Tips on what to do in Rome. Secret places in Rome that you won't find in a typical guidebook. Where and when to buy tickets for public transport in Rome

There is no need to repeat the mistakes of others, it is better to learn from them. Those who are planning to visit the capital of Italy in the near future should know how to avoid falling for tourist traps and What not to do in Rome:

1. Use public transport frequently.

It goes without saying that if you urgently need to get to the airport, you won’t walk. But if you have time, it’s better to walk than to get around the city by bus or taxi. While walking around the city, you can come across many interesting places that are not written about in guidebooks.

2. Try to hail a taxi on the street.

There is no need to rush across the path of a free car you see, waving your arms. This is not accepted on the streets of Rome. If you need a taxi, there are special stands or you can order it by phone (hotel employees can help with this).

3. Throw coins into all the fountains in the city.

You should not follow the example of tourists who, following tradition, throw coins into all the fountains of Rome in order to return there again. This sign applies only to the Trevi Fountain.

4. Walk along the Tiber River.

When going out to the Tiber River, it is better to resist the temptation to take a walk under the shady trees growing along it. The thing is that a lot of birds nest on these trees and therefore a tourist, passing under the treetops, risks ruining his suit.

5. Eat in places popular among tourists.

This advice applies to any city. And, although many tourists for some reason think that this has nothing to do with Rome, this is far from the case. Most cafes' menus, consisting mainly of pizza and pasta, are disappointing. Restaurants in popular tourist areas should be avoided altogether.

6. Buy ice cream anywhere.

Rome is famous for its delicious ice cream. However, tourists are often sold low-quality fakes. To avoid being scammed, you should first inquire about pistachio ice cream. If it is a nice bright green color, then it is a fake. Real ice cream does not look as attractive and has a dirty ocher color.

7. Go shopping on Via del Corso.

This is the most famous shopping street in Rome, filled with brand stores. And yet, shopaholics should refrain from shopping here, because it will be almost impossible to stop :). In addition, the capital of Italy is full of small shops with truly unique goods, so you should not waste time on overpriced shops.

8. Walk “naked” around the city.

Although it is quite hot in Rome in the summer and you want to wear a T-shirt or a short skirt, you need to take something more decent with you. Otherwise, they will simply not be allowed into numerous cathedrals and most museums.

9. Carry all your money and documents in one place.

Tourists often buy a chest wallet, put all their valuables there and wear it over their clothes. This is by no means a safe place. In any crowd, such a wallet will be easily and unnoticeably cut off. Therefore, valuable documents, credit cards and money should be placed in different places and are best hidden under clothes by purchasing pockets on the arm, leg or waist.

10. Go to Rome for a couple of days.

It is impossible to explore the Eternal City in just a couple of days. Even a perfectly drawn up plan that includes as many attractions as possible will not help here. This is due to queues at famous museums, where you can stand for at least an hour. So you either need to set aside at least a week to visit the city, or choose 2-3 places that you want to visit.

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Rome (Italy) - the most detailed information about the city with photos. The main attractions of Rome with descriptions, guides and maps.

City of Rome (Italy)

Rome is the capital of Italy and the Lazio region, one of the most beautiful and interesting cities in the world. The Eternal City is located on the legendary seven hills on the Tiber River, approximately 25 km from the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Rome is the cradle of a great civilization and the center of one of the greatest empires in human history. Here, on almost every street there is some kind of attraction and you can easily come across architectural and cultural monuments that are several thousand years old. Therefore, exploring Rome in a couple of days is simply not possible.

The historic city center is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In Rome, you can touch the period of Antiquity and the history of the Roman Empire: see the famous Forum, the legendary Colosseum, the ancient Pantheon and many other ancient monuments and grandiose ruins, stroll along narrow streets with smooth paving stones polished by millions of feet and centuries, sit in cozy street cafes and trattorias, visit famous Roman squares and fountains, palaces and gardens. In addition, Rome is the center of the Catholic faith: the Vatican, its museums, the square and the Cathedral of St. Petra and Castel Sant'Angelo are also popular among tourists.

Rome has many epithets - “the eternal city”, “the city on seven hills”. Rome began to be called Eternal in Antiquity. The city carried ideas about “eternity” through millennia, despite the fall of the powerful Roman Empire.

Rome is called the “city of seven hills” because historically the city was located on seven hills: the Palatine, the Capitol, the Quirinal, the Caelium, the Aventine, the Esquiline and the Viminal. Palantine Hill was the first to be settled, then the Capitol and Quirinal.

Founding of Rome

According to a well-known legend, the founding of Rome is associated with the brothers Romulus and Remus. They grew up on the banks of the Tiber at the foot of the Palatine, suckled by a she-wolf. It was they who founded the settlement here. Then a quarrel arose between the brothers. Romulus killed Remus, becoming the first king of Rome. He also founded a fortified settlement on the Palatine Hill.

Geography and climate

Rome is located in central Italy between the Apennine Mountains and the Tyrrhenian Sea. The historical center of the city is spread over seven hills.

The climate of Rome is subtropical Mediterranean. Spring is a relatively mild and rainy season. It is usually cool until mid-April. It can already be hot in May. Summer is hot and dry. Autumn is warm and humid, sunny days alternate with rains, which gradually become more frequent.

Rome in the snow is a very rare phenomenon

Winter, from December to February, is quite mild, given that the average temperature in January is around 7.5 °C. Frosts are possible at night. February usually feels more like spring.

Practical information

1. Population - 2.9 million people (agglomeration 4.6 million). In terms of population, Rome is the 4th city in the EU.
2. Area - 1.3 thousand square kilometers.
3. Language - Italian.
4. Currency - euro.
5. Visa - Schengen.
6. Time - Central European UTC +1, summer +2.

Districts

• The modern center is Piazza Veneto, the Republic and Barberini, the Trevi Fountain and the surrounding area of ​​the Quirinal. There are many restaurants and shops located here.
• Old Town - Renaissance squares, Piazza Navona, Pantheon.
• The Colosseum is the oldest place in Rome, the Capitoline Hill, which houses the legendary amphitheater, Forum, ancient ruins and many museums.
• The Vatican is the Catholic capital of the world: museums, the cathedral and St. Peter's, St. Castle Angela.
• North Center - Spanish Steps and Villa Borghese.
• Trastevere is a charming area south of the Vatican, on the west bank of the Tiber, an area of ​​narrow cobbled streets and cozy squares that have served as a source of inspiration for creative people.

Administrative divisions of Rome

Rome is divided into 19 municipalities (municipi), 22 historical districts, 35 neighborhoods, 6 suburbs and 53 zones.

Best time to visit

Rome can be visited almost all year round. The only thing is that the city is very hot in summer. Some establishments close at the end of July-August. Therefore, if you do not like the heat, it is better to come to Rome at another time.

Story

The history of Rome is rich and unique, so it would take a whole book to tell it. Here we will limit ourselves to listing the main historical figures and events.

The rise of Rome began in Antiquity, during the royal period. According to tradition, there are seven kings. The first was Romulus. At this time, the first temples appeared in Rome (Temple of Vesta and Temple of Janus), and the famous Servian Wall was built.

Rome in Antiquity

After the Royal period, Rome became a Republic. Then a significant expansion of the Roman state and the strengthening of its power began: roads were laid, magnificent temples and palaces were built. Culture, crafts, architecture, and art developed. The Roman Republic becomes very powerful, and Rome becomes the center of the Ecumene. The central square became the famous Forum, the ruins of which can now be seen. The growth of the state accompanied the change in Rome, which began to rapidly expand, new buildings and structures were erected.

Roman Forum - the center of ancient Rome

The imperial period of Rome is closely connected with the personality of Gaius Julius Caesar. Caesar erects a new Senate building and creates a new territory for public buildings on the Campus Martius. During this period, the power of the Roman Empire increased.

During the reign of Emperor Nero, the city suffered from a severe fire. After him, Rome was rebuilt.

The decline of Rome coincided with the fall of the Roman Empire. In the 5th century, the city was sacked by the Visigoths and Vandals.

In the early and mid-6th century, Rome changed hands six times during the war between Byzantium and the Ostrogoths. At this time, the city's population decreased to 30-40 thousand people. The once greatest city on Earth has fallen into disrepair. The magnificent buildings were slowly destroyed and plundered.

This is followed by the period of Papal power in Rome. With its rise, the center of the city became the Vatican Hill with the Church of St. Petra. At this time, old buildings are being destroyed without hindrance. Only those buildings that were used by the local nobility or the Church have survived.

At the beginning of the 16th century, Rome was again sacked.

In modern times, the city again became a Republic. Napoleon abolished the Papal State, although after his defeat the power of the Pope was restored.

In 1870, the troops of the Kingdom of Italy occupied Rome, and it became the capital of the kingdom.

During World War II, Rome escaped major destruction, although it was subject to German occupation.

How to get there

Rome has a modern international airport - Fiumicino, which connects the Italian capital with most major cities in Europe and the world.

Almost in the center of Rome is the main railway junction of the city - Termini Station, from which you can get to anywhere in Italy.

Public transport in Rome consists of three metro lines, trams and buses. Suburban connections are very well developed. Tickets can be purchased at tobacco kiosks and public terminals. A one-time ticket costs 1.5 euros and is valid for one trip for 100 minutes.

Shopping and purchases

Rome is a great place for shopping. Brand stores can be found in the area of ​​del Corso. Cheaper shops in via del Tritone, Campo de' Fiori and in the Pantheon area. If you need a large shopping center, that is:

• Euroma2 - 230 shops and restaurants. Line B "EUR Fermi" or "EUR Palasport".
• Cinecitta Due

Food and drink

Italy is famous for its cuisine: lasagna, pizza, pasta and many other dishes are very tasty. Rome has a huge selection of restaurants and cafes. But the main advice is to avoid tourist places. The food there is often more expensive and not as good. Step aside a little and take a closer look to see if there are Italians sitting in the establishment. This is where you can enjoy real Italian cuisine. From my experience of Roman tours, I can say that the most delicious food in Rome is in the area of ​​​​Campo de Fiori and Trastevere. For drinks, wine is preferable, which is simply excellent here and even in restaurants is not very expensive. Also be sure to try the gelato (ice cream).

Attractions

There are a huge number of attractions in Rome. Probably, the number of historical, cultural and architectural monuments here is the largest per square meter. To explore at least the main attractions of Rome, you need to spend more than one day, and to explore this ancient city completely, you need to come here several times.

Or the Flavian Amphitheater - a symbol of the greatness of ancient Rome and the pride of the present. It is one of the most famous attractions in the world, visited by 6 million tourists every year. The Colosseum is the largest amphitheater in Antiquity, which could accommodate about 50,000 spectators. Surprisingly, this grandiose structure was built in just 8 years. Construction of the amphitheater began in 72 and was completed in 80. The Colosseum was used for 500 years. It hosted gladiator fights, executions, and exhibitions of exotic animals. Despite earthquakes, looting and even bombing, the Colosseum still makes a strong impression.

Interesting facts about the Colosseum:

• In the Middle Ages, the inhabitants of Rome used the travertine from which the amphitheater was built to build churches, houses and roads. Therefore, it can be called a miracle that the Colosseum survived at all.
• The original name "Flavian Amphitheater" was changed in the Middle Ages. The name comes from the Latin word for "colossal".
• The opening of the Colosseum was accompanied by 100 daylong games, during which about 2,000 gladiators died.
• Initially, the amphitheater had a rich external marble finish.
• In order to protect the spectators in the stands from the sun, a special fabric was stretched.
• Cages with animals and gladiators were located under the arena.

One of the oldest places in Rome, the center of the political and religious life of the city. These legendary ruins are located between the Colosseum and Piazza Venezia. After the fall of the empire, the Forum was forgotten, plundered and buried underground. Excavations were carried out only at the beginning of the 20th century.

In addition to the large number of temples that are located in the Forum (Saturn, Venus, Romulus, Vesta, etc.), it is worth paying special attention to the following buildings:

• Via Sacra is the main street in Ancient Rome that connected Piazza del Campidoglio with the Colosseum.
• The Arch of Titus is a triumphal arch dedicated to the victory over the Jews. It was built after the death of Emperor Titus.
• Arch of Septimius Severus, built in 203 AD to commemorate the third anniversary of Severus's tenure as emperor.
• The Temple of Antoninus and Faustina, built in the second century, stands out as the best-preserved temple in the Roman Forum.
• Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine - this was one of the most important buildings of the Roman Forum.
• Curia is the Senate building founded by Julius Caesar.
• The Phocus Column is over 13 meters high, created in 608 AD in honor of the Byzantine emperor.

The Trevi Fountain is the largest and most beautiful fountain in Rome. It was built at the end point of an ancient aqueduct. The Trevi's final appearance dates back to 1762, when, after many years of work on it by Nicolo Salvi, it was finalized by Giuseppe Pannini.

It is one of the greatest domed structures in the world and one of the best preserved structures of Antiquity. It was built between 25-27 AD. consul Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, son-in-law of Emperor Augustus. After several fires it was rebuilt in 126 AD. under the Emperor Hadrian, who ordered the following lines to be engraved on the facade - “M. AGRIPPA L F COS TERTIUM FECIT”, which is translated from Latin as “Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, elected consul, erected this.”

In 609 the Pantheon was consecrated as a Christian temple. This event made it possible to preserve this unique building almost in its original form.

The Pantheon is a true masterpiece of ancient Roman architecture and engineering. Structurally, it is a concrete-brick rotunda with a giant 43-meter dome. It is assumed that the dome was previously decorated with golden rosettes similar to stars, but no exact evidence of this has been found.

The Palatine Hill is located fifty meters from the Forum. This is the oldest place in Rome. It is believed that the Italian capital was founded on the Palatine. During the Republican period, the Roman nobility settled on the Palatine Hill and built luxurious palaces.

On the Palatine Hill you can see hundreds of ruins of imposing buildings that were created for noble Romans in ancient times. Of these, they deserve special attention:

• The Flavian House (Domus Flavia) is a magnificent palace built in 81 BC by order of Emperor Domitian as his state and official residence.
• The House of Livia is a rather modest house that was built in the 1st century BC. It is one of the best preserved buildings on the Palatine Hill. You can still see the remains of mosaics and frescoes that once decorated the ceilings and walls.
• The House of Augustus is the residence of Octavian Augustus, which still has much of the valuable and colorful frescoes that decorated its walls.
• Farnese Gardens - designed in the mid-16th century on the ruins of the Palace of Tiberius. The Farnese Gardens were one of the first botanical gardens in Europe.
• Hippodrome of Domitian - it is not known for sure whether it was a stadium for racing or simply used as a garden.
• Palatine Museum - This small museum displays rarities found during excavations carried out on the Palatine Hill. The exhibitions contain sculptures, frescoes, mosaics and other objects.

The Arch of Constantine is the most beautiful, largest and best preserved of the ancient triumphal arches of Rome. Built at the beginning of the 4th century AD. and is dedicated to the victory of Emperor Constantine over Maxentius in the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. The arch is tricuspid and made of marble. Decorated with inscriptions and bas-reliefs.

Piazza Navona is one of the most famous squares in Rome, often called the “Piazza of the Three Fountains”. It was formed at the end of the 15th century and retains the shape of the stadium of Domitian, which stood here in Antiquity. The stadium was built in 86 AD and was larger than the Colosseum. The stadium was mainly used for festivals and sporting events. The buildings surrounding the square are built on the foundations of ancient stands. Today Piazza Navona is one of the most popular places in the capital of Italy.

Fountain of the Moor in Piazza Navona

Piazza Navona is famous for its fountains:

• The Fountain of the Four Rivers is one of the most famous and beautiful fountains in Rome, built in the first half of the 17th century according to the design of Bernini. Interestingly, he, like Trevi, takes water from the ancient aqueduct - Acqua Virgo. The sculptural composition of the fountain symbolizes the four great rivers: the Danube, the Nile, the Ganges and La Plata. The sculptures are made of white marble. The dominant feature of the sculptural group is the Egyptian obelisk (which was actually made under Emperor Domitian and adorned the circus on the Appian Way). The height of the obelisk is more than 16 meters.
• The Moor's Fountain is located in the southern part of the square. At first the fountain was without sculptures. The sculpture of the Moor was made by Bernini in the 17th century, and all the other sculptures were made in the 19th century.
• The Neptune Fountain occupies the northern part of the square. Until the 19th century, it did not have a sculptural composition.

Directly opposite the Fountain of the Four Rivers is Sant'Agnese in Agone, a beautiful 17th-century Baroque church with two bell towers by Borromini. Although the original architect was Rainaldi. The church has a lush and rich interior decoration. Dedicated to Saint Agnes - an early Christian torment.

Piazza di Spagna and the Spanish Steps are a popular tourist attraction in Rome. The Spanish Steps were built in the 18th century and lead to the top of Pincho Hill. At the foot of the stairs there is a beautiful fountain - Barcaccia.

The Altar of the Fatherland (Vittoriano) is one of the most controversial landmarks of the Italian capital, located in Piazza Venezia. The structure was built at the beginning of the 20th century and dedicated to Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of a united Italy. Inside there is a museum - the Risorgimento. The colossal monument is 135 meters long and 70 meters high. The Vittoriano consists of many majestic Corinthian columns and staircases, which are carved from white marble. In the center is a bronze equestrian sculpture of Victor Emmanuel.

From Vittoriano you can walk along Via del Teatro di Marcello to the Cordonata, the majestic staircase leading to the Piazzale Capitoline, designed by the great Michelangelo in the 16th century. In the corner of the square is the famous Capitoline Wolf - a small bronze sculpture. The sculpture depicts a she-wolf feeding the infants Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome, with her milk.

Castel Sant'Angelo or Hadrian's Mausoleum is a monumental structure on the right bank of the Tiber in Hadrian's Park. It is a tall fortified cylindrical building. The history of this structure begins in the first half of the 2nd century AD. Emperor Hadrian (who literally rebuilt a third of Rome) conceived it as a tomb for himself and his family members. The mausoleum was completed after his death. The funeral urns of Hadrian and Septimius Severus were placed in it. The last person buried there was Caracalla. During the Papacy there was a fortress and a prison here. Currently, Castel Sant'Angelo is a museum, one of the most visited in Rome. The castle can be reached via the St. Bridge. Angela is a pedestrian bridge over the Tiber, decorated with statues of St. Peter and Paul and ten angels.

In 1277, an 800-meter fortified corridor was built that connected the castle with the Vatican so that the pope could take refuge in the fortress in case of danger. This corridor was used only once - in 1527.

The Vatican is a miniature state within Rome, the center of the Catholic faith. If you are an art connoisseur, then be sure to visit the Vatican discount museums. They contain hundreds of unique, valuable creations, paintings, and sculptures. The Vatican Museums are very popular among tourists, so there are usually long queues. It is best, of course, to visit them in groups.

One of the main attractions of the Vatican is St. Peter's Basilica - the largest Christian church in the world, the main Catholic temple. This is the largest and most grandiose building of the Vatican. The greatest masters of that time worked on the creation of the cathedral: Bramante, Raphael, Michelangelo, Bernini. The cathedral's capacity is about 60 thousand people. The interior of the cathedral amazes with its harmony of proportions and its enormous size. There are a lot of statues, altars, tombstones, works of art by outstanding masters. You can enter the cathedral absolutely free. Entrance from St. Square Petra.

Villa Borghese is the largest park in Rome and one of the largest city parks in Europe. The state acquired the gardens of the Borghese family in 1901 and soon turned them into a park. Villa Borghese is an interesting combination of nature and art, a place where interesting architectural elements, sculptures, monuments and fountains are located, created at different times by famous artists and sculptures.

What interesting things you can see here:

• The Borghese Gallery is one of the most important museums in the Italian capital. It features paintings by artists such as Raphael, Titian and Caravaggio.
• The zoo contains more than 1000 animals.
• Pincio water clock from the 19th century.

Trastevere is one of the most pleasant areas to walk in Rome, with a typically Italian atmosphere. This is one of the best places for lunch or dinner in the Italian capital. A walk through the narrow cobbled green streets of Trastevere will reveal hidden treasures, such as modest medieval churches, small shops with the most unusual items or scenes of the daily life of the Romans.

The center of the area is Piazza Santa Maria, where you can see the ancient basilica and fountain.

The catacombs are an extensive network of underground burial places of early Christians and Jews that date back to the 2nd-5th centuries. The catacombs were founded by Christians who did not accept the pagan customs of burning bodies. Therefore, to solve this problem, due to the lack of space and the high price of land in Rome, they decided to create these huge underground cemeteries. The catacombs have a huge number of underground passages, which form real labyrinths several kilometers long, along which rows of rectangular burial niches were dug.

Rome has more than sixty catacombs, consisting of hundreds of kilometers of underground passages containing thousands of tombs. Currently, only five of them are open to the public:

• Catacombs of San Sebastiano (Via Appia Antica, 136). These catacombs are 12 kilometers long and dedicated to St. Sebastian. Opening hours: Monday to Saturday from 9:00 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 17:00.
• Catacombs of San Callisto (Via Appia Antica, 126). A network of passages more than 20 kilometers long. The Tombs of San Callisto were the burial place of 16 pontiffs and dozens of Christian martyrs. Opening hours are from Thursday to Tuesday from 9:00 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 17:00.
• Catacombs of Priscilla (Via Salaria, 430). They contain some frescoes of great importance for the history of art and the first images of the Virgin Mary. Opening hours: Sunday to Sunday from 9:00 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 17:00.
• Catacombs of Domitilla (Via delle Sette Chiese, 280). Discovered in 1593, these catacombs, more than 15 kilometers long, owe their name to the granddaughter of Vespasian. Opening hours are from Monday to Monday from 9:00 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 17:00.

Trajan's Market is located opposite the Forum. It was built between 100 and 110 AD and is considered to be Europe's first covered "shopping mall". The complex, made of red brick and concrete, had six levels containing up to 150 different shops and apartments.

Baths of Caracalla - located near the Appian Way. They are among the largest and most impressive baths built in the Roman Empire. Visiting the baths was a favorite pastime of the Romans, who regularly came here not only to maintain their hygiene, but also for social relations. In the vast area where the baths were located, the citizens of Rome could not only use the public baths, but also devote their time to doing physical exercises, visiting the library, walking through the gardens, or praying to the gods. The Baths of Caracalla, covered in marble and decorated with valuable works of art, were the most luxurious baths that were and will be built in ancient times.

Piazza del Popolo Popolo

Piazza del Popolo is a large oval square in northern Rome that has existed since Roman times. At one time, an important road leading to the north began here. Three churches border the square, but the main attraction is the obelisk from Ancient Egypt. On the north side of the square are the Porta del Popolo, which lead to Via Flaminia, the road connecting Rome to the Adriatic coast.

The Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin is a small basilica built in the Middle Ages that houses several Christian relics (such as the skull of St. Valentine).

The Mouth of Truth is a huge marble mask that, according to legend, bites the hand of those who lie. Located in the portico of Santa Maria in Cosmedin.

The Circus Maximus is the largest stadium in Rome, located between the Palatine and Aventine. It was built for chariot racing. The stadium could accommodate up to 300,000 spectators. Nowadays, the ruins of what was once Maximus' circus barely survive. Now there is only a huge terrace that follows the shape of the stadium. This often disappoints tourists who visit it hoping to find at least some ruins.

The Janiculum is a very pleasant place to walk, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and also has an excellent viewing point. Many call the Janiculum the eighth hill of Rome.

The Acqua Paola Fountain is a monumental marble fountain created in the 17th century to celebrate the opening of the old Roman aqueduct.

To go on an independent trip to Rome, the wonderful capital of sunny Italy, you need to know several important features of a vacation without travel agencies. Thanks to them, you can relax for half the price and spend your time much more interesting. Every year the number of travelers traveling to Rome on their own is increasing, and those who choose ready-made all-inclusive tours from travel companies are becoming fewer and fewer.

There are several reasons for this:

• Independent trips 30-70% cheaper
• Independent vacation is much more interesting and varied
• Traveling on your own, you can create your own route and do not depend on the tour program
• Traveling on my own You will never be left to the mercy of fate travel agency in case of bankruptcy, because you purchase only reliable air tickets and book quality accommodation
• You can fly to Rome on vacation on any day convenient for you and extend your trip as long as you want, because only you decide for which dates to buy air tickets

Comparison of tour and independent travel

Let's now take a more precise look at the prices of tours and independent travel. Sometimes it happens that tours come at lower prices than what you would spend on an independent trip, but more often than not, this is just a first impression. Cheap tours are almost always offered with cheap, terrible, hard-to-reach hotels included in them, living in which spoils your overall vacation experience. Let's be more specific, with examples.

Tours should be looked at on websites or, it’s cheaper and more convenient than going or calling many travel agencies, after all, the age of high technology, you need to take advantage of its advantages. In terms of ease of use, I like Travelata better, so the examples will be from this site.

Here is an example of a tour search.

The cheapest tour costs 62,254 rubles. Let's look at it more carefully.

The distance to the center is 5.5 km (it will be uncomfortable to travel from this hotel to the city center for sightseeing + add to this the cost of travel), which means that this is not the most comfortable option for living in Rome (but this is exactly the type of housing that is offered cheap tours). More hotel characteristics: studio, no cleaning, no meals.

Now let's check how much it costs to book the same hotel room, for the same dates, only on your own. We do this through .

From the screenshot it is clear that: 1) the hotel rating is 6.5 out of 10, which is quite bad (Roomguru has its own rating, which, in my opinion, is much more objective than on, because on the latter, hotel owners often inflate the rating, they add fake reviews, in general, based on my experience and reviews of friends and acquaintances, I trust Roomguru more), I recommend booking hotels with a rating above 7.5, so you won’t end up in a hotel where cockroaches crawl on the walls, non-working air conditioners in incredible heat (in Rome until mid-September it is very hot even at night for most Russians who are accustomed to lower temperatures, rude staff and non-working locks on the doors (and you also want to keep your things when you leave the hotel); 2) you can book a room for only 21,144 rubles (the hotel is the same, the room is exactly the same, the dates are the same), let me remind you that the tour costs 62,254.

Of course, the tour also includes flights, medical insurance, and group transfers. Let's go through these points too.

Point No. 7. Get a visa

To visit Rome you need to obtain a Schengen visa. Typically, the processing time for an application is one to two weeks, but there is also an expedited review (3 days). You can submit documents to the Italian consulate or to one of the Italian visa centers, which are located in most cities with a population of over a million, and not just in Moscow and St. Petersburg. A tourist Schengen visa allows you to stay in countries that have signed the Schengen Agreement for up to 90 days per six months.

The cost of processing a regular application for a Schengen visa is 35 euros, and an accelerated application is 70 euros. If you want to save money, then submit your documents directly to the consulate, so you will not pay a service fee to the visa center, which is currently 2,200 rubles.

For more details on types of visas, documents, processing times and possible reasons for refusal, read.

Point No. 8. Select Rome attractions to visit

There are a lot of attractions in Rome; you can see them on almost every street. But since everyone has different interests, I will give general advice based on my experience and my impressions: fewer ruins, more museums with guides. This is a subjective opinion and may not coincide with yours, but I think so.

There are a lot of ruins in Rome; just visit the Colosseum with the Roman Forum to show that you have visited the most famous sights of Rome. The fact is that if you are not a historian, and not a person who is completely absorbed in architecture and history, then visiting a large number of ruins will not give you anything except spending money on entrance tickets, fatigue due to walking, and spending a lot of time on the same type of places. Yes, these places (Colosseum, Roman Forum, Baths of Caracalla, Palatine, Circus Maximus, etc.) were once great buildings in the past, but now they are ruins. The Colosseum stood abandoned for many centuries, of no interest to anyone, until it was turned into a famous attraction designed to attract tourists to enrich the city budget.

You will have more useful and interesting time in museums with a guide who will tell truly exciting moments from Roman and Italian history. You will have something to remember after your vacation.

I will list the attractions according to my rating (the higher the attraction is on the list, the more recommended it is for visiting):

• Coliseum
• Roman forum
• Vatican Museums
• The Sistine Chapel
• Borghese Gallery
• St. Peter's Basilica (breathtaking view of the city from the dome)
• Castle Sant'Angelo
• Capitoline Museums
• Trevi Fountain
• Pantheon

Point No. 9. Choose interesting excursions

Visit as many attractions as possible in a short time - this plan is good if you want to SEE interesting places and buildings. But in order to understand, penetrate and add something to your worldview, you need to “savor” every attraction.

It is better to visit fewer attractions in Rome, but with greater benefits. For example, take the Vatican Museums - a wonderful place to get acquainted with Italian culture. There are so many exhibits here that it would take half a day to see even some of them. But simply looking at works of art and not understanding their history, when, for whom, why it was created, will not bring you very many impressions. But if you learn all this from a reliable source, then it will be interesting and instructive. Visiting attractions with a guide and without one are completely different things. It is better to visit 1 museum with a guide than 3 without one.

But keep in mind that only with a professional guide, chosen based on positive reviews from tourists, will it be interesting. You can often see “guides” who offer their services near famous attractions, but by choosing them, you will most likely end up in a group of tourists of 30-40 people, the guide will speak a memorized text in a monotone voice, you will be lucky if this text is a retelling some printed guidebook, not a Wikipedia article. Of course, there are also good guides who meet you at the entrance to attractions, but, unfortunately, there are very, very few of them.

Of all the services where you can choose a tour with a good guide in advance, the best, in my opinion, is. The undoubted advantage of this site is that the excursions presented are quite unusual (when compared with offers from tour operators) and are conducted by local guides who permanently reside in Rome. Each excursion has its own reviews, verified guides, you can choose a date convenient for you, everything is safe and reliable. Decide which attractions you want to visit, and then choose the most suitable excursion on this service.

Here is a list of excursions that I consider to be some of the best:

Point No. 10. Find out how to get from the airport to the center

If you are not arriving at night, you can easily travel to the center of Rome from the airport by public transport. Most tourists first go to Termini Station, and then take the metro (the metro station of the same name is located in the same place as the station) or buses to their hotel.

If your hotel is located near Termini Station, you can take the regular train (you can get off at Tuscolana (metro line A), Ostiense (metro line B), Trastevere, Tiburtina (metro line A)) leaving from the airport (to find trains, just follow the signs that show train J). Tickets can be purchased from special machines at the airport or at the ticket office; you will need to pay 8 euros.

Another option to get to the center is buses. There are a lot of them near the exit from the airport, again there are signs. You can buy a ticket either from the driver (it costs 6 euros) or online, for example on the website www.terravision.eu (there are many carrier companies, this is one of the best). The journey will take about 1 hour.

If you arrive at Rome's Ciampino airport, you can also get there by bus or regional train. Mainly low-cost airlines (inexpensive air carriers) fly to this airport from domestic flights, from other Schengen countries, and some charter flights. If you are flying from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, then you will most likely arrive at Fiumicino airport (which specific airport you are arriving at - look on your tickets or when purchasing them).

You can also rent a car and move freely around Rome (albeit with the constant search for a free parking space). It’s cheaper to rent a car (20-40%) in advance online on the website.

If you arrive at night (from 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.), you will either have to wait for public transport to start moving at the airport (which is completely inconvenient; after the flight, you want to quickly go to the hotel and get some rest), or order a transfer, for example to, or use taxi, again, it’s better to order online (it’s cheaper and more reliable, taxi drivers near the airport ask for 2-3 times more than you pay in advance online), a taxi ride costs from 45 €.

Point No. 11. To make a plan

Now you know the basic steps, after which you can relax in Rome on your own in comfort. All that remains is to find out some of the features of this city + make at least a rough plan for visiting places, which will save a lot of time and effort, and upon arrival there will be no questions about what to see and where to go.

Here are some tips that will make your vacation interesting and varied:

• Set aside a lot of time to visit one place. There is no need to try to visit all the sights of Rome in one day; it is better to explore one attraction thoroughly than 5 in passing.
• Make a rough plan for your entire vacation. It is better not to describe this plan down to the smallest detail. Visiting the Colosseum at 11:00 and visiting the Trevi Fountain at 12:00 is a deliberately losing plan. Leave time for freedom of action, if you want to go to a cafe - go, if you want to sleep an hour longer - sleep, but the main places to visit should still be spelled out in the plan.
• Look into ordinary residential areas. In the programs from travel agencies, the route is designed in such a way that tourists see only the most visited places in the city, but some “non-tourist” areas can give much more interesting impressions, because Rome is an open-air museum, each street carries a part of history and has with its own charm. If you need to get from point A to point B, and there are only a few hundred meters between them, then it is better to get there on your own, and not order a taxi or wait for a bus; walking will only be beneficial.

Roma Pass

The Roma Pass tourist card allows you to significantly save on transport and visiting attractions. There are two types of cards:

• Valid 72 hours (38.5 €)
• Valid 48 hours (28 €)

With the first one you can visit 2 attractions for free and without a queue, with the second one you can visit only one attraction. After free visits, the card entitles you to purchase entrance tickets to most museums and attractions with a 50% discount. The card is sold in special kiosks that say Roma Pass (there are quite a few of them in Rome). You can find out the conditions and list of attractions on the official website www.romapass.it (you can also buy it online there, just carefully read the terms of purchase and methods of activating the card).

It's best to use this card to visit the most popular attractions to avoid hour-long queues. So if you are going to visit the Colosseum, the Borghese Gallery, or Castel Sant'Angelo, it is better to purchase a card.

The Roma Pass also allows you to use public transport for free, so if you live somewhere on the outskirts and plan to visit a lot of attractions, the card will come in handy and save some money.

Urban transport

Public transport in Rome is represented by the metro, buses and trams, all of them are operated by the same company ATAC, so the ticket is the same for all types of vehicles. A characteristic feature of local transport is that the schedule is almost never followed, so do not plan any important transfers back to back, it is better to reserve time.

On popular routes (which run along central streets or through popular attractions), the service interval is short; the required bus arrives every 5 minutes (but each of them is almost always packed to capacity in high season). But if this is some not very popular route, then the delay in the schedule can easily reach 30 minutes, and also, if there are few people at the stop and no one waves to the driver, then he will calmly drive on, leaving you in slight bewilderment at the stop wait for the next bus, so wave if you need this particular bus J .

The most convenient way to get around is by metro. Although there are not so many stations in comparison with Moscow, the lines stretch to many important places. Opening hours: from 5:30 to 23:30 (on Saturdays until 00:30).

Traffic jams in Rome do occur, but they are usually small and short-lived.

You can purchase single tickets from special machines with the ATAC logo, which, in most cases, are located in the metro and near the most popular bus stops. The purchased ticket must be validated (put a mark indicating the beginning of the ticket validity) in a special device; on buses these are small yellow boxes attached next to the entrance; on the metro, the mark is placed when passing through the turnstiles.

Ticket prices in Rome are as follows:

• Ticket for 100 minutes – 1.5 € (within 100 minutes you can make as many transfers on buses and trams as you like, but you can only go through the turnstiles in the metro once)
• Ticket for 1 day – 7 €
• Ticket for 2 days – 12.5 €
• Ticket for 3 days – 18 €
• Ticket for 7 days – 24 €
• Ticket for 1 month – 35 €

Rent a Car

If you do not have a goal to go to other cities in Italy after Rome, then it is better to use either public transport or a taxi. The fact is that in Rome it is very difficult to find a free parking space, most of them are paid. Therefore, to save money, you need to choose a hotel with its own parking.

Rome has its own driving style, and, unfortunately, small accidents happen often. The streets are narrow, there is nowhere to turn around. When using a car for a week, new scratches almost always appear, so it is better to choose not partial, but full insurance, so as not to pay extra when returning the car.

You can quickly and inexpensively rent a car on the website (all conditions are also indicated there). When renting locally, you will pay significantly more and the choice of cars will be significantly smaller.

The cost of renting a car per day when booking online is 15 € or more for cars like Opel Corsa in high season, the minimum price for Volkswagen Golf is 28 € per day. It is important to consider that these are prices for early booking (1-3 months before the start date of the rental) and rentals for 3 or more days (for rentals for 1-2 days, the rental cost increases by 20-25 € per day).

Prices in Rome

Prices in restaurants

Prices in the cafe

Prices in supermarkets

Prices for attractions

How to save money on your trip to Rome

• Book hotel rooms on , so you will find inexpensive and comfortable accommodation.
• If you are still planning to rent an apartment, then do it on Airbnb - this is the most convenient service. To get some discount on rent, you can use.
• Use the Roma Pass tourist card. Thanks to it, you can save a lot on visiting attractions, museums, exhibitions, using public transport, and also receive additional pleasant bonuses.
• Take advantage of free excursions. These tours are organized by professional guides several times a week and will take you to the main attractions of Rome, but these are walking tours, so be prepared to walk long distances.
• It will be cheaper to rent a car online on the website
• Attend sales. There are constantly sales in Rome where you can buy things of excellent quality at low prices. The sales season is at the end of January-beginning of February and July-beginning of August; during these periods there are discounts from 20 to 70%.
• Are you planning to visit other cities in Italy? Then use it. For example, you can use the services of low-cost airlines and fly to Milan for 15 euros.
• Be sure to use .

All the necessary information on how to relax on your own in Rome is presented in this article. If you don't understand something, read it again and take a look at my manual. And don’t delay your journey, you need to enjoy life!

See Rome and die... from the effect of a reality that does not coincide with expectations. The oldest city that we dreamed of seeing for a very long time worked for us as for the Japanese, Paris (read about the Paris syndrome and everything will fall into place). But it's not that bad!

The main thing is to try to enjoy the city, putting aside your fabulous expectations and, as a bonus, not to spend your monthly budget in pursuit of the million attractions of the city that are on every “to see with your own eyes at least once in your life” list. Now I’ll tell you how to see Rome on a budget. Expensive housing in the capital does not count - there is no escape from this.

Like any tourist city, Rome has its own free days to visit all kinds of museums and attractions. There are several such days in the capital of Italy: the last and first Sunday of the month. Ideally, it is better to plan your trip to cover these two periods. If you're going to Rome for just one weekend, then choose the attractions you'd like to save money on. I hope you enjoy The Eternal City!

Roman seasons: best time to visit the city

While the whole world and, especially, central cities are bursting with the flow of tourists, we need to be more careful in planning our trips. Now attention is paid not only to good weather conditions and the relative cheapness of housing, but also to the number of people in the city. For Rome and Italy in general there is no such framework as the concept of “season/off-season”.

The climate, in general, is warmer than in our homeland, but you need to take into account the temperature in the apartment. No heating is a bad experience, mark my words. In hotels there is no question of any heating (especially in old buildings), but on Airbnb, after checking with the host in advance, you can find excellent warm apartments with autonomous heating. What am I talking about heating? Discover Italy and Rome in particular during the off-season! February and March are ideal times. This is when there is practically no rain and you can already go for an aperitif or lunch on the terraces of restaurants and cafes!

Another advantage of February and March is that there are no serious or religious holidays on which attractions and museums are closed. After that comes Easter and May 1 - Labor Day.

Evergreen pine trees

Part one: last weekend of the month

So you arrived in Rome on Friday, for example. The next morning, Saturday, wake up early and head straight to the Vatican. And this will be your first, but not your last visit to the Vatican.

Plan for Saturday

St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican

To get a good look at everything and not spend a lot of euros in the Vatican, it is better to divide your visits into St. Peter's Basilica (with a climb to the dome) and exploring the museums.

By 8 a.m. and not a minute later, you should already be in line to enter the cathedral (the usual check with a metal detector), otherwise you risk first standing in line for up to three hours and getting into the cathedral right when there’s nowhere for an apple to fall - the cathedral will be packed to capacity with tourists or let in the soft light until midday, when the sun shines through the basilica's huge curved windows and creates a unique "holy" atmosphere.

After admiring the grandeur of the cathedral, do not pass by the authentic work of Michelangelo - the sculptural composition of the Pieta (“Lamentation of Christ”), which is kept under glass.

Opening hours of St. Peter's Basilica: in the off-season from October 1 to March 31, the cathedral is open from 7 to 18:30, and the rest of the time - half an hour longer until 19:00.

Price: the entrance is free. There is also an option to pay 15 euros for skip-the-line entry, but for the purposes of this article we are considering only budget and free leisure options.

How to get to the Vatican: To save money and use your budget wisely, get to the Vatican by public transport. For example, by metro on the red line to Ottaviano station, by tram number 19 or buses number 32, 81, 590 to the Piazza dei Risorgimento stop.

Saint Paul's Cathedral

Chair of St. Peter in the Cathedral

Swiss Guard
Light!

Dome of St. Peter's Basilica

Unfortunately, climbing to the dome costs money. But believe me, the views of the city that open from the dome of the cathedral will attract you and on your next visit to Rome you will hardly be able to deny yourself this.

The shape of the key of St. Peter's Square is a unique idea from a follower of Michelangelo, taken from the master's past works. From the galleries on both sides of the square you can measure the length of the queue of people who, having had a good night's sleep, also want to get into the cathedral (but first they will have to queue for at least 3 hours).

Time to rise: in the off-season from October 1 to March 31, the dome opens at 8 and closes at 17:00. The rest of the time (from April 1 to September 31) - from 8 to 18.

Ticket price: at the time of writing (2018), climbing the dome via difficult steps (550 steps) costs 8 euros, and taking the elevator (only 320 steps, the rest will still have to be climbed on your own two feet) costs 10 euros. In the off-season, you can get on the ball in the form of restoration of the steps and, if you are lucky, you can be taken down by the elevator. In short, you can save 2 euros and later eat the calories burned on the steps mango gelato ?

A little hint: If you go outside the cathedral immediately to the entrance where the Swiss guards are stationed, through the point with guards, then you will not be allowed back into the cathedral.

The city in all its glory!

Postcards based on the Sistine Chapel
Vatican Post Test

Piazza del Popolo and Il Pincio observation deck

Piazza del Popolo is almost the last place where you cannot drive a car. A true walking paradise! Although, after climbing the dome of St. Peter, I doubt that you will get a buzz from the subsequent walks? Street performers always entertain in the square, and the hated “sellers” of bracelets and all sorts of unnecessary rubbish are looking for their victims.

Be careful in Rome: Do not accept any gifts from strangers on the street and do not buy anything second-hand. Even selfie sticks! I'm actually shocked that there are still buyers for them! In major tourist cities in Italy, it has already been prohibited to sell all sorts of things on the streets; a fine can be issued not only to the seller, but also to the buyer. In fact: except for the Vatican, no one chases these sellers and they shamelessly invade the personal space of tourists.

One of the easiest options to get to Pincio Hill is to go up from Piazza del Popolo. The hill offers another of the unforgettable views of Rome. Pincio is also home to the famous Roman park Villa Borghese.

View of Piazza del Popolo from Pincio Hill

Spanish Steps and Plaza de España

You can relax on the famous Spanish Steps after a busy program around the city. Sit down on one of the steps and enjoy one of the busiest streets in Rome. For free.

Top of the Spanish Steps

Trevi Fountain

The Trevi Fountain is undoubtedly considered one of the hallmarks of Rome. Every year, entire wealth is removed from its waters, happily left behind by tourists from all over the world. Last year from the Trevi Fountain! Unprecedented popularity and benefit to the country! This is because travelers definitely want to return to Rome by throwing coins over their shoulders.

If you get to this cramped square where the fountain is located later than 5 a.m., you risk being trampled by the crowd... and eaten along with the gelato. The fountain is surrounded by all kinds of gelaterias and it seemed to me that the area in front of the fountain is used more as a place to have a snack. In any case, you won’t be able to see it properly and take a quick photo. Tourist C'est la vie!

Trevi Fountain. It was very difficult to photograph

Plan for Sunday

After a busy Saturday, there will be an equally busy Sunday! What did you want, being in a major tourist capital? This Sunday we will have to wake up even earlier, as the cherry on the cake awaits us.

Vatican Museums

The last Sunday of the month, admission to the Vatican Museums is free! Compared to 20 euros per person on a regular day. Museums were supposed to be the most expensive expense in Rome. But it’s possible to get there without paying a cent, having thought through the details and putting in some effort.

Working hours: Normal opening hours are Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm. But on the last Sunday of the month the museums are open. Tourists are allowed on free Sundays only until 12 noon. Therefore, you still need to have time to jump on the free train.

Given that the museum doors open only at 9 am, by 8 am there is a rather impressive queue. We lined up at 8:10 am and didn't get in until 9:20. This is considered unusual luck - only an hour in line for the Vatican Museums!

Small note: Since you’re saving on admission, don’t use your Jewish joys to buy an audio guide at the museum’s ticket office (7 euros, available in Russian). The audio guide is rented without headphones and is shaped like a telephone, which is suitable for use by only one person. That's not so bad! The audio guide was so useless! The information about the objects was filled with water, as I did in my diploma, in the spirit: “... the room is naturally illuminated from above.” The feeling after listening is not the most pleasant - as if I had attended the most boring lecture of my life. At this point it is better to save money and read about museums on the Internet.

In one of the Vatican Museums

Please note right away that you will spend at least 4 hours in the Vatican Museums. And remember that you are not allowed to take photographs or talk loudly in the Sistine Chapel. Don’t repeat after other people who take pictures and videos from behind the scenes - then the guards have a row with them and take them out by force.

Work by Rafael Santi "Transfiguration"

Staircase in the museum

Piazza Navona

The wide Piazza Navona is a great place for people watching and relaxing next to the baroque fountains, of which there are three around the perimeter. In the center is an Egyptian obelisk decorated with statues of deities symbolizing the four world rivers: the Nile, Ganges, Danube and La Plata.

Sitting down and relaxing on the square is not a problem. It is dotted with cafes and restaurants where you can leisurely drink your aperitif with snacks.

Trastevere area

I suggest finishing your budget walking tour on Sunday with walks and gatherings in bars/cafes/restaurants in the lovely Trastevere area. The streets of the area look just like we imagine after watching films about Italy. I promise you will love it! Plus, here you can dine on a budget or stop by for an aperitif in one of the cozy bars, which also have outdoor seating.

Look at the signs on the happy hour bars. At this time, in Trastevere you can cheaply drink a glass of wine and try unlimited snacks (in a buffet format).

Trastevere area

Levitating paste

Part two: first weekend of the month

We dose the tasty bits little by little. To really avoid spending money on attractions, you need to be patient.

Plan for Saturday

Pantheon

See with your own eyes this temple, the construction of which dates back to 125 BC! And, after years, it stands as good as new. The structure of the Pantheon is unique in that the dome is even larger in diameter than the dome of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican and, in fact, is not reinforced by anything, which makes it the largest unfortified dome in the architectural world. Step inside the Pantheon to look at the oculus in the dome, which naturally illuminates the room.

Price: Entrance is free for now, but the Roman authorities have already discussed the possibility of making entrance to the Pantheon paid. Very soon, it costs 3 euros to enter the Pantheon. So seize the moment!

Let's hit the gelato! Not far from the Pantheon there are two of my favorite gelaterias: Fatamorgana and GROM (first and second place in my personal ranking). Especially good are the fruity gelato flavors at GROM and the unusual, alternative flavors at Fatamorgana, such as avocado and basil or ginger and lemon gelato.

Gelato from GROM. Mango and ricotta
Gelato from Fatamorgana. Lemon and ginger, matcha tea, avocado and basil

Vittoriano Monument in Piazza Venezia

The giant monument with its chariots at the very top of the building is visible from literally every corner of Rome. The monument was built in honor of the first king of a united Italy, Vittorio Emmanuel II. Be sure to look at all tiers of the monument (except for the paid one) to enjoy really cool views of the city from different points.

Working hours: every day from 9:30 to 19. Last visitors are allowed in at 18:45.

Price: If you don’t go to museums or climb to the last tier of the monument, you can see the panoramas for free.

Monument to Vittorio in Piazza Venezia



View from the monument's terrace

Capitoline Square and Cafarelli Terrace

To cap off a busy Saturday, the best place to view the tops of ancient buildings and churches at sunset will be the Cafarelli Terrace (link on the map). There is also a small cafe right on the terrace if you want coffee with a view?

Working hours: daily from 9:30 to 19.

Price: Entrance to the terrace is free.

View from the Cafarelli Terrace at sunset

Theater of Marcellus, which many newcomers confuse with the Colosseum.

Plan for Sunday

Coliseum

The Colosseum is the place where you immediately run headlong after arriving in the city. To see his Excellence. But to get inside the ancient building for free, you need to come here on the first Sunday of the month. And it is advisable to open at 8:30 in the morning and conscientiously stand in line, which will be located around the perimeter of the Colosseum. In practice, by 13:00 there was practically no queue (off-season). But you and I are starting a busy Sunday early to catch all the free places.

The arena breaks all records for attendance, after which the Italian Ministry of Tourism recognized the Colosseum.

Coliseum

Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

Additional two attractions that are usually included in a paid ticket along with the Colosseum. Since we came on the first Sunday of the month, visiting the Roman Forum will be free. While you are visiting the Colosseum, the entire queue at the Forum ticket office will evaporate and you will be able to go to the ancient ruins without much waiting.

Working hours: daily from 8:30 to 17 in low season and from 8:30 to 18 in high season.

Did you know that Neapolitan pizza (the one with fluffy dough)?

Roman Forum and Colosseum

Triumphal Arch and entrance to the Roman Forum

Castle Sant'Angelo

Previously, the castle was built for various purposes. It was a mausoleum, a residence of pontiffs, and a prison. Now it is a museum and treasury of the pontificate. From the top there is a stunning view of the Tiber River and the Vatican.

On Free Sunday, the line for Castel Sant'Angelo goes all the way to the Vatican, so be patient and have some food to snack on. If you go to a restaurant after visiting the Roman Forum, you will no longer have the desire to go to Castel Sant'Angelo.

Working hours: daily from 9 to 19. Last visitors are allowed in at 18:30.

Castle Sant'Angelo

Embankment of the Tiber River

Walk along the river to admire the winding bridges and overhanging trees along the waterfront.

Tiber

Transport in Rome

There are several ways to get around the city, besides your two:

• metro - long intervals between trains, and the green line, along which the tourist route is supposed to be, has not yet been completed;
• bus - you can get there from anywhere, but traffic jams take a long time;
• tram - goes almost everywhere, you can get to the place quickly and without traffic jams;
• taxi is sooooo expensive. prohibited in Rome, so only Uber Black rides. For example, a taxi from the city center to the airport can cost from 70 euros.

Italian old car

The cost of travel on public transport in Rome costs 1.5 euros per ticket and is valid for 100 minutes. During this period, you can change from one transport to another as many times as you like, provided that in the metro you have just one trip . There are also tickets that are valid for 24 hours (7 euros) and 48 hours (12.5 euros).

Transport tickets can be bought from vending machines in the subway, in tobacco shops (look for the large letter T on the store sign), in bookstores and newsstands, and in small tourist shops.

Save the guide to your smartphone so you don’t lose it (you can download it in good resolution in the “Useful Links” section)

useful links

• As a gift for readers, I have prepared a printed guide from the Living in Travels blog, which you can use whenever you need it.
• Check the opening times of St. Peter's Basilica and the dome: vatican.va
• Book tickets to the Vatican Museums (20 euros per person): biglietteriamusei.vatican.va
• Guide to the best gelaterias in Rome: 34travel.me
• Online map with the best pizzerias in Rome and throughout Italy:

Where to stay in Rome

We unknowingly booked accommodation in the Pigneto area - the end of the green metro line in the eastern part of the city. Now Pigneto is called a fast-growing area where artists and other people of art live. Quite a controversial area, it was especially scary to walk at night. But near our house the cheapest cocktail in Rome, Aperol Spritz, was found. And only on this street with restaurants and bars offering Aperol, there were two military vehicles with armed soldiers. But you know, there was still no confidence in safety. Below you can see examples of hotels, selected especially for you, for any budget in good areas of Rome:

• best hostel in Rome: The Yellow;
• Best Budget Hotel: Hotel Hiberia;
• Best mid-range hotel: Hotel Quirinale;
• Best Luxury Hotel: Rome Cavalieri.

Do you want to choose another hotel in Rome? Click on the link to see the entire list

If you stay in the city for more than 4 days, want to capture the last and first weekend of the month, or even fly with a whole group of friends, it is more profitable to rent accommodation through the Airbnb service. .

Rome, of course, is not a seaside city, but nearby you can find many interesting places in terms of beach holidays. Moreover, if you are going to Rome in the summer, especially in July or August, then it makes sense to think about whether it is worth staying in the city for a long time. It’s hot in Rome in the summer, and it’s much more pleasant to spend the daytime by the sea than on the hot streets and squares of the Italian capital.

However, if you still decide to live in Rome, or if you are planning a trip for less hot months and just want to get out of Rome for a day to wander along the sea and breathe in the salty air, then there will be more than one suitable place.

This article is dedicated to seaside resorts in the immediate vicinity of Rome. Next, we will consider the most interesting areas in our opinion. In this case, we will focus primarily on the possibilities of public transport (primarily railway - see www.trenitalia.com).

So, by sea from Rome: where to go, how to get there, where to stay, etc. and so on.

The beaches closest to Rome are in the town Lido di Ostia(Lido di Ostia). In fact, this is a suburb of Rome, and the railway line connecting the Lido with the capital is essentially a continuation of the Roman metro. You can get here by train Roma Lido from the Porta San Paolo train station, connected to the Piramide metro station (see diagram). The drive is only half an hour. In addition, we note that Lido di Ostia is located near Fiumicino airport, from where you can get to the Lido by Cotral bus. This is about the question of summer trips to Rome. It is quite possible to stay in Lido - closer to the sea and beaches - and from there travel to Rome. True, there are not so many accommodation options, and therefore the issue of booking should be taken care of in advance, while there is plenty to choose from. Pay attention, for example, to Hotel La Scaletta and Hotel Ping Pong, located in the center of resort life, or to the small but very nice guest house Il Mare Di Roma, a little away from the center.

Despite all of the above, people usually come to Lido for a day from Rome to swim, sunbathe and return back. The beaches here are sandy and maintained in decent condition throughout the swimming season. Paid sections predominate, but free ones are also found. The sea near the shore is shallow, which attracts families with small children, but there is also entertainment for young people. Nightlife in Lido di Ostia has its place - there are beach bars and discos (see www.discotecheostia.it), although of course this is not Ibiza.

If you need a place for a relaxing beach holiday and do not plan to travel to Rome every day, then take your time to choose Lido. It makes sense to look further south and take a closer look at places like Anzio(Anzio) And Nettuno(Nettuno), accessible by Trenitalia trains (about an hour from Rome). This is practically one whole - you can walk from one town to another, and both make a rather pleasant impression, and have their own attractions. In other words, you will always have the opportunity to diversify your lazy beach holiday with walks around the area. And the sea here is cleaner than in Lido di Ostia, although it is just as shallow, which is good for children, but is unlikely to appeal to those who like to swim in the depths.

Mostly locals vacation in Anzio and Nettuno. Therefore, there are relatively few hotels here. Alternatively, you can consider the Hotel Riviera (Anzio) or the Astura Palace Hotel (Nettuno). There are also small guest houses and apartments: see, for example, Casa Vacanze Anzio Centro in Anzio and Appartamento Romana in Nettuno.

However, the most interesting resorts, in our opinion, are located even further south. This - San Felice Circeo, Terracina, Sperlonga and Gaeta.

CC BY-SA 2.0, flickr.com)">

The downside is that it is more difficult to get here by rail. Although if your budget allows, you can always order a direct transfer from the airport (see, for example,) or rent a car (see). After all, there are buses. Thus, from Rome's Laurentina bus station you can travel directly to Terracina and San Felice Circeo (here and below, see the Cotral route planner). The journey takes a little over two hours. In Terracina you can change buses to Sperlonga and Gaeta. Another way to get to Terracina is to first take the train to Monte San Biagio and then take the bus to Terracina. In short, it is much more convenient to go in this direction by car, especially since there are a lot of interesting things in the surrounding area and to see it all, you will again need a car.

The busiest place among those listed is Terracina(Terracina). The beaches here are sandy, long and mostly paid, but there are also free sections. The entrance to the water is gentle, but the depth is not far. The historical city center is very interesting. There are places to take a walk - both in Terracina and in the immediate surroundings (you can, for example, climb the mountain to the Temple of Jupiter). Wonderful embankment. Lots of children's playgrounds. Beach discos. Etc. and so on. In short, Terracina allows you to organize a vacation to suit every taste. And your wallet, since the accommodation options here are different: from the expensive Grand Hotel L'Approdo to quite budget guest houses like Il Giardino Di Adriana B&B and numerous apartments.

San Felice Circeo(San Felice Circeo) a much calmer and secluded place, but the beaches here are at least as good as in Terracina. And the nature around is amazing, since this is actually the territory of a national natural park (see parcocirceo.it), as, by the way, Sabaudia(Sabaudia), located on the other side of Cape Circeo (also a great place for a quiet beach holiday). In San Felice Circeo it is worth paying attention, for example, to Hotel Capo Circeo, and in Sabaudia - to Hotel Oasi Di Kufra.

Good in terms of beaches and Sperlonga(Sperlonga), and the atmosphere here, so to speak, is more intimate. The historical center of the city has climbed up a cliff, its streets are intricately intertwined, and snow-white houses are piled on top of each other. There are beaches on both sides of the cliff: fine golden sand, clear sea and picturesque views of the Old Town - beauty! Moreover, Sperlonga has hotels located right on the seafront, which further enhances the experience: see, for example, Albergo La Sirenella and Hotel Aurora. True, the cost of living in such hotels is quite high. Cheaper hotels like Elaia Garden Hotel, located a little further from the beaches (5-10 minutes walk). Families with children and road travelers should also pay attention to the Residence Le Spiagge apartment complex.

Finally, Gaeta(Gaeta). This is perhaps the cheapest resort when compared with Sperlonga, Terracina and San Felice Circeo. Meanwhile, the beaches here are just as good, there are also places to walk and things to see (the historical center of the city, the beautiful natural park of Monte Orlando on the mountain of the same name, the Turkish Grotto, etc.) and hotels, of course, are also available: see. , in particular, the hotels Hotel Mirasole International and Hotel Viola, as well as the cozy guest house B&B il Giglio Marino. It is more convenient to get here not through Terracina, but through Formia, which has a direct train connection with Rome. From Rome you can drive to Formia in just over an hour. From Formia to Gaeta it is about 15 minutes by bus. So, if you wish, you can go to Gaetou in one day.

Formia(Formia), by the way, is also suitable for a beach holiday, as is the nearby town Skauri(Scauri), where there is also a railway station and prices are moderate.

To the south are the resorts of Campania, many of which can be reached from Rome. Read more about them.

Ladispoli, Santa Marinella and Lido di Tarquinha are all within an hour and a half's drive north of Rome.

Yes, up to Ladispoli(Ladispoli) From Rome's main station, Roma Termini, you can get there in just 40–50 minutes, and if you go from Roma San Pietro station (next to the Vatican), the journey will take less than half an hour. (By the way, about where it is better to live in Rome, read more in the corresponding article.) From the Ladispoli-Cerveteri railway station to the sea it is only 10–15 minutes on foot. The beach here is sandy (dark volcanic sand) and quite long, there are both paid and free sections (of course, there are more paid sections). In a word, Ladispoli is a good option for a one-day outing, and given the proximity to Rome, you can stay here for several days in order to be able to visit the Eternal City from time to time (there is practically nothing to see in Ladispoli itself, and in general the place is not very picturesque) . There are not many hotels here, but there are still some options: see, for example, Alle Tamerici Hotel, Hotel Villa Margherita and Hotel Miramare.

Santa Marinella(Santa Marinella) is located a little further - about an hour's drive from Rome - and overall makes a more pleasant impression than Ladispoli. This is a small and quiet resort, more suitable for a relaxing family holiday (including those with children). The central (sandy) beach of this town is usually packed to capacity in the summer months, especially in the free part. However, nearby (next to the Odescalchi Castle and the Hotel L"Isola) you can find a small “wild” beach - rocky, with crystal clear water. Another (pebbly and rocky) beach is located some distance from the city center and its railway station, however it’s much more spacious here. From the station it’s about a 15-minute walk, the landmark is Hotel del Sole. This option is also possible: some hotels (for example, Hotel Villa delle Palme) have their own “beaches” in the form of a platform jutting into the sea with sun loungers and beach umbrellas (so that swim in the sea, you need to go down into the water using a special ladder).

By the way, if you get off the train one stop earlier - at the Santa Severa station (be careful: not all trains stop here), you can walk (10-15 minutes on foot) to the castle located on the seashore (Castello di Santa Severa). This castle is remarkable both in itself and because it is adjacent to a fairly wide sandy beach - much less crowded than the beach in Santa Marinella. In other words, Santa Severa(Santa Severa) An equally, and perhaps even more interesting option if you need a beach that you can visit for a day from Rome.

Lido di Tarquinia(Lido di Tarquinia)- another beach resort north of Rome, which is worth mentioning separately. This place is quite popular, but at the same time, not trampled by tourists. The beach here is sandy (dark sand), there are paid and free sections. There are many different restaurants nearby. And all around is peace and quiet, pine trees and fields. True, it is more convenient to go here by car, especially since Tarquinia proper is located a few kilometers from here - an ancient and very interesting city.

In general, almost limitless prospects open up for road travelers, since many other interesting places can be found on the coast in the northern outskirts of Rome. It is worth paying attention in particular to the beaches Santo Agostino(Santo Agostino), between Tarquinia and Civitavecchia. Even further north, the beaches of Tuscany begin. Here, we can mention, for example, places such as Ansedonia(Ansedonia) And Cape Argentario(Promontorio dell'Argentario), where it is more convenient to get from Rome than from Florence or Pisa.

When choosing a hotel or apartment in Italy in general and in Rome in particular, use not only booking sites, but also price comparison services. We recommend Roomguru.ru.

You should do the same when searching for air tickets. Pay attention, for example, to Skyscanner.ru.