Rome, italy
Overview/Overall impression
Rome is a big bustling city with amazing history and sites at seemingly every corner. The crowds of tourists can get overwhelmingly large so it is important always to be alert to your personal belongings (will discuss this further in the safety section). A first-time tourist will most likely want a minimum of 3-4 days to see the main sites of this vibrant city.
Quick bits
| Language | Currency |
|---|---|
| Italian | Euros |
| Power Outlets | Visa |
| Types C, F and L | 90 day visa free access for most countries |
Getting around (transportation)
Airports:
There are two main airports around Rome. They are Fiumicino (FCO) and Ciampino (CIA) airports. FCO is Italy’s largest airport, it is on the coast about 40 minutes from the city of Rome. CIA is very small and as a result easier to navigate; it is located about 30 minutes south of Rome.
Getting from FCO to Roma Termini (central train station of Rome):
Train: You can purchase tickets from here to Roma Termini from any Trenitalia kiosk, ticket office, or even online. If you buy from the kiosk, remember to validate your ticket prior to getting onto the platform for the train. The fastest train from FCO to Rome is “Leonardo Express”, with no stops on the way. You can also take a regional train that leaves from within FCO, this one is cheaper and includes some stops along the way.
Bus: You will find the bus station outside of FCO, outside terminal 2. You can buy tickets on the bus (there is a small surcharge) or at one of the kiosks at the bus station. Around the city if you are looking to buy a bus pass or ticket look for a newsstand or tobacco shop, they are authorized sellers for local Metro and Bus.
Taxi: In Italy they are white at specified taxi locations. Fixed rates from the city are laminated and located where you can see it from the back seat.
RideShare: I haven’t used ride share in Italy.
Over head sign above Trenitalia ticket office
Trenitalia Kiosk. Can select from many languages to use while working with the kiosk.
Validate your ticket before going onto the platform to catch the train.
Getting from CIA to Roma Termini:
Train: This airport does not have a train that directly connects it to the city, so will have to use another option or combination of them.
Bus: There is a bus from Ciampino Central that leaves (either direction) about every 30 minutes. From Ciampino Central, you can take a train directly to Roma Termini. Since the main transportation from this airport to the town of Ciampino is by bus, tickets are often available to purchase while on your flight. The buses are very easy to use and are comfortable with large fabric seats.
Taxi: In Italy, they are white at specified taxi locations. Fixed rates from the city are laminated and located where you can see it from the back seat. Runs between 25-35 Euros in 2023.
RideShare: I haven’t used ride share in Italy.
Where to stay
I can only share where we stayed while we were in Rome. We used AirBnb and found a place from a very nice landlord named Francesco. His place was just up the street from the Colosseum which was perfect. It had a great view of the Colosseum from the rooftop terrace. We enjoyed going up there in the evenings to sip wine and look at the Colosseum at night. The apartment itself was on the 4th floor and there was a quaint, small, but sturdy, elevator to get our luggage up. The kitchen was a shared space and there were three private rooms each with a private restroom. Each room had its own keycard to unlock it.
Use this link to visit Airbnb and see the listing.
The room itself did not come with a view. Our style is not to seek to spend a lot on a place to put our head and use our money to get out during the day and explore. We hope to only be sleeping when in our abode. This suited our style perfectly. It did have a little balcony that looked into a square between several buildings. I loved this personally as it felt private and it felt authentic. The kind of balcony the average local might have and enjoy.
Things to do - from free to moderately expensive
Where does it end? It doesn’t. There are so many things to do and see. Let’s start with the big attractions.
Colosseum: We found a tour on Expedia we booked before leaving for Rome. It is called Gladiator’s Gate: Special Access Colosseum Tour with Arena Floor. We figured if we are going all the way to Italy we really want to see the sites in detail with explanations from a tour guide. We felt it was worth the price. In 2023 it was $80 per person for this 3-hour guided tour of the Roman Forum and the Colosseum. Tickets purchased onsite to just the Colosseum will run you about 20 euros per person.
Roman Forum: This is a big expanse of buildings and history where the guide discussed common practices and ruling government, including the betrayal of Ceasar. Many tours of the Colosseum include a tour of this tremendous antiquity
Palatine Hill: Considered the birthplace of Rome this place was once the capital of this thriving metropolis. The entrance to this site is on Via di S. Gregorio. Tickets here will also run you about 20 euros per person.
Herculaneum: This is a lesser-known sister of Pompeii. Many would say it is better preserved because it was covered much deeper in the ash from the erupting volcano. To get to the Herculaneum from Rome you will need to take a train to Naples Central Station. From there you can catch a train to Ercolano Scavi. It is just a short 10-15 minutes walk from the train station to the site with many little shops and eateries along the route.
Self-walking tour of the main sites of Rome: We did Rick Steve’s “Heart of Rome” audio walking tour of Rome and it was so much fun. It starts and Campo di Fiori and ends at the Spanish Steps. Rick has an audio file you can download for free and listen to while following his map (also easily downloadable for free) from his site. So many sites to see on this day adventure. It felt at times like a bit of a scavenger hunt to keep up with where he was at as we walked by looking for landmarks he mentioned.
Mamertime museum: This museum is the place in which the Apostle Paul was kept during his imprisonment in Rome. It is a very interesting small museum to visit and be transported to the past in the days of Christ.
Visit like a local
Visit small restaurants and coffee shops off the beaten path. See all the side streets as you look for the interesting side of life. We wandered the neighborhoods by foot around our Airbnb and found this great coffee shop. Amazing coffee and Italian fair. My husband, being the outgoing gentleman he is, got to know the operators as best he could despite the language barrier. Over the week we stayed there we learned that while one staff member was employed the other was an owner. His parents were also owners. His father occasionally ran the til and we saw and met the matriarch on one occasion. The place is called Caffe Antica Roma, and if you click the name it will take you to them on Google Map.
One of the days we decided to simply pick a bus and let it take us someplace. We found ourselves not far out of the city, just to the south. We strolled the neighborhood for a little while. We passed this Trattoria that looked, and smelled, good. It was about 6:30 and we could not tell if they are actually open. A waitress came out to work on some tables outside and she said they opened at 7 pm and seating required a reservation. The Italians eat late! They also take their meals seriously and they do in fact operate on a reservation basis. This is important to keep in mind when planning where to eat. We got lucky though. Since we were only two they let us have a table at 7:00 pm when they opened but said that we would need to be finished by 8:30 pm. That is another thing, when italians go out for dinner it is no short affair so restaurants need patrons to have a reservation and give them a time limit. Despite these cultural differences around eating the food was amazing and the staff warm and friendly. I would recommend this nice out of the way Trattoria for anyone visiting. Their Ox Tail was my husbands favorite.
