Chefs kiss!
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Rome, the incredible capital city of Italy, is a destination that is only growing in popularity! It’s a vibrant, bustling city absolutely packed with history and heritage. We found ourselves saying the word “wow” every time we turned a new corner whilst in this amazing city.
To be honest, I’ve never really been particularly interested in history, so the fact that the heritage and stories behind every building in Rome fascinated me, and only made me want to learn more, really says a lot! There is something for everyone in this city, and it’s one of those places that no matter how many times you revisit, you’ll never explore every single street, and always find a new gem that you hadn’t come across before.
Where to begin? - It’s difficult to know where to start with Rome as there are so many sights that you just have to experience while you’re there. First on our list was The Colosseum, as it’s one of the seven wonders of the world, and immediately you can understand why. This amphitheatre is the largest in the world, and still stands tall and strong, despite its construction beginning in the year 69 AD. Nearby the Colosseum stands the Roman Forum, another incredible area to explore. You do have to pay to enter, it’s €18 for a ticket but it includes the colosseum, roman forum, palatine and imperial forum.
It’s free?? - Free sights in Rome are common, though! It’s completely free to enter the Vatican City and go inside of St. Peter’s Basilica. It’s the smallest country in the world, but the biggest cathedral in the world! The Romans love to break a record, apparently. The exterior of St Peter’s Basilica is incredible, but the interior is truly breathtaking. The walls are decorated intricately with gold from floor to ceiling across the entire, very vast space. Just make sure you arrive early in the day to beat some of the crowds. You can also visit the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Spanish Steps completely free!
Even more freebies?? - There are also lots of companies in Rome that offer free walking tours across the city to explore and learn more about the history and culture! It’s a great place to start if you’re a first time visitor. It might sound too good to be true, and it kind of is. The tours aren’t completely free, they’re “tip-based” so you’re expected to tip your guide. We found that our guide regularly brought this up, and we struggled to know how much we were expected to leave.
Roaming Rome - If you’re looking for more free ways to spend your time in Rome, there are lots of incredible parks that you could genuinely explore for hours on end. Villa Borghese is a vast green space with sculptures and even a lake with pedalos! And Parco Savello is a great hidden gem, it’s a small park with gorgeous orange trees and a stunning view!
Pizza and Pasta - We couldn’t do a blog on Rome without covering the amazing food and drink scene! We have some amazing recommendations for you. If you love a bargain and a really busy, exciting atmosphere, Bar San Calisto is the “cheapest bar in Rome”. It’s always very, very busy but the atmosphere is amazing and you can get beers for a euro and glasses of prosecco for two!!
You obviously need to try pizza and pasta when you’re in Rome, and there’s no shortage of restaurants. If you don’t mind paying a bit extra, there are some beautiful spots with views of the Colosseum, Trevi fountain and other famous landmarks. If you want to avoid paying that “tourist tax”, just wander a few streets down and you’ll find much more reasonable prices. And don’t forget about trying other, sometimes forgotten about Italian specialities like gelato, cannoli, espresso and panzerotti.
This city really does have so much to offer. From heritage and history to nights out that you’ll never forget, mouth watering food and lush parks, you will never be bored in Rome!
Additional information:
Getting there: Rome is easily accessible by air, with direct flights from many major cities around the world. It's also easy to get to by train or coach from major cities in Italy and surrounding countries.
Visas: Citizens of most countries do not need a visa to visit Italy for a stay of up to 90 days.
Currency: The currency of Italy is the Euro.
Language: The official language of Italy is Italian, but English is widely spoken.
Time zone: Rome is in the Central European Summer Time, usually an hour ahead of the UK.
Ready to go?
- Search for somewhere to stay in Rome on Expedia here
- Look for things to do in Rome on GetYourGuide here