Rome Travel Guide: What to Know Before You Go

Rome looks chaotic on arrival: scooters, traffic, crowds around every fountain. Underneath, the part most visitors need is small and fairly logical, and a few decisions made before you land make the trip much calmer.

How the centre fits together

Almost everything famous sits inside the old Aurelian Walls, on the east bank of the Tiber. The ancient core (the Colosseum, the Forum, the Palatine) is at the south-east end. The Centro Storico, with the Pantheon, Piazza Navona and Campo de' Fiori, fills the bend of the river. Trastevere is across the water to the south-west, and the Vatican is further north on the same side. You can walk from the Colosseum to the Pantheon in about 25 minutes. The metro skirts around the historic centre rather than through it, so you'll walk more here than in most capitals.

What to book

The Colosseum sells named, timed tickets, and the good slots in spring go early. The Vatican Museums and the Borghese Gallery also need a booking in practice. The Pantheon now has an entry ticket too, bookable online. Check each official site for current rules; they have changed more than once since 2023.

New fees

Since February 2026, standing at the rim of the Trevi Fountain costs a small fee during the day; the square above it stays free. Hotels and rentals also charge a city tourist tax per person per night, usually paid at the property on top of your booking.

Water and money

Rome is full of nasoni ("big noses"), cast-iron street fountains with cold, drinkable water running all day. Carry a bottle and refill it. Cards are accepted almost everywhere, but small bars and markets still like cash. Many restaurants add a coperto, a per-person cover charge for bread and the table. It's legal and it isn't a tip. Tipping is not expected; rounding up is plenty.

Churches and closures

Many churches close for a few hours in the early afternoon, and several of the finest (Santa Maria del Popolo with its two Caravaggios, for example) are best seen in the morning. Most state museums, including the Borghese Gallery, close on Mondays. The Vatican Museums close on Sundays, except the last Sunday of the month.

Pickpockets work the metro between Termini and Ottaviano and the crowded 64 bus to the Vatican. Keep your phone in a front pocket, and read our seasons guide before choosing dates.