What to know about Rome – Rome Travel Guide

Last Updated on July 18, 2024 by Tori’s VA

Oh Rome, the eternal city, and in my opinion the most magical city on earth.  It has so much charm that you just have to see to believe.  It actually took my breath away with every corner we turned. I cannot wait to go back.  Until then, I will teach you everything you need to know about this special place. Before you head off on your Rome sightseeing, be sure to read below for what to know about Rome.

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Here’s What to Know About Rome, Italy

When Should You Visit?

When to visit Rome, or Italy as a whole for that matter, is always a hot topic.  I am under the impression that the worst time to visit is much much better than not visiting at all.  If you can be flexible with the time you travel there, you should visit during the shoulder seasons.  This means April/May or September/October.  These months will have the best weather, typically in the 60-70s.  But the best part is, the city will not be packed to the brim with tourists!!

Wondering what to know about the weather in Rome? In the summer it is extremely hot, and is always PACKED.  Everywhere you turn there will be tourists shoulder to shoulder.  Doesn’t seem enjoyable.  However, if it is the only time you can go, I still think you should.

The winter gets pretty darn cold, but will have even less tourists which would be a huge bonus.  Plus, it would be a super pretty place to celebrate the holidays.  Especially if you plan on visiting Northern Italy, then this can be an especially great time to visit!  However, if you plan to go to places like the Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terre or Lake Como, then do not come in the winter.  These locations shut down completely during these times.  Restaurants, activity and transportation companies are likely to be closed from the beginning of November until the beginning to mid April.

How Long Should You Stay?

There is no right answer here.  As far as I’m concerned you could spend months in Rome. But most of us don’t have that kind of time.  If you plan on traveling around the country with Rome as one of the stops along the way, then I think 3-4 days is probably the sweet spot.  You can certainly get a taste of the city in two days, but it deserves more time if you have it. Here’s my 3 days in Rome itinerary to give you an idea of what 3 days could look like in the Eternal City!

Or you could stay in Rome the entire trip to Italy as your base, then do day trips from there. I would say that 7 days is probably appropriate for this plan.  You could day trip to the Amalfi Coast. Or to a vineyard in the countryside of Tuscany. And even Florence if you wanted to.

Who Should Visit Rome?

I truly believe that this city is for anyone.  It is a safe place that you could feel comfortable bringing kids to. They have lots of parks and piazzas for them to run and play.  It is an extremely walkable city, so I think it is the perfect place for older people who have a harder time getting around.  Rome is obviously perfect for the history lover and drool worthy for the foodies!  This city has something for everyone.

What to know about getting to Rome

Most people will fly into the Rome Leonardo da Vinci International Airport. It is located along the coast, about 30 minutes outside of the city.  This airport is a great option for flying into and out of Italy because the flights are often cheapest, and they have very frequent flights.

Once you arrive at the airport, you have a few options on how to get into the city.  The most common way is to take the train.  The train is located a 7 minute walk from the airport, through a walkway. Just follow the signs that say “Train”, it’s easy.  Once you get to the station, you can buy the tickets at a kiosk.

But, be sure to validate your tickets by stamping them before you get on the train.  If you get caught without a validated ticket, you will get charged a huge fine.  The ride is about 40 minutes long and drops you at the Roma Termini Train Station, right in downtown.  From the train station you can either walk or take a cab to your accommodation.  The train ride costs 14 euros per person for a one way ride.

Another great option, and my personal recommendation, is to take a cab.  For a set price of 50 euros for a one way ride you will get dropped off directly at your accommodation.  If you will need to take a cab from the train station to your accommodation anyways, then you might as well consider just taking a taxi the whole way.  It saves time, energy and will only cost a little bit more money (if any at all). You can also take an Uber, but from what I understand is they are more expensive than taxis, and definitely less common.

If you are already in Italy, then you will likely want to take the train.  Trains are running constantly into the city and you will want to get off at the Roma Termini.  Trains are a super inexpensive and efficient way to get around this country, and I’ll chat more about that later.

Where to Stay

Figuring out where to stay in Rome is not a “one size fits all” sort of situation. It is one of the most important things when learning what to know about Rome. There are many amazing options for this city, and only a few places that I don’t recommend. If you will only be in the city for a few days, then you will definitely want to stay close to the center of town.  Saving money by staying outside of the city center will only end up causing you stress, time and more money to get into town. It’s just not worth it.

I also recommend that you stay away from the area around the train station.  The north-west side (where the St. Regis Rome is) is beautiful, and definitely an exception to this rule, but the other sides are not quite as safe, clean or quiet.

Otherwise, you kind of can’t go wrong!!  I personally recommend staying in one of these areas:

Near the Pantheon:

This area is very centrally located, right between the colosseum, Vatican, Trevi Fountain and the best food in Trastevere.  It makes walking to everything very easy.  It will be super safe, and quiet, while still having the liveliness of the city all around you.  Good food will be hit or miss here, since it is a very touristy area.

The Jewish Ghetto:

Another awesome location, and close to everything. The Jewish Ghetto will be even closer to the best food in the city, just steps away from Trastevere.  There is so much history lying around every corner here. You’ll walk up on ancient buildings that have been worked right into new structures.

Trastevere:

Known for being less of a tourist spot, and more for the locals.  However, this awesome neighborhood has definitely caught the eye of tourists and is becoming busier by the day.  The best part of this area is the food, amazing restaurants everywhere you look.  This area will be further away from the attractions, and at least a 30 minute walk to most things.

You could also stay near Piazza Navona (also close to everything). Or the area of the Spanish Steps (fancy and quiet).

Hotel or Rental?

Now that you’ve narrowed down the neighborhoods to stay in, you’ll have to find the place you want to stay.  Some people prefer hotels, while others love Airbnbs.  We typically stay in hotels whenever we can because there’s only two of us. We typically don’t want to cook, and we are a big fan of our Marriott credit card, so we like to stack up the points and get great upgrades.

While we were in town we stayed in two different Marriott properties, The St. Regis Rome and The Pantheon Iconic Rome Hotel, Autograph Collection.  We actually loved both of them a lot.  The service at both hotels were top notch. Better than we experienced at any of the hotels around the rest of the country (well the hotel in Tuscany was also incredible but you can read more about that in my journal entry of Tuscany).

The St. Regis Rome was grand and intricately designed and just gorgeous.  The staff wouldn’t let you lift a finger, always had a smile on their faces and were just so kind.  However when we got to the Pantheon Iconic Hotel, my husband Austin really hit it off with the guy who checked us in. They chatted about American football…and he gave us the most expensive room in the house as a free upgrade. We were spoiled!!  The room had a rooftop balcony and was just incredible, we were so grateful for this special treat!  Point is, we loved the Marriotts in Rome, and truly don’t think you can go wrong booking one.

However, VRBOs are especially great for the small towns in Italy.  So if you will be staying in Rome for a week or more, and want to stay just outside the city, then that could be a great option.  Or, if you typically like to cook some meals at home while on vacation, then this is the obvious choice as that’s typically the only way that you’ll have a kitchen.  Lastly, and usually the most common reason for VRBO is if you have a group of people.  Typically groups of 4 or more prefer to have some extra space, and Italian hotels don’t exactly have large rooms.

How to Get Around Rome

One of the things we loved so much about Rome was how easy it was to get around.  The whole city is relatively flat which means walking everywhere isn’t too exhausting.  It is a large city though, so walking from one place to the next might be a 30…45…hour long walk.  It all depends on where you’re staying and how well you plan out your days based on location.

Walking is also great because you get to see so much insanely beautiful architecture.  You’ll walk up to an intricately designed, old, gorgeous building and think “Wow, that must be a famous building” but nope, just another office building.  But really, the point is, walking is definitely easy and a great option for getting around the city.

Taxis

Then there are taxis.  Learning about taxis in definitely one for the most important things on my list for what to know about Rome. The difference with taxis in Italy, is that you can’t just flag them down like you might be used to elsewhere.  Instead, you can find taxi stands spotted around the city. Once you find one, there will be cabs lined up to take you on your way.  Or, you can have your hotel or restaurant call one for you if you prefer.  However, the best way is to download the “Free Now (My Taxi)” App.  With this app, the taxis work just like an Uber would.  You can call one whenever from wherever, and they will come pick you up. This made it incredibly easy and fast, and was more reliable than searching around for a taxi stand.

Once you grab a taxi, it usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes to get anywhere around the city.  Of course it depends on how far you are going. But from all of the major tourist areas, this is how far apart most locations are.  They will cost you about 10-12 Euros, and you can pay with cash. From our experience, most also take cards.  Just ask before you get in to be sure.  They might charge you an extra dollar for paying with a card. It’s because they have to provide their own card reader which isn’t free, so we understood completely.  But of course, if you call the taxi through the app, then you pay automatically online and don’t have to worry about payment at all.  Easy peasy.

Public Transportation

The last option for getting around Rome is by public transportation.  Rome does have a metro, but it is not very thorough, with only 2 lines.  Every time they keep trying to dig new lines they find new ruins in the way, and can’t just barrel through them. So, it makes sense why they haven’t developed as much as other cities!

The Metro runs from 5:30am to 11:30pm and runs every 7-10 minutes.  Each Metro pass is 1.50 Euros and is good for 75 minutes.  The metro is especially good for getting to further away destinations. For example, the Vatican Museums, the Colosseum or the Testaccio Market.

An added bonus option for transportation would be to buy tickets for a hop-on hop-off bus tour.  These are great options for any city (especially large ones like Rome!!) You can see the sights, learn about the city, and have transportation around town.  And with the rooftop seats you get awesome views and photo ops!!  I recommend the Big Bus Open Top Tour from Viator!

What to do in Rome

Let’s be honest.  You probably already know what the best things to do in Rome are.  They’re famous for a reason, I promise, they really are worth visiting even if it is what everyone does.  However, I can give you some tips for how to make the absolute most of them. These are some of the most important things to know about Rome.

The Colosseum

It would be a shame if I didn’t start here. The Colosseum is why some people even visit Rome at all.  It is huge and old and beautiful, and very exciting to see in person for the first time. There are many ways to see it, but I highly recommend getting the first reservation of the day. You will avoid a huge majority of the crowds, have a better overall experience. You’ll also get better photos with less tourists in the background.

If you really want to learn about all of the history, then definitely book a guided tour. But again, book the earliest time possible. If you don’t care to learn every single detail, then just book a regular ticket directly through the Colosseum’s website. Then use the free Rick Steves Audio Tour on your phone. The app is completely free, and has many free tours all over Italy and the rest of Europe. Just make sure to bring headphones!

We booked the ticket that includes the Colosseum floor, which was a nice bonus. It’s definitely not necessary and didn’t add a ton to the experience. For a more unique experience, book an underground tour, or a night tour of the Colosseum. Both offer a new perspective and could be especially fun for someone visiting for their second time!

The Roman Forum

After you’re done at the Colosseum, head straight over to the Roman Forum. The entrance is only a few steps away. Your ticket will get you into both sites for 48 hours. Plan to spend 2-3 hours here, as there is so much to see. The area is absolutely beautiful and it is so nice to just wander around. Our hunger got the best of us, so we didn’t stay quite as long as I would have liked. Try to stay longer if you can.

I think this is where a guided tour would be especially amazing. There are tons of tours that include both the Colosseum and the Forum that I think you would love!

Make sure to go up the steps to Palatine Hill where you can get the beautiful views out over the Forum and the Colosseum. Again, you can use the free audio tour here if you don’t want to pay for a guided tour!

Vatican City

While Vatican City is its own country, it’s still technically considered “in Rome”, right?  Either way, it is a must do when coming to Rome.  The first thing you need to do is see the Vatican Museums.  Located inside the residence of the Pope, this massive museum features over 20,000 works of art with a huge range in style and era.  The museum ends in the Sistine Chapel, so you get to see that famous ceiling as well.

I need to start by saying that Austin and I are not huge museum people.  That being said, we adored this museum!!  It is unique and interesting and has such a wide variety that you’ll never get bored.  It also just felt so special. There’s some really important pieces located throughout (I especially loved seeing the School of Athens.)

When you are making your way there, be sure to put the Vatican Museums into your map. NOT just the Vatican.  If you type in the Vatican it will likely take you to St. Peter’s Basilica area which is at least a 15 minute walk from the museum entrance.  

The most important tip is again, go early in the morning.  We did the breakfast at the museum ticket option, booked straight through the Vatican Museums website. We were so glad that we did!  It was about $18 more per person than the regular ticket, but it included an American style breakfast and skipped the line for the people who had 8:30am ticket times.  While those people still bought tickets in advance, there still is some time waiting in lines, so the breakfast option gets around that!

This ticket is not a tour, but we used the free Rick Steves Audio Guide again and it was the best one yet, interesting and kept a great pace. You can also buy tickets for a guided tour, which would be great too, but probably take longer and go into a little more detail then we prefer. It would be perfect for the art and history buff!

The food was just…okay, but they had plenty of cappuccino!  Even despite the not amazing breakfast, I will do this option every single time. It really made the museum experience so much better.  We kind of felt like we had the whole museum to ourselves at times. It was so peaceful and there was no rush to see things.  I’ve also heard that the museum can get quite hot so I couldn’t imagine being packed in there with thousands of people in the middle of the day.  Just don’t do it.

All that to say, buy your tickets in advance.  I believe we bought ours about 6 weeks in advance, but it’s always good to check in on the tickets often to make sure you don’t miss out.  The breakfast ticket option will definitely sell out so get them as early as you can!

After you finish at the museum, you’ll want to turn right and walk around the city wall to St. Peter’s Basilica, located in St. Peter’s Square.  There will likely be a long line to get in unless you arrive early in the morning.  It opens at 7am, so you should definitely consider going before your 7:45am Breakfast at the Vatican begins.  Note that on Wednesdays and Sundays it opens at 1pm.

The Pantheon

The last stop I will mention is the big, the beautiful, the Pantheon! This building was extremely underrated in my opinion.  This is the one spot in all of Rome that took my breath away and surprised me with its beauty.  Located in the heart of the city, it’s really hard to miss, and worth stopping by for at least 20 minutes.  Completely free to enter, and has a free Rick Steves audio guide, you have no reason not to see it.  There is usually a long line that wraps around the square in front, but moves extremely quickly, and will likely only take a few minutes for you to get in.

If you stay near the Pantheon, then you can wake up early and get beautiful photos with no one in the background. These are some of my favorite photos of our trip to Italy and I am SO glad that I woke up early for them.

There are SO many other incredible things to do in Rome, I will be writing a full post all about that soon.  Join my email list so you get notified as soon as that list gets posted!

Day Trips From Rome

There are some incredible spots within a few hours of Rome that are worth visiting for the day. Especially if you do not plan on visiting any other city in Italy, consider checking out some of these spots.

Saturnia, Tuscany

The small village of Saturnia is located in southern Tuscany and is just a two hour car ride from Rome. Now, Saturnia is not accessible by public transportation, so you will have to rent a car. But it will be worth the time and money.

Saturnia is best known for the hot springs that are located there. They are natural sulfur hot springs located in the middle of the Tuscan Countryside. The destination itself is gorgeous and the springs feel amazing. Take a dip in the natural pools and let the mineral rich water do its magic on your skin.

While you’re here, enjoy some of the Tuscan hill top town. Tuscany has the best food in all of Italy (in my humble opinion) and will be so much better than what you try in Rome. So enjoy a meal and some homemade gelato before you head back to the big city. Read my guide to the Tuscany Hot Springs to learn all about this incredible place!

Capri, Campania

Just off the coast of Naples sits the island of Capri, just waiting for you to visit for the day from Rome. The high speed train takes just over an hour from Rome to Naples, and then from there you’ll hop on a boat to the island. You can book a day tour on a small boat, or buy ferry tickets. More info about your options in my guide to Capri Day Trip.

The island is famous for it’s massive lemons, handmade leather sandals and of course, Caprese salad. If you don’t have more time, a day trip from Rome to Capri is ideal! Be sure to take a boat ride around the island to admire the famous sights like the Faraglioni rocks and the blue grotto. Then wander the cobblestone streets eating a lemon granita as you window shop. For full details about this magical island, read my Capri Day Trip guide.

Italian Food Culture

When you’re in Rome, or any part of Italy, there are some very important things to know about the food culture in Rome.

Breakfast

Italian breakfasts typically consist of a cappuccino and a pastry.  They usually eat it standing up at the bar inside the cafe (also usually called a bar).  They eat quickly, chat with other locals and are on their way.  I personally love breakfast food so I wasn’t sure how I would feel about this, but I ended up loving it so much and even craving it when we got home.

The cappuccinos are unlike anything I have had in the states, there’s just something about them that I can’t describe.  Then the pastries are always fresh and light and usually have a huge variety of options.  A chocolate or pistachio croissant is always a great choice.  The best part, breakfast for two is around 6 euros!  Cheap, fast and on your way to see the sights!

Lunch

There’s not much to say about lunch in Rome.  You can do pizza or a simple sandwich, or have a full sit down meal with pasta and entrees.  Both are very common and easy to find.  The one thing to note is that most places don’t even open until 12 or 12:30, and then close usually around 2:30 or 3.  They will then take their afternoon rest and open back up for dinner around 7pm.

Aperitivo

Aperitivo is one of the best parts about the food culture in Rome.  It is basically happy hour, but the Italians take it very seriously!  It is looked at as a way to get your stomach ready to eat a large meal, so you have a drink (most common is an Aperol Spritz) and a light snack to get your stomach moving.

Usually you can spend Aperitivo at a bar, yup the same bar you went to grab breakfast at this morning! Sometimes at a dinner restaurant, and sometimes there are special nighttime bars that usually have a great ambiance.  There are some (like Freni e Frezoni) who have a whole appetizer buffet that is included in the cost of the drink!  Sign. Me. Up.

Dinner

That brings us to the best meal of the day, a huge Italian dinner.  There are many different types of places that you can eat dinner.  Here’s a quick guide:

Ristorante: a formal restaurant

Trattoria: Usually a small, family run establishment

Osteria: A casual place with simple dishes, like pasta

Pizzeria:  Obviously a place with pizza but can also have pastas and fried dishes

Enoteca: A wine bar serving small plates and snacks like cheese and bruschetta

No matter what type of restaurant you select, you should be prepared for a long evening. While you definitely can be in and out in an hour or less, it is very common for things to move slower than you are used to at home. Your server will likely not be as attentive as you expect, but they see it as not bothering you. If you want something, be prepared to flag them down, that’s just kind of the way they do things.

It is also typical to have many courses. You will start with drinks and an appetizer, move on to the first course which is likely pasta. The second course is an entrée of meat. Finally, you will end with dessert and a digestive (a liquor that is supposed to help you process your food). You definitely don’t have to order every single course, but it is polite and appropriate to order from at least 3 of the courses.

We often ordered 2 appetizers, one pasta to share, one entree to share and a dessert to share.  Everyone always seemed completely fine with that. I was even surprised to see how often they would split the dishes for us, which was super kind of them!

One thing that we found helpful was to read every menu in advance.  First, because they can sometimes be a little hard to understand, either they’re in Italian or don’t have the greatest English translation.  But the other reason is because when the server comes to your table, they usually want you to be ready to order.  They will definitely let you ask questions and help you decide. However, they do seem to be in more of a hurry than we were used to at home.

A few extra tips, order house wine.  It is ALWAYS delicious and usually very cheap!  Dinner doesn’t start until at least 7pm, usually later.  Don’t order a salad before dinner.  Okay well you can, and we definitely did once just because we really wanted it, but it’s not traditional there.

What to know about eating in Rome

Now that you know how to eat, you need to learn what to eat.  Rome is known for many different dishes. Some that are as traditional as they come, and others are a more modern staple.  Here are some of the important ones for you to try.

Let’s start with pasta because…Well that’s probably the whole reason you’re coming here!  Just kidding, kinda…  Rome is famous for four main pasta dishes. They are all simple and revolve around the same main ingredients.

Alla Gricia:  This first dish is made with just 4 ingredients, pasta, guanciale (pork cheek), pecorino cheese (sheep milk) and black pepper.  Incredibly simple, this is kind of the base for the rest of the dishes.

Carbonara: Just add egg and you’ve got the next, and arguably most popular, dish on the menu.  This one is creamy and salty and lick-your-plate delicious.

Amatriciana: Take the Alla Gricia and add crushed tomatoes but remove the black pepper, and you have the next classic Roman dish, Pasta all’Amatriciana.  The only one out of the 4 with a red sauce.

Cacio e Pepe:  Finally the most simple of them all, the name literally means cheese and pepper.  This dish is the only vegetarian option of the four and is created with pasta, pecorino, black pepper and some starchy pasta water.  You can find this one at some Italian restaurants in the U.S.  Don’t try it anywhere but Rome, I’m begging you. It won’t be made properly.

A few more dishes you must try in Rome include Trappezino, Suppli, Fried Artichoke, Roman Artichokes, Pizza al Taglio and of course, Gelato.

Rome isn’t necessarily THE place to try gelato. But there is some incredible, creamy home-made gelato found all over the city. You must have 1 (or 5) cones each day.

For more details on the best things to eat in Rome, stay on the lookout for my full post about it.  Join my email list below so that you know the minute I post!

Where to Eat in Rome

Rome is a huge city, with 2.8 million residents and 9 million tourists each year.  With all of those people, there has to be tons and tons of restaurants to choose from… 13,000 to be exact.  Well, there’s more than that by now, but you get the point.  There are so many restaurants that you can find an amazing one everywhere you look.  However, it’s also very easy to find a bad, touristy restaurant.

No matter where you choose to eat, there is one rule, avoid the tourist areas.  If the Trevi Fountain is just a block or two away, the food won’t be authentic, if there are hoards of people on the street, find a quiet one and walk the opposite direction.  The inauthentic, tourist restaurants with bad food will always be located in the hub of the tourist areas.  You wander a few blocks away, and it will be much better!

Some other quick rules include: Don’t eat somewhere where there are photos on the menu. Don’t trust tripadvisor blindly. And definitely avoid any place that has someone standing outside asking you to come in.  Reading blogs can be the best way to find good spots.  Hear the same restaurant name over and over on blogs?  It’s bound to be awesome.

But, when in doubt, go anywhere Katie Parla recommends.  Katie is a Rome based cookbook author, food and beverage journalist, culinary guide and all around “knower of all things Italian food”.  You can trust anything she says about a restaurant in Rome.  She was featured on Stanley Tucci’s Searching for Italy for goodness sakes. Need I say more? Katie also offer food tours that I HIGHLY recommend. We did it and had an absolute blast with her and ate so much great food. She is such a wealth of knowledge.

But now what you actually want, restaurant suggestions.

Casa Manco:

Quite possibly the best pizza I have tasted in my life, traditional Roman style street pizza is served here.  You pay by the pound and can try as many flavors as you want.  The flavors rotate, but there’s one rule, you must try the potato pizza, it’s my favorite.  The original location is located in the Testaccio Market (totally worth visiting if you have time) but they have a more convenient second location now in Trastevere.

Trapizzino:

A very new dish in Rome, this street food was invented in 2009 by the famous pizza chef, Stefano Callegari.  I actually had no interest in trying this pizza pocket but am SO glad we did. I even went back for more another day.  Basically pizza dough in the shape of a cone stuffed with meats and sauces and cheese. It is the perfect lunch, snack or dinner for any day.

Pane e Salame: 

In our opinion, the perfect spot for lunch.  When you still have hours of sightseeing left (or a nap in the hotel room) and you don’t want something too heavy, I beg you to check out Pane e Salame.  While you can probably find food like this all around the city, this shop focuses on the simple things, meat and cheese boards and simple sandwiches.  Look, I’ve never said no to a charcuterie board, it’s arguably my favorite food group. But when everything is sourced from just a few miles away and it’s served with Aperol Spritz, I’ll basically move in and never leave.  It’s simple, delicious and the shop is quaint and has good service.  I’m sold.

Hotel Cesari: 

Looking for a hole-in-the-wall experience for Aperitivo?  Visit Hotel Cesari and take the elevator up to the top floor.  You’ll find yourself on a quiet rooftop with a romantic and picturesque setting and the best bartenders in town.  We found out about this place from a local, and we were so happy we did.  Now the pizza we tried was just okay, but the drinks and the setting and the memories made this one of our favorite spots the whole trip. You could even considering staying at the hotel, as it is in a great location near the Pantheon.

Roscioli’s Salumeria: 

On the fancier side, this restaurant basically requires a reservation since they book up every night.  Serving traditional Roman cuisine and a wide variety of meats and cheeses, you can’t go wrong here.  Opt for a romantic dinner in the wine cellar, or a lively experience at the deli counter, either way, a great option for dinner in Rome.

Ginger: 

So you’ve had 8 nights in a row of pasta and are (dare I say it) tired of Italian food?  Yes I know there is wayyy more to Italian food than pasta, but you get where I’m going.  Our last night in Italy after 11 days we couldn’t even think of having one more Italian dish, so I was so glad I had remembered hearing about a place called Ginger.  They serve very American style fresh and healthy food. It’s just necessary sometimes.  Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone that you had a burger in Rome.  It’s our little secret.  Add it to your itinerary as a backup option, you’ll thank me later.

And as usual, I will be writing a much more in depth post about all of the wonderful places to eat in Rome. so, jump on my email list and I’ll let you know when it’s hot off the press!

What to know about dressing in Rome

First of all, let me be clear, you can wear basically anything you want to in Rome.  There is no dress code (unless in a church) and you really should just be comfortable.

That being said, I love wearing long dresses.  They are my go-to on trips like this. I feel the most comfortable and like I am dressed appropriately anywhere I go!  They are fun and feminine and above all, are my personal style. I wear spandex shorts underneath (not spanx, that would be uncomfortable) to prevent my thighs from chafing, and give me a pocket to keep things like my passport and cash safe.  These are the shorts I wear, and this dress and this dress are some of my favorites for Rome.

Make sure you are wearing comfortable shoes above all else.  You will likely be walking miles and miles each day, so the last thing you need is for your feet to start hurting you on day one.  Everyone has different preferences, but I personally love my Keds with added Vionic arch support inserts.  It is what I have found to be super comfortable and look cute with all of my dresses!  Whatever you choose, test it out a whole bunch before you head off to Italy!

The most important thing to note, if you plan on visiting any churches or religious sites, you must have your shoulders and knees covered.  This can mean you carry a scarf or sweater with you just to throw on, but you need to remember to bring it!

What to know about packing for Rome

For a complete list of things to bring to Rome, and Italy as a whole, check out my blog post here.  But I will give you a few tips to start off.

The most important thing is a portable battery pack.  This is crucial to ensure that your phone will last you all day.  You’ll need your phone for thousands of photos, directions all day long, calling taxis, looking up places to eat, translating Italian, and more.  I promise, your phone will not make it all day long.  This portable power bank is exactly what you need to ensure your phone doesn’t die on you before you get those epic photos of the Colosseum!!

I also encourage you to bring an outlet converter.  You’ll need this for all of your electronics, from phone charges to curling irons, but specifically choose a converter, over an adaptor.  The adaptor ensures your items will fit into the plug on the wall, however the converter will also change the voltage to match that of Italy.  The U.S. uses 110 volts while Italy uses 220, the point is, all of your “hot” items like hair dryer and curler, will fry at that high of voltage.  Just be safe and order the converter, one like this with several outlets will cover you for the whole family!

Lastly, I strongly recommend that you bring Euros with you.  Many people say you can just get them there, but you will pay fees, have a worse conversion rate, and take time out of your precious vacation schedule to hunt down an ATM.  Not worth it in my opinion.  There are many places all throughout Italy that require you pay in cash, or will have a high minimum to use a card.  Euros are a necessity, and you might as well just order them from your bank a few weeks before you leave.

There are SO many other things you need to bring with you on your trip, so check out my list, 12 Things You Need For Your Italian Vacation to find out the rest of the details!

What else do you need to know about Rome?

Buy all tickets in advance: If you don’t then chances are you won’t be going. The lines will either be way too long and you will waste half your day there, or they will be sold out. Don’t take the risk and put a damper on your vacation, make every reservation that you possibly can now, and that includes dinner reservations!

Water Fountains:  Located all throughout the city are public water fountains, they provide completely fresh and very cold water for you to drink on the go!  Bring a water bottle and fill up every few blocks!

Watch your bags: While Rome is an extremely safe city, pick pocketing can be a problem like in any big city. Keep your bags close and in front of you at all times, or to be extra safe buy an anti-theft bag!

Say no:  People will be in the tourist areas trying to give you things, a rose, a bracelet, help with your bags and more.  Do not accept anything from them, because they will force you to give them money in return.  If you genuinely want to buy something from them, then that is up to you, but often they will say you “have” to pay them 20 euros or another high price.  Just do not look them in the eye, walk around them and say no, grazie, and move on.  They won’t bother you, but they will continue to hound you if you show any sort of interest.

Tipping is not required but appreciated:  Tipping in Italy is not expected.  Servers in Rome get paid a normal wage, and do not survive off of tips like in the U.S. and many other countries.  If you have phenomenal service, feel free to leave them a few euros, but it will always need to be in cash as there is no tip line on the receipt.

Want to get that perfect Instagram worthy photo without all of the tourists in the background? It’s actually super easy. Get a tripod with a Bluetooth clicker, wake up at 6am and get out before everyone wakes up. You’ll even get the Trevi Fountain (mostly) to yourself. This is especially important for us millennials who love a good Instagram photo, so definitively add this to your list of things to know about Rome.

What to know about Rome

And that will do it!  Those are the most important things that you need to know before you jet off to Bella Italia.  Check out all of my other Italy content here, what to pack for Italy here, and be on the lookout for additional blog posts soon!  Most importantly, have an incredible trip.  It really is one of our favorite places and I hope you love it as much as we do.

Ciao Bella!