Rome – The Essential Guide

last update 17.11.2024

 

I lived in Rome for 17 years from 2001 to 2019. This is probably one of the reasons why I often receive questions on where to eat and what to see in Rome in one day or two.

There are plenty of guides for tourists and the scope of this short page is not replace or mimic any of those.

This is more an essential list that I share with friends and colleagues who ask me for suggestions.

 

Where to go

 

The next three places are close one to each other. See them on the map.

⁃             Giardino degli aranci and the adjacent church.  Enjoy the panorama!

⁃             Circo Massimo  

⁃             Terme di Caracalla

 

Additionally, I suggest:

⁃             Domus Aurea (near the Colosseo)  

⁃             Maxxi Museo (Contemporary art - Museum designed by Zaha Hadid) 

⁃             Galleria d’arte moderna   

⁃             Church S. Luigi De Francesi (Inside you can see a Caravaggio painting)

 

⁃             I suggest to have a walk from Piazza di Spagna to Piazza Farnese through the old Rome, passing through via Fontanella Borghese, via Della Scrofa, Piazza Navona, Campo De Fiori and at the end Piazza Farnese. 

 

⁃             My preferred place in Rome: Auditorium Parco della Musica  

You could visit the external spaces of the Auditorium or book a tour and visit the inside or even better attend a concert in Sala S. Cecilia. 

In August the Auditorium is closed, and in July there’re only open-air concerts.

Here is the website: https://www.auditorium.com. It’s possible to buy concert tickets online.

 

⁃             Walk through Villa Borghese from Parco dei Daini to Piazza del Popolo. It’s a great park with many monuments and history.

 

⁃             Visit St. Peter’s Basilica. Don’t visit only the inside of the basilica, but the suggestion is to go up the stairs and reach the “cupola”. Avoid the elevator, you would miss part of the experience and view.

 

Where to eat

 

Avoid places for turists around the Vatican. You will eat very bad and pay a lot.

 

Some typical old traditional Roman Hostarias to try. I tried all of them. Very typical roman food, sometimes there’s not a classical menu but the host will present you the list of the dishes of the day.

 

Giggetto al portico d’Ottavia  

Here you can find the typical old roman/hebrew food tradition. The location is in the Hebrew quartier called “ghetto” on the other side of the river, in front of Trastevere.

   

Ristorante da Meo Patacca and the other restaurant in front of this one are a bit too much touristic. But the food is good. Great atmosphere, very popular with American tourists. It’s in the old Trastevere.

 

Da Sergio Another typical roman place. Very basic! Cheap! One street behind Campo de Fiori.

 

Checchino dal 1887. This is a 6th generation family run typical roman “hostaria”. It’s a bit more expensive because it is popular and always full. Here (like in Giggetto) you can find the real roman old tradition with typical recipes. This is in Testaccio.

 

Da Bucatino is very famous for the “Bucatini all’amatriciana” and in general typical roman traditional recipes.

 

NOTE: Be careful when you walk around the train station or in the city center and in the bus/metro. There are many pick pockets! 

https://romevacationtips.com/avoid-pickpocketed-italy/

 

Enjoy Rome!

Flavio