Rome Travel Guide

Rome Caput Mundi, Rome the ageless City. A different city around the world because of the absolutely opposite styles of art and life that manage to live side by side there: Imperial Rome and Baroque Rome, sophisticated Rome and working-class Rome.

Rome has a long and tempestuous history. No other city had the attention center of the world for such a long period. The city more loved of the Roman Empire, lavished with architectural jewelry by her emperors, but also often seized raided and destroyed. Also fires and earthquakes left their scars, but each time the eternal city recovered from her injuries.

Rome's history is strongly related to the history of Europe. Not just the Roman emperors, but also medieval emperors and kings like Charlemagne or Otto I saw Rome as the true seat of power. They confronted the new rulers, the popes for the supreme power. It was the dispute about who was the true representative of God. Both emperor and pope claimed to be true inheritors of the Roman Empire.

It is said that one life is not enough to get to comprehend Rome. Maybe you'll require about ten, as much as the countless stray cats that also occupy the city, but a week will do for a first introduction. At each corner of each street there’s a story to tell. Thousands of stories together tell the history of a three thousand year old city. Two weeks may be enough for a hasty tour through most everything; a month would be better. Fortunately, Rome

The most impressive features in Rome comprehend the Trevi fountain (remind Anita Ekberg in the classic scene in La Dolce Vita) and the Spanish Steps, the Roman heritage sights such as the Pantheon, the Colloseum and the Forum Romanum, at least some of the world famous churches such as Il Gesu, S. Giovanni in Laterano or Sta. Maria Maggiore. Make sure not to miss a stroll through the Vatican City with the incredibly huge St. Peter's Cathedral and the unrivalled Vatican Museum. (population 2.900.000) is compact enough to skim the best in three (full) days, and if you have more time we guarantee you will find delightful and fulfilling ways to use it.

The City of Rome

Located on the River Tiber, among the Apennine Mountains and the Tyrrhenian Sea, Rome, the capital of Italy, this place is one of the world's oldest cities as well as one of the principal centers of European culture. With the enclave of the Vatican City within its territory, Rome is also the center of Roman Catholicism.

The city was founded during the eight century BC on an important trade route between the Etruscans to the north and the Greek colonies to the south. The legendary origins of Rome are related in the tale of Romulus and Remus. Princess Rhea Silvia, ravished by Mars (the God of War), gave birth to the twins and abandoned them to fate. The River Tiber carried them to the Palatine Hill, where a she-wolf mothered the babes until their discovery by a shepherd. Romulus later killed Remus, before going on to found Rome in the marshy lowlands of seven hills. As the centre of a massive Roman Empire, Rome was already a large city by the second century A.D. At its peak in the 3rd century, Rome had a population of 2 million! Its fortune fluctuated with the times and its population dropped in the middle Ages until the renaissance ushered in a new era of growth.

The city was chosen as capital after the unification of Italy in 1870. Rome has stayed as the political, administrative and cultural center of Italy. Situated among Italy's North and South, and thoroughly detested by both, Rome is perhaps the perfect capital for a country like Italy. Once the seat of a great empire, and later the home of the papacy, which governed its dominions from here with a distant and autocratic hand, it's still seen as a place somewhat apart from the rest of Italy, spending money made elsewhere on the corrupt and bloated government machine that runs the country. Romans, the thinking seems to go, are a lazy lot, not to be trusted and living very nicely off the fat of the rest of the land. Even Romans find it hard to disagree with this analysis: in a city of around four million, there are around 600,000 office-workers, compared to an industrial workforce of one sixth of that.

As other large cities, the inner city deteriorated somewhat but most city inhabitants who fled this deterioration did not completely sever their ties with Rome. Rather, they commuted to their jobs and took advantage of the many cultural and social opportunities offered by the city.

The economy of Rome is characterized by the deficiency of heavy industry, but commercial activities especially banking and the development of tourism are exceptionally important to its economy. Universities, national radio and television and the movie industry in Rome are also important elements of the economy. A phenomenon particular to Rome is the widespread incidence of double employment, people working two jobs.

Getting Rome

Driving and parking in Rome can be quite difficult. When you're not walking a solution for getting around Rome, is to use public transportation. The bus lines comprehend the entire city and give you a chance to mingle, though at times a little too closely, with Romans and other tourists.

The metro can be useful if you're remaining near a station. The 2 lines don't cover much of the city but it can be a very fast way of getting around if you happen to be going near a station. The metro also connects with some of the train stations and the Cotral buses that go out of town.

By Bus
Bus is the most popular way of transport in Rome; the buses are managed by ATAC and Cotral, with ATAC buses generally serving the city centre and most of the suburbs while COTRAL buses service the outer suburbs and outlying regional areas. Buses and trams generally run between 6am and midnight every day, with popular routes served every 10 minutes and with night buses. You get on the bus by the front or back doors and you get off by the middle doors. You'll see many people breaking this rule. Sometimes the front or back are so crowded, the only choice is to try the middle. Unless you have a pass, you'll need to stamp your ticket immediately.

The bus lines connect the entire city. They can be crowded and can get stuck in traffic, but it still beats driving and searching for parking. The vast majority of buses don't run on a schedule, so you never really know when they are showing up. In the historic center, you don't usually have to wait too long, unless you're tired and it's raining. There are a few buses, called Linea Esatta that runs on a predetermined schedule. They generally only run during the week.

Press the buzzer to signal the driver to stop at the next bus stop for you to get off. And at times, while you stay at the bus stop, you will need to flag down a passing bus to get them to stop. Some stops are optional and they will only stop if you wave at them. This usually only applies to stops out of the center and when there aren't any other people at the bus stop.

By Metro
The metro is generally much faster than the bus system since there is no traffic, but it has some disadvantages too. In Rome there are only 2 lines and at times they run a bit parallel so they don't include a lot of destinations. Many of Rome's major sites are not that convenient to metro stations. The exceptions are the Spanish steps and the Colosseum. It's also a bit noisy and you don't get to see any sights as you travel.

The 2 lines are the Linea A, or red line and the Linea B, or blue line and you can change from one line to the other at the main train station, Termini. The red line runs from Battistini to Anagnina and includes stops near the Vatican Museums (Cipro), the Vatican (Ottaviano), the Cola di Rienzo shopping area (Lepanto), Piazza del Popolo (Flaminia), the Spanish Steps (Piazza di Spagna), via Veneto (Barberini) and San Giovanni.

The blue lines runs from Rebibbia to Laurentina and includes stops near Eur, St. Pauls Outside the Walls (Basilica S. Paolo), Piramide (also the Ostiense train station), Circus Maximus (Circo Massimo), the Colosseum (Colosseo) and the Tiburtina train station. You must know the last stop of the direction you're going to get to the right platform. There will be signs in the station showing the stops along the way and also onboard the metro. On the blue line, you'll have to push a button to get the doors to open. On the red line, the doors open automatically.

By Taxi
When we only possess a few days to visit Rome, we do a combination of walking and taking taxis instead of using the buses. Taxis are not that expensive and are very convenient. Taxis in Rome are white, have a "Taxi" sign on the roof and have sign on the side of the car. Taxis have a meter. The meter starts at a preset amount which differs by time of day. The easiest way to get a taxi is at a Taxi Stand. You will see them around the historic center. If there are taxis waiting, go to the taxi at the front of the line. If there are no taxis waiting, people make a line at the Taxi sign and cabs come by and pick people up.

You are not guaranteed to have an English speaking operator when you call for a taxi. If you do not speak Italian, and cannot find a Taxi Stand, go into a bar/café, order a drink, and have the bar person call a taxi for you.

The History of Rome

The origins of most cities are merely lost in the fog of the past, Rome is shrouded in colourful myth it says: Twins Romulus and Remus, abandoned by their mother, were raised by a she-wolf. Growing to manhood under the protection of the gods, they laid out the boundaries of the new Rome on the Palatine Hill. They quarreled; Romulus slew Remus and became the first of six kings of Rome.

Sitting on hills at the crossing of the River Tiber, this was the prominent place to build a town. Rome grew rich under its monarchy, which ended when the tyrannical King Tarquinius was overthrown in 507BC. So began the Republic, a democracy, and a military power that by 146BC was the most powerful in the Mediterranean. By the second century AD, Rome ruled Europe and parts of the Middle East. The long slow decline saw the city sacked by Goths and Vandals, and by the sixth century the city was a near ruin.

Gay & Lesbian in Rome

The year 2000 was a progress year for gay and lesbian Rome. In direct opposition with the pope's officially homophobic policies, the Eternal City was declared the official site of "World Pride 2000". The first week of July saw an inundation of the Rainbow Coalition from all over, come to celebrate their love among the ruins - which was interesting, considering that the city also hosted hundreds of thousands of Catholic pilgrims.

Peculiarly, Italy has never had anti-same-sex laws; it was presumably always enough simply to create an aura of massive disapproval around same-sex love. Consequently, gay and lesbian life in Rome is still conducted a bit on the sly, with gay venues hidden away and blacked-out from the street. There isn't any danger, Rome is a remarkably safe city, just a pervasive feeling of original sin.

There's a full range of same-sex offerings in Rome, although the city is certainly no Barcelona or Amsterdam The number of clubs, bars, saunas and such, is relatively limited, and you have to be on guard for the considerable presence of trade, usually recent arrivals from Eastern Europe, who cater largely to Vatican officials and other closet cases. However, you can certainly find a good time; there are also outdoor cruising/sex areas and some clubs have dark rooms, too, for those who prefer their encounters to be anonymous. There is no particularly gay part of town; clubs and bars are spread far and wide. Also, choices exclusively for women remain very few, although most places welcome both gay men and lesbians

Rome for kids

Italians love kids. Don't be surprised when the people peek into buggies and cheek-pinching are quite normal, as is help lugging carriages up steps and giving up a seat for you and your child on public transport.

But, Rome may not be the ideal place to bring children. Rome is the city of adults and teenagers. Unless you are staying with friends or members of the family, it is best that you do not bring a baby to Rome. Loose cobblestones, narrow or no sidewalks, narrow streets, crowds of people, horrendous traffic congestion, Vespas and Mopeds, bicycles and skateboarders darting here and there make getting around Rome very difficult for pushing carriages or strollers, or even carrying or walking small children.

Rome has a amazingly limited amount of activities particularly geared towards children. Luckily, touring the sites of Rome is something of an educational experience, and one that children can enjoy, especially Castel Sant'Angelo , the Colosseum , and of course throwing coins into the Trevi Fountain . Pick up the English version of Conosci Roma, available free from any tourist kiosk; it's a children's map of the centre with interesting facts about sights, daily life of ancient Rome and stickers.

Perhaps during the Christmas holidays the children will be most happy in visiting Rome. If you are traveling to Rome during the Holiday season, there is the Befana Christmas Toy Fair in Piazza Navona that is wonderful for children. Also, the bigger-than-life-sized Nativity at St. Peter's Square is also awesome.

Eating and Drinking in Rome

Romans are still very much in touch with the land, the people have small farms of their own in the countryside nearby, or they return to their home villages regularly. So the city's denizens know a good deal about freshness and authenticity, and can be very demanding when it comes to the quality of the dishes they are served.

Rome, pasta, wine and pizza. Here, it is not necessary to search for restaurants. Everywhere you will find small and cheap but nice trattorie, osterie and ristoranti. Prices, even in the centre, are reasonable and the quality remains of a fair standard. Many nice places are to be found in the Centro Storico, along Via Cavour and around Stazione Termini. Similarly, you can eat cheaply in the Borgo district around the Vatican.

In consequence, eating out is a major, often hours-long, activity in Rome, and the meals you'll enjoy generally range from good to truly remarkable. You'll find that most city-centre restaurants offer standard Italian dishes, although a few more adventurous restaurants have been popping up of late. Rome is also blessed with an abundance of good, honest pizzerias, churning out thin, crispy-baked pizza from wood-fired ovens. House wine is usually drinkable, but rarely memorable, but there are also any numbers of enoteche - wine bars - who really know their business. We've also listed a range of places serving snacks, though most bars serve panini and tramezzini and, at the end of the chapter, the best of the city's gelaterie and pasticcerie.

Vegetarians will find plenty of options in virtually all Italian eateries. Many pastas and pizzas, of course, are made entirely without meat; lentils and other beans and pulses are a part of traditional cookery; and wonderful fresh vegetables and cheeses are always available. Even so, there are a number of restaurants that specialize in vegetarian cuisine, and some of them are among the most appealing places in Rome.

One final caveat: generally speaking it's hard to find truly bad food and rip-off prices in Rome. However, it may be wise to avoid places that are adjacent to some major monuments, such as the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, or the Vatican. The food in these places can be poor, and the prices truly outlandish, sometimes as much as three times the going rate.

Drinking in Rome

For the people who wish to enjoy of wine, many wine cellars in the city organise wine tasting courses and information-giving meetings about vineyards, harvesting, fermentation and all the processes related to the production of this nectar of the gods. Among some of the places in the city that organize such events, we can name "La Tradizione" and "Franchi".

Drinking is not something Romans do a lot of, at least not in public. Despite that, you'll find plenty of bars in Rome, and, although, as with the rest of Italy, most are functional daytime haunts and not at all the kinds of places you'd want to spend an evening, due to the considerable presence of Anglo-Americans, there are plenty of more conducive bars and pubs - there's now an Irish pub practically on every corner in central Rome. Many drinking spots are slick and expensive excuses for people to sit and pose, but most have the advantage of having late opening hours - sometimes until 4am in summer, and almost always until around 1am.

A recent phenomenon is the rise of wine bars (enoteche or vinerie). The old ones have gained new cachet and newer ones, with wine lists the size of unabridged dictionaries, are weighing in too, often with gourmet menus to go with the superb wines they offer. There's also been a recent proliferation of wine-tastings ( degustazioni), a chance to sample some interesting vintages, often at no cost. Those that still concentrate on the fruit of the vine, however, are many in number and we've listed the best here.

Nightlife in Rome

Roman nightlife retains some of the smart ethos, Romans like taking it easy; and nightlife of Rome may seem rather tame to those accustomed to the cutting-edge buzz of other European cities. A typical night out for Romans usually involves a long dinner with a group of friends, starting after 9pm and continuing until after midnight.

Bars in the centre of town are good places to start. Most have tables outside where you can sit around and people-watch until the small hours. There have lately been initiatives oriented at reducing noise by earlier closing hours, but this isn't yet widespread. Campo dei Fiori, the Piazza Navona area, and Trastevere are some of the best places for an evening out. Locals and tourists alike stroll around the streets all evening, or sit at the many welcoming bars, which range from the stylish to the homely. If you want drunken good times, meeting other foreigners and predatory locals, head for one of the hundreds of Irish/Scottish pubs.

Rome's clubs run the gamut. There are vast brightness palaces with stunning lights and sound systems, predictable dance music and an over-dressed, over-made-up clientele - good if you can afford it and just want to dance (and observe a good proportion of Romans in their natural Saturday-night element). For nightclubs, discoteche, the best area to head for is Testaccio. The area around Piramide metro station and spreading down the Via Ostiense contains the highest concentration of nightclubs. In the summer most nightclubs close down, and nightlife relocates to the seaside and to 'villages' around the edge of town. Visitors from the UK will be surprised and maybe shocked at young people's night-time reliance on cars and scooters - and the cavalier attitude to drink-driving. Be prepared for venues surrounded by traffic chaos, which are hard to reach by public transport. Research your transport options; take taxi funds.

Some recommended Rome bars:

Bar del Fico: (Centro Storico) Tel: 00 39 668 65205.
Description: Formerly a neighbourhood coffee bar, now a street-side institution that gets so packed on summer nights you may think you’re queuing for a Roma game. There are few cooler places to order a long-glass drink and soak up the sun while watching the beauties pass by.
Jonathan's Angels (Centro Storico, Via della Fossa, 16) Tel: 00 39 6689 3426.
Description: Nothing to do with bikers or Charlie's but a cult spot all the same. Located in Centro Storico, you enter an extraordinary space decorated in all manner of colourful kitsch, with pop art and plastic furniture scattered around like it’s Warhol’s Factory. A large variety of beers and cocktails lubricate the atmosphere and before long you've made friend's with everyone around you. Check out the outlandish loos before you leave.
Zest - Es Hotel (Termini, Via F. Turati, 171) Tel: 39 06 444 841.
Description: Miami chic wings its way to Rome at the seventh-floor roof top bar of the ultra-sexy Es Hotel. With an interior of sleek ergonomic chairs, polished black surfaces and a clean-lined bar counter, it’s definitely got a touch of Ian Schrager, which you may or may not approve of.

Shopping in Rome

If you want to spend time shopping in Rome, there is an interminable choice of places for you to elect from: from the most famous designer labels in Italian fashion that dominate the more elegant city streets to the outlets outside the city, to the old craftsmen’s shops and laboratories and the flea markets.

The most notable fashion streets in Rome are three parallel streets that all meet up with Via del Corso, beginning from Piazza di Spagna or near there: Via Condotti, Via Borgognona and Via Frattina.

The most famous of the three streets is Via Condotti, its name is related to the channels that carried water to the Agrippa thermal spa baths. Today it is one of the most classy streets in the world, lined with the shops of the most famous fashion labels such as Bulgari, who opened his "atelier" here in 1905, Hermés, Cartier, Ferragamo and Battistoni, a historical Roman atelier of male tailored fashion that was a favorite of the Duke of Windsor.
In Via Borgognona there are other famous names: Ferré, Fendi, Laura Biagiotti, "the queen of cashmere" and Gai Mattiolo, a young Roman fashion designer who has recently entered the elite of famous designer labels. Finally, in Via Frattina, there are the ateliers of Tiffany, Versace and Byblos.

Many streets in the old city center are still full of traditional Roman craftsmen’s shops: old-style carpenters and expert restorers are still concentrated in Via dei Cappellari. Via dei Sediari has been famous for hundreds of years for chairs, armchairs and other household objects made from wickerwork. The expert wrought iron forgers’ laboratories can be found in Via degli Orsini. Via Santa Dorotea is the place to go for vases and other painted ceramic pieces.

In Via dei Gigli d'Oro you can find reproductions of antique mosaics. Rome’s antique shops are located in Via dei Coronari, Via Giulia, Via Margutta, Via del Babuino and Via del Pellegrino.

The city's many markets provide a change of pace from Rome's busy shopping streets. Many of these are bustling local food markets, and, even in the centre, are still very much part of Roman life. The Campo de' Fiori market is probably the most central of these. Otherwise there's Trastevere's Porta Portese flea market, a venue for antiques, clothing, books, and indeed virtually anything else, every Sunday morning.

Rome Weather

Rome's mild climate makes it interesting to visit year-round; however, spring and autumn are without doubt the best times to travel, with particularly sunny skies and mild temperatures (although late autumn, November, can be rainy). Unfortunately, these times are also the peak tourist season, when the tour buses pour in and tourists are herded around like cattle. July and August are unpleasantly hot, and Romans traditionally abandon the stiflingly hot city in August, with many businesses closing; try to avoid visiting at this time. From December to February there is briskly cold weather, although it's rarely grey and gloomy.

Rome's average Temperatures (ºC)