City trip to Rome: what to expect and how to prepare for your visit
A city trip to Rome is high on many people’s wish lists. At the same time, Rome is not a city you can simply stroll through quickly. It is a large city that is often described as one big open-air museum, where history literally lies in the streets. In the centuries-old roads you’ll find ancient ruins, Baroque fountains, statues, and famous monuments such as the Colosseum and the Roman Forum.
The list of sights in Rome is so extensive that one visit is simply not enough to see everything. Over the past ten years, I have visited Rome more than ten times, and even I have by no means seen all the places and attractions yet. What I have learned over the years is that good preparation and planning can make a big difference, especially on a first city trip.
Rome is not only an impressive and beautiful city, but also a busy one. Every year, tens of millions of tourists visit Rome. It can be especially crowded on weekends and during holiday periods. In a Holy Year, which takes place once every 25 years, visitor numbers often increase even further. The timing of your visit therefore plays a major role when preparing a trip to the city.
On this page, you’ll find an overview of everything that is important when planning a city trip to Rome. From sights and neighborhoods to practical information about transportation, hotels, and daily itineraries. In addition, I link to more in-depth pages with specific information and personal experiences, so you can decide for yourself how best to plan your city trip to Rome.
Is Rome a nice city for a city trip?
Whether Rome is a nice city for a city trip largely depends on what you are looking for in a city break and where your interests lie. Rome is especially suitable for travelers interested in history, culture, architecture, and Italian cuisine. The city has an exceptionally large number of historical sights, many of which are located relatively close to one another. At the same time, visiting Rome requires more preparation than many other European cities.
Rome is a large city, but most of the main attractions in the historic center—such as the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and Piazza Navona—are within walking distance of each other. For example, it takes about 22 minutes to walk from the Trevi Fountain to the Colosseum. While walking, keep in mind the sampietrini, the typical Roman cobblestones. They are often uneven and can be slippery when wet, so sturdy shoes are recommended.
A city trip to Rome is less suitable for travelers who are mainly looking for peace and quiet or want to avoid crowds. It is also not always the best choice for budget travelers seeking a cheap city break. Especially during high season, the city is busy and relatively expensive. At popular attractions, waiting times of more than an hour are not uncommon if tickets are not reserved in advance.
In the following sections, I go into more detail about the main sights, neighborhoods, and practical matters. This will help you better determine whether Rome fits your travel plans and how to best prepare for your city trip.
Sights in Rome
What should you see in the center of Rome? The city has a large number of sights, with the most popular ones—such as the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Pantheon, and Piazza Navona—located in the historic center. These attractions are relatively close to one another, making it possible to combine several sites during a single walk.
At the same time, these are also among the most crowded places in the city. It is therefore recommended to visit these sights early in the morning and combine them with less popular locations that do not require tickets. Those can then be visited later in the day or in the evening.
On the following in-depth pages, I discuss each attraction in more detail, covering whether a visit is worthwhile, how busy it usually is, and whether it is advisable to reserve tickets in advance.
What is the best time to visit Rome for a city trip?
Rome can be visited year-round, but the best time for a city trip to Rome mainly depends on what you want to see and do and what your budget is. Conditions vary greatly by season. Especially during the summer months and school holidays, the city is busy and temperatures can rise significantly.
Spring (April and May) and autumn (September and October) are often considered ideal periods for a city trip. Temperatures are usually more comfortable for walking, and it is often less crowded than in summer. This makes it easier to visit multiple sights in one day.
The summer months of June, July, and August are less suitable for an intensive city trip. It can get very hot, waiting times at attractions increase, and accommodations are often more expensive. Travelers visiting during this period are advised to adjust their daily schedule and visit popular sights as early in the day as possible.
The winter months are generally quieter and often cheaper, with the exception of the Christmas period. The weather is more changeable, but for travelers mainly interested in museums and historical sights, this can be a suitable time. Also take special years into account, such as a Holy Year, when Rome can be significantly busier than usual.
Is the Roma Pass worth it for a city trip to Rome?
The Roma Pass is a tourist card that provides access to a number of attractions and public transportation in Rome. Whether the pass is worth it mainly depends on how long you stay in Rome, which attractions you want to visit, and how much you use public transport.
For travelers who want to visit multiple museums or archaeological sites, the Roma Pass can offer good value. Especially if you plan to visit well-known attractions such as the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, the pass can help reduce waiting times and save money. It is important, however, to check in advance which sites are included and for which attractions reservations are still required.
On the other hand, the Roma Pass is not automatically the best choice for every city trip. Travelers who mostly walk, visit only a limited number of paid attractions, or stay in Rome for a short time may get less value from the pass. In some cases, it can be cheaper to buy individual tickets and pay for public transport per ride.
It is therefore wise to list in advance which attractions you want to visit and what their individual costs are. By comparing this with the price of the Roma Pass, you can determine whether the pass offers good value in your situation.
How many days do you need for a city trip to Rome?
Where is the best place to stay during a city trip to Rome?
Where the best place to stay during a city trip to Rome is depends on what you want to see and how many days you are staying. Rome is a large city, and the distance between your accommodation and the main sights determines how much you will need to walk or use public transportation each day.
For a first city trip, many travelers choose a hotel in or close to the historic center. In this part of the city, many well-known attractions are located close to one another, making it easy to explore much of Rome on foot. Areas around the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, the Colosseum, and Trastevere are therefore popular choices, although hotel prices here are usually higher.
Those who stay outside the city center often pay less for accommodation. In that case, it is important to carefully consider the location. A hotel near a metro station or a good bus connection makes it easier to reach the center quickly. Especially during a short stay, an inconvenient location can result in a lot of extra travel time.
Rome offers various types of accommodation, such as hotels, guesthouses, and apartments. When choosing where to stay, it is wise to check in advance how you will get from your accommodation to the places you want to visit. This gives a more realistic picture than looking at the nightly price alone.
How do you travel to and from the center of Rome?
Rome has several airports, but for most travelers a city trip begins at Fiumicino Airport. From here, there are several ways to travel to the center of Rome. Which option is most suitable mainly depends on your arrival time, the number of people in your group, and where you are staying.
The train is a commonly used option. The Leonardo Express runs directly from Fiumicino Airport to Roma Termini station. This train operates frequently and takes about 30 minutes. In addition, there are regional trains that stop at other stations in the city, which can be convenient if you are not staying near Termini.
Another option is an airport transfer by bus or private transport. Buses are often cheaper than the train but usually take longer and depend on traffic conditions. Private transfers and taxis are more comfortable, especially for late arrivals or when traveling with several people, but they are more expensive.
Once in the city, many places can be explored on foot, especially in the historic center. For longer distances, public transport is useful. Rome has a limited metro network, supplemented by buses and trams. The metro is particularly practical for covering longer distances quickly, for example between the city center and neighborhoods outside the historic area.
Which neighborhoods are worth visiting in Rome?
Day trips from Rome
During a city trip to Rome, it is possible to spend a day outside the city. In the surroundings of Rome, there are several places you can visit by train or on an organized day tour. This is especially appealing if you are staying in Rome for several days.
A day trip does require good planning. Distances and travel times are often underestimated, especially if you plan to travel there and back in one day. It is therefore important to check in advance how to get there and how long the journey will take. In some cases, an organized day tour is more practical; in others, traveling independently works just fine.
Popular day trips from Rome attract many visitors, particularly during high season. Leaving early is often necessary. It is also advisable to arrange transportation and any required tickets in advance to avoid unnecessary delays.
A day trip is not an essential part of a city trip to Rome. However, if you have already seen most of the city or are staying longer, spending a day outside Rome can be a good option.
Food and drink in Rome
Rome is known as a city where you can eat and drink well. The city has thousands of restaurants, cafés, and eateries, but the quality varies greatly by location. Especially in the historic center, there are many restaurants that mainly cater to tourists. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll eat poorly there, but prices are often higher and the quality can differ noticeably from restaurants in neighborhoods with fewer tourists.
Personally, I prefer to eat a pizza in a neighborhood where many locals also dine. These pizzas are often still made in a traditional way and are usually more affordable. In Rome, it’s therefore worth eating and drinking a bit further away from the main tourist spots.
Many restaurants in Rome operate with fixed opening hours and close for a few hours in the afternoon. It’s useful to keep this in mind, especially if you want to have lunch between sightseeing or dine early. In the evening, dinner often starts later than in other European countries, which can affect your daily planning.
In addition to restaurants, bakeries, coffee bars, and gelaterias are popular with both locals and tourists. Rome has a long culinary tradition, and many of these places still work in an artisanal way. This is especially evident in ice cream shops, which can be found all over the city.
Tiramisu is also one of the most famous desserts in Italian cuisine and appears on almost every menu. In addition, Rome has specialized shops that focus entirely on making and selling different tiramisu variations. Over the years, I’ve visited many of them and still haven’t found a definitive favorite.
View where to eat the best tiramisu in Rome
Rome has many sights, but not everything is equally interesting for every city trip. Some places are famous highlights where you should expect crowds and waiting times, while others can easily be combined during a walk or viewed only from the outside. Which attractions are worth visiting for you mainly depends on how many days you are in Rome and what you would like to see.
Below, you’ll find an overview of well-known sights in Rome. For each location, I link to in-depth pages with practical information, such as what to expect, how busy it usually is, and whether it is necessary to reserve tickets in advance.
Visiting Vatican City
Vatican City is located directly next to the historic center of Rome and can easily be combined with other sights during a city trip. The area is small but attracts many visitors every day, especially at well-known sites such as St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums.
Not all attractions in Vatican City require an admission ticket. Some places are freely accessible or can only be viewed from the outside. Which parts you choose to visit will determine how much time you need for a visit to Vatican City.
Sights in Vatican City
Is Rome worth visiting?
Over the past ten years, I have visited Rome more than ten times, spread across different seasons. During my first visit, I was there in June, one of the hottest months in Rome. I had bought tickets in advance for many attractions, but not for Castel Sant’Angelo, which I decided to visit on the spot.
I chose to join the queue there, hoping to get inside quickly. That turned out to be a miscalculation. Only a limited number of visitors are allowed into Castel Sant’Angelo at any one time, and people with pre-purchased tickets are given priority. In the end, I waited for about an hour and a half in the burning sun, with too little water. Afterwards, it turned out I had also gotten badly sunburned.
In the years that followed, I returned to Rome several times, with my most recent visit in June 2025. During these later visits, I often walk past places such as St. Peter’s Square and other famous sights, which I now mainly admire from the outside. I also take more excursions, such as cycling tours and day trips to attractions just outside Rome.
I am also a big fan of Italian cuisine and enjoy wandering through Rome in search of good places to eat and have an espresso. In addition, there is a lot of construction and renovation going on in Rome, which has led to regular new archaeological discoveries in recent years. These are sometimes made accessible to visitors temporarily or at a later stage. As a result, there is almost always something new to discover in Rome. For me personally, this makes the city worth visiting, especially if you are interested in Roman history, culture, and architecture.
Frequently asked questions about a city trip to Rome
How many days do you need for a city trip to Rome?
For a first city trip to Rome, 3 to 4 days is common. In that time, you can visit several well-known sights in the historic center. If you prefer a more relaxed pace or also want to see Vatican City and different neighborhoods, 5 to 6 days is a better option.
Is Rome expensive for a city trip?
Rome is not a cheap city break, especially during high season. Hotels, restaurants, and tickets for attractions are often more expensive than in many other European cities. Outside high season or with careful planning, costs can be lower.
Can you explore Rome easily on foot?
The historic center of Rome is easy to explore on foot. Many famous sights are located relatively close to one another. Do keep in mind cobblestones, uneven streets, and longer distances than you might expect.
Do you need to book tickets in advance for attractions in Rome?
For popular attractions such as the Colosseum, the Vatican Museums, and the Galleria Borghese, timed-entry tickets are common. Without a ticket, you may face long waiting times or limited access.
When is Rome at its busiest?
Rome is busiest during the summer months, school holidays, and around public holidays. Weekends also attract many visitors. During a Holy Year, visitor numbers are generally even higher than usual.
Is Rome suitable for a first city trip?
Rome is suitable for a first city trip, but it requires more preparation than many other cities. The city is large, busy, and has a vast number of attractions.
Is Rome suitable for a city trip with children?
Rome can be suitable for a city trip with children, but this largely depends on their age and what you plan to do. The city involves a lot of walking and can be crowded in many places. For younger children or a first visit, many families therefore choose a shorter stay or a more relaxed itinerary.
Do you need a car in Rome?
A car is not necessary in Rome and is often impractical. The center is busy, parking is difficult, and many streets have restricted access. Getting around on foot and by public transport is usually faster and easier.
Edward
Hi, I’m Edward, an experienced city trip enthusiast. Over the past few years, I’ve visited dozens of cities across Europe and America. On Cities To Travel, I share personal experiences and practical tips to help you plan your next city trip. Have any questions? Feel free to send me an email.
Disclaimer: This website contains affiliate links. If you book or purchase something through these links, I may receive a small commission—at no extra cost to you. This helps me continue maintaining Cities To Travel and sharing up-to-date travel tips.
Last updated: 30 January 2026
