A sense of the City of Rome
Rome is an incredible city to visit and with so many amazing things to see and do, you’ll be spoilt for choice once you arrive. There are lots of free things to do in Rome across the whole city. It doesn’t matter if you’re visiting for a quick stopover, a long weekend or a few weeks.
Rome historically was the largest, wealthiest, most powerful city in the Western world. It is packed with countless historical landmarks, museums and over 900 churches. It can be loud, dirty and seems to be bursting at the seams with the mass of people living in and visiting the ancient city. When planning a visit to the most popular city in Italy, there are a few tips and suggestions that we recommend.
Our observations and tips from our trips to Rome
When dining out, order the ‘vino della casa’ (house wine) instead of a bottle. It usually comes served by the litre in a lovely carafe.
Italians don’t really do breakfast, they usually have a cornetto (croissant) and an espresso to start their day. Their real food comes at lunchtime. Even in hotels, don’t expect anything more than a ‘continental breakfast’. Italians eat late dinners between 08:00 - 11:00pm.
Italy doesn’t have much of a tipping culture but restaurants will usually add a service charge to your bill.
Museums and restaurants are open throughout the week, albeit Monday is their rest-day, therefore most municipal attractions remain closed. Keep Mondays for shopping and visiting parks.
When visiting the Vatican Museums, the later you go, the better. Ignore those who say you should go early and queue up, that’s what everyone else is doing.
On the first Sunday of each month, numerous museums and archaeological sites are open to the public for free. This includes the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, Baths of Caracalla, and Galleria Borghese. This isn’t just restricted to Rome, it applies to all regions in Italy.
Buy Colosseum tickets online, they work out much cheaper.
Cash is king here. Make sure you carry enough cash with you each day to pay for incidentals like take away pizza or gelato. Even though things are changing, more often than not the smaller establishments will only accept cash.
With every transaction you make, no matter how small the purchase, you’ll be given a small receipt (scontrino or ricevuta in Italian). You might feel inclined to leave it on the counter or throw it straight in the bin. Italy has what is known as the Guardia di Finanza which is basically the finance police. You’ll see them dressed in smart grey suits with a bright yellow strip down their suit leg. You will need the receipts to prove you have paid your tax.
Ice-cream (Gelato) is on sale everywhere. Enjoying an authentic creamy gelato is one of the real pleasures when in Italy. Not all Gelatos are equal, when you find a good one, stick to it.
While you don’t need to be fluent in Italian, knowing a few choice words and phrases will help you in situations outside of your hotel or visiting museums. Italians aren’t known for their mastery of the English language.
Italians invented the coffee culture along with the macchiatto, espresso, and cappuccino. However, there are no ‘cafes’ in Italy, instead there are ‘bars’ and they are pretty much everywhere. When ordering coffee be sure to specify the type you want.
Italians see milk as something you should only have at breakfast. Italians consider it a massive faux pas to order a cappuccino or (caffè) latte with or after lunch or dinner.
Public toilets in Italy are pretty dismal. They don’t have toilet seats and you need to pay 50 cents to use a toilet. Be sure to bring your own tissues and wipes.
Standing at the bar is cheaper, be prepared to pay a higher price to sit at a table.
Pack comfortable shoes (flip flops, sandals and sneakers), light scarves and hats (for sun protection) and UV sunglasses. Opt for lighter and brighter clothing. Shorts are acceptable in most restaurants. However, when visiting churches, the rule is simple: cover knees and shoulders or you’ll be refused entry.
Rome only has two metro lines with a third one under construction. During peak times and on weekends the metros can be extremely busy and crowded.
Loitering around Roman monuments are men dressed up as gladiators who offer to pose with you in photos. Be advised that it comes at a cost.
Also, at some point in Rome, you will be approached by poor folk usually with severely disfigured limbs. Be advised, that generally, all is not as it would first seem.
You can drink Roman water. Ancient Romans kept the Eternal City well-hydrated providing the best drinking water to its citizen via its aqueducts. Public ‘nasoni’ fountains scattered throughout the city are absolutely safe to drink, but you might prefer to buy bottled mineral water: frizzante (sparkling) or naturale (still).
When it comes to mosquitoes, Rome is comparable to other Mediterranean regions, so take your usual precautions.
In most accommodations in Rome, it is preferred that you do not throw toilet paper into the toilet. You should use the bin supplied instead.
Be wary of taxi driver potential rip offs. A popular one is to only given you back change of a €20 despite the fact that you paid them €50.
Do not expect to eat great food in the historical centres, remember that you’re paying for the view and not high-quality food.
Rome is no stranger to pickpockets who operate all over the city. They tend to stay around monuments, archaeological sites and popular bus routes. Be wary if anyone tries to distract you for any reason, be suspicious, especially if they are adamantly trying to get your attention.
St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City
Arguably the most famous Catholic Church in the world, St Peter’s Basilica is one of the main reasons that many people visit the Vatican City in Rome.
Surprisingly, considering it is such a huge attraction in the city, it is completely free to visit except if you wish to see the city from the very top of the Basilica. Its likely you will need to queue to enter, so give yourself an extra 30-minutes to enter at peak times.
Spanish Steps
Visitors to Rome flock to the Spanish Steps to take pictures of this iconic stairway. If you are looking for something that won’t cost you a penny then this is a great place to get your very own iconic souvenir photographs of Rome.
Roman Forum
If you want to see the Roman Forum but don’t want to pay for a ticket, then it’s easy to see lots of it from the street itself. Head over to Fori Imperiali and you’ll be able to see a good section from the pedestrian viewing platform there.
Pantheon
This 2,000-year-old temple, dedicated to the Roman gods is another one of the best free things to do in Rome if you’re trying to save. Being totally free, it does attract big crowds. As with all tourist hotspots, it can be expensive to eat there, should you choose to do so.
Piazza Navona
This bustling square is one of the focal points of Rome and you could happily stroll around here for a relaxing afternoon in the city. It is totally filled with stunning buildings and gorgeous Italian cafes, Piazza Navona is a perfect place to slow down and soak up the atmosphere of the city.
Trevi Fountain
The Trevi Fountain is one of the most famous spots and easily up there as one of the best free things to do in Rome. The Trevi Fountain in the centre of Rome can get super busy and even overwhelming at certain times. If you can, try to avoid peak times or weekends when visiting, alternatively, head here early in the morning before most visitors arrive.
Do not forget the tradition of throwing a coin into the Trevi Fountain itself and making a wish.
Santa Maria del Popolo
If you are an art lover, you will love Santa Maria del Popolo. Its one of the best free things to do in Rome if you want to see Caravaggio’s amazing work. Its totally free to enter and you will be able to see his incredible works inside.
We spent a week in Rome where we visited the many tourist sites that the city of Rome has to offer.
Youtube link to the JustRetired50Plus Rome Video:-
Click to view video:- https://youtu.be/a0Z-M2Biu_M
Rome
A week long city break to Rome, Italy
For a week long city break, Rome has it all. It is stylish and intimate, yet bursting with life and energy all year round, with luxury hotels and trendy restaurants, cafes, shops and nightlife as well as a thriving arts and culture scene. There is lots to see and do, Rome is famed for its architecture and historical sights.
A city break to the Rome, Italy
Everywhere you go in Rome you are walking in the steps of Emperors and Gladiators. Its top attractions are the Colosseum and the Vatican. The backdrop for these two wonderfully historic locations is the city of Rome itself, with its fantastic food and easily excitable, animated population. Culture oozes from every pore of Roman life. Its arts, language, religion, politics, libraries, cuisine, architecture and fashion.
What did the Romans ever do for us? Aright, but apart from providing roads across Europe, sanitation, medicine, education, irrigation systems, public health, fresh water systems, baths and public order, they did nothing for Europe !
We have been to Rome numerous times and each time we discover new places to visit and things to do, but we always tend to stay in the centre of the city. It is within easy reach of all of the tourist attractions and there is a real sense of vibrancy to the city especially at night. We have found Rome to be an extremely safe city.
A city break to Rome, Italy
A great way to spend seven days in Rome, in our opinion, would be something along the following:
Day 1: The open-top city tour bus in order to get your bearings and to acquaint yourself with the general geography of the city, followed by a boat trip down the Tiber.
Day 2: A trip to the Colosseum is a must. A nighttime opera with dinner in one of the smaller opera houses. To avoid the inevitable queues, you should prebook online for the best price deals.
Day 3: Visit the Spanish steps and take in the shopping opportunities. Walk all the way to the Trevi fountain
Day 4: Take a trip out of the city to the town of Tivoli and see Hadrian’s Villa and Villa d’Este. This is a day long tour. It is 20 miles journey each way, but well worth it.
Day 5: Visit the Vatican. Yet again, to avoid the inevitable queues, prebook online for the best price deals.
The rest of the time just wallow in the atmosphere of Roman life, by visiting as many restaurants, coffee shops and public piazzas as possible.
Our must see recommendation for a city break to Rome, Italy:-
(1) The Colosseum.
(2)The Vatican.
(3) The Spanish steps and the Trevi fountain.
(4) Visit the town of Tivoli, 20 miles outside Rome.
(5) A visit to any of Rome’s Museums or Galleries, and a night at the Opera.
The average cost per person for the 7 night stay is €800.
“You should travel away from home, to really appreciate the value of what you have at your home, on your return.”
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