Of all the famous phrases that we have learnt in school, one of the most memorable was “Rome wasn’t built in a day”… This adage is nothing to depict the actual vastness of Rome as a city! The rich essence of history and the indwelling remains of art, culture, architecture and religion branded Rome as legendary and huge. So did the crowd!
Quick Note –
- Local Language – Italian
- Local Currency – Euro
- Best time to Visit – April to mid-June OR October. Summer starts from mid-June to September and are much scorching & crowded.
Street view, Rome
Rome is one of the most populous cities in Europe and one of the most traveled cities in the world. It is hugely popular as a tourist destination and is listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. People from all over the world come to Rome and many of them stay for months to appreciate the Roman life, heritage and history. It is also one of the most popular honeymoon destinations. As a part of being tremendously popular, the lifestyle in Rome tends to render a lot of traffic, congestion and full-house kind of ambiance, but I personally loved that extravaganza!
Street view during the peak tourist season, Rome
However, If you wish to take that perfect selfie with nothing else but an enormous Colosseum in the background… forget about it! Your frame will be definitely shared with 10 other tourists posing towards different directions. But don’t get vanquished by all these information! That’s the charm of our famous “Roma”. It is said that, in ancient times all the greatness started from Rome, and now once you are there, you cant help yourself but admire that magnitude!
The Colosseum in the peak season, Rome
While we were landing in Fiumicino Airport, I was pressing my nose against the flight window, hoping to get the spectacular view of all the historic remains from up above, until Matt, a fellow traveler in the flight informed me that there was no use peeking out. The FCO airport which is also the most important airport in Rome is far away from the main city. Once you are in the airport, you need to figure out the best way to commute into the city.
A sightseeing bus, Rome
The cheapest and surely the best way of transportation is definitely the train. There are direct trains from Station Aeroporto di Fiumicino (the FCO airport station) to Roma Termini which takes approximately 45 minutes. You get connections in every 10 minutes. Once you reach the Termini station (it is the city centre) you don’t have to worry about anything else. The entire city of Rome is connected with excellent Metro services and you just need to figure out the map to understand whether you would have to take the Blue line or the Red line, and then you are good. Remember a trick, if you are lost in Rome, always take a metro or a bus from the nearest station and go to Termini. Once you are there you can easily figure out your way. You can reach Termini from anywhere in the city. Once in the city, it’s better to buy the Roma city pass, which lets you travel anywhere in the city via metro, bus or local trains. The passes are available for 24, 48 and 72 hours.
A graffitied metro in Termini, Rome
Other means of popular transportation from the airport are the Bus services which are pretty decent and takes approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour based on traffic situations, and are definitely cheaper than private vehicles or Airport taxis which are way costlier than any public transportation. A one way trip cost in a basic vehicle from FCO to City centre can cost you Euro 60 to 90 based on distance covered and size of the car. Of course if you are travelling in a big group and with a lot of luggage, hiring a car would be wiser.
Panoramic view of the Roman Forum, Rome
Once you are in the city, there are literally hundreds of things to do, places to see and foods to eat. Already started packing? Before you go, don’t miss my next blog “The Unparalleled Rome, Part II – Things to Do“
May 5, 2018 at 4:18 pm
Love this too.