# Rome

Forums, basilicas and Baroque squares within walking distance. The biggest task of the trip is booking the Colosseum, the Vatican Museums and the Borghese Gallery in advance.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/lazio/rome · Revisado: 2026-11-12

## How do you get there from Spain?

Fly to Fiumicino, with direct flights from Madrid, Barcelona and other cities. From the airport to Termini station runs the Leonardo Express train: 32 minutes non-stop, every 15 minutes, €14. There are also flights to Ciampino, closer to the city but without a direct train.

## How do you get around?

On foot, mostly. From the Colosseum to Piazza Navona and from there to the Vatican you walk along streets with plenty to see. The metro has few lines and doesn't pass through the historic centre; it's useful for reaching the Vatican (Ottaviano) and the Colosseum (Colosseo). Don't drive in: the centre is a limited traffic zone.

## What do you need to book?

Three things, days or weeks ahead: the Colosseum, which sells its tickets 30 days ahead with a time slot and in your name; the Vatican Museums, only on their official website; and the Borghese Gallery, where booking is compulsory. The rest can be improvised.

## Where to sleep?

It depends how you'll be getting around. Next to Termini you sleep more cheaply and have the airport train and the excursion trains at the door: the hostels The Beehive and YellowSquare are there, and a little further down, on Via Nazionale, the Hotel Artemide. In Trastevere, the Hotel Santa Maria occupies a cloister with orange trees. For a special stay, the Hassler, above the Spanish Steps, or the Raphaël, next to Piazza Navona.

## Where to eat?

Roman trattoria cooking, by area. Next to the Vatican, the pizza by the slice at Pizzarium. In the centre, Armando al Pantheon, Monday to Saturday, and Roscioli, next to Campo de' Fiori, every day. In Trastevere, Da Enzo al 29, no reservations. On Sundays, when many classics close, Felice a Testaccio opens at lunchtime and in the evening.

## Day trips from Rome

By train or car, in under two hours: Ostia Antica and Tivoli, the classics; the Castelli Romani, with Frascati and Castel Gandolfo half an hour from Termini; Lake Bracciano and its castle, on the FL3 train; the Etruscan tombs of Cerveteri and Tarquinia; the Garden of Ninfa and Sermoneta, only on its opening days; the monasteries of Subiaco; and, further north, Viterbo and Orvieto.

## Dónde está
- Zonas: Classic film locations
- Cerca: Ostia Antica (a 22.0 km), Castelli Romani (a 22.3 km), Tivoli (a 27.2 km), Lake Bracciano (a 32.8 km)

## Qué hacer
- **Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine with a Named Ticket** (4 h 30 · All ages · Desde 18 € per person): The amphitheatre, the square where politics was done and the hill where the emperors lived are next to one another and can be seen with the same ticket. Allow half a morning for the Colosseum and the rest of the day for the Forum and the Palatine, which have little shade.
What you see and why it matters
The Colosseum is the Flavian Amphitheatre, inaugurated in AD 80. With the basic ticket you walk the first and second levels, with their terraces over the Forum and the Arch of Constantine, and the small museum of the monument itself. The arena and the underground passages, from which wild animals and gladiators emerged, are not included: that is what the Full Experience tickets are for.
On leaving the Colosseum you cross to the Roman Forum, the political centre of the city: the Via Sacra, the Arch of Titus, the temples and the Curia, where the Senate met. Above it, the Palatine holds the remains of the imperial palaces and looks out on one side to the Forum and on the other to the Circus Maximus. The same ticket includes the Forum Museum and whatever exhibitions are on at the time.
Opening hours
The archaeological park changes its hours with the seasons. From 25 October 2026 to 28 February 2027 the Colosseum opens at 8:30, the Forum and the Palatine at 9:00, and everything closes at 16:30; the last entry is at 15:30. It is closed on 25 December and 1 January. From spring to autumn the hours extend into the evening: check the table on the park's website for your travel date.
Tickets and prices

Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine: €18. You choose an entry time for the Colosseum and have 75 minutes inside; the Forum and the Palatine are visited once in the 24 hours before or after.
Ages 18 to 25, EU citizens: €2, up to the day you turn 25.
Full Experience: adds the underground passages and arena, or the attic with its panoramic lift, depending on the option. It is valid for two consecutive days and always booked in advance.
Free: the first Sunday of each month and on 25 April, 2 June and 4 November, with a ticket collected at the ticket office on arrival.

Tickets go on sale 30 days ahead on the park's official website (ticketing.colosseo.it) and are named: bring ID in the same name. Since May 2026 the holder can only be changed once, up to midnight seven days before, and for specified reasons.
Getting there
Go by public transport: the Colosseo stop on metro line B comes out right in front of the amphitheatre. Tram 3 and buses 51, 75, 81, 85, 87 and 118 also arrive. By car it makes no sense: the historic centre is a limited traffic zone and there is no parking next to the monument.
Accessibility and with children
The Colosseum has an accessible route and a lift between levels. The Forum and the Palatine are another matter: uneven stone, slopes and stairs. With small children, a baby carrier is better than a pushchair. Children respond more to the Colosseum than to the Forum, which needs imagination: if they are tired, do the Palatine by the upper part and leave the Forum for another day within the 24 hours.
Afterwards, the Monti district is ten minutes' walk away for lunch. If you have another day in Rome, the Borghese Gallery and the Appian Way by bike complete the ancient side of the city.
- **Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel** (3 h 30 · From age 8, with patience · Desde 20 € per person): It is an enormous museum with a one-way route: you walk through galleries and courtyards and end in the Sistine Chapel. Do not try to see everything; choose a route and save energy for the end.
Why go and who it suits
The Vatican Museums bring together centuries of the popes' collections: classical sculpture such as the Laocoön and the Apollo Belvedere, the rooms painted by Raphael, a picture gallery with Giotto, Leonardo and Caravaggio and, at the end, the Sistine Chapel, with Michelangelo's ceiling and Last Judgement. It is an essential visit in Rome for anyone interested in art, although it demands patience.
It suits adults and teenagers prepared to spend three or four hours on their feet among a lot of people. It suits less anyone who feels uneasy in crowds: in high season the corridors leading to the Sistine move slowly. Families with pushchairs are welcome and staff point out the most comfortable route and the lifts; there are baby-changing facilities and a breastfeeding room on the route.
Getting there
The entrance is on Viale Vaticano, in the Vatican's north wall, not in St Peter's Square. By metro, line A towards Battistini, stops Ottaviano or Cipro, and a few minutes' walk. Bus 49 stops in front of the museums; the 32, 81 and 982, and tram 19, at Piazza del Risorgimento. There is a taxi rank in the entrance square.
When to go
They open Monday to Saturday from 8:00 to 20:00, with last entry at 18:00. They close on Sundays, except the last one of each month, and on some religious holidays: the museum publishes its 2026 and 2027 opening and closing calendar on its website.
The quietest times are the first slot of the morning and the afternoon, from 15:00. From 10:00 to 13:00 almost all the groups coincide. In winter, outside Christmas and Easter, the pressure is much lower. On the last Sunday of the month entry is free, but the queue lasts hours and cannot be booked: do not choose it if you have little time in Rome.
Rules worth knowing
Modest dress is required: no bare shoulders or low necklines, no trousers or skirts above the knee, and no hats. In the rest of the museum you can take photos without flash for personal use; in the Sistine Chapel, no photos or videos are allowed with any device and staff may ask you to delete them. Selfie sticks, tripods and drones are also forbidden, as is eating or drinking in the rooms.
What it costs
The general ticket costs €20 at the ticket office and €25 with online booking, which is a €5 supplement for skipping the queue. The reduced ticket, for students and other groups, costs €10 (€15 with booking). Children under 7 enter free. Tickets are not refunded and are valid only for the day indicated.
Inside there is a café, a self-service restaurant and a pizzeria, so you can take a break without leaving.
If it rains
It is one of the best plans in Rome in the rain, which is why it fills up more on those days. If you do not have a reservation, it is better to go to St Peter's Basilica, which does not charge entry, and leave the museums for another day with a booked time.
- **Climbing St Peter's Dome** (1 h 15 · No claustrophobia): You climb on foot or by lift to the basilica's terrace and continue by stairs between the two shells of Michelangelo's dome to the outer gallery, more than a hundred metres above the square. You book a time on the basilica's website, and the booking includes entry to the church.
What you see and why it matters
The dome was designed by Michelangelo, who began the work in 1546 and died in 1564 without seeing it closed. Giacomo della Porta and Domenico Fontana finished it in 22 months, from 1588, with about 800 workmen. It measures 133.30 m from the street to the cross and 41.50 m in diameter inside.
The climb has two viewpoints. The first is the inner ring, a gallery at the foot of the drum from which you look down at Bernini's baldacchino and the basilica floor, with the dome's mosaics an arm's length away. The second is the outer gallery, at the top: the square and Bernini's colonnade at your feet, Via della Conciliazione towards the Tiber and, on clear days, the Castelli Romani and the sea.
What the climb is like
There are two options: with a lift up to the terrace or all by stairs. The lift only saves you the first stretch. From the terrace, where the base of the dome is, a staircase of more than 300 steps continues, narrowing and tilting along the curve between the two vaults, and ends in a spiral staircase. There is no turning back halfway and no lift in the upper part. If you have vertigo or claustrophobia, or knee or heart problems, do not do it.
Allow between an hour and an hour and a half for the climb, the two galleries and the descent. From the terrace you go back down into the basilica.
Opening hours

Dome: from 26 October 2026 to 28 March 2027, 7:30 to 17:00. In the summer timetable, 7:00 to 18:00.
Basilica: 7:00 to 19:00 in winter and until 20:00 in summer.

The dome may close earlier when it is crowded or for ceremonies, and there are occasional closures on days of major papal events. Check the basilica's opening times page before going.
Tickets and booking
You book on the basilica's official website (basilicasanpietro.va), on the dome's page, with one of the two options. The booking includes the dome time, access to both rings and the visit to the basilica with a digital audio guide. Your entry to the church is given an hour before or after your dome time, depending on expected crowds: it is in the confirmation email. The website shows the price when you choose the option; there is also a package with the digital exhibition Pétros ení. Be wary of street sellers.
Getting there
The basilica is in St Peter's Square. The nearest metro station is Ottaviano, on line A, about ten minutes' walk along Via di Porta Angelica. By car it makes no sense: there is nowhere to leave it nearby. You pass a security check under the colonnade before entering.
It is a church: keep shoulders and knees covered and bring a small bag, because on the narrow stairs any bulk is a nuisance. If on the same trip you are going to the Vatican Museums, leave them for another day or go up the dome first thing: together they make a very long day.
- **Borghese Gallery, in Two-Hour Slots** (2 h · Adults and teenagers · General entry €18; last slot €13): The sculptures by Bernini and the Caravaggios gathered by the Borghese family, in the villa that Cardinal Scipione had built inside his park. You enter with a named ticket and a fixed time, and have two hours at most inside.
What you see and why it matters
The collection began in the 17th century as the private gallery of Cardinal Scipione Borghese, nephew of Pope Paul V and one of the great collectors of his time. He commissioned works from a young Bernini and bought paintings by Caravaggio when they were still controversial.
The ground floor is for sculpture. The Bernini rooms are the reason for the visit: Apollo and Daphne, with the nymph turning into laurel; the Rape of Proserpina, with Pluto's fingers pressed into the marble thigh, and David in full tension before hurling the stone. On the same floor is Canova's Pauline Borghese, reclining like a Venus, and the Caravaggio room, with the Boy with a Basket of Fruit, the Sick Bacchus and David with the Head of Goliath. Upstairs, the picture gallery: Raphael, Titian with Sacred and Profane Love, and painting from the 15th to 17th centuries.
Opening hours
It opens Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 19:00; it is closed on Mondays, 25 December and 1 January. Slots start every half hour and the last entry is at 17:45. Each slot gives up to two hours of visit, except the last two, which are shorter.
Tickets and prices

General entry: €18; in the last slot, €13.
Ages 18 to 25, EU citizens: €2.
Under 18: free, but they need a booked ticket; only under-5s enter without one.

Temporary exhibitions are part of the route and may raise the price. Tickets are named, bought on the Musei Italiani platform, a maximum of six per purchase, and are not refunded or changed; the name can be corrected once up to three days before. At the door they compare the ticket with your ID. The museum warns that there are no "skip-the-line" tickets: buy only through official channels. For the first Sunday of the month, which is free, tickets are released at 12:00 ten days beforehand and go quickly.
Bags and cloakroom
You can only go in with bum bags or small bags up to 21 × 15 cm. Rucksacks, medium and large bags and shopping bags are not allowed. The cloakroom accepts cabin suitcases as long as there is room, with no guarantee: if you are coming from the hotel with luggage, leave it first.
Getting there
The gallery is at the eastern end of the Villa Borghese park. From Termini, bus 910 or 92 to the Pinciana/Museo Borghese stop. From Barberini on metro line A, buses 63, 83, 52 or 53 to the same stop, or 61 and 160 to San Paolo del Brasile. From Flaminio, buses 89, 490, 495, 61 or 160. On foot from Piazza di Spagna through the Pincio it is about 25 minutes of park. There are taxi ranks on Via Pinciana and Via Vittorio Veneto.
How long and with whom
Two hours are enough if you get straight to the point: start with the ground floor, which is the one that fills up, and go up to the picture gallery afterwards. For teenagers it works well, because Bernini's sculptures hit the eyes without explanation. With small children, two hours of rooms where you touch nothing feel long; the park outside makes up for it.
Afterwards, stroll down through the Pincio to Piazza del Popolo. If you are looking for another art day, St Peter's Dome and the Vatican Museums are on the other side of the Tiber.
- **The Via Appia Antica by Bicycle** (3 h 30 · Families with children who already pedal · Free park; bike hire extra): The Roman road leaves the city through the Porta San Sebastiano and continues south among pines, tombs, catacombs and the remains of villas. The regional park that protects it has more than 16 km of the Appia and its surroundings, always open and with no entry fee. By bike you see in a morning what on foot would take the whole day.
What you see on the way

Porta San Sebastiano: the gate in the Aurelian Wall where the Appia Antica begins.
Quo Vadis: the small church where, according to tradition, Peter met Christ as he fled from Rome.
Catacombs: those of San Callisto and San Sebastiano open off the road. They are visited with a guide and a separate ticket, so lock your bike well.
Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella: the great cylindrical tomb of the 1st century BC, turned into a castle in the Middle Ages. From here the prettiest stretch begins.
The cobbled stretch: from Cecilia Metella the road preserves long stretches of basoli, the original volcanic stone slabs, with tombs and pines on either side and the open Roman countryside.
Villa dei Quintili: the remains of a great 2nd-century villa, further south, which make a good turning point.

The route
The most practical way is to hire the bike halfway along the road, already out of the city traffic, and pedal south. From Cecilia Metella to the end of the Appia cars are banned every day, except residents, so that stretch is yours. Out and back as far as the area of the Villa dei Quintili, with stops, allow between three and four hours.
The Roman cobbles really do shake you: go slowly, ride on the dirt edges where there are any and, if you hire, ask for a bike with suspension or an electric one. It is flat, with the odd gentle rise.
Where to hire
The Appia Antica Caffè, at Via Appia Antica 175, hires bikes every day from 9:00 to sunset, except Mondays, when it is closed. It offers the bike with a picnic basket or with a stop for lunch or an ice cream in its garden, and organises guided visits by bike or on foot with guides in several languages. Book on its website, by phone or by email; it does not publish prices. The park also has a page with the hire points in the area.
When to go
On Sundays and public holidays the Appia is closed to cars from Porta San Sebastiano, from 9:00 to 16:00 in winter hours and until 18:00 in summer. It is the best day to pedal from the start, although also the busiest. On weekdays, the southern stretch is quiet. Avoid the middle hours of July and August: the pines give little shade over the road. Spring and autumn are ideal.
Getting there

Porta San Sebastiano: buses 118 and 218; metro C, Porta Metronia stop. There is no parking.
Porta Capena, at the start of Via di Porta San Sebastiano: buses 118, 628, 671 and 714 and metro B, Circo Massimo stop, with street parking.
Cecilia Metella: bus 660 reaches the area.

By car, the park suggests leaving it around Largo Galvaligi and entering on foot through Parco Scott to the Appia, next to the Quo Vadis. Parking outside the designated places is forbidden.
With children and families
The Appia works with children who already pedal confidently, especially on the car-free stretch. For little ones, ask for a child seat or trailer when booking. Bring water and something to eat: apart from the few cafés on the road there are no facilities.
If you want to continue with ancient Rome, the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine are a few minutes away by metro.
- **From Trastevere to the Janiculum Viewpoint** (2 h · 4 km · Everyone · On your own · free): A walk of about 4 km that crosses the Tiber, wanders through the streets of Trastevere and climbs the Janiculum hill to Garibaldi's terrace, with the rooftops and domes of Rome in front of you. It is free, done on your own and has a single climb, short but continuous.
The route step by step

Ponte Sisto. Start at the pedestrian bridge linking the Campo de' Fiori district with Trastevere. On the other side, Piazza Trilussa and its fountain mark the entrance to the district.
Trastevere. Wander south along Via della Lungaretta or Vicolo del Cinque to Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere. The basilica, one of the oldest churches in Rome, has golden mosaics on the façade and in the apse. Go in if it is open: it is free.
Via Garibaldi. From the square, take Via della Paglia and then Via Garibaldi, which climbs in bends. This is the slope part: about 80 m of ascent in a little over a kilometre.
San Pietro in Montorio. Halfway up, the church and, in its courtyard, Bramante's Tempietto, a round Renaissance temple built where tradition places the martyrdom of St Peter. In front, a terrace with the first wide view of the city.
Fontana dell'Acqua Paola. A little higher, the Fontanone, the great white marble fountain of the early 17th century.
Passeggiata del Gianicolo. Continue along the tree-lined walk, with the 84 marble busts of the Garibaldians who defended the Roman Republic of 1849 against the French troops.
Piazzale Garibaldi. At the top, at 88 m, Garibaldi's equestrian statue and the viewpoint over the centre: the Pantheon, the Vittoriano, the domes. A few steps away is the monument to Anita Garibaldi.
Descent. Continue to the lighthouse given by the Italians of Buenos Aires and go down the bends towards Sant'Onofrio. From there, St Peter's Square is ten minutes away or you can return to Trastevere by the same way.

How long it takes and when to go
Walking without hurry, about two hours with stops. The best time is the last hour of the afternoon: you climb with the sun at your back and at the piazzale you see the city turn orange. Afterwards you go down to Trastevere, which fills with people at dinner time.
If you prefer the morning, do it the other way round and reach the piazzale before 12:00: an army cannon fires a blank salvo every day at noon from below the terrace, a custom dating from 1847 so that Rome's bells would ring at the same time. Take care with small children: the bang is loud.
Getting there and getting around
Not by car: Trastevere has limited traffic and parking is almost impossible. You reach Ponte Sisto on foot from Campo de' Fiori or the Ghetto. Tram 8 crosses Trastevere along Viale di Trastevere, in case you want to save the first stretch and start at the Santa Maria square.
With children, pushchairs or a dog
It works for families: there are stairs on some shortcuts, but the route along Via Garibaldi and the Janiculum walk is asphalt and pavement, so a pushchair can manage, pushing on the slope. On the Janiculum there is shade from plane trees and pines and room for children to run away from traffic. A dog can go on a lead along the whole route; it cannot enter the churches.
Water and shade
In Rome there are drinking fountains everywhere, the nasoni: refill your bottle in Trastevere before going up. The slope of Via Garibaldi is in the sun in the afternoon in summer.
If you keep walking, St Peter's Dome is at the foot of the Janiculum to the north.

## Dónde comer
- **Trattoria Da Enzo al 29** (Restaurant, Rome, €€). Qué pedir: carbonara or cacio e pepe, Jewish-style artichoke in season, polpette al sugo and tiramisu
- **Armando al Pantheon** (Restaurant, Rome, €€€). Qué pedir: saltimbocca alla romana, a classic pasta (gricia or carbonara) and, in season, the artichokes
- **Felice a Testaccio** (Restaurant, Rome, €€). Qué pedir: tonnarelli cacio e pepe (finished at the table), oven-baked abbacchio with potatoes and the ricotta and visciole crostata
- **Salumeria Roscioli** (Restaurant, Rome, €€€). Qué pedir: a board of cured meats and cheeses to share, one of the four Roman pastas (the carbonara is the most ordered) and wine by the glass
- **Pizzarium Bonci** (Takeaway, Rome, €). Qué pedir: two or three different portions by weight (ask which has just come out of the oven) and a supplì

## Car-free: Without a car: on foot, by metro and by train
Rome works without a car, and it is better that way: the centre is a limited traffic zone with cameras. You arrive by train from Fiumicino, walk through the historic centre, use the metro for the Vatican and the Colosseum and the tram for Trastevere. Day trips also leave by train: Frascati, Castel Gandolfo, Ostia Antica, Tivoli, Orvieto or Lake Bracciano.
Presupuesto orientativo: 90–220 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir without a car
- **The Beehive** (Hostel): A small hostel a step from the station
The Beehive was opened in 1999 by a couple who arrived in Rome with two cats and a Swiss army knife, as they tell it themselves. It is at Via Marghera, 8, a few minutes' walk from Termini station, so you arrive from the airport on the Leonardo Express and do not have to cross the city with your luggage. It is a place designed for those travelling alone or as a couple, with a quiet atmosphere, not a party one.
Dormitories and rooms
There are mixed dormitories of 4 and 6 beds and one women-only dormitory of 4 beds, with a lockable locker, ceiling fan and air conditioning, a light and socket at each bed and the bed made on your arrival; towels can be rented. The private rooms are single or double, with shared bathroom (five bathrooms for seven rooms) or with private bathroom and, in some, a balcony. Some of the rooms are in the same building but with a separate entrance.
Common areas
There are two kitchens for guests, a small one upstairs and a large one downstairs, a lounge with a desk and board games and an enclosed garden courtyard, in the shade of a large tree, where activities are held in the warmer months. They organise visits and classes themselves and give advice on eating well without overpaying. Reception by phone from 9:00 to 21:00.
- **YellowSquare Rome** (Hostel): The hostel for meeting people
YellowSquare is at Via Palestro, 51, about five minutes' walk from Termini, in the Castro Pretorio district. It is a large hostel with its own bar, the Yellow Bar, with a terrace on the street and a concert or party every night, and a calendar of organised activities and visits. If you are travelling alone and want company for dinner or going out, that is its reason for being. If you want quiet, a private room or The Beehive is better.
Rooms
There are shared dormitories, including women-only ones, with bunk beds and lockers, and private rooms for two or more people. Bed linen is included; towels only in the private rooms (in dormitories they are rented). Daily cleaning is included.
Services and rules
24-hour reception, free wifi, free left-luggage on the day of arrival, laundry, a shared kitchen, a games area and currency exchange. Check-in is from 15:00; check-out at 10:00 for dormitories and 11:00 for private rooms. Eating and drinking alcohol in the rooms is not allowed. The chain also has hostels in Milan, Florence and Athens.
- **Hotel Artemide** (Hotel): Halfway between Termini and the Forum
The Artemide is at Via Nazionale, 22, the avenue of shops that runs down from Piazza della Repubblica towards Piazza Venezia. From Termini you walk there in about ten minutes, and in another fifteen you are at Trajan's Forum and the Colosseum. Repubblica metro station, line A, is five minutes away. It is a four-star hotel with 92 rooms in a 19th-century palace, with classic decor and contemporary art in the common areas.
Rooms and services
The rooms range from Basic to Deluxe, plus the Junior Suite and the Honeymoon Suite. On the top floor is Ambrosia, a restaurant and bar with a terrace above the rooftops, which on Wednesdays serves a four-course dinner devoted to a different Italian region. It also has a small spa, Artemís, buffet breakfast and a lounge. Pets are not allowed.
Who it suits
For anyone who wants a comfortable, well-connected hotel without paying the price of Piazza di Spagna: you arrive from the airport on the Leonardo Express, drop your case and get around on foot. It is also practical for day trips by train from Termini.
- **Hotel Santa Maria** (Small hotel): A cloister in the heart of Trastevere
The Santa Maria occupies a former 17th-century cloister at Vicolo del Piede, 2, a few steps from the square of Santa Maria in Trastevere. It has 19 rooms spread between the ground floor and the first floor, around a courtyard with orange trees where breakfast is served. It is a three-star hotel run by the owning family, with the calm of an enclosed courtyard in the liveliest district of Roman nightlife.
Rooms
Doubles of about 14 m², superiors of 18 m², triples, and family suites for up to 4 and 6 people. Air conditioning throughout the hotel and daily cleaning. Breakfast is included and is served from 7:30 to 10:30 in the garden or the room.
Services
Free bicycles for guests, a sun terrace with loungers, a bar and a guest lounge, sometimes with an aperitif in the garden in the evening, 24-hour reception and left-luggage. For a supplement: airport transfer, guided tours and babysitting. From here you walk to the Janiculum, the Tiber Island and, across the river, the Ghetto and Campo de' Fiori.
- **Hotel Hassler Roma** (Hotel): At the top of the steps
The Hassler is at Piazza della Trinità dei Monti, 6, next to the church that crowns the Spanish Steps. It is run by the Wirth family, owners for six generations, and is one of the great classic hotels of Rome. From the door you go down the steps towards Via Condotti; on foot you have the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon and Villa Borghese.
Rooms and suites
It has 82 rooms and suites, each decorated differently, from the Deluxe and Grand Deluxe to the penthouses with a private terrace over the city, such as the Villa Medici Penthouse, with the domes of Trinità dei Monti to one side. Many look onto the gardens of Villa Medici or the dome of St Peter's. Check-in is from 14:00 and check-out until 12:00. Breakfast depends on the rate.
Where to eat
On the sixth floor is Imàgo, the hotel's Michelin-starred restaurant with panoramic views; below, Salone Eva for all-day dining and the Palm Court, a courtyard with palm trees for eating outdoors. There is a bar, a terrace on the seventh floor and a spa. The concierge arranges private visits to the Vatican Museums and airport transfers.
- **Bio Hotel Raphaël** (Hotel): The ivy façade of Largo Febo
The Raphaël is at Largo Febo, 2, a quiet little square a few metres from Piazza Navona. It is a luxury five-star, a member of Relais & Châteaux since 2010, and is recognisable at once: the façade is covered in ivy, Virginia creeper, wisteria and bougainvillea, which in spring hide it almost entirely. Inside there are graphic works by Miró, Picasso and other artists spread through the lounges.
Rooms
It has 50 rooms, 20 of them suites. A number, the Richard Meier ones, were redesigned by the American architect's studio, with white lines, oak, leather and Carrara marble; others keep a classic style. Some suites have their own terrace.
The terrace and Mater Terrae
On the roof is Mater Terrae, a plant-based, organic restaurant opened in 2013, with a panoramic terrace over the domes of the centre: St Peter's can be seen in the background. For non-guests, it is the way to get to know the hotel. From here you walk to Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, Castel Sant'Angelo and the Vatican.
### Servicios
- **Leonardo Express and FL1 trains from Fiumicino**: Direct Trenitalia train between Fiumicino airport and Roma Termini, non-stop, in 32 minutes; the FL1 regional trains go to Trastevere, Ostiense and Tiburtina.
- **Roma Termini station**: The central station: the Leonardo Express arrives, metro lines A and B cross and regional trains leave for Frascati, Castel Gandolfo, Orvieto and Latina.

## By plane: Fly to Rome and take the train to the centre
Rome has two airports with direct flights from Spain: Fiumicino, the big one, with flights from Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Málaga, Alicante, Palma and the Canary Islands, among others, and Ciampino, closer to the city, with some low-cost routes. From Fiumicino, the Leonardo Express reaches Termini in a little over half an hour without stops. In the city you don't need a car; if you are going on excursions to the Tuscia or the Castelli, hire it the day you leave, not before.
### Dónde dormir if you're flying
- **The Beehive** (Hostel): A small hostel a step from the station
The Beehive was opened in 1999 by a couple who arrived in Rome with two cats and a Swiss army knife, as they tell it themselves. It is at Via Marghera, 8, a few minutes' walk from Termini station, so you arrive from the airport on the Leonardo Express and do not have to cross the city with your luggage. It is a place designed for those travelling alone or as a couple, with a quiet atmosphere, not a party one.
Dormitories and rooms
There are mixed dormitories of 4 and 6 beds and one women-only dormitory of 4 beds, with a lockable locker, ceiling fan and air conditioning, a light and socket at each bed and the bed made on your arrival; towels can be rented. The private rooms are single or double, with shared bathroom (five bathrooms for seven rooms) or with private bathroom and, in some, a balcony. Some of the rooms are in the same building but with a separate entrance.
Common areas
There are two kitchens for guests, a small one upstairs and a large one downstairs, a lounge with a desk and board games and an enclosed garden courtyard, in the shade of a large tree, where activities are held in the warmer months. They organise visits and classes themselves and give advice on eating well without overpaying. Reception by phone from 9:00 to 21:00.
- **YellowSquare Rome** (Hostel): The hostel for meeting people
YellowSquare is at Via Palestro, 51, about five minutes' walk from Termini, in the Castro Pretorio district. It is a large hostel with its own bar, the Yellow Bar, with a terrace on the street and a concert or party every night, and a calendar of organised activities and visits. If you are travelling alone and want company for dinner or going out, that is its reason for being. If you want quiet, a private room or The Beehive is better.
Rooms
There are shared dormitories, including women-only ones, with bunk beds and lockers, and private rooms for two or more people. Bed linen is included; towels only in the private rooms (in dormitories they are rented). Daily cleaning is included.
Services and rules
24-hour reception, free wifi, free left-luggage on the day of arrival, laundry, a shared kitchen, a games area and currency exchange. Check-in is from 15:00; check-out at 10:00 for dormitories and 11:00 for private rooms. Eating and drinking alcohol in the rooms is not allowed. The chain also has hostels in Milan, Florence and Athens.
- **Hotel Artemide** (Hotel): Halfway between Termini and the Forum
The Artemide is at Via Nazionale, 22, the avenue of shops that runs down from Piazza della Repubblica towards Piazza Venezia. From Termini you walk there in about ten minutes, and in another fifteen you are at Trajan's Forum and the Colosseum. Repubblica metro station, line A, is five minutes away. It is a four-star hotel with 92 rooms in a 19th-century palace, with classic decor and contemporary art in the common areas.
Rooms and services
The rooms range from Basic to Deluxe, plus the Junior Suite and the Honeymoon Suite. On the top floor is Ambrosia, a restaurant and bar with a terrace above the rooftops, which on Wednesdays serves a four-course dinner devoted to a different Italian region. It also has a small spa, Artemís, buffet breakfast and a lounge. Pets are not allowed.
Who it suits
For anyone who wants a comfortable, well-connected hotel without paying the price of Piazza di Spagna: you arrive from the airport on the Leonardo Express, drop your case and get around on foot. It is also practical for day trips by train from Termini.
- **Hotel Santa Maria** (Small hotel): A cloister in the heart of Trastevere
The Santa Maria occupies a former 17th-century cloister at Vicolo del Piede, 2, a few steps from the square of Santa Maria in Trastevere. It has 19 rooms spread between the ground floor and the first floor, around a courtyard with orange trees where breakfast is served. It is a three-star hotel run by the owning family, with the calm of an enclosed courtyard in the liveliest district of Roman nightlife.
Rooms
Doubles of about 14 m², superiors of 18 m², triples, and family suites for up to 4 and 6 people. Air conditioning throughout the hotel and daily cleaning. Breakfast is included and is served from 7:30 to 10:30 in the garden or the room.
Services
Free bicycles for guests, a sun terrace with loungers, a bar and a guest lounge, sometimes with an aperitif in the garden in the evening, 24-hour reception and left-luggage. For a supplement: airport transfer, guided tours and babysitting. From here you walk to the Janiculum, the Tiber Island and, across the river, the Ghetto and Campo de' Fiori.
- **Hotel Hassler Roma** (Hotel): At the top of the steps
The Hassler is at Piazza della Trinità dei Monti, 6, next to the church that crowns the Spanish Steps. It is run by the Wirth family, owners for six generations, and is one of the great classic hotels of Rome. From the door you go down the steps towards Via Condotti; on foot you have the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon and Villa Borghese.
Rooms and suites
It has 82 rooms and suites, each decorated differently, from the Deluxe and Grand Deluxe to the penthouses with a private terrace over the city, such as the Villa Medici Penthouse, with the domes of Trinità dei Monti to one side. Many look onto the gardens of Villa Medici or the dome of St Peter's. Check-in is from 14:00 and check-out until 12:00. Breakfast depends on the rate.
Where to eat
On the sixth floor is Imàgo, the hotel's Michelin-starred restaurant with panoramic views; below, Salone Eva for all-day dining and the Palm Court, a courtyard with palm trees for eating outdoors. There is a bar, a terrace on the seventh floor and a spa. The concierge arranges private visits to the Vatican Museums and airport transfers.
- **Bio Hotel Raphaël** (Hotel): The ivy façade of Largo Febo
The Raphaël is at Largo Febo, 2, a quiet little square a few metres from Piazza Navona. It is a luxury five-star, a member of Relais & Châteaux since 2010, and is recognisable at once: the façade is covered in ivy, Virginia creeper, wisteria and bougainvillea, which in spring hide it almost entirely. Inside there are graphic works by Miró, Picasso and other artists spread through the lounges.
Rooms
It has 50 rooms, 20 of them suites. A number, the Richard Meier ones, were redesigned by the American architect's studio, with white lines, oak, leather and Carrara marble; others keep a classic style. Some suites have their own terrace.
The terrace and Mater Terrae
On the roof is Mater Terrae, a plant-based, organic restaurant opened in 2013, with a panoramic terrace over the domes of the centre: St Peter's can be seen in the background. For non-guests, it is the way to get to know the hotel. From here you walk to Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, Castel Sant'Angelo and the Vatican.
### Servicios
- **Leonardo Express and FL1 trains from Fiumicino**: Direct Trenitalia train between Fiumicino airport and Roma Termini, non-stop, in 32 minutes; the FL1 regional trains go to Trastevere, Ostiense and Tiburtina.
- **Ciampino airport buses to Termini**: Ciampino has no railway of its own: direct buses to Termini from Terravision, SIT and Rome Airport Bus, and the CIA Airlink to Ciampino station to continue by train.
- **Rome Tourist Infopoint**: The municipal tourist offices open every day at the Imperial Forums, Via Minghetti, St Paul's and the airports; they sell the Roma Pass and ATAC tickets.
- **Roma Termini station**: The central station: the Leonardo Express arrives, metro lines A and B cross and regional trains leave for Frascati, Castel Gandolfo, Orvieto and Latina.

## Backpacking: Backpacker: hostels, pizza by the slice and fountains
Rome is not cheap for sleeping, but it makes up for it: state museums are free on the first Sunday of the month, the fountain water is drinkable and pizza by the slice is paid for by weight. The two hostels in this guide are within walking distance of Termini, from where the airport train and the day-trip trains leave.
Presupuesto orientativo: 45–90 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir if you're backpacking
- **The Beehive** (Hostel): A small hostel a step from the station
The Beehive was opened in 1999 by a couple who arrived in Rome with two cats and a Swiss army knife, as they tell it themselves. It is at Via Marghera, 8, a few minutes' walk from Termini station, so you arrive from the airport on the Leonardo Express and do not have to cross the city with your luggage. It is a place designed for those travelling alone or as a couple, with a quiet atmosphere, not a party one.
Dormitories and rooms
There are mixed dormitories of 4 and 6 beds and one women-only dormitory of 4 beds, with a lockable locker, ceiling fan and air conditioning, a light and socket at each bed and the bed made on your arrival; towels can be rented. The private rooms are single or double, with shared bathroom (five bathrooms for seven rooms) or with private bathroom and, in some, a balcony. Some of the rooms are in the same building but with a separate entrance.
Common areas
There are two kitchens for guests, a small one upstairs and a large one downstairs, a lounge with a desk and board games and an enclosed garden courtyard, in the shade of a large tree, where activities are held in the warmer months. They organise visits and classes themselves and give advice on eating well without overpaying. Reception by phone from 9:00 to 21:00.
- **YellowSquare Rome** (Hostel): The hostel for meeting people
YellowSquare is at Via Palestro, 51, about five minutes' walk from Termini, in the Castro Pretorio district. It is a large hostel with its own bar, the Yellow Bar, with a terrace on the street and a concert or party every night, and a calendar of organised activities and visits. If you are travelling alone and want company for dinner or going out, that is its reason for being. If you want quiet, a private room or The Beehive is better.
Rooms
There are shared dormitories, including women-only ones, with bunk beds and lockers, and private rooms for two or more people. Bed linen is included; towels only in the private rooms (in dormitories they are rented). Daily cleaning is included.
Services and rules
24-hour reception, free wifi, free left-luggage on the day of arrival, laundry, a shared kitchen, a games area and currency exchange. Check-in is from 15:00; check-out at 10:00 for dormitories and 11:00 for private rooms. Eating and drinking alcohol in the rooms is not allowed. The chain also has hostels in Milan, Florence and Athens.

## Luxury: Luxury: historic hotels and terraces above the domes
Rome has some of the great classic hotels of Europe, and what sets them apart is the location: above the Spanish Steps or a step from Piazza Navona, with terraces from which you see the dome of St Peter's. It goes with private visits to the Vatican, dinners with views and private airport transfers.
Presupuesto orientativo: From €600 por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir in style
- **Hotel Hassler Roma** (Hotel): At the top of the steps
The Hassler is at Piazza della Trinità dei Monti, 6, next to the church that crowns the Spanish Steps. It is run by the Wirth family, owners for six generations, and is one of the great classic hotels of Rome. From the door you go down the steps towards Via Condotti; on foot you have the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon and Villa Borghese.
Rooms and suites
It has 82 rooms and suites, each decorated differently, from the Deluxe and Grand Deluxe to the penthouses with a private terrace over the city, such as the Villa Medici Penthouse, with the domes of Trinità dei Monti to one side. Many look onto the gardens of Villa Medici or the dome of St Peter's. Check-in is from 14:00 and check-out until 12:00. Breakfast depends on the rate.
Where to eat
On the sixth floor is Imàgo, the hotel's Michelin-starred restaurant with panoramic views; below, Salone Eva for all-day dining and the Palm Court, a courtyard with palm trees for eating outdoors. There is a bar, a terrace on the seventh floor and a spa. The concierge arranges private visits to the Vatican Museums and airport transfers.
- **Bio Hotel Raphaël** (Hotel): The ivy façade of Largo Febo
The Raphaël is at Largo Febo, 2, a quiet little square a few metres from Piazza Navona. It is a luxury five-star, a member of Relais & Châteaux since 2010, and is recognisable at once: the façade is covered in ivy, Virginia creeper, wisteria and bougainvillea, which in spring hide it almost entirely. Inside there are graphic works by Miró, Picasso and other artists spread through the lounges.
Rooms
It has 50 rooms, 20 of them suites. A number, the Richard Meier ones, were redesigned by the American architect's studio, with white lines, oak, leather and Carrara marble; others keep a classic style. Some suites have their own terrace.
The terrace and Mater Terrae
On the roof is Mater Terrae, a plant-based, organic restaurant opened in 2013, with a panoramic terrace over the domes of the centre: St Peter's can be seen in the background. For non-guests, it is the way to get to know the hotel. From here you walk to Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, Castel Sant'Angelo and the Vatican.

## As a family: Rome with Children, at a Walking Pace

Rome is enjoyable as a family if you alternate a ticketed visit with some time outdoors. With children of different ages, leave the long queues for first thing and the afternoon for parks and squares.

### What works best
The Colosseum: they recognise it and the basic visit lasts 75 minutes

The Via Appia by bike, through a car-free park among tombs and pines

The walk through Trastevere up to the Janiculum, with the whole city at your feet

### Where to sleep
Districts within walking distance of the centre, to go back and rest at midday

Near a metro stop if you are staying far from the historic centre

### Where to eat
Pizza al taglio, bought by weight and eaten standing up

Ice cream in the mid-afternoon, as the Romans do

### Keep in mind
The Forum and the Via Appia have uneven stone: a baby carrier is better than a pushchair

In summer, the Forum and the Palatine have very little shade

The Vatican Museums are long for under-8s

### Qué hacer as a family
- Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine with a Named Ticket
- The Via Appia Antica by Bicycle
- From Trastevere to the Janiculum Viewpoint

## With teenagers: Rome for Curious Teenagers

What hooks a teenager most in Rome is what they have seen in series and video games: gladiators, emperors, Michelangelo. Let them choose one of the big visits and give them free time in safe squares in the centre.

### What works best
The Colosseum's underground passages with the Full Experience

The Sistine Chapel at the end of the Vatican Museums

Bernini's sculptures in the Borghese Gallery, in exactly two hours

The Via Appia by bike, with a bit of effort

### Where to sleep
Near Termini or Trastevere, with transport to hand

### Where to eat
Supplì and pizza al taglio between visits

### Keep in mind
EU citizens aged 18 to 25 pay €2 at the Colosseum and the Borghese

At the Borghese, under-18s do not pay, but they book too

### Qué hacer with teenagers
- Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine with a Named Ticket
- Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel
- Borghese Gallery, in Two-Hour Slots
- The Via Appia Antica by Bicycle

## With friends: Rome with friends: cycling the Appia, pizza by the slice and dinner in Trastevere

Rome cannot be exhausted on a trip with friends, which is why it pays to choose one plan for the day and leave the afternoon free. What works best for a group is what you do without queuing: walking from Trastevere up to the Gianicolo, hiring bikes on the Via Appia and eating a pizza by weight standing up. The Colosseum and the dome need booking, and that is where you do have to coordinate.

### What works best
Colosseum, Forum and Palatine: €18 with a booked time slot and a named ticket, on sale 30 days ahead. Buy for everyone at once.

Trastevere and the Gianicolo: about 4 km, free, from Ponte Sisto to the Garibaldi viewpoint, 88 m above Rome.

Via Appia Antica by bike: a car-free Roman road from Cecilia Metella, with a free park and bike hire separately; Tuesday to Sunday.

St Peter's Dome: a lift up to the terrace or on foot, with a time slot booked on the basilica's website.

### Where to stay
The Beehive: a hostel next to Termini since 1999, with 4- and 6-bed dorms, two kitchens and a garden courtyard.

YellowSquare Rome: a large, sociable hostel near Termini, with a bar with music and activities every night.

### Where to eat
Pizzarium Bonci: Gabriele Bonci's pizza by the slice, two streets from the Vatican Museums, sold by weight and eaten standing.

Da Enzo al 29: a trattoria in Jewish Trastevere, no reservations and a queue; carbonara and artichokes.

Felice a Testaccio: cacio e pepe tossed at your table, every day.

Salumeria Roscioli: more than 350 cheeses and 150 cured meats beside Campo de' Fiori, for a big sharing board.

### Good to know
Da Enzo does not take reservations and there is a queue: go early.

Felice a Testaccio opens every day and Roscioli daily: keep those two dinners for the nights with the most people.

The dome requires a booking and the Colosseum ticket is named: everyone should carry ID.

### Qué hacer with friends
- Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine with a Named Ticket
- Climbing St Peter's Dome
- The Via Appia Antica by Bicycle
- From Trastevere to the Janiculum Viewpoint

## Consejos

### Group by area
One day for the Colosseum, the Forum and the Palatine; another for the Vatican and St Peter's; another for the Baroque centre and Trastevere.

### Start early
Queues and heat build up from ten o'clock.

### Drink from the fountains
The city's public fountains give drinking water. Bring a bottle and refill it.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How many days do I need?
Three days is enough for the essentials; with five you also see the Borghese Gallery, the Appian Way and a neighbourhood at an easy pace.

### How much does the Colosseum cost?
€18 for the ticket with Forum and Palatine, €2 for EU citizens aged 18 to 25. The first Sunday of the month is free.

### Which day are the museums closed?
The Vatican Museums open Monday to Saturday and the last Sunday of the month. The Borghese Gallery closes on Mondays.

### Can you see St Peter's and the Vatican Museums on the same day?
Yes, but they are separate tickets. Do the museums in the morning and the basilica in the afternoon: in winter it closes at 19:00.

### How do I get from the airport to the centre?
On the Leonardo Express from Fiumicino to Termini, 32 minutes and €14.