundings are magical
From monsters in the forest to fairy-tale gardens to medieval cobblestone alleys, the surroundings of Rome are wonderful and a fantastic travel destination. I know Rome is Rome, but if you limit your Lazio tour to the capital and skip the rest of this important region, you are missing out on a lot.
I’m saying this as a huge Rome fan, but the moment I started exploring the Lazio region, I realized how still had to learn about my own country and the same city I was living in.
This is why the first tour I designed as a travel designer was entirely focused on the wonderful Tuscia area in northern Lazio: in seven days, you would discover noble villas, palaces of popes and cardinals, medieval towns, bizarre monsters’ gardens, and even one of Italy’s most famous dying cities. (This tour is still on and the next edition is in Spring 2026! Check it out here!)
You can’t visit Rome in one day
Whether you add day trips or not, Rome cannot be visited in one day. In one day, you barely scrape the surface, sip a coffee, grab a pizza, see some landmarks from outside, and you are just in time to run to catch your train.
There are a few secrets to make the most of your time in Rome if you only have one day, such as being very specific on what you want to focus on, choosing a good private tour to optimize your time in the one monument you want to visit (if any), and, most of all, having everything planned and sorted out!
If you have a hard time doing all of this, hire me and I’ll take care of everything. My work starts with a Zoom call where I will ask you some questions to get to know your travel style and priorities and then I will craft the perfect itinerary for you, including all the activities and experiences you are dreaming of.
Check out my custom Rome itineraries here!
Inside Rome, there is an independent, sovereign state
That’s right, Vatican City is a sovereign state with its own passport, Constitution, laws, Post Office, etc.
Vatican City is the world’s smallest state but in Rome, it’s still one of the top attractions.
Rome has divine origins
Could it be any different? According to the myth, Rome was founded in 753 BC by twins Romulus and Remus, who were raised by a she-wolf.
But who were the parents of Romulus and Remus? Their history is very complicated so I’m going to narrow it down for you and spell it out in a nutshell.
Their mother was Rhea Silvia, a Vestal Virgin and priestess of the goddess Vesta, as well as the daughter of Numitor, King of Alba Longa. Numitor was a descendant of Aeneas, the Trojan hero, son of the Trojan prince Anchises and the Greek goddess Aphrodite.
This alone is a reason enough for claiming divine origins, but since Rome is Rome, the divinity is twofold. Forced to be a virgin vestal by her uncle, who, in the meantime, seized her father’s throne, Rhea Silvia is raped by the god Mars and gives birth to the two twins who will found Rome.
The Colosseum hasn’t only hosted gory shows
We all know that the Colosseum was the arena where gladiators engaged in cruel and gory fights, but the famous Roman amphitheater was also used as the venue for naval battles. How? By filling it with water so that the scenic naumachia could take place!
Rome has some 1000 churches…
From early-Christian worship places built on the site of former pagan temples to the stunning Baroque designs of Borromini, in Rome, you are never far from a gorgeous church.
And what’s the best part? They are all packed with masterpieces. And apart from some exceptions, such as the Pantheon, which is actually an ancient Roman temple later turned into a Catholic church, entering a church is free of charge.
Of course, you cannot possibly visit them all, so depending on your interests, you can narrow down which churches are a better fit for you.
… and 2000 fountains!
Rome is an open-air museum also thanks to its fountains. From Bernini’s Neptune Fountain to the majestic Trevi Fountain, if you have limited time in Rome, walking around chasing its fountains is a fantastic way to get to know the art and the history of the city. The monumental fountains are 60, but the city is filled with smaller fountains gushing out drinking water.
Rome’s fountains, in fact, are not just artistic masterpieces but also hold high historical value, some of these being the last show of ancient aqueducts and being used as public fountains by the citizens across the centuries.
Just like for the number of churches, you will not be able to see all the fountains of the city. However, depending on what facts about Rome attract your curiosity or what your passions are, you can decide which ones are more worthy to add to your bucket list.
Rome has a pyramid
That’s right, it’s in the Testaccio area and dates back to imperial times. This is a huge pyramid that was built due to the influence of the Egyptian culture in Rome following the visit of Cleopatra.
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