18 Tips I Wish I Knew Before Visiting Rome, Italy
These 18 tips to know before visiting Rome are what I wish I knew before my trip to Rome, Italy. Hopefully these travel tips will help you from making some of my mistakes when traveling through Rome and the rest of Italy!
The Tuesday Travel Tip Newsletter: bit.ly/TheTuesdayTravelTip
The eSIM I use to keep my phone connected when abroad -- airalo.pxf.io/CamdenDavid --You can get 15% off as a new user by using code: CAMDEN15
Where I get my travel gear -- bit.ly/NomaticCamdenDavid
How I stay organized -- amzn.to/3OHQLEA
My favorite universal adapter -- amzn.to/3N0YzAg
DISCLAIMER: I only express my opinion based on my experience. Your experience may be different. Links above may include affiliate commission or referrals. I'm part of an affiliate network and I receive compensation from partnering websites. This video is accurate as of the posting date but may not be accurate in the future.
If you want a weekly travel tip and an update from where I am, feel free to follow my newsletter: bit.ly/TheTuesdayTravelTip
Pre pay for your tickets for the Vatican museum, book a tour for the collosseum and the Roman Forum. We did not have to pay for the Pantheon when we were there. Pre book your tickets to Accademia Gallery to see David in Florence, if your going there to avoid the long lines that are always there.The metro in Rome is very handy, but some of the platforms are far below ground so be prepared to walk! Make sure you see the Arca Pacis Agustae- The altar of peace. A must see in Rome!! Some say you haven't been to Rome if you didn't see it.
Thanks!
It is a quite new regulation that you have to pay entry to the Pantheon - churches, even St Peter's, usually are free. I visited the vatican museum quite early in the morning and had, let's say, enough air around me.
Tip #19 - watch your wallet and valuables carefully at all times. We just returned from Rome this week and during our 4 day stay we witnessed tourists being robbed by pickpockets twice!
Agreed - hope you had a great time!
Great video. Great pacing and helpful information.
Glad it was helpful. I appreciate the support
We went to Rome in January, the weather was cool but not uncomfortable and the crowds were manageable, We had an apartment in Monti that was perfect and in a great location to walk to most of the big sites, though the Borghese was a stretch. We had tickets to the Vatican Museums at last entry for the day and the crowds are a lot less later in the day. Rome is simply incredible and everybody should see it at least once.
Thanks for sharing this! So glad to hear you had a positive experience at the Vatican Museums. Would agree on everything you said. Cheers :)
Thanks for the good tips 👍
Thanks for watching 😃
Thank you camden 🎉
You got it!
Thanks for the good tips
You got it!
GOOD VIDEO CAMDEN DAVID!
Much appreciated!
Going this May...so helpful! (Tuscany Wedding family 3 day so needed ideas)
@@korenng5553 Hope you have a great time!!
Very useful info!! Going on a guided tour this summer ❤
Glad it was helpful! Hope you have a great time 😃
Thanks for the helpful video!
Glad it was helpful!
Hey thanks.I'm going to Rome in Sept. and will follow your advice.Will definitely visit those restaurants:).
Hope you have a great time!
I'm also going in September.
Leaving to rome next week! Thanks for the tips!
You got it! Have a great trip!
DAJE 🎉
This was such a super helpful video. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
Great advice, going there in May - train transfer, very helpful
Hope you have a great time
Thank you so much for sharing this great video about traveling to Rome! These practical tips will undoubtedly help first-time travelers planning a trip to this beautiful city to better prepare their itinerary. My friend taught me how I can get cheap train tickets, so this trip will no longer be by plane but by rail ~ looking forward to my European rail trip!
Glad it was helpful and hope you have a great trip :)
Thanks for the info!
You got it!
I got a Vatican guide and he was very good. I cut all the lines and he did a good informative walking tour through the museum. Recommended.
Great video, I also recommend searching for free attractions, Aurelian Walls, Park of the Aqueducts etc
Thanks for this! I'll add those to my list for the next trip
Vatican was busy but great and well worth it. Surprised anyone would recommend skipping it. We used Liv Tours…excellent and efficient. We also climbed the dome…so glad we did.
Glad to hear you had a good experience! Thanks for sharing :)
Excellent video mate. Honest
Much appreciated
Nice tips, thanks!
You got it!
Very useful information. Thank you. I hope I will visit it some day
I hope you have the opportunity to visit :)
Very helpful video! Thank you
Glad it was helpful!
Im going to Rome in two weeks time, traveling from England.. Thank you for this video i will be using some of your tips..
Hope you have a great time!
Great tips. Thank you.
Thanks for watching
Great video, going to Rome for the first time next month can't wait 🇮🇹😁
Hope you have a great time!!!
@@camdendavid Thank you 👍
Same for me! We are so friggin excited!
@@toddysurcharge771 I feel exactly the same 😁
While I would agree that they let way too many people in to the Vatican museums, that's typically more of an issue if you travel at high season. It would be an enormous mistake for anyone to miss the Vatican museums (Vatican, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basillica). It's the most spectacular day trip ever IMO (~3-3.5 houtrs). The art and history are absolutely out of this world. Highly recommend booking well in advance and doing a small group tour in your native language. They provide an earpiece to hear your tour guide describe the art as he/she navigates you throughout the tour. I actually learned a great deal from that experience.
Thanks for sharing this! Which months would you expect a smaller crowd? The video was from our visit in Feb
I am going solo to Rome during the first week of April and appreciate your tips. 😊 So sorry to hear about the Vatican Museums. I booked in the morning so I am hoping it's not too bad.
I hope you have a great time! I'll keep my fingers crossed that you won't have the crowds :)
Your Channel is top notch Camden!! Had to comment after the Mizio’s and 53 Untitled tip!! Can see you taking us to different countries and eating the food there!! Let’s Go!! ✈️ 🏝😊👍
So glad to hear this!! Your support is much appreciated and I’ll keep looking for the good food spots for you 😄
I agree about the Vatican museum. I have been several times now and the crowds can be so unpleasantly overbearing. The best experience at the museum was my last visit and going very early (it may have been like 7:00am). I headed straight to the ‘picture gallery’ where I had entire rooms to myself. By time breakfast in one of the museum cafes was over, the entire museum already full.
Ahhh, great tip here. Thanks for sharing
where did you buy vatican tickets? so many sell them online but don’t seem legit.
@@johnsanosa1006 www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en.html#lnav_shop
The Vatican museum is awesome. So sorry you had a bad experience. But to avoid the crowd, we took a skip the line, early in the morning, guided tour. Then you'll get a lot of information and time to enjoy the amazing pieces of art.
Thanks for this! So glad to hear you had a more positive experience :)
Very much appreciated.
You got it
Veterans and military retirees I recommend book sightseeing tours through USO.
OMG! As I get ready to pass through, hearing you speak about the Vatican brought back nightmares. I could not breathe I had to find a corner to get some air. Then trying to get out was the never ending things to purchase. It turned me off from seeing anything else in Rome. I just went walking around. I always vow to return to try again.
So sorry to hear that! But love your attitude with vowing to return and try again :)
I agree with everything in this video except for the walking. I am a physically fit 60 year-old man (I ride a bicycle 25-30 miles daily) and I was exhausted from walking. I took the Metro when possible but probably did not use it efficiently. If I had it to do over, I would make plans that better used the Metro in order to walk less. Getting up early to see many sites is excellent advice. The evenings can still be a little crowded but it seems like a slower pace (perhaps most of the people out walking were residents of Rome).
Appreciate you sharing the different perspective :) Thanks for watching!
Thanks!!
You got it!
Hi! I’m going to Rome for april and it’s a last minute thing so we couldnt find tickets for the vatican museum. Hearing this is comforting! we may still go to check the vatican city itself!
Definitely still check out Vatican City! Hope you have a great time :)
I recently got back from Rome and I couldn’t agree with you more regarding the Vatican Museum, it was a bit of a nightmare crowd wise.
Wish it would have been different for you but appreciate you sharing!
I've been in Rome for 2 weeks and leave Thurs. For $50 your hotel can have a driver in a Mercedes waiting for you at the airport, he'll carry your luggage and drop you off in front of your hotel. After you add up luggage storage, train tickets and cab to your hotel from the station along with all the aggravation, you save about $10 over having a driver pick you up.
Thanks for sharing this! Definitely true depending on the amount of people you're traveling with and what area of town you need to get to. And as always, a direct ride will undoubtedly be more convenient. Hope you're having a great time!
Up to 3 people i was quoted 60 euro for 4 people i was quoted 85 euro the train is 14€each so cheaper price with taxi from airport flat rate 50€ for 4 persons
I would love to know the hotel name man I am going with my family 3 of us@@faehse47
I would love to know the hotel name man I am going with my family 3 of us
Very good points, the Vatican Museums must be visited with a great guide. And not during peak season or after 10AM. Come back and we'll take you to the Roman Hills to eat really good food 😊
Ahhh good to know! I'll let you know when I'm back in town :)
Durante l'alta stagione bisogna visitare, in tutta tranquillità, il Museo Nazionale Romano (4 sedi Palazzo Massimo, Palazzo Altemps, Cripta Balbi, Terme di Diocleziano). È il museo di antichità greco-romane più importante del mondo! Anche il Museo Nazionale Etrusco è il più grande del mondo!
We never paid to go into the Pantheon, that was in August so I was surprised to see it. Also, a note that if you go to any of the churches and you're not dressed modestly, they have wraps and shawls. So if you're not picky or paranoid, you can just grab one of those. My best tip for the Coliseum is - take a night tour! It's the same building, you will see all of the same stuff but it's cooler and there are so few people. I think there were two other tour groups and that was it.
Thanks for sharing this :)
They Just recently put a 5 € entrance fee, you probably were one of the last tourist to get in for freee
Thank you for the great tips! We’re going in June, so excited! 🇮🇹
Hope you have a great trip!!!
We are too!
Great video What was that church you showed the ceiling of? It’s near 5 minutes of the video
Thanks for the support! That was St. Peter's Basilica
I agree about the Vatican Museums. We spent three weeks in italy and this was the only thing I regret doing. The Sistine Chapel, in particular, was so unpleasantly crowded, that we got claustrophobic and left immediately.
Such a shame… wish you had had a different experience but appreciate you sharing
@@camdendavid What time were you at the Vatican Museums? We've booked early, like 9:30, so I hope the crowds are less. Maybe that's wishful thinking!
@@mgood2001 I think our entrance time was wither 10:30 or 11. Wishing you better luck!
Brilliant mate. Going in 2weeks.
Have a great trip!
Being born and raised in Rome (in Monti btw), I can say that those are very good tips. :)
Love to hear that! Thanks for the support :)
Hey there! Very fun and useful video. Just a note for our lovely turists: if is actually true that sitting down at the bar can be charged a bit extra it's also true that if you sit down at the table you also meant to be served. So order your coffee or whatever you want to enjoy, sit down where you fancy more and wait for that to be brought at your table.
Thanks for this!
Hey Camden, thanks for the useful video! My bf and I are in midtwenties and visiting rome in may. do you have any suggestions on what neighborhood we should stay in? thank you!!
Depends on what you want to prioritize but I loved being in Monti. You'd be close to everything and it has a younger crowd. Hope this helps :)
I agree about the Vatican Museum. I am glad I went but would not do it again. Once you get to the Sistine Chapel, they are pushing you out. Also agree about going early. We had St. Peter's to ourselves for about an hour by arriving when they opened the doors. We are looking at returning in 25 for the Jubilee year. I know it is going to be crazy crowded, but this might be my last chance to experience the open Holy Doors. Thanks!
Hope you have a great time if/when go!
So what’s the best neighborhood to stay, let’s say 10 days in a one bedroom apartment. I’ll book thru VRBO. Thank you for the tips!!!
Hmmm, that really depends on what type of experience you're looking for but I'd probably prefer Trastevere for a 10 day trip (assuming you'd want to explore at a slower pace and be away from the bulk of the tourists). But Monti would be my preference for a quick visit!
Appreciate the tips. I'm thinking of visiting there within the next 2 months & probably would've absolutely made the mistake of getting a taxi at the airport lol
Hope you have a great time!
I was in the Vatican museum last week and it was fine, one could stop and have a detailed look at whatever, however the Uffizi in Florence was like that you've mentioned, I felt like a sheep, just moving along. There were just too many people in that museum
Glad to hear you had a better experience at the Vatican! Hope you enjoyed
53 Untitled 🤤🤩 I dream of returning!!!
Thanks for you great tips , I will be in Rome at the end of May. I wonder if my train ticket bought it on line , I use electronic ticket ,do I need to validate my ticket?
Typically the ticket will be validated once you hit "check in" for a ticket purchased online. Hope that helps!
@@camdendavid thank-you so much
The biggest thing I need to see at the Vatican is the Augustus of Prima Porta.
hey, thank you for the video. i have a question, do you need a ticket to enter vatican ? or is it free to enter and ticket is needed just for the museums and dome ? 😊
You'll need a ticket for the Vatican Museums but It's free to enter Vatican City and some of the big churches (like St. Peter's Basilica - I think that's the dome you're referring to). Hope that helps and thanks for watching :)
@@camdendavid thank you so much ♥️
Agree about the Vatican museum. It's like walking into a Premier League football stadium. But for two hours.
hahaha
What is the best place to buy the tickets for The Colosseum ad Vatican museum etc? From other tourist companies as combo offers or from the official sites themselves? Also, how early do you recommend buying these tickets if I'm planning on going in September? Thanks in advance.
I always like to buy directly from the museums but I'm sure there are a ton of combo offers from 3rd party vendors. I think you'll be in good shape if you book 2-3 weeks in advance (that might even be a bit early). Here's the official website for the Vatican Museum :www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en.html#lnav_shop And here's the official website for the Colosseum: colosseo.it/area/colosseo/ Hope that helps!
Great points and vibe. You must, though, learn correct way to say Trastevere. 😂. Painful! Also, if you buy your train ticket from the human at the counter at the station it wont need validating. I see many people befuddled trying to stick their counter tik into the validator! The counter humans are friendly, take card/cash, speak English, and can be even quicker than the ticket machine.
My pronunciations are pretty terrible haha. I'll get the hang of it at some point! And appreciate you sharing this - great to know :)
I was there for a week, and if your looking for a restaurant “tavern agape” won’t disappoint
Crazy. I went a few years ago in November, Pantheon was free, also 1/10th the amount of people in the Vatican museum as in your video. It was tshirt weather too. Can't believe how busy it is even in the winter now. Why so many tourists suddenly??
Because it's Rome
Love that so many people want to visit these days and it definitely changes things. It's felt this way in a few of the big European cities. What year were you in Rome?
AFter Covid restrictions were lifted, there was a sudden overflow of tourism in all of Europe, actually. As like the tourists feared that it would be their last time, or they wanted to make up for the time lost. In Italy, Italians rediscovered their own country during the Covid restrictions, when travelling abroad was more difficult, and now they add up on top of all the foreign tourists.
I had the same issue with the Pantheon website.
Was hoping you'd say you had better luck but it's good to know. Appreciate you sharing
@@camdendavid I didn't realize that a ticket was needed for the Pantheon. In August 2010, we just walked in. :-/
What time of day and month did you experience the crowds you encountered at the Vatican? Thanks!
That was in February somewhere between 9:30 and 11am
I am currently in Rome and would like to add: I think it’s great to walk everywhere, there’s so much to see! But not everyone is able bodied and fit or even wearing appropriate shoes. If you choose to take the bus, which gets you around well despite being confusing, VALIDATE your ticket immediately. If the bus is full, try to pass the ticket to someone else to validate. If the validation machine doesn’t work, WRITE the TIME and DATE on your ticket in pen. If you get caught w/o, even if you didn’t mean to, there are officers who will berate and threaten you, and tell you if you don’t pay immediately the rate will double. That is a lie, you have 5-6 days to pay lower rate. They will forge your signature, and may threaten to take you to jail, among who knows what other kinds of unlawful behavior. Just get your tickets validated and avoid the nastiness. Let my misfortune be your teacher! Also you can buy tickets in the always readily available tobacco stores.
The ticket for 100 minutes is 1.50 euro. The fine is close to 50 euro in the first 5 days. Not all Americans are rich, and tourists are TARGETS. At this point filled with regret about not taking an Uber lol.
Thanks for sharing your experience
Love how you shake your head no at half the things you say 🙂
Right?!?! I noticed that tendency a few weeks ago and now it's all I can see haha
There’s no off season in Rome. Every tourist thinks they will get up early and beat the crowd… it’s kind of funny.
Challenge accepted
We are planning to travel mid April, could you please tell us how will be the weather
I haven't actually spent time there in April so I i'd be lying to you if I tried to give any tips. But maybe there's a local reading this who will chime in :)
Not a local but I recommend Googling average temperatures by month for Rome. 67° and 48° F seem to be high and low respectively for the month of April. On average there are 8 days of rain.
Bars tipping for sitting is not a cultural thing here in Italy, it just depends how much people enters in the bar during the day. In touristy cities and areas that's necessary to avoid people who occupy seats for a long time, even after consuming, leaving others who pay the same standing. In less crowded bars and less touristy cities, this practice is not necessary and does not apply, unless there's a service to the table from the bar tender.
Thanks for the insight here
How do we get the tickets before hand for the colosseum and the vatican city before hand to skip the line? If u can please mention
Here's the official website for the Vatican Museum :www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en.html#lnav_shop And here's the official website for the Colosseum: colosseo.it/area/colosseo/ Hope that helps!
I am a single lady in my 60s. What neighborhood would you recommend that I stay in that has a family feel. I’d like to go to eateries local to where I stay. Thank you!
Hmm, I'd probably check out Trastevere. Sounds like a good fit for what you're looking for. But maybe a local who sees this will have a different opinion :)
Hi there! Could you please recommend the official website where I can buy ticket to the Colosseum etc.? Thank you so much
Sure thing! Here's the official website for the Vatican Museum :www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en.html#lnav_shop And here's the official website for the Colosseum: colosseo.it/area/colosseo/ Hope that helps :)
what time did you enter the Vatican museum? thank you
I think we had the 10 AM slot :)
Thank you. I do not want to go to the Vatican and most of the tour groups take you there. I found a tour where I don’t have to go.
Hope you have a great time!
So do all the churches in the Vatican City cost money to enter? I know there is a lot of churches
Most are actually free :) You'll have to wait in line for St Peter's Basilica but you don't need to pay
It's free to enter St Peter's Basilica, but if you want to look at the view from the dome (which I recommend) it costs 8 euros to walk up the steps or 12 euros to take the elevator. It seemed like a good idea at the time to choose the cheaper option and save some money, but with 551 steps in all, its heavy going, and I wouldn't suggest it for anyone with heart conditions!
How is vespa scooter as an option for going around rome
I haven't tried so I can't really provide any insight. But I'm sure it'd be a cool experience! Let me know how it goes if you decide to do it :)
"Trasta-veer." Oh geez.
Botched it haha
“Trastevere” is pronounced - tras-TAY-vah-ray
Can you recommend any vegetarian restaurants?
I'd be lying if I said I did. But maybe some locals will see this and help us out :)
Happy I visited Rome and Vatican before the influencer plague started seriously. There should be a uploading tax for any travel destination video on social media. Stop overtourism caused by greedy influencers.
Hahah that’s an interesting idea
💯
What are the winter months?
I'd say November - February
We were in Rome during the summer and the lines for the Colosseum were blocks long in the daytime, but we went at four or five or 6 PM and there was basically no line. Regarding the Vatican museum, I agree, it can be a cattle car, and there are so many other museums to see as well. You can focus on Saint peters when you see the Vatican.
Thanks for sharing this!
The original ghetto? Cool. Did you feel the history of Rome or of the Roman Empire while you were there?
Definitely -- don't know that I've ever been to another place where you feel the history in such a big way. Just so much to see and learn about
Appertivio for life
Right!?!
I just came back from Rome. The people and food was good. But,,,,,I felt many stress there. especially when you come from outside Europe. 1,Transportation was alful bus: You need to buy tickets in tabacco shop , you need to validate it but the machine is broken in many case and if you don't, security sometimes come in and charge you fine!! They just want to riip off money from tourists!!( how is it possible to ride it correctly 😢) they actually fined us for not validatig because of broken machine 100 euros and not asking other local passenger for tikets! 2, toilets wers alful All the toilets are dirty. From now on everytime I see Italian, I would imagine that they have shit on their butt. 3, Management of tour place, alful Nothing is managed correctly. Tourists running around confused because no good signboard explaining the sight. Their top era was actually old Rome era.
Sorry to hear you had such a poor experience and felt stressed there.. I hope you give Rome another shot in the future. It really does have so much to offer and I hope your next visit is a great one!
What about culturally appropriate apparel
Knees and shoulders needed to be covered for some of the churches (and no hats) but nothing out of the ordinary. Hope that answers your question :)
That’s so unfortunate about the Vatican museums. They didn’t always do that.
Hoping it was a fluke!
You have to book a tiur to the Vatican that's begore the museum opens. They sell out months in advance but it's so worth it. We had the best time and wete able to see everything and kearn about the art and tapestries.
Great tip - thanks for sharing this!!
Are you talking about the free Vatican tour or the paid tour for museum and the chapel?
A little vino after the tour? 😆
Hi, which website did you purchase these tickets at?
Would you please share where to book this tour? I’m going to visit in September. Thank you.
“Trastevere” is pronounced - tras-TAY-vah-ray
Great video and good tips, except for the Vatican Museums. Your definitely better with a tour guide going thru, you will know what your seeing because you did not.
I'll give that a try next time. Thanks for watching!
I've lived in Rome for one year and a half now and I totally agree with everything you pointed out! I may add another tip regarding the train from/to Fiumicino Airport: Leonardo Express is a great solution, but if you're looking for an even cheaper one I would suggest the local trains. There is a route that goes from Fiumicino to TIburtina, the second most important railway station. It costs €8, it calls at every stop and unfortunately it doesn't get directly to Termini station, but it could be very useful. I would suggest to not underestimate local trains because they are way cheaper and faster, for tourist attractions Trastevere and Ostiense stops are the best, and also San Pietro. The cost is €1 if you're travelling within Rome (example: from Roma San Pietro to Roma Trastevere), but if you already paid for a urban transportation pass (24h/48h/etc.) you won't need to but train tickets, because you will be covered.
Thanks so much for sharing all this!! Much appreciated 😃
wow, I've been there, it's better to plan ahead of time. One more thing about your video, can you slow down a bit when talking. haha.
I'll do my best :)
Bus from airport is half the price of the train and only takes an hour
Good option for those looking to save some cash - thanks!
The colosseum is overrated. It’s nice on the outside, but not the inside.
I hear this a lot but I think most folks will want to see it at least once. So much history. But I would agree that you don’t necessarily need to see it during every visit to Rome (as long as you’ve seen it once).
The Vatican Museums are too corwded, true. In fact i would advise to get a guided tour for it. In that mess is the only way to actyally appreciate and understand what you are seeing unless you have already studied by yourself but 99% of touridt did not. So get a guide!
Thanks for this!
Pronounced Tras-te-veh,reh!
sup with those faces? good info though
I've been asking myself that my entire life haha
yeah skip the Vatican
Similar experience?
next time timestamp your video...just a thought
Noted
U come in on train. Get a taxi.
Train is perfectly fine, cheap and easy to use
How come?
how come a taxi ? i guess the answer is its kinda far to drag ur luggage to the hotel. my hotel was 5 minute walk from capital . it did cost me 20 euros. to airport we had a driver for around 65 bucks.