What to do once you land inRomeFind your bearings
Rome rewards wanderers. Every cobblestoned side street hides a baroque fountain, a family trattoria, or a crumbling temple. The centro storico is walkable in a day, but you'd miss the point. Slow down, eat too much, and stay out late. The ancient city comes alive after dark when the monuments are lit and locals fill the piazzas.
Neighborhoods
Trastevere — Ivy-covered buildings, cobblestone alleys, and the best nightlife in Rome. Feels like a village inside the city
Centro Storico — The ancient heart of Rome with piazzas, fountains, and trattorias on every corner. Walkable, chaotic, and endlessly beautiful
Testaccio — Working-class food neighborhood with Rome's best market, offal cuisine, and zero tourists
Monti — Rome's oldest rione with vintage shops, wine bars, and a bohemian crowd spilling into the piazzetta
San Lorenzo — University district with cheap eats, street art, and a vibrant nightlife scene that's authentically Roman and tourist-free
Best time to visit
April through May and September through October for warm weather without summer's crushing heat and crowds. August is when Romans flee the city and many restaurants close. Winter is mild and museum lines vanish.
Getting around
Walk everywhere in the center. Rome is surprisingly compact and the best discoveries happen on foot
Buy a BIT ticket ($2) for 100 minutes of bus and metro. The metro only has 3 lines but buses go everywhere
Never take a taxi without confirming the meter is on. Or use the Free Now app for fixed prices
Skip the Colosseum line with online timed-entry tickets booked weeks in advance on the official site
Key areas
TrastevereTestaccioMontiCentro StoricoVatican
Zero-dollar wins
1
PantheonFree entry to the best-preserved Roman temple, 2000 years old with a hole in the roof that still rains through
2
St. Peter's BasilicaThe world's largest church is free to enter. Arrive at 7am to see Michelangelo's Pieta without a crowd in front of it
3
Trastevere evening passeggiataJoin locals on their evening stroll through the neighborhood. Free entertainment, live music often spills from bars
4
Orange Garden (Giardino degli Aranci)Hilltop garden on Aventine Hill with the best sunset view of St. Peter's dome. Locals bring wine at golden hour
5
Trevi Fountain at dawnVisit at 6am and you'll have the fountain to yourself. By 9am there are 500 people and selfie sticks everywhere
6
Villa Borghese gardensRome's Central Park with free paths, a lake, and views from the Pincio terrace. Perfect for a midday escape from the heat
Treat yourself
(we think it's worth it)
Roscioli$55 to $87
Wine bar and deli with the best carbonara in Rome. Reserve weeks ahead or beg for a bar seat at 6pmTerrazza Borromini$44 to $76
Rooftop bar overlooking Piazza Navona. Cocktails are $22 but the view of Bernini's fountain from above is pricelessGlass Hostaria$109 to $164
Michelin-starred modern Italian in Trastevere. Creative tasting menu that reinvents Roman classicsBorghese Gallery private tour$87 to $131
Book the first slot (9am) and hire a private guide. Bernini's sculptures deserve someone explaining their storiesThe legendary bites
The dishes this city perfected
Da Enzo al 29$13 to $22
The Trastevere trattoria that every food writer loves. No reservations, just queue early. Cash onlyCacio e pepePizzarium Bonci$5 to $11
Gabriele Bonci's pizza al taglio near the Vatican. Sold by weight with rotating creative toppingsMortadella and burrata pizzaSupplizio$4 to $9
Gourmet supplì (fried rice balls) in the centro storico. Rome's best street food elevated to artSuppl al telefono (classic mozzarella)Armando al Pantheon$22 to $38
Family-run trattoria steps from the Pantheon that still serves Roman grandma cooking. Reserve aheadAmatriciana with hand-rolled rigatoniAntico Forno Roscioli$3 to $7
The bakery arm of Rome's food dynasty. Their pizza bianca (white pizza with olive oil) is legendaryPizza bianca con mortadellaWhere locals eat
Where residents actually go
Trapizzino$3 to $5
Triangular pizza pockets stuffed with Roman braised meats. Oxtail, chicken cacciatore, and tripe fillingsMercato Testaccio stalls$4 to $9
Rome's best covered market with $5 lunch plates. Find Mordi & Vai for legendary sandwichesTonnarello$9 to $15
No-frills Trastevere pasta spot with checkered tablecloths and portions that could feed two for $11Osteria dell'Ingegno$13 to $20
Hidden behind Piazza del Parlamento with honest Roman cooking at pre-tourist-inflation pricesForno Campo de' Fiori$2 to $5
Pizza by the slice since 1960. The potato and rosemary slice is a Roman institution at $3Trattoria Da Teo$15 to $24
Vine-covered Trastevere terrace where neighborhood regulars eat fried artichokes and pasta all'amatricianaGo off-script
1
Aperitivo hour in TrastevereFrom 6pm to 8pm, most bars serve free buffet food with any drink purchase. Order a $11 Aperol spritz and eat dinner free at Freni e Frizioni
2
Rent a Vespa around the ForumBici & Baci rents Vespas near Termini. Zip past the Colosseum, through Circus Maximus, and up the Aventine. Helmets included
3
Catacombs tour under the Appian WayDescend into underground burial tunnels stretching for kilometers beneath ancient Rome. San Callisto or San Sebastiano are the best preserved and least crowded
4
Sunset at Giardino degli AranciClimb Aventine Hill with a bottle of wine and watch the sun set behind St. Peter's dome. Peek through the Knights of Malta keyhole next door
Insider intel + tourist traps
Tips
- ✓Espresso is $1 to $1.30 at the bar (standing). Sitting at a table can triple the price. Drink like a local: standing, fast, and strong
- ✓Restaurants that have someone outside trying to seat you are almost always tourist traps. Real trattorias are full because word of mouth fills them
- ✓Book the Colosseum underground and arena floor tour ($26) online at least two weeks ahead. It sells out and is infinitely better than general admission
“We ate carbonara five times in four days and each one was different and incredible. Rome ruined pasta for me back home.”
Skip
- ✗Any restaurant on Piazza Navona: $20 pasta that tastes like it came from a packet. Walk two blocks in any direction for the real thing
- ✗The Colosseum guys in gladiator costumes who 'offer' a photo then demand $11 Just keep walking
- ✗Overpriced gelato in neon colors near the Spanish Steps. Real gelato is covered in metal lids (not piled high). Try Fatamorgana or Giolitti instead