Rome / Lazio
Must-see attractions and places to visit in Rome and Lazio (Italy) span millennia of history. The Italian capital is famous for the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, and Vatican City, while the surrounding Lazio region adds ancient villas, lakes, and hill towns.
General information
Rome, the capital of Italy and of the surrounding Lazio region, is the "Eternal City" — nearly three thousand years of history layered into one extraordinary open-air museum. Ancient imperial ruins stand beside Baroque fountains, Renaissance palaces and the independent Vatican City, all wrapped in a warm, chaotic, deeply Roman way of life. Cobbled lanes open onto grand piazzas, espresso bars and trattorias, and every corner seems to hold a monument. Italian is the language, English is common in tourist areas, and no city rewards simply walking and looking up quite like Rome.
Transport and how to get there
The main airport is Rome Fiumicino (FCO, Leonardo da Vinci), linked to Termini station by the Leonardo Express in about 32 minutes, with budget flights using Ciampino (CIA). Rome sits on Italy's high-speed rail network, roughly 1.5 hours from Florence and just over an hour from Naples. Within the city, three metro lines, trams and buses help with longer hops, but the compact historic centre is best explored on foot — most of the great sights are within walking distance of one another.
Prices
Rome is moderately to upper-priced, with the historic centre the dearest area. Expect roughly 90-190 EUR per night for a mid-range hotel, with hostels from about 25 EUR. A casual trattoria meal runs around 15-28 EUR, a coffee at the bar about 1.20 EUR and a glass of house wine 4-6 EUR. A single transport ticket is around 1.50 EUR, the Colosseum-Forum-Palatine combined ticket about 18 EUR, and the Vatican Museums roughly 20 EUR (book ahead to skip the queues). Prices are approximate and vary by season.
Main attractions
The mighty Colosseum, the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill evoke the ancient empire, while the perfectly preserved Pantheon and the theatrical Trevi Fountain (toss a coin to return) sit in the heart of the city. Climb the Spanish Steps, wander baroque Piazza Navona, and cross the river to Vatican City for St Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. End the day among the lively lanes of Trastevere or in the gardens of Villa Borghese — and consider day trips to Tivoli's villas or the ruins of Ostia Antica.