Rome Travel Guide

Founded in 753 B.C., Rome is the city that has sparked millions of dreams over several millennia. The Italian capital is home to the Colosseum, the Forum, and hundreds of ruins, museums, and must-see churches.

A city that has been around as long as Rome has is bound to be known by many names. Some of Rome’s nicknames are The Eternal City, The City of 7 Hills, and Caput Mundi (Capital of the World).

Vatican City, a city-state located within the confines of Rome, is where you will find Saint Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, and the Pope.

Rome Basics

What to See and Do in Rome

Where to Stay in Rome

Centro Storico | Historic Center

The Centro Storico is the “historic center” and it includes almost all the places that anyone would want to go. By definition, the historic center is the part of Rome that is inside the ancient Aurelian Walls. That includes the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Campo de’ Fiori, the Spanish Steps, Piazza del Popolo, the Trevi Fountain, and the structures of the ancient city such as the Colosseum and the Forum.

Trastevere

“Trastevere” means across the Tiber. It is the old neighborhood on the other side of the Tiber River. It is known for its medieval streets but also its restaurants and nightlife. The two main squares in Trastevere are Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere, with its namesake church and central fountain, and Piazza Trilussa, which faces the Tiber and the Ponte Sisto.

Monti

Monti is the hilly district between the Colosseum and the Esquiline and Viminale hills. It has become a hip part of town over the last decade or so and has lots of good restaurants and chic boutiques. The Monti district is close to Rome’s Termini Station — but not too close.

Aventine Hill

The Aventino is a quiet and residential area with many old churches, including Santa Stefano Rotondo and Santa Sabina. This is also where the Knights of Malta have their headquarters and its “magic keyhole.”

Testaccio

Below the Aventine hill is Testaccio, which has an entirely different flavor. The former slaughterhouse neighborhood has one of the best fruit and vegetable markets in the city and there are numerous restaurants here that specialize in Rome’s quinto quarto offal cuisine. Testaccio is both an old school Roman neighborhood and a trendy, artsy one.