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Rome is one of our favourite places in Europe, the city offers the perfect blend of history and modernity, architecture, art and incredible food- what's not to love.
In this Rome Travel Guide blog, we will be sharing everything you need to know before your next trip to Rome, from how to get to the airports and where to get great photos to our favourite bars and restaurants and everything in between.
How to get from the airports in Rome
Fiuminicio Airport
1) Train:
The fastest way to access the city centre from Fiuminicio airport is by train. The train station is just a short walk from the main terminal and you can get to Rome city centre from there in around 30 minutes. The first option is the Leonardo express, a direct train connecting to Rome Termini.
Cost: €14 each way
Frequency: Every 30 minutes or every 15 minutes during peak times
Journey Time: 32 minutes
If you are staying in regional areas such as Trastevere, you can also take the FL1, which services a number of neighbourhoods around the city without going to Termini itself. With this service, you can get off at Trastevere, Ostiense, Tuscolana, or Tiburtina stations in Rome.
Cost: €8 each way
Frequency: Every 30 minutes or every 15 minutes during peak times
Journey Time: 30 minutes+
2) Bus:
Cost: €11.20
Frequency: Every 10-15 minutes
Journey Time: 30 minutes
3) Taxi - A taxi from Fiumicino Airport to the centre of Rome will take around 40 minutes and will cost approximately €50.
Ciampino Airport -
Ciampino Airport is located around 9 miles (15km) from the city centre in Rome and there are a number of options you can use to easily access the city when you arrive.
1) Bus:
Cost: €8 return (only if booked in advance, otherwise €12 return)
Journey Time:
Bus Company: Terravision
Train
There is no direct train that runs from the airport to the city centre. However, you can get a shuttle bus from the airport to the nearest train station that takes around 10 minutes. The shuttle bus leaves from stand 2 and will say 'via Ciampino' on the front. This bus costs around €1.50 and from there, you can get the train to the main train station, Termini in around 20 minutes.
How to get around Rome
For a major city, we found Rome to be slightly more difficult to get around than others but still very manageable overall, with buses providing the main form of public transport for navigating the city. While there are metro stations and trains, they do not serve all areas around the city and in our experience, we spend most of our trips on buses or walking. The city is quite walkable and many of the famous landmarks are within a 15-20 minute walk of one another.
Public Transport:
We found buses to be the post pragmatic approach to getting around the city while we were there. The buses run frequently and service all of the surrounding neighbourhoods. If you are in the city centre and are not sure where to catch the bus, head to Vittoriano, which is one of the main stops in the city.
You can also get a 24 hour pass for the buses here for €7 per 24 hours. You can also do this at any station or by downloading the TicketAppy App on your phone. Alternatively, you can purchase a 48hr/72 hr pass that gives you access to the public transport network, as well as discounted tickets for numerous attractions around the city.
When to visit Rome
Rome had an estimated 35 million visitors in 2023 so it goes without saying that the city gets pretty crowded. Ideally we would suggest avoiding Rome in peak season (June-August). Some of the streets around main attractions are quite narrow and can be come over crowded quite quickly, temperatures at this time of year can get up to 40 degrees celsius and naturally, accommodation costs are higher at this time of the year.
Outside of that, there are advantages to most of the other periods throughout the year, but we would recommend shoulder season (April/May or September/October) where the temperatures are great (19 to 27 Celsius average highs and 5-8 days rainfall), the crowds are smaller and you have a much better opportunity to enjoy the main tourist sites, without necessarily having to arrive them at 6am to get a good view.
One of the major attractions of Rome is that there are as many incredible things to see indoors as there are outdoors so you can get a totally different perspective of the city during the winter months as you would during the warmer weather. If you happen to visit during a time of the year when the weather is less favourable, take full advantage of the incredible museums and churches the city has to offer.
Search for flights to Rome:
How many days should you spend in Rome?
We would recommend spending at least 3-4 days in Rome to give yourself enough time to visit the main sites. Rome is one of the most visited cities in Europe by tourists so it's important to allow yourself time to go between locations and have alternative days available if tourist attractions are sold out.
Rome has so much to offer in terms of landmarks, museums and an amazing food and drink scene, so allow yourself time to enjoy everything the city has to offer. You can also easily combine a trip to Rome with day trips to other incredible cities like Florence, which is only an hour away by train if you wanted to extend your trip to Italy a little bit longer.
Where to Stay in Rome
While there are obvious advantages to the staying in the city centre, if you don't mind short journeys on public transport to access the main sites, we would suggest staying in one of the regional areas such as Trastevere. Trastevere is filled with great restaurants and bars and the streets are packed with character. The city centre can be accessed in 15-20 minutes and this area also provides easy access to the airport via train.
Hotels for every budget:
You can search for accommodation in Rome below:
Hotel | Price Range |
€80-120 per night (Double Room) | |
€80-120 per night (Double Room) | |
€80-120 per night (Double Room) | |
€80-120 per night (Double Room) | |
€80-120 per night (Double Room) | |
€120-180 per night (Double Room) | |
€120-180 per night (Double Room) | |
€120-180 per night (Double Room) | |
€150-200+ per night (Double Room) | |
€150-200+ per night (Double Room) |
Note: Please note that for any bookings made via the affiliate links included within this post, we will receive a small commission from the supplier but this will not affect the price you pay.
Must Visit Places in Rome
Rome offers incredible photo opportunities on every corner. From the historical architecture to the museums and rooftops, here are just some of our favourite photo spots around the city.
Palatine Hill
Trevi Fountain
Aventine Keyhole
Giardino Degli Aranci (Sunset)
Spanish Steps
Pantheon
St. Peter's Basilica
Villa Borghese
Vittoriano Rooftop
Capitoline Hill
The Streets of Trastevere
Piazza Navona
Piazza Venezia
Royal Art Cafe (Colosseum)
The Court (Colosseum)
Terrazza Les Etoiles
Oro Bistrot
Galleria Sciarra
Galleria Doria Pamphiij
Galleria Colonna
Chiesa del Gesu
Chiesa del Sant Ignazio
You can check out some of the best activities Rome has to offer through the links below.
Note: Please note that for any bookings made via the affiliate links included within this post, we will receive a small commission from the supplier but this will not affect the price you pay
Best time to visit the Trevi Fountain
Trying to get an unimpeded photo with the Trevi Fountain is an art form and definitely not an exact science. You will often see posts on social media showing the difference in volume of people at 6am versus 7pm but to be honest, even if you set your alarm for sunrise and get ready very early in the morning, your chances of being alone with this incredible monument are still very slim.
In our experience, if you get there before 8am on most days you will manage to avoid the huge crowds seen later in the day and there are definitely still ways to get some great photos. One thing we would suggest is to avoid standing in the centre of the stair case leading down to the fountain; instead, move to either side of the fountain and create an angle for the photo. These areas are less crowded and it is much easier to capture the full length of the monument, as well as adding more variety to your photos.
Best places to view the Colosseum
The Colosseum has everything you could want in a tourist attraction; a rich history, beautiful architecture and a different viewing perspective at every stage of the day. While it is obviously a very worthwhile experience to take the Colosseum tour and learn about its history, to get the best photos, you will need to be on the outside of the monument.
Best Views
Via del Colosseo
Colosseo Metro Station
Giardinetto Del Monte Oppio
Via Nicola Salvi
If you want to combine some incredible views of the Colosseum with something to eat, try getting some lunch at the Royal Art Cafe or if you are celebrating a special occasion, try Aroma restaurant or The Court cocktail bar. Cocktails are very expensive at around €25 each but they do come with some snacks and if you time your booking for sunset, it really is an incredible place to see this historical site. One thing to know, is bookings only open around 6 days in advance and fill up fast, so if you're planing to go there, set a reminder in your calendar to make the booking.
Best Cafes to visit in Rome
Chiostro del Bramante (€)
Marigold (€)
Le Levain (€)
Bono Botttega (€)
Faro (€)
Best Restaurants to visit in Rome
Piccolo Bucco (€)
Ai Tre Scalini (€)
Royal Art Cafe
Nanarella
Tonarello
Roscioli Salumeria
Da Enzo
Best Bars to visit in Rome
Blackmarket Hall
La Taberna
Jerry Thomas Speakeasy
Terrazza Borromini
The Court (€€€)
Terrazza les Etoiles (€€)
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