Rome. The biggest attractions and monuments. What to see, where to eat, how to explore?

Name: Rome
Rating: 5

Rome is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, a kind of huge museum under the blue sky
The best way to explore Rome is by taking long walks, admiring the attractions every few steps. It's a good idea to have comfortable shoes!
Tickets to top attractions should be booked online in advance to avoid huge queues
Beware of theft! Unfortunately, Rome is famous for it and it is a common practice, not only in the crowd. Especially keep a close eye on your documents and phone, because losing them is a big trouble!

Rome is the capital of Italy and the soul of Europe. One of the most beautiful and fascinating cities in the world. Enthusiasm and bewilderment with monuments accompanied us all the time during the tour. Of course, the greatest impression is made by buildings and ancient ruins, because they are not often admired. Known as the Eternal City, it attracts millions of tourists each year, stealing their hearts. I have never met a person who was not captivated by Rome's unprecedented beauty, amazing monuments and endearing atmosphere. Here's a comprehensive guide to the best things to do and the easiest way to plan your stay in Rome.

Rome's top attractions. What to see in Rome? Map and descriptions

Rome delights with countless wonderful places to visit. The monuments will be at your feet every step of the way. It's a kind of open-air museum, like Valetta in Malta, but here on a much larger scale! Here are the top attractions in Rome!

Colosseum in Rome - the ancient heart of the city

The Colosseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheater, is one of the most recognizable monuments not only in the Eternal City, but all over the world. Visited by 6 million people a year. It is the symbol of Rome and the largest amphitheater in history! Since its founding in the first century, 400,000 gladiators and over a million animals have died here during the events. This iconic object survived a fire and several earthquakes. It is nice to see from the outside, but it is worth visiting when you go inside, because here you will feel the spirit of ancient Rome. This is a must-see on your trip to Rome
Info: it is worth booking tickets online in advance, for a specific day and time. This way you will avoid long queues.
The standard ticket costs 18 euros for an adult and is free for children under the age of 18. Includes Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. Birthplace of Rome

The Roman Forum is the central square of ancient Rome. From the Colosseum, you will pass by the Arch of Constantine, Via Sacra. It is one of the oldest and most important tracts of antiquity. Processions marched through it, but the emperor also triumphantly rode in after the victory, when another piece of Europe joined the state. And the people cheered, although probably no one from that crowd ever got there. The Roman Forum itself begins with the Arch of Titus erected in the first century AD. Today you will see here mainly ruins, but once there were magnificent villas and temples.

Above the Forum, the Palatine Hill - one of the seven hills of Rome - is the most significant. The city was founded in April 753 BC, and the beginnings of the Eternal City are associated with the mythical Romulus and Remus, raised by a wolf. The brothers were to argue about where the city would grow. Romulus wanted to build them on the Palatine Hill, while Remus wanted to build them on the Aventine Hill. In the end, Romulus killed Remus and created the seed of Rome on the Palatine. Archaeological research confirms that this hill was inhabited in the 8th century BC.
Info: You will visit the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill as part of a joint ticket to the Colosseum (18 euros for an adult, children under 18 free of charge). Tickets are best ordered online in advance, for a specific day and time.

Forum and Trajan's Column - ancient attractions of Rome

Trajan's Forum or Hale Trajan's Forum is one of the imperial forums. It is located opposite the Roman Forum and captivates with its beauty. You can admire them from the main road or from the footbridge over the square. The characteristic arches are spectacularly illuminated at night. Next to it rises the slender Trajan's Column with a carved history. The place is magical and steeped in a noble story.

Trevi Fountain - Rome's most famous fountain

The Trevi Fountain surprised us amazingly. I could not have imagined that it was so huge and beautiful. This is one of the most recognizable places in Rome and you know them from so many photos and videos, and yet the effect was really wow! Not surprisingly, it attracts millions of tourists every year, who leave around 1.5 million euros here, although the facility is free! At least for now. The original baroque architecture and romantic legends make it a must when visiting Rome, because it is a significantsymbol of the Eternal City next to the Colosseum. It is one of the most beautiful fountains in the world, and tradition dictates tossing a coin to ensure your return to Rome. Successive coins guarantee happiness in love!
Info: Opening hours: Tue - Thu and Sat - Sun 9.00-21.00, Mon and Fri 11.00-21.00 (due to fountain cleaning)
Admission is free, but there is a limit of up to 400 people at a time within the barriers by the fountain, this is supervised by the cleaning services.

Spanish stairs - no eating or sitting down

The Spanish staircase is a significant Roman attraction, very popular with tourists. These are some of the longest and widest stairs in Europe. They are over 130 degrees! It was built in the first half of the 18th century, and the square on which they are erected was then known as Platea Trinitatis. They gained their Spanish nickname only when the Embassy of the Kingdom of Spain began to operate in the Monaldeschi Palace. Today, the most elegant Roman streets leave the square. At the top, one of the nicest viewpoints in the city is recommended.
Info: available for free, but be careful, you can't eat or drink or even sit on them. Sometimes someone sits down, but the guards keep order and sooner or later they will draw your attention. You can only sit at the top of the stairs.

Vatican City: St. Peter's Square and Basilica, Dome with viewpoint. Vatican Museums

The Vatican is a gem on a global scale. It is the smallest country in the world and the only one entirely inscribed on the UNESCO list. The treasures of the Vatican delight with Michelangelo's architecture and works of art. The basilica is built on the tomb of St. Peter, who died crucified upside down on Vatican Hill.

What is worth seeing here? You will enter St. Peter's Square and St. Peter'sBasilica free of charge. It's huge and delightful. A must-have for me. I also recommend a paid viewpoint on the dome, because it is one of the nicest views of the city, but you can see it here from behind bars. Whether you choose an elevator or a walk, you still have a lot of stairs to climb. I highly recommend the Vatican Museums. These make a thunderous impression, but get ready for a solid walk.

Info: The entrance to the basilica and the dome involves tape control, as at airports. The same is true in the Vatican Museums
Tickets: You can enter St. Peter's Square and the Basilica free of charge. There is a paid viewpoint on the Vatican dome (10 euros on foot or 15 euros elevator + on foot) and the Vatican Museums. The museum is worth booking in advance to avoid long queues, ticket prices are: 20 euros per adult +5 euros for online booking, 8 euros for children under 18 +5 euros for online booking. Remember that museums offer a route as long as 7 km, and the tour takes 3-4 hours!
If you want to fit all the attractions in one day, I recommend starting with the Vatican Museums as early as possible in the morning, and then going to the dome, because you still come down to the interior of the temple. We went around the museums to the temple and we did not have time for the dome, which closes earlier. We had to come back another day.

St. Angel's Bridge in Rome

The St. Angel Bridge is a significant place for us, because here we started visiting Rome. It is very impressive. It dates back to 134 AD, and in 1450 there was a tragedy when a crowd heading to the Vatican broke the barriers and more than 200 pilgrims drowned in the Tiber River. From here you will see a nice landscape of the smallest country in the world.

Castle of the Holy Angel

The castle of St. Angel, which rises behind the bridge of the same name, is the former castle of the popes. Here they protected themselves during the Roman revolts. It was built for Emperor Hadrian, the one from the wall in Great Britain. This is where Marcus Aurelius was buried. Currently, it houses the Museum of Medieval Weapons, and in the film Angels and Demons, the Illuminati church is located here.
Info: tickets to the castle 13 euros

Pantheon - an impressive attraction of Rome

The pantheonis a giant success of ancient architects. It is one of the most impressive and best-preserved ancient buildings in Europe. Dedicated to all the gods of Rome, it was supposed to be and is perfect to this day, although it is nearly 2,000 years old! The dome, the largest unsupported one made of unreinforced concrete so far, allows you to look at the heavens and admire the genius of the creators. Through the 8-meter-long, open oculus comes divine light... and rain! The building has survived to our times intact since the second century, mainly because in the seventh century it was renamed a Christian church. I highly recommend visiting this amazing building in the historic center of Rome.
Info: tickets to the pantheon €5 per adult, children under 18 free of charge

Piazza Navona and Domitian Stadium - archaeological lasagna

Piazza Navona is an impressive baroque square with three majestic fountains. The one visible in the middle is the most impressive. It was in her that the hero played by Tom Hanks saved the drowning cardinal in the film Angels and Demons. At the time of antiquity, Piazza Navona hid the Domitian stadium for 30,000 people. Today, due to the growing development over the centuries, this place is located below the level of the pavement, creating such a characteristic archaeological lasagna for Rome, visible in many places. The preserved fragments of the Stadio di Domiziano today include the Museum, hence they are available for a fee, and the entrance is located next to the extreme Neptune Fountain in Piazza Navona. Interestingly, athletics competitions were held at the stadium completed in 86, but women were forbidden to enter because the competitors fought completely naked.

People's Square - Piazza del Popolo

Piazza del Popolo is a place where executions were carried out in the Middle Ages. In the center of the vast square stands the Egyptian obelisk of Flaminio, which was brought to Rome by Emperor Augustus. It is over 23 meters high and is one of the oldest obelisks in Rome. It dates back to the time of Ramesses II, i.e. from around 1200 BC. Two twin churches stand on the sides: Santa Maria in Montesanto and Santa Maria dei Miracoli. From the outside, they are almost identical, they have different interiors. Here you will see the third temple, Santa Maria del Popolo, one of the first Renaissance churches in Rome.

Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin and the Mouth of Truth

This church with a rather dark but charming interior and relics of St. Valentine may date back to the 6th century. Tourists, however, are attracted here primarily by the famous Mouth of Truth (Bocca della Verita), called the first lie detector. It is an ancient marble medallion with the carved face of a bearded man with a hole in his mouth. It is a famous attraction that may have once been a cover for a well, an entrance to an ancient aqueduct, or perhaps a fragment of a fountain. A medieval legend says that whoever put his hand in his mouth and previously lied, his mouth would bite off his hand. In the Middle Ages, court judgments were carried out at the sculpture, consisting in cutting off the hand. Interestingly, the conventional name of the mascaron Bocca della Verita comes from the late Middle Ages. This term was used for public mailboxes, where one could anonymously leave messages about the sinful vices of neighbors.
Info: available free of charge, but there is a long queue under the Mouth of Truth before the temple opens to take a picture with your hand in the medallion and preferably a shout on your lips. You can also take a photo from the outside through the grille.

Villa Borghese and Pincio Parks

Villa Borghese Park is a vast and popular Italian Baroque garden. Called the green lungs of Rome. There are as many as 3 museums within it, as well as a monument to Henryk Sienkiewicz. The park was built in the 16th century as a private property surrounding the villa. Many Italian parks have such a history, which, from their former estates, have now become public green havens for the Romans. Hence, the residue in the name is usually the word villa. The Pincio Park is part of the Borghese Park, and its name comes from the hill, very scenic, incidentally perfect for sunset. Take the stairs from Piazza del Popolo. I recommend a walk to the pool, where among the lush greenery proudly stands a very charming water clock, still Art Nouveau and reportedly still working.

Tiber - climatic Rome

In the Trans-Tiber, you can easily walk, e.g. from the Altar of the Fatherland, there is also a bus line H from Termini station. Jews once settled here. Until recently, the Transylvania River was considered less touristy, with great restaurants, interestingly inexpensive. This is still not entirely true. Despite the average weather on Saturday, crowds of tourists were waiting for us here, cafes and restaurants were full and not cheap at all. The place is actually very charming, it is a bit like our Krakow Kazimierz, also a bit neglected. Which has its charm, although here it is a slight exaggeration, the walls and facades are very strongly marked, even speckled. Of course, the narrow, atmospheric streets defend themselves, but we felt a slight disappointment here, because we probably expected more from this place in our imagination.

Ostia - a seaside district of Rome

Ostia was an ancient port city, located at the mouth of the Tiber River to the Tyrrhenian Sea. Today, it is the only seaside district of Rome, about 30 km away from the center. It is said to be the first Roman colony. Traces of these times have survived to this day and they are one of the largest in Italy. Interestingly, the former port still lies above the Tiber, but the sea shoreline has moved away from it by as much as 3 km. We did not decide to visit the Ostia Antica Archaeological Park, because tickets are not cheap, and the area is very extensive. And we admired the ancient traces in the center of Rome every day.
Tourist life flourishes in the heart of Ostia. There are nice buildings, a pier, ice cream parlours and numerous pubs. However, the beaches are not as charming as in Poland. They are characterized by dark, sometimes even black sand. To a large extent, these are private and littered beaches. We walked along the beach a few kilometers from the Stella Mare station, where the public beach of Hakuna Matata is located. Honestly, I do not recommend this part of the beaches, unless it is quieter here in the summer than in the center, then maybe it is a better option. The nicest fragments start in front of the pier. There are also public beaches when you go to the tourist port with a marina. It's quite charming here, but still not crazy. In general, however, we find the trip very pleasant and interesting, and finally the sea is the sea.
Info: Ostia is available as part of the ATAC transport ticket. If you do not have it, a one-time ticket for 100 minutes costs 1.5 euros and at this price you can get from the center of Rome to the sea. The whole journey takes about 1 hour. Take the metro line B to Piramide station, where you can go directly from the station to the train station and take the Metromare train from Porta San Paolo to one of several stations in Ostia. If you are not interested in visiting Ostia Antica, then I recommend Lido di Ostia station, where there is a center and a pier. Tip! At the Pyramid station, it is worth going outside and seeing the ancient pyramid, which was created as a tomb after the Egyptian pyramids.
Tickets: Ostia Antica €18 adult, children up to 18 years free of charge
Ice cream 3 euros for 2 scoops of piccolo (not so small at all) Il Gelatina di Ilia Ice Cream Shop opposite the pier

Free viewpoints in Rome

There are plenty of places with an impressive panorama of the city. Here are some of them. It is worth taking them into account and including them in the plan of visiting Rome, because they give an amazing view of Rome and an idea of the entire Eternal City. This is an especially good option if you only have a weekend in Rome ahead of you. All the more so because you can see these views for free!

The Altar of the Fatherland (Altare della Patria, Vittoriano) - is one of the largest monuments in the world. It commemorates the first king of united Italy, Victor Emmanuel II. There is an observation deck at the top for free! In spring, it's the perfect place for a sunset. In summer, too, but only on Friday and Saturday, when it is open longer. You will see the Imperial Forums, the Palatine and the Colosseum from here
Terrazza del Pincio - on a hill in a beautiful park there is an amazing vantage point overlooking the city, ideal for sunset
Terrazza del Belvedere - located next to Pinci, it is worth taking a walk through the greenery and beautiful panorama, it is also the perfect place to admire the sun
Umberto I Bridge - beautiful scenery of the Tiber with the bridge of St. Angel and the Vatican
Aventine and keyhole - this is one of the 7 hills of ancient Rome, famous for its keyhole, through which you can see the dome of St. Peter's Basilica, in the afternoon we came across a long queue, and next to it are the Orange Gardens (Parco Savelli), from where you will also see a nice panorama of the city
The Janicle - a spectacular place just before sunset with a view of the radiant Rome
Giardinetto del Monte Oppio - when walking Via dei Fori Imperiali in front of the Colosseum, turn left and take the stairs up (or Via del Fagutale), a nice place for sunset
Via Monte Tarpeo - the street shows the spectacular scenery of the Roman Forum and the Colosseum in the background

Lesser-known tourist attractions of the Eternal City

Church of St. John Lateran - one of the four papal basilicas in Rome (next to St. Peter's Basilica, St. Paul's Basilica outside the Walls and the Basilica of Our Lady of the Snows), which are extraterritorial properties of the Vatican. Lateran was the first seat of the popes after the emperor Constantine the Great recognized Christianity as a binding religion and donated these areas to the bishop of Rome and the head of the Church. An integral part is the nearby Baptistery, which played an important role in the beginnings of Christianity. It was built in the 4th century and is one of the oldest early Christian buildings of this type in Rome. One of the legends says that St. Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, was baptized here. An Egyptian obelisk decorated with hieroglyphs rises opposite. A fountain was glued to its base in the 17th century. There is no taller ancient Egyptian obelisk anywhere in the world. It is over 32 meters long, and if you add the base and the top in the form of lions and a cross, it comes out over 45 meters. Although significant, the less visited part of Rome
Capitoline Museums - rich in collections, museums in powerful buildings on the Capitoline Hill hide extremely valuable works of art, including the original sculpture of the famous wolf that fed Romulus and Remus, a copy of which can be found next to the museums
The Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva - one of the few Gothic churches in Rome, was built in the 13th century on the site of the former temple of the Roman goddess of wisdom and art, Minerva. The stunning interior hides the tombs of the popes: Clement VII, Leo X, Paul IV, Urban VII, as well as Catherine of Siena, patroness of Italy, and the grave of the Polish general of the November Uprising, Józef Szymanowski. Outside, there is an Egyptian obelisk with an elephant, which became a model for the monument in the Hermitage of Bl. Salomei in Ojców National Park.
The Angelica Library - the stunning, first public library in the world, was founded in 1604 by Bishop Angelo Rocco. Today, the library's collections include as many as 130,000 manuscripts, as well as valuable texts, many of which remained on the list of forbidden books. The oldest work in the collection comes from the 9th century, the library is open from Mon to Fri (closed on weekends) from 9.00-13.30. Free admission
Arch of Constantine - stands under the Colosseum, built in 315 AD
Arch of Titus - from the 1st century AD opens the Roman Forum
Basilica of Our Lady of the Heavenly Altar (Basilica of Santa Maria In Ara coeli) - a building glued to the Altar of the Fatherland
The oldest window of life in the world - it was created in the 12th century, in 1198, and was initiated by Pope Innocent III in the hospital of the Holy Spirit
The Marcellus Theatre (Teatro di Marcello) - the so-called Second Colosseum - an ancient Roman theatre from the first century BC. It is located in the southern part of the Field of Mars. Julius Caesar himself chose the place for this object.
Venice Palace (Palazzo di Venezia) - the so-called Third Colosseum - the palace was for a long time the seat of the Venetian cardinals, and later the embassy of the Venetian Republic. It is here, in the courtyard of Giardino Grande di Palazzo Venezia, that you will see the fake Colosseum, because the Pope ordered the creation of an internal loggia as an architectural copy of the famous amphitheater
Margutta Street - a quiet and atmospheric place that once gained fame thanks to the film In Love with Rome
Temple of Hadrian (Tempio di Adriano) - beautiful animations have recently taken place on the facade, thanks to which the history of Rome becomes alive
St. Clement's Basilica - here, again, the Roman lasagna is visible, because under the current temple you can admire much older, paid admission to the underground
Circus Maximus - the oldest and largest circus of ancient Rome, expanded many times. In the end, it housed an audience of 250,000 people and had dimensions of 544 x 129 m. Chariot races were mainly played here, and Julius Caesar also organized hunting here
Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels and Martyrs - with two sculptures by Mitoraj, a Polish artist
Basilica of Our Lady of the Snows (Maggiore) - one of the papal basilicas, is located near the main station. Very impressive and beautiful, but we unfortunately associate it mainly with the fact that under the temple by the fountain our backpack was stolen

Polish accents in Rome

Vatican Basilica: on the right side of the nave in the chapel of St. Sebastian is the tomb of the Polish Pope, John Paul II. Initially, he was buried underground, like most popes, but after his beatification, on May 1, 2011, his remains were transferred to the basilica. So it is a great honor.
Vatican Basilica: on the left side of the nave there is a sculpture of Maria Klementyna Sobieska, granddaughter of King Jan III Sobieski, Queen of Great Britain, France and Ireland. Eventually, she abandoned her husband and sons to devote herself to prayer at the monastery of St. Cecilia in Rome
Vatican Museums: among the works is the painting by Jan Matejko "Jan Sobieski near Vienna" in Sobieski's room. The painter personally presented the work to Pope Leo XIII as a gift of the Polish nation. The painting was created in 1883
St. Peter's Square is decorated with a colonnade consisting of 140 statues. Among them is one Pole - Saint Jacek Odrowąż, crowned by Giovanni Bernini in the 17th century
In the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, in the crypts, there is the grave of the Polish general of the November Uprising, Józef Szymanowski
In the Pincio Park you will find a sculpture by Henryk Sienkiewicz
Antico Caffe Greco near the Spanish Steps is a restaurant founded in 1760. It was a favorite place of many artists, including Adam Mickiewicz, Henryk Sienkiewicz, Juliusz Słowacki and Cyprian Kamil Norwid.
On the commercial square Campo di Fiori there is a record of a poem by Czesław Miłosz, entitled Campo di Fiori. It is a war manifesto in which the poet refers to the tragic events of World War II, comparing the uprising in the Warsaw ghetto to the death burned at the stake of Giordano Bruno, in this very square in Rome. This took place in the 16th century, and the reason was his views on astronomy, considered heresy at that time. The artist was equally affected by human indifference to both events
In the Basilica of Our Lady of Angels and Martyrs, you will see a sculpture of the famous Pole - the Head of Mitoraj. His second sculpture also adorns the main door to this church

Interesting facts about Rome

The Trevi Fountain collects almost 1.5 million euros in coins thrown in by tourists every year. The money is donated to charity
The Colosseum was once filled with water to stage naval battles
There are about 1,100 churches in Rome, of which about 900 are operating
Rome has some of the oldest Christian catacombs in the world
In ancient Rome, monuments were not white, they were painted in color, but over time the paints were destroyed
Olives were very important to the Romans. The oil burned and illuminated the darkness, in addition, the oil served as food and was used during care treatments. Even gladiators used it for massage
In the Vatican Museums, many statues have fig leaves in place of the genitals, and some are even cut off. They were not made this way. In the 16th century, Pope Paul IV ordered the removal of intimate parts and the insertion of fig leaves in their place. The Council of Trent, which took place at that time, prohibited nudity in sacred art. Such censorship lasted for 300 years
Some carpets on the walls of these museums have been created longer than the Sistine Chapel itself
91 popes are buried in the Vatican Basilica. So far, there have been a total of 266, along with the current Pope Francis

Where to eat in Rome? Proven restaurants, cafes, and ice cream parlors

Here are our culinary recommendations in Rome that won't make you go bankrupt and make you eat tasty:

Pastevere, near the Vatican, fast and very tasty pasta in boxes: Carbonara €9, Tomato spaghetti €7.5
Trattoria Luzzia, restaurant near the Colosseum: Carbonara €9, Lasagne €6.5
Hostaria de' Pastini, restaurant around the Pantheon: Cannelloni with spinach 14€, Tomato spaghetti 12€
Alice Pizza, €5 serving with Too Good To Go app
Terrazza Caffarelli, cafe on Capitoline Hill, with a beautiful view of the city: espresso €1.5
Two Sizes, a delicious tiramisu to go near P. Navona, in several flavors: a small portion of €3
Gelateria Della Palma, 1ode in 150 flavours: Serving 2 scoops with whipped cream 3.80€
Antico Caffe Trastevere Roma, cafe in Transylvania, €2 espresso at table, standing cheaper

Romebook - the best guide to Rome!

When planning a trip to Rome, we used Romebook. It is a wonderful guide and an invaluable help in getting to know the Eternal City. It is by: Ani and Marcin Kdewyjechac.pl - Wandering Butterflies and Karolina and Piotr Rudeiczarne - Travel Blog

With the slogan POLSKIESZLAKI you have 10% discount on Romebook:
https://rzymbook.pl/

Practical information

Rome is a huge city, visited by millions of tourists. Therefore, it is worth collecting the most important information before leaving and familiarizing yourself with the practical information that I have prepared for you.

How to get to Rome?

Getting to Rome in several ways:

By plane: The Eternal City is served by two major airports: Fiumicino (Leonardo da Vinci) and Ciampino. Flights from most European cities are frequent and relatively inexpensive
By train: Traveling by train is an eco-friendly option. Termini Train Station connects to other major cities in Italy and Europe
By bus: you will find numerous bus connections from different parts of Europe

Transport and public transport

Rome has an extensive public transport network:

Metro (lines A, B) - it is a quick and easy way to reach the main attractions (the most important ones are even listed in the metro at the appropriate station)
Buses - reach almost anywhere in the city, use apps like Moovit to plan your trip
Trams - the network is not as developed, but it is less crowded than buses
Tickets - it is best to buy a term ticket. We bought an ATAC ticket for 7 days, which included both buses, metro and trams. We even got to Ostia on it. It cost 24 euros for each, but there are also shorter variants. They are very convenient, you have to delete them on the first trip and from that moment time begins to count. Then you just have to have them with you and pull them out in front of the subway gates. In fact, there is a lot of walking around Rome, but they returned to us so quickly
Taxis - a popular means of transport in Rome, you can often use it to get to the object itself, e.g. the Pantheon, we only used it when driving at night from the airport to the accommodation. It is worth choosing the white ones with the burgundy Roma inscription, because they have to use city rates and it is harder to be fooled
Strikes: they happen quite often, usually once a month, we came across them. Then the buses ran early in the morning, until about 8.00 or 9.00, and then they only started to run around 18.00

Tips

For the most famous attractions, buy your tickets early online to avoid queues
Walk around the city, many places are close to each other and a beautiful building grows every step
Avoid visiting during rush hours 11.00 - 15.00 to avoid crowds
Before entering the most famous attractions, such as the Colosseum or the Vatican Museums, you undergo a tape check, similar to the security check at the airport. It is best to put everything in a backpack or bag beforehand, both mobile phones and other equipment. Long tripods are not welcome, it is worth storing them in your backpack if possible. Jackets don't need to be taken off
The best time to visit Rome is in early spring or autumn. Avoid the summer months, because there are unbearable heat here, and it is also very crowded. If you are not afraid of a slight cold, then the ideal period, if you do not like queues and crowds, will be the beginning of January, shortly after New Year's Eve. Then the city is empty and you can enter the best attractions in Rome by march
Attention!! When visiting Rome, keep an eye on your belongings and watch out for pickpockets and thieves, especially in the tourist crowd. Thefts happen here very often and are extremely sophisticated. Things can dissolve in the air. We ourselves were the victims of theft, because our backpack was lost, practically in front of our eyes. There are gangs here. First of all, keep an eye on your documents, because temporary passports are issued every day in Rome due to theft. And if you're going to Rome by car, leave absolutely nothing in the open, or even valuables in the trunk. These disappear easily and we have heard about such cases several times among our friends.

Accommodations in Rome

Accommodation in the city itself is not cheap, and we traveled together, so we decided to go to hu Roma Camping In Town, located several kilometers from the center, at Via Aurelia 831. It's a 15-minute drive from the Vatican. Cornelia metro station (line A) can be reached quickly by bus. We used to take line 246. hu Roma offers cottages and air-conditioned bungalows. There is a restaurant and a shop open all day, as well as an outdoor swimming pool and a hot tub available in high season. The facility is large and offers free parking. There is wifi and a supermarket across the street. Of the minuses: there is no kettle, the shower is very small, without hangers and has a transparent door, and there is only one sink in the room. Thus, for a couple or with a small child, this is an acceptable solution, while for an older child it is awkward.

Here you will find a wide selection of accommodations. By booking your stay on Booking.com through our link, you support the development of our blog — and we thank you in advance! It helps us reach many interesting places that we later love to show you and share our experiences and information with you.

History of Rome

Rome was founded according to legend by Romulus in 753 BC. Initially, it was a small settlement on the Palatine Hill. The power in the city belonged to seven legendary kings, the last three of whom came from the Etruscans. In 509 BC, the monarchy was overthrown, establishing a republic. It became a military and political power, subjugating all of Italy and many regions of the Mediterranean. In 27 BC, Octavian Augustus transformed the republic into an empire. It reached the peak of territorial and cultural development between the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. Rome then became the largest city in the world, with about a million inhabitants. It was the center of one of the largest empires in history. After the division of the empire in 395, the western part fell in 476. This date is considered the end of antiquity.

In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, Rome was the center of Christianity, culture and art. He also experienced periods of destruction, as during the Sacco di Roma in 1527. In 1871, the city became the capital of united Italy. In 1929, the independence of the Vatican was established.

Legends of Rome

One of the most famous legends is the tale of the wolf who fed the twins Romulus and Remus, the future founders of the city. The legend of the foundation of Rome is associated with the abduction of the Sabinian women. When Romulus organized the first Olympics, he invited women from the Sabine tribe to attend them. Since the Romans were all men in the beginning, they kidnapped women from a foreign tribe. The Sabines declared war on them, but the women were already accustomed to new partners, and so peace and the unification of the two peoples began. It is a symbol of the unification of different tribes under the Roman banner.

Rome is a city full of contrasts, from ancient ruins to modern cafes. Everyone will find something for themselves, whether they are interested in history, art or simply relaxing in a beautiful environment. When planning a visit, it is worth taking into account both the most famous tourist attractions and lesser-known corners of the city.

Rent a car

Exploring becomes much easier when you have your own means of transport. You don’t have to worry about buses or taxis, and you can plan each day your way. The search box below will help you find the right car – right where your journey begins.

What's worth seeing in the area?

If you have already visited this attraction, it is also worth visiting several other interesting ones places nearby. Within a radius of 100 kilometers you will find many interesting places places that can diversify your stay in this part of Poland.

Colosseum in Rome, distance: 0 km
Altar of the Fatherland in Rome, distance: 0.9 km
Trevi Fountain in Rome, distance: 1.3 km
Pantheon in Rome, distance: 1.5 km
Vatican City, distance: 3.1 km