Rome Travel Guide & Best Places to Visit

Packed with ancient archaeological sites, historical structures and mouth watering gelato, Rome was undeniably named one of the most visited cities in the world. Visiting Rome is like stepping back in time where you can take a glance into ancient Roman life. Rome was never out of my top visit destination list in Italy. In this blog, I will show you my Rome Travel Guide and recommend some best places to visit in Rome. 

 

 


1. Everything you need to know about Rome

There is an old proverb saying that “All roads lead to Rome”. So do all roads really lead to Rome? Over 2000 years ago, the Roman Empire covered a vast stretch of territory from Mediterranean Sea to Middle East. For better administration and traveling over the vast territory of land, a huge road network was established connecting the centre of Roman Kingdom – Rome to other regions within the empire. 

Rome is overcrowded, for sure. For spectacular architecture and tasty food, Rome tops the world’s most visited city which receives an average of 25 million tourists every year. So keep in mind that you will have to compete for places to take photos, or even to stand. 

 

rome travel guide

 


2. Best time to visit Rome

2.1. Rome weather overview

Rome experiences Mediterranean climate with warm weather, which makes this city a year round destination. 

Over the course of the year, the temperature varies from 4°C to 12°C during coldest winter months and 21°C to 32°C during hottest summer months.

 

2.1. Best time to visit Rome

The best time to visit Rome is during April, May, September and October. Besides comfortable weather (not too hot and not too cold), these aforementioned months experience less crowds, but more affordable prices.  

Summertime (June – August) is not a good time to travel since everything reaches its peak. Scorching heat (up to 40°C), big crowds and sky-rocketing prices are what to describe Rome during this period.

Traveling to Rome during the middle of August allowed me to experience all these characteristics. And don’t forget to apply sunscreen and keep hydrated if you plan to visit Rome in summer. 

 

rome best time to travel
Summer is the peak season when everything reaches its peak.

 


3. Where to stay in Rome 

Rome is a huge city which comprises a total of 15 municipio (administrative area). Most of the historic buildings and sightseeing spots are located within Municipio I

Among 11 localities of Municipio I, Termini is considered to be the most tourist-friendly neighborhood for many good reasons. Much of Rome’ budget accommodation is in this area (for about 30 USD/night/pax). And one thing makes Termini the best place to stay in Rome as Termini is the main transport hub of the city.

However this is not the most attractive part of the city since there are no main tourist attractions nearby. You will need to go 15 – 20 more minutes to get to Colosseum, Trevi Fountain or Vatican city

As most hotels in Rome are renovated from old houses, it will not be as comfortable as newly-built hotels. My hotel (Hotel Marcantonio) would be an example. It has a very small and old lift which can only allocate 2 adults at the same time. So we have to carry our luggages to the fifth floor and vice versa. 

Hotel Marcantonio

  • Địa chỉ: Via Cavour 47, Stazione Termini, Rome, 00184
  • Tel: +390648913171
  • Giá: Agoda | Booking 

 

Booking.com


4. How to get around Rome 

4.1. How to get around Rome 

As a top-visited city in Europe, Rome has an urban transport network which consists of buses, trams and metro.

a. Metro: Rome’s metro system comprises 3 lines: A (orange), B (blue) and C (green) – a small number compared to other big cities in Europe. And you will need to walk it 5 – 10 more minutes to get to main tourist attractions.

During my trip in Rome, Line A was suspended for maintenance without any notice. So it may not be convenient to get around Rome by metro. 

b. Bus: As the limited operation of the metro system, bus is another budget-friendly option to travel around Rome.

Rome has a total of 338 bus lines that connect the city with main tourist attractions and airports. However, keep in mind that Rome’s bus is not always punctual and comfortable.

c. Taxi: We only used taxis for short-route journeys or airport trips as it will be costly and inconvenient to use.

*NOTE:

  • Roma Termini is the main railway station of Rome and also the main hub for public transport inside Rome. Whether you get to anywhere in Rome, Roma Termini will most likely be a stop on your itinerary. And Rome Termini is a big complex which houses a wide range of shops and restaurants. 
  • Buy Roma Pass to unlimitedly access public transportation and Skip-the-line tickets to tourist attractions. 

 

Rome travel tips

 

4.2. How to get to airports

There are two airports in Rome: Fiumicino Airport and Ciampino Airport. And I will tell you how to get to these airports from Termini station.

a. Fiumicino: Leonardo da Vinci or Fiumicino International Airport is the major international airport of Rome and the largest airport of Italy. You can reach this airport by many ways including Taxi (48€), Bus (5,8€), Leonardo Express train (14€).

b. Ciampino: Being the secondary international of Rome, Ciampino Airport served mainly low-cost carriers and general aviation traffic (mostly operated within Europe). You can reach this airport by Taxi (30€) or bus (5,8€).

And Ciampino airport is not a choice for airport layovers. As I landed in Ciampino at 9 pm and had an early flight back to the UK at 6 am the next day, so I planned to stay overnight at the airport. 

I was watching some series on Netflix when the security suddenly went inside and told everyone to get out. So me and other people had to stay outside and wait until the departure hall opened at 4 am. And this was one of the most unforgettable layover experiences. So keep in mind that this airport doesn’t open 24 hours.

 


4. Rome Best Places to Visit 

It will be difficult to decide where to go in Rome since the city filled with a wide range of sightseeing spots. Among those, Rome’s best places to visit include Colosseum, Vatican city, Trevi Fountain. 

 

4.1. Colosseum 

No trip to Rome is complete without visiting the most iconic monuments of the city – the Colosseum. 

Being built by the Vespasian Empire in 72 AD, Colosseum is the greatest ancient amphitheatre ever built with a capacity of around 70,000 people. Used to host gladiator fights, animal hunts and public executions, the Colosseum becomes Rome’s most favorite tourist attractions in modern day which attracts 6 million people on a yearly basis.

 

colosseum

 

4.2. Vatican City

Located entirely in the heart of Rome was the sacred Vatican city. Vatican city is an independent city state which is governed as an absolute monarchy with the pope at its head. 

Despite being named as the smallest fully independent nation-state in the world, Vatican city houses the centre authority over the Roman Catholic Church. Within a total area of only 0,44km², there are numerous amazing attractions to visit, namely St. Peter’s Square, St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums. 

 

4.3 Trevi Fountain

Among all fountains in Rome, Trevi Fountain (or Fontana di Trevi) is arguably the most famous one. But there’s a lot more than just a famous Baroque masterpiece. 

This fountain comes with a myth which originating from the movie “Three Coins in the Fountain”:

  • If you throw one coin: you will return to Rome.
  • If you throw two coins: you will fall in love with an attractive Italian.
  • If you throw three coins: you will marry the person that you met.

However, in order to achieve the desired effect, you should throw the coin with your right hand over your left shoulder. 

This is the reason why there are always a huge number of people throwing coins into the water. Yes, at first I didn’t believe the myth. I just reluctantly followed my friends and threw one coin into the fountain. 

However, it turned out to be true. One month later from that day, I had a chance to go back to Rome on a connecting flight from Athens to London (transit in Rome). So don’t forget to throw a coin into the fountain to make your wish come true.

 

Trevi fountain
Don’t forget to throw a coin into Trevi Fountain

4.4. Trastevere

What’s next after visiting Trevi Fountain, Colosseum and Vatican city? Trastevere would be literally a good option? 

Trastevere is such a hidden gem of Rome despite not having any historical structures or archaeological sites. This charming medieval neighbourhood is home to local-love restaurants and traditional bars. But you can find some scenes of daily life nestled inside narrow cobbled streets. 

And don’t forget to take a small walk up to the Gianicolo Hill to admire the spectacular view of Rome.

 

4.5. Spanish Steps 

The Spanish Steps are a giant stone 138-step staircases which connects the lower Piazza di Spagna to the Trinità dei Monti Church at the top. 

Designed in 1723 by Francesco De Sanctis, the Spanish becomes such an endless inspiration for artists, painters and filmmakers thanks to its elegance design. And do you remember ‘Roman Holiday” starring Audrey Hepburn. This iconic film made the Spanish Steps famous on a global scale. 

Spanish Steps is such a great place to just sit down and admire the eternal beauty of Rome. However, ít’s not only you who want to admire that spectacular beauty but thousands and thousands of tourists also. Keep in mind that you will have to compete for places to sit at these famous steps during sunset. 

 

spanish steps
Spectacular sunset at Spanish Steps

4.6. Pantheon 

Being built between 25 and 27 B.C, Patheon is one of the best-preserved buildings from ancient Rome. It is a cylindrical building with a great dome rising from the walls and with large granite Corinthian columns under a triangular pediment. 

For over 2,000 years, the Pantheon has experienced several functional changes from a Christian church, poets and notable Renaissance figures to a popular tourist attraction in the 21st century. 

 


5. Rome Travel Budget 

Rome is more affordable than London or Paris even when I travelled during the peak season. Believe me, it took me about 45€ to for one night stay in London (even not in high season), but that of Rome was only 30€. 

However, accommodation still accounts for more than half of my Rome Travel Budget (60€ for 2 nights stay includes breakfast).

You can find my Rome Travel Budget below (and this table is for reference only) 

 

TRANSPORT
1. Taxi Termini – Rome Ciampino 7,5€ 30€ / 4 people
ACOMMONDATION
2. 2-night stay at Hotel Marcantonio 60€
SIGHTSEEING
3. Roma Pass 48-hour 28€ * Buy in advanced here
SHOPPING
4. Souvenir 4€
EATING
5. 3-day eating cost 75,8€
TOTAL 175,3

 

Rome Travel Budget

 


6. Rome Travel Itinerary

Spend at least 3 days exploring the city as you need more than half a day to visit Vatican city or Colosseum. And traveling during summer makes it more exhausted and time-consuming as you need to charge some energy during hours under the Mediterrean sun. Don’t forget to buy Skip-the-line tickets or go early to avoid big crowds. 

Besides Rome, I visited other places during my trip to Italy such as Milan, Cinque Terre, Lake Como, Venice

You can see my Rome travel itinerary below (and please note that this itinerary is for reference only).

Day 1:

08:00 – 11:45: Train Venice St. Lucia – Rome Termini

12:00: Lunch at Rome Termini 

13:00: Hotel Check in (at first, we only plan to store our luggage at the hotel however they let us early check-in)

14:00 – 18:00: Visit Vatican city

19:00: Dinner at Trastevere

20:30: Sunset at Gianicolo Hill

 

Day 2:

08:00 – 11:30: Visit Roman Forum

12:00: Lunch

14:30 – 15:30: Fontana di Trevi

16:00 – 17:00: Piazza Venezia

17:30 – 19:30: Sunset at Spanish Steps

20:00: Dinner

 

Day 3:

09:00 – 11:30: Patheon

12:00: Lunch

13:00 – 14:00: Castillo Sant’Angelo

14:30 – 15:00: Piazza Navona

19:40 – 21:30: Flight Rome Ciampino – Nottingham

 

Rome travel itinerary
Vatican City under the Mediterranean sun

 


7. Rome Travel Guide & Tips

7.1. Rome Travel Tips

– Keep an eye on your belongings as Rome tops the city with a high pickpocket rate (according to TripAdvisor).

– Buy Roma Pass to unlimitedly access public transportation and skip-the-line tickets to tourist attractions. You can buy Roma Pass in any tourist information point, museums and underground station. Or you can buy Roma Pass in advanced to save time (see this link for more information) 

– Public Tap Water is available throughout the entire city of Rome, you will find valves with not only safe to drink but also delicious water. This will be the best way to recharge your energy. 

– Buy Skip-the-line tickets or go early to avoid long-lasting queue 

 

7.2. Summary: Rome Travel Guide 

This is my recommendations for Rome Travel Guide and Tips, if you need any further information related to traveling in Italy, kindly see other posts below:

 

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