It’s hard
to choose one element that epitomizes Rome. There are the fountains
and statuary. The elegant architecture. The excellent food and wine. The
ancient ruins of history’s mightiest empire. But these are only
small segments of one of Europe’s most glorious cities. Rome
has always been a popular tourist spot, and with good reason; few destinations
can offer nearly as much to travelers as The Eternal City can.
Planning: Because Rome is such a huge tourist
draw, advance planning is a must for travelers yearning for a Roman holiday. The
best times of the year to visit are April, May, and late September through
October. In the depths of summer, the heat and the crowds make the city nearly
unbearable. August in particular should be avoided because this is the month
that the entire country of Italy seems to go on vacation. Traveling too late or
too early in the year can also be risky because the opening hours for many
attractions are shorter, and some are closed completely.
Airfares
typically drop quite a bit when “shoulder season” begins in the early autumn,
making this the optimal time to visit in my book. The days are still warm, the
nights are slightly cool, and the tour groups and student mobs have mostly
disappeared.
If you can
plan to stay as long as a week, you won’t run out of things to do and you’ll
still feel like you’re leaving too soon. But if your time is limited, allow at
least four days to see all of Rome’s major attractions. If you try to cram the
entire city into a two-day span and do nothing but run from place to place
furiously snapping pictures, you’ll only be cheating yourself. After all, Rome
wasn’t built in a day and it can’t be seen in one, either.
Arriving: Rome’s Fiumicino airport is 19 miles
outside of the city. A train station is located inside and you can travel
straight to Station Termini near the center of town for about $12 per person,
but you’ll then need to find a way to get to your hotel. If you’re carrying a
lot of luggage or just want to make things easier on yourself, take a cab or
have your hotel arrange to have a hired car pick you up. Either option will
cost around $50 but the no-stress factor makes it worth the extra money. Renting
your own car is always an option, but even if you’re planning to tour other
parts of Italy I wouldn’t advise driving in or near Rome unless you have nerves
of steel and the skills and reflexes of a professional racecar driver.
Sleeping: To plunge fully into the essence of
Rome, I highly recommend staying in a hotel where you can simply walk out your
door and into the heart of the city. Of course, the closer to the attractions
you are the more you’ll pay, but trust me, it’s worth it. Before you make a reservation,
look at a map of Rome and confine yourself to hotels that are east of the Tiber
River and west of Station Termini. Also be aware that distances on a map might
not be as close as they appear; I once stayed at a hotel in the fashionable Via
Veneto area thinking that it would be fairly close to all the major
attractions, but in reality it took nearly half an hour to reach anything at
all from there on foot despite the fact that it looked oh-so-close on paper.
The most
vibrant area to stay in is the half-mile stretch between Piazza Navona and
Piazza Barberini. Some rooms here are pricey but you’ll also find plenty of
small family-run hotels nearby. Guidebooks are fine for gathering ideas, but
hit the Internet to get the best deals. Two of my favorite sites for finding
great hotels in Rome are www.romeby.com and www.eurocheapo.com
Dining: Going hungry is one thing no
traveler should ever worry about while in Rome; the city is literally overrun
with good places to eat. The busy area just south of the Spanish Steps is full
of them, and the maze of intersecting side streets tucked between Via del Corso
and Piazza Navona contains dozens as well. Most have outdoor seating and offer
similar menus containing pasta, pizza, veal, chicken, and a few seafood dishes. The
food is typically simple, fresh, and delicious, and even the restaurants that
seem to be tourist traps will still feed you well. If you have a tough time
choosing, your best bet is to simply decide what you want to look at while
you’re dining and pick a restaurant based on that. For instance, the Piazza
della Rotunda contains several cafés which face the Pantheon, and Piazza Navona
is completely circled by restaurants which offer views of its numerous
fountains.
A few
dining tips; first, Rome is one of the cities where a restaurant’s house wine
is usually excellent. Second, although I recommend learning and using at least
a few Italians phrases, almost every waiter I’ve ever encountered in Rome
speaks English. I’ve even heard Germans and other Europeans communicating with
Italian waiters in English because it’s the more common language.
Exploring: Take out that handy map of Rome
again. Now draw a diamond shape with the Spanish
Steps at the top, Station Termini to the right, Palatine Hill at the bottom, and
Piazza Navona to the left. 75-percent of your sightseeing will probably take
place within this area, and even though it doesn’t seem that big on the map
you’ll need at least two days to see everything within the diamond and three
would be better; some activities, such as touring the ruins of ancient Rome
(including the Colosseum) could easily occupy an entire day.
Several
notable sights lie outside the diamond shape, including the Vatican (another
full-day destination), Castel Sant’Angelo, and the Villa Borghese. Rome’s subway
system can come in handy when you’re traveling to these locations (look for the
big red M at the entrance to each station) and a one-way ticket only costs about
a dollar.
Rome is a
city that is best savored slowly, like a glass of robust red wine. Allow
yourself the chance to see it properly by formulating a touring plan before you
arrive. Choose one small section of the city to explore each day, leaving
yourself ample time to lounge over a cup of cappuccino at an outdoor café or a
scoop of gelato at one of the dozens
of ice cream shops you’ll find. Another hint is to save the attractions closest
to your hotel for last; you may be tempted to do just the opposite, but these
will be the easiest places to visit if time starts to run short.
If the
worst case scenario happens and you’re unable to see everything in one trip,
just toss a coin into Trevi fountain before you leave and legend has it that
you’ll be guaranteed another visit in the future.
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