Travel Tips When Visiting Rome
Rome is particularly hot and sunny during the summer, so be sure to take your sunsreen and a hat that will shade your face and neck. Plan to tour in the morning or late in the day and spend lunchtime doing what the Italians do – eating and napping. Just make sure you hotel is air-conditioned! One more climate-related note: cool summer evenings are when Rome awakens
Dinner in Rome is a late affair and meals are not meant to be rushed. If you are in a hurry, which is very un-Italian – especially at the evening meal, don’t try to expedite the service in a restaurant, as you will only frustrate yourself and your server. Restaurant service is slow by design. In the Italian culture, meals are a time to relax and visit. Those of you in a hurry will get poor service in Rome (or most of Italy for that matter). If you are in a hurry, stop for pizza or some other fast-food.
Rome is crowded in high tourist season and you need to make the crowds part of the fun. Think of it this way – great pizza, wonderful pasta, some of the best gelato in the world, good food, good wine and a romantic setting – who could ask for more?
The treasures of Rome are almost endless, which is what makes exploring the city so much fun. Take some time to wander off the normal track of highlights to find just the place for you, but be prepared to take the good with the bad (like the city’s graffiti problem). For example, Bernini’s glorious Triton in Piazza Barberini (shown above) is, unfortunately, set on an island surrounded by some of the worst traffic in Rome. It’s worth seeing, but dodging the traffic is an adventure in itself.
If you plan to see a number of monument and museums, you should take a look at purchasing the Roma Pass, which provides free admission to the first two attractions that you visit and reduced admission to numerous other museums and archeological sites. Read about this pass at the official website for the Roma Pass .
Safety
Rome is somewhat notorious for its pickpockets, as are many cities in Europe, so read through our section on Safety and Security for additional tips on protecting yourself and your possessions during travel.
Some areas of Rome are seedy and unsafe at night and tourist are often the target. The areas around Termini Station, Campo di Fiore and Piazza Navona, for example, have less than savory reputations after hours. Unless you are in a group, be cautious about walking at night, especially late in the evening. Always ask your at your hotel about the safety and advisability of your night time destinations. In other words, exercise the same caution that you would when traveling in your own home town.
Aeroporto Leonardo da Vinci
It is likely that your trip to Rome may involve the Leonardo da Vinci airport in Rome. You can find your way into town by taxi (expensive) or a direct train connection to Termini Rail Station. See the official website of Aerporti di Roma for more detailed information about the airport and transportation options (look to the top left of the page for an English version of the information)..