Rome can be divided into several districts. The so-called historical centre (centro storico) is quite small, being only around 4% of the city's area. This mainly consists of the area inside the Aurelian walls, and is protected by UNESCO. Districts are explained below:

Modern Centre Where many of the hotels are, as well as shopping and dining galore along the Via Veneto; home to the Quirinale, Trevi fountain, Barberini, Castro Pretorio, and Repubblica areas.

Old Rome The centre of the Roman medieval and Renaissance periods, with beautiful plazas, cathedrals, the Pantheon, and plenty of laid-back dining; includes the Navona, Campo de' Fiori, and the Jewish Ghetto neighbourhoods.

Vatican The Papal City State and its endless treasure troves of sights, relics, and museums, as well as the surrounding Italian neighbourhood.

Colosseo The heart of ancient Rome, the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Forum of Augustus, the Forum and Markets of Trajan, the Capitoline and its museums.

North Centre Situated in the north part of Rome, home to the Villa Borghese, the Spanish Steps, and the elegant neighbourhoods of Parioli and Salario.

Trastevere The land to the south of the Vatican, on the west bank of the Tiber River, full of narrow cobbled streets and lonely plazas that served as the inspiration for artists such as Giorgio de Chirico. Now arguably the centre of Rome's artistic life.

Aventino-Testaccio Off-the-beaten-path neighbourhoods of Rome with plenty of surprises waiting for interested travelers, as well as some truly great food.

Esquilino-San Giovanni South of Termini, with an indoor market, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, and the Cathedral of Rome Saint John in Lateran.

Nomentano The neighbourhoods "behind" the train station. Vibrant night life in San Lorenzo.

See also: Roman Empire, Medieval and Renaissance Italy

Rome's history spans over two and half thousand years, which have seen its transformation from a small Latin village to the centre of a vast empire, through the founding of Catholicism, and into the capital of today's Italy. Rome's history is long and complex. What follows is merely a quick summary.

Rome is traditionally thought to have been founded by the mythical twins Romulus and Remus, who were abandoned as infants in the Tiber River and raised by a mother wolf before being found by a shepherd who raised them as his own sons. Rome was founded as a small village sometime in the 8th century BC surrounding the Palatine Hill, including the area where the Roman Forum is found. Due to the village's position at a ford on the Tiber River, Rome became a crossroads of traffic and trade.

The settlement developed into the capital of the Roman Kingdom, led by a series of Etruscan kings, before becoming the seat of the Roman Republic at around 500 BC, and then the centre of the Roman Empire from 27 BC on. For almost a thousand years, Rome was the largest, wealthiest, most powerful city in the Western World, with dominance over most of Europe and the Mediterranean Sea. Even after the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, Rome maintained considerable importance and wealth.

Beginning with the reign of Constantine I, the Bishop of Rome (later known as the Pope) gained political and religious importance, establishing Rome as the centre of the Catholic Church. During the Early Middle Ages, the city declined in population but gained a new importance as the capital of the newly formed Papal States. Throughout the Middle Ages, Rome was a major pilgrimage site and the focus of struggles between the Holy Roman Empire and the Papacy.

With the Italian Renaissance fully under way in the 15th century, Rome changed dramatically. Extravagant churches, bridges, and public spaces, including a new Saint Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel, were constructed by the Papacy so that Rome would equal the grandeur of other Italian cities of the period. As the Grand Tour became customary for young European gentlemen in the 17th century, Rome became an important tourist destination, and remains as such until today.

In the 19th century, Rome again became the focus of a power struggle with the rise of the Kingdom of Italy, which wished to see a reunification of Italy. The Papal States remained in control of Rome under French protection, but with the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, French troops were forced to abandon Rome, leaving it clear for the Kingdom of Italy to capture. Rome became the capital of Italy, and has remained such ever since.

Rome today is a contemporary metropolis that reflects the many periods of its long history - Ancient times, Middle Ages, the Renaissance and the Modern Era. With the rise of Italian Fascism following World War I, Rome's population grew. This trend was stopped by World War II, which dealt relatively minor damage to Rome. With the dismantlement of the monarchy and the creation of the Italian Republic following WWII, Rome again began to grow in population and became a modern city. The city stands today as the capital of Italy and one of the world's major tourist destinations.

Rome has a Mediterranean climate, with hot summers and mild winters. The winter months usually present pleasant daytime temperatures and the weather is variable. Nights can be chilly, but the temperature rarely drops to actual cold levels. Snow is rare, and only occurs every few decades or so. Summer presents a pronounced aridity in which hot, sunny conditions prevail. The heat obstacles certain sightseeing activities which involve too much walking during the day, but early mornings and late nights can be wonderful. Autumn and spring are characterised by very pleasant weather accompanied by mild to warm temperatures.

At last count there were close to 1700 novels set in Rome in days gone by. Most easily available in bookshops are those by Lindsey Davis and Steven Saylor. Both are good storytellers and excellent at portraying life in Ancient Rome. Particularly interesting if you are visiting Rome may be Saylor's Roma: The Novel of Ancient Rome, which traces the first thousand years or so of Rome's history by following the fictional fortunes of two families. Each chapter begins with a map showing the state of Rome's development at the time of the chapter.

The classic work on Ancient Rome remains Edward Gibbon's History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. This was written in 1782 but is still being reprinted. A marvelous book that covers Rome's fortunes from Romulus and Remus to the 1970s is Rome: The Biography of a City by Christopher Hibbert (Penguin). An excellent guide book, too, although perhaps a bit too heavy to carry around. Rome by Robert Hughes (Orion Books) concentrates on the city's art history and provides fascinating insights into the things you will see while walking around. SPQR, written by Cambridge University professor and British TV personality Mary Beard, and published in 2015, offers a detailed analysis of Rome's first 1000 years and attempts to answer why Rome expanded from a small village on the Tiber to the centre of a major empire.

English-language bookshops in Rome are:

• The Lion Bookshop, Via dei Greci, 36, close to Piazza di Spagna. Lots of books and a small cafe.
• Anglo-American Bookstore, Via delle Vite, 102, also close to Piazza di Spagna. A large store, with specialist sections. Strong on non-fiction.
• The Almost Corner Bookshop, Via del Moro 45, Trastevere. Small but very well-stocked store on the other side of the river.

Some Italian bookstores also have English-language sections. Try the large selection of English books (but also French, Spanish and more) at Feltrinelli International in via Vittorio Emanuele Orlando - or the smaller selection at its store in Largo Argentina.

• Rome Tourism

Rome (ROM  ^IATA) has two main international airports:

Main article: Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport

41.795612.24991 Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport (FCO ^IATA). This is Rome's main airport. It is modern, large, rather efficient, and well connected to the centre of the city. You have the choice between a dedicated express train (the Leonardo Express that costs 14€ and takes ½ hour) or private coaches (8 € and takes app. 1 hour) that both stop at or next to Roma Termini, the main train station in the centre. Regular trains do not go directly to Roma Termini, but might be an option if you stay in other parts of the city, or want to change to other trains or the metro. Late-night arrivals may limit your public transport choice to an irregular bus into town. Taxis operate on a fixed fare to the centre (any point within the city's ancient Aurelian Walls). See the main airport article for more details.  

41.799512.59142 Ciampino International Airport (CIA  ^IATA) (Located to the southeast of the capital), ☏ +39 0794941. This small low-cost airport is closer to the city centre than Fiumicino and has no direct train connection. To reach it from Termini and other stations, take a train to Ciampino station, then hop on a bus that goes directly to the airport (Ciampino AirLink). The departure of the bus is linked to the arrival of the train, since the service is offered by Trenitalia through a unique and cheap ticket to Ciampino Aeroporto. Total journey is around 40 min from Termini, more info on www.trenitalia.com.  

If the flight connections to Rome don't suit you, you can check flights to other airports around like Naples, Perugia, Pescara, Florence, Bologna, Pisa or Milan. From there you can take a (high speed) train or intercity bus to Rome.

Rome's main railway station is 41.90112.5026 Termini Station  A  B  which is locked between 00:30 and 04:30. Most long-distance trains passing through Rome between these times will stop at Tiburtina station instead. See also "By boat" below.

Other main stations include Ostiense, Trastevere, Tuscolana, Tiburtina.

When traveling between major cities or to/from another country, trains will be designed for passengers and luggage. Most others (e.g., between nearby towns and cities) are often designed to serve commuters.

• For enroute stations, they stop for only 1–2 minutes.
• Most cars have a middle platform close to the station's boarding level, but with a significant gap. Seating areas may be at levels different from the middle platform, with narrow/clumsy steps for moving large luggage and little space to store them. Large pieces must often be left on the middle platform, with someone to guard them.

Driving to Rome is quite easy; as they say, all roads lead to Rome. The city is ringed by a motorway, the Grande Raccordo Anulare or GRA. If you are going to the very centre of the city any road leading off the GRA will get you there. If you are going anywhere else, however, a GPS or a good map is essential. Signs on the GRA indicate the name of the road leading to the centre (e.g. Via Appia Nuova, Via Aurelia, Via Tiburtina) but this is useful only for Romans who know where these roads pass.

Driving in Rome is a different story, as described below. Better to park somewhere outside central Rome, e.g. consider staying at a hotel with a parking area, and use public transit or walk to get to and around the main tourist areas.

FlixBus offers many daily connections to Rome. The bus station is located next to the Tiburtina railway station. The fares are very often cheaper than train tickets, and there are direct overnight connections to and from cities in France, Switzerland and Germany.

Most cruise ships dock in Civitavecchia, to afford their passengers opportunity to visit the area and/or Rome. Many ships arrange shuttle buses to and from the pedestrian port entrance. From there you can walk 10–15 minutes along the shore to the Civitavecchia train station. Purchase of a B.I.R.G. round trip train ticket for Rome costs €9 (as of Fall 2009), and also entitles you to unlimited use of Rome's Metro/underground and city bus lines. Trains for commuters leave every hour or so, more often during rush hours, and take about 80 minutes. You can get off near St. Peters (Trastevere station), or continue to the Termini station right downtown, where countless buses and the Metro await. If you're carrying luggage, see "About luggage" in "By train" above.

At some ten times the cost, cruise ships often offer bus transport to Rome as well, taking 2 hours or so to reach some location downtown depending on traffic.

It is now possible for modest- to large-sized yachts to dock in the new Porto di Roma, Ostia marina, located 20 km from Rome and linked by train and metro. Their stations are not within practical walking distance of the marina or riverside boat facilities.

In a nutshell: Don't do it. Well, some people actually enjoy it as a master class in defensive driving. Roman traffic is chaotic (and has been since the first century BC), but it is possible to drive there. However, the roads are not logical, the signs are few and the condition of the roads gets worse daily. It will take a few weeks to understand where to drive, to get where you want to go. When driving in Rome it is important to accept that Italians drive in a very pragmatic way. Taking turns and letting people go in front of you is rare, but pedestrians are usually grudgingly yielded to. Motorbikes and scooters are driven fearlessly, darting in and out of traffic and splitting lanes. There is little patience so if the light is green when you go into the intersection and you are too slow they will let you know. A green light turning to amber is a reason to accelerate, not brake, in part because the lights usually stay amber for several seconds. If you brake immediately when the light changes you are likely to get rear-ended. Parking is so scarce, that in some areas you may have to leave your car kilometers away from your destination. Rome is plagued with people who demand money to direct you to a space, even on the rare occasions when there are many places available, however the locals can make anywhere a parking space by flashing their hazard-lights, even if it looks like they are getting away with it, do not try this. While in Rome, it is far better to travel by bus or metro, or (in extremis) take a taxi.

In the centre, many areas are limited to drivers with special electronic passes. If you go into these areas (which are camera controlled and marked with the sign ZTL) you will end up with a large fine, particularly if your car has Italian plates.

Taxis are the most expensive way to get around Rome, but when weighed against convenience and speed, they are often worth it. Roman taxis run on meters, and you should always make sure the driver starts the meter. Taxis will typically pick you up only at a taxi stand, which you will find at all but the smallest piazzas, as well as at the main train station or when called by phone. Flagging down a taxi is possible but quite rare as the taxi drivers prefer to use the stands. When you get in the cab, there will be a fixed starting charge, which will be more for late nights, Sundays and holidays. Supplements will be requested for bags that the driver has to handle, typically €1 per bag. So, if you have a limited amount of luggage that wouldn't need to go in the trunk, you may decline when the driver offers to put your bags in the trunk. Drivers may not use the shortest route, so try to follow the route with a map and discuss if you feel you're being tricked.

When you phone for a taxi, the cab's meter starts running when it is summoned, not when it arrives to pick you up, so by the time a cab arrives at your location, there may already be a substantial amount on the meter. A major problem is that taxi drivers often leave the previous fare running on the meter. So you may find the cab arriving with €15 or even more on the meter. If you are not in a hurry you should tell him (there are very few female cab drivers in Rome) to get lost, but if you are desperate to get to the airport it's a different matter. You can get a taxi pretty easily at any piazza though, so calling ahead is really not required. A trip completely across the city (within the walls) will cost about €11 if starting at a cab rank, a little more if there is heavy traffic at night or on a Sunday. Taxi drivers can often try to trick customers by switching a €50 note for a €10 note during payment, leading you to believe that you handed them only €10 when you have already given them €50. The main taxi companies may be called at 060609, 063570, 065551, 064994, 066645 and 0688177.

Taxi-hailing apps like "Free Now" and "itTaxi" are convenient, allow payment by credit card in the app, and reduce your risk of being scammed. Uber Black is available, providing high-end vehicles that cost more per trip than taxis. Uber now has a partnership with local taxi companies so you can get and pay for a standard taxi through the Uber app.

Once you're in the centre, you are best off on foot. What could be more romantic than strolling through Rome on foot holding hands? That is hard to beat!

Crossing a street in Rome can be a bit challenging. There are crosswalks, but they are rarely located at signalled intersections. Traffic can be intimidating, but if you are at a crosswalk just start walking and cars will let you cross the street. While crossing watch out for the thousands of mopeds. As in many European cities, even if the cars and trucks are stationary due to a jam or for another legal reason, mopeds and bikes will be trying to squeeze through the gaps and may be ignoring the reason why everyone else has stopped. This means that even if the traffic seems stationary you need to pause and look around into the gaps. In high season, in the most touristed parts of the city there will almost certainly be other people crossing the street somewhere nearby - go with the crowd and the cars will stop.

Old Rome has some cobble-stoned streets that may not be stroller-friendly. Wear comfortable shoes for walking.

ATAC operates the public transport network. There are three ways of buying public transport tickets in Rome: Tap&Go with a contactless credit/debit card or traditional paper tickets. Paper tickets offer the most variety but the other options are more convenient for visitors.

You can board any bus, Metro or tram by tapping a contactless credit/debit card, including through Apple Pay/Google Pay. You are charged €1.50 per journey, capped at a maximum of €7 per day. A journey is valid for 100 minutes and may involve transfers to other bus, Metro or tram lines.

Paper tickets must be bought (from a 'Tabacchi' - look for the big 'T' sign, or from a kiosk selling newspapers) before you board the bus, Metro, or tram. Metro stations have automated ticket kiosks, and major Metro stations have clerked ticket windows. Some of the trams have single ticket machines as well. Tickets for regular ATAC buses, the Metro, and trams are the same fares and are compatible with each other. Ticket options are as follows (Oct 2019):

• Integrated Single Ticket ('Biglietto Integrato a Tempo' or BIT) - €1.50 - (A journey is valid for 100 minutes and may involve transfers to other bus, Metro or tram lines).
• 24 hours Ticket ('Biglietto 24 ore') - €7 (Valid for 24 hours).
• 48 hours Ticket ('Biglietto 48 ore') - €12.50 (Valid for 48 hours).
• 72 hours Ticket ('Biglietto 72 ore') - €18 (Valid for 72 hours).
• Integrated Weekly Ticket ('Carta Integrata Settimanale') - €24 (Valid for 7 days).
• Monthly Pass ('Abbonamento Mensile') - €35.
• Annual Pass ('Abbonamento Annuale') - €250.

When you board the bus, Metro or tram you have to validate the ticket ('convalidare') in the little yellow machine. The last four types of ticket on the list above must be validated the first time you use them only. On the whole, the integrated passes are not economical. Unless you take many rides spread all over the day, the single ticket ride option is preferable. Calculating if a pass is worth it is easy since a single ticket ride costs €1.50. For example, for a daily ticket (€7) to be worth it, you would have to make 5 or more trips at intervals greater than 100 minutes apart on a single day. Many visitors just walk through the city in one direction and take a single ride back.

ATAC polices the buses, Metro, and trams for people riding without tickets. Inspectors can be rare on some buses, although they tend to increase their presence in the summer. Inspectors are present on the Metro as well, and you should keep your validated ticket throughout your journey as proof-of-payment. If you don't have sufficient money on you to pay the fine, they will actually escort you to an ATM to pay the fee. If you don't have an ATM card to withdraw money, you will be asked to pay by mail, and the fee goes up to €140. Inspectors can also fine you for getting in and out of the wrong door, even if the bus is empty! The entrances are the front and rear doors and the exit in the middle. Many Romans ignore this distinction.

The Roma Pass includes full access to the public transport system. There is also an alternative pass called OMNIA Vatican and Rome which includes the services provided by Roma Pass. Read the See section for details.

Tram

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The Tram routes mostly skirt the historic centre, but there are stops convenient for the Vatican, the Colosseum, and the Trastevere area. The number 8 does run into the centre to Largo Argentina, not far from the Pantheon, and terminate at Piazza Venezia. If you want to catch a soccer game at one of the stadiums in the north of the city, catch the tram (2) just north of the Piazza del Popolo. Number 19 links the Vatican with Villa Borghese.

There is a network of suburban rail lines that mostly connect to smaller towns and conurbations of Rome. Tourists are unlikely to use these, except when arriving from Fiumicino, but they can be very convenient if you fancy a day-trip out of Rome (see Go next).

There is the possibility to hire motor bikes or scooters. Many Romans prefer this way of transportation, even in winter you can see them driving scooters equipped with raincoats, blankets, and rain boots. Motorbikes are not particularly safe in Rome and most accidents seem to involve one (or two!). Nevertheless, Roman traffic is chaotic and a scooter provides excellent mobility within the city. Scooter rental costs between €30 and €70 per day depending on scooter size and rental company. The traffic can be intimidating and the experience exciting but a bit insane.

Some of the main rental shops:

• Scoot A Long noleggio scooter, via Cavour 302, ☏ +39 06 6780206. 
• Centro Moto Coloseo, strada statale Quattro, 46, ☏ +39 06 70451069. 
• Eco Move Rent, Via Varese 48/50, ☏ +39 06 44704518. 
• Rent & Rent, v. Capo d'Africa 33, ☏ +39 06 7002915. 
• Biga Bike Rent & Tours, Via Pellegrino Matteucci 136 (Ostiense Station), ☏ +39 06 5741053. Open 09:00-19:00 non-stop every day, vehicle delivery/pickup (scooter & bicycle), guided tours, for info and bookings +39 3428711336. 
• Dolce Vespa, Via Adriano Balbi 14, ☏ +39 3476317932, info@dolcevespa.com. 
• Riderly, 1 Via di San Calisto. Only offer scooter hire. They include most of the gear you need: helmet, gloves, phone holder. 

There is the possibility to hire any kind of bike in Rome: from tandem, road bikes, children bikes to trekking bikes. Some shops are even specialised only on high quality ones while street stands will hire you cheaper and heavy ones. Bicycling alone can be stressful because of the traffic. The best way is to discover first how to move around and avoid traffic and stress with a guide thanks to one of the tours offered by almost all rental shops. There are different itineraries offered from the basic city centre, panoramic Rome tour to the Ancient Parks (from €29 for 4h). The experience is well worth it and you would reduce also your impact on the city environment and on the traffic.

Even moderately experienced cyclists, however, may find that cycling through Rome's streets offers an unparalleled way to learn the city intimately and get around very cheaply and efficiently. While the Roman traffic is certainly chaotic to someone from a country with more regimented and enforced rules of the road, Roman drivers are, generally speaking, used to seeing bicycles, as well as scooters and motorcycles, and one may move throughout the city relatively easily. If you are in a car's way, they will generally let you know with a quick beep of the horn and wait for you to move.

A particularly spectacular, and relaxing, cycle trip is to pedal out along la Via Appia Antica, the original Appian Way that linked much of Italy to Rome. Some of the original cobblestones, now worn by over 2 millennia of traffic, are still in place. With exceptionally light traffic in most sections, you can casually meander your bike over kilometres of incredible scenery and pass ancient relics and active archaeological sites throughout the journey. (Rome/South)

Some of the many rental shops:

• Punto Informativo, Via Appia Antica 58/60, ☏ +39 06 5126314. M-Sa 09:30-13:30 and 14:00-17:30 (16:30 in wintertime), Su and holidays 09:30-17:30 non stop (16:30 wintertime). Price: €3/hour and €10/day. 
• Comitato per la Caffarella (Largo Tacchi Venturi), ☏ +39 06 789279. Su 10:00-18:00. Price: €3/hour and €10/day. 
• Catacombe di San Sebastiano, ☏ +39 06 7850350. Every day except Sundays. Price: €3/hour and €10/day. 
• TopBike Rental & Tours, Via Labicana 49, ☏ +39 06 4882893, info@topbikerental.com. Daily 09:30-19:00. (updated Jan 2017)
• Bici & Baci, Via del Viminale, 5 (Termini Station), ☏ +39 06 4828443. 
• Roma Starbike, Via Capo d’Africa, 29 D Roma, ☏ +39 06 4543 0118, info@romastarbike.com. Daily 9:00-20:00 (19:00 in wintertime). (updated Dec 2019)
• Roma Rent Bike, Via di San Paolo alla Regola 33 (Campo de Fiori), ☏ +39 06 88922365. (updated Aug 2017)
• Collalti, Via del Pellegrino, 82 (Campo de’ Fiori), ☏ +39 06 68801084. 
• Romarent, Vicolo dei Bovari, 7/a (Campo de’ Fiori), ☏ +39 06 6896555. 
• Bikeaway, Via Monte del Gallo, 25 A (Stazione FS S. Pietro), ☏ +39 06 45495816. 

It is now possible to rent a Segway in Rome. It is a fast and convenient way to get around in the city centre. In Rome, a person on a Segway is considered a pedestrian, not a motorist, so Segways are only allowed on the sidewalks, not in the streets with vehicles. Segway rental costs between €25 and €50 per hour, or between €70 and €100 for an accompanied tour of 2–4 hours.

Some of the main rental shops:

• Rome on Segway, via Labicana 94, tel: 06 97602723, 39 3486121355
• Rex-Tours and Rent, Via dei Balestrari 33, tel: 06 87690040
• Ecogo Segway, Piazzale Ammiraglio Bergamini 10, tel: 39 3409345441

Moreover, it is possible to book online several Segway Tour in Rome, focused on certain attractions or itineraries. Some of the main rental websites are:

• Rome by Segway^{[dead link]}
• Italy by Segway
• ItalyXP

Like in many cities around the world, you can also rent e-scooters in Rome. Lime is one of the companies offering this service. However with busy traffic, crowds and not so smooth streets and sidewalks, e-scooters might not be the best or safest way of getting around.

If you'll be staying in Rome for at least 3 days, consider purchasing the Roma Pass. It is valid for 3 days and costs €58.50 (Aug 2024). It entitles holders to free admission to the first two museums and/or archaeological sites visited, full access to the public transport system, and discounts for the other museums, tourist sites, exhibitions, music events, theatrical and dance performances. This pass gets you in to the Colosseum (Colosseo), Palatine Hill (Palatino Hill), the Baths of Caracalla (Terme di Caracalla), and the catacombs as well as the Terme di Diocleziano, Palazza Massimo alle Terme, Crypta Balbi, Palazzo Altemps, Villa dei Quintili, and the Tomb of Cecilia Metella.

A Roma Pass 48-hours is also offered for €36.50 (Aug 2024) and is valid for 2 days. For this pass only the first museum and/or archaeological sites visited is free.

Check the expiration date at the back of the Roma Pass card. If the card's validity has expired it does not work in the metro's ticket gate. Be sure to buy the passes at official tourist offices. There are also small booths on the streets that sell tickets, but they could charge you a higher price.

Another advantage of the Roma Pass is that you can often skip the waiting queues if it's one of your first two free entrances. This way you can avoid, for example, a 1+ hour waiting time at the Colosseum.

There's an alternative pass called OMNIA Vatican and Rome^{[dead link]} that includes the services provided by Roma Pass, free entry to Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, fast track entry to St Peter's Basilica and hop-on-hop-off bus tour for 3 days. It costs €113 for 3 days

The main area for exploring the ruins of ancient Rome is in Rome/Colosseo either side of Via dei Fori Imperiali, which connects the Colosseum and Piazza Venezia. Constructed between 1931 and 1933, at the time of Mussolini, this road destroyed a large area of Renaissance and medieval buildings constructed on top of ruins of the ancient forums and ended forever plans for an archaeological park stretching all the way to the Appian Way. Heading towards the Colosseum from Piazza Venezia, you see the Roman Forum on your right and Trajan's Forum and Market on the left. To the right of the Colosseum is the Arch of Constantine and the beginning of the Palatine Hill, which will eventually lead you to ruins of the Flavian Palace and a view of the Circus Maximus (see Rome/Aventino-Testaccio). To the left, after the Colosseum is a wide, tree-lined path that climbs through the Colle Oppio park. Underneath this park is the Golden House of Nero (Domus Aurea), an enormous and spectacular underground complex restored and then closed again due to damage caused by heavy rain. Further to the left on the Esquiline Hill are ruins of Trajan's baths.

In Old Rome you must see the Pantheon, which is amazingly well preserved considering it dates back to 125 AD. There is a hole constructed in the ceiling so it is an interesting experience to be there when it is raining. If you are heading to the Pantheon from Piazza Venezia you first reach Largo di Torre Argentina on your left. Until 1926 this was covered in narrow streets and small houses, which were razed to the ground when ruins of Roman temples were discovered. Moving along Corso Vittorio Emmanuelle and crossing the Tiber river into the Vatican area you see the imposing Castel Sant' Angelo, built as a Mausoleum for the Emperor Hadrian. This is connected by a covered fortified corridor to the Vatican and served as a refuge for Popes in times of trouble.

South of the Colosseum are the Baths of Caracalla (Aventino-Testaccio). You can then head South-East on the old Appian Way, passing through a stretch of very well-preserved city wall. For the adventurous, continuing along the Appian Way (Rome/South) will bring you to a whole host of Roman ruins, including the Circus of Maxentius, the tomb of Cecilia Metella, the Villa dei Quintili and, nearby, several long stretches of Roman aqueduct.

Returning to the Modern Centre, the Baths of Diocletian are opposite the entrance to the main railway station, Termini. The National Museum of Rome stands in the South-West corner of the Baths complex and has an enormous collection of Roman sculptures and other artefacts. But this is just one of numerous museums devoted to ancient Rome, including those of the Capitoline Hill. It is really amazing how much there is.

There are more than 900 churches in Rome; probably one third would be well worth a visit!

In Catholic tradition, St. Peter is said to have founded the church in Rome together with St. Paul. The first churches of Rome originated in places where early Christians met, usually in the homes of private citizens. By the IVth Century, however, there were already four major churches, or basilicas. Rome had 28 cardinals who took it in turns to give mass once a week in one of the basilicas. In one form or another the four basilicas are with us today and constitute the major churches of Rome. They are St Peter's, St Paul's Outside the Walls, Santa Maria Maggiore and San Giovanni. All pilgrims to Rome are expected to visit these four basilicas, together with San Lorenzo fuori le mura, Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, and the Sanctuary of Divino Amore. The latter was inserted as one of the seven at the time of the Great Jubilee in 2000, replacing San Sebastiano outside the walls.

Take a look inside a few churches. You'll find the richness and range of decor astonishing, from fine classical art to tacky electric candles. Starting with several good examples of early Christian churches, including San Clemente and Santa Costanza, there are churches built over a period of 1700 years or so, including modern churches constructed to serve Rome's new suburbs.

Some churches in Rome deny admission to people who are dressed inappropriately. You will find "fashion police" at the most visited churches. ("Knees and shoulders" are the main problem - especially female ones.) Bare shoulders, short skirts, and shorts are officially not allowed, but long shorts and skirts reaching just above the knee should generally be no problem. However, it's always safer to wear longer pants or skirts that go below the knee; St. Peter's in particular is known for rejecting tourists for uncovered knees, shoulders, midriffs, etc. (You also generally won't be told until right before you enter the church, so you will have made the trek to the Vatican and stood in a long security line for nothing.) The stricter churches usually have vendors just outside selling inexpensive scarves and sometimes plastic pants. But relatively few churches enforce dress codes and you can wander into most wearing shorts, sleeveless shirts, or pretty much anything without problems. It is, however, good to keep one's dress tasteful, as these are still churches and houses of prayer for many people. (Older Romans might comment on your attire and perhaps harass you if it is particularly revealing.)

To the modern visitor, the Seven Hills of Rome can be rather difficult to identify. In the first place generations of buildings constructed on top of each other and the construction of tall buildings in the valleys have tended to make the hills less pronounced than they originally were. Secondly, there are clearly more than seven hills. In Roman days many of these were outside the city boundaries.

The seven hills were first occupied by small settlements and not recognised as a city for some time. Rome came into being as these settlements acted together to drain the marshy valleys between them and turn them into markets and fora. The Roman Forum used to be a swamp.

The Palatine Hill looms over Circus Maximus and is accessed near the Colosseum . Legend has it that this was occupied by Romulus when he fell out with his brother, Remus, who occupied the Aventine Hill on the other side of the Circus. Also clearly recognisable as hills are the Caelian, to the southeast of Circus Maximus and the Capitoline, which overlooks the Forum and now hosts the Municipality of Rome. East and northeast of the Roman Forum are the Esquiline, Viminal, and Quirinal hills. These are less easy to distinguish as separate hills these days and from a distance look like one.

The red line on the map indicates the Servian Wall, its construction is credited to the Roman King Servius Tullius in the Sixth Century BC, but archaeological evidence places its construction during the Fourth Century BC. Small bits of this wall can still be seen, particularly close to Termini railway station and on the Aventine hill. As Rome expanded new walls were required to protect the larger area. These were built in the Third Century AD by the Emperor Aurelian. Lengthy sections of this wall remain all around the outskirts of Rome's centre. Much is in very good condition.

Among other hills of Rome, not included in the seven, are that overlooking the Vatican; the Janiculum overlooking Trastevere, which provides excellent views of Rome; the Pincio on the edge of the Borghese Gardens, which gives good views of the Vatican, and the Monte Mario to the north.

If you are in Rome for the Arts there are several world-class museums in the city. The natural starting point is a visit to the area of Villa Borghese in Rome/North Center, where there is a cluster of art museums in and around the Borghese Gardens. Galleria Borghese houses a previously private art collection of the Borghese family, Museo Nazionale di Villa Giulia is home of the world's largest Etruscan art collection, and Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna houses many Italian masterpieces as well as a few pieces by artists such as Cézanne, Degas, Monet and Van Gogh.

The Capitoline Museums in the Colosseo district opens their doors to the city's most important collection of antique Roman and Greek art and sculptures. Visit the Galleria d'Arte Antica, housed in the Barberini palace in the Modern centre, for Italian Renaissance and Baroque art.

A visit to Rome is not complete without a trip to the Vatican Museum. You need to go to the museum if you want to see the Sistine Chapel, but there is an enormous collection. You cannot miss part of this, such as tapestries, maps and the rooms painted by Rafael, as they are en route to the Sistine Chapel, but there is much, much more to explore, including a stunning Egyptian collection, and the Pinacoteca, which includes a Portrait of St. Jerome by Leonardo da Vinci and paintings by Giotto, Perugino, Raphael, Veronese, Caravaggio, and others.

Rome's National Museum at the Baths of Diocletian in the Modern Centre has a vast archaeological collection as does the national museum at Palazzo Altemps, close to Piazza Navona. Further afield, the Museo di Civilta Romana (Museum of Rome's Civilization), in EUR is most famous for an enormous model of Imperial Rome, but also has an extensive display of plaster casts, models and reconstructions of statues and Roman stonework.

If you have plenty of time there is absolutely no shortage of other museums covering a wide variety of interests. Examples include the Museum of the Walls (see Rome/South), the Musical Instrument Museum and a museum devoted to the liberation of Rome from German occupation in the Second World War (Rome/Esquilino-San Giovanni).

Check museum opening hours before heading there. Government museums are invariably closed on Mondays, so that is a good day for other activities. The Rome municipality itself operates some 17 museums and attractions. Info at Musei In Comune Roma^{[dead link]}. These are free to European Union citizens under 18 and over 65. Websites for other museums are listed on the relevant District pages.

Much of the attraction of Rome is in just wandering around the old city. You can quickly escape from the major tourist routes and feel as if you are in a small medieval village, not a capital city. If you can do so while watching for uneven cobblestones, keep looking upwards. There are some amazing roof gardens and all sorts of sculptures, paintings and religious icons attached to exterior walls. Look through 2nd and 3rd floor windows to see some oak-beamed ceilings in the old houses. Look through the archway entrances of larger Palazzos to see incredible courtyards, complete with sculptures, fountains and gardens. Take a stroll in the area between Piazza Navona and the Tiber river in Old Rome where artisans continue to ply their trade from small shops. Also in Old Rome, take a 1 km (0.62 mi) stroll down Via Giulia, which is lined with many old palaces. Film enthusiasts will want to visit Via Veneto (Via Vittorio Veneto) in the Modern Centre, scene for much of Fellini's La Dolce Vita.

The narrow streets frequently broaden out into small or large squares (piazzas), which usually have one or more churches and a fountain or two. Apart from Piazza Navona and Piazza della Rotonda (in front of the Pantheon), take in the nearby Piazza della Minerva, with its unique elephant statue by Bernini and Piazza Colonna with the column of Marcus Aurelius and Palazzo Chigi, meeting place of the Italian Government. On the other side of Corso Vittorio Emanuele are Piazza Farnese with the Palazzo of the same name (now the French Embassy) and two interesting fountains and the flower sellers at Campo dei Fiori, scene of Rome's executions in the old days. All of these squares are a short distance from each other in Old Rome. The enormous Piazza del Popolo in the North Centre, which provided an imposing entrance to the city when it represented the northern boundary of Rome, is well worth a visit. A short walk back towards the centre brings you to Piazza di Spagna at the foot of the Spanish Steps. Yet another fascinating fountain here. The area was much used as backdrop for the 1953 film Roman Holiday with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck.

On the other side of the river is, of course, the magnificent square of St Peter's at the Vatican. Further south, in Trastevere is Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere, a great place to watch the world go by, either from one of the restaurants or bars that line two sides of the square or, if that is too expensive, from the steps of the central fountain. The square attracts many street entertainers.

Moving back to the Modern Centre you have to see the Trevi Fountain, surely a part of everyone's Roman holiday. Visitors are always amazed that such a big and famous fountain is tucked away in a small piazza in the middle of side streets. Take extra-special care of your possessions here. Further up the Via del Tritone you will come to Piazza Barberini, now full of traffic but the lovely Bernini fountain is not to be missed.

EUR provides a selection of Fascist Architecture, including the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, often referred to "the Square Colosseum." It was designed to honour the historic Colosseum. This would be an interesting place to visit after seeing the Colosseum to compare their differences and similarities.

With no tall buildings in Rome, views of the city come from climbing the many hills, either the original seven hills of Rome or others that surround them. The two most popular views of Rome are from the Janiculum hill overlooking Trastevere and the Pincio at the edge of the Borghese Gardens. The former, best reached by car, has sweeping views of the centre of Rome, as long as the authorities remember to prune the trees on the hillside in front of the viewpoint. Cross over the piazza for an excellent view of the dome of St Peter's. The Vatican is the main sight from the Pincio (metro Line A, Piazza del Popolo, and then a good climb). Less popular, but just as nice, is the orange grove at Parco Savello on the Aventine Hill. Even less popular among tourists, as it is better accessed by car or moped, it the small square in front of the Zodiaco Restaurant in Monte Mario, a very popular spot for young Roman couples.

If you are planning some serious sightseeing then leave the kids with their grandparents! They don't take kindly to being dragged from ruin to ruin and church to church. A common sight in Rome is miserable looking kids traipsing after their parents. Also, push chairs/buggies are difficult to use because of the cobbled streets. If you are a family, do not try to do too much. It will be a big strain on kids and in the end everyone will be tired.

Apart from the major attractions Rome has relatively little to entertain kids. If you noticed a big Ferris wheel on your way in from Fiumicino Airport, think again. Lunapark at EUR was closed down in 2008. A few of the other ways to bribe your kids, however, are:

• Children's Museum. Via Flaminia 82. Just north of Piazza del Popolo. Controlled entrance at 10.00, 12,00, 15.00 and 17.00 for visits lasting 1 hour 45 minutes. Closed Mondays and for much of August. Best to check the web site for up-to-date info and to book in advance. Hands-on science, mainly for pre-teens, housed in a former tram-car depot.
• Bioparco. The renamed Rome Zoo. On the edge of the Borghese Gardens (North Centre).
• The Time Elevator. Via dei Santi Apostoli, 20 on a side street between Piazza Venezia and the Trevi Fountain. Daily 10.30 to 19.30. "Five-dimensional" shows on the Origins of Life and on the History of Rome, plus "The House of Horrors". Not for the faint-hearted: your seats move all over the place. Kids love it.
• Rome's Wax Museum. 67 Piazza di Santi Apostoli, next to Piazza Venezia. Few good reports about this museum. Comments invited.
• Planetarium. This also has an excellent astronomy museum and is conveniently next to the Museum of Rome's Civilization (EUR).
• The Vatican is, by and large, not a great idea for kids although they often enjoy the Sistine Chapel and are impressed by the beauty and the fact that it was all done in just four years. However, the Sistine Chapel is very crowded and getting there through the corridors of the Vatican Museum is even worse. It is easy for families to get separated so determine a meeting point. The best part of St. Peter's Basilica is that kids can go to the top of the dome. It is 500 steps but you can take the elevator up to the third floor. From there there are another 323 exhausting steps. So it is fun for older kids who can both climb up all the stairs and walk down as there is a huge line for the elevator (Vatican).
• Zoomarine ^{[dead link]}. Dolphins, sea lions, exotic birds, splashy rides and swimming pools, some 20 km (12 mi) south of Rome near Pomezia. A good day out, but is this really why you came to Rome? Free transport from EUR and Pomezia railway station. Check web site for details.

• Estate Romana Festival (Roman Summer Festival). From late June through early September offers various musical events of jazz, rock, and classical music, and film, sport, theater and children’s fun.  
• White Night (Notte Bianca). In early to mid-September, various events until dawn, plus shops and restaurants, museums stay open while the Roman Notte Bianca stages music, dance and theater events. Expect enormous crowds; buses and trams will be packed to the brim. 
• Opera at Caracalla, Baths of Caracalla (see Rome/Aventino-Testaccio). If you are in Rome during summertime don’t miss the chance to experience a lyric opera in the truly unique setting of the Caracalla Baths. The 2009 program included Tosca, Carmen and Midsummer Night’s Dream. Performances start at 21:00. 
• Festa dell'Unità (Unity Party). This is a traditional popular festival, once organised by the Italian Communist Party to promote its official newspaper l'Unità ("Unity"), and nowadays kept by the Democratic Party. Held annually in mid-June in Rome's archaeological area, the festival has built a reputation for the great quality food stalls where people can taste for free or at low-price, a good variety of Italian food and wine. The event includes live music, cultural and literary meetings.  

• Castel Romano. Near Rome, along the Via Pontina highway. A very large Factory Outlet with more than 100 branded shops. A car is needed to reach the place but a 30% discount in a designer shop is surely worth the 20 km (12 mi) trip. 
• ^{[dead link]} Valmontone. A little further away from Rome than Castel Romano, you can find Valmontone outlet on the motorway towards Napoli just 50 km (31 mi) far from Rome. Valmontone itself is a delightful little town - 30 mins by train. 

Most pizza restaurants serve it only in the evening. Try some of the fried things like baccala (battered salt cod) for a starter, followed by a pizza for a really Roman meal. Roman pizzas tend to be very thin crusted. Avoid the tourist areas where you'll often pay double the going rate just to get a badly reheated frozen pizza. Your best bet is to cross the river and find a restaurant in Trastevere--the food is authentic and a lot cheaper than in the rest of downtown Rome. Make sure you eat it with a fork and knife; Romans don't eat this kind of pizza with their hands.

Pizza al Taglio is pizza with a thicker crust, cooked in a large pan. This is served by the piece, usually to take away, and is a good cheap way to get something to fill you up. Point to the one you want, indicate if you want more or less than your server is indicating with the knife. It's sold by weight (the listed price is usually per 100 g, known as an etto, short for ettogrammo, i.e. hectogram). This kind of pizza is eaten with the slices stacked on top of each other like a sandwich.

Look for a gelateria. Remember that it usually costs extra to sit inside. You pay for your ice cream first...take your receipt and go fight your way through the throng to choose your flavors (Italians don't believe in lines). You will be asked "Panna?" when it's almost made - this is the offer of whipped cream on top. If you've already paid, this is free.

There are a few signs to keep in mind: "Produzione Propria" (homemade - our own production), "Nostra Produzione" (our production), "Produzione Artigianale" (production by craftsmen). If the colours seem dull and almost ugly it is probably natural, the bright colours being just a mix. Also, fancy flavours like Kinder Egg chocolate is a dead giveaway that the place isn't about traditional gelato. Keep in mind, Italians usually won't queue, but if they are in line for gelato, get in line yourself: you may have hit the jackpot. Producers to try include Gelato di San Crispino; Giolitti; and Fassi.

Vegetarians should have an easy time. Buffets in many restaurants usually have a good range of delicious vegetarian stuff - e.g. gratinated roast peppers/aubergines, etc. Vegans should do all right too; pizzas don't always have cheese - a Marinara for example, is just tomato, garlic and oregano.

While there is not much choice, at least Rome's Kosher cooking is truly excellent. Try La Taverna del Ghetto in the heart of the Jewish Quarter.

More places can be found near the synagogue in via Padova, close to the "La Sapienza" university and the Bologna underground station.

You can get cheap food in Rome, the problem is that if you don't know the city well or are forced to eat out in the centre, the prices go up.

• €3.50 - You buy the pizza and eat it walking around, since it's a bread shop with no sitting area. You can choose how much you want to eat, but you'll be spending about €2 per slice + about €1.50 for a can of soda or €1 for water.
• €15-20 - At lunchtime if you go to a restaurant you'll be spending between €15 for a set menu (not always good, try to go where you see Italian office people having their lunch as your best bet) and €20. For this you should get a pasta dish and a second course (meat) ending with coffee. Obviously if you have special wine the price will increase.
• €20 - At night you can spend about €20 at a pizza restaurant or if you have only one main course. Again, if you have special wine it will cost more. The cheapest food you can get at a decent restaurant is a pizza marinara (that is, without cheese) for about €6. The price goes up from there depending on the toppings.
• €20+ - For a sit down lunch or dinner in a restaurant €20 is cheap and if you want you can go up to €200 a head.

Chinese restaurants are still quite cheap but other ethnic restaurants (Thai, Indian) are generally expensive (think €30 upwards per person). Sushi is very expensive (€40 minimum per person).

Waiters have been known to take advantage of patrons by bringing more expensive items than what was ordered or asking for a tip although it's not mandatory and should be included in the price by law.

Starbucks has long avoided Rome, but in April 2023 the first one appeared in the center of Rome. And no wonder: Italian coffee is great so our friends from Seattle would face a lot of competition. A latte in Italian is just a glass of milk. If you're expecting coffee in that glass, you should ask for a caffe latte. A latte macchiato (meaning "marked") is steamed milk stained with a smaller shot of espresso. "Espresso" or "normale" is just that, but more commonly just referred to as caffe. Espresso doppio means a double shot of espresso, while espresso macchiato is espresso 'marked' with a dab of steamed milk. Americano — the one to order if you like filter coffee — is espresso diluted with hot water and not drunk much by Italians. Cappuccino is well known outside of Italy, but be warned: it is considered very un-classy, and somewhat childish, to order one after 11AM (and certainly after a meal). Decaffeinato is self-explanatory, but often referred to by the common brand-name Caffe Hag.

House wines are almost always drinkable and inexpensive (unlike, say, in the UK). You are better off ordering a bottle rather than house wine in most establishments in Rome due to some places watering down their wines. You may often find a bottle of wine on the table for you. Believe it or not: this bottle will be less expensive than a glass would be in the US or UK, possibly only €4 or €5. This does not always apply to those places that look really tourist-trap-like! Slightly better quality wines are usually sold at a relatively small mark-up on shop prices. Most Romans drink water with their meals. In restaurants it normally comes in 1 litre bottles and can be had normale (still water) or gassata (carbonated water).

Water is free at designated water fountains, called "nasone" (big nose). Some of these date back to ancient times, and the water is still very good. It's fresh spring water coming from the famous underground springs of Rome and is safe to drink. If you carry an empty bottle, fill it up for the rest of the day. Look for the drinking fountain with constant running water, plug the bottom hole, and cool water will shoot up from a smaller hole on top of the tap. Don't put your lips round the hole at the bottom, as stray dogs tend to like to get a drink.

Pre-dinner drinks (aperitivi) accompanied with small hors d'oeuvres (antipasti) are very popular with Romans: 1) chic yuppies in their 20s-30s crowd the area around Piazza delle Coppelle (behind the Parliament) and Piazza di Pietra (near the Chamber of Commerce); 2) younger generations sprawl around the square and streets of Campo de' Fiori; 3) everyone sits to drink in the narrow streets behind the Pantheon (Piazza Pasquino and Via del Governo Vecchio).

Given a heart for exploration, Testaccio is the place to wander for after-dinner partying on the weekends. Head down there around 23:00 (take metro Line B and get off at Piramide station) and listen for music. There are usually loads of people simply walking through the streets or looking for parking. Be brave, walk in, meet some wonderful Romans. This area is best in the winter. In the summer, the dancing moves to Ostia and Fregene, 45 minutes by car from Rome, at the seaside. Many clubs in Rome close in the summer months.

Many visitors like to go on Roman pub crawls. The Colosseum Pub Crawl for example, has been throwing parties since 1999.

To the east of Termini Station, and near the first University of Rome "La Sapienza", is the San Lorenzo district, where you will find many pubs and clubs where university students and young Romans in their twenties spend their nights. On Saturday night the streets are crowded with people moving from one pub to another. On the city side of the railway, near Santa Maria Maggiore Cathedral, are some great Irish pubs, i.e. the Fiddler's Elbow, the oldest in Rome, where many English-speaking residents and Italian customers like to sip their pints. It's a good place to meet Romans who speak English. Also nearby are the Druid's Den and the Druid's Rock .

On Via Nazionale there's a huge and beautiful pub called The Flann o'Brien^{[dead link]}, one of the biggest in Rome. On the same street near Piazza Venezia there is another cluster of pubs including The Nag's Head Scottish Pub. After 22.00 it's very expensive as it becomes more like a disco. Entrance with first drink costs €13 and drinks cost €8. Before midnight they sometimes host live music concerts. In the same area, at the beginning of Via Vittorio Emanuele II you can find The Scholar's Lounge Irish pub with nice music. This is definitely worth a look but there is no room to dance. During winter American colleges students residents in Rome end up their highly alcoholic nights here. Also nearby there's the Trinity College Irish Pub. Drinks are quite expensive there.

Also on Via Vittorio Emanuele, near Piazza Navona, there's the Bulldog's Inn English pub. DJs play very good music there and there's room to dance, although few do. Nearby in Campo dei fiori there are several crowded pubs. Beware, there have been huge and serious fights there. In the narrow streets behind Piazza Navona there are also many places to go. Try Jonathan's Angels in Via del Fico. Also the Abbey Theatre Irish pub is a good place in Via del Governo Vecchio.

On the other side of the River Tiber (Tevere) is Trastevere district where there are many places to eat and drink. This is also a good place where to enjoy a walk in crowded streets at night. In summer time on Isola Tiberina, the island in the Tiber, temporary bar are built and there are all sorts of things to do.

Far from the centre there are some other good places. The Palacavicchi in a small suburban town called Ciampino is a multi-dance room area where they play different kinds of music, mostly Latin American. You definitely need to get a cab to get there and it won't cost less than €20. South of Ciampino Airport there is The Ice Club for ice skating, and the Kirby's^{[dead link]} and the Geronimo pubs. All of them are nice places. At the Geronimo pub before midnight there usually are live music concerts with many bands covering different genres. On Friday and Saturday nights after the concert they play disco music. Entrance is free and you may drink and eat as you feel. Very cool place and for every budget. Unfortunately you need a cab to get there.

Those Romans who speak fluent English usually have a great deal of confidence with tourists, so just offer them a beer and they will be glad to share with you their tip & tricks about night life in Rome.

Discos: There are many beautiful discos. Unfortunately the city is huge and it's not very easy to find them, unless you have a very good guide.

The best way to start is from the most established ones: Piper, Gilda, Alien, all of them run by the Midra Srl^{[dead link]}. Their website is nothing to write home about but can be used to discover telephone numbers and addresses. Gilda is near the Spanish Steps, and the others not too far from Termini station. During summer they close to move to the seaside of Fregene (north of Fiumicino and Ostia) where Gilda on the Beach can be found.

A pint of beer in pubs usually costs around €6, entrance in discos around €20 with first drink included. Drinks in discos cost around €10.

One of the places to be on Friday nights is Giardino delle Rose in via Casilina Vecchia 1 (rather central but reachable only by taxi): a luxurious garden with open-air bars and tables. Two large discos are Mucca Assassina in via del Gazometro and Classico in via Ostiense. During the week the main meeting place after dinner is Coming Out (a bar right in front of the Colosseum) where crowds of gay Romans and tourists gather in and outside, all year round but overwhelmingly crowded during the summer or late-night clubs such as Hangar in Via in Selci (Metro Line A, get off at Manzoni station). The best sauna (open 24 hours during week ends) is Europa Multiclub in via Aureliana (behind Piazza Esedra, Metro Line A Repubblica station). A meeting spot for gays day and (especially) night is Monte Caprino, the park on the Palatine hill behind the City Hall (Piazza Venezia) with spectacular views over the temples and ruins of ancient Rome.

There are at least two campsites near Rome, they are:

• Camping Tiber, Via Tiberina Km. 14, Prima Porta (On Rome's ringroad, take exit No 6 Via Flaminia, if arriving by public transport, take the ground-level Roma-Nord Subway leaving from Piazza Flaminia towards Prima Porta, from there there is a free shuttle service to the Camp Site), ☏ +39 06 33610733, fax: +39 06 33612314. On the bank of the river from which it draws its name. To the north of the city. There's a minimarket, a pool, a restaurant and a bar. 
• Happy Valley (In the hills north of the city at Via Prato della Corte 1915, Prima Porta-Cassia Bis, Roma. Take exit no 5 from Rome's ring road and head towards Cassia-Veientana. If you take public transport, take the ground-level Roma-Nord Subway leaving from Piazza Flaminia towards Prima Porta and wait for the free shuttle bus service.), ☏ +39 06-33626401, fax: +39 06-33613800. It has a pool, a bar, a restaurant and a minimarket. 

Since Rome is incredibly popular as a tourist destination, a great deal of pickpocketing and bag or purse snatching takes place, especially in crowded locations, and pickpocketers in Rome can get pretty crafty. A 2010 study found that Rome was second only to Barcelona for pickpocketing of tourists. As a rule, you should pretty much never carry anything very valuable in any outside pocket, especially the front pocket of your pants is one of the easiest and most common targets. Keeping your wallet in your front pocket or in your bag is far from safe. You should consider using a money belt and carry only the cash for the day in your pocket. Pickpocketing on the Metro is rife in the form of gangs of young girls (8 to 15 years old), often pregnant, who jump on the trains just as they are about to leave. They buffet you and have bags to hide where their hands are. You have been warned!

Also, beware of thieves—one popular technique that they use is to ride by you on a moped, slice the strap of a handbag with a knife, and ride off. They might also try to cut the bottom of your bag open and pick your wallet from the ground. Others will use the old trick of one person trying to distract you (asking for a cigarette or doing a strange dance) while another thief picks your pockets from behind. Bands of beggar kids will sometimes crowd you and reach for your pockets under the cover of newspapers or cardboard sheets. It is generally a good idea to be extremely wary of any strange person who gets too close to you, even in a crowd. If someone is in your personal space, shove the person away. As one frequent traveller put it, "Don't be afraid to be a dick in Rome." It is better to be rude than to be stolen from.

Termini (the main railway station), Esquilino, bus line 64 (Termini to San Pietro), and the Trevi fountain are well known for pickpockets, so take extra care in these areas. On the Metro especially, pickpockets are extremely skilled. Remember that hotel rooms are not safe places for valuables; if your room has no safe, give your valuables to the hotel staff for safekeeping. Even if it does have a safe, hotels normally warn that they have no liability unless items are deposited in the main safe. Be wary while boarding or getting off the metro/train, especially if doors are about to close/closing. Thieves pretend to be helpful by pressing the 'door open' button for you, and while you gratefully squeeze into the train and catch your breath, they'll sidle up to you and pick your pocket or dip into your handbag or purse. Be aware of the danger and take the usual precautions and you should be all right.

Being one of the most visited cities in the world, tourist scams are rampant in Rome. Many of the more well-aware Italians are quite ashamed of this. As obvious as it may sound, do not acknowledge people you don't know, and more importantly, do not tell them about who you are; you don't know what they're capable of doing.

A particular scam is when some plainclothes police will approach you, asking to look for "drug money," or ask to see your passport. This is a scam to take your money. You can scare them by asking for their ID. Guardia di Finanza (the grey uniformed ones) do customs work.

Another scam involves men working near the Spanish Steps, around Piazza Navona, and outside of the Colosseum. They approach you, asking where you are from, and begin to tie bracelets around your wrists. When they are done they will try to charge you upwards of €20 for each bracelet. If anyone makes any attempt to reach for your hand, retract quickly. If you get trapped, you can refuse to pay, but this may not be wise if there are not many people around. Carry small bills or just change, in your wallet, so if you find yourself in cornered to pay for the bracelet, you can convince them that €1 or €2 is all you have.

When taking a taxi, be sure to remember license number written on the card door. In seconds, people have had a taxi bill risen by €10 or even more. When giving money to taxi driver, be careful.

Be careful of con-men who may approach you at tourist sights such as the Colosseum or Circus Maximus. A car may pull up next to you, and the driver asks you for directions to the Vatican. He will strike up a conversation with you while he sits in his car and tell you he is a sales representative for a large French fashion house. He will then tell that you he likes you and he would like to give you a gift of a coat worth several thousand euros. As you reach inside his car to take the bag the coat is in, he will ask you for €200 for gas, as his car is nearly empty. Around tourist sites like the Trevi Fountain, Colosseum and the Spanish Steps there are groups mostly of men trying to sell cheap souvenirs. They may also carry roses and say they are giving you a gift because they like you, but the minute you take their 'gift' they demand money. They are often very insistent and often the only way to get rid of them is to be plain rude. Do the best you can to not take their "gifts" as they will follow you around asking for money. Simply saying "no" or "go away" will get them off your back until the next vendor comes up to you.

Be wary of ticket touts outside popular tourist attractions such as the Colosseum. A large bulk of ticket touts hail from South Asia and some of them even claim to be working as "staff members". A genuine staff member at an attraction you are visiting will never ask you to pay heaps of money just to skip the crowd, tell you inaccurate information about the place you are visiting, and so on. These touts are simply looking for ways to waste your time and fleece your money. Be warned that some of them can be quite pushy, so don't feel the need to be polite if you are being pestered by a tout. As a general rule, only buy tickets from official venues and always check the website (if they have one) of the place you intend to visit. As a tourist, you can do your part in making Rome an even better place by reporting these touts to the right authorities.

Be careful and wary of people who sell you fake products on the streets. Quite ever so often you may run into people (usually recent immigrants from South Asia and Africa) selling fake products (purses, toys, and the like) on the streets. Under Italian law, it is illegal to purchase counterfeit goods and you can incur heavy fines for doing so. The people who sell you these fake products know it is illegal to sell fake products, but they do it anyways to make a living. Only buy from reputed stores.

Be wary of places to change currency. Read ALL signs before changing money. Oftentimes places set up just for currency exchange will add as much as a 20% service fee on all money being traded. The shops near the Vatican have especially high service fees, whereas places near the Trevi Fountain will be more reasonable. The best bet is to change enough money before you leave your home country. There are few places around the city that are under the table and are just interested in American money. These places charge no service fee.

In an emergency, call 112 (Carabinieri), 113 (Police), 118 (medical first aid) or 115 (firemen). Carry the address of your embassy or consulate.

On anything else you may need for your Rome holiday, you can contact the official help line of the Minister of Tourism 039.039.039. From Monday to Sunday, from 9.00 to 22.00, in seven languages seven days a week.

• Afghanistan, Via Nomentana 120 phone=, fax: +39 06 86322939. 
• Australia, Via Antonio Bosio 5, ☏ +39 06 85 2721, fax: +39 06 85 272 300. M-F 08:30-16:00. 
• Austria, Via Pergolesi 3, ☏ +39 068440141, fax: +39 06 85 43286. M-F 09:00-12:00. 
• Azerbaijan, Viale Regina Margherita 1, 2 piano, 00198, ☏ +39 06 85 30 55 57, fax: +39 06 85 83 14 48, rome@mission.mfa.gov.az. 
• Brazil, Piazza Navona, 14, ☏ +39 06 683-981, fax: +39 06 6880 2883, consulado@brasilroma.it.com. M-F 09:00-17:00. 
• Bulgaria, Via Pietro Polo Rubens 21, ☏ +39 06 322 46 40, +39 06 322 46 43, fax: +39 06 322 61 22, embassy@bulemb.it. M-F 09:00-17:00. 
• Canada, Via Zara 30, ☏ +39 06 44598 1, fax: +39 06 44598 2905. 
• China, Via Bruxelles 56, ☏ +39 06 8413458, fax: +39 06 85352891. 
• Croatia, Via Luigi Bodio 74/76, ☏ +39 06 363 07650, fax: +39 06 3630 3405, vrhrim@mvpei.hr. M-F 09:30-12:30. 
• Denmark, Via dei Monti Parioli 50, ☏ +39 06 9774 831, fax: +39 06 9774 8399, romamb@um.dk. M-F 08:00-17:30. 
• Egypt, Via Salaria 267, ☏ +39 06 8440-1976, fax: +39 06 855-4424, ambegitto@yahoo.com. M-F 09:00-17:00. 
• Estonia, Via Clitunno 34-36, ☏ +39 06 844 075 10, fax: +39 06 844 075 19, embassy.rome@mfa.ee. M-F 09:00-12:00. 
• Finland, Ambasciata di Finlandia, Via Lisbona 3, ☏ +39 06 852 231, fax: +39 06 854 0362, sanomat.roo@formin.fi. M-F 08:00-17:30. 
• France, Piazza Farnese 67, ☏ +39 066 86011. 
• Germany, Ambasciata di Germania, Via San Martino della Battaglia 4, ☏ +39 06 49 213-1, fax: +39 06 445 26 72, info@rom.diplo.de. 
• Greece, Viale G. Rossini 4, ☏ +39 06 853 7551, fax: +39 06 841 5927, gremroma@tin.it. 
• Hungary, Via Messina, 15 00198 Roma, ☏ +39 06 442 49938, +39 06 442 49939, fax: +39 06 442 49908, konzulatus@tin.it. 
• India (Indian Embassy Rome), Via XX Settembre, 5, 00187 Rome (Italy), ☏ +39 06 4884642 (/3/4/5), fax: +39 06 4819539. (updated Aug 2021)
• Indonesia, Via Campania 55, 00187, ☏ +39 06 4200911, fax: +39 06 4880280. 
• ^{[dead link]} Ireland, Piazza di Campitelli 3, ☏ +39 06 6979 121, fax: +39 06 6979 1231. M-F 10:00-12:30, 15:00-16:30. 
• Lithuania, Viale di Villa Grazioli 9, ☏ +39 06 855 90 52, +39 06 854 04 82, fax: +39 06 855 90 53. M-F 07:00-17:00. 
• Macedonia, Via Bruxelles 73/75, ☏ +39 06 8419868, +39 06 84241109, fax: +39 06 84241131, rome@mfa.gov.mk. M-F 09:00-17:00. 
• Malaysia, Via Nomentana, 297, ☏ +39 06 8415764, fax: +39 06 8555040. 09:00-16:00 (no lunch break). 
• Malta, Lungotevere Marzio 12, ☏ +39 06 6879990. 
• Netherlands, Via Michele Mercati 8, ☏ +39 06 3228 6001, fax: +39 06 3228 6256, nlgovrom@ambreale.tuttopmi.it. M-F 08:00-17:30. 
• New Zealand, Via Zara 28, ☏ +39 06 441 7171, fax: +39 06 440 2984, nzemb.rom@flashnet.it. 
• Norway, Via delle Terme Deciane 7, ☏ +39 06 571 7031, fax: +39 06 571 70326, emb.rome@mfa.no. 
• Pakistan, Via Della Camilluccia 682, 00135, ☏ +39 06 36 1775, fax: +39 06 36 301 936, pareprome1@tiscali.it. M-F 09:30-16:20. 
• Poland (Ambasada RP w Rzymie), Via P.P.Rubens, 20, ☏ +39 06 36 204 200, fax: +39 06 321 78 95, ambaroma@msz.gov.pl. M-W 09:00-16:00 Th 09:00-17:00 F 09:00-15:00. (updated Jul 2023)
• Romania, Via Nicolo Tartaglia 36, ☏ +39 06 808 45 29, +39 06 807 88 07, +39 06 808 35 37, fax: +39 06 808 49 95, roma@mae.ro. M-F 08:30-13:00 14:00-17:30. Also covers as the embassy of Romania for Malta and San Marino. (updated Dec 2021)
• Russia (Via Gaeta 5), ☏ +39 06 4941680, +39 06 4941681, fax: +39 06 491031. 
• Serbia, Via dei Monti Parioli 20, ☏ +39 06 320 07 96, +39 06 320 08 90, +39 06 320 09 59, +39 06 320 08 05 (all night), fax: +39 06 320-08-68, info@ambroma.com. telex 616-303 
• Slovenia, Via Leonardo Pisano 10, ☏ +39 06 80 914 310, +39 335 80 64 552 (all night), fax: +39 06 80 81 471, vri@gov.si. 
• South Africa, Via Tanaro 14, ☏ +39 06 85 25 41. M-F 08:00-16:30. 
• Spain, Palazzo Borghese, Largo Fontanella di Borghese 19, ☏ +39 06 684 04 011. 
• Turkey, 28, Via Palestro 00185, ☏ +39 06 445 941. 
• Ukraine, Via Guido d'Arezzo, 9, ☏ +39 06 841 26 30. 
• United Kingdom, Via XX Settembre 80/a, ☏ +39 06 4220 0001, +39 06 4220 0001 (emergency consular help), fax: +39 06 4220 2333. Appointments only. 
• 41.90658312.4907781 United States of America, Via Vittorio Veneto 119/A, ☏ +39 06 4674 1, fax: +39 06 4882 672, +39 06 4674 2356, uscitizensrome@state.gov. M-F 08:30-17:30.  
• Venezuela, Via Nicolò Tartaglia, 11, ☏ +39 06 807 97 97, fax: +39 06 808 44 10, embve.itrom@mppre.gob.ve. M-F 09:30-13:00, 14:00-17:00. 

• Poland (Wydział Konsularny i Polonii Ambasady RP w Rzymie), Via di S. Valentino, 12, ☏ +39 06 36 204 300, fax: +39 06 80 660 233, rzym.konsul@msz.gov.pl. M-W F 09:00-16:00 Th 09:00-17:00. (updated Jul 2023)

• Singapore, Via Frattina, 89, ☏ +39-06 69940398, fax: +39-06 6780586, hcgoffice.rome@yahoo.com. M-F 09:30-13:00. (updated Mar 2017)

Rome has ultra-low-cost flights to destinations in Italy, to several European countries and to Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Armenia, Jordan and Morocco. (updated May 2022)

Civitavecchia ← Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport ←

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→ Tivoli → Pescara