Rome holiday recommendations

[ClaretAL]

Hi all,

I am looking at booking a long weekend or a week in Rome to do all the tourist locations. Any recommendations, and is 4 days enough rather than a week and what is the best time of year to go?

[Nori1958]

Hi all,

I am looking at booking a long weekend or a week in Rome to do all the tourist locations. Any recommendations, and is 4 days enough rather than a week and what is the best time of year to go?

Flat, comfy shoes are a must.
Stay centrally and 4 days is enough
Watch out for pickpockets
Be prepared to spend lots of money, there's a few hidden gems for eating, but you need the locals to show you where they are
Early June, before the peak holiday time is a good time to go.

Enjoy.

[Loyal Supporter]

Flat, comfy shoes are a must.
Stay centrally and 4 days is enough
Watch out for pickpockets
Be prepared to spend lots of money, there's a few hidden gems for eating, but you need the locals to show you where they are
Early June, before the peak holiday time is a good time to go.

Enjoy.

The quietest time in Rome is the whole of August. Food is excellent and if you don't eat near the Trevi Fountain or the Spanish Steps you will be paying the same as Manchester.
Never had a problem with pickpockets and crime is low.
4 days is good but you will need to start walking early and be out all day.
Rome is just magical and the locals very friendly.

[Nori1958]

The quietest time in Rome is the whole of August. Food is excellent and if you don't eat near the Trevi Fountain or the Spanish Steps you will be paying the same as Manchester.
Never had a problem with pickpockets and crime is low.
4 days is good but you will need to start walking early and be out all day.
Rome is just magical and the locals very friendly.

Only place we've been subjected to an attempted snatch of a bag, lots of young girls trying their luck, don't think they were Italian
I agree food is excellent, but is far more expensive than Manchester, even in the squares away from the tourist spots.

[SalouClaret]

We ate at Ad Hoc and it was one of the best meals I've ever had, although expensive. We didn't experience any crime, other than a drunk guy throw a bottle at a shop window, who was then jumped on by around 6 coppers which was fun to watch.

We went for 4 days and it was great, although you'll be knackered by the end and will need another holiday to recover.

Enjoy!

[bfcjg]

Friend recently returned loved it but the usual advice eat where the locals eat off the main tourist areas, watch out for pickpockets, learn a few Italian phrases.

[Aclaret]

Only place we've been subjected to an attempted snatch of a bag, lots of young girls trying their luck, don't think they were Italian
I agree food is excellent, but is far more expensive than Manchester, even in the squares away from the tourist spots.

Same here, probably 20 years ago we were there.
Had a tug of war with some gypsy looking women over our bags ! I just about won.
That was near the train station...dodgy area. Centrally it was fine and enjoyed a good day out at the Vatican.

[Eloise Laws]

Comfortable footwear
Don’t eat anywhere that’s near a tourist attraction, you pay more because you have a view.
Check your bill…
Do the tour bus, stay on for the whole route and decide where you want to go back too
Never had or witnessed any crime, but have your wits about you as you would in any city or crowded place.
Enjoy it, because it’s a beautiful city, with something to see around every corner

[Nori1958]

Forgot to mention.... Pre book your visit to the Vatican online before you go, avoids the big queues

[Nori1958]

Same here, probably 20 years ago we were there.
Had a tug of war with some gypsy looking women over our bags ! I just about won.
That was near the train station...dodgy area. Centrally it was fine and enjoyed a good day out at the Vatican.

Same type we had a problem with... I also won, and made sure everyone nearby heard what I called them...

[Big Vinny K]

Fantastic city.
Been there 3 times.
I would avoid August. It’s far too hot and there is a lot of walking to do and it’s not a city where it’s easy to find shade when getting between the attractions.
The last few years have regularly seen temperatures in the 40s in August and it’s beyond brutal at times.

September is a good month as is around Easter time. I was there on New Year’s Eve one year too.

Food is fantastic and it’s certainly not as expensive as Manchester. Loads of choice.

In terms of accommodation some great Airbnb places which are far better value than the hotels and much roomier.

4 days is enough - just. But you will be busy and as already said lots of walking.

Vatican Museum is fantastic - big queues though. If you purchase tickets over here you will avoid the normal queue and we saved ourselves 3 hours of lining up doing this.

Coliseum - I’d recommend doing the guide tour. It’s really interesting and for us also saved some queueing.

St Paul’s is amazing but the area round the Vatican is the most expensive in Rome and if you are going to stop for a coffee or food near the Vatican you will pay high prices.

If you get a chance to stop longer the trains are excellent and heavily subsidised. You can get a train to one of the other great cities like Venice or Florence for not much money at all.

Enjoy

[Tribesmen]

Comfortable footwear
Don’t eat anywhere that’s near a tourist attraction, you pay more because you have a view.
Check your bill…
Do the tour bus, stay on for the whole route and decide where you want to go back too
Never had or witnessed any crime, but have your wits about you as you would in any city or crowded place.
Enjoy it, because it’s a beautiful city, with something to see around every corner

Yep spot on as something 2000 years old around every corner . Yes have your wits about you always as said the main train station is iffy and has always been that way but close to most of the cheap places to stay .
Aim for tratatoties ( sorry about the spelling ) sort of home cooking and not so expensive .

[RVclaret]

Make sure to wander round the area of Trastevere, not an ‘unknown’ area but it’s not ‘as’ touristy. Really cool place. There is a restaurant there called Zi Umberto which I would highly recommend.

[bobinho]

Use the red tourist bus. Do a couple of laps on the bus to get your bearings and decide where to start.

It’s a stunning place, it really is. Trastevere area for food. Off the tourist route and superb grub at reyt prices.

Mrs Inho nearly got robbed on the tube by some young lasses but she fought the little xxxxx off bravely. All a bit Oliver twistish.

Book the Vatican tour before you go… queues are terrible. Get a guided tour for the forum and the colosseo. St Peters is amazing, and we went down to see the tombs of the popes and pope JP2’s which was quite a moment.

Rome is special, no two ways about it. I didn’t want to go in the first place…. When I got there I didn’t want to come back.

[ClaretAL]

Cheers All.

[claret2018]

Another recommendation for Trastevere. In fact I’d spend most of my time there if I were you, the rest of Rome feels like a theme park most of the time. Huge groups of organised tourists everywhere, especially post covid. I used to spend a lot of time there with work and never liked the place, other than Trastevere.

[SalisburyClaret]

If going to the Vatican - don’t go on a Sunday! Unless you have religious intentions

[warksclaret]

Went about 12 years ago for my wife's birthday-we went Monday to Friday with 4 nights in Rome. Just perfect in April. Already warm but not over crowded

THe lessons I learned were, be careful if you book a smaller hotel. I booked a 3 star and it was horrific. Would have struggled to meet Health & Safety, and it was poor. We sacrificed one nights cost and booked into a different but lovely hotel immediately.

The best restaurants are in down town Rome, in the older part of the city. The beauty is you can do your research on Trip Advisor and I knew which 3 restaurants we would be eating in before we left for Rome. The meals were fantastic

Rome is a very small city and if fit you can walk any where. I would advise a tour of the city on the open top tour buses. You can get on and off anywhere on route

[Stockbrokerbelt]

Feb & Nov are low season in Italy, I’m based in Spain & go to Italy about 4 times a year, going to Venice in Nov, flights from Malaga €90 in total for 2 of us & hotel rooms with 50% reduction. Guided tours are a must & try for small groups, don’t drink or eat the Vatican side of the river, we had 2 coffees & 1 piece of cake & it was €48…..

[lakedistrictclaret]

If you're paying for meals, drinks etc in cash, use low denomination notes.

If you use high denomination notes, they'll try to rip you off with your change.

[cheshireclaret11]

Visit Travestere and a bar called Trappazino, it's honestly excellent. Rome is unreal.

[Loyal Supporter]

Only place we've been subjected to an attempted snatch of a bag, lots of young girls trying their luck, don't think they were Italian
I agree food is excellent, but is far more expensive than Manchester, even in the squares away from the tourist spots.

I beg to differ, based on many work visits.

[warksclaret]

Only place we've been subjected to an attempted snatch of a bag, lots of young girls trying their luck, don't think they were Italian
I agree food is excellent, but is far more expensive than Manchester, even in the squares away from the tourist spots.

I have a ROVERS bag which I take when in European cities. Seems to work

[NRC]

I go often. Part of my team is based there. Some good advice already. 4 days just about does it. Go in Aril, or just before Easter - it's quieter.

I would highly recommend
- stay at or near to Piazza Navona. I particularly like Piazza della Maddalena. It is literally walkable to everything, inc Vatican and colosseum
- on Maddalena you could stay at Maddalena 6. you'll find it on the booking engines and airbnb. Not a hotel, they're individual rooms/suites. Breakfast is OK, but location location location, and coming and going through a portcullis of a door is worth staying here alone
- still on Maddalena are a ton of restaurants, all good and all cheap enough
- yet still on Maddalena is one of the best sandwich shops in Rome - All'Antico Vinaio. Sits on 2 corners - queue in the line to the west, it's quicker
- book ALL visits online - Vatican, Pantheon, Colosseum.
- find time to walk to Villa Borghese. A bit further but in the open air. Walk back via Piazza del Popolo and walk down Via del Corso - Rome's 5th Ave.

And most important, treat the wife to some Aria one evening. Next to the Pantheon, it's reasonably priced https://www.operaliricaroma.it/en/

You WILL need the most comfortable shoes. you will walk miles and miles. If you want to extend for a day, get the high speed train to Florence. it's an hour away. If you extend by 2, you can head up to Venice. Depending on the time of your flight you can take the train directly to the airport from this train

[expoultryboy]

Was there in August and it was very very hot . Stayed just off Cavour at the hotel Coliseum which was a basic 3 star which was adequate but a great location for sightseeing . I'd suggest going late September or early October . Definitely book your "skip the line " tickets for the Coliseum ( take in the forum and palatino hill) and the Vatican plus museums . We got a three day iobus pass which takes you to most areas of the city . We also loved Trastevere which had a great atmosphere with nice restaurants/bars and shops . If you get the bus to castel sant'angelo , it's a nice walk to piazza navona then the pantheon then the trevi fountain . There's plenty of restaurants where the prices are no different to here : pastas for €12 , fish courses for €18 , steaks for €22 . If you get chance , take in either a roma or lazio game .

[CombatClaret]

Did 5 days in Sept 2019
The only time I've used a flights & room site (Expedia), actually worked out really well.

Accept you'll probably not see everything there is.
Did a day on foot: Spanish Steps, Trevi, Pantheon in the morning, Colosseum/Forum afternoon. The first two you don't need to spend a lot of time at.
One day for Vatican. Prebook to avoid the enormous queue.
Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica - Had a look at one of Holbiens Henry VIII's among other things.
If you like something a bit weird the Museum of the Capuchin Monks, the bone Chapel... Enough said.

Best thing my partner and I did was hire a couple e-bikes and cycle out of town on the Appian Way, she wasn't a cyclist but loved it, amazing history and gets you out of the hustle and bustle. Lovely tree line road, tombs of aristocrats, some aqueducts. Zipping along a 3rd Century BC road on 21st-Century bikes.

[Tricky Trevor]

I’m a bit out of date but if you are landing at Fiumicino/LdV airport get a Roma pass, see link, at the airport. https://www.romapass.it/
You could use it for the train into Termini, central station, and it was a great saving. You are supposed to sign it immediately but many on the train kept it handy and were ready to sign if a conductor was coming.
All the usual tourist stuff:Vatican Museum, St. Pauls Basilica, Trevi fountain, Spanish Steps, Coliseum, Pantheon, Piazza Navarro, Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterno,Galleria Borghese, the secret keyhole.etc,.
We’ve been 3 times for 4 days each time and haven’t had a bad day. Surprisingly I’ve always found good food hard to find and we love Italian. Must just be unlucky.

[Joe14]

Rome is ace. Plenty of decent restaurants if you look in the right places and do some prior research.
Easy to get ripped off if you don’t know what you’re doing.

[Nori1958]

I beg to differ, based on many work visits.

On which bit