Rome
Image: Time Stands Still by Jon Rawlinson reproduced with thanks under a CC Attribution 2.0 Generic Licence
You’d be forgiven if your first impression of Rome is tainted by the clamour of honking horns of impatient locals on Vespas. But look beyond the chaos on the asphalt and you’ll find the glimmers of Rome in its imperial heyday. Modern Rome contrasts the quiet of ancient monuments against the hubbub of lively piazzas. Each year 125 million visitors arrive by train, delivered into the heart of the city at Rome’s main train station, Roma Termini... More
Capturing Rome used to involve a legion of blood thirsty gladiators and a javelin or two. Thankfully, they've got a train station now, and a mighty one at that, which hosts some 400,000 passengers a day. Roma Termini is well served from Paris by the Artesia night train, which whisks you directly from Paris to the Italian capital overnight. By day the city is served by countless international and regional services for onward travel in Italy.
Leave London on the Eurostar at lunchtime to leave enough time to travel across Paris, or get a morning train and spend the afternoon in Paris on your way to Paris Bercy, where the night train leaves at around 7pm. A leisurely overnight journey will have you in Rome in time for a delicious Italian mid-morning coffee.
Capture Rome's wonder for yourself. With our selection of things to do, prepare for an impeccable sensory overload. From the traditional to the unexpected you'll find out why they call this the Eternal City...
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Classical Rome
Italy tops the list for most Unesco World Heritage sites in Europe. And Rome, with its plethora of crumbling ruins and resplendent domes is its crowning glory. Top of most visitors’ to-do list are the Vatican and the Colosseum. Both are worthy of the attention but don’t let them captivate you for too long because it’s Rome’s hidden city that will truly capture your imagination.
To escape the crowds head for the city’s cobbled back streets. On the Western bank of the river Tiber is Trastevere, where narrow streets zigzag to reveal a glimpse of Rome's medieval past. Take coffee in a café in the elegant Piazza Santa Maria or do as the Romans do and watch the world go by from the raised steps of the fountain.
On the east bank explore Sant'Angelo, the former Jewish Ghetto which is still home to a thriving Jewish community. This was once the site of fierce persecution where strict curfews and high walls were designed to confine and oppress. Amid the remaining jumble of winding alleys you can seek out tasty kosher bites to keep you going. Continue north on foot to Campo de’ Fiori where public executions used to take place. These days you’re more likely to go for the famed open-air flower market or bustling nightlife than capital punishment (phew!).
Image: Vatican Stairs by Vvillamon reproduced with thanks under a CC Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic license
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Vittorio Emanuele
If you've had your fill of classical architecture and fancy something a bit more modern (by Roman standards) stop by the monument to Vittorio Emanuele. Sandwiched between the Piazza Venezia and Capitoline Hill, this huge marble monolith was once the political and civic centre of Rome, but is now an architectural pariah.
It’s long been considered an eyesore by the locals due to its flamboyant appearance and conspicuous setting. But what it lacks in subtlety it makes up for with a spectacular view from the rooftop. For a few Euros take the glass elevator to the roof where you’ll be rewarded with stunning views including a bird’s-eye view of Rome’s most famous relics as well as a direct view into the Pope’s bedroom.
Back on ground level you’re perfectly situated to seek out the Palazzo del Freddo for gelato like you’ve never tasted before. This historic ice-cream parlour was started at the end of the 19th Century by Giovanni Fassin, gelateria to the king. Five generations later this family business in still thriving, and has a rich history to match its delectable desserts. The Palazzo serves up creamy gelato until midnight every day but Sunday.
Image: GetDirectlyDown reproduced with thanks under a CC Attribution 2.0 Generic licence
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Catacombs
If the sun gets too much, Rome’s secluded piazzas and green spaces offer welcome respite. Or for something more chilling venture underground to an ancient city below street level. At Santa Maria della Concezione, there’s an unassuming church, beneath which lies a Capuchin crypt. Definitely not for the timid, here you’ll find the gruesome skeletal remains of over 4000 Catholic monks built into the foundations.
If you've got a taste for the macabre, head to the city outskirts and to the subterranean catacombs of San Callisto. These harbour the secrets of Christian Rome in a vast maze of burial chambers, crypts and cemeteries that span a 375-mile network of excavated tunnels. It's easily reached by bus or bike along the historic Via Appia Antica.
The Via Appia Antica is a road that spills southward through a national park of the same name. The park is full of intriguing ruins, aqueducts, tombs and nature trails, and crucially it’s a free day out in an otherwise pricey city. The road itself is a triumph of engineering and at 62km remains the longest stretch of straight road in Europe (what did the Romans ever do for us eh?!). Recommended on Sundays when the entire park is pedestrianised.
Image: Dennis Jarvis reproduced with thanks under a CC Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic licence