A lot of people travel to Italy in the summer because of the amazing weather. The temperature is ideal for the beach lovers, but visiting a city like Rome in the biggest heat can be a nightmare. Lucky you, we have a secret, how to enjoy these places to the fullest.
Best place to stay in the center of Rome:
There are thousands of hotels in Rome, it might be a challenge to find the right one for you. I would recommend a hotel near Termini station because that’s where the airport train takes you and that’s where metro lines connect. The restaurants are not overpriced in this area, so you can have tasty pasta and pizza and you don’t have to break the bank. The main attractions are in walking distance, but it is easier to take the subway. We stayed at Hotel Di Rienzo, it was a very good budget hotel, just book directly through their website and you get the best deals.
How to get around:
If you have good sneakers with you, you can visit the city center on foot. The attractions are not so far from each other (except maybe the Vatican City) and you see some pretty streets along the way. You might consider using the metro line of the city. The tickets can be purchased in the vending machines in any metro station. A one-way ticket cost 1,5€ and a day ticket 6€.
Finally, the most stylish way to get around is with a Vespa, but it can be pretty expensive (between 40-50euros per day) and it is also challenging to drive around Rome with crazy traffic and one-way streets.
Tickets:
If you are one of those people who like to see the buildings from inside and don’t mind to pay crazy prices for it, I would recommend booking the excursions in advance. The lines to get into the Colosseum or St Peter’s Basilica are very long, so book your ticket online or organize it one day before, otherwise, you lose plenty of time waiting.
Food and drink tips:
To avoid all the tourist scams, don’t buy food and drink around big attractions. The tap water is drinkable and there are free drinking fountains around Rome to refill your empty water bottle. Italian food is expensive on average (10-15€ for the main dish), so for good prices, you might need to do some research on Tripadvisor. We haven’t book restaurants in advance and had no problem finding tables, but if want to eat around 7-9 pm in the busy hours, you should consider booking a table in advance.
The unique way to dodge the crowds:
This idea might sound crazy first, but it definitely works. This is what we did, and we enjoyed our 2 days stay to the fullest.
The first day you have to wake up 1 hour before sunrise (in high season it is around 5:30, just google it the night before). You should head to one of the most popular places (Trevi fountain, Pantheon, Spanish steps, Colosseum). You can visit 2 of the places on the same morning or like us; all the 4 places in the same morning. At this hour, everything is closed, the streets are very quiet, there are no lousy tourists. It is also very advantageous for photography; you won’t need to wait half an hour for a photo or use photoshop. The temperature is very pleasant, so you won’t get sunburnt or sweaty. Between 5 am and 8 am is the perfect time to see the city’s beauty.
The rest of the day:
After 8 am you will see everything opening. All the tourist groups are starting their day. Everything gets very crowded. The sun starts to be very strong, the heat is unbearable and it is just madness. This is the time to grab some breakfast and head back to the hotel for a well-deserved rest. I highly recommend to get a hotel room with air-conditioning, so you can have a rest in the warmest part of the day.
In the afternoon, the city is still very busy, but you can sign yourself up on a cooking class or visit the Vatican, watch the sunset and have a romantic dinner with a bottle of wine.
Best sunset point in the city:
Ponte Umberto I. This is a bridge overlooking the St Peter’s Basilica. The sun goes down just behind the Basilica, so it is the perfect place to watch the sunset. Try to be there in time to get a seat on the bridge it can get crowded.
Thank you for reading my blog. If you want to see more beautiful cities check out my travel guide for Barcelona and Vienna.
