Rome Reviews

FCTR Editors   

Review

I stayed in Rome for a month and loved it! There is so much to explore because its full of history and arts. The food is delicious and the people are friendly and helpful.
During the day it gets quite hot so queuing outside the Vatican is no fun. We didn't do as much sightseeing this time as we've been there before. We visited Villa Birgheses which is a must-see. We found that most locals go out for dinner or entertainment from 8 pm when it gets cooler.
I stayed in different areas of Rome. I would recommend for first-timers that it's easier to stay in the center near the Spanish steps or the Trevi fountain as it's lively and touristy. I liked the residential area near Piazza del Popolo as its an easy walk to the square, other tourist attractions and the beautiful Villa Borghese garden, Pincio terrace overlooking the city.
If you stay long term, you may want to stay at Trastevere where all the locals hang out at night. There are lots of bars, restaurants and music which can be noisy till the early morning hours. Remember to not have windows facing the heavy traffic areas.
Rome has a lot of wonderful viewpoints. Visit rooftop bars and restaurants overlooking the city. Some of the best ones are Pincio Terrace, Giannicolo hilltop, Atlante Star hotel rooftop, Radisson Blu rooftop. Jazz and Opera seem to be the most popular types of Music in Rome so it's not unusual to hear amateur opera singers busking on the street.
During summer, a night market is set up along the Tiber river. With an abundance of restaurants, bars, music and gaming its fun to visit every night.
There's also an outdoor cinema on Tiber island, We attended the Australia film week opening night function and watched performances before the movie 'Ladies in Black' including Australia to Italy ambassador Greg French singing on stage.
Rome has beaches too, approx 45min to an hour from the center. The easiest for tourists on public transport is Santa Marinella.
Rome is also a shoppers paradise, you will find a lot of bargains for quality clothes, shoes. Rinacente the department store has sales from 1 July.

Apart from Rome city and its neighbouring suburbs, there're many interesting day trips or weekend trips you can do from Rome, such as lake Albano or lake Bracciano. A great experience is to attend the Genzano flower festival in June and Nemi strawberry festival on the hill of the small volcanic Nemi lake, late May or early June, tasting the local wild strawberries.

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During peak season, you may not get tickets on the day to visit Villa Borghese, except the tour tickets with guide, couple of times a day. Book early.

Arturo    Verified

Review

A perfect mix of history, heritage, culture and Cosmopolitan destination

Plan your route and take your time to admire the beauty of Rome