tourist information centre in rome

• Tourist Information Offices in Rome

In Rome there are plenty of tourist information offices , managed by both the municipality of Rome (Comune di Roma) and by private entrepreneurs interested in promoting the tourist visibility of Rome. While the reliability of all of these offices is unchallenged, the ten Punti Informativi Turistici (PIT) run by the municipality seem to be the most constantly resorted to by visitors in search of dependable information on the tourist platform of the city.

Regardless of their location (either at the two airports, train terminal or in any of the districts of Rome), all of these municipal offices sell the so-called Roma Pass, a tourist tool of incredible usefulness for all visitors who want to explore the capital within the limits of a reasonable budget.

GB Pastine Ciampino Tourist Information Point

Fiumicino tourist information point, ostia lido tourist information point, castel sant’angelo tourist information point, minghetti tourist information point, navona tourist information point, nazionale tourist information point, santa maria maggiore tourist information point, sonnino tourist information point, termini tourist information point, hotels booking, accommodation.

• 5 Star Hotels
• 4 Star Hotels
• 3 Star Hotels
• 2 Star Hotels
• 1 Star Hotels
• Bed & Breakfast

Information

• Map of Rome
• How to Get to Rome
• How to Get around in Rome
• Rome Airports
• Rome Weather and Climate
• Public Transportation
• Did you know?
• Travel Tips to Rome
• Car Rental in Rome
• Shopping in Rome
• Nightlife in Rome
• Eating out in Rome
• Short History of Rome
• Rome Webcam
• Rome Pictures

Attractions

• Museums and Galleries
• Parks and Gardens
• Sightseeing Tours
• Attractions nearby
• Seven Hills
• The Vatican
• Disco & Club

Food And Drink

• Restaurants
• Rome City Guide 2024 © Sitemap Contact Terms and conditions Privacy

Tourist offices in Rome

Where to get tourist information in rome, italy, the main tourist office.

The official A.P.T. tourist office is at Via Parigi 5 ( tel . +39-06-3600-4399 or +39-06-488-991; www.turismoroma.it or, for a searchable database of everything tourist-related in Rome, www.060608.it ).

It's about a 5-minute walk straight out from Stazione Termini train station , across several piazze and traffic circles, just beyond Piazza della Repubblica and up to the the right. It's open Monday to Saturday 9am to 7pm.

For general information, call tel . +39-06-060-608.

Tourism info kiosks around town

More conveniently, Rome also has 14 tourist info kiosks (most open daily 9:30am–7:15pm) dispensing maps and pamphlets and selling RomaPass sightseeing card and tickets for tourist buses and Tiber boats at the following locations:

At major transport hubs

• Fiumicino airport , at the International Arrivals Terminal 3 [which until 2010 was called Terminal B–C] (open daily 8am–7:30pm).
• Ciampino airport , at the baggage claim (open daily 9am–6:30pm).
• Termini train station , at track 24 (technical address: Via Giovanni Giolitti 34; open daily 8am–8:30pm)
• Tiburtina train station, opening soon.

In the historic center

• Fori Imperiali , not a kiosk but an office on Via dei Fori Imperiali, just across from the location of the hulking Basilica of Maxentius in the Roman Forum , between Largo Corrado Ricci and Piazza del Colosseo, just down from the Imperial Fori and up fom the Colosseum (open daily 9:30am–7:15pm)
• Minghetti, on Via Marco Minghetti, about halfway between the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain near the Piazza Venezia end of Via del Corso (open daily 9:30am–7:15pm)
• Piazza Navona , on Piazza delle Cinque Lune (open daily 9:30am–7:15pm)
• Touring Club, in the new offices of Italy's premier automobile association, Piazza SS. Apostoli 23–65, just off the NE corner of Piazza Venezia (open Mon–Sat 10am–12:30pm and 3-7pm, Sun 10am–1pm)
• Portico d'Ottavia, in the Jewish Ghetto at Via di Santa Maria del Pianto 1/Via Portico d'Ottavia a few E blocks of Largo Argentina (open daily 8am–6pm; closed Jewish holidays)
• Barberini, at Via di San Basilio 51, near Via di Bascilia, a long block NE of Piazza Barberini (open Mon-Fri 9:30am–7pm)

Across the Tiber (Vatican/Trastevere)

• Castel Sant'Angelo , on Piazza Pia (open daily 9:30am–7:15pm)
• San Pietro , on Largo del Colonnato at the intersection with Via dei Corridori, just NE of the collonade around St. Peter's Square (to the right, if you are facing St. Peter's ) (open daily 9am–5pm)

South of Termini (Esquiline/Viminal)

• Nazionale, on Via Nazionale in front of the Palazzo delle Esposizioni (open daily 9:30am–:157pm)
• Santa Maria Maggiore , on Via dell'Olmata (open daily 9:30am–7pm)

At the beach

• Ostia Lido , on Lungomare Paolo Toscanelli at the corner with piazza Anco Marzio (open daily 9:30am–7:15pm)

Tips & links

• Tourist info
• Turismoroma.it
• Activities & tours
• ContextTravel.com
• SelectItaly.com
• City-Discovery.com
• Other useful sites
• 060608.it (tourism info database)
• Vatican.va (Vatican)
• Coopculture.it (major sights/ruins)
• Archeoroma.beniculturali.it (civic archaeology department)
• Museiincomuneroma.it (civic museums)
• Comune.roma.it (city site)
• Sovraintendenzaroma.it (city cultural department)
• Rome blogs/sites
• Revealedrome.com
• Parlafood.com
• Elizabethminchilliinrome.com
• Heartrome.com
• Rickzullo.com
• Unamericanaaroma.com
• Anamericaninrome.com
• racheleats.wordpress.com
• Wantedinrome.com
• Theamericanmag.com
• Hostels & camping
• Agriturimsi
• Booking.com
• Hostelz.com
• HotelsCombined.com
• Priceline.com
• Bedandbreakfast.com
• Bed-and-breakfast.it
• Hostelworld.com
• Bbitalia.it
• Karenbrown.com
• Apartments & villas
• Rentalo.com
• Homeaway.com
• Belvilla.com
• Interhomeusa.com
• Villasintl.com
• Craigslist.org
• Hostels & campgrounds
• Hostelbookers.com
• HostelsClub.com
• Residence hotels
• Biz-stay.com
• Agriturismo (farm stays)
• Terranostra.it
• Turismoverde.it
• Agriturist.it
• Public transport
• Bus, tram, Metro (subway): Atac.roma.it
• All public transit, taxi, and driving/parking info: Agenziamobilita.roma.it
• Momondo.com
• AutoEurope.com
• CheapOair.com
• Cheapflights.com
• CheapTickets.com
• Rome airports
• Transfers between Fiumicino airport and Rome
• Express train (32 min to Termini; €14): Trenitalia.com
• Local train (27 min to Trastevere, 32 min to Ostiense; €8): Trenitalia.com
• Private car (45-60 min; €14–€16.50): Viator.com
• Bus (55–65 min; €4–€6): Terravision.eu (€4 online; €6 on bus), Romeairportbus.com (€4), Cotralspa.it (€5, or €7 on bus), Tambus.it (€5), Sitbusshuttle.com (€6)
• Taxi (€48): Agenziamobilita.roma.it
• Transfers between Ciampino airport and Rome
• Private car (30-50 min; €14–€16.50): Viator.com
• Bus (40 min; €4–€6): Romeairportbus.com (€3.90), Terravision.eu (€4 online; €6 on bus), Sitbusshuttle.com (€4–€6)
• Taxi (€30): Agenziamobilita.roma.it
• ItaliaRail.com
• Raileurope.com
• Trenitalia.com
• Rome main rail station
• Roma Termini: Romatermini.com , Piazza dei Cinquecento (ENE of the city center)
• Bus to center: 40, 64 (Tiber Bend, Vatican); 170 (Ancient Rome, Aventine); 71, 492 (Tridente, Upper Tiber Bend)
• Metro to center: A (to Spagna or Flaminio); B (to Colosseo or Circo Massimo)
• Driving/parking
• Sabait.it (Villa Borghese garage and others; €18/day)
• Atac.roma.it (outlying commuter parking lots; from €5 per day)
• Agenziamobilita.roma.it (more on the ZTL and Rome driving rules)
• Autoeurope.com
• RentalCars.com
• CarRentals.com
• AutoSlash.com
• Europebycar.com
• Renaultusa.com
• Short-term leases
• Car resources
• Emergency service/tow: tel . 803-116
• Highway agency: Autostrade.it (traffic info, serivce areas, toll calculator, weather)
• Italian automotive club (~AAA): Aci.it
• ZTLs: Ztl-italia.blogspot.com (lightly outdated, but handy, links to cities' traffic-free zones)

Walks & Day tours

Longer tours.

• Intrepidtravel.com
• Gadventures.com
• Regional & long-distance bus (coach) info
• Orariautobus.it
• Italybus.it
• Oraribus.com
• Rome cruise terminal
• Civitavecchiaport.org (Civitavecchia)
• Shore excursions & Rome tours
• Shoretrips.com
• Transport Rome airport—cruise terminal
• Private car (60–80 min; €29): Viator.com
• Bus (60–80 min; €4.30): Cotralspa.it
• Train (90–120 min, changing at a Rome station; €11–€29): Trenitalia.com
• Taxi/limo (60–80 min; €115–€220): Civitavecchiaport.org
• Transport Rome downtown—cruise terminal
• Train (50–95 min; €5–€15): Trenitalia.com
• Taxi/limo (60–80 min; €125–€250): Civitavecchiaport.org
• Cruisedirect.com
• Expedia.com
• Cruisecompete.com
• Onlinevacationcenter.com
• Vacationstogo.com
• iCruise.com
• Cruisecritic.com
• Cruisemates.com
• Smallshipcruises.com
• Traghettilines.it
• Traghetti.com
• Aferry.co.uk
• Directferries.com
• Traghettionline.com
• Navigazionelaghi.it (lakes)

Planning your day : Rome wasn't built in a day, and you'd be hard-pressed to see it in that brief a time as well. Still, you can cram a lot into just a day or three.

To help you get the most out of your limited time in the Eternal City, here are some perfect itineraries , whether you have one , two , three , or four days to spend in Rome. » Rome itineraries

Related pages

• Itineraries for seeing Rome in 1 day , 2 days , or 3 days
• Rome homepage

Share this page

Search ReidsItaly.com

Walks & day tours

Shortcuts to popular planning sections:

Airfares , Cars , Trains , Tours , Packages , Cruises , Lodging , Itineraries , Info , Packing , Prep , Comm

• Map of all regions
• Emilia Romagna
• Trentino Alto-Adige
• Leaning Tower of Pisa
• Sistine Chapel
• Michelangelo's David
• Da Vinci's Last Supper
• Grand Canal of Venice
• Blue Grotto
• Brunelleschi's Dome
• Chianti vineyards
• Cinque Terre
• Ponte Vecchio
• Basilica of St. Francis
• Temple of Concord
• Mole Antonellina
• Castel del Monte
• Secret Hotels
• Vietri sul Mare
• The Chianti
• Planning FAQ
• Riomaggiore
• Monterosso al Mare
• Lake Maggiore
• Lake Lugano
• Lake Varese
• Lazio lakes
• San Gimignano
• Montepulciano
• Tuscan Itineraries
• Top 10 tips
• Getting to Italy
• Save on airfares
• Tours & Specialty trips
• Vacation packages
• Getting around in Italy
• Italian trains
• Renting a car
• Save money on transportation
• Top 10 lodging tips
• Amazing alternatives to hotels
• Booking hotels
• How Italian hotels work
• The hotel hunt
• Hotel scams & rip-offs
• Save money on lodging
• Top 10 planning tips
• Time to budget for cities
• Daily itinerary tips
• Sights to book ahead
• Perfect city & regional itineraries
• If you have one week...
• If you have two weeks...
• The countdown calendar
• Book a tour
• Book airfare
• Book hotels
• Book a rental car
• Book train tickets & railpasses
• Book a cruise
• Book sightseeing
• Get travel gear
• Choose guidebooks
• Information, guidebooks, & passports
• Packing lists & tips
• Money matters
• Shopping & taxes
• Health, safety, & insurance
• Communications: Italian lessons to cellpones
• Saving on airfares
• Saving on train travel
• Saving on car rentals
• Saving on cruises
• Saving on lodging
• Saving on dining
• Saving on sightseeing
• Free sightseeing
• Free lodging (honest)
• Free dining (seriously)
• Worst savings tips
• Sightseeing tips
• Microtours of cities & sights
• Save money on sightseeing
• Dining tips
• Save money on dining
• Top experiences
• Italian icons
• Culinary adventures
• Alternative accommodations
• Once-in-a-lifetime
• Reid's offbeat experiences
• Italian skills
• Learn something new
• Italian modes of transport
• Opera & concerts
• Get religion
• Sports & outdoors
• Retail therapy

This article was written by Reid Bramblett and was last updated in April 2015 . All information was accurate at the time. about | contact | faq » THE REIDSITALY.COM DIFFERENCE « åß Copyright © 2008–2017 by Reid Bramblett . Author: Reid Bramblett

Like ReidsItaly? Try ReidsEngland.com

• 1.1 Central Rome
• 1.2 Outskirts
• 2.1 History
• 2.2 Climate
• 2.3 Background reading
• 2.4 Tourist information
• 3.1.1 About Ciampino airport
• 3.2 By train
• 3.5.1 Ferry services
• 4.2 By taxi
• 4.3 On foot
• 4.4.1 Journey planner
• 4.4.4 Metro
• 4.5 By commuter rail
• 4.6 By moped
• 4.7 By bicycle
• 4.8 By Segway Pt
• 5.1 Roma Pass
• 5.2 Ancient Rome
• 5.3 Catholic Rome
• 5.4 The Seven Hills of Rome
• 5.5 Museums
• 5.6 Just walking around
• 5.7 The Piazzas
• 5.8 Overlooked Places
• 5.9 Viewpoints
• 5.10 Rome for kids
• 10.1 Factory outlets
• 11.2 Ice cream
• 11.3 Vegetarians
• 11.4 Kosher dining
• 11.5 Pricing
• 12.1 Coffee
• 12.2 Wine and water
• 12.3 Before dinner
• 12.4 Clubbing & Night Life
• 12.5 Gay travellers
• 13.1 Camping
• 16.1 Pickpocketing
• 16.2 Tourist scams
• 16.3 Emergencies
• 17.1 Embassies
• 17.2 Consulates
• 18.1 By air

Rome ( Italian and Latin: Roma ), the 'Eternal City', is the capital and largest city of Italy and of the Lazio region. It's the famed city of the Roman Empire , the Seven Hills, La Dolce Vita , the Vatican City and Three Coins in the Fountain . Rome, as a millennia-long centre of power, culture and religion, was the centre of one of the greatest civilisations ever, and has exerted a huge influence over the world in its circa 2500 years of existence.

The historic centre of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site . With wonderful palaces, thousand-year-old churches and basilicas, grand romantic ruins, opulent monuments, ornate statues and graceful fountains, Rome has an immensely rich historical heritage and cosmopolitan atmosphere, making it one of Europe's and the world's most visited, famous, influential and beautiful capitals. Today, Rome has a growing nightlife scene and is also seen as a shopping heaven, being regarded as one of the fashion capitals of the world; some of Italy's oldest jewellery and clothing establishments were founded in the city. With so many sights and things to do, Rome can truly be classified a "global city".

Districts [ edit ]

Central rome [ edit ].

Rome can be divided into several districts. The so-called historical centre ( centro storico ) is quite small, being only around 4% of the city's area. This mainly consists of the area inside the Aurelian walls, and is protected by UNESCO. Districts are explained below:

Outskirts [ edit ]

Understand [ edit ].

Situated on the River Tiber, between the Apennine Mountains and the Tyrrhenian Sea, the "Eternal City" was once the administrative centre of the mighty Roman Empire, governing a vast region that stretched all the way from Britain to Mesopotamia. Today it remains the seat of the Italian government and home to numerous ministerial offices. Rome has 2.7 million inhabitants while the metropolitan area is home to around 4.5 million.

Architecturally and culturally, Rome has some contrasts - you have areas with pompously huge majestic palaces, avenues and basilicas, which are then surrounded by tiny alleyways, little churches and old houses. The centre of Rome is mainly ancient, and modern buildings are usually concentrated in the suburbs, unlike Milan (where new and old architecture is combined both in the centre and the outskirts). You may also find yourself walking from a grand palace and tree-lined elegant boulevard, into a small and cramped Medieval-like street.

The abbreviation "S.P.Q.R" is ubiquitous in Rome, short for the old democratic motto "Senatus Populusque Romanus" (Latin), i.e. "The Roman Senate and People".

For two weeks in August, many of Rome's inhabitants shut up shop (literally) and go on their own vacations; many stores, restaurants and other amenities will be closed during this time. The temperature in the city centre at this time of year is not particularly pleasant. If you do travel to Rome at this time, be prepared to see Chiuso per ferie (Closed for holidays) signs on many establishments. Even in these weeks the city is very beautiful and if you are looking for a less overcrowded vacation in Rome, this is not a bad time. You will always be able to find somewhere to eat.

History [ edit ]

Rome's history spans over two and half thousand years, which have seen its transformation from a small Latin village to the centre of a vast empire, through the founding of Catholicism, and into the capital of today's Italy. Rome's history is long and complex. What follows is merely a quick summary.

Rome is traditionally thought to have been founded by the mythical twins Romulus and Remus, who were abandoned as infants in the Tiber River and raised by a mother wolf before being found by a shepherd who raised them as his own sons. Rome was founded as a small village sometime in the 8th century BC surrounding the Palatine Hill, including the area where the Roman Forum is found. Due to the village's position at a ford on the Tiber River, Rome became a crossroads of traffic and trade.

The settlement developed into the capital of the Roman Kingdom, led by a series of Etruscan kings, before becoming the seat of the Roman Republic at around 500 BC, and then the centre of the Roman Empire from 27 BC on. For almost a thousand years, Rome was the largest, wealthiest, most powerful city in the Western World, with dominance over most of Europe and the Mediterranean Sea. Even after the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, Rome maintained considerable importance and wealth.

Beginning with the reign of Constantine I, the Bishop of Rome (later known as the Pope) gained political and religious importance, establishing Rome as the centre of the Catholic Church. During the Early Middle Ages, the city declined in population but gained a new importance as the capital of the newly formed Papal States. Throughout the Middle Ages, Rome was a major pilgrimage site and the focus of struggles between the Holy Roman Empire and the Papacy.

With the Italian Renaissance fully under way in the 15th century, Rome changed dramatically. Extravagant churches, bridges, and public spaces, including a new Saint Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel, were constructed by the Papacy so that Rome would equal the grandeur of other Italian cities of the period. As the Grand Tour became customary for young European gentlemen in the 17th century, Rome became an important tourist destination, and remains as such until today.

In the 19th century, Rome again became the focus of a power struggle with the rise of the Kingdom of Italy, which wished to see a reunification of Italy. The Papal States remained in control of Rome under French protection, but with the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, French troops were forced to abandon Rome, leaving it clear for the Kingdom of Italy to capture. Rome became the capital of Italy, and has remained such ever since.

Rome today is a contemporary metropolis that reflects the many periods of its long history - Ancient times, Middle Ages, the Renaissance and the Modern Era. With the rise of Italian Fascism following World War I, Rome's population grew. This trend was stopped by World War II, which dealt relatively minor damage to Rome. With the dismantlement of the monarchy and the creation of the Italian Republic following WWII, Rome again began to grow in population and became a modern city. The city stands today as the capital of Italy and one of the world's major tourist destinations.

Climate [ edit ]

Rome has a Mediterranean climate, with hot summers and mild winters. The winter months usually present pleasant daytime temperatures and the weather is variable. Nights can be chilly, but the temperature rarely drops to actual cold levels. Snow is rare, and only occurs every few decades or so. Summer presents a pronounced aridity in which hot, sunny conditions prevail. The heat obstacles certain sightseeing activities which involve too much walking during the day, but early mornings and late nights can be wonderful. Autumn and spring are characterised by very pleasant weather accompanied by mild to warm temperatures.

Background reading [ edit ]

At last count there were close to 1700 novels set in Rome in days gone by. Most easily available in bookshops are those by Lindsey Davis and Steven Saylor. Both are good storytellers and excellent at portraying life in Ancient Rome. Particularly interesting if you are visiting Rome may be Saylor's Roma: The Novel of Ancient Rome , which traces the first thousand years or so of Rome's history by following the fictional fortunes of two families. Each chapter begins with a map showing the state of Rome's development at the time of the chapter.

The classic work on Ancient Rome remains Edward Gibbon's History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire . This was written in 1782 but is still being reprinted. A marvelous book that covers Rome's fortunes from Romulus and Remus to the 1970s is Rome: The Biography of a City by Christopher Hibbert (Penguin). An excellent guide book, too, although perhaps a bit too heavy to carry around. Rome by Robert Hughes (Orion Books) concentrates on the city's art history and provides fascinating insights into the things you will see while walking around. SPQR , written by Cambridge University professor and British TV personality Mary Beard, and published in 2015, offers a detailed analysis of Rome's first 1000 years and attempts to answer why Rome expanded from a small village on the Tiber to the centre of a major empire.

English-language bookshops in Rome are:

• The Lion Bookshop, Via dei Greci, 36, close to Piazza di Spagna . Lots of books and a small cafe.
• Anglo-American Bookstore, Via delle Vite, 102, also close to Piazza di Spagna. A large store, with specialist sections. Strong on non-fiction.
• The Almost Corner Bookshop, Via del Moro 45, Trastevere . Small but very well-stocked store on the other side of the river.

Some Italian bookstores also have English-language sections. Try the large selection of English books (but also French, Spanish and more) at Feltrinelli International in via Vittorio Emanuele Orlando - or the smaller selection at its store in Largo Argentina .

Tourist information [ edit ]

• Rome Tourism

Get in [ edit ]

By plane [ edit ].

Rome ( ROM  IATA ) has two main international airports:

If the flight connections to Rome don't suit you, you can check flights to other airports around like Naples , Perugia , Pescara , Florence , Bologna , Pisa or Milan . From there you can take a (high speed) train or intercity bus to Rome.

About Ciampino airport [ edit ]

Cash machines are available only in the departures area. This is a relatively small airport and it closes overnight. You will be locked out of the airport until it opens again for the first check-in around 04:30 or 05:00. Flying into Ciampino try to sit on the right of the plane, which will fly just to the east of the centre of the city. Reaching Rome you first see the River Tiber and then the Olympic Stadium, Castel Sant' Angelo, St Peter's and the Vatican and the Colosseum. Before touchdown you fly parallel with the old Appian Way, the tree-lined road on a slight incline about 1 km (0.62 mi) to the right of the flightpath.

There are a few direct coach services from Ciampino, all of which go to the Termini in downtown Rome:

• SITBusShuttle runs a line that costs €4 one-way to the centre (€6 one-way from the centre) or €8 with return (approx. 40 min, with about 25 services a day).
• Terravision . This is a dedicated airport-city transfer only for the major low cost airlines. The price is €6 (from the airport to Rome Termini)/ €6 (from Rome Termini to Ciampino Airport) one-way or €11 return when booked online (approx. 40 min, with a service every 30 min). Passengers on the return trip from Termini are advised to board the bus 3 hours before their flight's departure time. It is not necessary to print out the tickets (mobile tickets are accepted). (updated Oct 2018)
• RomeAirportBus [dead link] (by Schiaffini) offers buses from the airport to Termini (at Via Giovanni Giolitti) in the city centre. Ticket prices depend on the direction of travel. Tickets from the airport to the city cost €5.90 single and €9.90 return. Tickets from the city to the airport cost €6.90 single and €9.90 return. Never expects to get these 10 cents back.
• COTRAL's [dead link] direct line costs €5 one-way (approx. 40 min), but has far fewer departures than Terravision. This bus may be useful if you arrive at a time when the Metro is closed.

There are two indirect public transport services from Ciampino airport involving a local ATRAL bus, plus a metro or train. These local ATRAL buses operate roughly every hour or 30 minutes during the Italian work day (8-12 and 16-20), and you should count on at least 45 minutes travel time for either route. Timetable booklets are available in some information booths and on the ATRAL website. Bus tickets cost €1.20 and can be bought from the driver:

• You can take the local ATRAL bus [dead link] from the stop located outside the terminal building to the metro station 41.84265 12.58608 3 Anagnina    A   . A metro ticket to central Rome costs another €1.50. The metro can get very crowded. The bus takes about 20min and the metro another 30min to the main train station (Termini) in Rome. Going towards the airport, the bus departs from platform 1.
• There is also a local ATRAL bus [dead link] to Ciampino local train station; from there, there are infrequent trains to Rome Termini station (ticket: €2).

The cheapest way from the airport is to take ATAC urban bus line 720 to 41.82707 12.48129 4 Laurentina    B   , or Line 520 to 41.84931 12.57435 5 Cinecittà    A   . Since all these routes are operated by ATAC, you only need one ticket which costs €1.50 and is valid for 100 min. You cannot buy tickets on the bus, but there are ATAC vending machines shortly before you leave the airport.

A shared airport shuttle can be hired for around €15 per person to take you from Ciampino airport. However, since the shuttle is shared, it may take longer to reach your destination if other customers are dropped off before you are.

At Ciampino there is supposed to be an organised taxi queue but the drivers will often negotiate among themselves if you are going somewhere the cab at the front doesn't want to go to. There are reports that late at night licensed cab drivers in the rank at Ciampino are asking €100 to take you into town, so try to avoid late flights or take the bus that connects with the flight. The fixed price to the city centre (within the Aurelian Walls) is €30 and includes luggage and up to four people. If you have to take a cab just pay the legal fare at your destination. If you have no stomach for the resulting argument then you can phone a cab from one of the numbers listed under Get Around .

Rental cars are available from all major companies. Providers can be reached easily in the arrivals halls.

Another option, is to book a licensed limousine or minicab in advance online. For example, a sedan, usually a Mercedes E-class, from Fiumicino Airport to Rome Centre and hotels can be booked for €45 or a minivan for €55. The same prices also apply from Ciampino Airport. From Fiumicino Airport to Civitavecchia Port the fare is €100.

By train [ edit ]

Rome's main railway station is 41.901 12.502 6 Termini Station    A     B   which is locked between 00:30 and 04:30. Most long-distance trains passing through Rome between these times will stop at Tiburtina station instead. See also "By boat" below.

Other main stations include Ostiense, Trastevere, Tuscolana, Tiburtina.

When traveling between major cities or to/from another country, trains will be designed for passengers and luggage. Most others (e.g., between nearby towns and cities) are often designed to serve commuters.

• For enroute stations, they stop for only 1–2 minutes.
• Most cars have a middle platform close to the station's boarding level, but with a significant gap. Seating areas may be at levels different from the middle platform, with narrow/clumsy steps for moving large luggage and little space to store them. Large pieces must often be left on the middle platform, with someone to guard them.

By car [ edit ]

Driving to Rome is quite easy; as they say, all roads lead to Rome. The city is ringed by a motorway, the Grande Raccordo Anulare or GRA. If you are going to the very centre of the city any road leading off the GRA will get you there. If you are going anywhere else, however, a GPS or a good map is essential. Signs on the GRA indicate the name of the road leading to the centre (e.g. Via Appia Nuova, Via Aurelia, Via Tiburtina) but this is useful only for Romans who know where these roads pass.

By bus [ edit ]

FlixBus offers many daily connections to Rome. The bus station is located next to the Tiburtina railway station. The fares are very often cheaper than train tickets, and there are direct overnight connections to and from cities in France, Switzerland and Germany.

By boat [ edit ]

Most cruise ships dock in Civitavecchia , to afford their passengers opportunity to visit the area and/or Rome. Many ships arrange shuttle buses to and from the pedestrian port entrance. From there you can walk 10–15 minutes along the shore to the Civitavecchia train station. Purchase of a B.I.R.G. round trip train ticket for Rome costs €9 (as of Fall 2009), and also entitles you to unlimited use of Rome's Metro/underground and city bus lines. Trains for commuters leave every hour or so, more often during rush hours, and take about 80 minutes. You can get off near St. Peters (Trastevere station), or continue to the Termini station right downtown, where countless buses and the Metro await. If you're carrying luggage, see "About luggage" in "By train" above.

At some ten times the cost, cruise ships often offer bus transport to Rome as well, taking 2 hours or so to reach some location downtown depending on traffic.

It is now possible for modest- to large-sized yachts to dock in the new Porto di Roma, Ostia marina, located 20 km from Rome and linked by train and metro. Their stations are not within practical walking distance of the marina or riverside boat facilities.

Ferry services [ edit ]

In Civitavecchia:

• Grimaldi Lines . * Dangerous link * Provides ferry service to/from Barcelona , Tunis , Toulon (France), Porto-Vecchio ( Corsica ).
• Moby . Provides service to/from Olbia , Sardinia .

Get around [ edit ]

In a nutshell: Don't do it. Well, some people actually enjoy it as a master class in defensive driving. Roman traffic is chaotic (and has been since the first century BC), but it is possible to drive there. However, the roads are not logical, the signs are few and the condition of the roads gets worse daily. It will take a few weeks to understand where to drive, to get where you want to go. When driving in Rome it is important to accept that Italians drive in a very pragmatic way. Taking turns and letting people go in front of you is rare, but pedestrians are usually grudgingly yielded to. Motorbikes and scooters are driven fearlessly, darting in and out of traffic and splitting lanes. There is little patience so if the light is green when you go into the intersection and you are too slow they will let you know. A green light turning to amber is a reason to accelerate, not brake, in part because the lights usually stay amber for several seconds. If you brake immediately when the light changes you are likely to get rear-ended. Parking is so scarce, that in some areas you may have to leave your car kilometers away from your destination. Rome is plagued with people who demand money to direct you to a space, even on the rare occasions when there are many places available, however the locals can make anywhere a parking space by flashing their hazard-lights, even if it looks like they are getting away with it, do not try this. While in Rome, it is far better to travel by bus or metro, or ( in extremis ) take a taxi.

In the centre, many areas are limited to drivers with special electronic passes. If you go into these areas (which are camera controlled and marked with the sign ZTL ) you will end up with a large fine, particularly if your car has Italian plates.

By taxi [ edit ]

Taxis are the most expensive way to get around Rome, but when weighed against convenience and speed, they are often worth it. Roman taxis run on meters, and you should always make sure the driver starts the meter. Taxis will typically pick you up only at a taxi stand, which you will find at all but the smallest piazzas, as well as at the main train station or when called by phone. Flagging down a taxi is possible but quite rare as the taxi drivers prefer to use the stands. When you get in the cab, there will be a fixed starting charge, which will be more for late nights, Sundays and holidays. Supplements will be requested for bags that the driver has to handle, typically €1 per bag. So, if you have a limited amount of luggage that wouldn't need to go in the trunk, you may decline when the driver offers to put your bags in the trunk. Drivers may not use the shortest route, so try to follow the route with a map and discuss if you feel you're being tricked.

When you phone for a taxi, the cab's meter starts running when it is summoned, not when it arrives to pick you up, so by the time a cab arrives at your location, there may already be a substantial amount on the meter. A major problem is that taxi drivers often leave the previous fare running on the meter. So you may find the cab arriving with €15 or even more on the meter. If you are not in a hurry you should tell him (there are very few female cab drivers in Rome) to get lost, but if you are desperate to get to the airport it's a different matter. You can get a taxi pretty easily at any piazza though, so calling ahead is really not required. A trip completely across the city (within the walls) will cost about €11 if starting at a cab rank, a little more if there is heavy traffic at night or on a Sunday. Taxi drivers can often try to trick customers by switching a €50 note for a €10 note during payment, leading you to believe that you handed them only €10 when you have already given them €50. The main taxi companies may be called at 060609 , 063570 , 065551 , 064994 , 066645 and 0688177 .

Taxi-hailing apps like "Free Now" and "itTaxi" are convenient, allow payment by credit card in the app, and reduce your risk of being scammed. Uber Black is available, providing high-end vehicles that cost more per trip than taxis. Uber now has a partnership with local taxi companies so you can get and pay for a standard taxi through the Uber app.

On foot [ edit ]

Once you're in the centre, you are best off on foot. What could be more romantic than strolling through Rome on foot holding hands? That is hard to beat!

Crossing a street in Rome can be a bit challenging. There are crosswalks, but they are rarely located at signalled intersections. Traffic can be intimidating, but if you are at a crosswalk just start walking and cars will let you cross the street. While crossing watch out for the thousands of mopeds. As in many European cities, even if the cars and trucks are stationary due to a jam or for another legal reason, mopeds and bikes will be trying to squeeze through the gaps and may be ignoring the reason why everyone else has stopped. This means that even if the traffic seems stationary you need to pause and look around into the gaps.

Old Rome has some cobble-stoned streets that may not be stroller-friendly. Wear comfortable shoes for walking.

By public transport (ATAC) [ edit ]

ATAC operates the public transport network. There are three ways of buying public transport tickets in Rome: Tap&Go with a contactless credit/debit card or traditional paper tickets. Paper tickets offer the most variety but the other options are more convenient for visitors.

You can board any bus, Metro or tram by tapping a contactless credit/debit card, including through Apple Pay/Google Pay. You are charged €1.50 per journey, capped at a maximum of €7 per day. A journey is valid for 100 minutes and may involve transfers to other bus, Metro or tram lines.

Paper tickets must be bought (from a 'Tabacchi' - look for the big 'T' sign, or from a kiosk selling newspapers) before you board the bus, Metro, or tram. Metro stations have automated ticket kiosks, and major Metro stations have clerked ticket windows. Some of the trams have single ticket machines as well. Tickets for regular ATAC buses, the Metro, and trams are the same fares and are compatible with each other. Ticket options are as follows (Oct 2019):

• Integrated Single Ticket ('Biglietto Integrato a Tempo' or BIT) - €1.50 - (A journey is valid for 100 minutes and may involve transfers to other bus, Metro or tram lines).
• 24 hours Ticket ('Biglietto 24 ore') - €7 (Valid for 24 hours).
• 48 hours Ticket ('Biglietto 48 ore') - €12.50 (Valid for 48 hours).
• 72 hours Ticket ('Biglietto 72 ore') - €18 (Valid for 72 hours).
• Integrated Weekly Ticket ('Carta Integrata Settimanale') - €24 (Valid for 7 days).
• Monthly Pass ('Abbonamento Mensile') - €35.
• Annual Pass ('Abbonamento Annuale') - €250.

When you board the bus, Metro or tram you have to validate the ticket ('convalidare') in the little yellow machine. The last four types of ticket on the list above must be validated the first time you use them only. On the whole, the integrated passes are not economical. Unless you take many rides spread all over the day, the single ticket ride option is preferable. Calculating if a pass is worth it is easy since a single ticket ride costs €1.50. For example, for a daily ticket (€7) to be worth it, you would have to make 5 or more trips at intervals greater than 100 minutes apart on a single day. Many visitors just walk through the city in one direction and take a single ride back.

ATAC polices the buses, Metro, and trams for people riding without tickets. Inspectors can be rare on some buses, although they tend to increase their presence in the summer. Inspectors are present on the Metro as well, and you should keep your validated ticket throughout your journey as proof-of-payment. If you don't have sufficient money on you to pay the fine, they will actually escort you to an ATM to pay the fee. If you don't have an ATM card to withdraw money, you will be asked to pay by mail, and the fee goes up to €140. Inspectors can also fine you for getting in and out of the wrong door, even if the bus is empty! The entrances are the front and rear doors and the exit in the middle. Many Romans ignore this distinction.

The Roma Pass includes full access to the public transport system. There is also an alternative pass called OMNIA Vatican and Rome which includes the services provided by Roma Pass. Read the See section for details.

Journey planner [ edit ]

You can find real-time information about bus waiting times, as well as a journey planner, at Muoversi a Roma or its lighter version [dead link] (perhaps an older one). Transit maps and directions area also available on Apple Maps (requires an internet connection), and Google Maps (can be downloaded for offline use).

Bus [ edit ]

Roman buses are reliable but crowded. They are the best way to get around the city (except walking). Free maps of the bus system are available. Others can be purchased (€3.5 at Termini). Signs at the bus stop list the stops for each route. Ask for assistance. In Rome, there is always somebody nearby who speaks English.

Some bus lines have arrivals every ten minutes or so. Less popular routes may arrive every half hour or less. If heading outside the centre beware that bus schedules can be seriously disrupted by heavy traffic. Quite often trips just get cancelled.

Do not rely on counting the number of stops to the destination. The signs on the stops mention only the major streets where the bus stops, but there may be 3 or 5 stops for each one. Instead, ask the driver or consult with your GPS.

Useful bus lines are:

• 23 San Paolo - Ostiense - Piazza Risorgimento (St. Peter and Vatican Museums).
• 40 Stazione Termini - St. Peter. The 40 arches from the Termini station through the historic centre and then up to the Castel Sant'Angelo, near the Vatican. It is considered an express route, so its stops are spaced about 800 m (1/2 mile) apart; but it is also very frequent, very convenient for most places that the Metro does not go to, and very fast, especially compared to other routes.
• 64 Stazione Termini - Corso Vittorio Emanuele II - St. Peter. The 64 also goes from Termini to the Vatican. It is a favourite with pickpockets.
• 75 Stazione Termini - Forum Romanum - Colosseum - Testaccio - Trastevere.
• 81 San Giovanni in Laterano - Colosseum - Piazza Venezia - Piazza Risorgimento (St. Peter and Vatican Museums).
• 115 Largo Fiorentini (near Vittorio Emanuele bridge) - Gianicolo - Trastevere.
• 116 Via Veneto - Campo de Fiori - Piazza Navona - Terminal Gianicolo (St. Peter).
• 117 San Giovanni in Laterano - Colosseum - Piazza di Spagna - Piazza del Popolo.

The 116 and 117 are little electric buses which wind through the Centro Storico; 117 does not work on holidays.

• Night buses could be useful due to the closing of the Metro stations at 23:30 and the stopping of regular lines of buses and trams at midnight. During the summer (until 23 September) and on Fridays and Saturdays, the frequency of the rides is halved, which can vary among 10, 15, 30 and 35 minutes depending on the line. In any case they are much more punctual than during the day, as traffic is much less jammed. This makes the drivers drive at high speeds, allowing passengers to experience a strange mixture of adrenaline and (the city's) classical views. Hubs of the night buses are Termini and Piazza Venezia. All the bus lines have the prefix "N"; N1 and N2 routes are similar to metro line A and B respectively, N28 for line C.

Tram [ edit ]

The Tram routes mostly skirt the historic centre, but there are stops convenient for the Vatican, the Colosseum, and the Trastevere area. The number 8 does run into the centre to Largo Argentina, not far from the Pantheon, and terminate at Piazza Venezia. If you want to catch a soccer game at one of the stadiums in the north of the city, catch the tram (2) just north of the Piazza del Popolo. Number 19 links the Vatican with Villa Borghese.

Metro [ edit ]

There are two lines that cross at Termini station: line   A   runs northwest past the Vatican and southeast, and line   B   runs southwest past the Colosseum and northeast in one direction, but also splits at the "Bologna" station to go due north until Jonio. Line   C   runs from San Giovanni station to the eastern suburbs.

All lines open at 05:30 and stop running at 23:30, except Fridays and Saturdays, when the last trains leave from the stations at 01:30. The Metro is the most punctual form of public transportation in Rome, but it can get extremely crowded during rush hour. See safety warning in the Stay Safe section .

By commuter rail [ edit ]

There is a network of suburban rail lines that mostly connect to smaller towns and conurbations of Rome. Tourists are unlikely to use these, except when arriving from Fiumicino, but they can be very convenient if you fancy a day-trip out of Rome (see Go next ).

By moped [ edit ]

There is the possibility to hire motor bikes or scooters. Many Romans prefer this way of transportation, even in winter you can see them driving scooters equipped with raincoats, blankets, and rain boots. Motorbikes are not particularly safe in Rome and most accidents seem to involve one (or two!). Nevertheless, Roman traffic is chaotic and a scooter provides excellent mobility within the city. Scooter rental costs between €30 and €70 per day depending on scooter size and rental company. The traffic can be intimidating and the experience exciting but a bit insane.

Some of the main rental shops:

• Scoot A Long noleggio scooter , via Cavour 302 , ☏ +39 06 6780206 .  
• Centro Moto Coloseo , strada statale Quattro, 46 , ☏ +39 06 70451069 .  
• Eco Move Rent , Via Varese 48/50 , ☏ +39 06 44704518 .  
• Rent & Rent , v. Capo d'Africa 33 , ☏ +39 06 7002915 .  
• Biga Bike Rent & Tours , Via Pellegrino Matteucci 136 (Ostiense Station) , ☏ +39 06 5741053 . Open 09:00-19:00 non-stop every day, vehicle delivery/pickup (scooter & bicycle), guided tours, for info and bookings +39 3428711336.  
• Dolce Vespa , Via Adriano Balbi 14 , ☏ +39 3476317932 , [email protected] .  
• Riderly , 1 Via di San Calisto . Only offer scooter hire. They include most of the gear you need: helmet, gloves, phone holder.  

By bicycle [ edit ]

There is the possibility to hire any kind of bike in Rome: from tandem, road bikes, children bikes to trekking bikes. Some shops are even specialised only on high quality ones while street stands will hire you cheaper and heavy ones. Bicycling alone can be stressful because of the traffic. The best way is to discover first how to move around and avoid traffic and stress with a guide thanks to one of the tours offered by almost all rental shops. There are different itineraries offered from the basic city centre, panoramic Rome tour to the Ancient Parks (from €29 for 4h). The experience is well worth it and you would reduce also your impact on the city environment and on the traffic.

Even moderately experienced cyclists, however, may find that cycling through Rome's streets offers an unparalleled way to learn the city intimately and get around very cheaply and efficiently. While the Roman traffic is certainly chaotic to someone from a country with more regimented and enforced rules of the road, Roman drivers are, generally speaking, used to seeing bicycles, as well as scooters and motorcycles, and one may move throughout the city relatively easily. If you are in a car's way, they will generally let you know with a quick beep of the horn and wait for you to move.

A particularly spectacular, and relaxing, cycle trip is to pedal out along la Via Appia Antica , the original Appian Way that linked much of Italy to Rome. Some of the original cobblestones, now worn by over 2 millennia of traffic, are still in place. With exceptionally light traffic in most sections, you can casually meander your bike over kilometres of incredible scenery and pass ancient relics and active archaeological sites throughout the journey. ( Rome/South )

Some of the many rental shops:

• Punto Informativo , Via Appia Antica 58/60 , ☏ +39 06 5126314 . M-Sa 09:30-13:30 and 14:00-17:30 (16:30 in wintertime), Su and holidays 09:30-17:30 non stop (16:30 wintertime) . Price: €3/hour and €10/day .  
• Comitato per la Caffarella (Largo Tacchi Venturi) , ☏ +39 06 789279 . Su 10:00-18:00 . Price: €3/hour and €10/day .  
• Catacombe di San Sebastiano , ☏ +39 06 7850350 . Every day except Sundays . Price: €3/hour and €10/day .  
• TopBike Rental & Tours , Via Labicana 49 , ☏ +39 06 4882893 , [email protected] . Daily 09:30-19:00 . ( updated Jan 2017 )
• Bici & Baci , Via del Viminale, 5 ( Termini Station ), ☏ +39 06 4828443 .  
• Roma Starbike , Via Capo d’Africa, 29 D Roma , ☏ +39 06 4543 0118 , [email protected] . Daily 9:00-20:00 (19:00 in wintertime) . ( updated Dec 2019 )
• Roma Rent Bike , Via di San Paolo alla Regola 33 ( Campo de Fiori ), ☏ +39 06 88922365 . ( updated Aug 2017 )
• Collalti , Via del Pellegrino, 82 ( Campo de’ Fiori ), ☏ +39 06 68801084 .  
• Romarent , Vicolo dei Bovari, 7/a ( Campo de’ Fiori ), ☏ +39 06 6896555 .  
• Bikeaway , Via Monte del Gallo, 25 A ( Stazione FS S. Pietro ), ☏ +39 06 45495816 .  

By Segway Pt [ edit ]

It is now possible to rent a Segway in Rome. It is a fast and convenient way to get around in the city centre. In Rome, a person on a Segway is considered a pedestrian, not a motorist, so Segways are only allowed on the sidewalks, not in the streets with vehicles. Segway rental costs between €25 and €50 per hour, or between €70 and €100 for an accompanied tour of 2–4 hours.

• Rome on Segway, via Labicana 94, tel: 06 97602723, 39 3486121355
• Rex-Tours and Rent, Via dei Balestrari 33, tel: 06 87690040
• Ecogo Segway, Piazzale Ammiraglio Bergamini 10, tel: 39 3409345441

Moreover, it is possible to book online several Segway Tour in Rome, focused on certain attractions or itineraries. Some of the main rental websites are:

• Rome by Segway [dead link]
• Italy by Segway

See [ edit ]

Italians are very fond of their landmarks; in order to make them accessible to everyone one week a year there is no charge for admittance to all publicly owned landmarks and historical sites. This week, known as " La settimana dei beni culturali ", typically occurs in mid-May and for those 7 to 10 days every landmark, archaeological site and museum belonging to government agencies (including the Quirinale presidential palace and gardens, the Colosseum and all of the ancient Forum) is accessible and free of charge.

Government-owned museums and historical sites have free admission on the first Sunday of every month.

Roma Pass [ edit ]

If you'll be staying in Rome for at least 3 days, consider purchasing the Roma Pass . It is valid for 3 days and costs €52 (Feb 2023). It entitles holders to free admission to the first two museums and/or archaeological sites visited, full access to the public transport system, and discounts for the other museums, tourist sites, exhibitions, music events, theatrical and dance performances. This pass gets you in to the Colosseum (Colosseo), Palatine Hill (Palatino Hill), the Baths of Caracalla (Terme di Caracalla), and the catacombs as well as the Terme di Diocleziano, Palazza Massimo alle Terme, Crypta Balbi, Palazzo Altemps, Villa dei Quintili, and the Tomb of Cecilia Metella.

A Roma Pass 48-hours is also offered for €32 (Feb 2023) and is valid for 2 days. For this pass only the first museum and/or archaeological sites visited is free.

Check the expiration date at the back of the Roma Pass card. If the card's validity has expired it does not work in the metro's ticket gate. Be sure to buy the passes at official tourist offices. There are also small booths on the streets that sell tickets, but they could charge you a higher price.

Another advantage of the Roma Pass is that you can often skip the waiting queues if it's one of your first two free entrances. This way you can avoid, for example, a 1+ hour waiting time at the Colosseum.

There's an alternative pass called OMNIA Vatican and Rome [dead link] that includes the services provided by Roma Pass, free entry to Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, fast track entry to St Peter's Basilica and hop-on-hop-off bus tour for 3 days. It costs €113 for 3 days

Ancient Rome [ edit ]

The main area for exploring the ruins of ancient Rome is in Rome/Colosseo either side of Via dei Fori Imperiali, which connects the Colosseum and Piazza Venezia. Constructed between 1931 and 1933, at the time of Mussolini, this road destroyed a large area of Renaissance and medieval buildings constructed on top of ruins of the ancient forums and ended forever plans for an archaeological park stretching all the way to the Appian Way. Heading towards the Colosseum from Piazza Venezia, you see the Roman Forum on your right and Trajan's Forum and Market on the left. To the right of the Colosseum is the Arch of Constantine and the beginning of the Palatine Hill, which will eventually lead you to ruins of the Flavian Palace and a view of the Circus Maximus (see Rome/Aventino-Testaccio ). To the left, after the Colosseum is a wide, tree-lined path that climbs through the Colle Oppio park. Underneath this park is the Golden House of Nero (Domus Aurea), an enormous and spectacular underground complex restored and then closed again due to damage caused by heavy rain. Further to the left on the Esquiline Hill are ruins of Trajan's baths.

In Old Rome you must see the Pantheon, which is amazingly well preserved considering it dates back to 125 AD. There is a hole constructed in the ceiling so it is an interesting experience to be there when it is raining. If you are heading to the Pantheon from Piazza Venezia you first reach Largo di Torre Argentina on your left. Until 1926 this was covered in narrow streets and small houses, which were razed to the ground when ruins of Roman temples were discovered. Moving along Corso Vittorio Emmanuelle and crossing the Tiber river into the Vatican area you see the imposing Castel Sant' Angelo, built as a Mausoleum for the Emperor Hadrian. This is connected by a covered fortified corridor to the Vatican and served as a refuge for Popes in times of trouble.

South of the Colosseum are the Baths of Caracalla ( Aventino-Testaccio ). You can then head South-East on the old Appian Way, passing through a stretch of very well-preserved city wall. For the adventurous, continuing along the Appian Way ( Rome/South ) will bring you to a whole host of Roman ruins, including the Circus of Maxentius, the tomb of Cecilia Metella, the Villa dei Quintili and, nearby, several long stretches of Roman aqueduct.

Returning to the Modern Centre , the Baths of Diocletian are opposite the entrance to the main railway station, Termini. The National Museum of Rome stands in the South-West corner of the Baths complex and has an enormous collection of Roman sculptures and other artefacts. But this is just one of numerous museums devoted to ancient Rome, including those of the Capitoline Hill. It is really amazing how much there is.

Catholic Rome [ edit ]

There are more than 900 churches in Rome; probably one third would be well worth a visit!

In Catholic tradition, St. Peter is said to have founded the church in Rome together with St. Paul. The first churches of Rome originated in places where early Christians met, usually in the homes of private citizens. By the IVth Century, however, there were already four major churches, or basilicas. Rome had 28 cardinals who took it in turns to give mass once a week in one of the basilicas. In one form or another the four basilicas are with us today and constitute the major churches of Rome. They are St Peter's , St Paul's Outside the Walls , Santa Maria Maggiore and San Giovanni . All pilgrims to Rome are expected to visit these four basilicas, together with San Lorenzo fuori le mura , Santa Croce in Gerusalemme , and the Sanctuary of Divino Amore . The latter was inserted as one of the seven at the time of the Great Jubilee in 2000, replacing San Sebastiano outside the walls .

Take a look inside a few churches. You'll find the richness and range of decor astonishing, from fine classical art to tacky electric candles. Starting with several good examples of early Christian churches, including San Clemente and Santa Costanza , there are churches built over a period of 1700 years or so, including modern churches constructed to serve Rome's new suburbs.

Some churches in Rome deny admission to people who are dressed inappropriately. You will find "fashion police" at the most visited churches. ("Knees and shoulders" are the main problem - especially female ones.) Bare shoulders, short skirts, and shorts are officially not allowed, but long shorts and skirts reaching just above the knee should generally be no problem. However, it's always safer to wear longer pants or skirts that go below the knee; St. Peter's in particular is known for rejecting tourists for uncovered knees, shoulders, midriffs, etc. (You also generally won't be told until right before you enter the church, so you will have made the trek to the Vatican and stood in a long security line for nothing.) The stricter churches usually have vendors just outside selling inexpensive scarves and sometimes plastic pants. But relatively few churches enforce dress codes and you can wander into most wearing shorts, sleeveless shirts, or pretty much anything without problems. It is, however, good to keep one's dress tasteful, as these are still churches and houses of prayer for many people. (Older Romans might comment on your attire and perhaps harass you if it is particularly revealing.)

The Seven Hills of Rome [ edit ]

To the modern visitor, the Seven Hills of Rome can be rather difficult to identify. In the first place generations of buildings constructed on top of each other and the construction of tall buildings in the valleys have tended to make the hills less pronounced than they originally were. Secondly, there are clearly more than seven hills. In Roman days many of these were outside the city boundaries.

The seven hills were first occupied by small settlements and not recognised as a city for some time. Rome came into being as these settlements acted together to drain the marshy valleys between them and turn them into markets and fora. The Roman Forum used to be a swamp.

The Palatine Hill looms over Circus Maximus and is accessed near the Colosseum . Legend has it that this was occupied by Romulus when he fell out with his brother, Remus, who occupied the Aventine Hill on the other side of the Circus. Also clearly recognisable as hills are the Caelian , to the southeast of Circus Maximus and the Capitoline , which overlooks the Forum and now hosts the Municipality of Rome. East and northeast of the Roman Forum are the Esquiline , Viminal, and Quirinal hills . These are less easy to distinguish as separate hills these days and from a distance look like one.

The red line on the map indicates the Servian Wall, its construction is credited to the Roman King Servius Tullius in the Sixth Century BC, but archaeological evidence places its construction during the Fourth Century BC. Small bits of this wall can still be seen, particularly close to Termini railway station and on the Aventine hill . As Rome expanded new walls were required to protect the larger area. These were built in the Third Century AD by the Emperor Aurelian. Lengthy sections of this wall remain all around the outskirts of Rome's centre. Much is in very good condition.

Among other hills of Rome, not included in the seven, are that overlooking the Vatican ; the Janiculum overlooking Trastevere , which provides excellent views of Rome; the Pincio on the edge of the Borghese Gardens , which gives good views of the Vatican, and the Monte Mario to the north.

Museums [ edit ]

If you are in Rome for the Arts there are several world-class museums in the city. The natural starting point is a visit to the area of Villa Borghese in Rome/North Center , where there is a cluster of art museums in and around the Borghese Gardens. Galleria Borghese houses a previously private art collection of the Borghese family, Museo Nazionale di Villa Giulia is home of the world's largest Etruscan art collection, and Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna houses many Italian masterpieces as well as a few pieces by artists such as Cézanne, Degas, Monet and Van Gogh.

The Capitoline Museums in the Colosseo district opens their doors to the city's most important collection of antique Roman and Greek art and sculptures. Visit the Galleria d'Arte Antica , housed in the Barberini palace in the Modern centre , for Italian Renaissance and Baroque art.

A visit to Rome is not complete without a trip to the Vatican Museum . You need to go to the museum if you want to see the Sistine Chapel, but there is an enormous collection. You cannot miss part of this, such as tapestries, maps and the rooms painted by Rafael, as they are en route to the Sistine Chapel, but there is much, much more to explore, including a stunning Egyptian collection, and the Pinacoteca, which includes a Portrait of St. Jerome by Leonardo da Vinci and paintings by Giotto, Perugino, Raphael, Veronese, Caravaggio, and others.

Rome's National Museum at the Baths of Diocletian in the Modern Centre has a vast archaeological collection as does the national museum at Palazzo Altemps , close to Piazza Navona . Further afield, the Museo di Civilta Romana (Museum of Rome's Civilization), in EUR is most famous for an enormous model of Imperial Rome, but also has an extensive display of plaster casts, models and reconstructions of statues and Roman stonework.

If you have plenty of time there is absolutely no shortage of other museums covering a wide variety of interests. Examples include the Museum of the Walls (see Rome/South ), the Musical Instrument Museum and a museum devoted to the liberation of Rome from German occupation in the Second World War ( Rome/Esquilino-San Giovanni ).

Check museum opening hours before heading there. Government museums are invariably closed on Mondays, so that is a good day for other activities. The Rome municipality itself operates some 17 museums and attractions. Info at Musei In Comune Roma [dead link] . These are free to European Union citizens under 18 and over 65. Websites for other museums are listed on the relevant District pages.

Just walking around [ edit ]

Much of the attraction of Rome is in just wandering around the old city. You can quickly escape from the major tourist routes and feel as if you are in a small medieval village, not a capital city. If you can do so while watching for uneven cobblestones, keep looking upwards. There are some amazing roof gardens and all sorts of sculptures, paintings and religious icons attached to exterior walls. Look through 2nd and 3rd floor windows to see some oak-beamed ceilings in the old houses. Look through the archway entrances of larger Palazzos to see incredible courtyards, complete with sculptures, fountains and gardens. Take a stroll in the area between Piazza Navona and the Tiber river in Old Rome where artisans continue to ply their trade from small shops. Also in Old Rome , take a 1 km (0.62 mi) stroll down Via Giulia , which is lined with many old palaces. Film enthusiasts will want to visit Via Veneto (Via Vittorio Veneto) in the Modern Centre , scene for much of Fellini's La Dolce Vita .

The Piazzas [ edit ]

The narrow streets frequently broaden out into small or large squares (piazzas), which usually have one or more churches and a fountain or two. Apart from Piazza Navona and Piazza della Rotonda (in front of the Pantheon), take in the nearby Piazza della Minerva , with its unique elephant statue by Bernini and Piazza Colonna with the column of Marcus Aurelius and Palazzo Chigi, meeting place of the Italian Government. On the other side of Corso Vittorio Emanuele are Piazza Farnese with the Palazzo of the same name (now the French Embassy) and two interesting fountains and the flower sellers at Campo dei Fiori , scene of Rome's executions in the old days. All of these squares are a short distance from each other in Old Rome . The enormous Piazza del Popolo in the North Centre , which provided an imposing entrance to the city when it represented the northern boundary of Rome, is well worth a visit. A short walk back towards the centre brings you to Piazza di Spagna at the foot of the Spanish Steps. Yet another fascinating fountain here. The area was much used as backdrop for the 1953 film Roman Holiday with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck.

On the other side of the river is, of course, the magnificent square of St Peter's at the Vatican . Further south, in Trastevere is Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere , a great place to watch the world go by, either from one of the restaurants or bars that line two sides of the square or, if that is too expensive, from the steps of the central fountain. The square attracts many street entertainers.

Moving back to the Modern Centre you have to see the Trevi Fountain , surely a part of everyone's Roman holiday. Visitors are always amazed that such a big and famous fountain is tucked away in a small piazza in the middle of side streets. Take extra-special care of your possessions here. Further up the Via del Tritone you will come to Piazza Barberini , now full of traffic but the lovely Bernini fountain is not to be missed.

Overlooked Places [ edit ]

EUR provides a selection of Fascist Architecture, including the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana , often referred to "the Square Colosseum." It was designed to honour the historic Colosseum. This would be an interesting place to visit after seeing the Colosseum to compare their differences and similarities.

Viewpoints [ edit ]

With no tall buildings in Rome, views of the city come from climbing the many hills, either the original seven hills of Rome or others that surround them. The two most popular views of Rome are from the Janiculum hill overlooking Trastevere and the Pincio at the edge of the Borghese Gardens . The former, best reached by car, has sweeping views of the centre of Rome, as long as the authorities remember to prune the trees on the hillside in front of the viewpoint. Cross over the piazza for an excellent view of the dome of St Peter's . The Vatican is the main sight from the Pincio (metro Line A, Piazza del Popolo, and then a good climb). Less popular, but just as nice, is the orange grove at Parco Savello on the Aventine Hill . Even less popular among tourists, as it is better accessed by car or moped, it the small square in front of the Zodiaco Restaurant in Monte Mario, a very popular spot for young Roman couples.

Rome for kids [ edit ]

If you are planning some serious sightseeing then leave the kids with their grandparents! They don't take kindly to being dragged from ruin to ruin and church to church. A common sight in Rome is miserable looking kids traipsing after their parents. Also, push chairs/buggies are difficult to use because of the cobbled streets. If you are a family, do not try to do too much. It will be a big strain on kids and in the end everyone will be tired.

Apart from the major attractions Rome has relatively little to entertain kids. If you noticed a big Ferris wheel on your way in from Fiumicino Airport, think again. Lunapark at EUR was closed down in 2008. A few of the other ways to bribe your kids, however, are:

• Children's Museum . Via Flaminia 82. Just north of Piazza del Popolo. Controlled entrance at 10.00, 12,00, 15.00 and 17.00 for visits lasting 1 hour 45 minutes. Closed Mondays and for much of August. Best to check the web site for up-to-date info and to book in advance. Hands-on science, mainly for pre-teens, housed in a former tram-car depot.
• Bioparco . The renamed Rome Zoo. On the edge of the Borghese Gardens ( North Centre ).
• The Time Elevator . Via dei Santi Apostoli, 20 on a side street between Piazza Venezia and the Trevi Fountain. Daily 10.30 to 19.30. "Five-dimensional" shows on the Origins of Life and on the History of Rome, plus "The House of Horrors". Not for the faint-hearted: your seats move all over the place. Kids love it.
• Rome's Wax Museum . 67 Piazza di Santi Apostoli, next to Piazza Venezia. Few good reports about this museum. Comments invited.
• Planetarium . This also has an excellent astronomy museum and is conveniently next to the Museum of Rome's Civilization ( EUR ).
• The Vatican is, by and large, not a great idea for kids although they often enjoy the Sistine Chapel and are impressed by the beauty and the fact that it was all done in just four years. However, the Sistine Chapel is very crowded and getting there through the corridors of the Vatican Museum is even worse. It is easy for families to get separated so determine a meeting point. The best part of St. Peter's Basilica is that kids can go to the top of the dome. It is 500 steps but you can take the elevator up to the third floor. From there there are another 323 exhausting steps. So it is fun for older kids who can both climb up all the stairs and walk down as there is a huge line for the elevator ( Vatican ).
• Zoomarine [dead link] . Dolphins, sea lions, exotic birds, splashy rides and swimming pools, some 20 km (12 mi) south of Rome near Pomezia. A good day out, but is this really why you came to Rome? Free transport from EUR and Pomezia railway station. Check web site for details.

Do [ edit ]

• Take in a show. There are lots of theatres, but you will need to know Italian to enjoy them. The main concert venue is the Auditorium in Viale Pietro de Coubertin to the north of Rome . The Auditorium at Parco della Musica is a large complex composed of three separate halls whose shapes are inspired by musical instruments. These are positioned around an open-air amphitheatre, that is used nearly every night in the summer for concerts. The Parco della Musica hosts a constant stream of classical, popular, and jazz music, featuring national as well as international musicians and groups. Really big names perform outdoors in the summer; usually in either the Olympic Stadium or in Stadio Flaminio, which is next door to the Parco della Musica. In winter the Palalotto in EUR is an important pop concert venue.
• Walk and feel the energy of Rome; sights are everywhere waiting to be discovered.
• Walk or cycle along the banks of the Tiber. There are steps down to the river from close to most of the bridges. A few have special runners for cycle wheels. This gets you away from the traffic fumes and gives a different perspective of Rome. Not usually possible in winter when water levels can be very high.
• Explore the Trastevere neighbourhood for some great cafes and trattorie, and a glimpse at a hip Roman neighbourhood.
• Watch football ie soccer. The city has two teams playing in Serie A, the top tier of Italian football, AS Roma and SS Lazio. They share the Stadio Olimpico, capacity 70,000, in the north of the city. Matches between the two teams are known as the Derby della Capitale , and are extremely charged affairs, with crowd violence being a regular occurrence, sometimes even resulting in fatal stabbings.

Events [ edit ]

• White Night (Notte Bianca) . In early to mid-September, various events until dawn, plus shops and restaurants, museums stay open while the Roman Notte Bianca stages music, dance and theater events. Expect enormous crowds; buses and trams will be packed to the brim.  
• Opera at Caracalla , Baths of Caracalla (see Rome/Aventino-Testaccio) . If you are in Rome during summertime don’t miss the chance to experience a lyric opera in the truly unique setting of the Caracalla Baths. The 2009 program included Tosca, Carmen and Midsummer Night’s Dream. Performances start at 21:00.  

Learn [ edit ]

Rome is replete with foreign language and cultural institutions. Of course, learning Italian is a worthwhile activity if you plan to stay for any length of time. If you plan to combine a stay in Rome with academic study, there are several English-language universities.

• The regional government and two historical societies are offering free Latin classes to tourists.
• The Historical Group of Rome runs a gladiator school . 18 Via Appia Antica.

Work [ edit ]

If you want to work ask around at the hostels, hotels and restaurants. There are differing views on how easy it is to get a job in Rome, however. There is high unemployment and most jobs seem to go on a family - friends - other Romans - other Italians - EU - other foreigners pecking order. Knowing Italian helps. And be wary about making any financial commitments before you've actually been paid -- late and non-payment is common here, and you may find as a non-Roman you are more likely to be seen as an easy target for this. You will also need a permesso di soggiorno, whether or not you are an EU resident.

There are numerous schools to teach the English language in Rome and if you are a mother-tongue this may be the best opportunity of picking up part-time work.

Talk [ edit ]

In Rome, obviously, the population speaks Italian . The road signs are mostly in Italian (except for "STOP"). If you are staying in the city there are plenty of English alternatives to be found. Seeing as Rome is a popular place to visit there are maps and information in many languages available. Police officers and transit drivers are more than willing to help you get around and usually provide easier ways to get around.

Some residents still speak the ancient local dialect, Romanesco ; nowadays, however, Italian is the more common mother tongue.

English is widely spoken in Rome by the younger generations and by people working in the tourist industry. Since many people have a limited knowledge of English, it is wise to speak slowly and simply. Among 40+s the chance is a lot less, and with 60+s as good as zero.

Romance languages other than Italian, especially Spanish, Portuguese and French, are also fairly widely understood due to their similarity to Italian, although not necessarily spoken.

Buy [ edit ]

Rome has excellent shopping opportunities of all kinds - from clothing and jewellery to art and antiques. You also get some big department stores, outlets and shopping centres, notably in the suburbs and outskirts.

Main shopping areas include Via del Corso, Via Condotti, and the surrounding streets. The finest designer stores are around Via Condotti, whilst Via del Corso has more affordable clothing, and Via Cola di Rienzo, and the surroundings of Via del Tritone, Campo de'Fiori, and Pantheon are the places to go for cheaper items. Upim is a good shop for cheap clothing of workable quality. Some brands (like Miss Sixty and Furla) are excellent, some are not as good - be sure to feel garments and try them on. There are also great quality shoes and leather bags at prices that compare well with the UK and US. Clothes in sizes bigger than a UK size 16/US 12 aren't always easy to find. Children's clothing can be expensive with basic vests (tank tops) costing as much as €21 in non-designer shops. If you really need to buy clothiers for kids try the Oviesse chain. Summer sales in many stores begin around July 15 and Rome also has New Year sales.

As mentioned above, Via Condotti is Rome's top haute couture fashion street (equivalent of Fifth Avenue in New York City, Via Montenapoleone in Milan, or Bond Street in London). Here, you can find big brand names such as Gucci, Armani, Dior, Valentino and Hermès, and several other high-class shops. However, the streets around the Via Condotti, such as Via Frattina, Via del Babuino, Via Borgognona and the Piazza di Spagna also offer some excellent high fashion boutiques, including Roberto Cavalli, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, Prada and Givenchy (and several others). So once in the city, the big boutique names aren't absent. In these luxurious streets, however, you needn't only do clothing shopping - there are some really good and funky jewellery (e.g. Bulgari, Cartier, Tiffany's & Co.), pen and accessory (i.e. Mont Blanc) and artsy stores peppered here and there in these streets.

For department stores, Milan-based luxury department store chain La Rinascente has two flagship branches in Rome; one along Via de Tritone, near the Trevi Fountain, in which you can see the Roman aqueduct carrying water to the Trevi Fountain in the basement, and the other one on Piazza Fiume.

If you want to spend a day in a large shopping mall , there's the Euroma2 with about 230 shops (mainly clothes and accessories) and restaurants, to be found near the EUR district. Take Metro B line from Termini to EUR Palasport station, cross the road and take the frequent free bus (ride takes 5–15 minutes) to the mall. In addition to many shops and food, the conditioned air and free toilets may be a welcome relief if you are in Rome during mid-summer.

There are lots of fake plastic 'Louis Vuitton' bags being sold at the side of the road. Be aware, that buying of fake products is illegal in Italy. Fines up to €1000 have been reported. If you are happy to take the risk, make sure you haggle; unsuspecting tourists pay up to €60 for them.

If you want to buy souvenirs or gifts, a museum would be the worst choice since there are many stalls along the streets of tourist areas that offer reasonable prices. It is likely that the same item in the gift shop of any museum will cost much more.

Factory outlets [ edit ]

• Castel Romano . Near Rome, along the Via Pontina highway. A very large Factory Outlet with more than 100 branded shops. A car is needed to reach the place but a 30% discount in a designer shop is surely worth the 20 km (12 mi) trip.  
• [dead link] Valmontone . A little further away from Rome than Castel Romano, you can find Valmontone outlet on the motorway towards Napoli just 50 km (31 mi) far from Rome. Valmontone itself is a delightful little town - 30 mins by train.  

Eat [ edit ]

Rome is full of good restaurants, many in attractive settings, particularly when you sit outside in the evening. No one location can be recommended to search for a good restaurant: some of the best places to eat are in the most unpromising locations while well-situated restaurants can often live on their reputation rather than the quality of their food. Restaurants in guidebooks can be good but prices can be inflated because it is more than likely a "tourist trap". To find an authentic restaurant that won't break the bank, try to find a place in a more residential area or somewhere that isn't in the middle of the tourist locations.

Many of the good restaurants in Rome are hard to find, but a good tip is to go where Italians live and eat. The downside is that waitstaff at these restaurants usually do not speak English, so be prepared to have to speak some Italian. On the top of the green, old mountain (Monte Verde Vecchio) there are some trattorias with authentic Italian cuisine at an affordable price. Rome also has many beautiful spots to eat, so buying some delicacies to make up a picnic can be a great experience. In Via Marmorata you find Volpetti's which is known for its amazing selection of cheese, prosciutto and delicious pastries (and also for its prices!). A more affordable choice is to go to a local supermarket which will also have good fresh foods for lunch.

Pizza [ edit ]

Most pizza restaurants serve it only in the evening. Try some of the fried things like baccala (battered salt cod) for a starter, followed by a pizza for a really Roman meal. Roman pizzas tend to be very thin crusted. Avoid the tourist areas where you'll often pay double the going rate just to get a badly reheated frozen pizza. Your best bet is to cross the river and find a restaurant in Trastevere--the food is authentic and a lot cheaper than in the rest of downtown Rome. Make sure you eat it with a fork and knife; Romans don't eat this kind of pizza with their hands.

Pizza al Taglio is pizza with a thicker crust, cooked in a large pan. This is served by the piece, usually to take away, and is a good cheap way to get something to fill you up. Point to the one you want, indicate if you want more or less than your server is indicating with the knife. It's sold by weight (the listed price is usually per 100 g, known as an etto , short for ettogrammo , i.e. hectogram). This kind of pizza is eaten with the slices stacked on top of each other like a sandwich.

Ice cream [ edit ]

Look for a gelateria . Remember that it usually costs extra to sit inside. You pay for your ice cream first...take your receipt and go fight your way through the throng to choose your flavors (Italians don't believe in lines). You will be asked " Panna? " when it's almost made - this is the offer of whipped cream on top. If you've already paid, this is free.

There are a few signs to keep in mind: " Produzione Propria " (homemade - our own production), " Nostra Produzione " (our production), " Produzione Artigianale " (production by craftsmen). If the colours seem dull and almost ugly it is probably natural, the bright colours being just a mix. Keep in mind, Italians usually won't queue, but if they are in line for gelato, get in line yourself: you may have hit the jackpot. Producers to try include Gelato di San Crispino ; Giolitti ; and Fassi .

Vegetarians [ edit ]

Vegetarians should have an easy time. Buffets in many restaurants usually have a good range of delicious vegetarian stuff - e.g. gratinated roast peppers/aubergines, etc. Vegans should do all right too; pizzas don't always have cheese - a Marinara for example, is just tomato, garlic and oregano.

Kosher dining [ edit ]

While there is not much choice, at least Rome's Kosher cooking is truly excellent. Try La Taverna del Ghetto in the heart of the Jewish Quarter.

More places can be found near the synagogue in via Padova, close to the "La Sapienza" university and the Bologna underground station.

Pricing [ edit ]

You can get cheap food in Rome, the problem is that if you don't know the city well or are forced to eat out in the centre, the prices go up.

• €3.50 - You buy the pizza and eat it walking around, since it's a bread shop with no sitting area. You can choose how much you want to eat, but you'll be spending about €2 per slice + about €1.50 for a can of soda or €1 for water.
• €15-20 - At lunchtime if you go to a restaurant you'll be spending between €15 for a set menu (not always good, try to go where you see Italian office people having their lunch as your best bet) and €20. For this you should get a pasta dish and a second course (meat) ending with coffee. Obviously if you have special wine the price will increase.
• €20 - At night you can spend about €20 at a pizza restaurant or if you have only one main course. Again, if you have special wine it will cost more. The cheapest food you can get at a decent restaurant is a pizza marinara (that is, without cheese) for about €6. The price goes up from there depending on the toppings.
• €20+ - For a sit down lunch or dinner in a restaurant €20 is cheap and if you want you can go up to €200 a head.

Chinese restaurants are still quite cheap but other ethnic restaurants (Thai, Indian) are generally expensive (think €30 upwards per person). Sushi is very expensive (€40 minimum per person).

Waiters have been known to take advantage of patrons by bringing more expensive items than what was ordered or asking for a tip although it's not mandatory and should be included in the price by law.

Drink [ edit ]

Coffee [ edit ].

Starbucks has long avoided Rome, but in April 2023 the first one appeared in the center of Rome. And no wonder: Italian coffee is great so our friends from Seattle would face a lot of competition. A latte in Italian is just a glass of milk. If you're expecting coffee in that glass, you should ask for a caffe latte . A latte macchiato (meaning "marked") is steamed milk stained with a smaller shot of espresso. "Espresso" or "normale" is just that, but more commonly just referred to as caffe . Espresso doppio means a double shot of espresso, while espresso macchiato is espresso 'marked' with a dab of steamed milk. Americano — the one to order if you like filter coffee — is espresso diluted with hot water and not drunk much by Italians. Cappuccino is well known outside of Italy, but be warned: it is considered very un-classy, and somewhat childish, to order one after 11AM (and certainly after a meal). Decaffeinato is self-explanatory, but often referred to by the common brand-name Caffe Hag .

Wine and water [ edit ]

House wines are almost always drinkable and inexpensive (unlike, say, in the UK). You are better off ordering a bottle rather than house wine in most establishments in Rome due to some places watering down their wines. You may often find a bottle of wine on the table for you. Believe it or not: this bottle will be less expensive than a glass would be in the US or UK, possibly only €4 or €5. This does not always apply to those places that look really tourist-trap-like! Slightly better quality wines are usually sold at a relatively small mark-up on shop prices. Most Romans drink water with their meals. In restaurants it normally comes in 1 litre bottles and can be had normale (still water) or gassata (carbonated water).

Water is free at designated water fountains , called "nasone" (big nose). Some of these date back to ancient times, and the water is still very good. It's fresh spring water coming from the famous underground springs of Rome and is safe to drink. If you carry an empty bottle, fill it up for the rest of the day. Look for the drinking fountain with constant running water, plug the bottom hole, and cool water will shoot up from a smaller hole on top of the tap. Don't put your lips round the hole at the bottom, as stray dogs tend to like to get a drink.

Before dinner [ edit ]

Pre-dinner drinks ( aperitivi ) accompanied with small hors d'oeuvres (antipasti) are very popular with Romans: 1) chic yuppies in their 20s-30s crowd the area around Piazza delle Coppelle (behind the Parliament) and Piazza di Pietra (near the Chamber of Commerce); 2) younger generations sprawl around the square and streets of Campo de' Fiori ; 3) everyone sits to drink in the narrow streets behind the Pantheon ( Piazza Pasquino and Via del Governo Vecchio ).

Clubbing & Night Life [ edit ]

Given a heart for exploration, Testaccio is the place to wander for after-dinner partying on the weekends. Head down there around 23:00 (take metro Line B and get off at Piramide station) and listen for music. There are usually loads of people simply walking through the streets or looking for parking. Be brave, walk in, meet some wonderful Romans. This area is best in the winter. In the summer, the dancing moves to Ostia and Fregene, 45 minutes by car from Rome, at the seaside. Many clubs in Rome close in the summer months.

Many visitors like to go on Roman pub crawls. The Colosseum Pub Crawl for example, has been throwing parties since 1999.

To the east of Termini Station , and near the first University of Rome "La Sapienza", is the San Lorenzo district, where you will find many pubs and clubs where university students and young Romans in their twenties spend their nights. On Saturday night the streets are crowded with people moving from one pub to another. On the city side of the railway, near Santa Maria Maggiore Cathedral, are some great Irish pubs, i.e. the Fiddler's Elbow , the oldest in Rome, where many English-speaking residents and Italian customers like to sip their pints. It's a good place to meet Romans who speak English. Also nearby are the Druid's Den and the Druid's Rock .

On Via Nazionale there's a huge and beautiful pub called The Flann o'Brien [dead link] , one of the biggest in Rome. On the same street near Piazza Venezia there is another cluster of pubs including The Nag's Head Scottish Pub . After 22.00 it's very expensive as it becomes more like a disco. Entrance with first drink costs €13 and drinks cost €8. Before midnight they sometimes host live music concerts. In the same area, at the beginning of Via Vittorio Emanuele II you can find The Scholar's Lounge Irish pub with nice music. This is definitely worth a look but there is no room to dance. During winter American colleges students residents in Rome end up their highly alcoholic nights here. Also nearby there's the Trinity College Irish Pub . Drinks are quite expensive there.

Also on Via Vittorio Emanuele, near Piazza Navona , there's the Bulldog's Inn English pub . DJs play very good music there and there's room to dance, although few do. Nearby in Campo dei fiori there are several crowded pubs. Beware, there have been huge and serious fights there. In the narrow streets behind Piazza Navona there are also many places to go. Try Jonathan's Angels in Via del Fico. Also the Abbey Theatre Irish pub is a good place in Via del Governo Vecchio.

On the other side of the River Tiber (Tevere) is Trastevere district where there are many places to eat and drink. This is also a good place where to enjoy a walk in crowded streets at night. In summer time on Isola Tiberina , the island in the Tiber, temporary bar are built and there are all sorts of things to do.

Far from the centre there are some other good places. The Palacavicchi in a small suburban town called Ciampino is a multi-dance room area where they play different kinds of music, mostly Latin American. You definitely need to get a cab to get there and it won't cost less than €20. South of Ciampino Airport there is The Ice Club for ice skating, and the Kirby's [dead link] and the Geronimo pubs. All of them are nice places. At the Geronimo pub before midnight there usually are live music concerts with many bands covering different genres. On Friday and Saturday nights after the concert they play disco music. Entrance is free and you may drink and eat as you feel. Very cool place and for every budget. Unfortunately you need a cab to get there.

Those Romans who speak fluent English usually have a great deal of confidence with tourists, so just offer them a beer and they will be glad to share with you their tip & tricks about night life in Rome.

Discos: There are many beautiful discos. Unfortunately the city is huge and it's not very easy to find them, unless you have a very good guide.

The best way to start is from the most established ones: Piper, Gilda, Alien, all of them run by the Midra Srl [dead link] . Their website is nothing to write home about but can be used to discover telephone numbers and addresses. Gilda is near the Spanish Steps, and the others not too far from Termini station. During summer they close to move to the seaside of Fregene (north of Fiumicino and Ostia) where Gilda on the Beach can be found.

A pint of beer in pubs usually costs around €6, entrance in discos around €20 with first drink included. Drinks in discos cost around €10.

Gay travellers [ edit ]

One of the places to be on Friday nights is Giardino delle Rose in via Casilina Vecchia 1 (rather central but reachable only by taxi): a luxurious garden with open-air bars and tables. Two large discos are Mucca Assassina in via del Gazometro and Classico in via Ostiense. During the week the main meeting place after dinner is Coming Out (a bar right in front of the Colosseum) where crowds of gay Romans and tourists gather in and outside, all year round but overwhelmingly crowded during the summer or late-night clubs such as Hangar in Via in Selci (Metro Line A, get off at Manzoni station). The best sauna (open 24 hours during week ends) is Europa Multiclub in via Aureliana (behind Piazza Esedra, Metro Line A Repubblica station). A meeting spot for gays day and (especially) night is Monte Caprino , the park on the Palatine hill behind the City Hall (Piazza Venezia) with spectacular views over the temples and ruins of ancient Rome.

Sleep [ edit ]

The area to the southwest of Termini railway station has numerous large hotels; these are used in particular by groups and coach parties. On the other side of the station are many smaller, fairly inexpensive, hotels that are popular with individual travellers. Perhaps the best choice for a first-time visitor is to stay right downtown, (such as near the Pantheon ). Most attractions are walking distance from there, and you will save much transportation time and leave more for enjoying the city. Hotels in the downtown area are costly, but a good apartment is a decent alternative, especially for couples and if you don't mind cooking yourself from time to time: it will save even more of your budget.

Offering of short term apartment rentals is enormous. Many apartments can be booked directly through the owner, but most owners make arrangements via rental agencies, both large and small. When looking for a hotel or an apartment in Rome, take note that the price of accommodations varies significantly from month to month, depending on the typical number of tourists. Always check prices at your accommodation for your specific dates.

Being as it is one of the world's most popular tourist destinations, there are many choices as to where to stay, and you will have the choice of whatever type of accommodation you wish.

Rome's city council levies an accommodation tax. This is €2 per night per person for campsites up to three-star hotels and €6 a night for four- and five-star hotels. This fee can only be paid in cash, and is supposed to be for the restoration of Rome's crumbling ruins.

Hotel listings can be found in the appropriate districts , and should be added there. Please do not add listings here.

Camping [ edit ]

There are at least two campsites near Rome, they are:

• Camping Tiber , Via Tiberina Km. 14, Prima Porta ( On Rome's ringroad, take exit No 6 Via Flaminia, if arriving by public transport, take the ground-level Roma-Nord Subway leaving from Piazza Flaminia towards Prima Porta, from there there is a free shuttle service to the Camp Site ), ☏ +39 06 33610733 , fax : +39 06 33612314 . On the bank of the river from which it draws its name. To the north of the city. There's a minimarket, a pool, a restaurant and a bar.  
• Happy Valley ( In the hills north of the city at Via Prato della Corte 1915, Prima Porta-Cassia Bis, Roma. Take exit no 5 from Rome's ring road and head towards Cassia-Veientana. If you take public transport, take the ground-level Roma-Nord Subway leaving from Piazza Flaminia towards Prima Porta and wait for the free shuttle bus service. ), ☏ +39 06-33626401 , fax : +39 06-33613800 . It has a pool, a bar, a restaurant and a minimarket.  

Connect [ edit ]

As of Sept 2021, Rome has 5G from all Italian carriers. Wifi is widely available in public places.

• Via del Corso, Largo Goldoni , ☏ +39 06 68136061 .  
• Castel Sant'Angelo, Piazza Pia , ☏ +39 06 68809707 .  
• Fori Imperiali, Piazza Tempio della Pace , ☏ +39 06 69924307 .  
• Piazza Navona, Piazza delle Cinque Lune , ☏ +39 06 68809240 .  
• Via Nazionale, Piazza delle Esposizioni , ☏ +39 06 47824525 .  
• Trastevere, Piazza San Sonnino , ☏ +39 06 58333457 .  
• San Giovanni in Laterano, Piazza San Giovanni , ☏ +39 06 77203535 .  
• Santa Maria Maggiore, Via dell_OLmata , ☏ +39 06 4740995 .  
• Termini (arrivals), Piazza dei Cinquecenti , ☏ +39 06 47825194 .  
• Termini, Galleria Gommata, Terminal 4 , ☏ +39 06 48906300 .  
• Fontana di Trevi, Via Marco Mingehtti , ☏ +39 06 3782988 .  

Respect [ edit ]

Romans regularly interact with foreigners and tourists; it shouldn't be hard to find friendly help provided you know some Italian. As for most every place in Italy, just be polite and you won't have much trouble.

If you hit someone with your luggage or shoulder while walking on a street, say "sorry" ( Mi scusi ): despite being very busy, Rome is not London or New York and going ahead is considered bad behaviour, while a little apology will be satisfactory.

In buses or trains, let older people have your seat if there's no space available. The gesture will be appreciated. Romans, and Italians as well, are very chaotic while in a queue, and often "clump" without any particular order: It's considered impolite, but they do it anyway. Be careful while driving, as Romans often drive frantically and bend the rules to cope with the heavy traffic.

Stay safe [ edit ]

Rome is generally a safe place, even for women traveling alone. However, there have been rape cases around the Roma Termini train station, so be careful especially at night time. There is very little violent crime, but plenty of scams and pickpocketing that target tourists. As in any other big city, it is better if you don't look like a tourist : don't exhibit your camera to all and sundry, and keep your money in a safe place. Consciousness and vigilance are your best insurances for avoiding becoming a victim of a crime in Rome. Remember, if you are pickpocketed or victim of another scam, don't be afraid to shout, "Aiuto, al ladro!" ( Help, Thief! ) Romans will not be nice to the thief.

Members of the Italian public are likely to be sympathetic if you are a crime victim. Police are also generally friendly if not always helpful. Carabinieri (black uniform, red striped trousers) are military police, and Polizia (blue and grey uniform) are civilians, but they both do essentially the same thing and are equally good, or bad. If you are robbed, try to find a police station and report it. This is essential to establishing a secure insurance claim and to replace documents: the chances of it resulting in the return of your possessions are, however, fairly remote.

Rome is home to two rival Serie A football (soccer) clubs, A.S. Roma and S.S. Lazio, and there is a history of conflict, and even rioting, between the two. Never wear anything that shows that you support either of them, especially during the Rome Derby (when the two clubs play each other, known in Italian as the Derby della Capitale ): avoid even wandering into groups of supporters of the other club, or you may be subject to heckling or even confrontation. Play it safe and refrain from openly supporting either club unless you are very familiar with the rivalry. If you are a fan of a foreign team that is playing in Rome, be very careful as a number of supporters have been stabbed over the past few years.

Rome has its fair share of odd people: talkative panhandlers, crazy taxi drivers, lonely people wanting to just have a chat with strangers, people trying to sell you things, and so on. If you don't want to acknowledge anyone, do what most Italian people do: completely ignore them, shoo them off, or simply say you don't have anything to give to them or you are not interested.

Pickpocketing [ edit ]

Since Rome is incredibly popular as a tourist destination, a great deal of pickpocketing and bag or purse snatching takes place, especially in crowded locations, and pickpocketers in Rome can get pretty crafty. A 2010 study found that Rome was second only to Barcelona for pickpocketing of tourists. As a rule, you should pretty much never carry anything very valuable in any outside pocket , especially the front pocket of your pants is one of the easiest and most common targets. Keeping your wallet in your front pocket or in your bag is far from safe. You should consider using a money belt and carry only the cash for the day in your pocket. Pickpocketing on the Metro is rife in the form of gangs of young girls (8 to 12 years old) who jump on the trains just as they are about to leave. They buffet you and have bags to hide where their hands are. You have been warned!

Also, beware of thieves—one popular technique that they use is to ride by you on a moped, slice the strap of a handbag with a knife, and ride off. They might also try to cut the bottom of your bag open and pick your wallet from the ground. Others will use the old trick of one person trying to distract you (asking for a cigarette or doing a strange dance) while another thief picks your pockets from behind. Bands of beggar kids will sometimes crowd you and reach for your pockets under the cover of newspapers or cardboard sheets. It is generally a good idea to be extremely wary of any strange person who gets too close to you, even in a crowd. If someone is in your personal space, shove the person away. As one frequent traveller put it, "Don't be afraid to be a dick in Rome." It is better to be rude than to be stolen from.

Termini (the main railway station), Esquilino, bus line 64 (Termini to San Pietro), and the Trevi fountain are well known for pickpockets, so take extra care in these areas. On the Metro especially, pickpockets are extremely skilled. Remember that hotel rooms are not safe places for valuables; if your room has no safe, give your valuables to the hotel staff for safekeeping. Even if it does have a safe, hotels normally warn that they have no liability unless items are deposited in the main safe. Be wary while boarding or getting off the metro/train, especially if doors are about to close/closing. Thieves pretend to be helpful by pressing the 'door open' button for you, and while you gratefully squeeze into the train and catch your breath, they'll sidle up to you and pick your pocket or dip into your handbag or purse. Be aware of the danger and take the usual precautions and you should be all right.

Tourist scams [ edit ]

Being one of the most visited cities in the world, tourist scams are rampant in Rome. Many of the more well-aware Italians are quite ashamed of this. As obvious as it may sound, do not acknowledge people you don't know, and more importantly, do not tell them about who you are; you don't know what they're capable of doing.

A particular scam is when some plainclothes police will approach you, asking to look for "drug money," or ask to see your passport. This is a scam to take your money. You can scare them by asking for their ID. Guardia di Finanza (the grey uniformed ones) do customs work.

Another scam involves men working near the Spanish Steps, around Piazza Navona, and outside of the Colosseum. They approach you, asking where you are from, and begin to tie bracelets around your wrists. When they are done they will try to charge you upwards of €20 for each bracelet. If anyone makes any attempt to reach for your hand, retract quickly. If you get trapped, you can refuse to pay, but this may not be wise if there are not many people around. Carry small bills or just change, in your wallet, so if you find yourself in cornered to pay for the bracelet, you can convince them that €1 or €2 is all you have.

When taking a taxi , be sure to remember license number written on the card door. In seconds, people have had a taxi bill risen by €10 or even more. When giving money to taxi driver, be careful.

Be careful of con-men who may approach you at tourist sights such as the Colosseum or Circus Maximus. A car may pull up next to you, and the driver asks you for directions to the Vatican. He will strike up a conversation with you while he sits in his car and tell you he is a sales representative for a large French fashion house. He will then tell that you he likes you and he would like to give you a gift of a coat worth several thousand euros. As you reach inside his car to take the bag the coat is in, he will ask you for €200 for gas, as his car is nearly empty. Around tourist sites like the Trevi Fountain, Colosseum and the Spanish Steps there are groups mostly of men trying to sell cheap souvenirs. They may also carry roses and say they are giving you a gift because they like you, but the minute you take their 'gift' they demand money. They are often very insistent and often the only way to get rid of them is to be plain rude. Do the best you can to not take their "gifts" as they will follow you around asking for money. Simply saying "no" or "go away" will get them off your back until the next vendor comes up to you.

Be wary of ticket touts outside popular tourist attractions such as the Colosseum. A large bulk of ticket touts hail from South Asia and some of them even claim to be working as "staff members". A genuine staff member at an attraction you are visiting will never ask you to pay heaps of money just to skip the crowd, tell you inaccurate information about the place you are visiting, and so on. These touts are simply looking for ways to waste your time and fleece your money. Be warned that some of them can be quite pushy, so don't feel the need to be polite if you are being pestered by a tout. As a general rule, only buy tickets from official venues and always check the website (if they have one) of the place you intend to visit. As a tourist, you can do your part in making Rome an even better place by reporting these touts to the right authorities.

Be careful and wary of people who sell you fake products on the streets. Quite ever so often you may run into people (usually recent immigrants from South Asia and Africa ) selling fake products (purses, toys, and the like) on the streets. Under Italian law, it is illegal to purchase counterfeit goods and you can incur heavy fines for doing so. The people who sell you these fake products know it is illegal to sell fake products, but they do it anyways to make a living. Only buy from reputed stores.

Be wary of places to change currency. Read ALL signs before changing money. Oftentimes places set up just for currency exchange will add as much as a 20% service fee on all money being traded. The shops near the Vatican have especially high service fees, whereas places near the Trevi Fountain will be more reasonable. The best bet is to change enough money before you leave your home country. There are few places around the city that are under the table and are just interested in American money. These places charge no service fee.

Emergencies [ edit ]

In an emergency, call 112 (Carabinieri), 113 (Police), 118 (medical first aid) or 115 (firemen). Carry the address of your embassy or consulate.

On anything else you may need for your Rome holiday, you can contact the official help line of the Minister of Tourism 039.039.039. From Monday to Sunday, from 9.00 to 22.00, in seven languages seven days a week.

Cope [ edit ]

• Police . To report theft you should generally go to the Carabinieri station nearest where the theft occurred. Ask people at the scene of the crime where to go.
• Left Luggage Termini . You can leave luggage at Termini but they have a lot of security and only one X-ray machine so there can be a +100 people queue. It costs about €4 per bag (of any size) for the first 5 hours, €0.80 per bag for each hour thereafter. There's a sign limiting bags to 20 kg each, but no facility for weighing them, so it's probably not enforced.
• Splashnet laundry, internet, left luggage , Via Varesi 33, 100 m west of Termini. €2 per luggage left (and 15 min of internet included).

Embassies [ edit ]

Consulates [ edit ], go next [ edit ].

• The Etruscan site of Cerveteri
• Head to Frascati , one of the historic hill towns to the South East of Rome known as the Castelli Romani . This town has been a popular destination for centuries away from the hustle and bustle of the capital, and this is still true today. Famous worldwide for its white wine, Frascati is a relaxed hill town with a slower pace of life. Just 21 km (13 mi) from Rome, Frascati is accessible by bus or train. Trains run from Roma Termini approximately every hour, take about 30 minutes, and cost around €2. Also in the Castelli is Castel Gandolfo , the summer residence of the Pope. The town overlooks Lake Albano, a popular weekend trip for Romans in the summer. Also accessible by bus and train but there are several interesting towns and villages in the Castelli so hiring a car for the day would be well-rewarded.
• Head to Ostia Antica , the ancient harbor and military colony of Rome. It is accessible by Metro every 30 minutes from Stazione Piramide (near the Pyramid). It is a monumental area a bit like the Colosseum district, but in Ostia Antica you can get an impression how a Roman city really looked.
• Consider a day trip to Tivoli to see the Villa d'Este with its famous and glorious fountains. Check out the Emperor Hadrian's Villa while you are out there. Hourly trains from Tiburtina; fewer on Sundays.
• Understand the Second World War in Italy by visiting the Anzio beachhead area, the landing museum at Anzio and Monte Cassino .
• Canterano , a picturesque village with strange legends just a few km away.
• Civitavecchia , the port of Rome, is the point of arrival and departure of hundreds of ships, cruises, and ferries travelling all around the Mediterranean. From here it is possible to reach Sardinia , Corsica , Sicily , Spain , France , some other small islands, and even north Africa . A good transportation system links the port to the Eternal City, e.g., see "Get in" "By train" above.
• Explore the Etruscan sites of Tarquinia and Vulci .
• Discover the papal city of Viterbo , well-known medieval and thermal destination (about 1 and half hours from Rome)
• Palestrina is a centre 40 km (25 mi) from Rome, rich in archaeological remains from the Roman time. Among the things to see: the Pagan Temple of the Goddess " Fortuna " , the National Archaeological Museum (housed in the Renaissance Palazzo Barberini), the Roman Forum and the Nilotic Mosaic .
• Visit Naples and the famed islands in its gulf, Capri , Ischia and Procida . Naples is 1 hour away by high speed train.
• Especially if you have a rail pass, making Pompeii a day trip, while it is a very full day, is very doable. To reach Pompeii from Rome will take about 3 hours.

By air [ edit ]

Rome has ultra-low-cost flights to destinations in Italy, to several European countries and to Egypt , Georgia , Israel , Armenia , Jordan and Morocco . (updated May 2022)

• UNESCO World Heritage Sites
• UNESCO tag to be fixed
• UNESCO Creative Cities
• Has custom banner
• Huge city articles
• Huge cities with more than 10 districts
• Has mapframe
• Maps with non-default alignment
• Maps with non-default size
• Airport listing
• Has map markers
• Articles with dead external links
• Do listing with no coordinates
• Buy listing with no coordinates
• Sleep listing with no coordinates
• Has routebox
• Usable cities
• Usable articles
• City articles
• Cities with categories
• Metropolitan Rome
• All destination articles
• Has Geo parameter
• Articles with districts discussion
• Pages with maps

Navigation menu

What To See In Rome’s Historic City Center

Centro Storico is the most picturesque part of Rome.

It’s a tangle of cobbled alleyways, Renaissance and Baroque monuments, ancient ruins, and pretty piazzas. This is the historic Rome that so many visitors come to see.

My walking tour of central Rome starts at the Vittorio Emmanuel II Monument in Piazza Venezia and ends at Piazza del Popolo. You can easily reverse the order and start at the Piazza del Popolo, if that’s closer to where you’re staying.

This walking tour through central Rome includes stops at 20+ of the most famous places in Rome — the top attractions, monuments, palaces, and landmarks.

I’ve listed these destinations in the order you’ll encounter them on this walk, which involves a bit of zig zagging around to see everything in Central Rome. I’ve given you the addresses too, which you can put in your phone GPS.

Unlike other large European cities like Paris , Central Rome is compact. Most of the attractions are clumped together and easy to cover on foot.

I’ve listed the time it takes to walk between each attraction to help you plan, which is typically just a few minutes.

Visiting all the sites on this list thoroughly could easily take a few days in Rome, especially if you opt to go inside to explore. If you are just strolling, you can definitely see them all in one day.

This guide only covers Rome’s city center. It doesn’t cover the Imperial sites to the east or Vatican City to the west.

But, if you want to know more about those attractions, here are my guides to the Colosseum , the Roman Forum , Palatine Hill , and the Vatican Museums .

You can follow my itinerary for a DIY stroll. Or you can book a  3 hour guided walking tour or  private walking tour  of this beautiful part of Rome.

20+ Must Visit Attractions and Best Stops in Central Rome

1. vittorio emmanuel ii monument.

Your day begins at the Vittorio Emmanuel II Monument located in Piazza Venezia, Rome’s central hub. It’s a breathtaking spot, with the white marble of the Vittoriano taking center stage.

Romans either love or hate the supersized monument. It’s nicknamed the “wedding cake” or “typewriter” monument.

The gleaming edifice was built to honor Italy’s first king. The 43 foot long statue of Vittorio in front is one of the world’s largest equestrian monuments.

You can go up the steps and admire it for free. Inside, there are cafes and a museum, with views from the cafe terrace and other spots.

But what most people fail to do is go around back. There’s an elevator that takes you up to the tip top for some of the best views in Rome.

The elevator is expensive at 10 euros. But it’s completely worthwhile. From the terrace, you have stunning views of the Roman Forum, Via dei Fori Imperiali, Piazza del Popolo, and the dome of St. Peter’s.

>>> Click here to book a ticket for the glass elevator

2. Santa Maria in Ara Coeli

Time from the Vittoriano : 1 minute

Before you leave Piazza Venezia and head west, go around back to explore the Basilica of Santa Maria in Ara Coeli. It’s one of the most beautiful churches in Rome .

Ara Coeli means “altar of heaven.” The church is hidden behind an austere brick facade once covered with mosaics.

The original church dates from the 6th century. But the church you see today is from the 14th century. During the Middle Ages, the church was used as the meeting place for the Roman Senate.

Inside, there’s a large nave with 22 ancient granite columns separating the aisles. According to an inscription, one column came from the  House of Augustus  on  Palatine Hill .

The church is mostly known for its beautiful frescos by Pinturicchio, an important early Renaissance artist. They’re located in the Chapel of Bernardino of Siena.

Pinturicchio completed the frescos in 1484. The frescos have grotesque motifs, inspired by ancient frescos that had just been discovered in  Nero’s Golden House .

The church has a spectacular gilded wooden ceiling, dating from the 16th century. The ceiling commemorates the Christian Victory of Leptano over the muslims.

Other things to look for are the high altar with a Byzantine madonna icon, Bernini’s marble memorial to Pope Urban VIII, a tabernacle by the Florentine sculptor-architect Arnolfo di Cambio, and the tombstone of Donatello .

3. Palazzo Doria Pamphilj

Time from Santa Maria in Ara Coeli : 8 minutes

Then, head north just a few minutes to my personal favorite palace museum in Rome , the  Palazzo Doria Pamphilj . The museum provides a near overdose art high.

The museums holds a princely collection of 17th century works, one of the most impressive private collections in Europe. The museum is one of Rome’s hidden gems .

It’s housed in a lavish Roman-Rococo palace. Every inch of the walls and ceilings are decorated with beautiful frescos, tapestries, and glittering chandeliers.

The art collection was meticulously assembled and is still owned by a powerful Italian family, the Doria Pamphilj (pronounced Pom-fee-lee). The museum boasts over 700 works spanning the 15th to 18th centuries. There are rare master works by  Bernini ,  Caravaggio , Velazquez, Titian, Carracci, and Bruegel.

The Doria Pamphilj’s most famous painting is Velazquez’s  Portrait of Pope Innocent X . He’s portrayed as a stern intimidating figure. The painting is housed in its own room behind glass.

The portrait was so individualized that the pope remarked “It is too true!” Nearby is Bernini’s marble bust of the same pope.

Of special note are two rare Caravaggio paintings, the  Penitent Magdelene  and the beautiful  The Rest on the Flight Into Egypt . They’re on display in the splendid Aldobrandini Room.

A Doria Pamphilj prince narrates the audio guide with amusing historical detail and insight. Click  here  to book an entrance ticket.

4. Largo di Torre Argentina

Time from Palazzo Doria Pamphilj : 8 minutes

After visiting the palazzo, head west to Largo di Torre Argentina. It’s another must visit attraction in central Rome, especially for history buffs. This is the site of Julius Caesar’s assassination on the Ides of March in 44 B.C.

Caesar was assassinated by a conspiracy of senators under the guise of “liberty.” They feared Caesar would crown himself king. The assassination was one of the most pivotal moments of the Roman Republic.

What the assassins didn’t predict is that Caesar’s death would make him a martyr. It incited civil wars that led to the downfall of the republic and the rise of the Roman Empire .

Previously, the ruins of the Largo could only be admired from a street level viewing platform. In June 2023, the site opened to the public. You can now go down and admire the ruins close up from walkways.

You can visit four Republican era pagan temples and the ruins of the Theater of Pompey. The theater was built in 55 B.C. by the great military general Pompey the Great.

The curia (meeting house) of the theater was where the Roman senators met after they had outgrown the senate house in the Roman Forum.

There’s also a fenced off feral Cat Sanctuary onsite. It’s protected and funded by an animal protection organization.

5. Campo de Fiori

Time from Largo Torre di Argentina : 4 minutes

Your next stop in central Rome is the Campo de Fiori. It’s Rome’s colorful and chaotic market square. Campo dei Fiori name means “field of flowers.” 

In the market, you’ll find stalls with fresh produce. You can pick up some souvenirs like olive oil, pasta, or limoncello. You can book a 4 hour guided food tour that includes the market .

Piazza Campo de Fiori was also the place where heretics were once executed. In the center is a statue of Giordano Bruno.

He was a 16th century friar and philosopher who was burned at the stake for his radical scientific theories. In the 19th century, Bruno became a martyr in the cause of freedom of thought.

Tip : If you are in the area and hungry, Verso Sera is a great little trattoria.

>>> Click here to book an evening walking tour of the Campo de Fiori

6. Palazzo della Cancelleria

Time from Campo de Fiori : 1 minute

Right next to Campo de Fiori is the Palazzo Cancelleria. Built between 1485 and 1511, the palace was the first true Renaissance palace in Rome. It was one of the most influential architectural projects of the 15th century.

The palace combines elements of Renaissance architecture from Florence, Urbino, and Rome. Despite its historical significance, the palace’s architect is unknown.

In 1546, the Florentine artist Giorgio Vasari was commissioned to fresco the palace’s grand salon. The frescoes were commissioned by Cardinal Alessandro Farnese to celebrate the life of his grandfather Pope Paul III.

The frescos feature scenes from the life of the pope. The frescos are notable for their fictive architecture and complex iconography.

Vasari finished the frescos in 100 days. The salon was thereafter dubbed the “Hall of the Hundred Days.” Legend holds that Vasari bragged about the quick execution to his hero and fellow artist Michelangelo . Michelangleo tartly said “ si vede”  (“it shows”).

7. Santa Maria Sopra Minerva

Time from Palazzo Cancelleria : 2 minutes

The next attraction on your walking tour of central Rome is Santa Maria Sopra Minerva . Don’t let the basilica’s plain facade fool you. There are treasures aplenty inside. The Minerva is a mini-museum and hidden gem in Rome .

The Minerva is Rome’s only Gothic church. The basilica was founded in the 7th century and built over a Roman temple presumably dedicated to Minerva.

At the end of the 13th century, the Minerva was rebuilt in a Gothic style by a Dominican order. They added the classic blue-sky-with-gold-stars vaulted ceiling.

Inside, you’ll see frescos and sculptures by some of the greatest artists of the Renaissance and Baroque, including Michelangelo and Bernini . And a splendid collection of medieval and Renaissance tombs of famous saints, popes, artists, and influential figures.

The Carafa Chapel is the undisputed highlight of the Minerva. The chapel is famous for its magnificent 15th century frescos by Filippino Lippi, one of Sandro Botticelli’s best student.

The Carafa Chapel is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Saint Thomas Aquinas. The most famous of Lippi’s scenes is the wall fresco,  The Assumption of Our Lady,  above the altarpiece.

The fresco depicts angels carrying Mary upward to heaven. Below  The Assumption  are the frescos of the life of the Dominican theologian Saint Thomas Aquinas.

>>> Click here to book a guided tour of the Sopra Minerva and the Pantheon

8. Pantheon

Time from Sopra Minerva : 1 minute

Next, you’ll visit one of the top sites in central Rome, with a real wow factor. Without a doubt, the Pantheon is the best preserved building from Ancient Rome.

The Pantheon was a temple dedicated to all of the gods. It was originally built by Augustus’ right hand man, Marcus Agrippa, in 27 BC. But Agrippa’s version was destroyed by fire.

In 120 AD, the Pantheon was rebuilt by  Hadrian . The well-traveled emperor, a true Grecophile, reimagined it as an oversized Greek temple. He gave it 40 foot tall Corinthian granite columns from Egypt, a pediment, and portico. It was considered a masterpiece of engineering and mathematical precision.

The Pantheon’s most emblematic feature is its perfect unsupported spherical dome. At the time, it was a major architectural breakthrough.

The dome became the model for Michelangelo’s dome for St. Peter’s Basilica and for  Brunelleschi’s dome for Florence Cathedral . At the top is an oculus, or eye, which is the Pantheon’s only source of natural light.

After the fall of Rome, the Pantheon became a Christian church, which helped save it from looting at first. But eventually the interior, marble, and gold were all looted in the 7th century, although the marble floor is now lovingly recreated.

The Pantheon is filled with tombs of important Romans, including the famed Renaissance artist Raphael .

The Pantheon used to be free to visit. But as of July 3, 2023 there is a 5 euro fee. Click here to book a ticket in advance.e

9. Church of St. Louis of the French

Time from Pantheon : 3 minutes

The next thing to see on your central Rome walking tour is the Church of San Luigi dei Francesi . It was built between 1523-98 and designed by Renaissance architect Giacomo della Porta.

The church is home to some world famous frescos and paintings. The chapel on the right has paintings by Domenicichini from 1616-17.

The real highlight of the church is to the left — the Contarelli Chapel. Thanks to his early patron Cardinal Francesco Maria Del Monte, Caravaggio won a major commission to paint the chapel.

The trio of paintings Caravaggio created launched a new artistic style, the Baroque era of painting. They made him an overnight sensation in Rome. A slew of stellar commissions followed.

Caravaggio painted the biblical scenes as if they were everyday images happening on the rough and rowdy streets of Rome.

His paintings were starkly realistic and flood lit. He used chiaroscuro (strong contrasts in light and dark to achieve volume) to dramatic effect.

If you love Caravaggio, you may be interested in this 3 hour art walking tour of his works n Rome.

10. Piazza Navona

Time from Church of St. Louis of the French : 1 minute

Piazza Navona is sometimes called the Square of Fountains. The beautiful Baroque square is the very symbol of Rome.

Piazza Navona is a long rectangle flanked by ochre colored buildings. The square is always filled with tourists, artists, and street vendors. There’s also a Christmas market in the winter.

The square dates back to the time of Emperor Domitian in 86. He used it as a racetrack for chariot races and sporting matches. The buildings surrounded the piazza were once stadiums with screaming fans.

Beginning in 1652, Piazza Navona was turned into a lake in the summer. The drains of the fountains were closed and the square became flooded with water. 

Aristocrats would decorate their coaches like traditional gondolas. Sometimes there were mock naval battles. 

Today’s buildings date from the 16th century. The  Doria Pamphilj  family commissioned the Church of Sant’Agnese, the Bernini fountain, and restored the other fountains.

This area of Rome is incredibly special by night. You can book a 2 hour nighttime guided walking tour of Piazza Navona and the Trevi Fountain.

11. Church of Sant’Agnese

In Piazza Navona

The beautiful Church of Sant’Agnese in Piazza Navona was built by Borromini. He was an Italian architect who helped launch Roman Baroque architecture. 

Borromini’s works combine classicism with passion. He used concave and convex forms to animate his buildings and eschewed over-decoration.

Sant-Agnese is one of his best works. Everyone goes to Piazza Navona and admires the striking concave facade. Most people don’t step inside the church. Do it, it’s free!

The church was commissioned by Pope Innocent X, of the  Doria Pamphilj family. It stands on the site of a much older church dedicated to Saint Agnes. According to popular belief, she was martyred on this very spot.

The key element is the concave facade, a design of Borromini’s that revolutionized Baroque architecture.

It’s an ingenuous device. The facade accommodates a small space and allows the church to be seen from anywhere in Piazza Navona. 

The facade is made of white travertine limestone with three portals. Pink and white marble covers the walls inside. The bright and simple interior is filled with Baroque statues. Beautiful frescos decorate the dome.

12. Bernini’s Four Rivers Fountain

Piazza Navona is dominated by the beautiful Fountain of Four Rivers, Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi . It was designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. But Bernini almost didn’t get the commission.

Bernini had many rivals. Some had the ear of the new pope, Pope Innocent X, who succeeded Urban VIII. When Innocent X commissioned designs for the fountain from leading architects of Rome, he excluded Bernini.

One of Bernini’s allies, Nicole Ludovisi, persuaded Bernini to prepare a model of the fountain anyway. Ludovisi then displayed it in the  Palazzo Doria Pamphilj , which the pope passed through every day.

As anticipated, when the pope saw the model, he was in ecstasy. He observed: “He who desires not to use Bernini’s designs, must take care not to see them.”

So Bernini won the contest for the fountain. In it, you see four muscular statues representing the gods. They represent the four great rivers of the world: the Danube, the Ganges, the Rio del Plato, and the Nile.

The fountain is festooned with palm trees and animals. A dove representing the Doria Pamphilj family sits atop the obelisk. Rising from the fountain is an Egyptian obelisk in honor of Domitian.

The fountain faces Borromini’s church. Bernini lost the commission for the church to Borromini. Legend holds that Bernini expressed his disdain for Borromini’s project through his fountain.

The River Nile appears to hide his face from the sight of the church. The Rio del Plata god has his hands raised, as if to protect himself in case Borromini’s church falls down.

It makes for a good story, but it’s just apocryphal. The fountain was completed before the church.

13. Fountain Of Neptune

The monumental Fountain of Neptune is at the northern end of Piazza Navona. It was created by the architect Giacomo della Porta in 1574.

The fountain shows the god of the sea battling an octopus. Sea monsters, cupids, and mermaids play with dolphins.

The statue of Neptune is the work of Antonio Della Bitta. It was was added in 1878 to make that fountain more symmetrical with the Moro Fountain in the south. 

14. Church of Santa Maria della Pace

Time from Piazza Navona : 1 minute

In the center of Rome, just minutes from Piazza Navona, lies a secret church with a Baroque facade,  Santa Maria della Pace . Inside, there’s art work that you wouldn’t expect for such a small and relatively unknown church. You’ll find works by Renaissance masters such as Raphael, Baldassarre Peruzzi, and Orazio Gentileschi.

There’s another Chigi Chapel in this church. It’s decorated with a fresco of the  Sybils  by Raphael. The fresco shows four sibyls, the oracles of ancient times, accompanied by attendant angels. 

The sibyls bear a similarity to Michelangelo’s sibyls in the  Sistine Chapel  in the  Vatican Museums . The beautiful Raphael fresco was just restored in 2020.

Annexed to the church is Bramante’s Cloister , an architectural gem. It was the first building completed by the great Renaissance architect, Donato Bramante. Once a tranquil internal cloister, the space is now used for special exhibitions.

15. Palazzo Altemps

Time from Piazza Navona : 4 minutes

The 15th century Palazzo Altemps is a quiet oasis, only a few minutes away from the cacophony of the nearby Piazza Navona. It’s now part of the National Museum of Rome. It’s one of the best museums in Rome not on the standard Rome itinerary

Palazzo Altemps is definitely worth a visit if you admire ancient sculpture . The core of the collection are some superb ancient sculptures.

The collection was compiled by Ludovico Ludovisi, a nephew of Pope Gregory XV. The palace also has some lovey frescoed rooms, particularly the Sala delle Prospettive Dipinte.

The Palazzo Altempts isn’t a cluttered museum either. You’re given ample berth to view the sculptures. The major must see works include  Apollo the Lyrist , the  Ludovisi Athena , the  Ludovisi Throne , the  Grande Ludovisi Battle Sarcophagus , the  Ludovisi Ares , and (the very bloody)  Gallic Soldier and his Wife Committing Suicide .

The Grand Ludovisi Sarcophagus is especially impressive. Just look at the expressions on the Roman solider and the barbarians he’s about to slaughter.

The gory  Gallic Soldier  piece was discovered in 1621, along with the  Dying Gaul  masterpiece that’s in Rome’s  Capitoline Museums . The sculpture was found during construction of the Villa Ludovisi, which was built on land that once belonged to  Julius Caesar .

Click here to book a reserved entry ticket.

16. Piazza Colonna, Column of Marcus Aurelius

Time from Palazzo Altemps : 8 minutes

Now, it’s time to head east to the beautiful and stylish Piazza Colonna, one of Rome’s most famous squares.

In the center is the Column of Marcus Aurelius and Faustina. It was erected in 193 by the emperor’s son, Commodus, in memory of his father and mother. The piazza also holds the Palazzo Chigi, which is the official residence of Italy’s prime minister.

The column was inspired by Trajan’s Column, built in 113 CE. It’s carved in high relief with depictions of the emperor’s successful military campaigns against the Germanic tribes across the Danube in 172-75.

17. Trevi Fountain

Time from Piazza Colonna : 5 minutes

The next stop on your central Rome walking itinerary is the iconic Trevi Fountain. It’s an imposing Baroque monument designed by architect Nicola Salvi. 

The design of the Trevi Fountain was chosen thanks to a competition. Italians loved a good competition, a tradition that began in the Renaissance. 

In 1732, Pope Clement XII invited local artists to design an expansion for the existing (not so attractive) fountain at the end of the Acqua Vergine.

Salvi ultimately won the competition. But it was rumored that Galileo was the first pick. However, Galileo was from Florence , not Rome. Not a local, he was removed.

The fountain is 85 feet high and 65 feet wide, making it Rome’s largest fountain. In the center is the figure “Ocean.” Water pours from 24 spouts.

If you’re superstitious, toss a coin over your shoulder to ensure your return to Rome. On average, 3000 euros are collected each day and donated to charity.

18. Sant’Andrea delle Fratte

Time from Trevi Fountain : 5 minutes

Just north of the Trevi Fountain is the Church of Sant’Andrea delle Fratte, a must see while walking through central Rome. This 17th century basilica is dedicated to Saint Andrew.

This is where you come to admire two of Bernini’s original angels, copies of which now grace the Ponte Sant’Angelo. It’s just off the Via Veneto, not far from Piazza Barberini.

The angels are in the sides of the presbytery, which is a part of the church reserved for clergy. You can see the  Angel with the Crown of Thorns  and the  Angel with the Scroll .

19. Palazzo Barberini

Time from Sant’Andrea delle Fratte : 9 minutes

As an option, if you want, you can peel off to the east to visit the Piazza Barberini and Palazzo Barberini before heading to the Spanish Steps.

Piazza Barberini is a large piazza situated on the Quirinal Hill. It was created in the 16th century. The square was named after the Palazzo Barberini.

The palazzo is a luxurious 17th century Baroque palace-museum. It’s fully renovated and unapologetically grand. The palace is a magnificent backdrop for the Barberini’s stunning art collection, which includes masterpieces by Raphael and Caravaggio.

Click  here  for a skip the line entrance ticket. Click  here  for a 2 hour guided tour of the museum or  here  for a private tour.

20. Spanish Steps

Time from Palazzo Barberini : 9 minutes

If you skipped Palazzo Barberini, the time from Sant Andrea della Fratte : 3 minutes

The Spanish Steps are a beautiful set of steps and one of central Rome’s most recognizable landmarks. They climb a steep slope between the Piazza di Spagna at the base and Piazza Trinità dei Monti, dominated by the Trinità dei Monti church at the top.

As of 2019, you can no longer sit on the Spanish Steps. It’s classified as a national monument. 

A new law cracked down on “bad behavior” in Rome. If you’re caught sitting on the Spanish Steps, you risk paying a € 400 fine.

And, by the way, the Spanish Steps aren’t Spanish. They’re just named after the Spanish Embassy at the top of them.

21. Piazza del Popolo

Time from the Spanish Steps : 9 minutes

After leaving the Spanish steps, head west down Via Condotti. Turn right at Via del Corso to head north to the Piazza del Popolo.

Both streets offer plenty of upscale shopping. Piazza del Popolo is where the Via del Corso, Via del Babuino, and Via di Ripetta converge.

The main points of interest in the piazza are the Egyptian obelisk, three churches, and two fountains. The fountains are the Fountain of Neptune and the Fountain of Roma.

Be sure to climb up the steps to the Pincio Terrace. There, you’ll have fine views over Rome, especially at sunset.

22. Church of Santa Maria del Popolo

In Piazza del Popolo

While you’re in the Piazza del Popolo, be sure to visit Santa Maria del Popolo . It’s a beautiful basilica on the northern end of piazza. Like so many of Rome’s churches , the Popolo has an unassuming facade, but inside houses magnificent artistic treasures.

The church has a classic basilica plan — a Latin cross footprint with a nave and two side aisles. There are four chapels in each aisle and a transept with a central dome.

In the 17th century, Pope Alexander VII had Bernini give the church’s nave a Baroque makeover. Bernini designed a rather gaudy main altar.

You can find works by the greatest Renaissance and Baroque artists of the day — Caravaggio, Raphael, Bernini, Pinturicchio, and Carracci. The most famous works can be found in the Chigi Chapel and the Cerasi Chapel.

The stunning Chigi Chapel not only features sculptures by Bernini, but has paintings by  Caravaggio  and mosaics designed by Raphael. The floor mosaic is Bernini’s  Winged Death  with the Chigi coat of arms.

Sebastian del Piombo created the altarpiece painting between the Bernini sculptures. Del Piombo, a favorite of Michelangelo, used a Michelangelo cartoon to paint the  Nativity of the Virgin .

I hope you’ve enjoy my guide to central Rome. You may enjoy these other Rome travel guides and resources.

• 3 day itinerary for Rome
• 4 day itinerary for Rome
• 5 day itinerary for Rome
• Hidden gems in Rome
• Best museums in Rome
• Archaeological sites in Rome
• Guide to the Borghese Gallery
• Rome’s secret palace museums
• Guide to the Capitoline Museums

Pin it for later.

3 thoughts on “What To See In Rome’s Historic City Center”

For my particular interests as a first-time side trip while visiting Florence, there’s absolutely no need to Google any farther than Leslie’s spectacular post. Completely spot on for me and I don’t have to spend any more time planning my visit. It’s all here. I’m gonna look pretty silly walking her route with my face in my iPad but who cares. Thank you Leslie, you’re one of the brightest stars in cyberspace.

Wow! Thank you so much Dallas! Enjoy the stroll. It’s one of the best in Europe!

As usual a great read and wonderful pictures. I want to be there

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Last Updated on February 28, 2024 by Leslie Livingston

An Easy Guide to Rome Centro Storico

There are many neighborhoods that make the eternal city an exciting destination to visit and a fantastic place to settle in, but Rome Centro Storico is pretty much its pulsing heart. Elegant, historical, and grand all over, everyone has some favorite place in Rome’s city center, everyone wants to enjoy a piece of it, and if it’s high season, this turns into a giant human river gushing out from every corner.

Rome Centro Storico is a neighborhood that makes everyone happy. A charming maze of cobbled, narrow alleys where Renaissance palaces alternate Baroque piazzas, early-Christian Basilicas, and ancient ruins. A historic center that is a giant UNESCO heritage site, that has been the setting for countless movies, that is a dream destination for many travelers. Enshrined between the Aurelian Walls and the Janiculum Walls, Rome Centro Storico is the witness to 3000 years of uninterrupted historical facts and events that shaped the history of Italy and Europe.

Within Rome Centro Storico there are several smaller quarters that Romans call rioni , popularization of the Latin word “ regiones “, the municipalities the city of Rome was divided into since ancient times. The stunning Piazza Navona and Campo de’ Fiori are in what’s known as rione Parione, while the magnificent Pantheon is in the adjacent Pigna quarter.

Other rioni of the Centro Storico in Rome are Trevi, where is the namesake Baroque fountain , Campo Marzio boasting the famous Spanish Steps and the surrounding exclusive shopping streets such as Via dei Condotti, Via Frattina, and Via Borgognona, and stretching up to Piazza del Popolo, one of the most spectacular squares in Rome , Tridente, consisting of three large streets including Via del Corso from Piazza del Popolo to Piazza Venezia, Rione Colonna, Rione Regola, Ludovisi where is Via Veneto and Palazzo Barberini , and Quirinale, where is located the striking palace seat of the President of the Republic.

Even though the quarters that shape the Centro Storico are several, deciding what to see and where to go really depends on how much time you have. If it’s your first time, you can pick the most important landmarks and carve a simple yet exhaustive itinerary for one day in Rome’s city center .

In a charming alternation of myths and historical facts, legend, and reality, Rome Centro Storico has hosted and enchanted countless artists, kings, and world leaders and shows no sign of cooling.

Easy Map of Rome Centro Storico

Our map wants to be a little help to navigate and find the main quarters in the city center of Rome. There are quite a few rioni , all of them boasting their own landmarks, but you will soon find out that it’s quite easy and very pleasant to walk from one another. Here is a simple and easy map of Rome’s historic center to help you get your bearings.

How to Reach the Centro Storico

Wherever is your hotel and wherever in the city you are coming from, Rome’s Centro Storico is well connected and easy to reach. Buses like 64, 40, 70, and 492 cross a few neighborhoods, but once you are in the area, I suggest you get off and explore your surroundings on foot.

If you are walking from the Vatican, cross Ponte Sant’Angelo bridge and make your way to Piazza Navona through the maze of cobbled alleys and elegant, rundown buildings. If you are coming from Termini Station, you can either walk down Via Nazionale or take a bus to Piazza Venezia and start your tour from here.

If you are driving in Rome , keep in mind that everywhere during the week in the Centro Storico is ZTL. Only at night, on weekends, and on holidays, the ZTL gates are open.

Getting Around Rome’s Historic Center

From Piazza Navona you can either cross Corso Rinascimento to reach the Pantheon or Corso Vittorio Emanuele to go to Campo de’ Fiori. If you are to stick to the historic center, you might want to head to the Pantheon and then proceed to the other landmarks such as Fontana di Trevi, Piazza del Popolo, the Spanish Steps, Via del Corso, Piazza Venezia.

Piazza Venezia is a major hub whether you want to keep walking or take a bus or a tram. From here, either make your way to Largo Argentina via Via del Plebiscito and then Campo de’ Fiori or the Jewish Quarter, or change era and explore the thousand-year-old archaeological ruins of the Monti neighborhood.

From one major landmark to the other you can take a moment to soak in the local vibe and admire the symbols, artwork, and historical traces that hide around every corner, be it a little sacred niche with a Madonna looming over passers-by or the occasional coat of arms that tells which clan the building belonged to.

Where to Eat and Drink in Rome Centro Storico

While there is no shortage of eateries in the Centro Storico, when you are right next to a famous landmark you should be careful not to fall into the “tourist menu” trap. In general, I might suggest you stay clear from all the restaurants bearing signs along the line of “Antica Trattoria” and those shouting “tourist menu” to everyone passing by.

Broadly speaking, around Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, and also Campo de’ Fiori, restaurants offer a tourist quality, but there are some notable exceptions. Right next to the Pantheon is the famous Armando al Pantheon, regarded by many as one of the best restaurants serving traditional dishes , while behind the mighty all-god temple, you can find a cozy, modern bistro such as Ginger and one of Rome’s best gelato at Gunther Gelato Italiano .

If you are looking for a great breakfast and coffee to kick off your day in Rome Centro Storico, you will be spoiled for choice. Caffè Sant’Eustachio behind the Pantheon is famous for its in-house brewing while Coromandel behind Piazza Navona is popular for its scrumptious, opulent breakfasts that meet anyone’s preference.

For an after-dinner drink, try Baccano next to the Trevi Fountain , open every day until midnight. Even though very touristy, in this area you can have a great pizza at Il Piccolo Buco near Fontana di Trevi (prior booking is a must).

Where to Stay in Rome’s City Center

Whether you are looking for a luxury hotel or a more affordable guesthouse , Rome’s city center welcomes everyone. A B&B might require climbing some stairs to reach your room, while hotels are usually equipped with more comforts and facilities.

For a convenient location in the heart of daily sightseeing and evening fun, you can either pick a hotel in the Trevi neighborhood or a fancy accommodation near the Spanish Steps .

Similarly, if you want to be in the heart of Rome Centro Storico, you can book your room near Piazza Navona in the Parione quarter or around rione Pigna near the Pantheon .

Privacy Overview

Renato Prosciutto in Italy

Rome, Venice, Florence and small town Italy.

Tourist Information Rome

Three of Rome ‘s tourist information kiosks are reopening their doors after having been closed because of the coronavirus. As of June 12th, the so-called PIT at the Via dei Fori Imperiali near the Colosseum , the one at the Via del Corso and the one at the Castel Sant’Angelo will again supply maps, brochures and other information. Some of the new, smaller offices called P.Stops ( Via Zanardelli , Porta Maggiore , Esquilino , Piazza di Spagna and Piazza della Città Leonina ) are reopening.

APT, PIT and P.Stop

There are three different kinds of tourist information office in Rome . The APT only has one office, in the Via Parigi (a short walk from Termini ). There are also a number of socalled PIT s ( Tourist Information Points ). These are located near the biggest attractions, at the airports and at the railway station. They are not always equally helpful.

APT Tourist Information Office

Rome’s tourist office is called APT , which is short for Azienda provinciale del Turismo , and can be found in the Via Parigi, 5 (metro line A: Repubblica ). This is just a short walk from Termini Station : Look for the main exit and cross the central bus square, Piazza dei Cinquecento . Continue straight ahead towards Piazza della Repubblica and pass this on the right. The second street on your right is Via Parigi . Here you can get free maps of Rome and various brochures with information about the city.

PIT Tourist Information Kiosks

Independent from the APT there are also a number of Rome information points . These can be found at the airports of Fiumicino and Ciampino , at Roma Termini and near the biggest tourist attractions. Don’t expect helpful or friendly service.

The tourist information offices are not allowed to book Rome hotels for you. Upon request they are allowed to give you lists of accommodations in Rome.

The information kiosks also sell the Roma Pass , the Roma 48 Hours Pass and the Archeobus . There are (fairly random) brochures about some of the current events and exhibitions. L’Evento , a monthly magazine of what goes on in Rome is sometimes, but not always, available.

As of 2014 the Information Points of the city also sell official maps and Rome guides .

Location Tourist Information Points

The Punti Informativi Turistici can be found in the following locations:

The arrival halls of the airports of Ciampino (near the luggage pick up point) and Fiumicino. In Ciampino this is near the luggage pick up point and in Fiumicino in the arrival hall terminal T3).

Barberini : Located in the Via di San Basilio, 51 and also the main office of the Department for the Promotion of Tourism and Fashion . Yes, tourism and fashion!

Termini : In the hallway that runs between the railway station’s track 24 and the Via Giolitti .

Nazionale : About halfway down the Via Nazionale (in front of the Palazzo delle Esposizioni ).

Fori Imperiali : In the Via dei Fori Imperiali . With your back towards the Colosseum , cross the street and turn left.

Minghetti : On the corner of the Via del Corso and the Via Marco Minghetti (6 blocks from Piazza Venezia ).

The PIT Navona is not in the Piazza Navona itself but in the Piazza delle Cinque Lune , slightly to the north of Rome’s most beautiful square.

Castel Sant’Angelo: In the Piazza Pia along the Lungotevere Vaticano . With your back to the river, walk on the left past the castle .

A new office is about to be opened in the  Tiburtina Railway Station , which has become a lot more important recently.

There is one PIT  outside the city, on the corner of the  Lungomare Paolo Toscanelli  and the Piazza Anco Marzio in Ostia Lido , Rome ‘s beach resort.

Opening Hours

Most of the tourist information kiosks are open from  9.30 AM until 7 PM. Exceptions are the ones in Ciampino (closes at 6.30 PM), in Fiumicino and in Termini (both open until 7.30 PM). The main office at Barberini is closed on Saturdays and Sundays.

The P.Stop is the latest addition to Rome ‘s tourist information offices. The offices are very small and are located next to public toilets, which explains the name. At the P.Stops maps are not handed out for free, but you have to pay for them. The toilets tend to be cleaner than the already existing ones, however.

Rome and surroundings

2 thoughts on “ tourist information rome ”.

Is the Archaeologia card still available for 25e and includes Colosseum/Roma Forum/Palatine hill, National Roman Museums(4),Caracalla Baths, 2 sites on Appia Antica?

Unfortunately not, it was discontinued a couple of years ago. Although there was talk of them reintroducing it at some point, this never happened, and all references to the Archeologia Card have disappeared from the official sites.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Top Attractions in Rome

Explore Rome's most impressive squares, fountains, monuments and attractions. Rome is a breath-taking open-air museum and these are its top sights. 

Colosseum The Colosseum is the largest amphitheatre built during the Roman Empire. Inaugurated in 80 AD, it offered gladiator fights, executions and animal hunts.

Roman Forum Located between Piazza Venezia and the Colosseum, the Roman Forum was the hub of political and social activity of the Roman citizens.

Piazza Navona With its three majestic fountains and surrounding mansions, Piazza Navona is one of the most beautiful Baroque squares in Rome.

Trevi Fountain Trevi Fountain is the most beautiful and most spectacular fountain in Rome. Millions of people visit it every year to make a wish.

St. Peter's Square St. Peter's Square (Piazza San Pietro in Italian) is located in the Vatican at the feet of the Basilica. One of the most famous squares in the world.

St. Peter's Basilica One of the largest churches in the world, St Peter’s Basilica, built in the Renaissance style is, part of the Vatican. Many Popes have been buried here.

Sistine Chapel The Sistine Chapel is one of the greatest treasures of the Vatican City. Designed by the brilliant Michelangelo, it is a must-see tourist attraction.

Piazza di Spagna & the Spanish Steps As the site of many events and fashion shows, the Spanish Steps is one of the most renowned places in Rome. Piazza di Spagna in one of Rome’s best areas.

Pantheon Completed by Hadrian in the year 126AD, the Pantheon claims to be the best preserved building from ancient Rome. A masterpiece of Roman architecture.

Catacombs San Sebastiano, San Callisto, Domitilla, Priscilla, and Sant’Agnese... Discover Rome's various catacombs, what they are and how to visit them.

The Vatican City

Vatican City Located in the heart of Rome, the Vatican is one of Rome's main tourist attractions. Find out what to see and how to visit the Vatican!

Vatican Museums The Vatican Museums are the Vatican city's museums and includes admissions to Sistine Chapel, Chapel of Beato Angelico and Raphael Rooms

Piazzas and fountains

Campo de' Fiori Campo de' Fiori is a bustling market during the mornings and then transforms into a lively square at night full of bars and restaurants.

Piazza del Campidoglio The Piazza del Campidoglio is located at the top of Capitoline Hill and is the first modern square to be designed in Rome.

Piazza Barberini Built in 1625 by Cardinal Francesco Barberini, Piazza Barberini is particularly noteworthy due to its two fountains created by Bernini.

Piazza della Repubblica The Piazza della Repubblica is made up of a large roundabout in which the Fontana delle Naiadi is located. It is flanked by imposing buildings.

Piazza del Popolo Located at the beginning of Via Flaminia, the Piazza del Popolo is where foreigners arrived in the city during the era of the Empire. Discover it.

Piazza Colonna Piazza Colonna gets its name from the impressive Column of Marcus Aurelius, a marble column that has been in the square since the year AD 193. Discover it.

Piazza del Quirinale The Piazza del Quirinale provides splendid views of Rome. The Palazzo del Quirinale is one of the official residencies of the President of the Republic.

Monuments and tourist attractions

Palatine Hill Palatine Hill is the most famous of Rome’s seven hills and where, according to the legend, Romulus founded Rome and where Lupa raised Romulus and Remus.

Trastevere Trastevere is one of the most charming districts of Rome. Its peaceful and bohemian atmosphere will captivate every visitors' heart.

Villa Borghese Villa Borghese is the largest park in Rome. It features a number of buildings, museums, a lake, fountains and beautiful green meadows. A definite-must!

Trajan's Column Commissioned by Emperor Trajan in 114 to pay homage to himself, Trajan's Column is one of the most important monuments in Rome.

Arch of Constantine The Arch of Constantine was erected in the year 315 in commemoration of the victory of Constantine the Great in the Battle of Milvian Bridge.

Trajan's Market Built between the years 100 and 110 A.D, Trajan's Market is believed to be the first covered shopping mall in history. It holds the Imperial Forums Museum.

Baths of Caracalla Built between the years 212 and 216, the Baths of Caracalla were one of the greatest and most spectacular thermal springs in antiquity.

Ara Pacis The Ara Pacis is a commemorative monument created between the years 13 and 9 B.C. for the celebration of peace in the Mediterranean.

Mouth of Truth The Mouth of Truth is an enormous marble image of a man's face. According to legend, the man is said to bite the hand of anyone who lied.

Circus Maximus Located between the Aventino and Palatine Hill, Circus Maximus was the largest stadium in ancient Rome built for chariot races.

Castel Sant'Angelo Also known as the Mausoleum of Hadrian, the Castel Sant'Angelo is a fortress located on the right bank of the river Tiber, not far from the Vatican.

Altare della Patria Inaugurated in 1911 to pay respect to Victor Emmanuel II, the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II is an imposing building located in Piazza Venezia.

Janiculum Hill Janiculum Hill, called Gianicolo in Italian, is one of Rome's most romantic places to visit. It also provides stunning views of the city.

Area Sacra di Largo Argentina Area Sacra di Largo Argentina is a square in Rome that houses four Roman temples and the remains of a Temple, discovered in 1920.

Forum Boarium The Forum Boarium was an area located on the banks of the river Tiber home to the city’s biggest meat and fish market in ancient Rome.

Museums and art galleries

Galleria Borghese The Galleria Borghese is one of the most famous and prestigious museums in the world. It houses sculptures by Bernini, Canova and other great artists.

Capitoline Museums The Capitoline Museums are located in Piazza del Campidoglio. They constitute Rome’s main municipal museum. Find out opening hours, tickets and much more.

Palazzo Massimo alle Terme Known as Palazzo Massimo alle Terme due to its close proximity to the Baths of Diocletian, this palace has the best preserved Roman frescoes in the world.

Palazzo Altemps The Palazzo Altemps hosts an important collection of Greek and Roman sculptures in a fifteenth century palace built by the Riario family.

Baths of Diocletian The Baths of Diocletian were the largest bath complex in Ancient Rome. It currently houses part of the National Museum of Rome.

Crypta Balbi The Balbi Crypt (Crypt of Balbus) offers a historical trip through the past of Rome thanks to the excavations carried out on its sites.

National Gallery of Modern Art Paul Cezanne, Antonio Canova, Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh… Rome’s Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna is one of the best art museums in Italy.

Palazzo Barberini Palazzo Barberini is a splendid Baroque construction that houses the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica. The building itself is worth visiting.

Galleria Doria Pamphilj Palazzo Doria Pamphilj houses the Galleria Doria Pamphilj, the best-known private gallery in Rome, featuring works by artists like Raphael and Velazquez.

National Etruscan Museum The National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia (Museo Nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giulia) features works from pre-Roman Italian antiquity.

Villa Farnesina Villa Farnesina is a mansion built between 1505 and 1511. It is one of the most magnificent Renaissance buildings still standing in Rome.

Museo di Roma The Museo di Roma narrates the social context and artistic endeavours that were carried out in the city from the Middle Ages until the 20th century.

Palazzo Venezia The Palazzo Venezia features the National Museum of Palazzo Venezia with works of art from the beginning of the Common Era through to the Renaissance.

Galleria Spada The Galleria Spada displays a collection of art from the 16th and 17th century. Don't miss visiting the forced perspective gallery by Francesco Borromini.

Keats-Shelley House The Keats-Shelley House is a house-museum dedicated to the romantic poets John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley. Discover the poet's last dwelling.

Churches and basilicas

Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls is one of the four major basilicas of Rome, the second largest after St. Peter’s Basilica.

Basilica of St. John Lateran The Lateran Palace was handed over by Constantine I to the Bishop of Rome, who converted the building into a temple during the fourth century.

Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore Santa Maria Maggiore (Basilica of Saint Mary Major) is one of the four major basilicas of Rome and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

Basilica di San Clemente Basilica of Saint Clement is an early Christian church, which has been reconstructed in various periods, dedicated to Pope Clement I.

Our Lady of the Conception of the Capuchins Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini was built between 1626 and 1631 by Pope Urban VIII. It is for the Crypt of the Capuchins

Santa María in Cosmedin The Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin is a medieval church that houses the Bocca della Verità (Mouth of Truth), which is located at its gate.

Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere The Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere still retains its medieval character despite the changes made over the years. It was founded in the third century

Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri was designed by Michelangelo and is the only Renaissance-style church built in Rome.

Basilica di San Pietro in Vincoli Basilica di San Pietro in Vincoli (Saint Peter in Chains) was built in the fifth century to house Saint Peter’s chains when he was imprisoned in Jerusalem.

Church of the Gesù Erected between 1568 and 1584, Il Gesù was the first Jesuit church built in Rome. It is one of the best examples of Baroque architecture.

Santa Maria in Aracoeli Basilica of St. Mary of the Altar of Heaven is situated very near the Altare della Patria and is one of the most popular churches among the locals.

Santa Maria della Vittoria Santa Maria della Vittoria is a church built during the seventeenth century after the victory of the Emperor Ferdinand II at the battle of White Mountain

Santa Maria del Popolo According to a legend, the site where the Santa Maria del Popolo stands was haunted by Nero’s ghost. It contains works by Pinturicchio, Raphael, and more.

Nearby visits

Villa Adriana (Tivoli) Villa Adriana was built by the Emperor Hadrian in Tibur (nowadays Tivoli) to get away from Rome. It is currently a archaeological complex.

Villa d'Este Listed as a UNESCO heritage site, Villa d’Este is a splendid Renaissance palace with beautiful, romantic gardens in the outskirts of Rome.

Ostia Antica Ostia Antica is a large archaeological site, and was once one of the most thriving Roman cities thanks to its status as a major port and commercial centre.

Pompeii Pompeii was an ancient Roman city near modern Naples that was buried by the great eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.

Herculaneum Located in the region of Campania, the town of Herculaneum succumbed to the same fate as Pompeii. In the year 79 AD it was destroyed by Mount Vesuvius.

Located in the Gulf of Naples, Capri is a dream-like island surrounded by a deep blue sea that reflects a very special light. Come and discover it.

Rome in 3 day

You may also be interested in.

Film and TV

Thanks to its long history, reflected in its present, Rome has been one of the most-filmed cities in the world throughout the years. It's been the scene of great battles, and some of the most iconic moments in the history of the silver screen.

The Colosseum, Fontana di Trevi, Sistine Chapel, Catacombs…Enjoy an unforgettable trip to Rome by visiting these 10 essential visits.

Rome city center · 7 Places to Fall in Love · Facts & Figures

Discover the historical heart of Rome with a delightful mix of history, gastronomy, and captivating sights in the downtown area.

Rome’s centro storico offers countless opportunities to create lasting memories! Whether you’re shopping at the Spanish Steps, exploring landmarks such as the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain, dining in the Ghetto, visiting historic churches and relics, or enjoying the vibrant nightlife of Campo de’ Fiori, the heart of Rome offers something for every taste and interest.

Partner-Links helfen uns dabei, unsere Informationen kostenlos bereitzustellen. Für abgeschlossene Buchungen erhalten wir eine Provision – ohne Mehrkosten für Sie! Mehr

Partner links help us to provide our information free of charge. For completed bookings we receive a commission – at no extra cost to you! More

I link dei partner ci aiutano a fornire gratuitamente le nostre informazioni. Riceviamo una commissione per le prenotazioni completate, senza alcun costo aggiuntivo per voi! Di più

Important sights

Where is Rome’s city center : The historic center of Rome stretches from the Capitol to the walls of Piazza del Popolo. It is bordered on one side by the Tiber River and on the other by the Pincio and Quirinal Hills. In ancient times the area, then known as Campus Martius , the Field of Mars , was used for entertainment such as sports, baths, concerts and theater. Over the centuries, ancient buildings were demolished and rebuilt. This created the mix that makes the Rome city center so unique and interesting.

Embark on a leisurely walk of approximately 4 kilometers, allowing about three hours to explore seven enchanting places that are sure to capture your heart.

Rome City Center: The Ghetto

The Ghetto was created in 1555 by order of Pope Paul IV, who decreed that Jews could only live in the Ghetto. It is located between the Tiber River and the Capitoline Hill and is home to the prominent synagogue.

It stretches from the Theatre of Marcellus to Via Arenula and from the Portico of Octavia to the Turtle Fountain in Piazza Mattei. You will be amazed by the picturesque alleys and the good Roman cuisine. Specialties include fried artichokes – Carciofi alla Giudia – and the traditional Roman fish soup – Zuppa di pesce. Offal, oxtail and anything else that is left over from the slaughter are also part of the delicious Roman cuisine .

Rome City Center: Campo de’ Fiori

On your way to Campo de’ Fiori, you will pass by several street eateries in Via dei Giubbonari, such as the elegant Roscioli or the rustic Filettaro near the church of Santa Barbara, where you can get beer and wine from the barrel to go with your fried fish.

Walk along Via dell’Arco del Monte opposite Santa Barbara and then turn right into Via Capo di Ferro. You will arrive at Palazzo Spada, a building that houses the Council of State and a museum. From the courtyard, which is open to the public except on Tuesdays, you can admire through a window the “secret garden” that is part of the museum. Here you will find a Baroque optical illusion: the portico built by Borromini for Cardinal Bernardino Spada in 1653. Although the colonnade appears to be about 35 meters long, its actual length is only 8.82 meters. This makes the statue of the Roman warrior at the end of the colonnade appear much larger than it really is.

The path continues to Piazza Farnese with the French embassy palace of the same name. Through the windows you can admire the richly decorated ceiling of the hall on the first floor. Turn right and continue to Campo de’ Fiori.

Campo de’ Fiori is famous for its market and infamous as a place of execution. In the middle of the square is the statue of Giordano Bruno, a monk who was burned at the stake in 1600 for his thoughts on the universe and infinity. In the evening, the square and the surrounding bars are popular with young people and students from all over the world.

From Campo de’ Fiori, you can either walk directly to Piazza Navona or follow the ancient alleys that pilgrims used on their way to Castel Sant’Angelo and St. Peter’s Basilica.

Rome City Center: Piazza Navona

Piazza Navona still shows the shape of Domitian’s stadium, where tens of thousands of spectators could watch the competitions. Today’s buildings around the square were built on the ancient stands. The remains of the stadium can be visited underground.

The story of the rival architects Bernini, who built the Fountain of the Four Rivers, and Borromini, who built the Church of Sant’Agnese in Agone, is intertwined around the square. The figures on the fountain represent the Danube, the Nile, the Ganges and the Rio della Plata, which were known at the time. Although the fountain was built before the church, the Rio della Plata already looks at the church with horror. On the façade of the church you can see the statue of St. Agnes, who seems to make sure that the church does not fall over. Learn more about Piazza Navona

Rome City Center: Pantheon

The Pantheon, one of the few intact buildings of antiquity, dates back to 27 B.C. After fires, it was rebuilt in the years 120-124. In the 7th century it was consecrated as a basilica with the name Santa Maria ad Martyres.

The dome has a larger diameter than that of St. Peter’s and a central opening that offers a view of the sky. In the floor of the Pantheon are drains through which rainwater can run off. When it rains, the Pantheon offers a very special spectacle. Learn more about the Pantheon

Rome City Center: Trevi Fountain

The sound of water can be heard long before the sight of the Trevi Fountain. The Trevi Fountain has a construction history of over a hundred years. Lack of money led to many interruptions. It was inaugurated three times, the last time in 1762.

The theme of the fountain is the ocean. If you throw a coin over your shoulder into the fountain, you are sure to return to Rome. Learn more about the Trevi Fountain

Rome City Center: Spanish Steps

The noble Spanish Steps were financed by the French. Their real name is Scalinata di Trinità dei Mont i. An impassable steep slope was transformed into a world-famous work of art. The English name refers to the Spanish square below, in front of the mighty Spanish Embassy to the Holy See. In the past, this square was extraterritorial and those fleeing from the gendarmes of the Papal States sought asylum here.

There are 135 steps from the Spanish Square to the French Church of Trinità dei Monti on the Pincio. The staircase was inaugurated in 1725. The Obelisk was built in 1789.

In 2015-2016, the staircase was restored with the help of the Bulgari fashion house, and traces of food residue and chewing gum stains were painstakingly removed. The City of Rome now hopes that both locals and visitors will behave in a civilized manner to ensure continued free access to the staircase. Learn more about the Spanish Steps

Rome City Center: Pincio

The steep Pincio hill stretches east of the city center and offers a variety of beautiful views . In the Pincio Park you can rent bicycles and there are pedal cars for the children. The terrace of the Pincio is a popular place to look at Piazza del Popolo.

Experience the center of Rome on foot

Rome’s center is easily explored on foot. A guided tour in an electric golf cart is also very convenient and environmentally friendly.

In our map you can see the routes that we have described here above.

From the Pantheon to the Trevi Fountain you can choose between different variants:

• The ice-cream parlours route: You have the choice between the ice cream parlor  della Palma  in via San Maddalena with 150 flavors and  Giolitti , a historic coffeehouse in Rome. An ice cream cup buried under cream mountains at Giolitti replaces a lunch.
• The Harry Potter Route: It leads past the Caffè Tazza d’Oro to the magic shop  Eclectica , where already Harry Potter did the shopping.

On the way from the Trevi Fountain to the Spanish Steps, you can make a short detour to the luxury department store La Rinascente on Via del Tritone. There you will find an impressive roof terrace with a wonderful view. In the basement you can also admire the ancient aqueduct Acqua Virgo, which supplies water to the Campus Martius, the Trevi Fountain and the Four Rivers Fountain in Piazza Navona.

How to get there

Hotels in the center of Rome are usually the best choice. They put you right in the heart of the action and allow you to make the most of your stay. Read more about Hotels in Rome .

The subway line Metro A touches the center on the edge of the Pincio hill with the stations Barberini, Spagna and Flaminio (Piazza del Popolo).

For the ghetto: Tram 8 (Arenula / Cairoli), Bus 23, 280 (near the Tiber), Bus 30, 44, 51, 63, 81, 83, 85, 87, 118, 160, 170, 628, 715, 716. 781, H (Teatro Marcello)

Campo de’ Fiori / Piazza Navona: Bus 46, 62, 64, 916

Piazza Navona / Pantheon (Rinascimento): 30, 70, 81, 87, 492, 628

Via del Corso: 62, 63, 83, 85, 119, 160, 492

Piazza del Popolo (Flaminio): Tram 2, Bus 61, 89, 160, 490, 495, 590, 640

The center of power

Downtown Rome is very safe. Parliamentarians, senators and ministers stroll through the city center in their free time, go shopping and spend the evenings with their visitors in the numerous good restaurants and wine bars.

The seat of government

The seat of the head of government is Palazzo Chigi.

It is on the corner of Piazza Colonna and Via del Corso. In front of the palace there is an ancient column, la Colonna di Marco Aurelio . It was built in memory of the emperor Marcus Aurelius between the years 176 and 192.

The Parliament

To the left of Palazzo Chigi is the Palazzo Montecitorio, built by Bernini, the seat of the Italian Parliament, the Camera dei deputati . In the square is the obelisk of Psammetich II, which was erected by Augustus in 10 BC. It was brought from Heliopolis to Rome and is used here as a sundial. It should be around 2,600 years old.

The number of parliamentarians is 630 until the end of the 18th legislature and will then be reduced to 400 due to an electoral reform from 2020. The natural end of the legislative period is in 2023.

On Corso del Rinascimento is Palazzo Madama, the palace of the Italian Senate. The palace goes back to Giovanni de Medici, who later became Pope Leo X.

There are 315 elected senators, which will be reduced to 200 in the next legislature. In addition, there are particularly deserving citizens as senators for life.

Active in Rome

Many Romans and tourists visiting Rome like to start the day with a morning jog. Whether it’s running along the Tiber or getting some oxygen in one of the villas, Rome has plenty of options for sports enthusiasts. There are also many beautiful routes for cyclists, and among the seven hills, monuments and ancient relics, there are many interesting paths for walking around the city.

You can eat really good food in the center of Rome. You can find information and tips in our Eating in Rome section .

There are many good restaurants along our route from the Ghetto to the Pincio. Here is a small selection:

Roman cuisine can be found everywhere, especially in the Ghetto. Armando al Pantheon is famous, but you have to book a month in advance. You also need to book well in advance at Alfredo alla Scrofa for the famous Fettucine Alfredo.

Many restaurants in Rome offer healthy organic cuisine as well as vegetarian and vegan specialties. Pioneers on our route include Ginger and two Vivi Bistrot restaurants at Piazza Navona in the Museo di Roma and in the La Rinascente department store in via del Tritone.

UNESCO world heritage

The area within the Aurelian walls and the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls is part of the UNESCO World Heritage List . UNESCO has designated the entire area with an area of ​​14.25 km² as the “historic center of Rome”.

That is pretty high. After all, until the 19th century, artichokes and vegetables were grown on most of the land within the walls, and sheep grazed among the ruins.

The painter Friedrich Loos painted a 360° panorama picture on Villa Celimontana in 1850, which was digitized by the Alte Nationalgalerie Berlin on the occasion of an exhibition. The view of the city in the direction of the Colosseum – at the bottom of the picture – shows what Rome looked like at the time.

The historical center can therefore be delimited very well with the area around Via del Corso between the Tiber, Capitol, Quirinal and Pincio. In contrast, the antique center is located in the archaeological area of ​​the Colosseum Park.

Today’s center of Rome is in the area of ​​the ancient Field of Mars. Since the founding of Rome, the area was dedicated to the god of war Mars, but was outside the city.

In ancient times, the center was located in the archaeological area around the Colosseum and was delimited by the Capitol Hill.

The field of Mars stretched from today’s ghetto along the Tiber to Piazza del Popolo. There it was bounded by the hill of Pincius and further south by the Quirinal hill.

The first monumental building was in 55 BC the theater of Pompey. It ranged from Campo de’ Fiori to today’s cat colony on Largo di Torre Argentina. Gaius Julius Caesar was murdered here and Emperor Augustus had the largest latrine in Rome built here to condemn the place forever.

At the time of Augustus the field of Mars came to the urban area and it was mainly used as a sports and cultural center. The result was an athletics stadium, the stadium of Domitian, which can still be visited today under Piazza Navona.

Next to it were an auditorium, the thermal baths of Nero and the Pantheon. Further north is the Ara Pacis and the Mausoleum of Augustus, to the east the Temple of Hadrian at the Piazza di Pietra. More relics can be found throughout the area. It was supplied with water from the Acqua Vergine aqueduct.

After the end of the Western Roman Empire, an eventful history began for Rome and the population fell sharply at times. Popes, princes, wealthy families and immigrant merchants built palaces and monuments on the Field of Mars. The medieval conditions in Rome partly ended with the occupation of Rome by Napoleon in 1797 and finally with the end of the Papal States in 1870.

Il Tridente

Since ancient times, the so-called “trident” has had a special meaning. The central Via del Corso is the last piece of the ancient Via Flaminia that connects Rome with Umbria and Rimini until today. From the city gate at Piazza del Popolo to Piazza Venezia it was called Via Lata. In the 16th century, two streets were added to the right and to the left, starting straight as an arrow from Piazza del Popolo. Thus was born the “trident” – il Tridente .

To the left of the Corso, Via del Babuino goes to the Spanish Steps and on to the Quirinal, to the right Via di Ripetta and then Via della Scrofa to the back of the Senate building. From there, turn right to Piazza Navona and left to the Pantheon.

The “Trident” is a particularly low-traffic area with many stores and restaurants. In this area, fashion-conscious shoppers will find everything their hearts desire.

Rome city center in brief

The historical center belongs to the 1st district of Rome ( Municipio I ). As of December 31, 2020, 23,693 inhabitants were counted, the area is 3.19 km² (source Wikipedia.it ) The 1st district includes the entire area within the Aurelian walls and the districts of Trastevere, Prati, Della Vittoria and Eroi.

The numbers for the area within the walls are:

We receive many questions about the city center of Rome. Here we would like to answer some of the questions we are asked most often.

How big is the historic center of Rome

The Centro Storico has an area of 3.19 km² with nearly 24,000 inhabitants. It is located in the area around Via del Corso between the Tiber and the hills of Capitoline, Quirinal and Pincio, and ends at the city walls in Piazza del Popolo.

How do I get from the airport to the Rome city center by cab?

By cab there is a fixed price from the airports to the center of Rome. The fixed price is valid around the clock and is €50 from Fiumicino airport and €31 from Ciampino airport.

How do I get from Ciampino airport to Rome city center by bus?

From Ciampino there are shuttle buses to Termini Station and from there you can continue by bus or metro to Rome’s historic center. There are city bus lines to metro lines A and B. Ciampino Airport Information

How do I get from Fiumicino airport to the center cheaply?

From Fiumicino, the Leonardo Express fast train and shuttle buses go to Termini Station. From there you can continue to Rome’s center by bus or metro. Take the FL1 regional train to Trastevere and from there continue to the city center by bus or streetcar. Information about Fiumicino Airport

Can I go to the Rome city center by car?

The city center belongs to the so-called ZTL, zone with limited traffic. You can drive into the ZTL without special permission only at night, on Saturday mornings and on Sundays. The entrance is controlled by cameras. If you see the writing “Varco attivo”, you are not allowed to enter without permission.

As a hotel guest, can I drive my car into the city center?

Special permits are available for hotel guests. You will need to contact your hotel for this. However, it is very difficult to find a parking space in the city center.

Can I drive a hybrid vehicle or an electric car in Rome city center?

Hybrid cars are subject to the same rules as internal combustion cars regarding driving in the city center. However, they can park for free in the parking spaces marked in blue if the license plate has been previously registered with the city police. Electric cars can drive into the city center and park for free if the license plate has been previously registered with the city police. Online access Romamobilità

Can I, as a person with a disability, drive my car to the city center?

Persons with disabilities can register the license plate of their car with the Rome Municipal Police to enter the ZTL. The registration is done through legally certified email addresses. Your embassy can assist you with the procedure.

Is it dangerous in the center of Rome?

The biggest danger in the historic center of Rome is pickpocketing. If there are many people standing close together, you need to be careful. Also, you should not be approached by flying merchants. Otherwise, it is rather safe in Rome. Many parks are closed at night and it is generally not a good idea to visit the parks at night. For more information, read our article on safety in Rome .

Do you have any questions? Write us here below in the comments.

What to do in Rome

Looking for ideas on what to do in Rome? We have prepared information and suggestions for interesting places in Rome. Have fun reading what we have prepared for you.

Rome Travel Guide

Rome: An ancient city with a modern twist.

Whether you are in Rome for 3 days, 3 weeks, or 3 months, be prepared to step into the world’s biggest open-air museum.

You can decide to follow the typical tourist paths or be brave enough to go off the beaten tracks. One way or the other, Rome will romance you, surprise you and leave you wanting more!

Rome is one of the world’s most photogenic cities – not surprising when you consider what’s here: the Colosseum, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, and many more world-famous attractions .

Whether you spend your time sightseeing or watching the world go by in a pretty outdoor cafe, it will be your turn to feature in your very own Roman Holiday.

Rome is a romantic place for a honeymoon, a favorite holiday destination, and a city of fashion.

Be Street Wise: It’s important to consider the downsides when visiting any city. We have put together a list of some things you should avoid when visiting Rome .

Suggested itineraries for Rome

Rome Travel With an Open Heart

:: Sustainable tourism in Rome ::

Exploring, discovering, and experiencing cultures and lifestyles around the Globe is a great gift that has been given to humankind. It has never been so easy to travel as we experience it now. All is there at our disposal, and we can touch it with almost making an effortless effort. The question that arises is the way we touch it. We, people engaged in Rome.info travel pages, believe that one should treasure this opportunity and blessing of travel which is given and treat it with respect and kindness. A visitor should be lovingly committed to making a low impact on the local culture and environment, protecting privacy and space in the life of locals, and rewarding an invitation to their lives with gratitude and frolic. Sharing inspiration. While people like us, on the other side, are trying to help to ensure that development is a positive experience for local people, companies, and tourists themselves. Sustainable tourism is regarded as responsible behavior, and visitors to our pages are invited to embrace this attitude when travelling in Rome. It is more than a form of tourism as it represents a human approach to engaging with cultures, local magic, be there as a human being – tourist, a business, locals at a destination, or any other tourism stakeholder.

“Hearts are like parachutes, they only function when open.” Thomas Dewar & Liona Belierova

Michelangelo in Rome Explore the work of a genius with Rome.info. Paintings, sculptures, frescoes, and other of Michelangelo’s masterpieces related to Rome. Catching stories on Michelangelo’s Pieta , Moses , the Sistine Chapel , and more…

Italia. Open to meraviglia.

Calabria’s Jasmine Coast

GIRO D’ITALIA 2024

Internazionali Tennis di Roma, much more than a tournament

Landscapes that will take your breath away, rich history, and delicious food, your trip to italy will be nothing short of unforgettable.  , unmissable sites.

• UNESCO sites

Food and wine

Rhaetian Railway, the engineering masterpiece crossing part of the Alps

Viaggio Italiano

Cycling the Via delle Cinque Terre is an unforgettable adventure

Campania: postcard-perfect sea and dizzying flavours

Po Delta, a birdwatching paradise

Sport in the city, the best activities to book last minute

The best trails in UNESCO heritage sites in Italy: 10,000 steps amid nature and beauty

The 15 Italian UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage excellences

Artistic masterpieces and gastronomic marvels in Modena

The Dolomites: the most beautiful architectural work in the world

Cilento, between unspoilt beaches, wild nature and charming hamlets

Alberobello, the Trulli capital, a fairy tale experience

Emilia-Romagna

Small and proud, with a focus on sustainability. Here are the most charming rural villages to visit in Italy

Cycling around nature and historic hamlets in Abruzzo

Tax breaks for moving to the charming villages of central and southern Italy

Seaside Villages

Castelmola, a window on the sea a few steps from Taormina

Frosolone: one of the most beautiful Italian villages, in Molise

Castel del Monte: the fortress of mysteries in Andria

In the beautiful Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle in South Tyrol

Alto Adige: Merano amid castles, Art Nouveau buildings and spas

The Aosta Valley and Its Castles

Castelli Romani Regional Park

Castles of the Duchy of the Piacenza and Parma area

Restourants

Emilia-Romagna: a journey into the heart of the Food Valley

Pesto Genovese

In Palermo, his majesty the bread with spleen

Lazio and the majestic Roman artichoke PGI

Piedmont, an extraordinary laboratory of products, all to be tasted, and to be drunk.

Festa del Redentore a Venezia 2024

Pre-Raphaelites: Modern Renaissance

Best Wine Stars 2024

Saint Ephysius: the most engaging festival in Sardinia

Rimini Wellness 2024

Van Gogh in Trieste

2024 MONZA FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX

Giro d’Italia 2024

Arezzo Antiques Fair

Catania Book Festival

Turin International Book Fair

Made in Italy and Emilia Romagna Formula 1 Grand Prix

ITALIAN OPEN BNL

FIM Superbike World Championship

The Pistoia Dialogues

Amber Wine Festival

Fermento Emilia

Vitigno Italia

Discover italy.

Aosta Valley

The Aosta Valley is a paradise for visitors seeking outdoor experiences in nature while exploring history and traditions The smallest region in Italy, dotted with the highest peaks in the Alps, it is the ideal destination for anyone who enjoys winter sports and high-altitude walks. Its green valleys and fairy-tale castles make the Aosta Valley an enchanting place to experience all year round.

Piedmont is sure to enchant you with its mountains, hills, typical flavours and uniquely elegant cities An extraordinary heritage of art and history, culture and nature, characterises Piedmont, a region with a thousand faces, one more interesting than the other: cities of rare elegance, mountains that lend themselves to splendid skiing or walking, fascinating villages, hills that are among the best known in the world for their extraordinary wine production.

Lombardy: a dynamic land immersed in the present and reaching toward the future, but with an extraordinary heritage of art and nature Lombardy is a region in the north of Italy known for its industry and finance, of course, but also for its art and extraordinary landscapes, starting with the picturesque lakes and its mountains, Valcamonica and Valtellina in primis. Capital and symbolic city, Milan represents the industrious heart that goes hand in hand with other cities with a vibrant spirit.

Trentino is sure to amaze you with its immense natural heritage, the spectacular splendour of the Dolomites and fascinating sites steeped in history Discover Trentino’s culture of slow travel, taking the time to savour every corner among nature and cultural trails and educational farms. You will find hundreds of hotels offering wellness centres for truly relaxing holidays for the whole family in some of Italy's most beautiful villages, set in unique landscapes.

South Tyrol

Alto Adige is a dream place to discover all year round amidst green valleys and snow-capped peaks Combine the relaxation of spa treatments with the pleasure of fun in the snow for a real wellness boost amidst Alpine lakes, beautiful villages and state-of-the-art ski facilities suitable for all ages. All this and more in the majestic scenery of the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Alto Adige.

Veneto, a region of wonder, with cities of art of undisputed beauty, as well as the most pristine nature The beauty of Lake Garda, the charm of the Dolomites, the sea of Jesolo, the hills covered with vineyards and the relaxing thermal baths, on top of an immense artistic and historical heritage, elegant cities such as Venice and Verona, quaint villages and breathtaking landscapes. Veneto is all this and much more.

Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Friuli-Venezia Giulia Friuli Venezia Giulia: a treasure chest nestled between sea and mountains A border region sandwiched between the Friulian Dolomites and the Upper Adriatic, blessed with an immense cultural heritage resulting from the influence of different cultures and peoples, cosmopolitan and modern, Friuli Venezia Giulia will also seduce you with its temptations of relaxation, sport and fun.

Tucked-away villages, secret little beaches and superb nature: how enchanting Liguria is! Liguria is a wonderful strip of land enclosed between the sea and the mountains, with pastel-coloured houses and breathtaking views. With lush unspoilt nature, many small towns to discover and an incomparable culinary tradition, it enraptures the eye and the heart.

Emilia Romagna, a region of unrivalled charm, with immense artistic beauty and unparalleled hospitality Emilia Romagna with its Riviera Romagnola offers beach tourism that attracts families and young people to its shores every summer. Rich in sites of historical and cultural interest, this region boasts a world-renowned wine and food tradition. Skilful hospitality does the rest, making Emilia Romagna an ideal holiday destination in every season. Video credits: Oliver Astrologo

Tuscany will win you over with its unique landscapes, cities of art, thousand-year-old history and fantastic food Tuscany’s magical atmosphere evolves day by day as you stroll around the cities of art, cycle in the parks, enjoy the sea or savour its typical products, in a region with a one-of-a-kind natural, cultural and historical heritage that has fascinated visitors for centuries.

From Assisi to Perugia, via Gubbio, Lake Trasimeno and Marmore Falls: Umbria is a truly enchanting tourist destination Peaks covered in lush forests and large valleys outlined by rivers, lakes and waterfalls; sorrounded by villages and castles, crossed by paths steeped in history, art and culture, in a natural environment that helps to restore the body and soul: Umbria, the Green Heart of Italy, is all this and much more.

Le Marche, a plunge into the history, art and architecture of a region with the scent of the sea and redolent of traditions and hospitality A great variety of landscapes and an infinite range of colours that make the area's natural beauty incomparable, plus an artistic heritage that fears no comparison: this is how the Marches, with an area of no more than 10,000 square kilometres, will captivate you forever.

Sardinia: a journey to the island of the emerald sea, nuraghi, unspoilt nature and millenary traditions Crystal-clear waters, beaches of soft, white sand, granite rocks framed by wild, fragrant Mediterranean scrub: welcome to Sardinia, an island of a thousand contrasts that will also seduce you with its unique archaeological heritage and its people's innate sense of hospitality.

Lazio is not only Rome: landscapes and monuments of Lazio Rome, the capital of Italy and a unique open-air museum in the world, is enough to make Lazio one of the most beautiful and interesting regions. Even in terms of landscape, it boasts an area of great impact and remarkable variety, with its long coastline, beautiful hills and Apennine mountains. A destination to fall in love with.

Abruzzo, a journey through history between sea, mountains, flavours and unspoilt nature in parks and protected areas A region in central Italy, Abruzzo has two souls and one heart. Predominantly mountainous and hilly, it overlooks a beautiful stretch of the Adriatic Sea. Here, you will find the highest peaks of the Apennines, such as the Gran Sasso and the Majella massif, as well as the only Apennine glacier, but also some of the most popular beaches.

Campania offers landscapes, history, culture and a gastronomic tradition that the whole world envies A consistently mild climate, lush nature framing breathtaking landscapes, unspoilt villages and fairy-tale coastlines: this is Campania, a region that sums up centuries of cultures, between West and East, in a single Mediterranean jewel known for its unparalleled hospitality. A destination for the soul, the eyes and the palate.

Molise, a tiny region with grandiose landscapes: come and discover its history and culinary tradition Molise is a region steeped in history, characterised by numerous tasty food and wine delicacies, but also by rich nature reserves and villages that seem crystallised in history. A destination yet to be discovered, amid marvellous seashores and breathtaking high cliffs

Apulia: the sunny region between two seas and warm hospitality in places rich in history Located in the heart of the Mediterranean, it is a magical combination of artefacts, history, art and unspoilt nature, amidst beautiful coastlines and picture-postcard landscapes. This is Puglia, a region of golden beaches and crystal-clear waters, intense flavours and fascinating destinations: Castel del Monte, the trulli, the islands passing through towns kissed by a unique and unforgettable light.

Basilicata, a region of ancient origins, suspended between two seas and with mountains of great beauty Basilicata is a region where the passage of man has left its mark since prehistoric times. With the ancient name of “Lucania”, it is enriched by an incredible artistic heritage. Not to mention its never-boring panorama, which ranges from the Lucanian Dolomites to the Pollino Park, passing through two seas.

Calabria is the region of crystal-clear sea, the Riace Bronzes, Reggio Calabria and Capo Vaticano, a captivating mix of history and beauty Calabria, also known as the tip of the Italian boot, is a region in Southern Italy characterised by the incredible diversity of its landscapes, with the proximity of mountains to a splendid sea that attracts tourists from all over the world.

A dive into Sicily, where a sea of art, culture and nature will seduce you and become eternal love A predominantly hilly and mountainous area, but one that wins the hearts of tourists from all over the world with its wonderful sea and rich cities with a charm all their own. Sicily is a picture-postcard island characterised by the indelible marks of the people who have lived there and made it unique, amidst artistic and cultural testimonies of enormous value.

The source of inspiration for your Italian adventures

6 unmissable destinations in Italy featured in famous novels

The Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are approaching: here's what to expect

7 unique experiences to enjoy in Italy even while on a business trip

Discovering Italy's most important theatres, special destinations for a unique experience

Rediscover your Italian roots

Italian cuisine around the world: a treasure that knows no boundaries

Create your ideal journey.

Art and culture

Relax and wellness

Spirituality

Shopping & Markets

Cycling Tourism

Social Wall

Italy seen by you.

Join the @italiait community and post your experiences

Continue living like an Italian

Subscribe to the Newsletter so as not to miss places, events and experiences for experiencing the best side of Italy: the authentic one.

Keep up to date

Would you like to learn about the most authentic experiences to be had in Italy, stay up to date on the most interesting events, discover our special offers and receive lots of insider hints and tips?

Save your favorite places

Create an account or log in to save your wishlist

Do you already have an account? Sign in

Things to do in Rome: attractions & landmarks

Top 25 rome tourist attractions, sightseeing, what to do & highlights.

Top 25 Best things to do in Rome Italy, sightseeing and all must-see sites, tourist attractions, famous museums, Roman monuments, travel guide and historic landmarks. What to do, highlights and best attractions to see in Rome?

Best things to do in Rome Italy - Top 25 Rome attractions

Rome is a city full of museums, historic squares, rich food culture, Roman landmarks and other highlights. The Italian city has more to offer than just the main Rome tourist attractions like the Colosseum , the Pantheon and St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. To prepare your visit to this city, our travel guides shows you the top 25 of the most famous sightseeing and most beautiful Rome attractions . Click one of the must-see highlights, places to visit or Roman landmarks for more information on this unique monuments, museums , tourist attractions and best things to do in Rome Italy :

Rome sightseeing partnerlinks: Things to do in Seville , Barcelona tourist attractions , Florence tourist attractions and Dubai

Most visited landmarks

Top 25 Things to do in Rome

Colosseum & Tickets

Sistine Chapel & Vatican Museums

St.Peter's Basilica & Tickets

• Rome Tourism
• Rome Hotels
• Rome Bed and Breakfast
• Rome Vacation Rentals
• Flights to Rome
• Rome Restaurants
• Things to Do in Rome
• Rome Travel Forum
• Rome Photos
• All Rome Hotels
• Rome Hotel Deals
• Last Minute Hotels in Rome
• Things to Do
• Restaurants
• Vacation Rentals
• Travel Stories
• Rental Cars
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travelers' Choice
• Help Center

Tourist information centre - Rome Forum

• Europe    
• Italy    
• Lazio    
• Rome    

Tourist information centre

• United States Forums
• Europe Forums
• Canada Forums
• Asia Forums
• Central America Forums
• Africa Forums
• Caribbean Forums
• Mexico Forums
• South Pacific Forums
• South America Forums
• Middle East Forums
• Honeymoons and Romance
• Business Travel
• Train Travel
• Traveling With Disabilities
• Tripadvisor Support
• Solo Travel
• Bargain Travel
• Timeshares / Vacation Rentals
• Lazio forums

Also, is there an area where all the major tour operators sell tickets and leave from?

There are tourist information center throughout the city center, including Termini Station.

The major bus tour companies have seperate offices and usually provide pick-up/drop-off from your hotel.

Thanks. Can you book tours from the Tourist Information Office?

I was wondering if there was a certain area where all the operators had offices (like in Melbourne it's on Swantson St and I'm told it's Times Square in NY). I don't want to plan too much before I get there, so I was hoping that after I arrive I could go to a tourist place and organise tours there.

Would the Tourist Information Office be open on a public holiday (15 August)?. Also, do they have a website?

Your accommodation will be able to make tour bookings as well.

• Avoid Iliad for SIM card when traveling in Italy 9:35 pm
• New article on "Rome's Top Street Food" 9:26 pm
• Vatican/St. Peters stop on cruise 9:16 pm
• Vatican Museum Sold Out for Visit, Options? 9:05 pm
• Best site for hotels (and cars) for family of 5? booking.com 7:02 pm
• FCO - How early to arrive United Business Class to US 6:50 pm
• AirBnB Location Help 6:49 pm
• Suggestions for Driver in Rome, please! 6:15 pm
• What has weather been like this week 4:38 pm
• Tuscan wines in Rome 2:20 pm
• Colosseum Ticket Type for Family 2:11 pm
• Forum Pass Super - question about options on ticketing site 2:07 pm
• How to visit Cappella Paolina 10:33 am
• Evenings in Rome 10:28 am
• What is the best location to stay in Rome? 8 replies
• Transportation from Rome to Venice 459 replies
• Roma Pass- Is it Worth Buying? 504 replies
• Beaches in/near Rome 3 replies
• Best area to Stay in Rome 2 replies
• Best time to go to Italy 6 replies
• Weather During December 10 replies
• What to Wear/Fashion a & September Weather in Rome/Tuscany 23 replies
• Low Budget Places to Stay in Rome? 30 replies
• Visiting Italy... where to stay in Rome 13 replies

Rome Hotels and Places to Stay

• When to go to Rome
• Money matters in Rome
• Getting around Rome
• Crime and safety in Rome, including helpful tips
• Special free events in Rome
• Renting an apartment in Rome
• Rooftop Bars and Restaurants in Rome
• Day trips from Rome, including Naples/Pompeii, Florence, and beaches
• General information about train travel in Italy
• General Italy travel tips