Guides
Rome Travel Guides
Expert essays and deep dives into the culture, history, and food of Rome.
Right now
Rome by Season
When to visit →
March · April · May
Rome in Spring
"Mild days, blooming wisteria, and the crowds haven't peaked yet."
June · July · August
Rome in Summer
"Hot, crowded, and alive after dark — plan around the midday sun, not around your flight dates."
September · October · November
Rome in Autumn
"The crowds thin, the light turns gold, and the porchetta stalls are back in force."
December · January · February
Rome in Winter
"Low season prices, empty piazzas, and a papal Christmas — Rome's best-kept secret."
Rome Colosseum: The Complete Guide
Everything you need to know about visiting the Colosseum — which ticket to buy, arena floor and underground access, when to go, and the mistakes that cost people their morning.
Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Guide
How to see Michelangelo's ceiling without losing half a day to queues — which ticket, when to book, the route through the museums, and what to skip.
Trevi Fountain: Tickets, the €2 Fee & When to Go
Rome now charges €2 to enter the Trevi Fountain basin. Who pays, who doesn't, the free night window, and how to see it without the crush.
The Pantheon: Tickets, Fees & What to See
The Pantheon is no longer free — entry is €5. How to book, when to go, how to get in free, and what to actually look at once you're under the dome.
Rome Museums: The Essential Guide
Beyond the Vatican — the seven Rome museums worth your time, from Bernini's Borghese sculptures to ancient statues in a decommissioned power station.
3 Days in Rome: The Complete Itinerary
A tested three-day Rome itinerary — ancient Rome, the Vatican, and Trastevere — with what to book ahead, what to cut for two days, and a plan for rain.
One Day in Rome: The Complete Itinerary
How to see the best of Rome in a day — the Colosseum and Forum in the morning, historic-centre fountains by afternoon, Trastevere at night, and what to cut.
Where to Stay in Rome: Best Areas by Traveller
Which Rome neighbourhood suits you — walking times to the Colosseum and Vatican, price bands, noise, and the two areas most first-timers should skip.
Trastevere Guide: Rome's Riverside Quarter
What to do, eat, and drink in Trastevere — Rome's cobblestone old quarter across the Tiber, from trattoria queues to the best aperitivo courtyards.
Monti, Rome: Vintage Shops & Wine Bars
The streets, shops and wine bars worth your afternoon in Monti — Via Urbana, Via del Boschetto, and where to drink on Piazza della Madonna dei Monti.
Rome Restaurants: Where to Eat in Rome
Where to eat in Rome and how to order — the four Roman pastas, Testaccio's quinto quarto, the Jewish Ghetto, and how to spot a tourist trap in five seconds.
Best Pizza in Rome: A Complete Guide
Roman thin-crust and pizza al taglio by weight, and where to find both done right — from Bonci's counter near the Vatican to a San Lorenzo classic since 1959.
Best Gelato in Rome: Where to Go
Rome's best gelaterias, from the century-old queue at Giolitti near the Pantheon to the generous, no-frills scoops at Old Bridge by the Vatican.
Best Aperitivo Bars in Rome: Where to Drink
How the aperitivo ritual works in Rome and the bars worth it — from a Trastevere garage-turned-bar to a Pigneto cocktail spot built around Roman flavours.
Rome Nightlife Areas: Where to Go Out
A neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood guide to Rome after dark — which area suits which night, what time things actually start, how to get home, and the best area to stay in Rome for nightlife.
Best Markets in Rome: Food, Flea & Vintage
Rome's best markets — the Testaccio food market, Porta Portese's Sunday flea market, Esquilino's multicultural hall, and Campo de' Fiori. Opening days, what to buy, and what to skip.
Rome Fashion Shopping: Via Condotti & Beyond
Where to shop in Rome — the luxury boutiques of Via Condotti, Via del Corso's high street run, and the independent designers of Monti.
Day Trips from Rome: Where to Go
The best day trips from Rome by train or coach — Tivoli's fountains and Hadrian's Villa, ancient Ostia Antica, and the lakeside towns of the Castelli Romani.
What Rome Costs in 2026: Entry Fees & City Tax
Rome's city tax runs €4–€10 per person per night depending on your hotel's rating, paid in cash at checkout. Every major entry fee, whether the Roma Pass pays for itself, and a realistic daily budget.
Is Rome Safe? Scams, Pickpockets & Termini
Rome is safe for visitors — violent crime is rare. The real risk is petty theft. The exact hotspots, the five scams by name, and what actually prevents them.
Free Things to Do in Rome (Updated for 2026)
Rome added new entry fees in 2026 — but the best of the city is still free. Caravaggios, Bernini, the Forum from above, and what just stopped being free.
Getting Around Rome: A Practical Guide
Metro, buses, trams, and walking — how to actually get around Rome, which two-line metro system covers less than you'd expect, and when to just walk instead.
Rome Airport Transfers: Fiumicino & Ciampino
How to get from Fiumicino and Ciampino into central Rome — the Leonardo Express, cheaper regional trains, and when a taxi or transfer makes sense.
Digital Nomads in Rome: A Practical Guide
Where to work, which neighbourhoods suit a longer stay, and what remote workers should know about living and working from Rome for a month or more.
Rome's ZTL Zones: How Tourists Get Fined Without Knowing
Rome's historic centre is a camera-enforced no-drive zone. Rental car fines run €83–165, arriving months later by post — here's how to avoid one.
The Nasoni: Rome's Free Drinking Water Fountains
Over 2,500 cast-iron fountains run continuously across Rome, free and safe to drink. Here's how nasoni work, the drinking trick, and where to find them.
What's Closed in Rome: Sundays, Ferragosto & Riposo
Rome doesn't run 24/7. Sunday closures, the mid-August Ferragosto shutdown, and afternoon riposo catch visitors out — here's what's open, and when.
Rome With Kids: Stroller-Friendly Routes on the Cobblestones
Central Rome's sampietrini cobblestones are brutal on stroller wheels. Here's which routes are flat, which parks are worth it, and when to use a carrier.
Free Organ Recitals & Church Concerts in Rome
Rome's churches have hosted free sacred music for centuries, from organ recitals near the Pantheon to a December run across eleven churches. Where to look.
Rome's Rioni: How the City Is Actually Laid Out
Rome has 22 historic rioni, each with a number and coat of arms on its street plaques. What the districts are, where they sit, and how to navigate.
Rome After Dark: Three Self-Guided Evening Walks
Rome's monuments are floodlit, free to walk past and emptiest after 9pm. Three routes through the lit city — what to see, in order, and how long each takes.
How to Spot a Tourist-Trap Restaurant in Rome
Photo menus, a man inviting you in, carbonara with cream. The tells that separate a tourist trap from a real Roman trattoria — and what the coperto is.
Vatican or Trastevere First? Best Order With Kids
Do the Vatican first, then Trastevere: learn transfer options, booking advice, and how to get an early family dinner when kitchens open around 19:00–19:30.
Rome Football: Teams, Stadium & the Derby della Capitale
AS Roma, SS Lazio, the Stadio Olimpico they share, and the derby that shuts half the city down. Tickets, the curve, and what ultras culture is really about.
Centro Storico Guide: Eating, Drinking & Seeing Rome's Historic Core
Where to eat, drink, and stop in the tangle of streets around the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, and the Trevi Fountain — Rome's most touristed and most essential neighbourhood.
Baths of Caracalla: Hours, Tickets & What to See
Rome's best-preserved ancient baths complex, built under Emperor Caracalla between 212 and 216 AD. Opening hours, closing day, accessibility, and what's inside, including the city's largest Mithraeum.
Piazza del Popolo: What to See & How to Get There
Rome's monumental northern gateway square, with an Egyptian obelisk, twin churches, and two Caravaggio paintings inside Santa Maria del Popolo. Free and always open.
Circus Maximus: What It Is & How to Visit
Ancient Rome's chariot-racing stadium, now a free open park between the Palatine and Aventine hills. What's free to walk, what's ticketed, and how to get there.