Rome is one of the most beautiful cities in the World, one of the oldest, with so much history, landmarks, and culture that one life is not enough to visit all the monuments, curiosity, and unique views. But how can we “fix this problem”?
Many tourists decide to visit Rome more times and try to make the most of their quick Roman experience. Others choose to spend one month or more. Many young students move to the city for one or two years thanks to the many international schools and universities. Recently, with the diffusion of home working, many people have decided to relocate to the Italian capital to enjoy the city’s beauty and discover a completely different lifestyle.
Although all these options are available, not everyone can spend so much time in a foreign city; therefore, especially in the last few years, many locals have created different alternative ways to visit the capital.
In fact, another peculiarity of Rome is the presence of many Romans who, with the creativity that is so typical of Italians, offer those who want to know the capital, millions of amazing options to visit a big, chaotic, and fascinating city like Rome.
Here are a few suggestions that could be very helpful:
What is the best way to see Rome’s attractions in winter?
Rome is blessed with warm and sunny weather, therefore there is not an ideal time to experience the city. The best period to visit the Eternal city is probably linked to your personal preferences, for instance, if you don’t enjoy hot weather and rather prefer when it is mild conditions and the crowds are smaller, winter is definitely your time to enjoy the city.
The rainy season in the capital is short and winter can be a perfect time for a long walk in the city centre where you can enjoy at their best the main attractions, discover the long and fascinating history of the Roman Empire, visit unique churches and incredible fountains while enjoying a gelato, because in Rome you can enjoy a gelato also in January!
Anyway, sometimes in Rome is cold and it could rain, but the tourist must not be dispirited, the Italian capital is full of museums with real treasures inside it. Through their galleries, you can find artefacts from the Roman Empire, Renaissance and Baroque period until today. The majority of them are pretty close to each other, but you can also find an alternative way to reach them.
Can I tour Rome’s ancient ruins without walking too much?
Walking is not always the best option for everyone, despite many people prefer it when visiting a city because in this way they can enjoy every corner and peculiarity, they risk not seeing the main ancient ruins attraction and maybe miss museums or monuments all around the city.
Therefore, to avoid being too tired at the end of the day, it is a good idea not to try to visit everything in one day, prioritize the ruins most important to you, book tickets in advance to avoid long queues, choose your right time of the day to visit (do not forget to check the opening time!) and take breaks to rest.
If you want to experience the city in a much more comfortable way Rome offers many alternative ways, from the most common like public transportation to a Vespa tour or golf cart tour which gives you the chance to pass through the roads or mews of the city centre without to lose the chance to see all the amazing spots, landmarks and places.
How can I explore Rome’s historic sites in an eco-friendly way?
Rome is a very large city, the third largest in Europe after Berlin and Madrid, its landmarks, ancient ruins, and parks there are not always close to each other, therefore it is necessary to find different ways to move around the Eternal City.
Until a few years ago the best way to sort out this problem was the car, a vehicle still very used by many inhabitants of the city, but fortunately now there are many options like public transportation. In Rome there are many buses and trams plus three underground lines, linea A, B and C (partially still under construction); for instance, using only the Linea A you can go to the Spanish steps or to Vatican City.
In the city centre private citizens or tourists can rent a bike, a scooter, an electric motorbike and so on. You can easily recognize them because they have a specific layout, like the green and white bike you can see on every street or the electric motorbike with their blue helmet. Another eco-friendly transportation is the iconic “risciò” in Villa Borghese, one of the most beautiful parks in Rome. A risciò is a kind of pedicab with four wheels where all the passengers pedal, perfect for small groups or families.
The eco-tourist can even find tour guides with this alternative transportation.
Where can I find bike or e-bike tours in Rome?
There are many bicycle paths in Rome, not only in the historical centre, and these kind of initiatives have encouraged many companies to offer bike or e-bike tours.
Some of them offer free guided bike tours (they usually encourage tips at the end of the tour) in different languages but only during the Summer, others offer tours just in the most iconic places like the historic centre, the Appian Way and the Vatican. Some companies provide only e-bike tours, which allow you to cover more ground with less effort and therefore offer more tours like the Appian way plus catacombs, night tours with pizza and also private tours for families where you can arrange the time and the duration while booking it.
Just remember that these tours can have a duration of up to three hours, so it is important to be hydrated and fit for this kind of activity.
Can I book a food and wine-tasting tour in Rome?
Italy is globally famous for its food and wine, in every region, area, and city you can find very specific and unique plates and recipes.
Also in Rome, there are dishes internationally known like Pasta alla Carbonara, a creamy pasta dish made with guanciale (pork), eggs, pecorino (a kind of grated cheese similar to parmesan cheese but with a stronger flavour) and black pepper, or Pasta all’ Amatriciana, a tomato-based pasta sauce made with guanciale, pecorino and chilli peppers, or Abbacchio allo Scottadito, roasted baby lamb and also vegetarian option, like Carciofi alla Romana, artichokes cooked in olive oil, garlic and herbs (these are available only in certain period, mostly during Spring).
Rome is famous also for its wine primarily produced in the Lazio region (Rome is located in the Lazio region) like vino di Frascati, perhaps the most famous Roman wine, known for its light and refreshing taste or the Cesanese del Piglio, a robust red wine, and the DOC Velletri (Denominazione di Origine Controllata, literally Controlled Designation of Origin), which can be red or white.
You can book different food and wine tasting tours in Rome ranging from half-day walking tours to multi-day experiences. Visitors can find tours that focus on specific types of food or wine, or that explore different neighbourhoods in Rome.
It is important to do research online before booking and reserve in advance your place as popular tours can sell out quickly, especially during peak season.
You will walk a lot, so it is important to wear comfortable shoes and it is paramount to come hungry to experience all the amazing local cuisine!
