Rome has been attracting visitors for thousands of years as the capital of the Roman Empire and now Italy. Whether you want to see history in the Forum, religion in the Vatican or taste the food and wine of La Dolce Vita, this is the destination for you. A Roman holiday is an unforgettable experience.
Rome has a huge range of accommodation, from cheap bed and breakfasts to luxury five-star hotels. Many smaller Rome hotels are privately owned and managed. Some older palaces in the centre have been converted to top-class hotels. Best Western, just off the Via del Corso, Rome's main shopping street and a short hop from the Spanish Steps, is an example.
The Via Veneto is one of the most exclusive and famous Roman streets. It winds down a hill from the Barberini metro station to the Fontana di Trevi. The 1960s film La Dolce Vita directed by Frederico Fellini was shot in this area. The NH Vittorio Veneto hotel stands at the top of the hill in the calm of the Borghese Gardens, with the Jumeirah and Westin hotels further down the hill. The Radisson hotel is located nearest to the Coliseum. The Hilton, Sheraton and Barcelo hotels are good choices close to the airport.
Take a tourist bus to see the sights. For walking, Rome is very easy to get to know so you won't get lost easily. You can walk from the Trevi Fountain to the Spanish Steps and Piazza Navona with its triple fountains in less than half an hour. Take the metro for trips to the Vatican and St. Peter's or other famous papal churches such as Santa Maria Maggiore or St. John Lateran.
Ancient Rome is a compact area around the Coliseum, the Roman Forum, the Baths of Caracalla and the Circus Maximus. As you walk on Via Fori Imperiali in downtown Rome with the Forum on your right-hand side, look out for the statue of the Emperor Trajan. There's a bus stop close to the statue which, historians recently discovered, is the place where Julius Caesar was stabbed. Head out of town to explore the old Roman port of Ostia Antio, to Tivoli, an ancient town in Lazio, or laze on the beaches close by, even as late in the year as November.
There is a huge selection of bars and restaurants in Rome for all tastes and budgets. Choose simple, delicious, traditional Italian food with homemade pasta or coffee and pastries, as well as the famous gelato, the ice cream. Plan your trip if you need a taxi in the early evening. Roads such as Via del Corso are closed to traffic for a few hours during the early evening and transformed into a pedestrian zone.
Rome is always full of visitors so hotels should be booked well in advance. The weather is fine year round so just choose the temperature that suits you. There's plenty of shade in the summer and it's never too cold in winter. Christmas and especially Easter are the busiest times in Rome. If you want to visit the Vatican museums, January and February are the months when the crowds are thinnest.
Compare the price of hotels in Rome using Travelsupermarket's tool and save money by booking in advance.
Related Links:
Rome Flights
Rome Car Hire
