What is there to do in Rome?
Colosseum- Monumental 3-tiered Roman amphitheater that was once used for gladiatorial games.
St. Peter's Basilica- World’s largest basilica of Christianity.
Trevi Fountain- Iconic 18th-century sculpted fountain.
Pantheon-Landmark Roman church & historic tombs.
Roman Forum- Excavated heart of the Roman Empire. Vast excavated area of Roman temples, squares & government buildings, some dating back 2,000 years.
Vatican Museums- Multiple galleries of classical & Renaissance art masterpieces.
Catacombs of Rome- The Catacombs of Rome are ancient catacombs, underground burial places under Rome, Italy, of which there are at least forty, some discovered only in recent decades.
Go to Florence! It's only an hour away by high speed train!
Villa Farnesina- An art museum and FREE to visit!
Galleria Spada- FREE to visit!
Santa Pressede- FREE to visit!
Santa Pudenziana- A Titular church and FREE to visit!
Palazzo Barberini- An Art gallery and FREE to visit!
Ice club- Cool down at an ice bar.
Where to stay in Rome?
Centro Storico (historic centre)- If your looking for the old Roman feel and a maze of cobbled streets and atmospheric alleys, Centro Strorico is going to be a dream for you. You'll find much sightseeing in this neighborhood that is within walking distance. Although you'll get a Roman experience these boutique hotels can get a little pricey.
Tridente and Via Veneto- Is a quiet upscale neighborhood filled with designer stores. Nearby you'll find the Spanish Steps, Trinità dei Monti church and the Medici Villa.
Jewish Quarter- Is great for being centrally located, and you want the history, great restaurants, and the atmosphere of Piazza Navona. You'll also avoid the large crowds in this area. Here you'll get more of an authentic Roman experience. You'll also stay close to the Colosseum.
Celio- In the Celio area you'll be close to the Roman ruins and Colosseum. This is a tourisy area in the day time but at night you'll be left with amazing views of the ruins.
Testaccio- Is a more modern area that will save you tons of money outside of the city. It's not very touristy here but its close to tons of public transportation to get to where you need to go. Testaccio also offers a great nighlife, restaurants, and shops!
Where I stayed?
Staying in this central city hotel gave us easy access to everything we wanted to see and do in Rome. We were literally a few yards from the Trevi Fountain and still within walking distance of the Colosseum, the Spanish steps, transportation, restaurants, and more entertainment in Rome! Staying at the Piccolo felt like more a comfortable homestay in Rome. We stayed in the attic which was spacious for our family of 3! We had one main bedroom and a second bedroom where our daughter could sleep on the sofa. Staying in the attic meant climbing up 3 flights of stairs to our guestroom because there is no elevator here. Lucky for us we were all capable of the walking upstairs so we weren't bothered by the hike. Downstairs there is a full-size kitchen which the whole house shares. We were very happy with the cleanliness of our guesthouse and our check in with the staff. If we needed assistant with directions or anything we needed during our stay we could Whatapp(Free Texting International APP) the staff. We were also giving a FREE map of the city of Rome to help us get around. The only real trouble we had was finding the building because there wasn't an actual sign on the outside of building saying it’s the Piccolo Suite Hotel! As a reference, we used the wine store "Pasta el Olio", which was located right next to the suites. Rome is one of our favorite city’s so everytime we return to Rome, the Piccolo will be our home we return to for the convenience.
To book and enjoy your city central guestroom at the Piccolo Trevi Suites in Rome click the link.
How to get to your destination from the airport?
Leonardo Express-is a 31-minute direct shuttle train to Termini, Rome’s main train station. Trains run every half hour starting between 06.38 and 23.38. A one-way ticket is 14€ but goes directly to Termini, Rome’s central station where you can take the Metro A and Metro B lines and many buses going all over the city.
Taxi- A taxi to the City of Rome will cost you 40€ flat.
Bus- There are five bus services offering transport from Fiumicino to Rome and the bus stations can be found at Terminal 2 and 3 arrivals. Depending on the service, tickets cost 4-8€ one-way and the journey between Fiumicino and Rome is approximately 40 – 70 minutes, depending on how many stops it makes and traffic.
TERRAVISION is one of the cheapest ways to get from Fiumicino to the city centre at 4€ one-way. It goes from Fiumicino (Terminal 3) to Rome’s Termini Station. Buses run from 05.35 – 23.00.
TAM BUS links Fiumicino (Terminal 3) with Termini Station and Ostiense Station in Rome. Tickets cost 4€ to Termini Station and €6 to Ostiense Station. Buses run from 08.00 – 23.20.
SCHIAFFINI departs from Fiumicino (Terminal 3) and goes to Termini Station in Rome. Tickets cost 4€ one-way. Buses leave from 06.30 – 21.50.
COTRAL service links Fiumicino (Terminal 2) with Cornelia Station (Metro line A) from 05.10 – 20.10 and EUR Magliana (Metro line B) from 05.30 – 21.00. They also go to Tiburtina Station and Termini Station and Cotral provides a night bus going to these destinations. Tickets cost 7€ and can be bought from a sales point (tobacconist or newsagents) and also directly on the bus.
SIT BUS Shuttle connects Rome Fiumicino Airport (Terminal 3) with Piazza Cavour and Termini Station in Rome. You can buy tickets on board the bus or online for 8€. Buses leave 08.30 – 00.30..
How to get around Rome?
You can purchase different types of transport tickets and travel cards depending on the number of days you stay in the city and how often you plan on using public transportation. Rome offers an unlimited day pass at 6€, a 3-day pass at 16.50€, and a week pass at 24€ per person. One way tickets are available for purchase at 1€ that are valid for up to 75 minutes.
Bus- The most convenient and economical way of getting around Rome is by far the Public Transit Bus service. Buses run 24 hrs. Bus tickets and subway metro tickets are interchangeable within the time validity of the ticket. Bus tickets can be bought in any metro station, news-stand or convenience stores.
Trams- Trams run from 5:30 am until midnight every day. At night, the trams are replaced by night buses.
Rent a car- If you plan on driving and you are not a European citizen, you will need an international driving permit (IDP), in order to rent a car and to drive around legally. If you're only visiting the city of Rome and not the countryside I would just avoid the hassle of a car because parking can be very stressful in the city.
Major Tip: Obtaining an international license is very easy. You can go online a month before your trip and apply for one online. Send in the application fee with two passport photos and a copy of your license. It takes about 1 to 2 weeks to receive your license and last for a whole year. If we knew this piece of information we definitely would have applied for one before coming to Greece! Click on the link to apply.
Underground Metro- Rome offers 2 metro lines. Line A red line and Line B blue line. Riding the Metro in Rome is basic and pretty easy to get around. The metro opens every day from 5:30 am to 11:30 pm. On Friday and Saturday, the metro runs until 1:30 am. Kids under the age of 10 ride the metro for FREE.
Taxi- Just like any other taxi meter service in the city, taxis can be costly! If you're not riding too far than a taxi can be worth it and cheap for you but long distance rides can kill your pockets!
When to travel to Rome?
April to June and late September to October are the best months for traveling in Italy. The weather is usually mild and the crowds aren't quite so intense. Starting in mid-June to mid- September starts the high season, which the cost of everything goes up and so will the number of people in your pictures in front of the Trevi fountain or the Colosseum.
Where to eat in Rome?
If you walk into any restaurant in Rome and I guarantee the food will be delicious! All restaurants in Italy pretty much serve the same food, you just have to find the right spot of your liking!
Otalegrich- All naturally made gelato made from high-quality ingredients.
What language is spoken in Rome?
Italian
Learn Basic Italian .
Hello- Ciao
Nice to meet you- Piacere di conoscerti
How are you?- Come va
Good morning- Buongiorno
Good afternoon/evening- Buonasera
Goodnight- Buona notte
Thank you- Addio
How much- Quanto
Toilets- Gabinetto
Currency?
€ Euro
Check out Google Currency Converter for current rates.
Things you should know when traveling to Rome?
You’ll need very comfortable shoes for visiting Rome. Most of the roads are cobblestone here! Don't make the same mistake I did the first time traveling to Rome! I brought heels for a night out and it wasn't very successful! Even wedges can get very uncomfortable with the uneven stones walking around town.
Dinner isn't at your "normal evening time". Most locals come out around 8:30pm-9:00pm to eat dinner. You'll even find that most restaurants will close during the early evening hours and will reopen at 8 till midnight! It's the European way!
Beware of pickpockets and local scams. For the most part, Rome is very safe but it is a city, so always be aware of your surroundings.
You have to pay to pee!! Sounds crazy right?? Well, not in Europe! You must pay to use public restrooms and the fee is 1€. If your cheap like me or don't have cash, just save your 1€ and find a McDonalds!
Is Rome kid friendly? Things to do with kids?
Is that even a question? Italians are super family oriented and love the sight of kids! Italians sure know how to make you feel at home, even if you're just passing through.
Learn how to cook Italian food and make pizza!
Go to the Pinocchio store.
Go to gladiator school! When in Rome you do what the Romans do! Go back in time and give your kids a chance to be in a fantasy world and be a gladiator for the day.
"No amount of money or success can take the place of time spent with your family."
