Apartments and Villas – finding accommodation in Rome
Rome is without a doubt one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Rome is known as the
‘eternal city’ as it was thought that no matter how many empires rose and fell, Rome would always be there. The city is crammed with Roman history, architecture and art and there is so much to explore. When you visit keep your eyes peeled – there’s history on every street corner and in the most unlikely of places! The best way to truly experience Rome is to walk through the city’s backstreets. You’ll unearth all kinds of unexpected things – bakeries, peaceful piazzas and authentic restaurants.
Fun Facts
Rome has a museum dedicated to the history of pasta!
A park called
‘The Park of Monsters’ features grisly statues of Hercules slaying a monster.
The average Italian consumes 26 gallons of wine a year.
The Vatican holds secrets and information not known to the public, some of which are more than 1000 years old.
Rome’s population of 1 million made them the biggest city in the world until London overtook it in the 19th century.
The historical city of Rome
You are likely to feel overwhelmed by the wealth of things to see and do in Rome. Don’t worry though – here’s what we think are the best things to visit:
The
Temple of the Pantheon is an early Roman temple dedicated to the Gods of Ancient Rome. It is one of Rome’s best preserved ancient buildings. It holds the tombs of Italy’s first king and the artist
Raphael and is an architectural wonder – the hemispherical dome is equal to the height of the building. We also recommend you visit the
Colosseum. For many hundreds of years this great work of Roman engineering was where the Romans went for entertainment. Brutal battles, chariot races and of course gladiators entertained crowds of up to 50,000 people. Take your time to visit this wonder of the world, we suggest you buy a
‘Roma Pass’ which costs €34 and gives you free entry to two historical sights of your choice and discount to other attractions. Most importantly, it allows you to bypass the often large queues at the Colosseum. The best view of Rome is ironically not from one of its 7 hills, it’s from the
Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi. The view certainly is impressive and we recommend you take the time to visit.
Art in Rome.
It’s hard to get away from art in Italy and 60% of the world’s most precious old world art can be found in the country. Rome has a wide selection of art museums. The
Giorgio de Chirico House Museum has surrealist art by the artist
Chirico and you can take a peek inside his attic studio.
Palazzo Massimo alle Terme has mosaic displays and Roman statuary from Ancient Rome theatre. It is often overlooked by tourists and consequently it is not often busy. It is built on the site of the Domitian theatre and the building itself deserves admiring.
Le Domus Romane di Palazzo Valentini is a well-presented museum featuring Roman ruins and more interactive displays. Booking ahead is advised.
Villa Borghese is a well-known villa built at the beginning of the 17th century. It contains an art gallery and is surrounded by one of the largest parks in the city and is another Rome’s often overlooked sights. Those that know Rome well say that it is the best art gallery in the city. You’ll no doubt have heard of the famous
Trevi Fountain, one of the original wishing wells. It is very touristy around this area but the fountain is so majestic that it must be seen! According to the Rome City Council, approximately €700,000 is thrown into the fountain every year! Of Rome’s less well known attractions, we recommend the Basilica San Pietro in Vincoli, which houses a statue of Moses by Michaelangelo. This peaceful church offers respite from Rome’s often oppressive tourist atmosphere and is also a good place to escape the heat in Summer.
Food in Rome
Do not worry about going hungry in Rome – there’s a wealth of restaurants and takeaway options available. There are of course plenty tourist traps that will serve you overpriced food but generally you can expect what you eat to be of a high standard. Italian house wine is always good too. We recommend
Aristocamp for freshly made paninis,
Formula 1 for classic Italian pizza and
Al Picchio, which is located by the Trevi Fountain. It’s a family run establishment and is refreshingly authentic for such as touristy area. Italian’s are also known not just for their pizza and pasta but also for their ice cream. Many regard
Il Gelato di San Crispino as the best place for ice cream in the city. The ice cream is made with obsessive attention to detail and the flavours change with the season. No ice cream cones are sold – the owner believes they interfere with the taste! Always be sure to check the price - we saw an ice cream for €16 near the Trevi Fountain!
Getting around
Fiumicino Airport, Rome’s main airport is located 19 miles to the west of Rome on the coast. The best way to get into the centre is to take a train from the airport train station – it takes 30 minutes. Getting around the centre of Rome is straightforward and there is a variety of public transportation available. The tram is what we found ourselves using to travel around – there’s an extensive network and they are clean and reliable.
Stazione Termini is the name of the main train station from which you can travel to other major European cities and smaller Italian towns. There is a metro system but it is not of much use to tourists as it doesn't serve any of the historical sights.
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