21 Rome Travel Tips: Insider Secrets for a Memorable First Visit

2. Choose to stay in Rome for at least four days:

There are so many places in Rome that you won’t see and enjoy if you stay only for a few days. To visit the Vatican Museums, you will spend a whole afternoon there.

My advice is to spend a whole week in Rome. You won’t regret it, I promise. Rome is magical. There are many museums, parks, neighborhoods, tavernas, and restaurants to explore.

3. Book your accommodation in the city center:

I am sure some of you prefer to book accommodation far from the city center to save some money. Still, everything essential to see in Rome is in the center, so if you book not too far, you can walk straight to every vital site you want to visit and believe me, you will enjoy walking through the city center. 

Rome has some excellent Boutique Hotels with sophisticated accommodations and if it is a luxury place you are looking for, Rome has some fantastic luxury hotels where you will be treated like royalty.

There are plenty of beautiful places to get an espresso or some very stylish houses to take a picture for your Instagram account. Of course, if you have a mobility problem, two metro lines and many buses are available to get you anywhere you need to go.

4. Do some research before visiting Rome:

You have to research before getting to Rome but don’t worry. I wrote so many articles about Rome that you won’t need to look further.

Check out my “Guide of Rome Page” and all the articles I wrote about it, which includes my list of “27 Unmissable Places to Visit in Rome”, where I listed all the best places and articles about accommodations for every budget.

5. Buy Museums and Attractions tickets in advance:

This is a must to do. The queues to visit a tourist site in Rome can be 1 kilometer long, and I am sure you don’t want to spend a whole day in a line instead of walking around and exploring as much as possible.

If you want to buy tickets at the best price, check my favorite website to find many options to purchase skip-the-line tickets in advance. Book it in advance to save time. You won’t regret it. Also, please have a look at my post about the best museums to visit in Rome to see all the options available.

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6. Avoid the crowd: 

Visit Museums only from Monday to Thursday. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays are the busiest days, so explore the city, its squares, shops, and restaurants during those days. If you can, plan to fly to Rome on a Monday or a Tuesday to visit the museums at the beginning of the week. 

Then, spend the weekend just walking around and visiting places where you don’t have to pay for a ticket, like exploring the Roman hills or walking along the river. 

7. Visit Museums early in the morning or late afternoon:

If you like visiting museums without too many tourists around (as I do), the best time is early in the morning when they open and late in the afternoon, 2 hours before they close. 

Usually, tourists are busy having breakfast till 10 am. In the late afternoon, they have already seen the museums (once I passed through San Pietro square at 4.30 pm on Saturday, and there was no queue to enter the Basilica, then I passed by again on a Monday morning at 10, and the line was all around the square).

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8. Visit the Vatican Museums:

Vatican Museums are the best museums you will ever see, so don’t forget to book your ticket in advance. It is a must-see. And please, I mean it when I say book the ticket in advance. The queue can already be more than one kilometer long at 10 a.m.

9. The Fastest Way to Reach the City Centre From Fiumicino Airport is by Train Leonardo:

Leonardo Train will take you to the center of Rome in only 30 minutes if you want to learn more about how to get to Rome, how to move around Rome, etc., check out my article “All the Ways to Reach Rome from Every Roman Airports,” where I listed absolutely everything, from how to move around to how to reach the city center from every airport, where to buy your transport tickets, etc. 

10. Walk instead of renting a car:

Almost all the best places to see in Rome are in the city center. Even if you are not staying near the center, there are many buses and two metro lines to reach every place you wish to see. 

Also, the Roman traffic is terrible, and I am more than sure you don’t want to get stuck in the traffic instead of visiting this wonderful city so avoid renting a car, unless you wish to see the area around Rome, in that case, renting a car is always a good solution.

Travel Tip: If you arrive in Rome too early for your check-in or your departure time is too many hours after your check-out, and you need a place to store your luggage, check out Radical Storage in Rome, a website that shows you all the safe places to keep your bags while still exploring Rome.

11. Always wear comfortable shoes:

As I said already, you are going to walk a lot in Rome, so please, I know you are going to be in Italy, and you want to look stunning in all your pictures but make sure to bring comfortable shoes, and they won’t give you any pain while exploring the city. That can be a way to ruin your holiday in Rome.

12. Keep always your belongings in your sight:

You don’t have any idea how many pickpockets are in Rome. It is full of tourists all year round, so make sure not to leave your bags unattended and always choose an anti-theft backpack or purse.

13. Take a nap in the afternoon:

You will be in Italy, so do as the Italians do. Get out early in the morning, and around 4.00 pm, go back to your accommodation, shower, take a nap, and then get ready for a delicious aperitif before dinner.

Heads up! Plan Your Vacation in Rome in the Best Way! Read all articles in my “Guide of Rome Page” and get all the info to make your next travel successful. 

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14. Have an Aperitivo in a typical aperitivo bar:

There are many lovely places to drink a good glass of wine or a Spritz Aperol and get some delicious Roman food while drinking. 

In some areas, they have a complimentary buffet full of delicious food. You need to pay for a drink (more expensive than usual, usually 10 euros), and you can eat as much as you want. Cheap dinner sorted!

15. Cover your shoulders and legs to enter a religious building:

Covering your legs and shoulders is essential. You will not be allowed to enter the San Pietro Basilica if you show your shoulders or legs, so dress up accordingly (carry a scarf to cover your shoulders during summertime).

16. Check in advance what delicious dishes are typical from Rome:

I always do this kind of research before visiting a foreign country or city. I love to eat locally, and I love to know in advance what delicious food is available so I can try everything without missing anything.

Of course, I’ve got you covered (like always), and you can check my article “delightful food and Drinks to Try in Rome.”

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17. Avoid touristic restaurants:

You will always eat very well in Rome, even in a very touristy place. Of course, restaurants near famous sites and in the central squares are more expensive than those five-minute walks away, so choose wisely and according to your budget.

In my “The Complete Guide of Rome,” you will find a section with articles about where to eat in Rome, from breakfast, lunch, tiramisu, and gelato spots to dinner. 

18. At the restaurant, Ask for Help to chose the wine:

In Italy, you will never find bad wines in a restaurant, so if you don’t know much about wine, ask for help from your waiter/sommelier. Look at the wine list and remember that even the cheapest bottle of wine is still delicious in Italy.

19. The Trastevere neighborhood is the one with the most restaurants:

If you don’t know where to eat, go there, and you will find a place that suits your needs. Otherwise, look at my articles, where I listed all the best places to eat all the typical Roman food:

• The Most Local Places Where to Have Breakfast in Rome
• The Complete guide to the Roman sweets
• 76 Top Roman foods to try in Rome
• Most Traditional Places Where to Have Lunch in Rome
• The Best Gelato Spots in Rome
• Most Famous Places to Eat Tiramisu’ in Rome
• Unmissable Local Places Where to Have Dinner in Rome
• 20 Amazing Rooftop Bars and Restaurants in Rome

20. Learn some Italian phrases:

Italians will appreciate this. Italians are very friendly, so if you at least try to communicate with simple phrases, they will help you and love you. 

Just be careful about the “Latin lover type”; they are very charming and know how to talk to pretty tourists. You are in the right place if you want an Italian romantic holiday. Have fun! Learn Italian on my favorite app, Duolingo!

Heads up! For a quick yet fulfilling Roman adventure, my 3 days itinerary in Rome Italy balances iconic sights with delicious local food. See the Colosseum, Vatican City, and more, while savoring authentic Roman flavors, all within a tight schedule.

21. An excellent way to explore the city is by booking a bike tour:

You can book every activity in Rome, and booking a bike tour in Rome is a perfect way to explore quickly with a local guide who will also teach you some Roman history.