Travel Guides: All Countries / Europe / Italy / Rome
 |  | Destination Guide : Rome |
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| | | The Eternal City |  | Why go on holiday to Rome?
Rome, Italy's capital, rises beside the river Tevere in the centre of the Campagna Romana plain, confined on one side by the hills of Monte Mario, Gianicolo and Monteverde, on the other by smaller hills of volcanic origin - the so-called Seven Hills.
The heart of Western civilisation and of Catholicism since the days of the classical Roman Empire, the Eternal City offers visitors beauty, history, culture, romance and shopping.
How much does it cost?
Flight-only returns from London costs from £120. A two-night city break with flights and accommodation will cost from £250. Expect to pay around £20-40 per night at a pension, lots more at the top hotels. Costs will vary particularly in high season so use these prices as a rough guide.
When should I go?
It's best to avoid Rome during August when the weather is hot and humid, which can make it an unpleasant experience. Spring is the nicest time and September to early December is the cheapest time to visit.
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| | | Romantic ruins |  | What should I do when I'm there?
Sightseeing is the main agenda in Rome. Pretend to be a gladiator when you visit the Colosseum, visit palaces and parks, galleries and gardens, and take an evening stroll in the squares cooled by fountains.
Send a postcard from the Vatican, a city in its own right with its own postal service. Prove you're eccentric by feeding the feral cats at the Forum.
Experience the real thing - eat a gelato (ice cream). Sit in one of the many small, quiet squares, in front of a cafe, listening to the sounds of water splashing and the music of the Italian language.
What shouldn't I miss?
Vatican City with St Peter's Basilica and the Sistine chapel. Gasp at the size of the beautiful Piazza Navona or the loveliness of Campo di Fiori.
See beautiful Byzantine mosaics hidden away in Rome's medieval churches of the Mausoleo di Santa Costanza, the Chiesa di Santa Prassede, and the Cappelladi San Zenone.
Go underground and wander through the labyrinthine catacombes. Visit the Doria Pamphili Palace (via del Corso) and Gallery, one of the most beautiful in Rome. It includes works by Tiziano, Tintoretto, Correggio, Raphael.
What about some la dolce vita?
Stroll along the Via Veneto, one of the most important arteries of the city, extending as far as Piazza Barberini past hotels, bars, small shops and luxurious stores. This was the epicentre of the sweet life in the '50s.
Get all romantic at the Piazza di Spagna, with its fountain of the Barcaccia, and at the scenic Trinit dei Monti stairway where, in July, jet-setters pay a fortune to watch a fashion show - which you can catch from the back of the seated area for free.
Throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain or Bernini's Fontana dei Fiumi (Fountain of the Rivers) in Piazza Navona. Name check for designers on the Via Condotto and Via Frattina. Wander along Via dei Coronari if you love expensive antiques.
What's outside the city?
Ostia Antica, the excavated port city founded by the Romans in 4BC, is well worth a trip. The hillside town of Tivoli by the Anio River has the gardens and fountains of the Villa d'Este and the ruins of Hadrian's villa.
Tarquinia is an important Etruscan (the rulers before the Roman period) site. Visit the Museo Nazionale di Tarquinia and view the archaeological treasures.
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| | | La dolce vita | | Where's good for nightlife?
Outdoor cinema is popular throughout July, with shows held at the spectacular setting of the Castel Sant'Angelo beside the Tiber. In summer opera is performed outdoors in Piazza Siena.
The Testaccio area is alive with nightclubs. In the '50s the Via Veneto was the centre of the "dolce vita" and popular with celebrities, who enjoyed the nightlife here. Evenings in this area are still animated, busy and glitzy.
What's the food like?
Eating out is not cheap - expect to pay around £3 for a cappuccino at a moderately nice pavement cafe - this can rise to £5 or even more in fashionable establishments. Having said that, there's a good range of places to eat - just choose carefully if you're on a budget. For traditional Roman cuisine eat in the Trastevere area and between Piazza Navona and the Tiber. Antipasto dishes are particularly good and many restaurants allow you to make up your own selection.
Offal is also popular and a local speciality is pajata - pasta with a sauce of chopped veal intestines. Desserts include tiramisu and zuppa inglese - 'English soup' i.e trifle.
All this can be washed down with a selection of fine Italian vintages.
What should I buy?
For real Roman designer fashions, come for the winter sales and be a bargainista. On Sundays, head for the Porta Portese flea market. Excellent speciality food and bread shops surround Campo di Fiori, offering delicious biscuits, cakes and sweetmeats.
At the Expo Tevere, held every year from mid-June to mid-July between Sant'Angelo bridge and Cavour bridge, buy local Italian handicrafts, pastas, jams, olive oils and wines.
What is there for children to do?
Take the kids to the Luna Park of the EUR. It has rides, a navigable lake and a minigolf course. Or take them cycling, skating or rowing on the lake in the Villa Borghese public park.
The Villas Ada and Celimontana have play areas with rides, bike paths and lakes, and Gianicolo Park has regular puppet shows. At the Olympic Village you'll find a skating rink and children's area. There is also a zoo, open 8.30am to sunset.
Tourist office
Italian State Tourist Board, 1 Princes St, London W1R 8AY. Tel 020 7408 1254. Brochure line: 09001 600 280 (calls cost 60p per minute).
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