When in Rome… a famous saying but there’s something magical about Rome, especially as you get off the plane. Essentially, you’re walking into the world’s largest museum… even better, the majority of it is open air!!
There are some spectacular places to visit, from the Roman Forum to the Colosseum and a firm favourite – the Trevi Fountain. Whilst Rome has been immortalised in film, there’s nothing quite like sitting in a café in one of the many plazas, watching the city go about its business and recognising a scene from a film (Da Vinci Code springs to mind here).
With so much on offer, it is difficult to make a choice on what to see, without leaving this amazing place feeling you’ve missed something – but panic not!! Some helpful hints to get around the city and get the most from it are:
- Aim for a 4 day stay as a minimum – there’s so much to do, but 4 days will give you a good chance to see a good portion of Rome.
- The airport is about 20km outside of the city. You can travel by train from the airport and this will get you to the centre of Rome (more or less). You can also get a cab but this may prove a bit on the expensive side for those travelling on a budget.
- Travelling around is easy – their version of the metro runs diagonally across the city, but it’s worth considering the hop on/hop off city bus – not only will you see loads, you’ll also get your bearings quicker.
- Getting tickets for travel across Rome is really simple – there’s a number of ways to do it. Either directly with city bus/metro or you can now get Touristic Bus tickets (Green Bus Tours) tickets at Euronet cash machines. Euronet are working in partnership with Touristation, and you can now buy their travel tickets that will get you to major points of interest, such as St Peter’s, the Colosseum and Piazza Navona – all at the ATM . Even better Euronet ATMs are dotted all around the city, so you’re not restricted on where you can get them… super handy!
- You won’t go hungry in Rome – there’s food available on most streets and the majority of cafes and restaurants will have outdoor seating. This traveller’s tip: try to sit outside in one of the restaurants facing the Roman Forum – there’s nothing like seeing the sunset over the forum, sipping a chilled glass of white wine (especially when the Italian house wine is excellent).
- When visiting the Colosseum, this traveller suggests going in the afternoon around 3pm – it will be quieter, with less visitors and there’s something wonderful in the silence.
Rome is a place of wonder and beauty – it can be as expensive or cost effective as you want. Plan your days before going and remember the options to travel around and see the city.
Finally, don’t forget…
divertiti (enjoy yourself!).