Rome Travel Guide: Part 1

Hello there! It hasn’t even been a week since I came back from the most romantic, beautiful and magical city in the world. Did you guess it by now? Of course, it’s Rome! Remember that four months ago I told you that Berlin is probably my favorite place in the world? well, while I absolutely love Berlin, I think Rome has definitely taken its place. Something about Rome feels more like home- the warmest, happiest people I’ve ever met, so much history and art, street performances, the romantic atmosphere and the most delicious food in the world, all in one, beautiful place. Everyone was so friendly, kind-hearted and smiled a lot. Rome made me feel so happy and alive, and I feel like I found the home for my romantic soul there. So… should we begin with my Full Rome Travel Guide?

Things you need to know before visiting Rome

+ Rome is a very English-friendly place and everyone I met spoke English- no worries about that. But it is nice to know some very basic words like Ciao (hello/goodbye), Grazie (Thank You), and Prego (you are welcome/ please/ after you). I feel like when you say those things in Italian people will appreciate you more for trying!

+ The public transportation in Rome is good. Not as good as in Berlin, for comparison, but It’s so easy and cheap to go from one place to another by just using the metro and busses. A 24-hour ticket costs 7 euros and it’s valid on metro, buses, and trams, but if you stay for 3-7 days, I advise you to buy the 3-day ticket (16.5 EURO) or the 7-day ticket (22 EURO).

+ In order for your ticket to be valid you need to stamp it. If you are using the metro your ticket will be stamped in the entrance, and when using the bus, a machine there will allow you to stamp it.

+ If you are planning on entering places like museums, the Colosseum etc, and you don’t want to wait in the long lines, I highly recommend you to pay for the Roma pass. First of all, when paying for it you get free access to all public transportation options in Rome, 1-2 entrances to museums, depends on which option of Roma Pass ticket you pay for (24-72 hour tickets available), and reduced prices on tickets for events, exhibitions, etc. I regret not having purchased it, it would have allowed me to skip the huge lines that eventually made me give up entering the Colosseum.

+ If you want to visit the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica, I recommend you to join a use A&A tours. When arriving at the area of the closest metro station to the Vatican, you will see random guys standing there offering a guided tour. It’s reasonably priced and the guide I had was very good, fun and informative. Also, It allows you to skip the long lines and saves you about 2-3 hours. Be prepared- The guided tour to the Vatican museums and St. Peter’s Basilica is about 4 hours.

+ There are many Peddlers in Rome, especially in the busy tourist sites. Some of them will even make you think they give you an African bracelet for free (when they will actually follow you and ask for money afterward). My recommendation is to just say a very direct “NO, thanks”, or they will just follow you. 

+ +39 is the international code used to dial to Italy. Very important if you need to contact someone, even on WhatsApp.

+If you want to buy a SIM card, I suggest searching for a company named Vodafone or WIND. I purchased WIND sim card, and while it was good and I didn’t have any problems with it at all, I would say it’s better to pay for Vodafone since it will work in a lot of places in Europe, and not only in Italy.

Must-See in Rome

Colosseum

The Colosseum is it is the largest amphitheater ever built and it’s Rome’s most iconic symbol. I loved it so so much! When seeing it in real life, you feel its greatness. It could accommodate between 60 and 80 thousand people as well as lots of battles, animal hunts, dramas based on classical mythology and executions. In the recent years, the Colosseum became a symbol of the international campaign against capital punishment, the opposite of what it was used for in the previous centuries.

+ Tip: To take the best photos of the Colosseum, search for the stairs near the Colosseo Metro station that will lead you to a nicer view of it. There is another amazing spot that I found for taking stunning photos of it. If you want to find out more about it, keep reading 🙂

+ Don’t miss the Colosseum during night time! it’s so beautiful.

Trevi Fountain

I cannot describe how magical this place is- looks unreal, like a painting, a fairytale – that’s why it’s the most popular fountain in Italy and maybe even the world. The fountain area is super busy, day and night, but it is a must-see. You should go there, maybe even throw a coin and wish to come back soon…

+ Fun fact: Can you guess the average amount of money thrown into the fountain every day? Well, it is about 3000 euro a day, showing us how popular this place it!

+ Tip: If you want to really enjoy this fountain and to take a beautiful picture with it, I recommend you to go to “Santi Vincenzo e Anastasio a Fontana di Trevi”. Just stand at the entrance of the Church and you will have a magical view of the fountain without anyone interrupting you.

+There are so many street artists around this area, especially Spray Can Artists! Do not miss them in action.

Arch of Constantine

The Arch of Constantine is a triumphal arch located very close to the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. It was built in order to commemorate Constantine’s victory at the Battle of Milvian Bridge. It’s a fun place to stop by when visiting the area, but not a must-see.

Roman Forum

The Forum used to be the center of day-to-day life in Rome, it used to be a place for important meetings, court activities and religious ceremonies, barber shops, stores, and markets. In the Forum, you will find lots of different temples, Basilicas, gates, and graves.

Palatine Hill

Palatine Hill is one of the most important sites in Rome. According to Roman mythology, this was the location of the cave where Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome, were found by the wolf that saved and took care of them. In Palatine Hill, you find the remains of buildings from the Roman Empire era and the view of it is beautiful.

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Pantheon

Temple for all the gods, the Pantheon is a huge, breathtaking place. It’s one of the best-preserved Roman buildings. The Oculus at the dome (the open part at the dome) and the entry door of the building are the only natural sources of light of the Pantheon, and during rainy days, the water is drained in 22 small holes in the center of the floor. Outside of the Pantheon, there are always nice street performances.

Vatican: San Pietro square, Vatican museums

The tiniest state in the world is located in Rome, and it’s absolutely stunning! Go to San Pietro Square, enjoy the beautiful architectural gems, fountains, and the whole super special atmosphere. Visit the San Pietro Basilica and don’t miss the Vatican Museums. Prepare yourself for four hours of stunning history stories, art, and other creations by Michelangelo, Raphael, and Leonardo da Vinci.

+ Tip: I recommend you to visit the beautiful square during night-time as well as the morning, it’s even more magical!

Piazza Venezia

Piazza Venezia is one of the main squares in the city of Rome and it’s absolutely beautiful. It’s got its name due to palace located in it-  Palazzo Venezia. It’s very close to the Colosseum, Forum and to the beautiful Altare della Patria, so you will probably visit there when sightseeing. There are occasional street performances there, too!

Piazza Navona

This was my favorite Piazza in whole Rome. It’s so beautiful, romantic and has so many lovely corners and restaurants. It isn’t as busy as other places and I really enjoyed sitting there while drinking a cold glass of pineapple juice, savoring the moment.

 Piazza di Spagna & Spanish Steps

Another very popular and busy place, the Spanish steps are one of the best places for a mid-day rest in Rome. Piazza di Spagna is a cool square filled with high-end and luxury stores as well as street performers and high-street stores. If you are looking for some fun cruelty-free products, a Lush store is 500m from the Spanish Steps.

Adrian Park & Castel Sant’Angelo 

Castel Sant’Angelo used to be a fortress and castle, and now it’s a museum. I didn’t go inside but even just watching it is fun. There are amazing street performances there too, and a lovely park to stop and rest in and a nice bridge that crosses the river. There is a fruit booth in that park too and it’s so refreshing on a hot day! Relax and enjoy the lovely view of birds and nature and take some pictures near the lovely river.

Villa Borghese gardens & gallery

In the gallery, you find a lot of amazing art creations by Raphael, Bernini (the DAVID sculpture) and more. The park outside of the museum is so lovely, bring some vegan food with you to eat and enjoy the lovely, magical corners this park has to offer.

Oppian Hill park

This lovely park is located right next to the Colosseum and it’s not busy at all! It’s such a magical little spot in Rome for just enjoying your time and relaxing and it is a fabulous place to take the most stunning pictures of the Colosseum if you want!

Read part 2 >> click here

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*****

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog post. Let me know which of those places you want to visit and if you have any questions.

Oh, and don’t forget to re-visit my blog for the next part of this guide (hmm.. the food part) and subscribe to my Newsletter so you won’t miss a thing.

Enjoy your vacay!

Noa

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