As one of the busiest cities in Europe for tourism, welcoming 7-10 million tourist per year, it is necessary to do some research before you arrive in Rome. All of the famous sites are brimming with tourists, so you need to plan ahead to skip the lines, avoid getting scammed, and overall have a successful trip.
After visiting 37 cities and towns in Europe, I thought I knew what to expect in Rome. And while many of the habits and plans are transferrable, there are some things I wasn’t prepared for.
Transportation in Rome
Rome is sprawling. There are interesting sites all over the city, not just concentrated in the centre as is common for many cities. Be prepared to walk a lot and wear comfortable shoes. No picture is worth suffering through blisters! Also save time to just wander and explore Rome. Don’t try to race from site to site as you never know what you might find.
Rome has a metro with 3 lines (Line C is still under construction). Frankly speaking, Rome’s public transit is not super convenient for tourists, as we often had to walk 10+ minutes from nearest metro station to the point of interest. However, seeing the vast quantity of ancient architecture that Roman is built on and around, it is easy to see why developing an underground transit system is taking a while to complete. Always check in advance and give yourself extra time when taking transit if you’re going somewhere time-sensitive.
Eating in Rome
When looking for somewhere to eat, get out of the busiest areas. We had some of our best meals in Trastevere and Esquilino, and our worst near Popolo. The busier the area, the more expensive your meal (and likely, the lower the quality). Try to avoid the tourist traps lining the streets near the Trevi Fountain, the Parthenon, and the Spanish Steps. Many of them have displays of the food outside to intice tourists, but the prices are double what you can find just 10-15 minutes away.
Dress Codes
When choose what to wear, consider the dress code for Roman churches. They request that shoulders and knees are covered, and this is more commonly enforced for women. It is a good idea to bring a shawl or scarf with you to ensure you can enter and view these sites. Most churches in Rome also offer free entry, so you don’t want to miss this opportunity just because of your outfit!
Sistine Chapel and Vatican City
If you want to visit the Vatican, plan and book early. The tickets for the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican museums book up far in advance. We missed our opportunity as we waited until 3 weeks ahead of time to book. The tickets were complete sold out up to 6 weeks in advance (in May). If you’re planning your trip during peak months such as July and August, book your tickets even sooner!
St. Peter’s Basilica is free for visitors and you do not need a ticket, however, it gets busy very quickly. If you want to visit, I suggest going before 8:00 am to avoid the long lines that grow after 9 am. We arrived at 7 and waiting only about 10-15 minutes to go through the bag check.
Preparing for the Weather
Finally, Rome gets very, very hot. If you are visiting between May to September, I’d recommend booking your schedule around the middle of the day. Get out early and stay out late, but give yourself some time in the mid-afternoon to cool down and relax. Walking around in the sun all day is exhausting, and you don’t want to get heat exhaustion or heat stroke on your trip! We found that this “siesta” time also got us on the right schedule to eat at the later Mediterranean dinner times.
Add to the discussion if you have any more helpful tips for visiting Rome!