Are you joining the crowds to feel the Yuletide spirit in the Italian capital? Find out what to do in Rome for Christmas to enjoy the city in the winter festivities. Being the capital of Christendom, it's only normal that for Christmas Rome is very popular among travellers. Christmas markets, lights, events are only some of the things to do in Rome during the winter … [Read more...]
Plan your trip to Rome, essential tips for a perfect Roman holiday
Traveling to Italy and starting to plan your trip to Rome? Feeling overwhelmed by all the thing to see and do, by what to pack and what to wear in summer and winter, by how to get by with the traffic and public transport?
As we've been living in Rome for years, we have experienced pretty much every season so we can give travellers tips any time they decide to visit the Eternal City.
Plan a perfect trip to Rome
Find the best flights
Nowadays, most world airlines fly to Rome.
If you are travelling from another European capital, you might want to check low-cost airlines like Vueling, EasyJet or Ryanair.
If you are travelling from another Continent, you will need to take a bigger airline that sometimes will have a layover in their country's capital.
Some of the best and most popular airlines to travel to Rome are Alitalia, Etihad, Emirates, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Tap, Lufthansa, Delta, Air China, Singapore Airlines.
Reaching Rome by train
If you are already in Italy, we suggest reaching Rome by train as it's a handy, more affordable as well as more eco-friendly option.
Companies like state-run Trenitalia and privately-owned Italo Treno cover a wide network all throughout the country. Trenitalia reaches and stops also in small villages, while Italo only big cities.
On RailEurope website you can find the routes and the fees for both Trenitalia and Italo Treno.
What to pack for Rome
Depending on the season, you pack different. If you are coming in summer, don't forget sunscreen and sunglasses, while if you are planning to travel in autumn, an umbrella is a must.
For every season, however, there is a general list to keep in mind.
What to see in Rome
With so many things to see and do, making your travel plans can be difficult. Even though we give you all the tools and info to plan a trip to Rome your own, we also suggest some great tours, most of them lasting a couple of hours or one day. These will help you discover sides of Rome you can otherwise neglect, seeing the city in different angles as well as exploring different neighbourhoods.
If you would rather plan your trip your own, we have written a detailed Rome guide as well as a guide outlining how to best visit the Vatican and all its landmarks and also what to do if you are thinking about spending Christmas in the city.
If you need some themed itinerary to spruce your trip up a bit, here are three, or if you want to visit some lesser-known places, here are some hidden gems.
Our eBook "Tasting Rome by Neighbourhood" suggests five daily itineraries to discover as many neighbourhoods with the best restaurants and things to do in the area. You will find out what is new, exciting and different in the Rome food scene with a wide range of different restaurants, eateries, ice cream shops, coffee shops. All styles, preferences and dietary needs are covered with traditional restaurants, contemporary, fusion cuisine, fish and seafood dishes, foreign flavours.
Booking a hotel in Rome
Being Rome so big, often tourists are unsure where to book their hotel to be close enough to the famous landmarks but also in a nice and quiet neighborhood and possibly without spending a fortune. That's why we suggested some of the best areas to book a hotel and what to see nearby.
There are many types of hotels you can book in Rome, budget, luxury 5-star resorts, B&Bs or apartments if you prefer the privacy of a home. Or you can pick your accommodation by neighbourhood.
To make things easier, we have created a section devoted to Rome accommodations.
Where to eat in Rome
Rome is the political as well as culinary capital of Italy. Whether you are looking for traditional Roman cooked in the traditional way or with a contemporary twist, or a pizza Roman-style or the Naples way, a good Chinese, some Indian curry flavours or a vegan meal, in Rome you will find anything.
You just need to know where to look. We suggest you avoid the immediate tourist areas, but we understand that it's not so straightforward to know where to go. Besides, also the city centre boasts some pretty great eateries.
We hear and we decided to sacrifice ourselves for you and review what we consider the best restaurants in the city to give you tips on where to eat.
What to pack for summer in Rome, your guide to what to wear in Rome in August
The holiday season is already here and we are preparing to leave for our vacation. What to bring with us? If you are planning a trip to Italy, I would sure suggest leaving a little space for your shopping, but there are also some essentials you can't forget. After leaving here for more some 15 years and having witnessed first-hand all seasons, I can definitely recommend what to … [Read more...]
What to pack for Rome, your guide to the essential Rome packing list
You are super excited to be traveling to Italy but not sure what to include in your Rome packing list? Whatever season you are planning to travel, there are some items you should always pack for Rome. Years of experience both traveling abroad and living in Italy provided us with enough confidence to recommend what you should carry and what you can leave home. If you can't … [Read more...]
3 Rome itineraries for the independent traveller
With so much to see and do, visiting Rome in a couple of days or even a week is challenging at best. To help you make the most of your trip, we have come up with themed Rome itineraries that you can follow if you want to save time or dig deeper into a specific topic or moment of history. We included a Rome Highlights itinerary, perfect especially for first-timers, but we … [Read more...]
Where to stay in Rome – The guide to the best Rome boroughs for your holiday
So huge and overwhelming, it's not always easy to decide where to stay in Rome. With so much to see and do, if you are not familiar with the city, booking a hotel in Rome can definitely take you more time than you expect. As one of Europe's most popular and cherished mainstream tourism destinations, each borough in Rome has its own appeal. Depending on what holiday you want, … [Read more...]
The best Rome private tours to explore the city’s history and enjoy its delicious food
With so much to see and do in Rome, planning a trip your own can be frustrating and stressful. While it's true that wherever you look, there is something to do, a palace to visit, a church to photograph or an ancient ruin to see, having a Rome itinerary is very helpful. More to that, booking one of the many Rome private tours available to help you dig deeper into the city's … [Read more...]
Things to do in Rome, your guide to the eternal city
With thousands of years of civilization under its belt, the eternal city can be overwhelming for first-time visitors, but depending on how much time you can stay, our tips on the things to do in Rome can come in handy to anyone. While even a month is not enough to see everything Italy's capital has to offer, here we will provide you with our best suggestions to enjoy the … [Read more...]
Visiting the Vatican City, the ultimate guide to the Holy See
One of the most visited landmarks in Rome, the Vatican City is the world's smallest state. Located in the heart of the Italian capital, it has been shrouded in mystery since its very inception. Small but boasting an overwhelming wealth of artwork, visiting the Vatican City can be intimidating. Here is an extensive and complete guide to the Holy See, what to visit, opening … [Read more...]
Top 10 reasons to visit Rome
For some people it's the beaches, for some the food, others are curious about a different culture and some about the history of a place. Many like to travel for a combination of all of these. If you are one of the latter, you will appreciate our top reasons to visit Rome. Rome is one of those travel destinations that you will hardly forget. Once back home, it will suffice to … [Read more...]
A complete guide to Rome public transport
Rome public transport is notoriously unreliable, and after some ten years of living in Rome, I can't deny that. While if you are on holiday you might notice less than if you were waiting for a train to go to a business meeting, or at least give it less importance, the constant delays, the missing connections and the long waiting at the bus stops make Rome even bigger than it … [Read more...]
What to do in Rome in three days
You've either been dreaming about it or already organizing a holiday in the Italian capital, but with so many historical sites, pieces of art, beautiful piazzas, you can't stop wondering what to do in Rome during your three-day stay. Your concerns are very much justified since a lifetime is hardly enough to see everything the eternal city has to offer, especially because … [Read more...]
Tasting Rome in Testaccio with Eating Italy Food Tours
Why do we travel? Landmarks, palaces, artwork, all great reasons, but when we want to experience authenticity, what do we think of? Food, of course. I took a food tour in Rome and discovered Roman cucina povera in the trendy Testaccio neighborhood. Now, I'm not saying this because I'm Italian, but let's face it, Italy's culinary tradition isn't famous worldwide for … [Read more...]
Exploring the Appian Way, Queen of the Roads, and other hidden gems in Rome
Someone said that to explore Rome a lifetime is not enough, and the more I explore the more I realize that probably nowhere in the world this thought can be more suitable than here. I always find it very fascinating to picture ancient times, people, customs right where I find myself walking in that particular moment, and when I took the tour around Rome's hidden gems and … [Read more...]