Tips for Rome

[ThePenIsBlue]

Husband and I are going to Rome in a few weeks for our 20th wedding anniversary - sans les enfants. Neither of us have been to Italy before. I’m keen for any tips people have for Rome . We’re going to do the standard touristy sites, but looking for good restaurants/ cafes, things not to be missed, things worth missing etc. We love excellent food, (real foodies) nice coffee, people watching etc etc. looking forward to a slower pace for a few days! Thank you 🙏🏻

Watch out for pickpockets.

😁 anyone else?!

We've been a few times, and I like staying in the centre - last time, we stayed near the Spanish steps and used Tripadvisor reviews to find places to eat. Depends on your interests, but I like the cemetery (can't remember the name) where Keats is buried - you can visit the cat sanctuary there. There's another on a big roundabout. Keats rooms (nr Spanish steps) are interesting - we had a Keats day. Another day, we did Mussolini's house and the house he turned into a prison - again, can't remember names of buildings off hand. Oh, and there are the crypts with all of the monks' bones and skulls arranged into displays ...

Obviously, there is the Vatican and the major sites, but some of the smaller churches are really beautiful too. And the smaller museums. We always try to go to an old cinema or theatre on a city break, and I remember one in the jewish quarter. Love Rome for just strolling - round every corner, there seems to be a square. or fountain with something to look at.

Just walk everywhere. It's a relatively small city so easily done.

Walk down the Appian Way past the cobblestones section. It’s quieter and really atmospheric.
The tour of Nero’s golden palace is really good.

Find an English Facebook Group for English speaking residents in Rome. There will be places that are best for coffee, or w certain flavour of ice cream etc. They will know them.

We're usually savvy but lost several hundred pounds on a bus in Rome a few weeks ago. It was in our hotel safe but was swiped when we were on the bus to the train station to move to our next place. Very annoying.

We went on a food tour in Rome which we enjoyed. Also finally managed to get tickets to the underground part of the Colisseum (via a tour) this time.

Not sure you'll get a slower pace in Rome! I do suggest searching this board for Rome tips as I know some great ones have been posted but can't remember enough to tell you what!

When I went in 2019 I used this site a lot for information and it saw me right.

My personal best tips are to take very comfy shoes and walk everywhere, it’s a relatively small city and it’s breathtaking to walk especially at night and don’t eat anywhere where there’s pictures of food on the menu and everything in English.

We went three years ago, loved it. We enjoyed walking around Trastavere in the evening, lots of restaurants and really atmospheric. We also did a guided tour of the Roman Forum, which was really insightful and gave us lots of history and backstory to the ruins which we would never have got otherwise.
We had the best garlic bread in the world at Emma Pizzeria, I can't describe how unbelievably good it was. It's on the Via del Monte della Farina.
Most of the restaurants/trattorias we found that we enjoyed were tucked away in little side streets or hidden piazzas, so getting off the main roads and exploring is a great way to find coffee shops and places to eat off the tourist trail.

We went for 4 days in early November once. Apparently Rome has the same annual rainfall as London... but it all happens over 4 days in early November. Pack a waterproof!

Lucky you! Would love to go back to Rome.

The train/metro is super cheap and easy to navigate. You can walk around easily and it’s well signposted.

As with most places, avoid the ice cream places/cafes right next to attractions. My friend paid about £15 for an ice cream in one (she did say it was very nice but still!).

There is a lovely restaurant with a rooftop terrace near the coliseum. It’s on the left side as you come out of the train station. Can’t remember the name but it had lovely views of it lit up in the evening. And a very nice cocktail menu which is probably why I’ve forgotten the name!

If you want to go the the Vatican, book a guided tour online before you go. We bypassed the very long queue, the guide was great and we saw the highlights (Sistine chapel etc). We booked with 7Hills tours after reading reviews on Tripadvisor.

The Trevi fountain was one of my favourite places to see, but go very early or very late when it’s quieter.

The gardens in the Villa Borghese are supposed to be wonderful (near the Spanish steps) but we didn’t make it there.

The hop on hop off bus would be a good option on your first day to get your bearings and hear the history of the sights. I think they do 2 routes and the tickets are cheaper if you book online in advance.

Have an amazing time!

If you're a foodie, I'd recommend booking a food walk in Trastevere one evening and not eating for a while beforehand, it was a bit expensive but well, well worth it - and take pics of the names , locations of the restaurants as you go round! I'd echo the guided tour of the Forum, Nero's golden palace and the Protestant cemetery. If you change buses at Torre Argentina, be sure to look at the ruins, it was where Julius Caesar was murdered. Ice-cream can generally be judged by the colour of pistachio gelato, anything selling bright green gelato is to be avoided.

Get in a proper official taxi outside the airport. We got swindled by a 'taxi' man grabbing our bags as we came out of baggage area. They robbed us of a few hundred and it was a pretty scary drive.

Thank you all, some amazing tips here! We have a tour booked for our first full day there that will hit all the main tourist sites, so will have the other days to find all these lovely bits you’ve mentioned

Go and visit San Clemente church. Just up the road from the Colisseum. There are 3 churches on top of each other and as you go down through the layers you finally reach the Romans.

It features in Ngaio Marsh's "When In Rome" (Inspector Alleyn), though slightly rearranged.San Clemente

Wear comfy shoes and don't sit on the Spanish Steps, the police blow whistles at you.
Rome is beautiful have a fabulous time!

Be wary of street vendors trying to force things on you and then demanding payment. I highly recommend the catacombs and the forum. There is also a fantastic gelato place called Sweet Life. The flavours change daily, they let you try before you buy and they dip the gelato in either dark or white chocolate, depending on preference.

On a more practical note, if you go to the Vatican/Basilica you must cover your knees and shoulders. I would also recommend wearing a mask in the Vatican. A few of our party came back from Rome with Covid and we think it was picked up there.

Eat at da enzo in trastevere.
get on the metro and visit Ostia antica
Largo de torre Argentina is Bril ( I stayed there once with a view over ). There are ruins in the centre with a cat sanctuary - the gelatiera is nice as is pizzeria Florida.

I wouldn’t stay near the Spanish steps. I’ve stayed down by the coliseum - old place , at Argentina ( amazing cheap find ) and up by the Vatican - well good for the Vatican 😂

check what you need to pre book - go to St Peter’s at sparrow fart and get in without queues and up
to the top for the views before the crowds.

pre book Vatican and have an audio guide / expect to start early and spend all day unless you just want to see the Sistine chapel

Rome is one of those places where the typical touristy sites are worth it as they deliver. If you are doing the Vatican tour then get a guide, it’s worth it

This is a really nice restaurant: www.ditiramboristorante.it

Wear comfy but stylish shoes.
wear a cross body bag and presume everyone is trying to steal it,
Dont be afraid to take restaurant recommendations from Romans. It’s a matter of honour to only recommend good restaurants.
Be prepared for a lot of graffiti and rubbish.
Drink espresso only in the morning, and always standing at the bar, not sitting down.
Thee is an amazing but expensive tea room at the bottom of the Spanish Steps.
Eat ice cream.
Cross the road with the locals and watch out for scooters, even if you’re on the pavement.
Ear more ice cream.
In most restaurants you have to order sides and vegetables. If you order a steak, you will get a plate with a steak on it, and nothing else.
Have another ice cream.
Learn a few pleasantries in Italian.
Have a great time.

Good advice from PP about choosing restaurants just behind main streets.

Pre book underground coliseum tour - incredible experience

Forgot to say, pack a big scarf in case you need to cover your shoulders if visiting a church.

Book popular stuff in advance - some things like the Galleria Borghese you HAVE to book, other things like the Vatican you will be glad you booked when you see the state of the queue.

Make sure you are on the actual attraction website and not a tout reselling site, it's often very hard to tell and they don't come up first in search engines.

If you like classical opera/music then look up Roma Opera Omnia - Paola and her group are outstanding and they do concerts with behind the scenes tours in galleries and churches.

Also all water in Rome is fresh, there are water fountains everywhere. Don't waste money on buying bottles of water.

Comfortable shoes are a must. Stylish would be nice, but comfort is key.

TBH as Rome is full of tourists everyone we saw was dressed for comfort rather than style. During the day the locals were at work so I didn't see any uber stylish dressers anyway.

The tip about a cross body bag is a good one. I also kept my money and debit card in a separate hidden zipped pocket, and kept my hand on my bag.

I think if you look alert and not vulnerable the pickpockets and scammers will leave you alone.