Guide to holidays in Rome, Italy

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Rome

Overview

Rome was once the capital of the Roman Empire and today is one of the largest European capitals.

Sightseeing in Rome is both exciting and exhausting. The city is best seen by foot, in order to avoid missing any of the thousands of architectural gems. Spanning from basilicas, piazzi, churches, museums all the way to the Vatican City, seeing all of the sights in Rome could take a lifetime.

With numerous festivals beginning during Holy Week, the peak tourist season runs from Easter through to October. During the winter the weather is relatively mild, add the much smaller crowds and it makes the season a great time to visit Rome.

Location Information

Rome is located on the western coast of Italy in the Lazio region.

Rome is home to two major airports. The nearest to Rome city centre is Ciampino Airport - A small airport dealing mainly with budget airlines and charter flights. It is connected to Line A metro station Anagnina (about 30 mins by metro from Termini) by Cotral buses. Buses leave every 30-60 minutes.

The second airport is Fiumicino Airport - Rome's main airport - which is well-connected to the centre during the day by a direct train and slower trains. The direct train between Fiumicino and Termini costs € 9,50 and takes approximately 30 minutes. Tickets can be purchased at vending machines, ticket offices and other vendors at both Termini and Fiumicino.

City Information

Top Ten Things to do in Rome:

1 - The Vatican City: The seat of the Roman Catholic Church: Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St Peter's Basilica are all a must-see.

2 - Castel Sant'Angelo: The unique monument houses the National Museum where, besides the stuccoes, frescoes and furniture of the papal apartments, one can also admire an important collection of ancient arms.

3 - Piazza Navona: The church, designed by the great architect Francesco Borromini, is an excellent example of the Roman Baroque architecture.

4 - Pantheon: The Pantheon is an impressive example of the exquisite architectural technique of ancient Rome. It consists of a huge cylindrical body of equal height and width, covered by a great hemispherical dome.

5 - Piazza di Spagna: A meeting place for both Romans and tourists. At the top of the Spanish Steps is the Church of Trinità dei Monti.

6 - The Colosseum: Could hold more than 70,000 spectators who could watch the fights between gladiators, the hunting of animals and, at the very beginning, the naumachias: naval battles that took place in the arena that was flooded.

7 - The Roman Forum: The Roman Forum, the most important archaeological area in Rome, extends from the Capitol Hill to the Palatine.

8 - The Capitol and the Vittoriano: Since its origins the Capitol hill has been the seat of the city's government and the adequate place for solemn public celebrations.

9 - The Borghese Gallery: Located amidst the greenery of the favourite public park of the Romans, the Borghese Gallery is an authentic artistic treasure chest.

10 - Ostia Antica: The archaeological site of Ostia Antica offers a unique opportunity to complete the image of the ancient city by exploring the aspect of daily life, otherwise difficult to identify among the great public monuments of capital.

Photo Credit: Flickr user - Ncurado

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