With so much to see and do, Rome has a decent level of infrastructure to assist curious travelers. Nevertheless, in this sometimes chaotic city of four million people, it’s helpful to have a few tips for visiting Rome in your fanny pack.
Bear these Rome travel tips in mind for your next Eternal City sojourn, and you’ll be able to enjoy all that the city’s rich past and vivacious present has to offer.
Don’t Rush
Colosseum
With chrome-plated Vespas flying past, it can be hard not to be swept up into the city’s hustle and bustle.
However, it’s important not to try to pack too much into your visit. This is one of the most important tips for visiting Rome, as there’s such an overwhelming amount of things to see and do. Rome wasn’t built in a day, nor was it seen in one either.
Treasures of history like the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and the Vatican should be lingered over. Also be sure to build time into your itinerary to go off the beaten path, to investigate cobbled sidestreets in rioni such as Trastevere, Pigneto, or Monti.
Pick the Right Season
The Forum
Rome is always busy, such is its appeal. However, if you want to experience its maximum ebullience and enjoy good weather, the best time to visit Rome is from late spring until early fall.
Summer is, of course, tempting. The hubbub of the al-fresco way of life is at its apex, the honeyed sunsets linger, and it’s the time of year that cocktail terraces and Aperol Spritzes were invented for.
But it can be hot; daytime highs of 94°F can happen. And crowded. So one of the enduring tips for visiting Rome is that it’s better to visit during the shoulder months of April, May, September, and October. The lines are reduced, the terraces still balmy, and the Spritzes still chilled to perfection. If you do choose to visit in the peak of summer, pace yourself and build in plenty of stops for gelato.
Always Have a Hat
Vatican City
Beneath such a strong sun, it’s important to always have a hat handy. Whether this is a baseball cap or the latest Gucci bonnet is entirely up to you. But you will be relieved that you brought a hat along, especially if you join a walking tour that stops in locations with little shade.
When in places of worship, remember to remove your hat out of respect. If you don’t remember, a local may well point this out to you.
Know Your Rioni
Spanish Steps
Visitors to the Italian capital often navigate by historical sites alone. While this is a perfectly understandable phenomenon for the time-poor, for those who want to really appreciate Rome’s textures, subcultures, and subtler shades, it’s a good idea to know your rioni.
Rioni is the Italian for “neighborhood”. The centro storico, or historical center, where most of the main sites are located, is not, in fact, a single neighborhood in Rome. It’s a patchwork of zip codes, and understanding which is which adds real depth as you traverse the city’s travertine bridges and wander beneath its statuesque pines.
Campo Marzio is one of the rione that makes up the centro storico. Once a field used for training the indomitable Roman army, today it’s more about trying new looks than testudo, a Roman military tactic. Within its boundaries, you’ll find Via del Corso and the Tridente shopping area, as well as the peerless Spanish Steps.
The Forum
Another neighborhood in the centro storico is Monti. The first rione of the city, it’s seen its fair share of ups and downs over its 2,000 years of existence. Today, it’s evolved into a sought-after area to live, close to The Colosseum and The Forum, with one of Rome’s best nightlife strips in Via Panisperna.
Prati is a riverside rione that lies just outside of the centro storico, behind the robust drum of the Castel Sant’Angelo. One of Rome’s wealthiest quarters, its Via Cola di Rienzo is lined with boutiques and some of the city’s best trattorias, as well as gorgeous Liberty-style architecture.
Trastevere
Trastevere is another popular neighborhood for food and shopping in Rome. Once an overcrowded working-class district, it’s now a hub for cool bars and superb cuisine.
The rione of Testaccio is another former working-class hero. Today, this gentrified foodie destination is best known for its menus showcasing the Quinto Quarto, or dishes centered around offal.
Take the Kids
Villa Borghese
It’s a generalization, however, the guides in Italy are some of the best for engaging teens and older children with their enthusiasm. Therefore, make the most of your children’s visit by booking guided tours whenever you can.
The city is also full of odd, engaging little corners. One of the best tips for visiting Rome with kids is to spend time at the Villa Borghese. This stunning park, located at the top of the Spanish Steps, contains various curios among its many grassy acres: the world’s smallest movie theater, a rowing lake, and a 19th-century hydro chronometer, or water-powered clock.
Trevi Fountain
Visiting the Trevi Fountain is one of the best things to do in Rome with kids. This baroque beauty offers photo opportunities and a fun traveler’s tradition. Turn your back, toss a coin into the water over your left shoulder, and you’ve guaranteed your return to the city. You’ve also donated to charity: the coins help fund a local food bank.
If the kids want to get even closer to the water, book yourselves onto a river rafting tour. This is one of the top tips for visiting Rome, as it’s a way of seeing the city that’s overlooked by many. You’ll see the Eternal City from a rare viewpoint as you’re gently carried along the Tiber, passing sights such as St. Peter’s Basilica and Castel Sant’Angelo.
Appian Way
If your kids are reaching cultural exhaustion point, hop on some bikes and follow the Appian Way. This long distance Roman road arrows out of one of the city’s most expensive neighborhoods and into the beautiful countryside beyond. The first ten miles are a protected regional park.
As you cycle, you’ll pass peaceful, pine-scented archaeological parks and shady spots ideal for a porchetta-panini-fuelled picnic.
Learn Some Italian
Campo de Fiori
As with a trip to any country where they speak another language, some vocabulary can be useful. Locals appreciate the effort, even when they respond in flawless English.
A few words and phrases to have handy include:
- Ciao – Hi/Bye
- Grazie – Thanks
- Cappucino, per favore – Cappucino, please
- Quant’è? – How much is it?
- Come stai? – How are you?
- Piacere – Nice to meet you
- Non parlo Italiano – I don’t speak Italian.
- Non capisco – I don’t understand.
- È aperto? – Is it open?
- Vorrei prenotare un tavolo per due persone – I would like to book a table for two people.
- Due misurini – Two scoops.
If you’re not a multilingual whizz, don’t worry—most of the Romans you’ll encounter will speak at least some English.
If you’re basing yourself in the centro storico and checking out the headline heritage sites, then you’ll be fine for being understood. Some of the guides might even use English words that will have you sneaking a look at an online dictionary.
Coincide with Festivals
Natale di Roma
Italy is famous for its festivals, so it should come as no surprise that the celebrations in Rome are legendary.
April 21st marks Natale di Roma, Rome’s Birthday, the date on which the Eternal City had its humble beginnings in 753 BC. Easter also falls in April, and, among the numerous events arranged around this significant Christian holiday, the Via Crucis procession from the Colosseum to St. Peter’s Basilica is worth seeing.
Arrive towards the end of May, and you can take advantage of Open House Roma, a celebration of the city’s heritage that provides free access to architecturally intriguing buildings, both historic and otherwise, throughout the city.
If you’re traveling in the fall, there is a festival per month—in September, Sagra dell’Uva, and in October, Festa della Vendemmia—that puts a worthy focus on the local wines.
Drink the Tap Water
Nasoni
Whether you can drink the local tap water is often a key concern for a traveler. This is all the more urgent when you’re in a country—such as Italy—with wonderful weather, salty cheeses, and irresistible wines that can make you a little thirsty.
The good news is that Rome’s tap water is perfectly safe to drink. Pack a reusable bottle and fill it before heading out. The good news continues beyond your accommodation, as the sparkling water decanting from the city’s 2,500 water fountains, or nasoni, is also of tip-top quality and perfect for refills. Just skip the Tiber.
Don’t Just Order Pizza
Cacio e pepe
Whether you’re visiting Venice, Palermo, or Naples, you quickly discover that Italian food isn’t homogenous. The pantry of each region and city has its unique ingredients, twists on national favorites, and recipe red lines. Rome is no different.
The headline act is the city’s quartet of delicious pasta dishes—cacio e pepe, gricia, amatriciana, carbonara. Each is simple and spectacular, with the local pecorino romano a key player in all four.
Porchetta
Of course, this on-the-go city doesn’t just specialize in sit-down pasta dishes. One of the greatest tips for visiting Rome is to eat porchetta. It’s a slow-roasted, well-seasoned, crisped-up hunk of pork made aromatic and flavorsome with rosemary, fennel, and garlic. The tender chunks are unbeatable in a freshly baked panino, or, yes, on a pizza bianca.
While you can find Carciofi alla Giudia on menus throughout the city, try to eat it in the former Jewish ghetto area if you can; it’s only a short walk from the Campo dei Fiori market. The recipe sees Rome’s famed artichoke deep fried and served up in what is one of the city’s most iconic preparations.
Pizza Romana
If you are going to order pizza, make it Pizza Romana. Also known as scrocchiarella, or “the crunchy one”, it’s crisp and thin, and the toppings run right up to the pizza’s crustless edge.
Read: What to Eat in Rome
Navigating Aperitivo
Aperitivo
This pre-dinner ritual is one of Italy’s most cherished. Typically enjoyed in the early evening, although as late as 9pm in the summer, aperitivo takes the form of a cocktail enjoyed with snacks.
Popular drink choices among the Italians include Aperol Spritz, a mix of Aperol aperitif, soda water, and sparkling wine or a glass of honey-colored Prosecco—lighter drinks that aren’t too alcoholic. With your drink, you’ll receive some snacks; bowls of olives, chips, nuts, and so on.
Quite often there’ll be a more expansive aperitivo buffet that you can choose from, often featuring pizza, croquettes, and more. For impoverished students in the city, aperitivo offers a good value dinner since the snacks usually come included in the drink price.
With more lavish offerings, there may be a higher price levied. It’s always good to ask if you’re not sure.
Check out the Beaches
Ostia Beach
Rome isn’t usually thought of as a beach destination. However, travel half an hour west by train, and you arrive at sea breezes, gelato, and a selection of very appealing beaches.
Heading to the beach is one of the best ways to escape the heat of high summer trapped in narrow lanes. Of course, most of the populace agree. Expect Ostia, the closest beach to Rome, to always be crowded in high season.
You’ll find showy beach clubs, plenty of pop music blaring, and attendants in polos and mirrored shades. Walk behind the beachfront buildings and you’ll find Ostia Antica—the ruins of the original port.
Santa Marinella
If Ostia is too crowded, travel north to Santa Marinella. Only another quarter of an hour further by train, this laid-back seaside town is gorgeous. Translucent breakers collapse on the fine sand, and cones of fritto misto are available in abundance along the boardwalk.
Wake Early
Piazza Navona
With the Eternal City’s eternal popularity, waking early is one of the best tips for visiting Rome. You’ll avoid the scorching sun at midday, the major sights will be less crowded, and you’ll be able to score a stretch of sand at Ostia even in high summer.
Of course, the long, lively evenings you’ll enjoy in Rome can make it difficult to jump out of bed at the first hint of rosy dawn. Just remember, “cappucino, per favore”, and, revived, stroll out to witness a softer, quieter side to this wonderful city.
Rome
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