Rome is one of the most spectacular cities I’ve visited. Historic, romantic, beautiful, confronting and electric all the same time. There is so much to do and see in Rome. Here are a few well known and great places to visit…

1. Spanish Steps
2. Trevi Fountain
3. Pantheon
4. Colosseum
5. Vatican City
6. Roman Forum

Perhaps the most awe-inspiring sites in Rome would be Trevi Fountain, Vatican City , and Colosseum. The Colosseum is truly remarkable, ranking alongside the Great Wall as possibly the most spectacular man-made structure I’ve ever seen. Hands down to them.

Quick Tips/Suggestions:
WHEN TO GO: Rome is hot and crowded with tourists in summer (June to August). Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the best times with mild temperatures and fewer tourists. Winter is peaceful, but cold – it does snow in Rome.

WHERE TO STAY: There are plenty of affordable hotels around Termini train station, which is located in the city centre.

WHERE TO EAT: The markets, specialty shops and groceries (alimentari) are a good source of cheap, fresh food and the guidebooks list authentic, cheaper trattorias and pizzerias for that memorable evening meal.

OTHER TIP: It is certainly the best option to take your food away to one of the nearby attractions (try taking your sandwich at Trevi Fountain) and slowly enjoy your meal while watching the world go by.

Best Way to Get Around:
On foot: The best way to get around the city’s compact historic center is to walk. You will notice that most of the attractions are located near to each other.

Metro: Very basic two line system, easy to use and convenient. My hotel was near the Termini station, where the Metro lines have transfer points, so i could get to just about anything by riding. To be honest, although I bought day passes, I struggled to get value for money from them and merely ended up walking to sights from various bus stops and metro stations. HaHa!

Taxis: Reasonable but only worth it for longer rides. Traffic is so congested that you can cover the shorter distances faster on foot.

Bus: Take bus number 64 running from Termini to the Vatican, to visit all the attractions, and 116 and 117 which run through the center, but it’s also a thieves den for pickpockets- so be extremely careful.

Oh, and those stories about gypsies/itinerants and pickpockets? They’re true, but no more so than any other crowded city. Common sense is the best recommendation.