How To Plan Your First Trip To Rome, The Eternal City

Roman poet, Tibullus, first referred to Rome as the Eternal City based on the sentiment that the city has seen empires rise and fall, yet it remains an important historical and cultural centre. In fact, you can’t avoid the history which will surround you on your first trip to Rome – no matter where you go, you’ll come across ancient ruins and relic from the days of the Roman Empire. Be prepared to be amazed….

Reasons to book your first trip to Rome

Rome is epic and there is a long list of reasons as to why you should plan your first visit to Rome, including the:

• History – Rome is one of the oldest cities in the world and once the centre of the Roman Empire, so it is steeped in history.  Walk in the footsteps of gladiators and Emperors, as you learn about the triumphs and tragedies of this magnificent city.
• Buildings and ruins – there is an incredible building, fountain, sculpture, or ancient ruin at every turn in Rome.  My favourite find along the way was a huge stone foot clothed in a gladiatorial sandal, just randomly located on side street.  You will get ‘photo fatigue’ on your first trip to Rome as there is just so much to capture and take in.  
• Food and drink – as the birthplace of Carbonara you won’t struggle to find good pasta dishes in Rome and there’s a gelateria on every block to help cool you down in the heat of the city.  
• Pilgrimage – As the Pope, head of the Catholic Church, resides in the Vatican within the boundaries of Rome, then the city is a place of pilgrimage for those who follow.  For those who don’t, a visit to St Peter’s Basilica and/or the Sistine Chapel are still usually on the ‘must see’ list.
• Art and Culture – the city displays art in a lot of the churches and also has a number of large museums and galleries, such as the Museum of Rome, Capitoline Museums, and Borghese Gallery.  Choosing one to visit from a long list might be your problem if you like art.
• The general Italian vibe – without trying, the Italians generally appear to be a stylish bunch and so people watching is a great activity.  Their style spills over into the shopping opportunities which you may want to schedule time for in the itinerary for your first trip to Rome.    

Rome, a city to explore on foot

Rome is best explored on foot so that you can truly experience the beauty of the buildings, piazzas, fountains, and ruins which fill the streets. As you walk, soak up the atmosphere and take your time. This is not a city for the Hop-On Hop-Off bus or you’ll miss things.

So, pack your most comfortable walking shoes – on paper the distances don’t look far but you will end up winding through the streets and walking further than you think. Throw in coffee and gelato breaks, people watching and photo stops, and your time will evaporate away.

5 itineraries for your first trip to Rome

To help you plan your first trip to Rome, I have written several itineraries to help you navigate the main sights, with some extra bits thrown in. I’ve written a separate blog about visiting Rome with teenagers. 

You can choose to follow the itineraries in any order, but when planning your time be aware that:

• Sundays – the Vatican Museums which house the Sistine Chapel are usually closed on a Sunday, and although open on the last Sunday of the month, because it is free to visit on that day, it is also the busiest day to go and should be avoided if possible.
• Wednesdays – the Pope also has a schedule of Public Blessings which often take place on a Wednesday morning, so the area will be busy and is not the best day to visit St Peter’s Basilica.

The idea is not to pack too much into your days so that you have time to enjoy everything along the way, and to take breaks whenever you want particularly if the weather is hot, sightseeing can be exhausting. Also depending on the location of your hotel, you might want to return to refreshen up before dinner.

Note – we didn’t do ‘posh Rome’ as we were travelling with our kids, so if you’re on a romantic couple’s trip you might want to supplement the walking tours with some nice extras.

Itinerary 1 – The Trevi Fountain to the Borghese Gallery

This relatively short walk (2 km) starts at the beautiful Trevi Fountain, before sampling pistachio croissants for breakfast, climbing the Spanish Steps, learning about the Romantic Poets, window shopping in the Tridente, enjoying a picnic in the gardens, admiring world class art or biking around the park.

Itinerary 2 – Tour the Colosseum, explore the Monti neighbourhood and ascend the Monument to Victor Emmanuel II

Start your day with at the showstopper tour of the Colosseum to stand in the footsteps of gladiators. Then explore the Monti neighbourhood stopping for lunch along the way. Finish your day with a visit to the top of the ‘Wedding Cake’ for stunning views.

Itinerary 3 – Roman Forum, Capitoline Museum, Il Ghetto and Trastevere

Start your day by exploring the Roman Forum, the hub of the Roman Empire back in the day and climbing Palatine Hill to see where the emperors used to live. Discover the treasures of the Capitoline Museum, its courtyard of giant statues, and seek a quick bite for lunch. Walk through Il Ghetto, the Jewish Ghetto, before crossing the River Tiber to the Trastevere neighbourhood.

Itinerary 4 – Campo de’ Fiori, Largo Argentina, the Parthenon, Piazza Navona and Castel Sant’Angelo

Experience the bustle of a famous city market, before spotting stray cats amongst ancient ruins, admiring the elephant sculpture, visiting the Parthenon, before taking a leisurely lunch in stunning Piazza Navona. Once recharged, stroll to Castel Sant’Angelo to explore this treasure on the banks of the Tiber.

Itinerary 5 – Vatican City: St Peter’s Square, St Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and a surprise…

Make an early start to climb to the top of St Peter’s Basilica, before taking a tour of the Vatican Museums to admire the Sistine Chapel. Explore St Peter’s Basilica at ground level before seeking lunch nearby. Then take a taxi to L’Aventine Hill for a surprise ending to your Vatican centred day.

Practical tips for your first trip to Rome

The following are practical tips for your first trip to Rome:

• Take refillable water bottles and keep them topped up at one of the numerous old water fountains throughout the city.
• Prebook all of your museum or tour tickets to the main attractions in advance to make the entry process as stress free as possible.
• Note – there is City Tax in place which is currently around 7.50 euros per person per night, which will be added to your hotel bill at checkout time.

Getting to Rome, Italy

Rome is the capital city of Italy, and is in the Lazio region of Italy, 274 km south of Florence and 227 km north of Naples. Italy has an excellent train system and so Rome is well connected with the other major cities, and the trains are a great way to get around.

If you’re flying to Rome, there are two airports:

• Leonardo da Vinci Airport – used by most major airlines (located in Fiumicino about 30km from the centre).
• Ciampino Airport – used by budget airlines such as Easyjet and Ryan Air (about 20 km from the centre).

Where to stay in Rome?

There’s no two ways about it, Rome is expensive, but you can find reasonable accommodation with some research. Booking.com is a great resource for looking at accommodation across the price brackets.

The cost of your accommodation will generally be higher if you stay right in the centre. We decided to stay slightly further out, 4 km from St Peter’s Square, with the trade off that the hotel had an outdoor pool – great for a refreshing dip after a long morning of sightseeing on foot, before getting ready and going out again for dinner in the evening. Find what works for you!

Final thoughts…

I hope that you fall in love with Rome when you visit, like I did on my first visit in my early 20s with very little money on an interrailing trip. Having returned with my family in recent years, the magic of the city has not worn off, and in fact the opposite has happened, and I would love to visit for longer to explore beyond the main sights. Rome has history, style, culture, and heart – it’s got it all!

If you’ve been to Rome before and are looking for ideas off the beaten track, then check out my blog about looking beyond the main sights.

Thank you so much for reading my blog, I hope you found it useful?

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Enjoy your travels!