Rome is a destination that everyone should experience at least once in their lives. The history, art, food, beauty and romance of Rome are hard to beat. The minute you set foot in this amazing city, you’ll see exactly what all the hype is about.
With that in mind, it can be hard to pinpoint exactly what you want to do in a city with thousands of possibilities on every corner. Where should you eat first? How much of your budget should you save for shopping? What are your can’t-miss sights that you may need to book a tour of in advance?
As with any other travel planning, it’s easy to get overwhelmed – however, visiting Rome is the perfect opportunity to simply go with the flow and follow your curiosity wherever it may lead.
So drop off those heavy bags at your luggage storage in Roma Termini and check out these amazing places to start your journey in an unforgettable place:
Identify Potential Tours Well In Advance
Rome is full of so many iconic, breathtaking landmarks, including the infamous Coliseum, Vatican, Sistine Chapel, the Trevi Fountain, St. Peter’s Basilica, and Catacombs, not to mention the dozens of huge museums and galleries.
Whether you’re the type of traveler who likes having every minute of the day planned out on an itinerary or you prefer to choose your activities spontaneously, it’s probably a good idea to identify which landmarks you absolutely must see and check to make sure you won’t need to book a tour in advance.
Most landmarks should allow you to pop in as you please, but booking a tour will allow you to learn so much more about the history of the space (and potentially even access special areas).
If you’re interested in visiting any of these places, it’s highly recommended to book a tour or two to get the most out of your visit. Just be sure to start looking at tours at least a few weeks in advance, since many sell out quickly.
Be Prepared For A Lot Of Walking and Crowds
Ask anyone about their experience in Rome and it’s highly likely that, no matter when they visited, they’ll tell you about how crowded it was and how much walking they had to do.
Rome is one of the most popular tourist destinations on the planet – mix that with busy locals and you’ll rarely find a completely quiet place you have all to yourself.
This is another reason it’s important to pre-plan or book tours when visiting Rome. You should also do your research to see what the busiest times are for each destination – for instance, the Trevi Fountain is best visited early in the morning.
And as tempting as it may be to pull out your best high-fashion looks in such a fashion-forward city, you’re best playing it safe and sticking with comfortable shoes and clothes – you’ll thank us later once you see how much walking you’ll need to be doing.
Be Ready To Try New Foods
It’s no surprise that Italy is one of the biggest foodie destinations in the world. No matter where you turn, you’ll stumble into an adorable cafe or bakery that’s calling your name.
Roman food is extremely popular even in the states, with dishes like Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe, and Bucatini all’Amatriciana topping the menus at most Italian restaurants in America. However, you should definitely try to expand your palette and try other local delicacies that you won’t get anywhere else.
Allesso di Bollito, Maritozzi, Coda alla Vaccinara and Trapizzino should all be topping your list, amongst many other dishes. And while there are plenty of popular restaurants you’ll find topping the Yelp lists, don’t underestimate the gems you’ll find by dipping into a small, family-owned cafe at the end of the street.
Take Out Some Cash
While the pandemic has made many places in Rome more credit card-friendly, you’ll still need to safely carry a decent amount of Euros in your pocket for things like taxis, tipping and local street vendors and shops.
Even if you’ve read online that a certain place accepts credit cards, it’s highly recommended to carry a good amount of cash on you just in case. However, as with any other international traveling experience, be sure you’re storing your cash in a safe compartment of your secure backpack, fanny pack or purse, as tourists are often prime targets for pickpocketing.
Let Your Senses Lead You
As previously mentioned, Italy is the perfect place to allow yourself to be free and go with the flow. In addition to hitting all the spots you’ve deemed “must-sees,” go on a walk down a beautiful side street and see what calls your name. You might just find a local vendor that sells you a piece of jewelry you’ll wear for the rest of your life or a local bakery that serves pastries you’ll be talking about for decades to come.
