The Eternal City… it is a mix of beautiful architecture, thousand-year-old buildings, incredible art, and delicious food. Rome is incredible and chaotic at the same time. It can be extremely overwhelming the first time you visit if you don’t know what to expect. To make sure you enjoy your visit to Rome, here is everything you need to know before going to Rome for the first time!
Whether is your final destination, or a stop along the way while traveling through Italy, this post will have everything you need to start planning your vacation to Rome, Italy.
As always, please reach out to me if you want help booking hotels or the entire trip!
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Planning your Trip to Rome
Transportation
Rome’s public transportation system is chaotic to say the least. We opted to avoid it at all costs. Aside from the bus from Rome Fiumicino Airport to the city center, we did not use any public transportation while in Rome.
You can find the bus transfer we took here!
The bus transfer was very easy. We bought our tickets ahead of time; the tickets are $6-7 USD/person, and it will drop you off at Rome Termini. From there, we walked to our hotel.
Once you arrive in the city center, you can walk to everything – and I highly recommend walking everywhere for a few reasons…
- Walking is much easier than navigating the public transportation system (and sometimes faster). Public transportation is also very crowded in Rome and I prefer to avoid crowds when I am able to.
- Walking will allow you to see so much more of the city, find the hidden gems throughout Rome, and truly appreciate all the neighborhoods of Rome and what they have to offer.
Finding Accommodations
There are so many hotels and apartments to choose from while planning your stay in Rome. Picking the right neighborhood to stay in is very important. You want to find a place that is within walking distance of everything you want to do when you are there.
The historical center is the most beautiful part of Rome, and I highly recommend choosing a neighborhood within the center. It may be slightly higher prices, but it allows easy access to the major attractions and delicious restaurants!
I recommend staying in the Monti district, the Pantheon, or the Piazza Navona if you want to be in the heart of Rome!
If you want help picking out a hotel for your stay in Rome, contact me below!
Choosing the Best Time to Visit
Rome is a city you can visit at any time during the year. However, some months are better than others.
I highly recommend spring or fall (we went in the spring, and it was beautiful). The weather is good, the days are longer, and everything will be open.
Summers can be very hot in Rome, especially June and July. With the heat, constant sun, and a lot of walking, I would advise against these months.
Winter, especially Christmas time, is a wonderful time to visit Rome. Keep in mind, the days are shorter and the attractions close earlier so you will have less time to see everything during the day!
April, October, and December are the busiest months in Rome!
How many days should you spend in Rome?
Depending on what you want to do and much time you like to spend at attractions, I would recommend 2-4 days. I stayed for 3 full days the first time I went, and it was the perfect amount of time for what we wanted to do.
If you prefer to spend more time at each attraction learning about the history, taking tours, or just prefer to spend more time shopping and slowly wandering through the city, I would recommend closer to 4 days.
If you just want to see the main attractions, 2-3 days will be enough!
Tips and Tricks for Rome
Cash vs Cards
Most restaurants will accept credit cards; however, having a little cash on you when touring Rome is needed. Credit cards will not always be accepted for smaller purchases.
Dress Codes
Some churches require a specific dress code to enter them – this is primarily an issue in the hotter months, but don’t let this rule impact your decision to visit the churches. They are STUNNING and well worth spending time in them.
Just make sure you do your research before entering the church to know what is appropriate (this is especially important for the Vatican).
Bring comfortable shoes
Bring comfortable walking shoes. You will walk for miles so make sure you are comfortable with what you are wearing.
Wear a crossbody purse or belt bag
Pickpocketing is common here, especially in the busyness of crowds. Wear a crossbody purse if you are bringing one, don’t keep your phone or wallet in your back pocket, and limit how much cash you carry.
Hawker Warning
Rome was one of the first big European cities that I visited, and I was not prepared for the Hawkers throughout the tourist areas.
Avoid engaging with them in anyway; they will continuously ask you for cash once you do engage.
They will ask things like what time it is (to make you take out your phone), where you are from, if you want a polaroid picture, or try to sell you things like bracelets (claiming it is for their family back home). They target females, especially, and once you start talking, it is hard to get away from them. The best is to just ignore them completely.
Book Skip the Line Tickets
This might be the number one thing I can recommend for your trip to Rome. Even if you visit outside of tourist season, the lines will still be long to get into the main attractions. You will either have to wait for hours or decide to skip some of the best things to do in Rome.
Booking skip-the-line tickets in advance for the things you want to do the most in Rome is a MUST. It will save you so much time on your trip; the small additional cost of these tickets is worth it!
Beat the Crowds
Rome is a huge tourist destination and the main attractions can get very crowded. To make the most out of your trip, you will want to get up on the earlier side (8:00-9:00am) to enjoy the city before the crowds come. This was always my favorite time to wander around!
Head over to my instagram to see what the Trevi Fountain is actually like when the crowds come!
Planning what to do in Rome
There is so much to do and see while you are in Rome! Of course, the most popular ones are the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, and Pantheon – all of which you cannot miss while you are there!
I created a separate blog post with my recommendations for everything you should do and see while you are there! And of course, the best places to eat as well! So make sure to check it out here!
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The Best Things to See and Do in Rome – JW Travel Blog
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