Gathering travel tips for Rome is trying to work through the complicated mystery on how to successfully plan trips to the Eternal city. As Johann von Goethe once said, “Only in Rome is it possible to understand Rome.” And I couldn’t have said it any better. As a wanderer, I know by experience savvy travelling is a long process. It took me missing few buses, trains and getting lost most of the time to slowly integrate myself into the do’s and don’ts of discovering new places.
After visiting the Italian capital for a couple of times, I have gathered some tips on how to fully enjoy the Roman experience. Narrowing my findings several times, the list turned into a 5 trip planning essentials. So, without further ado, let’s ride a vespa and scroll down my recommended 5 tips to help you master your next holiday in Rome.
1. Check the dispositions to enter Italy:
With the outbreak of COVID-19, travelling became more challenging. Two years later, Italy, as every other country in the world, still applies some health-related restriction measures to incoming travelers.
The conditions of enter into Italy are given and periodically updated in: COVID-19 SURVEY (viaggiaresicuri.it), or more specifically through the ministry of Health web page for travelers: Covid-19, travellers (salute.gov.it).
2. Go for the off/low season:
Rumor has it, Rome is always jam-packed. If truth be told, Rome is a busy spot, yet not always overcrowded.
As you might know, low season is the time of the year that counts the least amount of tourist activity. Therefore, if you prefer avoiding crowds like me, I highly recommend you plan your trip accordingly. In order to do so, either take off your days to Rome between April and June, or September-October period. Both offer low room rates and a nice blow of spring/Autumn breeze.
3. Pick your areas of interest:
Planning your trip to Rome doesn’t have to be stressful. Whether short or long, a simple brainstorming turns the trick. Here are some tips:
Don’t over plan your schedule and concentrate your visit on your areas of interest.
Look at the attractions websites to narrow down the list of your most ‘want to see places’.
Check the museums closer dates and book your visits online to avoid the long waiting lines.
Also remember to pay attention to the dress code, you don’t want to be denied the entrance somewhere for picking the wrong outfit that day.
Cultural sites run by the state are totally free in Rome the first Sunday of every month. Make sure you run a quick research to check free-admission days on the museum’s calendars; after all, culture isn’t meant to always be expensive.
Personal tip:
If you are not a restaurant lunch person, include some visits during the lunch break from noon until 3pm.
4. Stay in the city center or near a transport node:
Between hotels, hostels, B&B and Airbnb options, there is rarely a shortage of places to stay in Rome. Booking a place far from the city center might minimize costs, however, consider checking the distances you will end up needing to move around to see if it’s worth the savings.
When booking, look for accommodations well connected to the city center and also easily reachable by other transport means. Also, keep in mind how price tags vary from one area to another depending on your budget and of course, you will usually notice that the rates are high around the ‘Classical Roma‘ part of the city.
5. Break down the city into zones:
I had many failed discovering days during my previous travels due to unpractical itineraries. Most of the times, the places were scattered around the city and getting around public transports was not my cup of tea.
In short, to be efficient, take a map and circle your previously pre-made list of interest sites. Use Google Maps to calculate average travel times and then follow a zoning as on what your visiting plan would be in accordance with your stay and your everyday schedule for your Rome getaway.
READ LATER | WHERE TO EAT IN ROME?
Last but not least, BE WISE, think about your pace and be optimal, for instance, how unrealistic would it be to put the Vatican City and the Colosseum in the same day?
READ LATER | MASTER YOUR TRIP TO ROME
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