Have you traveled to Rome? Here are 3 reasons why Rome should be your next travel destination:-
3000 years of history
Amazing architecture
Delectable food
Imagine all this without breaking the bank!
We visited Europe this summer and we are already craving more. We began our trip from Rome, Italy. We took the above picture at the FCO airport in Rome. Rome is home to about 3000 years of history and culture. From ancient Roman civilization, and gladiators in the Colosseum, to the awe-inspiring and jaw-dropping ancient architecture that took several hundred years to complete, Rome is a dream destination. The mouth-watering, delectable food, amazing wine, and flavorful gelato are the icing on the cake!!!
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We visited Rome for 2 days and in this blog, you will find all the information you need to help you plan your first or next trip to Rome. Read on!
FASTEN YOUR SEATBELT AND PREPARE FOR LANDING
Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport (FCO) is the major international airport of the city of Rome and the largest airport in Italy. We were forced to check in our carry-on luggage (allegedly lacking space on the flight), so be prepared and if possible, travel light. We were lucky enough to not lose our bags like so many other people who traveled to Europe this summer. Like this one guy, who went to Paris but his bags went to Milan. Can you imagine?
Leonardo Express is the direct train service from FCO to the city center at Termini Station (Rome's train hub). It covers the route in only 32 minutes with a 30 minutes frequency. It is highly recommended although you can take buses and taxis as well. Tickets can be purchased at the airport as well as at the Termini station from vending machines located close by. Taxis can be expensive but if you prefer your own ride, then you can find white taxis at the arrival terminals. For more information on means of transportation from FCO airport, click the link below-:
DORMI BENE
We both are frugal travelers so when it comes to booking hotels, we prioritize safety and cleanliness over other luxury services, aka, 3-star hotels. Free breakfast is the icing on the cake. We also narrow down our search based on the location that is easily accessible by foot or public transport. Our hotel was within walking distance (less than 10 minutes) from the Termini station. Whether you are budget conscious like us or like to splurge on expensive hotels (no judgment!), there are 2 reasons we recommend looking no further than booking.com.
We use booking.com for all our hotel reservations and we have always been more than satisfied. You can choose from hundreds of properties depending on your budget, from shared hostel accommodations to 5-star hotels, with multiple pictures and reviews to help you make an informed decision.
The best thing is you don't pay until the day of check-in and most hotels have free cancellation up to 24-48 hours prior to your arrival date. Some hotels have free breakfast included. Win-win!
EXPLORING ROME
The best way to explore Rome is by foot and by public transportation. No kidding! We were clocking almost 20,000 steps a day. So make sure you have really good sneakers and keep your dress shoes at home.
Rome has an excellent public transportation network so you do not need to rent a car or pay for a taxi to explore the city. Moreover, it is a cheaper and more convenient option. We highly recommend 2 passes that give you unlimited rides of public transport and free or discounted entry to almost all the major attractions:-
48-hour or 72-hour Roma Pass depending on the number of days you are planning to spend in Rome. Roma Pass gives you unlimited rides on public transport, free access to one or two major attractions including the Colosseum, Roman and Imperial Forums, Capitoline Museums, etc. (more on attractions later), and discounted entry to other attractions. For more information and to purchase Roma Pass, click here:-
Omnia Vatican and Rome 24-hour card. This card gives you free access to the Vatican attractions including the Vatican museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Basilica plus a 24-hour hop-on, hop-off bus tour of Rome and a Catacomb of Rome at your choice. The Roma Pass and the Omnia card give you the freedom to explore the best of Rome at your convenience. For more information and to purchase Roma Pass, click here:-
Another great option to explore the city is Lime scooters and E-Bikes that you can activate via Uber or other apps on your phone, link your credit card, and VOILA! You are all set!
SAVORING THE MOMENT
We work hard and party harder. Which means we are big-time foodies. Rome, the land of pasta and pizza, has some excellent restaurants that will tickle your taste buds.
One restaurant we absolutely adored had exemplary food, outstanding service, and reasonable prices, making it an unforgettable fine dining experience, and we cannot recommend it enough. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Target Restaurant!
Target Restaurant has an excellent selection of house wines and other imported varieties to satisfy the wine-lover in you.
No Italian cuisine is complete without Tiramisu. Tiramisu is a coffee-flavored Italian dessert. It is made of ladyfingers dipped in coffee, layered with a whipped mixture of eggs, sugar, and mascarpone cheese, flavored with cocoa. It's simply delightful.
AWESOME TRAVEL EXPERIENCE WITHOUT GOING BROKE
Eating out all the time can be expensive. So here are 4 things we recommend to do to enjoy your vacation without going under.
Have breakfast at the hotel (if it is included) or go to a local bakery.
Find a local supermarket and buy snacks, water in bulk (water is not free so we bought 1L bottles), and beverages such as beer/wine. Stash them in your refrigerator in the hotel.
For lunch, we found local delis where you can buy fresh prosciutto or salami, freshly baked Italian sandwiches such as Italian Sandwich With Prosciutto Di Parma, Italian Tuna Salad Sandwich, and Mortadella Focaccia Sandwich. So you don't have to order room service or go to a restaurant for every meal.
Have one nice meal in the day in a nice restaurant to enjoy a fine-dining experience. We preferred to have dinner in a nice restaurant but skipped the restaurants for breakfast and lunch to save money.
Our evening snack would be a delectable gelato. My favorite was double chocolate with peanut butter. Arilene loved the fruit-flavored gelato.
THE ATTRACTIONS
Rome has tons of attractions. With meticulous planning and extensive research, we were able to make an itinerary for us that allowed us to visit most of the major attractions within 2 days. We made sure we got enough rest between the activities and kept ourselves hydrated. Save this itinerary to save yourself loads of time and energy and to make your first or next trip to Rome a memorable one.
DAY 1
Have an early breakfast and get on the road by 8 am. That's the key. To beat the crowds and avoid getting heatstroke in peak summer. Here is what we did.
visit some attractions until noon, then return to the hotel to get some rest
and start exploring again around 3 or 4 pm until around 10 pm. Since it was summertime, sunsets in Europe around 9:30ish, so there is plenty of light.
Day 1 attractions:- Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine hill, Circus Maxima, Capitoline museum, Trevi Fountain
COLOSSEUM
Arguably, the most iconic structure in Roman history was built as a gift to the Roman citizens, to stage various forms of entertainment, and to showcase Roman engineering techniques to the rest of the world. It could accommodate around 50,000 spectators and would host festivals and games for up to 100 days (Remember the movie GLADIATOR!).
Along with the 48-hour Roma Pass, it is mandatory to book your timeslot for the Colosseum, Borghese Gallery, and Civic Museums. The Roma Pass Card is activated on your first entry to the museums/sites and/or on your first journey on public transport. You can reserve your time slot at https://ecm.coopculture.it/index.php?option=com_snapp&view=event&id=3793660E-5E3F-9172-2F89-016CB3FAD609&lang=en
There is a €2 booking fee. Select "Reservation of admission for Roma Pass Holders, seats reserved for Roma Pass holders”.
The time slots are usually reserved months in advance.
However, we highly recommend booking a guided tour from Tiqets.com or getyourguide.com. The Colosseum is massive so it might be extremely exhausting to explore this iconic structure by yourself. We booked a priority access guided tour from https://www.getyourguide.com/rome-l33/90-minute-gladiator-arena-colosseum-tour-t146430/ that gave us a "skip the line" entry to the Colosseum with a multilingual tour guide. Lara (our tour guide) was from Crown Tours and she was excellent. She paced the tour perfectly, sharing historical information and fun facts about the colosseum as well as giving us ample time for clicking pictures and enjoying the awesome architecture. Worth every penny. Moreover, this guided tour gives you access to the restricted Gladiator arena.
ROMAN FORUM AND PALATINE HILL
Roman Forum and Palatine hill are next to Colosseum and are included in the guided tour to Colosseum. Roman Forum was the political, legal, and religious center of the Roman Empire. Home to the old marketplace and Temple of Julius Caesar, it was a grand site at the heart of Roman life. Palatine Hill is the rumored birthplace of Rome and the middle of the 7 hills. In Ancient Rome it was considered one of the most desirable neighborhoods in the city, and was the home of aristocrats and emperors.
CIRCUS MAXIMA
The Circus Maximus is an open space and is free to visit. It was a chariot racetrack in Rome that was used for events such as the Roman Games and gladiator fights. It last hosted chariot races in the 6th century. Today it continues as an important public space, hosting music concerts and rallies.
CAPITOLINE MUSEUM
The most ancient public museum in the world, it houses a considerable quantity of archaeological examples in addition to a significant collection of medieval and modern works. Recently, a large glass-walled room was built out of the covering of the Roman Garden to exhibit the original equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, previously located in Piazza del Campidoglio.
TREVI FOUNTAIN
Wrap up your day at Trevi fountain. Arguably, the most famous fountain in Rome. There is a tradition of throwing coins over your shoulder into the fountain. Those who toss coins are believed to return to Rome. Of course, we did not throw coins. The coins that are thrown into its water are collected daily and donated to charity.
Day 2 attractions:- St. Peter’s Basilica, Castel Sant'Angelo, Pantheon, Vatican museum, and Sistine Chapel.
ST. PETER'S BASILICA
Undoubtedly, one of the most beautiful churches you'll ever visit. It is one of the holiest temples for Christendom and one of the largest churches in the world. Its grandeur is personified. Its architecture is just breathtaking. Inside the church, you'll witness some of the most impressive pieces of art.
Entrance to the church is free. There is a fee to go to the top of the dome. You can also purchase a guided tour with 'skip-the-line' access and an audio guide. We recommend getting there early to avoid the crowds.
CASTEL SANT'ANGELO
The Mausoleum of Hadrian, usually known as Castel Sant'Angelo, is a towering cylindrical building in Parco Adriano, Rome, Italy. It was initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. The building was later used by the popes as a fortress and castle and is now a museum. We skipped this one because we were getting late for the Vatican museum. Although we took some pictures from outside. The Omnia card 24-hour hop-on, hop-off bus starts from across the street from Castel Sant'Angelo and ends there.
PANTHEON
We took the 24-hour hop-on, hop-off bus to get off at Pantheon. It is the best-preserved ancient Roman monument. It was constructed as a temple dedicated to the Gods and became the burial ground for several important people including famous artists and kings. The entry is free. Tickets are available for guided and audio tours.
VATICAN MUSEUM AND SISTINE CHAPEL
The Omnia card gives free skip-the-line access to the Vatican museum and Sistine Chapel. However, you need to reserve your time slot in advance. You can purchase the guided audio tour for 8 euros separately. The Vatican museums are the public museums of Vatican City. They display works from the immense collection amassed by the Catholic Church and the papacy throughout the centuries, including several of the most renowned Roman sculptures and most important masterpieces of Renaissance art in the world.
The Sistine Chapel is widely regarded as Michelangelo’s masterpiece. It is located inside the Vatican museum. It is famous for the ceiling painted in fresco by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512. Pictures and videos are strictly forbidden inside the chapel.
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PS-: All pictures clicked on Samsung Galaxy S22.
Great content! A wonderful read!
Very informative and nicely put together. Brings back my memories from 2011 when I visited Rome !
This is a very handy and impressive information. Unlike websites that promote Rome, information like this from a traveler's point of view is "Gold". Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for this great information. I feel like traveling to Rome this coming Winter vacation!