- Currency: Euro (€)
- Language: Italian
- Key phrase to learn: Parla inglese? (Do you speak English?)
- Time difference: Rome is one hour ahead of the UK
- Average flight time: Two hours and 20 minutes
- International phone code: +36
- Emergency services number: 112 or 113
- Public holidays: New Year’s Day (January 1), Epiphany (January 6), Easter Sunday, Easter Monday (Monday after Easter Sunday), Liberation Day (April 25), Labour Day (May 1), Republic Day (June 2), The Feast of St Peter and St Paul (Rome only; June 29), Assumption Day/Ferragosto (August 15), All Saints’ Day (November 1), Immaculate Conception (December 8), Christmas Day (December 25), St Stephen’s Day (December 26).
- Link to FCO travel advice: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy
Why go to Rome?
There’s never been a better time to book a break in Rome. Not only has Pope Francis rendered Italy’s capital a miracle-magnet by declaring 2016 a rare Year of Mercy, but the Colosseum and Trevi Fountain have had a spruce-up, exciting new hotels are continually opening and cheap Rome flights are increasingly common.
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Magic, everywhere you look…
A visit to the Eternal City is a particular must for any fan of art and architecture.
In Rome, Classical ruins stand cheek by jowl with early-Christian churches, while Renaissance palazzos and Baroque fountains squabble for attention. On a Rome break, almost every street contains something beautiful and bewitching.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, as the saying goes, and it can barely be seen in a week, though a short break in Rome in 2016 or 2017 will see you through the highlights. Any Rome holiday simply must include St Peter’s Basilica, the Colosseum and the Galleria Borghese.
Rome for foodies
Then there’s the food and drink, an essential element of la dolce vita on any trip to Rome. Be sure to sip espresso in a corner cafe after breakfast, and to scoff pizza slices for lunch. Leave time for an afternoon gelato, and schedule evenings around al fresco dinners in the finest neighbourhood trattorias that Rome has to offer.
City of culture
On and on it goes, with modern-art galleries, treasure-trove museums, riverside scenes and spooky crypts.
Rome has superb shopping districts to sample, unmissable Michelangelo masterpieces to inspect and a thousand photos to take. Just a little further afield are hill towns and beach resorts – ideal for a sun-kissed weekend break in Rome.
Slow down to take it all in
You’ll never tick it all off. Far better, then, to simply stroll around.
The best trips to Rome allot time to mooch about boho Trastevere, to cross the Tiber River into the warren-like Centro Storico, to people-watch in a piazza or to laze in the lush Villa Borghese gardens.
After so much stimulation, it’s vital to call on a great hotel. Fortunately, there’s a rich array of places to stay in the capital, from trendy boutiques to centuries-old classics. Use TravelSupermarket to help you navigate the many deals, including cheap holidays in Rome with flights and hotel included.
When to go
There’s no true off-season for cheap Rome breaks. Spring and autumn are busy, with summer sticky and winter chilly.
The winter season – from mid-January into March – is actually a brilliant time to come if you don’t mind risking a drop of rain. Hotel prices drop, making Rome cheap and easy to visit, as attractions quieten and restaurant tables are easier to come by.
August is another good month to find cheap holiday deals in Rome, with most locals on vacation elsewhere.
Events for your diary
If you do find yourself here in April, when the weather is improving, be sure to time your break around Natale di Roma, the city’s birthday. Processions and fireworks will make their way into your photo album.