Plan Your Trip
The decisions you make before you fly: when to come, what things cost, which tickets to book ahead, and what to do at the airport.
Fiumicino vs. Ciampino: Which Airport & How to Get In
Rome has two airports, and which one you fly into shapes your arrival. Fiumicino (FCO) — officially Leonardo da Vinci — is the big international hub where most…
The Leonardo Express & Train Options from Fiumicino
For most visitors landing at Fiumicino, the train is the smartest way into Rome — fast, traffic-proof, and cheap compared to a taxi. But there are actually two…
Rome Airport to City Center: Every Option Explained
Your Rome trip begins the moment you land, and the airport-to-center transfer is the first decision where a little knowledge saves you both money and stress.…
Transport strikes in Italy: how a sciopero works, the guaranteed hours, and what to do on the day
How an Italian transport strike works, where the guaranteed trains and hours are published, and what to do when a sciopero hits your travel day.
Getting Around Rome: A Planner's Overview
Here's the most reassuring thing an American visitor can learn about Rome: you probably won't need to figure out much transport at all. The historic core is…
Tipping in Italy: What Americans Get Wrong
Tipping is where American instincts most reliably misfire in Italy. Back home, a 15–20% tip is a social obligation — waitstaff depend on it, and not leaving it…
Cash, Cards & Tipping in Rome for Americans
Money in Rome trips up American visitors in three predictable ways: they tip too much (out of habit), they get quietly overcharged by choosing dollars at the…
How Much Does a Trip to Rome Cost?
"How much will Rome cost?" is one of the first questions every traveler asks, and the honest answer is: it depends enormously on how you travel — Rome can be…
Rome Month by Month: Weather, Crowds & Events
When should you visit Rome? It depends on your priorities — weather, crowds, prices, and events all shift through the year, and there's no single "best" month,…
Visiting Rome in Summer: Surviving the Heat & Crowds
Summer is Rome's busiest season and, increasingly, its hottest — July and August regularly push into the 90s°F (mid-30s°C) and beyond, with strong sun beating…
The Best Time to Visit Rome
There's no single "best" time to visit Rome — there's the best time for you, depending on whether you're optimizing for weather, crowds, cost, or some balance of…
Skip-the-Line Tickets in Rome: What's Worth Buying
"Skip the line" is one of the most-marketed and least-understood phrases in Rome travel. Every reseller promises it, prices vary wildly, and at some sights it's…
Is the Roma Pass or Omnia Card Worth It?
Rome's two main tourist passes — the Roma Pass and the Omnia Card — promise to save you money and time, and the marketing makes them sound like obvious buys. The…
Basic Italian Phrases for Your Rome Trip
You don't need to speak Italian to visit Rome — most people in tourist-facing jobs speak some English, and you'll get by fine without a word of Italian. But…
What to Wear in Rome (and the Church Dress Code)
What you wear in Rome matters more than first-timers expect — not because anyone's judging your fashion, but because two practical realities shape your choices:…
Italian Etiquette & Customs for American Visitors
Most of the things that mark you as a tourist in Rome aren't about language — they're about small social customs that differ from American habits in ways no one…
Is Rome Safe? An Honest Guide for Americans
Short answer: yes, Rome is safe — reassuringly so. Millions of tourists visit every year and the overwhelming majority have a wonderful, completely incident-free…
7 Mistakes Americans Make in Rome
Most of the things that trip up American visitors in Rome aren't dramatic disasters — they're small, avoidable missteps that cost money, waste time, or quietly…
Common Scams in Rome & How to Avoid Them
Let's start with the reassuring part: Rome is a safe city. Violent crime against tourists is rare, and millions of people visit every year without incident. The…
eSIMs, SIMs & Staying Connected in Rome
Your phone is your Rome trip — maps through the cobbled lanes, timed-entry tickets, translation, restaurant bookings, ride apps, and your lifeline if plans go…
What to Pack for Rome, Season by Season
Packing for Rome is mostly common sense plus a few city-specific essentials that first-timers forget — the scarf that gets you into churches, the genuinely…