Rome, The Eternal City, is the capital of Italy and home to many famous sites including the Vatican, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Trevi Fountain, and The Coliseum to name but a few. I visited Rome in May 2022 for 3 days & nights and the goal was to find some hidden gems amongst the well-known tourist attractions. In this post, you’ll find some good food recommendations, gorgeous neighborhoods to mooch around in, and a bit of sage advice on visiting the popular sites.
How to get there
By Air: Arrive at Leonardo da Vinci International Airport direct from all over Europe, the US, and Australia, as well as limited routes from Asia, Africa ad South America.
By Train: Rome has five train stations — Termini, Tiburtina, Trastevere, Ostiense, and Porta San Paolo. If you are interrailing in Europe, you can arrive at any station that is closest to your accommodation.
Public Transport: Rome has a great public transport network including bus, metro & trams. I highly recommend downloading the TicketAppy App to your phone where you can buy tickets for all the above as well as day or multiple-day passes for all public transport. Trust me, this will make your travel so much easier!
Where to Stay
I’ve only been to Rome once so I can only speak about the neighborhood I stayed in which was Trastevere. This area lies in the southern part of the city, near all the big attractions, and is home to some of the best restaurants in the city. Situated alongside River Tiber, the streets of Trastevere are cobbled, quaint, and romantic. I stayed in an Airbnb room in an apartment that houses 4 separate private rooms and a communal kitchen & washer. It is within walking distance to Trastevere and the nearest metro line and would recommend it for couples or a small group of friends.
I have so much praise for this area, it has all the vibes and aesthetics. Feel’s like a great mix of locals and visitors. I’ll let the photos do the talking. After a stroll along the Tiber, find yourself an Aperol Spritz and sit down for some people-watching.
What to do and see
There are endless things to do and see in Rome so I will share with you the ones I experienced and my (brutally) honest review and you can use that information however you like 🙂
1. Eat and Drink at Trastevere
Stroll through the winding streets of Trastevere, grab a Supplì at Supplì Roma (A Supplì is a breaded & fried rice ball filled with delicious Italian flavors), and find a nice outdoor bar to enjoy some drinks as the sun sets over Rome. This was my absolute favorite thing to do in Rome.
Cacio E Pepe Supplì – Delicious
2. Romantic stroll on Tiber Island and Portico d’Ottavia
A short walk from Trastevere lies Tiber Island, very similar to Île de la Cité in Paris (if you’ve been). Being a seat of the ancient temple of Asclepius, the island is associated with medicine and healing but also it is just a stunning location to hang out and enjoy views of the Tiber river and the beautiful bridges. On the other side of the banks lies Via Portico d’Ottavia, a street of Rome in the famous Jewish ghetto area, which houses ancient ruins including the temples of Jupiter Stator and Juno Regina, that you can explore – free of charge.
3. The Vatican & St Peter’s Basilica
I will preface this by saying I had no interest in going to see the Vatican but when in Rome… The Vatican Museum & Sistine Chapel is an expensive tourist trap, designed to confuse visitors into spending more money (in my opinion). For example, if you try to buy tickets online in advance, you will be met with 100 different types of tickets are various prices from different vendors. It’s hard to know which website is selling official tickets but I digress. The museum is huge and is home to 1000’s of pieces of beautiful Artwork including paintings, tapestries & sculptures. The crux is the space itself is so packed with tours & individual visitors that it’s basically like being herded through a cattle ranch. The Sistine Chapel is as far from the entrance as you can get within the boundaries so you have to go through the motions to get there, only to be told you can’t take photos inside it. For me, it wasn’t worth the effort or cost but I am not typically a museum person so don’t use my review as bible (pun intended).
A more budget-friendly activity to do is to visit St. Peters Basilica, which is free to enter the main part of the church or you can pay for extras like climbing the domes or having a tour guide etc. This is a more worthwhile activity if you are short on time or on a budget.
4. Explore Central Rome
When I say Central Rome, I am eluding to places like Piazza Navona – a stunning public square lined with restaurants and dotted with statues and fountains, the Spanish Steps, and the world-famous Trevi Fountain which we 90’s babies all know from the Lizzie McGuire Movie. This whole area is the epitome of what you imagine Rome to be. Cobbled, winding streets filled with gelaterias, cafes, and pizzerias waiting for your custom. My favorite thing to do here was to try the native Carbonara over a 1 liter of white wine (I shared it, I promise!) followed by some gelato from the famous Gelateria Della Palma which houses over 150 flavors of handcrafted gelato – Ice-cream heaven, if you will. I love this whole area, 10/10. Expect the fountains to be crowded but you should still be able to squeeze in your perfect insta-snap!
5. The Coliseum and Palatine Hill
The pièce de résistance of ancient roman architecture. Here are my thoughts. The exterior is just as impressive as the interior so if you are on a budget or are short on time, by all means, skip the entrance fee and admire it from the grounds outside. However, if you are a history buff, you simply must go in. Our tickets included entrance to the Roman Forum right next to the Coliseum and the views from Palatine hill were spectacular. If you are on a budget and choosing between the 2 places, I would go with the latter. You’ll get more for your money. The grounds are littered with more stunning ancient ruins to explore and admire. A worthy adventure. Added bonus, there is a metro stop right next to the Coliseum if you are taking public transport!
Before I visited Rome, I had low expectations. I heard it was very dirty, overcrowded and overrated but I couldn’t disagree more after my visit. The architecture, food, and atmosphere were stunning and I can’t wait to return to roam the streets of Trastevere to indulge in some Italian delicacies and enjoy the essence of the city without the stress of visiting all the tourist sites again. If in doubt, book the flights 🙂
Safe travels as always,
Olivia
